MARRY magdalen's love. AUT NUNC AUT NUNQVAM printer's or publisher's device LONDON, Printed by john Danter: and are to be sold in Gracious street near Leaden Hall Gate. Marry magdalen's love. Upon the twenty Chapter of john, from the first verse to the eighteenth. Upon the first verse as followeth. The Text. Now the first day of the week came Mary Magdalen, early when it was yet dark unto the Sepulchre, and saw the stone rolled away from the Tomb. dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ: In this first verse I find four chief note● to be well marked, and kept in memory: First the person named, who it was, and of what condition: secondly, the time, thirdly the place, and four what was there seen and done. The person was Marie a woman, and one that had been a great sinner, the time that she came, was the first day of the week in the morning early, even when it was yet dark: the place she went unto, was the sepulchre, and the thin● that she saw there was the stone rolled away from the Tomb: now touching Marie let us note two especial causes of her coming, love and sorrow, love that she bore him, and sorrow that she had for him. I mean to live without him: who of many thousands are ignorant, that the mistaken love indeed, which the wantoness, and wretches of this world are to much troubled with; will keep their wits waking, watching and continually working for the accomplishment of a most wilful or rather woeful desire: and if then the devil, by the permission of God, have such power to blind the eyes, and charm the senses of human creatures, with that lewd humour of mistearmed love, how much more wary, effectual, and continual careful watch doth the love of God keep in the souls of his servants, longi●● and looking, both day and nig●●, and thinking no time too early or long, be it never so long, so that at last they may come to the enjoying of their souls comfort: Let us therefore consider a little what may be spoken of Mary's love: First that she loved we cannot doubt, for it was spoken by the mouth of Christ himself unto Simon. Luke, Chapter 7. Verse. 45. Many sins are forgiven her, for she loved much▪ But mark now the nature of this good love what it wrought in her▪ three excellent blessings, Constancy, Modesty, & Humility: Constancy in the heart, Modesty in the mind, and Humility in the soul: but of these we will speak more hereafter in their due places, & therefore touching the first words from whence I gather my first notes, mark here what is said by the bolye Evangelist, whom 〈◊〉 names: Marry Magdalen, a w●●●n, and one that had been a great sinner: out of whom were cast out seven devils, but when the foul spirits were gone, there came to her that good spirit, that in true penitence found especial grace with her living Lord, not that she was then no longer a sinner, but being a penitent sinner, she had obtained mercy. Now you see, how Marie had been a great sinner, and received a great forgiveness, which begat in her faith so great a Love, as brought forth great fruits of repentance, & made of her as it were a new woman, turning her from a sinful servant to the world, to a loving servant to Christ: as in these words following shall appear. Now early in the Morning the first day of the Week, came Mary Magdalen, he sayeth not the Disciples, but Marry Mag●●len: See here you blessed and well-beloved of God, both men and women: What a sweet example of care she hath left for your comfort that will follow her, it is said here, she came the first day of the week: An excellent note for good husbands and housewives to observe, not to overslip their time, till the latter end of the Week, and then perhaps also be either idle, or worse exercised, as I fear too many are in these days: then another note of wisdom in the choosing of her work to seek Christ: for begin the Week with him and thy work will thrive the better, and continue the Week with him and thy wages willbe the greater, and never work but with him, and thou shalt find thy labour will be the easier by the unspeakable ●●mfort of thy reward. Many are 〈◊〉 early, and down late, as the ●●●fe about his robbery, the covetous about his misery, the adulterer about his villainy, and the Traitor about his ●reason, but alas Marry had none of these thoughts in her head, she rose early to seek Christ, she came early while it was yet dark: for as David the Psalmist saith in his hundred and thirty Psalm, and sixth verse. My soul waiteth on the Lord, more than the Morning watch watcheth for the Morning: who then wilcome to Christ must wait for him as David did; and seek for him as Marie did. Early in the morning and the first day in the week and though it be dark, yet we must watch till it be day, and then by God's help we shall see that we look for: Now let us speak a little more of Mary, she found herself a sinner, and therefore unworthy to see her Saviour any more, but yet her sins were forgiven her and she desired to sin no more, and now did grace so work in her love, that feign she would see her Lord a little more: but alas her Lord was dead, to other perhaps, but not to her, and see how faith wrought in her affection, her heart had light before her eyes, she went through the dark and came to the place ere it was day. The devil watcheth in the light to lead his followers into darkness and shall not we watch through darkness to seek Christ in the light? judas watch all day to betray his Master in the night, but Mary watcheth all night to come to her Master in the day: Oh sweet blessing of God where faith wrought love and love duty, and all came together to bring Mary to Christ: and except with these we follow her, we shall never come to him: but Mary was a woman, and shall men follow women? why her happiness came from God, and shall not we follow her to her happiness? but Mary was a sinner, and what flesh is righteous? and Mary was repentant, and what more proof of election? and Mary loved Christ, and what more joy in a Christian? now not offending men; let me thus far speak in the commendation of godly women: if the first spoken off in the scripture offended God; the last spoken off, loved Christ: If Hevah was an accursed wife, Mary was a blessed virgin: If she were full of sin; Marie was full of grace: If Eve was tempted by the devil, Mary was saluted by the Angel: And if Eve bore a wicked Son Cain, Mary brought a blessed Son Christ: now though this was not that Mary that bare Christ, yet this was she that loved Christ, & for a world of such godly women as are lest examples to their posterities & sex in all Ages: I would be loath to spend time in recounting their names, which truly set down, might make a Cathalogue of worthy memory: but I speak to all beloved men & women, think it no scorn to follow Marie in her early rising to seek Christ: for to rise early is wholesome for the body, & to walk to Christ is comfortable to the soul, such exercise is better than any physic, & such a travail brings the best rest. Now Mary came early in the morning while it was yet dark: surely, sin doth much darken our eyes, that we cannot see the way to Christ yet repentance gave Mary such a light that she found the way to his sepulchre, and surely we must have our lamps fed with the oyl● of her Lord's grace, or we shall never find the way to her soul's comfort: when Peter and james were taken up into the heavens & saw Christ in his glory, standing betwixt Moses and Eliah he could say, Here is good being Lord, but after he was crucified, who sought him at his sepulchre? Mary: Many would perhaps be glad to rise early to go up to heaven to him, but who will go through the dark to seek him at his grave? Marry did, and such as Mary will: Oh blessed Mary, so may I well term thee, for as the Psalmist saith in his Psalm. Blessed are they that seek him with their whole heart: & in that was she surely blessed, for she sought him with her whole heart, by the light of her soul's love, or else being in the dark she would have hardly hit the way: but now, where sought she him? at his sepulchre where he was buried: see here the strong effects of love, living or dead, she could not forget her Lord: dead she saw him, buried she knew he was; & why did she then seek for him? love could not forget him, & sorrowing to live without him, alive or dead she would be glad to see him: Now still note the force of love in the elect. A woman in nature fearful was now valiant, the darkness uncomfortable, she thorough the dark sought her comfort, and amongst the graves of the dead sought the comfort of her life: here was love void of fear, and faith void of doubt, brought a spiritful of sorrow to seek her light in the dark, and Mary full of grief to seek her Lord in his grave. Now Mary came early while it was dark, the first day of the week unto the Sepulchre. Many will rise early to look to their Chickens, their Geese, their Ducks, their Swine, or such other things, but all things must be looked over, ere Christ be thought upon, and perhaps not then neither: But as it is written in Luke, Chap. 10, vers. 41.42. Martha was troubled much about her work, but Mary took the good part: so many take early journeys, but Mary here made the good walk: Now though she came to seek him where he was buried, yet in her heart she beheld him crucified; for who sees not his death in the sorrow of his heart, I am persuaded shall never find him living in the joy of his soul: But he was crucified for Maries and our redemption, and shall not we with Mary mourn for his Passion? Yes let us with Mary's love look into his Mercy, and following her sorrow, we shall find her comfort; and though not at the first as we wish, yet at the last as she did: For if we watch the dark night of sin that we sleep not in sensuality, but rise early to repentance, and walk with a true faith to the finding of our soul's felicity, when we have gone through the dark, and attended the day, we shall see the stone rolled away, and somewhat lest for our comfort, when the hardness is rolled from our hearts, we shall enjoy the blessing of our souls: Which that we may the better attain unto, let us watch with Mary, walk with Mary, and weep with Mary, rise early, go through the dark, and come to the Sepulchre to seek Christ in his grave, ere we look for him in his glory: and though it be long ere we see his Person, yet shall we quickly be partakers of her comfort: For she, as you shall hereafter hear (God willing) saw him, bu● knew him not; so shall we be sure of his Mercy though we see him not: Will you then come to Christ? Learn to imitate Mary in her course: Who hath many sins, and findeth much remission, let his love be great, and his sorrow not little, to lack the comfort of his love: Christ is offended, Christ must forgive; Christ must be loved, Christ must be sought, and that early, for fear we come too late, and since we cannot behold him with our eyes of corruption, let us hold him in the heart of our regeneration; let the first day of the week be the first beginning of our youth lest when we grow old either our spirits be so dull, or our eyes so dim, that we shall not be able to rise, or at least to walk to seek Christ: Christ dwells a great way from the world, and ●ee that is overladen with sin, must shake off his burden, or he will never come at heaven; and he or she that will not in the sorrow of their sins rise up to repentance, and in Christ his Passion learn the power of Mortification, they may perhaps hear much of him, and pray much to him, but I doubt whether they shall ever come near him. Learn then of Mary whom to love, Christ: Why? for his goodness in forgiveness of her sins, & the feeling of his Mercy; then loving Christ, learn her sorrow to be without him; with her sorrow▪ her labour to rise early to seek him; the place where to find him, at his Sepulchre: I mean in the Mortification of the flesh, that you may glorify him in the spirit; who in forgiveness of sins, and redemption of sinners; in comforting the penitent, and blessing the faithful in the perfection of love, deserveth all honour, to whom sweet jesus, the blessed son of the everliving God, with our heavenly father and the holy Ghost, be all Glory, Honour and Praise, both now and ever, Amen. Marry magdalen's love. Upon the second verse, which is as followeth. The Text. Then she ran, and came to Simon Peter, and to the other Disciple whom jesus loved, and said unto them, they have taken away my Lord out of the Sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. IN this Verse I take four especial notes: First, her running; then to whom she ran; then how she spoke; and last what she said. In the former verse it is said, she came to the Sepulchre, now in this verse it is said, she ran from the Sepulchre. She came through the dark to seek Christ in his dead Tomb; but now it is day, she begins to run to his Disciples, to tell what she had seen, hoping perhaps of them to hear somewhat of ●im: Se● here a notable token of true Constancy in her l●●e, through the dark she walke●●o seek him at his grave; now in the light she runs to his Disciples to inquire of him: So surely ought we to do, if in our own cogitations we find him not as we desire, let us run to the Disciples to instruct our desires how to seek him: Search the Scriptures saith Christ, and there you shall read of me. So, the Scriptures we must search, if we hope to find Christ, but if we be so ignorant that we cannot read them, let us then run to his Ministers, that can and will deliver his word unto us, that by them we may be instructed to find the best way unto him. Then she ran and told Simon Peter, and the other Disciple whom jesus loved. In this word Then, is a notable sense to be observed: First she came to the Sepulchre, and saw the stone rolled away from the Tomb, and then she ran and told the Disciples; so we must first look into Christ's burial, by his burial, I mean his whole Passion; and than if we find not his Resurrection, we must run unto his Ministers for our instruction. Again I note here an excellent token of Modesty in Mary to be observed of all Godly creatures, as well men as women; it is not said here, that so soon as she came to the Sepulchre, she went in, or looked into the Sepulchre, but she saw the stone rolled away from the Tomb, and then she ran and told the Disciples: By a little she gathered more, the stone was rolled away, the grave ●as open, and him she saw not, and therefore either he was gone, or else finding her unworthiness to come so near as his Tomb, she would not look in, but she would first tell his Disciple: what she had seen, to hear what they would say to her. How excellent a note is this of Modesty, for all Godly women & men th●t are zealously given, to run to God's Ministers to inquire of Christ, and to be instructed in his will, ere they dive too deep into the secrets of his holy Scriptures. Then she ran, and came to Simon Peter, and the other Disciple whom jesus loved, and said unto them: Hear are you to note an excellent point of Modesty in Mary, to be carefully observed though she ran from the Sepulchre, yet she came to the Disciples: Though she ran while she was out of sight, yet she came when she was in sight of the Disciples: she ran not herself out of breath, to tell her tale out of order; but after that she had run the time of her love, she came in good time for her comfort; as (God willing) you shall hear hereafter. Now it is not said, she cried, or sighed, or sobbed, and could not speak a word, or as a body half distraught, laid hold on the Disciples, to hale them to the place where she had been, but when she came to them she said; which word said, includeth a kind of discreet delivery of speech: As we commonly say in our Courts, when a speech is well delivered, if upon any occasion of the hearers consideration the speaker be interrupted, when the cause is thought upon he is bidden say on: In speaking oft we hear added unto this word speak, either loud or softly, distinctly or plainly; but to saying I find none of these: but I find written the sayings of the wise. Yea, Christ himself, in heaven and earth, the glory of all wisdom, useth that word in many places, as verily, verily, I say unto you, etc. Many places could I set down where this word is used to beautify the speech, with the Modesty in the delivery. But I will leave them to the Readers leisure, and I would wish that all men and women would learn to imitate Mary in this manner of her speaking, to talk as she did of Christ and to his Ministers, to learn their instruction for their knowledge of him: Then would there not be so many wicked men and women, Witches and Sorcerers, Glutton's, Drunkards, Adulterers, thieves, Traitors, and Murderers, besides other vain and idle headed people, and blasphemers of GOD'S most holy name, so daily and howerlie exercised as they commonly are, in most vile and filthy talk, too intolerable to be heard of any Christian, leaving to think either of Christ his word or his Disciples, and wilfully run headlong to the devil and his followers, and will rather laugh at Mary, and run to the devil, than weep with Mary to come to Christ: But God for his mercy's sake, turn their hearts, and with them give us all grace to go with Mary to Christ's Tomb, to run with Mary to his Disciples, and to return with Mary to our comfort: But of that we will (by God's grace) speak more hereafter. Now she ●ame to the Disciples and said, they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: Note here now the cause, that led Mary to the Disciples: Her Lord she missed, & feign she would see him, but knowing not where to seek him, she thought it her best way to go to his Disciples to inquire of him: To seek in the Heavens, alas she was too great a sinner to look so high for him; in the earth to seek him were in vain, for the stone was rolled away from the Tomb, and therefore he was surely stolen away; and in the world to seek him, alas it is too base a place for so Royal a Presence, having before his death so ungratefully entertained him. Now neither in the Heavens, the Earth, nor the World; alas, where should she inquire after him? Is not of any of his Disciples: And therefore to them she ran, and to them she said, They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him. For many causes doth the Lord absent himself from us, that we may consider how we have lost him, and seek how to find him: If we lose him by sin, we must seek him by repentance, and we shall find him by faith; but we must seek him as Mary did, run to his Disciples to inquire of him, and so shall we the better come to him. Now touching the Disciples she came unto; one thing I especially note in the naming of them: Simon Peter and the Disciple whom jesus loved. Though all the Disciples were called by the especial grace and power of the holy Ghost, to the true service of GOD, in the administration of his holy word, yet here I note them two especially named: For to which of his Disciples did he say as he said to Peter? when he confessed him to be the son of the living God? as it is written in the sixteenth Chapter of the Gospel of Saint Matthew, and sixteenth verse: Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone. And upon this Rock will I build my Church: Not upon Peter, but Peter's confession. And again, to which of them did he say as he said to Peter three times; Dost thou love me Peter? Feed my flock. Dost thou love me Peter? Feed my Lambs, etc. Who though he answered him to both his questions, with Lord thou knowest I love thee; yet he treabled his question again, ask him, Dost thou love me Peter? And when he had received his answer, that Lord thou knowest all things, and thou knowest I love thee: He gave him this commandment, Feed my Lambs now, if we be Lambs of Christ's flock, where shall we look for the milk of his mercy, but out of the book of his most holy and sacred Scriptures, & who can interpret them unto us? But his learned and holy Ministers, and such as will show Christ their love in instructing his flock. Such a Disciple was Peter, and such a Lamb was Mary: God send us many such Lambs as Mary, to run to such Disciples as Peter, to talk of nothing but Christ. Now the other was he whom my Text saith jesus loved: and Christ be●●ng her love, of whom should she● better inquire after him, than o● his beloved? See then, what is the cause that first leads us unto Christ? Love: How shall we seek him? but go to his Ministers for our instruction; who by the true administration of his holy word, do manifest themselves to be the beloved of his Mercy. Learn then of Marry when to seek Christ, the first day of the week, in the beginning of our days, then through the darkness of sin, to break out into the day light of Grace; then where to seek him, in his Tomb; if there you find him not, run to his Disciples to inquire for him; and to which of them? those that by the discharge of their duties, are most likely to be his beloved: and thus if you will be guided by the line of her love, I do not doubt, but you shall come to her comfort; which as hers was, let ours be, in the only sight of our most blessed Saviour, sweet jesus Christ, the light that will lead us through the dark, the life that will raise us up from death, and the love that will give us life for ever: to whom in his Redeemer, in his holy spirit our comforter, and all in one, our Lord, King, and everliving, almighty GOD, be ascribed and given all Honour, Praise, Dominion, and Glory, both now and for ever, Amen. Marry magdalen's love. Upon the four, five, six, seven and eighth verses, which are as followeth. The Text. Peter therefore went forth and the other Disciple, and they came unto the Sepulchre: So they ran both, but the other Disciple did outr●nne Peter, and came first to the Sepulchre. And he stooped down, but went not in; then came Simon Peter following him, and saw the linen clothes lie, and the kerchief that was upon his head, etc. Then went in also the other Disciple which came first, and saw and believed. IN these verses I note four chief points to be considered; the cause of their going forth, the cause of their running, why the other Disciple outran Peter, & the cause why coming first to the Sepulchre, he stooped down, but went not in. Peter therefore went forth and the other Disciple, and came to the Sepulchre: When Mari● had told them what she had seen; it is not said, they presently believed; but they went forth: For though she told a truth, yet they would see, & then believe: for it is said they went forth and came to the sepulchre: It should seem, and very likely that they had some remembrance of Christ's words, spoken before unto them touching his passion, & resurrection, the third day, and therefore conferring their memories with her words, they were the readier to go forth to try the truth of her report: Now Mary being a woman, and so great a sinner as she had been, it was likely she should not obtain any great credit with the Disciples of Christ: But, Truth in whose mouth soever it be, deserves well to be entertained: and now the Disciples not having any knowledge to the contrary, would not stick at a little travail to try the truth of her speech: and therefore it is said they went forth: You see here she was not blamed for her report, nor do we find as yet she was believed, but only approved: so that hereby we are to learn what to report, and always to tell truth, and to try out a truth, ere we give credit to a report: but if the talk be of Christ and the report from the faithful, and that conferring it with the Scriptures, we find any likelihood of truth, we must not regard who it be, man or woman, but go with them for their comfort to the trial of their cause: It should seem now they heard it of none, but of Mary, for as it is said of none but of Marie that came early to the Sepulchre, and from thence ran to the Disciples and told them what she had seen; so it is not like that she had told any but the Disciples, for if she had, some or other would have been with the Disciples before her: or else have been at the Sepulchre, before she had re●ained with them; ●ut the Disciples not hearing of it, by any other, (as I said before) calling to memory, some of Christ's speeches delivered unto them before, to try out the truth, they went forth, and came to the Sepulchre: Now here is neither a belief, nor distrust, a reprehension nor commendation, but a proof: and of whom? a woman, and in what? of a truth, touching the resurrection, or at least as she thought of the removing of Christ: But of that I mean (God-willing, to entreat more hereafter: but to my Text: Peter therefore went forth, and the other Disciples, and came to the Sepulchre. What an encounter argument may this be to all men & women to tell truth, when the Disciples of Christ upon the report of Mary, would go forth with her, & not return till they came to the sepulchre: we read that Ananias & his wife were both strooken dead for denying of their and lying to the Disciples of Christ: yet here we see Mary for telling of a truth accompanied with the Disciples unto the grave of Christ: learn therefore how dangerous a thing it is to lie unto the Disciples of Christ, especially in naming of Christ, the God of all truth, and how gracious a thing it is in man or woman to come to the Disciples with a truth, or to inquire of any truth touching Christ: & thus much touching the cause of the Disciples goin● forth, and coming to the Sepulchre: Now is it said here, they ran both, but the other Disciple out ran Peter: a light belief will make many men and women to run themselves out of breath to see a May game, a bearbaiting, or a bauble not worth the lo●king after, but here was no such report, and therefore could be no such belief: and therefore would to God the idle heads of the world would turn their minds to better matters & leave such toys, as are b●t snares of the devil, & hearken unto the truth that may bring them to Christ: and rather be delighted to talk with the Ministers of God's holy word, of the passion of Christ, & to seek him in his word; than to run with wicked people to see a fool in a play: but learn of Marie, what to say, whither to go, & what to do? Seek Christ, be instructed by his Disciples, and go with them to his Sepulchre: First learn to be mortified, or else never look to be glorified: Now it is said that the other Disciple whom jesus loved out ran the other: so that the very love in the spirit, that he had unto the Lord, was it that carried him to the Sepulchre to see what he had hard, or might become of his Master: and surely, the greater measure of love, that God infuseth into the soul of man, by the inspiration of his holy spirit, the greater shall be his, or her desire, and the swifter to come to him, his Sepulchre, or his holy word: the true testimony of his eternal mercy. First it is said, they went forth, now they ran, so we see hereby, that once entered into the way to Christ, we will even run to get to him, at least if we be lead by the ●ame spirit that Marie and the Disciples were: otherwise if once in the way we look back, we shall ever be unworthy to find the path again to our comfort: but to the former words, So they ran both, but the other Disciple outran Peter: Of all contentions, I find it the best, to contend for the soul's comfort; & of all races, the best running to Christ: many run after their dogs, hurrting all day for a hare, and perhaps go without her at night; other run their horses for the ●ell, and tyre them, or kill them ere night; many run for a wager, that break their heart in the course, that they are never able to go again: too many run from their Countries, that seld or never return good Christians; but too few run to the Disciples of Christ, or with his Disciples to his Sepulchre: but as I said before, Marie did, and such as Marie will: she ran to them to tell of Christ, & she came with them to hear of Christ, would to God we cou●d & would so run, & so talk as Mary did, that Christ might be the delight of our talk & the end of our travail: Alas poor wretches that we are, how vile & corrupt is this nature of ours? that we are so blind that we cannot, or so blinded that we will not see the way that leads us to Christ, and if God of his mercy have opened our eyes, so that we see the way, yet we are so lazily lame, as that we had rather sleep out the day in idleness, or lose the whole year in wantonness, or in all wicked & filthy beastliness, spend the whole time of our years, rather than travail one mile, nay step one foot, or stay on● minute, either to talk of Christ, or come to his Disciples: we will run to a play, where perhaps we may have our purses picked, or to football, where we may have our shins broken, or to a fray where we may have our heads broken, or a worse matter: but to come to Christ our spiritual Treasure, our Creator, Redeemer, our peace, health, and souls Chirurgen, who will run, or is almos● willing to stir a foot? But here it is said his Disciples ran, and surely who will be his Disciple must run, or else it is so far a walk, that they will hardly ever come to him: Now as it is thought, Peter was the elder, and not so light of the body, yet such was his love, that it is said, they ran both: so that old and young must run: now mark further, what I gather in these two running together: Peter was old and faithful, the other in his love either bashful or fearful: for it is said when he came to the Sepulchre, he stooped down and saw the linen clothes lying, but went not in: See here the excellent care of this Disciple: either bashfulness, that being the younger, he should presume to go in before the elder, or to avoid a vain glory of boldness without advise, or fearing to offend to go in without counsel: It is said he stooped down & saw the linen clothes, but went not in: Note here an excellent warning for young heads that are either zealous in Religion, or learned in the holy Scriptures, to learn by this Disciple how to run to Christ; let them take their elders with them, and do nothing without them or their advise: and if they come to any perfection, yet let them give place to their elders, in any thing that may bring them to Christ: for so did the beloved of God, the Disciple here spoken of: Again here we may note an excellent agreement between them, though john outran Peter, yet he stayed for him at the sepulchre: & seemed not angry ●or said any thing to him for his sow coming, nor laughed at him for his stiff running, but that he stayed and went not in, neither do I find that Peter was angry with his outrunning of him, nor smiled at his fear (as it should seem) of his stay, that he durst not go in till he came; for being led both by the power of one spirit, they guessed thus far each of others mind: Love was of most force to bring him to the Sepulchre, but saith made Peter more valiant to go in into the Sepulchre: yet no doubt but they both had faith, and both had love: or else Mary's report had not made them run so fast thither: For the commendation of the one, what can be said more of faith, then that which Christ himself said unto Peter, upon his confession of him, to be the son of the living God, upon that rock he would build his Church: and for the other, what more proof of his love? unto any creature living, than in the Revelation of his Divine will? as in the holy word you may read most sweetly expressed. Learn than I say to run with the love of joh. but venture not in without the faith of Pet. john perhaps might doubt many things, that the gra●e might be closed when he were in, for his presumption, in going in without authority, & yet not being forbidden at least to his own remembrance, he might be the less afraid what would follow of his adventure: b●t while love pricked him forward, and fear pulled him back, comes Peter to the place, and goes into the Sepulchre: Here is the old saying disannulled, first come, first served; no, for here you see Peter came last, but he first went in; and saw the kerchief, and the linen clothes lie, & the kerchief that was wrapped together by itself: then went in the other Disciple, which came first to the sepulchre: and he saw it, and believed. In these last words, you may see the cause, why he went not in: not that he believed not at all, but that his faith was not yet of that force, that Peter was: For Peter knowing the Sea would not swallow him, when he threw himself into it to come to Christ living; had now no fear that the earth would shut her mouth upon him, for going in where he had been buried: And therefore boldly he went in, and then went in also the other Disciple, who saw it and believed: Hear will I only trouble you with one note more touching faith, you see how love brought Mary early in the morning while it was yet dark to the Sepulchre, made her run to the Disciples to tell what she had seen, made the Disciples to run to make trial of the truth, and last made john to outrun Peter, in the race to the Sepulchre, but where all this while was faith? weak in Mary by reason of her sins, weak in john by reason of his youth, but strong in Peter by reason of his comfort; so are there no doubt now a days, many that are forward and zealous in Religion, that yet do lack that strength of faith that Peter had: for though a number perhaps would run with Mary to his Sepulchre, & to his Disciples to talk of him, yet who will venture to go into his grave? or will throw himself into the Sea? in Love to come to him as Peter did? Now it follows they saw and believed; and why now more than before is it said they saw and believed? because as yet they knew not the Scriptures, that he must rise again from the dead: Lo, here is a good excuse for the weakness of their faith; but what excuse can be laid down for us? nay what shame is it for us, that having the testimony of their truth; seen by them, and written by them to us, and for us, that we will not read the holy Scriptures, or reading, so little believe them, or believing, so little regard them, that we may justly be said to be without either faith, or love, either to seek or find Christ, or almost to hear or think of him, either in his word, his Sepulchre or his mercy? but God for his mercy sake, turn our hearts, and inspire our souls, with the gracious power of his glorious holy spirit, that running from the sink of sin, we may come to the sepulchre of Christ, and that with Mary's sorrow, john's love, & Peter's faith, we may rise early, in the prime of our years and through the dark of sin break out into the day light of grace, that may bring us to the fight of our soul's comfort in the resurrection of our blessed Saviour, to whom now sitting at the right hand of God, in all absolute power, wisdom, peace, grace, and mercy, truth, bounty, love, life, and glory, with our heavenly Father and his holy spirit one Almighty and everliving God; be ascribed, and given all due honour, praise dominion, and glory: both now, and for ever: Amen. The Text. And the Disciples went again to their own home: but Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, & as she wept, she bowed herself into the Sepulchre, and saw two Angels sitting one at the head & the other at the feet, where the body of jesus had lain: and they said unto her, woman, why weepest thou? She said unto them, they have taken away my Lord, & I know not where they have laid him: when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw jesus standing, and knew not that it was jesus: jesus saith unto her, woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She supposing it had been the gardener said unto him. If thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away, jesus saith unto her, Marry; she turned herself, and saith unto him Rabony: which is to say Master. dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ, ye have heard before of the Disciples coming to the Sepulchre, with Mary, ye have heard of john's outrunning of Peter, and of Peter's first going in into the Sepulchre; ye have I hope, noted the fruits of faith, and love in the elect children of God, in brief to seek Christ, either alive, or dead; that learning to die with him, we may be assured to live with him: Now ye see what is here said, The Disciples went home again: when they had tried the truth of her report, and that their eyes were witness of more, than Mary had yet in her words delivered, (for that she had not yet presumed either to go in, or so much, as to look in into the Sepulchre:) they returned home without having further conference with her, rather willing to leave her mourning for her love, than to fill her head full of doubts, what might become of her Lord: and therefore it is said, they returned to their own home, neither commending her for her truth, nor giving her thanks for her report she had made, nor advising her to seek further a●ter him, nor counseling her to stay there longer for him: but, being themselves ignorant where to seek him, they left her to God's pleasure, to dispose either of her stay there, or her departure from thence: by this I gather, that if we shall inquire of the ministers of Gods holy word, touching any such point, as in the holy Scriptures is not laid down, we must not take it amiss, if we be left unto the mercy of God's holy spirit, for the revelation of his holy will, rather than to ●●ll our heads with such cogitations, as neither the scriptures do warrant, may perhaps please God, nor fall out to our comfort: but yet, let us with Mary go to the Disciples of Christ, to inquire and learn of them, what we may for our comfort, but if we can not be resolved, then let us run to Christ with incessant prayer, that we may ask and receive at the hands of his mercy, that he shall in his sacred wisdom find to be most to his glory and our comfort: And thus much of the Disciples returning again to their own home: now it follows, but Marie stood without at the sepulchre weeping, & as she wept, she bowed herself into the sepulchre: See here, as I have said before three excellent notes to be observed, in the love of Mary to her Lord Christ: Constancy, Modesty, and Humility: Constancy, in that, though the Disciples returned home, she stayed still; Modesty, in that she stood, (as it is said) without at the Sepulchre; Humility, that she bowed herself to look in; but would not presume to go in, though the Disciples had been there before her: how little is this first part of commendation, in Mary's love at these days followed; Let them to whom God hath given Grace to find it in themselves, in sorrowful sighs confess it to his mercy, and with tears of true repentance; amend it to his Glory: Oh Constancy the true Testimony of the heart's love, and the surest token of the soul's comfort, to love Christ is a blessed gift of the holy Ghost, but to continue Constant to the end is an espeaciall fruit of God's favour. Oh Constant love of Mary, that having once washed his feet, would now fill his Tomb with her tears: Oh rare Modesty, that in his life would but lie at his feet under the Table, and now was so bashful, as to stand without at the sepulchre: And, Oh most excellent Humility, that would presume no further, but to look in: See here the heavenly love of this blessed woman, how much it differs from the vile nature of our worldlings love. We daily see before our eyes, that the wisest Prince; the most Godly preacher; the most loving parents; the most bountiful Master; the most kind kinsman; and the most faithful friend; If they die, how soon are they forgotten? if they be of any account, I mean according to the worlds estimation; that their ●eires may be the better for them, than perhaps they will take this order, and be at this charge for them: the Lawyer shall make his Will, the Sexton his grave, the Preacher shall make a Sermon for him, the parish shall have a Feast for him, the Minister shall be paid for burial of him, and a few wear Black weeds for him, and so there is no more ado for him: But where are the tears of Love all this while: alas there is no such cause, there is more gotten by his death, than by his life: rather weep that he lived so long, than that he died so soon: is it not too true that in many places, it is daily seen, the child is sick of the Mother, and wisheth his Father in his grave, ere he can learn to be a son, or leave to be a Child? are not many Subjects unkind, that will rathe● seek the death of a Prince, than weep for his want: are not those kin too strange in nature, that are not only continually in law, but seek one another's life for their lands? are not those servants most wicked, that had rather wish for a mourning coat for a dead Master, than a cognizance for the living, and will rather betray him to his death, than weep for him when he is gone? And are not those friends most faithless, that will rather give a judas kiss, than shed joseph's tears? I would there were no such people, but if there be, God of his goodness give them grace, with Mary to repent them of their wickedness, and with Mary to shed the tears of love, that may be witness of her faith: and continuing in her Constancy, with fear of presumption, they may make proof of such Humility as was her commendation, and may be their comfort. How much this virtue of Constancy is commended in divers places of the holy Scriptures, ye may read, as in Genesis the fift Chap. and fourteentl● verse. Henosh, for his long walking with God, was taken up in the heavens: Eliah for his constant faithfulness was taken up into the heavens. Genesis, the two and twenty Chapter and seventeenth verse. Abraham for his constant love was called the Father of the faithful, and had the promise of the Almighty, that of his blessed seed should come the blessed Messiah. Noah, Genesis, Chapter seven, and thirteenth verse, for his Constancy was saved with all his Family, when all the world was drowned, that were not in the Ark: David for his Constancy was left unto us a figure of Christ: the three Children in the furnace, for their Constancy, were preserved in the fire. jer. the eight and thirtieth Chapter and tenth verse, jeremy, for his Constancy, was delivered from the Dungeon; job. the one and fortieth Chapter, and twelfth verse, for his Constancy, was restored to his health, & made more happy than ever he was, Paul, for his Constancy, was rapt into the heavens, where he saw Christ in his glory: Steven the holy Martyr of God, did shine like an Angel at the time of Martyrdom: and Mary here for her Constancy, comes to the sight of her Saviour: but of this I will (God willing) speak more fitly anon: Now for Modesty, tedious it were to trouble you with many places of commendation, laid down in 〈…〉 lie Scriptures touching that 〈◊〉 though some of them I think it not good to omit: Sara was commended for her Modesty, in calling her husband sir: Rebeccha for covering her face, when she saw Isaach: Hester, for her modesty was said to have her face shine, whose bashful fear so pleased the King Assuerus, that he laid his sceptre on her neck, and kissed her, and held her in his arms till her trance was over: And here you see her Modesty so pleased God, that he sent his Angels to comfort her: for you see what follows. And she bowed herself down and saw two Angels, the one sitting at the head, and the other at the feet; O would to God that all women would learn this Modesty of Mary! then wo●d they not so often fall into such p●●●●●ption, as is many times, a 〈◊〉 of their confusion, & in steed of laughing with Michol to see David dance before the Ark of God, they ●●uld weep with Mary at the Sepulchre of Christ: Modesty would teach them to come to the Church with more devotion, and to hear the word with more reverence, than I fear too many do now a days: how uncomely a thing it is in a maiden, to be giggling and laughing, and how ungracious a thing it is for a woman, to be tighing and babbling, in the Temple of God, at the time of the reading, or preaching of his holy Gospel: Alas what will they be thought on among the wise? the one but an idle gossip, and the other a foolish girl: but here you see Mary did none of these, and as I said before, such as Mary will do none of these: Learn then of Mary to love Christ, to be Constant in loving Christ, and to use Modesty in your love to Christ: so shall you surely please Christ, and I am fully persuaded, be most comm●nded of Christians: Now for Humility, what is more commended in the holy Scriptures? Abel's sacrifice was best accepted for his Humility, Moses beloved for his Humility, Abraham's faith best regarded in his Humility, David's patience best considered in his Humility, salomon's request granted for his Humility, Nabuchadnezer restored to Babel for his Humility, job best tried, beloved, and made happy in his Humility, Marry the virgin, received the salvation of the Angel, and the abundance of Grace in her blessed womb for her Humility, and Christ himself for his humility to his Father, is glorified with his father: many places I omit, that shiningly set out the brightness of this virtue, but indeed so many are the rare and excellent properties of this most excellent virtue, as I think it past the capacity of man, to give it half sufficient commendation; yet thus much given ●aue to speak mine opinion of it: It pleaseth God above all things, it pleaseth man in many things, and displeaseth the Godly in nothing; at lest wherein it ought to be shown: It graceth the Prince to be humble towards God, it advanceth the Subject in service to the Prince, it draweth love from the parents, in the children's obedience, it maketh the wife alone with her husband, it bindeth friends in Amity, & persuadeth enemies to peace, it winneth Christ unto his Church, and here you see, it bringeth the Angels to Mary: before she ran to the Disciples, & talked with them of Christ, telling them what she had seen, now when they had seen what she had reported, and were said to believe, yet they left her, and ●ent home again: but what followed of her stay? Now the Disciples had left her, the Angels came to her: was not here a special blessing of God? unto so great a sinner, tha●●od regarding her sorrow, sent his Angels for her comfort: Now let me a little touch one point that I have overslipped, touching Mary's weeping, for it is said: But Marie stayed weeping at the Sepulchre: and she bowed herself; now in weeping I note five sundry kinds of tears: of anger, of subtlety, of sorrow, of joy, and of love: some are said to weep for cursed heart, I fear too many know the nature of those tears, but such are said to cry, not to weep; for tears coming from the heart, do so distill from the eyes, that they make no sound on the tongue; Now Marry it is said, stood weeping not crying: now there are tears of subtlety, called crocodiles tears, which are said to mourn and weep, till they can bring their prayer within the compass of their calls, and then they overthrow them, sting them to death and then feed ●pon them: so may I say, are the te●●●s of a harlot, who in her poverty will seem to weep for affection, far enough from her heart, till she hath caught a sole in her snare, and then she will feed upon him at her pleasure: thus did not Mary, for the body was dead as she thought, that she wept for, the earth had no eyes to behold her tears, nor did she see any man, that she could think to deceive with her weeping: no, no, her heart was too full of sorrow for the dead, to think to deceive any living: Now there are tears of sorrow, as when Peter had denied Christ, it was said he wept bitterly, for sorrow that he had denied the knowledge of so good & dear beloved a Master: So it is said jesus wept over jerusalem, to think on the destruction of the City that should after ensue: many are the causes of sorrow, tha● may bring tears out of the eyes of the most wise and valiant that ever were; but the greatest cause that should melt the heart of a Christian, should be the sorrow of the soul for the denying of Christ: now there are tears of joy, as were those of joseph, when he saw his Father and his Brethren: But so it should not seem were Marie●, who looked for none but her Master that she could not see: Now there are tears of Love, and those proceed of the kind nature of the heart, as Christ wept when he saw Lazarus dead, whom he loved, and now Mary wept when she saw her Lord dead, or at least, could not see him dead, or alive when she lived: Mary was said to wash his feet with her tears, and wipe them with her hair when she was living: an excellent note of true love, she borrowed no water but her own tears, nor any Towel but her own hairs: Now look again on her Humility, she used no towel I say but her hair and went no higher than his feet: and for her Humility and Love, see what befell her: 〈◊〉 she bowed herself into the Sepulchre, and saw two Angels sitting one at the head, and an other at the feet where the body of jesus had lain: Now mark the degrees of comfort, that came unto this humble loving Mary, She came f●●st to the Sepulchre to the Disciple●, from the Disciples to the Angels: and except Christ she could go no higher: Now a word or two of the Angels: and they said unto her, woman, why weepest thou? and she said unto them, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: Now some perhaps will have a jerk at this piece of Scripture, to pray to the Saints ere they come to Christ: because she talked with the Angels ere she came to Christ himself; but let those overseen wits look a little better into the matter: First the Angels came but to the grave, & seeing her there weeping, they asked her but a question in these word●●, woman? Why weepest thou? she said they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him: Here is no prayer made unto them, though they were Angels, but she only answered their question, & so ended their talk; so if the Saints will come and speak to them; l●t them answer their questions and have no more to do with them: for surely God will better appear unto them in his mercy, then answer them by his Saints, if they could deliver him any message; but let these blinded people take heed that these mistaken Saints prove not Devils that by illusions lead them not from God, & his mercy, to their utter confusion both of body and soul; but let me come again to my text: And she bowed herself, and saw two Angels sitting, one at the head, and an other at the feet: where the body of jesus had la●ne, and the● 〈◊〉 unto her woman, why weepest thou▪ 〈◊〉 she said they have taken away my Lord, & I know not where they have laid him: See n●w how much did her comfort exceed the Disciples, they saw but the linen clothes, and departed home again; but she stayed and was spoken to by the Angels: but mark withal the care of her speech, and substance of her talk, she continues one tale, she hath no mind but of one matter, no thought but of her love, nor any love but of her Lord: no joy but in him, no talk but of him, nor sorrow but to be without him: go to whom she would, come to her who would, Disciples or Angels, all was one for her speech, they could get nothing of her, but they have taken away my Lord, and I know no● where they have laid him: See here now what a property, the faithful claim in Christ, that they call him their Lord, as one would say, my Father, my son, m●●●●ends, my house or my lands, so ●ere says Mary my Lord: who was more dear to her, than either Father, Mother, Sister, Brother, kin, or friend, or all the houses and lands of the world, and therefore with tears she continues her sorrow with these words: They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. But now see I pray you, what presently follows. Immediately in a moment she turns herself back, and saw jesus, but knew not that it was jesus: Now mark I say the glorious reward of her Humility, from the Disciples to the Angels, from the Angels to Christ himself; Now it is said she turned back, as though she was afraid, that she had presumed too far, either in looking into the Sepulchre, or at lest in talking to the Angels: Oh Lord, how few will learn! I would many would follow this virtue of Humility in Mary; not to 〈◊〉 too far, nor to speak till they be ●●●ken to, & then to be afraid to speak too much: yea though it be the best thing they can speak off, I mean their true love to Christ: but to draw towards an end; mark what follows: Now she comes near her comfort; she sees her Saviour, and knows him not: for when he said unto her, Woman why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? she supposing it had been the gardener, said, Sir if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away: Thus in one word she answereth to both his questions, why she wept & what she sought: she sought her Lord, in sorrow she could not find him: jesus said unto her, Marry, she turned herself and said unto him Rabboni: which is to say, Master. Now when Christ made himself known unto her, see what words she useth: but only one, to express as much as she was able to speak, Master: For a faithful seruan ●hat loveth his Master, if after a long mi●●e of him, he come to the sight of him again, can he forbear tears of love to show his duty? and say with Mary, Master; confess all ye that love your Masters, for the rest God amend ye: Now was there ever so good a Master, as for only loving him, nay rather of his own mere love gives us life everlasting; forgives us all our offences, pays us our wages in his mercies, and our debts for us in the blood of his own heart; when by reason of sin, we be long absent from this so good a Master, if ever his Grace bring us again to his mercy, with the tears of sorrow shall we not weep, to have been so long from him, and so rejoice in his sight? that we shall be able with Mary to say no more but Master: which one word so spoken, may make more pr●●●● 〈◊〉 our ●●ue, than a longer tale of our ser●●●● for he knoweth our hearts, loue●●●●r Humility, and so regardeth our love, that though we fee him not as Marie did, yet we shall enjoy such part of her comfort, as if we but think upon his mercy, we shall say in heart Master, when the friends of our joy will not suffer us to say any more: but it is enough and so much enough, as I beseech God to grant us all Crace, so to sorrow for our sins, and to long for his coming, that seeking him as Mary did with tears, we way see him with joy, and say with Mary, Master: which Master, Lord, King and God, be loved served, honoured praised and glorified, of all his servants here present, and all his faithful wheresoever: Amen. AT LONDON, Printed by john Danter, and are to be sold by William Barley, at his s 〈…〉 in Gracious street n 〈◊〉 ●●aden Hall. 1595. A Solemn Passion of the Souls love. Printed at London by john Danter, and are to be sold by William Barley, at his shop in Gracious street. 1595. A Solemn Passion of the Souls love. AWake my soul out of the sleep of sin, And shake off sloth the subject of thy shame, Search out the way how best thou mayst begin, To holy work thine humble will to frame: Then prove not weary of a little pain, When flesh's grief will breed the spirits gain, Confess thyself unworthy of the sense, To learn the least of the supernal will, Beseech the heavens in strength of their defence, To save and keep thee from infernal ill. Then fall to work that all the world may see, The joyful love betwixt thy God and thee. Tell of his goodness how he did create thee, And in his justice, how he doth correct thee, And in his love, how he will never hate thee, And that his mercy never will re●●ect thee: And how he helped thee when the world distressed thee, And with his graces how he sweetly blest thee. S●y I was sick and he did send me health, I was in prison and he set me free. And I wa● poor and he did send me wealth, And I wa● blind, and he did mak● me see: I was perplexed and ●e did heal my pain, And being dead, he gave me life again. When I was lame he did my ●i●mes restore, When I was deaf he made me hear his voice, When I was wounded, he did heal my sore, When I was sad he made my soul rejoice: When I had find he would not yet forsake me, When I was lost he did to mercy take me. To say yet more, what he hath done for me, I needs must say his goodness hath no end, Who, when on earth he saw no friend to me, Did make me feel I had a heavenly friend: A heavenly friend whose help doth fail me never, But is my comfort, and my King for ever. This is my Lord, my life, and all my love, My living love, and loving life indeed, This is the blessing ●f my best behove, The sacred fruit whereon I sweetly feed: This is the ●oy that ma●es my heart to sing, Honour and glory to my heavenly king. Oh King more glorious 〈◊〉 the world can know thee From whom the day, eu●● 〈◊〉 on high doth spring, Where glorious works unto the world doth show thee Of glorious love the ever living King: The King of life, in whom the soul doth prove, The highest glory of the heavenly love. By whose high hands were all things made at first, By whose deep wisdom they are governed still, By whom alone, are blessed or accursed, That love his word, or disobey his will: By whose sweet breath they live that do attend him, And by whose wrath they die that do offend him. For who can bide the fury of his ire? Or half conceive the comfort of his love? Who plague's his foes with an infernal fire, And plants his servants in the heavens above: Who shakes the heavens and makes the mountains bow If he but once begin to knit the brow. And where he loves, what will ●e leave to do? To make the soul acquainted ●ith his kindness, And with what joy will he the spirit woo? To shun the woes that grow of worldly blindness. What pain, or grief, or death did he refuse? To save their lives that he did sweetly choose. Now for the greatness of his glorious power, He is almighty and all glory his, He made the year, the month, day, night and hour, The heavens, earth, sea, and what in them there i●: In him alone doth all their being stand, And live or die in his almighty hand. He spoke the word, and by his word they were, And all was good his secret wisdom did, His will did work his favour without fear, And not a thought is from his knowledge hid: He knows the hearts, and searcheth through the rains, And sees the roots even of the smallest veins. He decked the Skyewith sun and moon and stars, And made the seas to flow upon the sand, Upon whose shore his hand did set the bars, They shall not pass to overflow 〈◊〉 Land. Amid the air he hath dispersed the Clouds, And only Man within his mercy shrouds. Within the depth, the fish their holes do keep, And in the Rocks the Coney makes his house, Into the earth the crawling worms do creep, And hollow rocks are harbours for the mouse: The Lion keeps his d●n, the bird hi● nest, And man alone doth but in mercy rest. Yet these and all are guided by his power, An● may not pass the passage he hath given them, The Sun his course, the A●oone must know her hour An● clouds must wander but where winds have driven them: Beasts know their times, fi●nes know their tides, And man alone in only mercy bides. To tell of wonders by his wisdom wrought, E●●n from the greatest to the v●●ie least, Which time declare●●●y true experience taught, In f●h, and toll, in ●●rd, in man and beast: Ma●e but the power that doth in each abide, And how it wea●●●●● their highest pride. The Lion first is fearful of the Bee, The Elephant doth dread the little mouse, A crowing Cock the Dragon may ●o● see, The stoutest Eagle subject to the louse: The greatest Ox a little taint worm killeth, And many a man a little Canker spilleth. Yet is the Lion feared for his forc●. The Elephant a huge and mighty beast, The fiery Dragon kills without remorse, And Eagles carry Lambs unto their nest: The Ox the taint worm under foot doth tread, And man sometimes doth kill the cankers head. But when th●t power 〈◊〉 together pride, Then see the strength of 〈◊〉 ●ghti● hand, By whose high help the 〈◊〉 things are tried, To spoil the strength wherein the ●●●●ongest stand: That they may know there is a power on high, In whom they live, and at his pleasure die. To show examples of the heavenly might, Against the pride of the inferior power, The word of truth doth give a glorious light, Where may be seen in minute of an hour: How greatest stays that on their strengths were grounded, With headlong falls were utterly confounded. How Pharaoh first, the proud Egyptian King, That would not suffer Isräell to pass, What plagues and griefs did the almighty bring Upon the house eu●n where his lodging was? Frogs, flies, and lice did freely make their way Even to the chamber where proud Pharaoh lay. A number plague's the Lord did further threaten, His Land was strooken with a darksome fear, His grass and corn by Grasshoppers were eaten, The plague destroyed his people every where: And la●t himself, amidst his army crowned, Was in a moment in the red Sea drowned. Yet through these seas his hand did make the way, Where all his servants went and wet no foot, Which proves his love was his elected stay, While rebel hearts were torn up by the root: Which true example to the world may prove, The glorious greatness of his power and love. Goliath boasted greatly of his strength, Yet little David killed him with a stone, The Madian Host was strong but yet at length, By gideon's hand the Kings were overthrown: By change of tongues fell Babylon's high tower, And Christ his word did break the civels' power. Yet in itself what wea●er is than water, Which drowned proud Pharaoh with his mighty host? A louse or fly is of a little matter, Yet with such worms are men tormented most: What strength a las is in a little stone? Yet so we read Goliath overthrown. Know then from whence this wonder power groweth, But from the force of the almighty hand, Which to the world his glorious power showeth, When with the weak the strongest cannot stand: King David wrote and it is truly known, That power belongeth unto God alone. To prove the prowesle of the heavenly power, How many more examples may be shown: There is no year, no day, no night nor hour, But some such action to the world is known▪ That truth may well unto his glory speak. God is of power and all the world is weak. But since the world cannot the books contain, Wherein his works of wonder may be writ, To admiration let his power remain, And say all powers are subject unto it: And let me of his love and mercy write, Which is the substance of the soul's delight. This powerful love the glory of all grace, When he had wrought the world unto his will, And planted each thing in his proper place, And in the course that they continue still: Of all the works that he in wonder wrought, Made only man the dearest of his thought. For what he made he made but man to serve, And man to seru●●●onely sacred love, And in his love 〈◊〉 so man's life preserve, As may the comf●●● of his care approve: And so approve as 〈◊〉 this sentence give, His only love 〈…〉 the soul to live. He loud 〈◊〉 earth 〈…〉 give it life, He lou●d 〈◊〉 ●ife whe● 〈◊〉 ●is ●●age gave it, He loved the flesh that made the bone a wife, He loved the soul when he from death did save it: He loud him ever yet he loud him most, To fetch him home when he himself had lost. Come Poets ye that fill the world with fancies, Whose sauning Muses show but madding sits, Which all too soon do fall into those ●ranzies, That are begotten by mistaking wits: Lay down your lives, compare your love with mine And say whose virtue is the true divine. For further trial let me give you leave, To add a truth unto your idle sto●●●●, Wherewith so oft you do the wo●l● deceive, And gain yourselves but ill conc●●●ed glories: Yet when you see where sweetes●●●●hts are shown, Look on my love, and blush to see 〈◊〉 own. With funny beauties let your l●ues be bles●, The sun doth fetch his light but from my love, You have your wonders from the Phoenix nest, Mine honour lives but in the heavens above: Your Muses do your ladies praises sing, The Angels sing in glory of my King. The earth alas, from whence your loves receive, Their flowers & sweets, their Pearses & precious stones, To deck themselves, with which they do deceive, The blinded spirits of the simple ones: This earth from whence their outward grace's spring, Is but the footstool of my heavenly King. And if he so hath decked the earth below, Imagine then the glory of his seat, Which may persuade where Angels tremble so, For human eyes the glory is too great: For where the sun, the moon, and stars have light, For nature's eyes the beauty is too bright. And who doth live that ever ye did love, But that ye could their fairest fair unfold, And my fair love, let fairest truth approve, No eye can live in glory to behold: Your clearest beauty is with age declining, My loves bright glory is for ever shining. If you be wise, think where true wisdom liveth, And then allow the honour to my love: If yours be ki●●●●●nk● who the comfort giveth, And know the turkey from the turtle dove: If constant yours, that truth let my love try, Who lost his life, to save his love thereby. And let me see how liveth all your love, But on desert the stay of all your s●●te, And in my love a further life app●●●e, Who loud indeed when he ha● c●●se to hate: Your fancies oft for lack of favour starve, But my love doth both mine and yours preserve. Then truly say whom chi●●e your loves doth choose, To cast the countenance of their favours on, Than who ● again they wholly do refu●e, In liking thought as most to look upon: Then do but look upon my love his choice, And whose heart most he maketh to rejoice. The wealthy, mighty, wise and well at ease, Do fit the fancies of your Ladies best: But poor, and weak, and simple souls best please My heavenly love, to harbour in his breast: And who the world doth utterly refuse, Those doth my love unto his favour choose. And see what power is in your loving natures, To take or give what ye may gain or lose, And ye sh●ll see they are bu● my loves creatures, Whose lives are at his pleasure to disposet And while your favours all do fade away, My sweet loves blessings never will decay. Can ye conceive the smallest of the sweet, That doth descend from my soul's dearest love, Upon the faith that falleth at his feet, That doth in prayer but his mercy prove: And you will blot out every idle line, And yield your souls unto this love of mine, Compare a weed unto a wholesome flower, A cloudy evening to a sunny day, A foggy mist unto an April shower, November blast unto a bloom of May: And you shall easily see the difference plain. Betwixt my sun shine and your showers of rain, Compare mere folly to the finest wit, The cou●lest copper with the purest gold, The healthful body with an ague fit: And set the youthful age against the old, The ravens foul note to Philomela's voice. And quickly say, which is the better choice▪ Compare foul pride to fair humility, A kind discretion to a dogged nature, The clownish race, to true gentility, A blessed Angel to a cursed creature, Favours to frowns, and smile unto scowle●, And say the Phoenix makes all birds but owls. Compare the earth unto the heaven on high, The spirits treasures unto fleshly toves, The p●bble stone unto the azured Sky, The Woes of men unto the Angels ioyc●: The lowest weakness unto the highest powers, Then 〈◊〉 the difference twixt my love and yours. And when you see how all sweet blessings grow, But from the ground of my loves living grace, And do again the imperfection know, Wherein you do your fond affection place: Then all your titles to this truth resign, There is no life but in this love of mine. And give me leave to praise my Princely love, Although my wits are short of such a worth, And let my spirit in my passions prove, What his high hand in mercy will bring forth: And writ but truth that may be truly proved, My only love, all only to be loved. Before all times, all thoughts, all things he was And ●●er is, and will be aye the ●●me, That doth i● wonder wonders wonder pass, In truths high triumph of eternal fame: Where life, and love, in grace and glory crowed, Do sway the Sceptre of the heavens renowned. Now what he was cannot be comprehended, Who in himself d●th all things comprehend, And when that all things shall be wholly ended, Himself, his word, his will shall never end: Whose gracious life, all glorious love beginning, Doth a●d● all grace, and endless glory winning. And o● his Essence, this is all we find, A spirit fully incomprehensible, A loving God unto his servants kind, And in his human nature sensible: In wisdoms wonder knowledge quintessence, And in that ●s●●nce highest excellence. The high Creator of all creatures living, The sweet Redeemer of his s●ruants lost, The glorious grace, all grace, and glory giving, The joy of joys, that glads the spirit most: The love of life, and li●e of love indeed, 'Gainst death and hell, that stands the soul in s●eede. His seat is heaven, the earth his footstool is, His chiefest dwelling with his souls elected, His joy to love and to be lo●de of his, His favour, life, unto his loves affected: His word is truth, which doth the spirit try, Where fruitful faith shall live and never die. His blessing is the peace of conscience, His comfort mercy's contemplation, His precious gift, the spirits patience, His mercy, virtues meditation: His gr●ce the oil, that kills the spirits evil, His death the life that did subdue the devil. His garments are the sundry sorts of graces, His tribute is but sinner's s●cr●fice, His work, t●e planting virtues in their places, His gain the love of humble spirits service: His music Psalms that angels never cease, To sing in glory of the King of peace, This King of peace, this God of life and l●ue, Who in himself doth all ●●d only ●old, The highest blessings of the heart's behove, That faithful truth hath to the spirit t●ld: This is the substance of my soul's delight, Unworthy subject of his worth to write. Yet as his mercy will ●ou 〈◊〉 n●e grace, With intercession of his ●i●h assistance, Against the power that would my thoughts deface, And pro●●dly make ag●i●●● the soul re●i●●a●ce: I will a little give his love a ●uch, Whose smallest praise is for my pen too ●uch. What love was that which made him like man best, Of all the work that ever he created, What love again did in that li●ing rest, To love him so he never can be hated: What love was more to give the man a wife, What love was most to die to give him life. The earth within with silver gems and gold, Without with trees and herbs, and fruits and flowers, The waters deep where fishes keeps their ●old, The ●lements with all their inward pours: These hath my love all made for man to choose, And to his pleasure in his service use. The fire was made to kill the chilling cold, The water made to slack the burning heat, The subtle air a secret breathe to hold, The earth too dry when moisture is too great: Th●s● cross in natures yet do meet in one, Only to serve the use o● man alone. ●a●h bird, each beast, each fowl, and every fish, The flesh of man mu●t serve to clothe and feed, What eye can see, or heart of man can wish, But some way serves to stand poor men in steed: And for that cause their being first began, From m●r●ies love, to serve the life of man. The light was ma●e to glad the lightsome eye, The sound to please the pure attentive ear, The air to draw a living breath thereby, The earth the body, an● the limbs to bear: The clowd●, the stairs, the sun, the moon, the S●ye, Were made for man, to make him look on high. All these were made out of the mould of love, Was never lou● came ever nee●e to this, Which d●th ● wonder in affection pr●u●, Even when we lea● deserved that l●u● of his: For when our souls did most offences do him, He came himself in love to ca●l us to him. To make, redeem, preseru●, defend, and cherish, His faithful ●ou●es, and so in love to nourish, 〈◊〉 in his love, their lives shall n●u●r p●ri●h, But like the Lily live and ever flouri●●: Are these not points sufficient to approve, The true perfection of a piereles lou●? Yet more to say, that truly may be said, In humble honour of th●s heavenly love In mercies sweet to m●ke the soul dismayed, To see the blessing of thi● God above: The loving spirit lively to refresh, He let his servants see him in the flesh. To see him so, as might not hurt their sight, For none might see his high supernal power, But in his love t● see that glorious light, That gains that sweet that cuts off eu●ry sour: The second person of himself, his son, In whom are all things to his glory done. And see the c●use why so he came unto v●, ●is only love the only cause we live, And when we came, what comfort did he do us, To save our lives his love his life did give: And so to s●ue us from the fire of hell, That with his love we might for ever dwell. What love was this, to leave his heavenly seat, Among his ange●s, all in glory served, To c●me to m●n who di● too ill entreat, The sacred love, that hath his life pre●●ru●d, From being honoured praised and glorified, To be disgraced, whipped, and crucified. In love ●e l●st ●is high●st heavenly pleasures, Above his angels in their ●eap● of ioy●s, To live on earth in sorrows ●ut of measures, With change of nothing but the world's annoys: In toil and trauail●, long in love he s●ught us, And w●th his death at last full dearly bought us. Oh woeful travail that he undertook, To bring our lives unto his sacred love, Which pain, nor cross, nor death itself forsook, That to our faith might his affection prove: Which l●f● the spirit of his love be●inde him, To ●hew the love that seeks him how to find him. In love h● came, that he might comfort do us In love went from us, to provide our places, In love he sent his comforter unto us, In love he guides us with his holy graces: In love he made, bought, keeps and guides us thus, And shall not we love him that ●o loud us. Yes my dear Lord, be thou my dearest love, For Christ his sake, let my soul never le●ue thee, Who in thy love thy living truth doth prove, That m●kes me find the world doth all deceive me: ●nd were there truth on earth as there is none, Yet were thy love the joy of life alone. And l●t these tears be witness of my love, Which first do beg remission of my sin, ●nd in repentance do but mercy move, To open the gates of grace and l●t me in: Where humble faith but at thy feet may fall, With my soul's service, love and life and all. Forget O Lord my works of wickedness, Whereby my soul with sorrow is oppressed, And with the finger of thy holiness, In mercy touch my spirit so distressed: And save my life that draweth nigh to hell, Love me a little and I shall be w●ll. Love? no sweet Lord▪ mercy I crave no more▪ My sins are such, I dare not speak of love, But in thy mer●y to thy love restore, My h●mble faith, that may but mercy prove: And 〈◊〉 ●pp●●ue that all the world may see, The 〈◊〉 love betwixt my God and me. Oh call me home, and make me hear thy call, And hear thee so, that I may run unto thee, And hold me fast that I may never fall, But that my soul may ever ●●ruice do thee: Show some good token, that the world may know, My soul is blest, whom thou hast loved so. And while I live here in this wretched vale, Of fearful danger of in●ernall death, Where earthly pleasures take those souls to sale, Which have their bargain in the h●ll beneath, Let my soul's love, and lif●, and labour be, To seek my joy, my love and life in thee. Make me not rich lest I forget to think. From whence I have the comfort of my heart, Nor in such want, let thy poor servant sink, That I be driven to crave the needy part: Give me but means the needy to relieve, To feed thy flock, and not the Wolf to grieve. Let me not listen to the sinners songs, ●ut to the Psalms thy holy saints do sing, Nor let me follow tyrants in their wrongs, But kiss the rock, where righteousness doth spring: Let not mine eye affect the outward part, But let me love the virtue of the heart. And let my life be to behold thy love, And let my love be but to live in thee, And so to live that all the world may prove, The gracious good my God hath done for me, To call my soul out of this world of woe, In faithful love to serve my Saviour so. And when they see the blot of all their blame, To love the world but all in wretched toys, And do confess with inward blushing shame, They are but sorrows unto heavenly joys: They may with me forsake all worldly pleasure, And make thy love an everlasting treasure. For Lord by thee we are, in thee we live, And in thy love the living cannot die, And since thy death, did our lives wholly give, For thy loves sake shall we affection ●lie: No my dear Lord, let life be death to me, So I may die to live in love with thee. A joyful life were such a death indeed, From earthly pain to pass to heavenly pleasure, A joyful line for loving hearts to read, To leave the flesh to take the spirits treasure: Whose glorious sense unto the sun doth fall, That all is nothing to that all in all. And I (alas) of many thousand souls▪ Unworthy most of his high worth to write, Who in his mercies true record inrowles, The loving substance of the soul's delight: Must mercy cry, for scare my loves presuming, Of too high sense may be my souls consuming. And with the tears of true repentant love, Looking upon the wonders of that wo●der, That 〈…〉 p●●fection may approve, The 〈◊〉 ●ised● me of the world put under: 〈…〉 wit as short to p●n●e his praise, As 〈◊〉 n●ghts in light of clearest days. And say but this in grace and glories height, Whe●● virtue love doth live f●r ●uer crowned, A●d all the Hoa●● of heaven and heavens await, Upon the highe● 〈◊〉 the heau●●s renowned: Whom Saints and Angel● trembling do adore, To him alone be all praise chesmore. All honour p●aise and glory ever be, Unto my loving euerl●uing King, This king of life, who ●o hath l●ued me, To give my soul thi● gracious power to sing: In heart and mind, in man and ●ngels love, All glorious glory be to God above. FINIS. Nicholas Britten.