Licenced and Entered according to Order. THE MYSTERIES OF MOUNT CALVARY Opened and Improved. IN A DIALOGUE BETWIXT CHRIST and the SOUL. Omnis creatura compatitur Christo morienti, sol obscuratur, terra movetur Petrae scinduntur, velum templi dividitur; Sepulchra aperiuntur, Solus homo Christo non Compatitur, pro quo tamen Solo Christus patitur. S. Hieronymus in Mat. 27. Aut prodesse volunt, aut delectare Poetae, Aut simul & jucunda, & idonea dicere vitae. Horat. de Arte Poetica. By J. V Rector of Woodston, in the County of Huntingdon LONDON: Printed for Thomas Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercer's Chapel. 1686. THE MYSTERIES OF Mount CALVARY, etc. SOUL. GRant me O Lord! thy Spirit from above, That I may know the mysteries of thy Love. It cramps my Reason, and it damps my Faith, To read the stories of thy Life and Death. Thou art my God; infinite Wisdom can Best solve the point why God became a man. CHRIST. Behold my Soul! God's a transcendent Spirit, Love, Wisdom, Justice, Mercy, infinite. Such is his Glorious Nature to the Eye, Once to behold, is to behold and Die. Nor can a prospect of the Sun be made, Ere grateful to the Eye but in a shade. The Veil of Moses Face was as a Glass, For to reflect the glory of his Face. Moses Vail was my flesh, that pleasing shade, In which Gods Attributes were all displayed. Sin was conceived first by Virgin Woman, Since Adam knew her not, and she knew not man. By Virgin woman sin found entrance in, The Virgin Woman's seed atones the sin. The birth of sins controlled by my birth, Since I was pure and spotless born of Earth. Pure as my birth, my life hence qualified, To expiate those sins for which I died. Nor did my human nature less express, God's Wisdom equal to his Holiness. 'Twas Flesh and Blood that sinned; to make this good, Thy sin I did atone by Flesh and Blood. 'Twas man that sinned, 'twas God that was offended, Man died, God's satisfied, the quarrel ended. God's peace with man's, proclaimed by my merit; Man's peace with God's, procured by my Spirit. I took thy nature, so imparted mine; I was humane, that thou may'st be Divine. I came from Heaven, to Heaven I plained the Road, God dwelled with man, that man may dwell with God. When I for sin a Sacrifice was made, God's Justice like his Wisdom was displayed. That mercy may be shown, God will be Just, Either the sinner dies, or Jesus must. At the same instant Mercy meant thy good, Justice procured it, with the price of Blood; Nor dost thou read God ever pardoned Vice, Scarce with, but ne'er without a Sacrifice: For so the Jews in all their solemn Feasts, To atone their sins they Sacrificed Beasts. And when the Lamb was slain i'th' sinners stead, The guilt passed over to th' accursed head. By these and other rites, it was inferred, Sin was not strictly pardoned, as transferred. David pursued with guilt, to th' Altar flies; His sin is pardoned, but his Infant dies. So Just is God, but yet so meek and mild, He pardons sin, but punisheth his Child. Fear to offend, Justice being so severe; Since that thy pardon too doth cost so dear: That God is merciful, thy sins do show it. His blessed nature prompts him daily to it. But since I paid so dearly for thy sin, Justice itself doth usher Mercy in; So contrite Souls may in God's Mercy trust, Since God is merciful, 'cause he is just. Buying thy Ransom at so dear a price, Justice can ne'er demand the payment twice; Gods Love like to his Mercy's infinite; Exerting all its powers with all its might. Light ceases not to spread his Golden Bams, Fountains would drain themselves in Silver Streams. God can't be less than the work of his hands, His very Nature is what love commands: Thyself unto thyself God gave thee once, Ten thousand times thyself he gave thee since; But when thy sin and misery he spied, Took flesh, so gave himself for thee, and died Thus love from Heaven discharging every dart, At last he threw himself into thy heart; Not only took thy flesh, and so thy sin, But being man like thee, became thy kin. What friendship e'er was found in any other, Of Friend, Physician, Advocate, or Brother, All meet in me; nay I am more than this, Thy Flesh, thy Life, thyself, thy God, thy bliss. SOUL. Since 'twas my Lord's blessed purpose and intent, Within my Nature for to pitch his Tent; Since that thy house, meat, grave, they were not thine, The reason is (my Lord) thou wouldst have mine. Come Holy Ghost! and by thy sprightly art, Hover and breathe upon my barren heart. Since the place sacred is where God will come, Make my heart like unto the Virgins Womb. Tho 'tis not pure, as knowing sin before, Let it be Virgin, knowing sin no more; Once in a Manger was thy Body laid, But in a Jakes I blush to have it said. Into a worldly mind thou canst not come, 'Tis pinching, narrow, and it wanteth room, Nor can I hear thy sweet and secret Voice, In a House filled with jangling War and noise. Nor canst thou dwell in a revengeful Breast, The noise and hurry will disturb thy Rest. Nor can my Lord an Habitation find, Fit for thy Presence, in an haughty mind; Self taketh up the room, and fills thy space Of residence, and scorns to give thee place. Uncleanness doth thy sacred spirit choke, Bees eat the Hive, when driven out by smoke Drunkards do quench thy Spirit, pure and Divine, Who cannot keep his own, he cannot thine. Nor can the God of truth dwell within A naughty mind, where treachery hath been, Since it betrays him to each tempting sin. Nor can a sin within thy Temple dwell, No more than Heaven can e'er accord with Hell, What friendship hath my God with Belial? Why wouldst thou condescend, Lord let me know, Not to be made a man, but man so low? CHRIST. Such was thy pride, daring with God to vie; And I atoned it by humility. God envys none his happiness; to know it, When pride atempted it, and did forego it, Humility points out the way unto it. Such is the Virtue of an humble Soul, Coupling all graces, and secures the whole. Blessed be the grace to which alone 'tis given, To fetch God down to Earth, raise man to Heaven. Such is its power and virtue that it can Make man become like God, and God like man. God greater than himself can never be, Except in this, great in humility. God and man courts this grace, Heaven is God's seat, He's but one more, the humble soul is it. When greatness doth with goodness twist and twine, What can be more Heroic and Divine. What makes the Sun so graceful but his light, Quickening the meanest object of our sight. Never did Radiant Pearl so please the eye, As to behold an humble Deity, Learn O my Child this blessed grace of me. SOUL. Thy pardon Lord! methinks thy sinful Creature, Should learn this lesson of his wretched nature. Earth should be Earth, and Worms are ever found, Like other infects, crawling on the ground. Man to be lowly, is as if I said, Man should be man, dust dust, a spade a spade. How can man pride himself, and himself flatter, When sin's his form, and nothing is his matter. Poor and proud! is the greatest monster, seeing None but itself can give itself a being: Man's all is God, nothing's his own beside; That which is worse than nothing, that's his pride. Pride therefore is a sin of Monstrous birth, Who Serpent like, feeds on the slime o'th' Earth. Black spawn of Hell! Void of intelligence, Got in the darksome night of ignorance, Who like a Viper eats through's Mother's side, Since nothing but a nothing genders pride. So bladders swell and skip for want of poise, And empty Vessels make the greatest noise. When Fruitful Trees of young and early Birth, Do end their teeming burdens to the Earth, So Pearls in dark and deepest Earth are found, And sweetest Violets trail on the ground. Myself unto myself do thou disclose! Who knows not his own nothing, nothing knows. God's greatness and man's sin's so deep a pit, Such as no mortal man e'er sounded yet. Who counts himself a sinful wretched man; He is more wretched than his thoughts can span. Lord let me know and feel my nothingness; Then do thou fill this wide and empty space With plenitude and riches of thy grace. Since I am nothing of myself alone, And nothing nothing hath to bottom on, Lord touch my heart as needle's touched with stone! That it may point and fix on thee alone. Why did my Lord and Saviour think it best, Before his Death t'appoint the Paschal Feast? CHRIST. When once the Lamb was slain and every door Oth' Jewish Tribes was signed with the gore. The quick-eyed Angel spied it out, and slew The Egyptian Host, but passed o'er the Jew. Then did the Jews conducted by the Hand Of Moses, pass o'er safe to th' promised Land. Not that they did achieve that land, till they Had traced their passage through the Ruddy Sea, View how this rite was perfected by me. I passed from Life to Death, by sinners slain, I pass from Death to Life for sinners gain. Look as the Lamb when on the Altar laid, The owner's debt was by the Victim paid; And so the curse passed o'er the sinner's Head, And fell upon the beast slain in its stead; I was that Lamb tied fast upon the Tree, God's Justice like the Angel fell on me, Th' Egyptian's slain, the Israelite is free. Passing from Life to Death, I made all good, Passing from Death to Life is understood, The way to bliss is by and through my Blood. Thus knowing my departure to draw on, I joined the Paschal-Supper with my own; That both the Type and Antitype may meet, And with a joint Salute each other greet. The Paschal-supper did commemorate, The ancient thraldom of the Jewish State. The signal was a pure and spotless Beast, Offered in Sacrifice of Eucharist. Nor did they only Sacrifice a Beast, But on that Sacrifice they made a Feast. Thus on the Cross I gave my Flesh and Blood, Both on the Table are become thy Food. Here thou may'st quell thy hunger, quench thy thirst, Feeding upon the Sacrifice of Christ. Since thus for thee I gave my Life and Breath, Forget not the memorial of my Death? SOUL. Since that my Lord so freely did impart, His Blood to me, sprinkle it on my Heart; That so thy Justice may the signal view, Making my sin th' Egyptian, me the Jew. Slay my First born! O thou Firstborn of God My mighty sins with thine Almighty Rod. Drown these Egyptians in thy Sea of Blood, Then through this Sea, (Lord) make my passage good Unto the Land of Canaan understood. Help me too, through this Egypt where I dwell, A Land of darkness, thraldom, sin, and Hell Snce that my Bands are loosed by thy Merit! Guide me Lord, through this desert by thy Spirit; Let thy Hand be my Covert and my , Thy Law my fiery pillar and my Cloud. Let truth that binds our words and actions fast, Gird up my Loins, and clasp about my Waste. Bind on my feet the Sandals of thy Word, Which to my steps alone can light afford. Give me the staff of Faith too, in my Hand, My Foes to conquer, or at least withstand, Thus fixed, I'll trace my way to th' Holy Land. Lest in this Pilgrimage I faint and pine, I'll not forget my Viands, Bread and Wine. My daily wants and needs do prompt me to it, Thy Dying Words (dear Lord) commands me, do it, And am I not a treasure to attend, The living pledges of my Dying Friend? Thy cursed Death (dear Jesus) should be mine, And shall I balk the blessed fruits of thine? Thy Cross I should have born, though pressed down, And shall I be compelled to wear my Crown? Compulsion to a Feast seems very odd Surely to such whose Friend and Food is God. If that the Jewish Rites and thine accord, I Feast not only with, but on my Lord. Thou giv'st thyself on Earth, from Heaven above, Thou giv'st thyself again, such is thy Love. Shall not thy dying Love on Earth invite me? Shall not thy living Love from Heaven excite me? Canst thou do more than die? Do more than love me? bleeding Love, nor feeding love too, move Be angry Lord! and let my sins at least, Harrass and toss me to this blessed Feast: Then shall thy sacred Body and thy Blood, Be Meat and Medicine both, Physic and Food. Give me this day my daily Bread, I cry, Or in this pilgrimage I faint and die. Why did my Lord and Saviour think it meet To condescend to wash his servants Feet? CHRIST. To raise the price of that contemned grace, Humility, born of a Heavenly Race. If any one had reason to be high, And lift his Head above the Towering Sky, None shows a better title to't than I. I claim God's Titles, Worship, Nature, Name. God, and God's Privy-councillor I am; My Births Divine, my works were works of Wonder: My Life was Lightning, and my Voice was Thunder. I was King too, but yet my power was shown, In Kindness, Love, and Courtesy alone. Great was my Works, as not to be withstood▪ Yet great in nothing more than doing good. I raise the Dead, though Dead to worldly pelf; I Died unto the World, and to myself. For when my Miracles came to be known, I stopped men's mouths, together with my own. I raised the Sick, and stilled the Winds beside; Yet knew not how to raise a puff of pride. When I was once transfigured on high, Both Moses and Elias standing by; The only news they brought me, I must Die. When in a King like manner once I came Riding in Triumph to Jerusalem; My joys were soon allayed by my fears, For than I wet my Palms with dewy Tears. 'Twas then and there I was to be a King, But Consecrated such by Suffering. My Throne was placed betwixt the Crosses Horns; My Sceptre was a Reed, my Crown of Thorns; My Robes were Mocks, my Acclamations, Scorns. Thus both my Life and Death commends to thee, This Godlike virtue of Humility? SOUL. Can man but know himself, himself he'd know To be a stinking Dunghill clad with Snow. Vile Earth without, and viler Soul within, A mighty nothing, superadded sin. Methinks the sin of pride should find no place, Nor yet Humility become a grace In man, whose sinful nature is so base. But when I see what once my Lord became, I little, nothing worse, than nothing am. ne'er do we seem so little in our ●ye, As when we look down on ourselves from high. When I consider what my Lord hath done, I melt away like Snowballs in the Sun. When by thy light, and bothy sprightly Art, I dig to th' centre of my sinful Heart. I am all fear, all dread, all in a maze, Viewing the grizley Spirits which I raise. But when I see a Nature so Divine, Exerting so much goodness once in mine; How Heaven courts Earth, and God becomes our brother, How one Abyss doth call upon another; Here self dissolves, struck by such potent Charms, Expiring, like to Moses, in Gods Arms. Here pride, that brat of darkness and of night, Not daring to behold this glorious sight; Makes off, like spirits at the day-brake light. Oh! let me see my Face in this thy Glass! Shall man be proud, when God so humble was? Since that the meanest services were thine, I will not grudge (my Lord) shall make them mine, whate'er thy hand hath touched is Divine I'll go from house to house, from door to door, Healing thy sick, and visiting thy poor. Since in these Offices I need not fear To meet a Friend, for I shall meet thee there. Why is't Recorded (Lord) why is it said, That thou for thirty pieces wast betrayed? CHRIST. Thou sold'st thyself to sin; to set thee free, The price of slaves was judged the price of me. As in a Glass behold, my Child, and view, The baseness of thy sin, and thraldom too. Jesus thy Lord, setting so vile a rate on, Making thy Soul do Homage unto Satan. Pagan's a Drunken Bacchus did adore, Mars, Mammon, Pluto, Venus too, a Whore. Who casts off these by his Baptismal vow, Tho he thinks not, he may adore them now. Uncleanness, rapine, riot, and excess; Mars, Venus, Pluto, Bacchus was no less. And all but Devils in a Godlike dress. The Christian sins with Pagan rites accord, Both Tribute pay to Satan as their Lord. Tho sinners aim at nought but pleasing profit; The Devil's service is the meaning of it. Pagans in all their superstitious evils, They meant a God, though Worshipped none but Devils. Who owns himself a Christian by my Name, And breaks my Precepts, does the very same: When as I was about to be betrayed, Lord is it I? The Traitor Judas said; Nor was that wretch ever so void of sense, To think my Person worth but thirty Pence. 'Twas not his Reason, but his Avarice, That on his Master set so low a price. 'Twas lust that did above his Lord prevail, So the beam leaned too much to th' weakest scale. Jesus more worth than worlds, a Judas cries, Rather than lust be starved, Jesus Dies. Such is the nature of a sin when bred, What cannot once be cured, must be fed. Whose heart the world doth sway, and that his bliss is, He'll sell me (Judas like) for thirty pieces. Tho in Exchange he doth impart a kiss, I need not tell thee who his Master is. For so in secret Caverns Serpents lurk, Like hidden Springs, setting the Wheels on work. SOUL. In Lawful things we most of all offend, When our desires want measure both, and end: Whose swelling mind his Fortunes doth out go, Five Hundred pounds is not so much as two. Proud and ambitious Minds will draw a Sword For that which meek men count not worth a Word. The sober Person dines without a wish, When Lust is pined at a double Dish. Ne'er was there Judge that dare to be unjust, Were he not bribed otherwise by Lust: None covets sin, but lust for to fulfil, And so sins willingly against his Will. Down to my mean Estate, Lord bend my mind! And let them both like Warp and Woof combined: Sleeping securely thus on Nature's Lap, I'm safe from Satan's wiles and Fortunes Clap. Why did that Traitor wound thee with a Kiss, And suck rank Poison from the Streams of Bliss? CHRIST. To expiate thy foul Hypocrisy, Which doth at once betray thy God and me: My flesh it was a Mirror, to express God's Justice, Goodness, Truth and Righteousness: Who makes a breach in any one of these, Tho a Disciple, yet a Judas is; Who in my Gospel Precepts doth belie me, In all my Gospel Truths he will deny me: He will not die that dares not to be just: He'll ne'er forsake his life that want his lust: Who shipwrecks Conscience, as the Scripture saith; Must cast away the Anchor of his * 1 Tim. 1.19. Faith, Whose formal Christian only may as well, (Bating the name of Hypocrite and Hell) Become a Jew, a Turk, an Infidel; He is my Friend, by the same reason so, As Turk and Jew, and Pagan is my Foe; And though he wears my Coat, as Judas Kisses, When th' Fashion altars, tears it all in pieces: They who would make me King, did most deride me; Who cried Hosanna most, they crucified me. SOUL. Cursed Hypocrisy! that would outvie The God of Wisdom, Truth, Sincerity: Daring to kiss his Face, in's Courts to dwell, More distant from him, than is Heaven from Hell: So Apes are counted most deformed Creatures, Who are not men, but would be men in features. Grant I may love thee, Lord, by being like thee, That I may ne'er at once both kiss and strike thee: Let me detest all sin in every part, That I may ne'er be Judas in my Heart. The Garden is a Seat of Pleasure; why Was it the Scene of thy sad Tragedy? CHRIST. Here in a Garden I atoned that Sin Which in a Garden you know did begin. For there we find the Tree of Good and Evil, Which Adam eat of, tempted by the Devil: Here I engaged that Tempter in the Field, Where first he made thy Parents for to yield: Here my imbittered Cup did first confute The fancied Pleasures of Forbidden Fruit. That Curse of sweat when man procures his food * Gen. 3.17. , I here atoned by sweeting drops of Blood. SOUL. Enough my Lord! thou'st fully paid my Scores, Fitting thy Plasters wisely to my Sores: Approach you hither all you idle Drones; View how your Lord both sweats, and sighs, and groans; Behold you swearers how he faints and swoons, Under the burden of your cursed Wounds: View how his Blood and Moisture is sunk up, By drinking of the Drunkards poisoned Cup. Come here my Lusts! and dare to taste no more O'th' Fruit' the Tree of Good and Evil bore, YE have tasted of the Apple, view the Core! Hear, O supine Devotion, his loud cry: So strong, so fervent, that it pierced the Sky; His very Prayer was an Agony. Why didst thou deprecate thy Cup, and say, Father, if possible, pass it away? 'Twas thy Baptismal Cup thou longest for, how Couldst thou desire it once, and dread it now? CHRIST. Oh 'twas a dreadful Cup as ne'er was seen, Poisoned with Wrath of God, and dregs of Sin: The greatest sorrow and the quickest sense, Doth set the higher Price on Patience: Once to desire it, now to drink it loath, Doth signify my love and sorrow both. SOUL. Shall I take pleasure in those cups and cates, Which my dear Lord so dreads and deprecates? Shall I delight in that by which he dies? And sport with poniards, and with Agonies? Grant that thy Cup, more dreadful than thy Cross is, May sour my sins, and sweeten all my losses: Suffer me, Lord, thy love for to control; Thou sufferest in thy Body, why in Soul? CHRIST. Sin from thy soul, my child, did first begin; My sorrows did commence as did thy sin: And why I sweat such drops of such a sort, The burden of thy sins must answer for't. View how my soul's surrounded for thy sin, Sweats Blood without, and feels a Hell within. Such anguish as is never to be found, Sweat without Heat, and Blood without a Wound: With God, with Sin, with Satan did I strive, Mine was the Life of Death, as Death of Life; My Death was one, yet in that all may be; Who died before and after, died in me: Well may my Blood be squeezed through all my Pores, I had as many deaths, as I had Doors. SOUL. And shall my sins (dear Lord) increase thy store, And cause thee for to die ten Thousand more? Sin robbed thee of thy life; and 'tis as true, It kills thy death, and stobs thy kindness too: Mercy, Love, Truth, and Goodness, are a good More dear to thee, than was thy Flesh and Blood: This thou assum'st the other to display, And yet in these thou suffer'dst every day. Thy flesh ne'er felt so much from Daggers keen, As did thy Heart and Mind feel by my sin. O cursed sin! far harder to be born, Than Whips, than Deaths, than Daggers, Crowns of Thorn. Why did the Jews, all in a spiteful Vogue, Prefer before thee, Barrabas, a Rogue? CHRIST. To show the sinner's choice in every Vice, Wh ' on God and Conscience sets so low a Price, To gain his Lust, will lose bis Paradise. The value of a soul, were't to be sold, Weighs down a world, yea though a world of Gold. God's Glory's more to be esteemed than Ten Thousand worlds, than Millions of Men: Put all into the scales, they want outpoise The wilful madness of the sinner's choice. There's no unjust man sins, but that in sinning He stabs the mighty God that is within him: Lust stairs you in the face, heard in its groans, Felt by its fires, smelled in its rotten bones: The Drunkard of all sinners not the least, Tho God hath stamped his image in his breast, Changes that coin, and only buys a beast. The Swearer sins not at the common rate, Swallowing the Devils Hook without a Bait, Pawning his soul but for a fruitless evil, And not so much as cheapening with with the Devil. Who fears man more than God, I'll answer for't, He kills himself for fear of being hurt. Thus through the sinner's choice it comes to pass, Each sin cries out, Not Him, but Barrabas. SOUL. The sinner's wretched choice doth far outvie, What's said in Holy Writ, or History. Esau stands fool on record for his dotage, Selling his Birthright for a mess of Pottage. Glaucus' changed Gold for Brass; Crates they say, To brave his folly, cast his Gold away. The Romans framed an Altar to apppease A feverish God, worshipping a Disease. The Sinners folly doth them all excel, Exchanging Life for Death, and Heaven for Hell. If Souls more worth than Worlds, infer from hence How cheap they're sold, when sold for thirty Pence. Nay, for a filthy Lust, when passed and gone Not to be found but in a Sigh or Groan. Is this the Paramour, that most doth please us? Is this the Barrabas that Vies with Jesus? Is there such charming Magic in its hue, As to be Wed without a Dowry too? Nay, pay a price down sored, and such a price, As Health, Wealth, Life, Soul, Bliss and Paradise. Since thou dost guard the Tree of Life so well With Cherubims of Death, and Flames of Hell, How can I break the Fence, since to be blest, It is my Duty both, and Interest. Why wast thou stripped (my Lord) I cannot fathom? CHRIST. To take on me the state of sinning Adam: He and thou naked were, I naked am, That thou may'st have my Robes to hid thy shame. SOUL. O Cloth me with the Robe of thy great Merit; Adorn me with the Graces of thy Spirit. Why wast thou bound (my Lord) why whipped with Cord? My Faith gins to fail me, help me Lord! CHRIST. Was Adam's sin nought in respect to thee, Who robbed God's Orchard, the forbidden Tree? Or did that Fruit ne'er set thy Teeth on Edge? Or Achan- like, didst never steal a Wedg? I for thy theft, was like a thief fast bound; Not guilty, but for thee was guilty found. Thy greater sins did Stob me to the heart; The lesser were those Whips that made me smart, Causing such ghastly Wounds in every part. SOUL. Let me not cherish, Lord, that viperous brood, Which fed upon the reekings of thy Blood. Oh, wound my sins, which caused such wounds in thee, Then heal those wounds thy love hath made in me. Why wast thou spit on (Lord) why mocked, why made A Prophet, Priest and King in Masquerade. CHRIST. Learn where the sin of sin doth chief lie: Offering affront to th' glorious Majesty. Profaneness lays him open to Disgrace, And Malice spits him in the very face. Drunkards deface his Image, spoil his Creature; Lust would assoil his pure and spotless Nature. The unbeliever fain would tie his hands, From punishing the breach of his commands. And what Injustice does, you soon may guests; It strips him of his Robes of Righteousness: In Robes of Scarlet, Scoffers make him stand, And puts a Reeden Sceptre in his hand. Who with inflamed Blood, revenge doth seek, Doth smite his blessed Maker on the Cheek: The Proud Crown him with Thorns; the Swearers part, Is for to strike his Poniard through his heart. All sin doth mean the same to th' Deity What the Jews meant, and did effect in me. SOUL. To affront my God, it is the Sinners sport; God may be injured, true! can he be hurt? CHRIST. I was both God and Man, conclude thou then, What hurt sin brought to God, what hurt to men. My Body felt its pangs, my Soul its fears, My Eyes its taunts, its mocks and scoffs my Ears: My head the prickled Crown, my Cheeks the nips; My Hands and Feet the Nails, my Back the Whipts; 'Tis strange, but true, what cannot be denied, God cannot die, yet 'twas a God that died. SOUL. I clearly see my sins do wound my Lord, Without a Trope, with and without a Sword. Cursed Serpent sin, since nought can quench his thirst, Till he's imbibed the precious Blood of Christ. What Sinners make so light of, by their leaves, It pressed God down, like as a Cart with Sheaves: Nay, pressed forth Blood, when laid upon his back; Poor Wretch am I, shall ne'er a heartstring crack? Shall both thy Head and sacred Temples reek, And not a tear bedew my withered Cheek. Endeared Mothers, when they see a Dart Leveled at the tender Infant's Heart; They Cry, they Screek, I Faint, I Swoon, I Dye; So cannot I my Lord, so cannot I; Yet I'm resolved these sins shall ne'er be mine; I'll spit them in the face, who spat in thine. Grant that the Spittle, Malice cast on thee; May wipe all foul Aspersions off from me. But now again, my Lord, I'm at a loss, What meant thy carrying up and down thy Cross? CHRIST. The Pagans, when a Judgement struck a Town, Did lead their Sacrifices up and down T'appease their angry Gods; 'tis also said, Isaac did bear the Wood on which he's laid. Simon and I, bearing that weighty Tree, Tells my Disciples what t'expect from me. Come on my Child, with an undaunted heart, Since I go first, and also bear a part. SOUL. Can I refuse, thy blessed Yoke to take, Since born by thee, and fitted to my Neck? Thy Cup was full of the red Wine of Sadness; Thou fil'st it up to me with Oil of gladness. Thy Cross was fixed on Golgotha, a place Where God from thee withheld his blessed Face. Mine thou hast fixed on Mount Moriah's green, The place where God once promised to be seen * Gen 22. . A Crown of Thorns thy sacred head encloses; Thou wear'st the Prickles, and I wear the Roses. Truth Lord! who follows thee, shall have no loss: The Cross bears him, who ever bears the Cross: Is it unlawful, Lord, for me to say, Why was thy Cross fixed on a Golgotha? CHRIST. This was the seal Tradition would maintain, Where Isaac once had like to have been slain. The place of Dead men's Skulls; 'tis also said It was the place where Adam 's buried. This being so, as't hath been said of old, Then Death was Conquered in his Fort and Hold. Man found out sin, by sin Death first came in; Sin brought forth Death, and Death hath conquered sin. Who by the Serpent's sting hath got a hurt, The Oil of Serpents is a plaster for't. 'Twas humane Flesh that caused the first to die; So humane Flesh obtained the Victory. Under my Cross Death like a Victim lies, And as a Sacrifice o'th' Altar dies. So that of Golgotha it may be said, Here is the place where Death lies buried. Courage my Soul! Death's done his utmost spite; The Serpent he may hiss, but cannot by't. Spread his cold hand he may, and press upon Thy spriteless Corpse, but cannot break a Bone. Hence Death, a dark and shady Entry call, Bending thy footsteps to a spacious Hall. SOUL. When through Death's valley I shall bend my way, Thy Cross shall be my Rod, my Staff, my Stay: Canst thou, my Soul, refuse to lay thy Head Within that place where Jesus made his Bed? Once 'twas a Golgotha of stench and smell; The Pagans called it Hades, the Jews say Hell. Since Christ lay there, and from thence did arise, Call it from hence, the Gate of Paradise. Chide not (dear Lord) my curiosity; Why was thy Cross exalted up on high? CHRIST. It was Gods penal Law, and his Decree * Deut. 27.26. ; Cursed is every one that hangs o'th' Tree. I to atone thy Sin, thy Curse, thy Shame, Did die that Death which did attest the same. Although it was a Roman Death I died; Yet an Allseeing Eye did so provide, That the curse should contain that Ignominy The Law pronounced to him that hung o'th' Tree. Hast thou not read the place, where 'tis rehearsed, And they shall look on him whom they have pierced. By this 'tis plain, my Cross I was to bear, And die that Death, whose piercing was by Spear. When th' Lamb of old was to the Altar tied, Mounted aloft, and then upon it died; My Crosses Exaltations verified. That sacrificed Ram (as 'tis related * Exodus 29.27. , At the time when the Priest was consecrated, 'Twas waved to and fro, heaved up and hurled, Pointed to the four corners of the World. When I was consecrated on the Tree, That Jewish rite was well becoming me: For so my Cross was mounted up on high, That all the World may their Redeemer spy. Thus placed 'twixt Earth, God's footstool and Heaven's Throne, To reconcile both God and Man in one. The Brazen Serpent in the Desert was A Type of me, relating to my Cross: The Jews being stung with Serpents, were made whole, By a brass Serpent fixed on a Pole To cure the Wound, caused by that cursed Creature; Art can't effect the cure, no more could Nature; For if it was a Serpent, then I'm sure, Serpents by nature rather kill then cure; A fiery Serpent too, who can endure? The sting of Death is sin, by th' Serpent shown, The Venom too, 'cause 'twas a fiery one. What more averse to Reason, Sense or Faith, Than to seek Life from an accursed Death. A crucified Jesus did bespeak Spite to the Jew, and folly to the Greek. But if you look at God's wise end in this, The cursed Trees become the Tree of bliss. Look as th' aforesaid Serpent made of Brass, Was not a Serpent, but its Image was: So without sin, I'm made a sinful Creature, And by my Death gave Life to humane Nature; And this Life is conveyed, as Scripture saith, By looking on my Cross, with lively faith: A Faith that puts the Serpent to the rout; Pulls out his sting, and lets the Poison out. SOUL. Since that my Lord thus raised himself on high; Why doth my Soul, o'th' ground thus groveling lie! O, fix my heart on this thy blessed Tree! So as to taste the fruit, and healed be: What boot thy pardon, though so full, so free, If that my Conscience will not pardon me? I have been told, that this thy Towering cross, The downfall of the Devil's Kingdom was. CHRIST. Some make the brazen Serpent for to be A fitting Emblem of this Verity. A dead and wounded Serpent on a Tree, Bespeaks the wounds Satan received from me. For thus my Cross became the Stage and Scene, Where that cursed Serpent vents his utmost spleen. Nor did I break his Sceptre and his Rod By force of Arms alone, as being God; By Martial Law I entered in the Field, By a new Conquest made my Foe to yield. My Innocence did quench his fiery Dart, My Patience smote him to the very Heart. My Foe by wounding me, did himself wound, Meeting his fiery Dart at the rebound. Murdering the Son of God i'th' sinners stead: He brought both shame and curse upon his Head. And thus I caught the Devil in that gin, By which he made Adam and Eve to sin. I'th' Serpents shape at first he did appear, Not in his own, 'twas full of dread and fear, And by this Craft he got the Woman's Ear. In love to man, man's Flesh and Blood took I, Clothing my Godhead with Humanity: The Serpent by this art, I did outvie. Who views my Cross, now with a faithful Eye, May see the cursed Serpent wounded lie. What once was termed the ignominious Tree, Now proves a Trophy of my Victory. For so the Romans in a conquered Town Set up a Trophy of their great Renown. At first it was a Garment, or some , Stripped from the back of their new conquered Foes; Then fastened to a Transverse Beam it was; Then mounted on a Pole, my very Cross. I having spoilt the Devil on the Tree, I made the show on't, Triumphed openly * Col. 2.15. : My Cross that was so cursed, doth appear To be my Chariot, and triumphing Chair. SOUL. If that the Serpent's crucified with thee, Why do I find him daily tempting me? Is not my heart more Devil then he? Grant that as Satan felt thy Crosses smart, So do thou Rule and Reign within my Heart. Why would my Lord, girt with a Crown of Thorns, Be nailed and riveted to Crosses horns? CHRIST. The Earth once cursed by Adam's sin, did bear Briars and Thorns, which on my Head I wear, And for that Curse I make Atonement here. Before the Heathens Ox's Blood was shed, They put a Crown of Flowers on his Head. When I was Crowned with Thorns upon the Tree, The Heathen may behold the Mystery. When Isaac, the delight of Abraham 's Eyes, Had like to have been once a Sacrifice, A Ram was caught i'th' Thickets of the Wood, Christ crowned with Thorns is that Ram understood: In every Jewish Sacrifice of Old, My Cross was but the story often told: For when the Lamb was slain, his joints stretched out, Then tied to th' Altars Horns, without all doubt The Mystery of the Cross was pointed out. SOUL. Since that the Jewish sacrifice and thine, Did in one Altar meet and so combine: Oh let my sins be fastened to the Tree, And like a sacrifice be slain with thee: So shall the Jews and Christian Rites agree, And Christ be all in all in them and me. Let all my crosses, losses, mocks, and scorns, Be dignified by thy Crown of Thorns I have not done, methinks thy Cross points out, Some latent Truth behind, (Lord) clear my doubt, CHRIST. How doth the God of Love, void of all evil, Run counter to the Malice of the Devil? Since that the cursed Caitiffs proper food, Is for to glut o'th' streams of humane Blood. But God is Love, though Justice might step in, And claim man's blood, as forfeited by sin: Yet Goodness is so full of his own good, Rather than man shall lose his life and blood, God by the hands of his own Justice dies: Not man, but God becomes the Sacrifice: The powers of darkness and eternal night Were spoiled here, and here exposed to sight. By the same sword thy Lord received his wound, He smote the cursed Serpent to the ground. Here Satan, more than Christ seems to be dead: He bruised his heel indeed, but he his head: Nor was he hurt alone, but 'tis as true, He was disarmed of all his weapons too. Can he condemn? The sinner soon replies, Man shall not die, since God himself here dies. When that the Creditor's become thy friend, The Bailiffs inquisition's at an end. Here Hell was by its captive, captive led, And the destroyer, Death, slain by the dead. That Handwriting which threatened man with th' loss Of life, is cancelled here, and nailed to th' cross. So laws of old, when that their power was lost, They were exposed, transfixed to a Post: And to make all complete, God's Justice too, For thy contentment is exposed to view. Here both God's Arms of Justice, with his Hands, Were fastened to the cross by loving hands: He cannot lift them up (since they are bound) To strike the contrite sinner to the ground: Nor can his weighty feet (since they are penned) Trip up the heels of any Penitent. Only his hands are stretched, as silent charms, T' allure the soul to fall into his arms. The mouth of Justice here is still and mute, And only bows his head to th' sinner's suit. His side is pierced, his blood trails on the ground To fetch you in, and so close up the wound. SOUL. Since that my soul for sin can find no ease, Tossed on the billows of the angry seas, I'll fly unto thy Cross, and there embark, Creeping in at the Windows of that Ark, Thy side I mean, Lord grant me entrance in, Then let thy precious wounds close up my sin. Nor am I pleased my sins are covered, Till they be crucified with thee, and dead. How shall I sound thy pangs, thy pains, thy smart, And what a sufferer for me thou wert, Till that I find and feel thy poisoned dart, Lie throbbing in each Fiber of my Heart. The Jew before the Victims blood was shed, (Laying his hand upon th' accursed head) Cried out, 'Twas I that merited this pain, Thus to be bound and strangled, cut and slain: My sin, that cursed beast, that gored my Lord, I'll bind him to thy Altar fast with cord, Then slay the slayer with the slayers sword, 'Twas sin that forced thy death, or't had not been; Shall not thy death enforce the death of sin? I'll therefore stretch its hands and arms full wide Upon thy Cross, and wound them through thy side. Thy pangs shall through my hollow bowels move, And echo back again thy dying love: My tears shall meet thy blood, then safely I May say thy death is mine, when thus I die, Pardon my suit, O Lord, discover why Thou choosest such a painful death to die? CHRIST. Small was the instance of man's first offence; The greater was his disobedience: Scarce do ye sin, or ever go astray, Till pleasure goes before and leads the way. I bore those pains most contrary to sense, Man's cheap and pleasant sin to recompense. What was thy pleasure, let it be thy fear, Since what's so cheap to thee, to me's as dear. A living death, a dying life had I; I died in dying, yet I could not die: My bones disjointed, and my Nerves extended, I died in every part, yet no life ended. My lingering death, that death may signify, Where sinners always live, and always die. By this death, without death, it may be shown, (If Infinite by Finite can be known) Thy ever dying death I did atone. SOUL. A death so painful; shameful, ne'er was seen, Nay cursed too; I wished had never been. CHRIST. I wish so too; but such hecame thy sin: For never was there sin thou didst commit, But pain, and shame, and curse attended it. SOUL. Truth, Lord: in every breach of thy command, The Pain doth take the Pleasure by the hand. The Proud shall never want their pain and trouble, The reason is, they bottom on a bubble. The worldlings in their plenty still do crave, And pained in this they want the goods they have: The envious to themselves prove very Devils, Making their brother's goods become their evils. Lust is a Devil too, that first doth tempt us, Then making conscience Devil to torment us. The liar finds a truth, who never said it; He suffers from his conscience and his credit. Injustice that withdraws another's pelf, Doth the exactest Justice on itself. It is a truth too true, we may rely on't: Each sin doth bear his cross, but will not die on't Thy death was painful (Lord) but I'm offended, That by a shameful death thy life was ended. CHRIST. My Cross was as a Pulpit placed on high Preaching a Sermon visible to th' eye Of Meekness, Patience, Love, Humility. These virtues in the mind could make no stamp, Had I appeared arrayed in worldly Pomp: Phocian, Thrasias, and such men as these, Regulus, Aristides, Socrates: Such Heroes Virtues ne'er could climb the sky, Were not their persons once condemned to die: So stars shine brightest in a frosty night, The biggest least appearing in our sight. In love to man, and tender sympathy To man in troubles 'twas but meet that I Should feel the brunt of all, and therefore die. Now love's a law never to be controlled, What e'er it toucheth, turneth all to Gold: From an accursed death exalts its fame; Nobles disgrace finds dignity in shame. Since God must be atoned too, I'm content To undergo this legal punishment: Condemned to die in shame, what greater dread, Than to die once, be killed too when dead. Can worse be meant, what all men always have: My pains must want a death, my death a grave. This was thy shame (my soul) mine ne'er had been, Were't not to expiate thy shameful sin. That sin is clothed with shame, this doth express it; Men dare to sin, but dare not to confess it. Sin dies thy Aspect red, or makes it pale; Nature to hid thy shame, pulls on her Veil. Like to the cursed Serpent, such is lust, It creeps on's belly, and it licks the dust. Liars want feet to stand on, yet they can Dare to affront a God, but sneak from man. Drunkards have naught to speak them humane creatures, But inward guilt, and some few outward features: Would they but once in my word view their face, They'd curse the Image, but commend the Glass. The Miser's sins as base, base earth at best, Making itself the centre of its rest. Thus shame to wait on sin will never fail, Bating the sting that's in the viper's tail. SOUL. Most shameful sin! though Hell had never been; Methinks there's Hell enough in every sin: Shall I create a Title and a Name To that which made my God a public shame? Since sin exposed my Lord, I'll here begin, From this example to expose my sin. I'll search and try, judge and condemn its cause, At the most strict Tribunal of thy Laws. I'll strip the Varlet of his vain pretences, Then Scourge him roundly for his vile Offences. I'll bind him fast in this fast twisted Cord, Sins guilt, death's curse, God's Ire, Hells Flaming Sword. I'll make him feel his burden with Remorse, Of conscience, bear, and die too on the Cross. I'll cause my luxuries to take a sup O'th' mixtures they prepared for thy Cup. Here my intemperance like thee, O Christ, Shall on thy Cross cry out, I thirst! I thirst! My whoredorms, riots, revels in the Night, Shall here do penance in thy Robes of White. My Oaths that stabbed thee to the Heart, shall feel The pangs and pains of thy side-peircing Steel. My pride that cannot stoop, nor bear a frown, Shall feel the pungent prickles of thy Crown. My lusts, those Nails that tied thee to the Tree, Shall feel themselves fast bound and tied with thee. Those fierce and fiery passions that most please us, Shall here lie prostrate at the Feet of Jesus. Thus shall my sins with all their mighty Host, Be stretched and nailed to thy cursed Post, Then cry aloud, and so give up the Ghost. Why wouldst thou die upon that cursed Wood, Methinks there's something yet (Lord) understood? CHRIST. T' atone the sin of the forbidden Tree, Once cursed by Adam, but more curse to me. O Cross! the name and quintessence of Evils, Cursed by God, by Angels, Men, and Devils. What curse is greater, except this be worse, I am at length become the Creatures curse? The Sun at Noonday hides his Glorious Face, Blushing at such an object of disgrace. My Corpse they must not rest a night o'th' Tree, Lest that the Air should take offence at me. The Earth that's cursed by mine, though Adam's sin, Won't let me touch her with my nether skin. That Earth where Serpents feed, and Beasts do tread on, I must not find a place to lay my head on. Rocks put on sense, and seem for to condole, The pangs and dolours of my dying Soul. The Temple seems to be profaned by me, And rends its as hearing Blasphemy. SOUL. If spotless innocence hath thus been used, Can sins Excuses ever be excused? Who counts his sin but small, of little weight, Must say the same of God, if he say right. Count thy sin small, if any can be such, 'Tis not a little that thou lov'st it much. For so a Bodkin if it reach thy Heart, Kills thee as sure as doth a greater Dart. The prickles of that Crown which Jesus wore, Bedewed his Temples with a purple gore. The smaller instance doth enhanse the sin; Will't lose God's Grace and Favour for a pin? In smallest crannies serpents will not fail, First to twine in the Head, and then the tail. Who takes an earnest penny, he engages To do more work, when Satan bids more wages. Nor must thou reckon at the common rate, Thy sin was small, cause the temptation's great. Such as man is, such is the power of sin, Prevailing not without, but from within. Some Healthful persons will devour a mess, When squeamish stomaches will recoil at less. Joseph was Tempted more than e'er was David, The one fell foul, the other he was saved. Poor thirty pieces did prevail upon Judas, when thousands could not on St. John; Who for a pound won't sin, but will for seven, This is to set a price on God and Heaven. what's Infinite, and what's Eternal Life, Equal outweighs five thousand pounds, as five. But for Temptation this had never been, Is nought to say, but that you love the sin. Nor can sins pleasure or its pleasing Profit Excuse the sin for the Commission of it. Since in its tempting and commodious ware, Jesus outbids the Devil's market far. Judge whether Vice or Virtue is more gainful, Since Life to comes so sweet, and Death so painful. Nor canst thou say 'tis thine unhappy state, Sin never was thy choice, but 'tis thy Fate. Can Life cause Death? Good Evil, Truth a lie? Life, Goodness, Truth cries out, why wilt thou die? Is man a Creature of a rank no higher Than artificial Puppet made of Wier. Are praises, promises, rewards, all one, As if you should sing well to please a stone? Is man no more blame worthy for his sin, Than is a Watch not pointing right the Pin? Conscience would never smite thee for a Vice, Did not thy Nature prompt thee otherwise. Is't not the Drunkard's choice to set at nought That cup where Aconite is made the draught? And cannot Heaven nor Hell make him refrain, Can Heaven lose its price, or Hell its pain? Strange Fate; ne'er fixed on aught but what are evils, As if God ne'er made men, but all were Devils. If sin hath caught thee in its fatal gin, Thy punishments as fatal as thy sin. But after all, is there no strength and force In this, that sin made God himself a curse? Then sinner take thy fill, carouse and quaff, But canst thou drink o'th' Cup that Christ drank of? Or can thy back once bear that direful Rod, Pressed with the Arm of an Almighty God? If sin made God so cursed, Oh what can Make sin more cursed unto sinful man! If innocence did under wrath so groan, What comfort can the sinner look for? none. I beg thy Favour Lord for to relate, Why thou wast Crucifi'd without the Gate? CHRIST. For to complete a Jewish Type of note, Th' accursed Sacrifice o'th' Scapen Goat. Nor was it fit my Merits and my Grace Should be confined only to th' Jewish Race. I died a Pagan Death, my erected wood Stood ' loft, that all may view it for their good. My Arms were stretched out from East to West, To close with every Soul that would be Blest. My Titles wrote in Hebrew Latin, Greek; All Nations in me may Salvation seek. SOUL. Thou dyd'st for all; nought can it falsify, But only cursed Infidelity. Were not thy Death of Value infinite, It could not make atonement for one spirit. But being infinite, it satisfied, Both for this world, and thousand worlds beside. Let my name in thy Cross Engraven be; Thou didst not die for all, if not for me. But why in Holy Writ is't verified, My Lord betwixt two Malefactors died. CHRIST. There is a reason why th' Apostle said it, Not only for to save the Prophet's credit. I was esteemed a greater thief to be Than either of those Thiefs that died with me. But yet by dying thus I mercy meant To th' greatest thief, the greatest penitent. When Adam robbed the Tree to make him Wise, And then denied it, lost his Paradise. Humble confession finds admission in To Paradise thus lost by Adam's sin. Wht one Thief lost, you see the other found; Who falls and riseth soon, he gaineth ground. But he that lives in sin, in sin shall die, Yea though his Lord and Saviour standeth by. Who hopes for Heaven, but will not change his vice, May find a Hell, yea in a Paradise. His very hopes are founded in his fears, Since lust would fire a Heaven about his Ears. Bating my word, each sinner can foretell, Sin hath a Central force that points at Hell. I need not say, Depart out of my sight, It never was, nor can be his delight. Who to my sacred Laws hath small regard, Hath less of reason to expect reward. My Cross here seems to represent my Throne, Which at the last day I shall sit upon; O'th' left hand stands the Goats, my Sheep o'th' right, As meet inheritors with Saints in light? SOUL. By these two Thiefs, my Lord hath clearly shown, Justice and Mercy doth uphold his Throne. Th' one awes my hopes, th' other checks my fears, Th' one hoists up Sail, whilst that the other stears. To th' dying Thief much was thy mercy shown, I won't presume on't, cause he was but one. 'Twas his first time he ever heard of thee, The same can ne'er be verified of me. He for his Lord and Saviour once did take thee, In that weak state when all thy friends forsake thee. Thou ownest him at thy death, he thee at thine, The same can ne'er be truly said of mine. I'll now resolve, God ne'er held forth to morrow; Or if he did, did not repenting sorrow. That I shall turn to God, can it be said. When that I scarce can turn me in my Bed? My time is short, way heavy, long the course; Shall all the burden lie o'th' weakest Horse? My debts run on, shall I discharge the score, And pay them bitter when I own the more? I blush to think what's dreadful for to own, My lusts shall have the Marrow, God the Bone. When on the dying Thief thou cast thine Eyes, Methinks thy words some potent truth implies, This day thou shalt be with m' in Paradise? CHRIST. The Jews held forth a double Paradise, That on the Earth, and that above the Skies; The place where earthly joys all met together, The one the fit umbrage of the other. From hence th' Elysian Fields first took their rise, Shades of the Trees that grew in Paradise: Both Jew and Greek concur that men survive Their mortal clay, and then are most alive. Nothing to nothing tends, and more say I, 'Tis by a Metaphor my Saints can die. God's not the God o'th' dead, but of the living, The Souls of Abraham, Isaac, still surviving. Moses, Elias, in the Mount appears Alive, though dead above two thousand years. When Jacob saw the garment of his son, Cries out, some Beast hath killed him, I'm undone; Whilst thus lamenting his unhappy fate, Joseph's alive, and Lives in Princely state. Whilst mine and thy dear friend do spriteless lie, Inexorable to thy sighs and cry, They are not Dead, but are alive as I, Leaving their Grave-Cloaths for to wipe thine Eye. Hast thou not seen a Student at his Book, Close penned, and pris'ned in some private nook. He's then all Mind, all Soul, all Life, all Spirit, And most alive, when dead to Human sight. Hast thou not seen two Combatants Engage, Till one seems prostrate dead upon the Stage; But when drawn off, dragged through a Postern Door, He is alive, as e'er he was before. So have I seen the Branches of a Vine, At Winter's season faint away and pine. When at that instant each luxuriant shoot, Tho seeming dead, yet is alive at Root. And when the Sun imparts its gentle light, Each branch appears again in pregnant plight. Thy Life on Earth is hid with Christ above, And when the Sun of Righteousness and Love, Quickeneth thy Soul, all truth shall be displayed, And latent forms of things which have been dead. Hast thou not heard the pangs and pains that come From teeming Mothers of a pregnant Womb? Presaging, as Aurora doth the Morn, A welcome Infant shortly to be born. Thus when Expiring Souls do vent their groans, Their sighs, their sobs, and such like dying tones. Conclude upon this struggle and this strife, The souls new Birth into a better Life. Thus shaking off this cold clay clod of Earth, It joys to reassume its former birth. Fast fixing on the centre of its Rest; Knows nothing, but this one thing, to be blest. SOUL. How doth the Soul forget her noble Birth, When she's confined within these Walls of Earth; Kissing her shadow, courting to her slave, Thinking herself no bigger than a grave. As if a Bird that's soaring up on high, Should cast her eyes down on the Earth, and spy Her shadow there, and say that it was I, When she's a climbing up the Towering Sky. So doth the Soul by her dear Flesh inclined, Impress her false opinions on her mind. Counting that only true what's in her sight, And what she sees and feels of bulky weight. As if a Child penned in its Mother's Womb, Sold say the world affords no larger Room. So Children fancy there's no more of Sky, Nor Earth, than what is bounded by the Eye. The folly of our Souls no less appears, As in our fancies here, so in our fears. Fearful of Death, who ne'er had fearful been, Till he put on the Vizard of our sin. When e'er he strikes me with his gentle Wand, And takes me by the cold and clammy Hand. He wounds my sin, not me, since that I die, Only in dear and tender sympathy, To this vile Earth of mine, which is not I So have I heard a loving Mother cry. When that her Child was stricken, Ah! I die. When all's but love, and care, and sympathy, To her dear Babe, for she's alive as I. These Bodies we dwell in, they are but Tents, Tenants can live without their Tenements. Or in some others dwell; nor do we lose This Mortal Life, when stripped of our . Paul wished to be dissolved to be with Christ, Knowing that after death he should exist. For though it was his pleasure for to die, Yet as before, so after, he was I. And I with Christ, and that is all in all; St. Paul he was with Christ, Christ with St. Paul. Can Saints in Paradise faint and die, Having the Tree of Life thus standing by? Can they fall in God's Arms? thirst at a Well? Frieze at a Fire? can ever Heaven be Hell? Or can a Soul suned in the beams of Light, Be wrapped in shades of everlasting Night? Like to the dying Thief, I beg thine Ear For to be open to my constant Prayer. When Death shall spread a cold shoot on my Bed, And wreathe his Poppey Garland on my Head, Then close the Casements of my tender Eyes; My Soul may close with thee in Paradise! Why doth th' Apostle Lord, report thy crying, With a loud voice, when at the point of dying? CHRIST. When all my Members were upon the Wrack, And all the sins o'th' World lay on my Back, No wonder that they made so great a crack. The Thunder never sent forth such a sound, Nor ever Lightning pierced so deep a wound. It rend the Rocks, and made the Earth to quake, The heavens went into Mourning for my sake. To th' lower parts o'th' Earth my Voice is fled, It burst the Tombstones, and awaked the Dead. Hell heard the Voice too, the same poisoned dart That pierced my side, did rend the sinner's heart. All Creatures mourn at my sad obsequies, Nature must sink when th' God of Nature dies. SOUL. Grant that the Voice which clove the Rocky Pit, May pierce my Heart too, harder far than it. Let my Soul echo back to this thy groan, Shall the Rocks find thee Ears, and I have none? I'th' Caverns of my Heart let thy voice sound, And let it reach the heavens at the rebound. My sins thus smote by this thy weighty Rod, I safe may say, this was the Son of God. Hear me Lord too, when at the point of Death, My strength doth fail me most, strengthen my Faith. Why is it said or can be said by thee, My God my God why hast forsaken me? CHRIST. This is the fruit of that imbittered Tree, Which once I tasted for the World and thee. Which sets thy teeth on edge, but mine much more; Thou hast the kernels of it, I the core. O sting of sin! all sorrows met in one, Such sorrows as were felt, but can't be known. View O my Child what a great good God is, And how thou wast Created for that Bliss. As knives were made to cut, and stones do tend With their main force to th' centre as their end. As Vessels to be filled, and as a Glass Was only made to represent thy Face; So wast thou shaped and formed for Happiness. What Torment Nature finds, hence may be guest, When she's with held from th' centre of her rest. The Object of man's Bliss is infinite, Having a quick sense of it in his spirit, And tending to it too, with all his might. To be rend from this bliss, is such a loss, As ne'er was felt on Earth, but on my Cross. Embosomed in my Father's Breast were I, None better knew where happiness did lie, And must a Cloud withdraw it from my Eye? God's will was mine, my nature of the same, Born of a Virgin, and died like a Lamb; Can innocence be made a public shame? I came from Heaven, and know what joys were there, Revealed them too, and must I lose them here? I was God's Son; God's Darling too were I. Can God forsake himself, his Son, and die? The Echo of thy sin (my Child) says I. SOUL. Hear me, O Lord! and let thy dying throb, Give all my cursed sins their mortal stob. How can I bear sins damned Curse for ay. Which bowed the Back of God all in a day! Well may the damned wish they ne'er had been And call to th' Mountains for to hid them in, More ease to bear a Mountain than a sin. Lord pardon what is past, and I'll amend, Why should I kiss that knife that killed my Friend. Which cut a wound so deep as ne'er did Thunder, That rends the Rocks, this God himself asunder. Why did my Lord, dying o'th' cursed Post, Express his Death by giving up the Ghost? CHRIST. When Nature most did fail, my cries were most, To show how freely I gave up the Ghost. None takes away my Life, nor none can crave it, But God from whence I had it, he must have it. Know that these dying words, this truth implies, The Fragrant Odour of my Sacrifice. The Pagans thought their Gods would not impart Their favours to a Victim wanting heart. Or if it came to pass the beast had cried, Or loud, or struggled before he died. When e'er the Jew did Sacrifice a Beast, It was to be his own, and of the best. Chief a Lamb of pure and spotless Feature, A meek, a harmless, and a gentle Creature. After the Victim had incurred his death, He was consumed by a Heavenly Breath. Nor did this sacrifice acceptance find, Unless performed by a grateful mind. That sweet Perfume, that incense that did savour The sacrifice, and so procured favour. The Jewish Rites were relative of mine, Who was a Sacrifice pure and Divine. A Male, the choicest, firstborn set apart, Formed, framed, and fashioned by Heavenly Art. And when I did the wrath of God atone, 'Twas by a freewill Offering of my own. Making the Jewish Mincha Offering good, When freely pouring out my Life and Blood. Led as a Lamb, and as a Lamb too died, Closing my Mouth, but opening wide my side. My Sacrifice it was my precious Life, My free consent, the Sacrificing Knife. My Godhead, what the Altar did of Old, It sanctified the Gift, and made it Gold. I was consumed too, as from above, With Flagrant Flames of everlasting Love. Look as Eliah when about to die, Mounts in a Fiery Chair, then climbs the Sky, Dropping his Mantle to the standers by. In fervent Love to man, from Heaven I came, And thither went, all in a Fiery Flame. Expiring out to God my Vital Breath, Casting my Body's Mantle on the Earth. So dying persons commonly commend Their choicest Treasure to their choicest friend. To thee my Child, I left my precious Merit, My Body to my Friends, for them to bury it, And to my God I did commend my spirit. SOUL. The Death of Saints, as David doth Record Is precious in the aspect of the Lord * Psal. 116.15. . When Enoch walked with God, God closed his eye; Nor known, nor heard, nor seen he was to die. Abr'am gave up the Ghost, and therefore blest. God's Bosom was the pillow of his rest. When Moses died, such was the Jewish Faith, 'Twas by a Kiss from God, his Soul in Death Being extracted by a Heavenly Breath. Scarce can we say, Eliah ever died, Since both in Soul and Body he bestired The Fiery Chair, and unto Heaven did ride. Lord let me now departed, Old Simeon cries, And like a Swan sings sweet before he dies. Sweetly expiring by such tempting Charms! As he in Christ's, and Christ within his Arms. Saint Paul perceiving death a drawing on, Calls it no more than dissolution: And so the Tentmaker took down his Tent, Without a Crack, or Noise, or any Rent. This is the truth of what the Wiseman ‖ Prov. 10.22. saith, That Righteousness deliv'reth from death: Since that his Darts can ne'er be felt as keen, Till they be whetted at the forge of sin: Nor doth he ever ride the pale-faced † Revel. 6.8. Horse, Till Gild and Hell engageth in the Course. Who wrongs his Prince, and what is more, his God, Must dread the Usher of the sable Rod. So have I seen a Prisoner in a swound, When at th' Assize he heard the Trumpet sound; The music's good, but such he cannot find it, Since that he knows the Judge comes close behind it. Such is the Music of a Passing-Bell, Each sinner knows the meaning too too well, Death goes before, and after follows Hell. Who makes his soul and body of one crust, Of Heaven and heavenly things can have no gust, Nor can with ease be turned into dust. Who stews his flesh in Riot and Excess, And lulled asleep with steams of drunkenness, That soul can never hope in Heaven to dwell, Since he's descended to the lowest Hell. Aethereal Mansions are too pure and clear, For him to hope to have a dwelling there: That state of bliss, 'twould be his state of pain, His lusts would poise him down to Hell again. Who strives to make his Prison strong within, As 'tis without, by gratifying sin; That captive must conclude without all doubt, His labour must be painful to get out: And that which pains him most, and grieves him more, He's worse, got out, than e'er he was before. Nor could that Gospel-fool this world † Luke 12.20. departed, Till death by force of arms tore out his heart. Knock off my chains (dear Lord) and make me free, Dead to the world, and the world dead to me. Thus dying in the flesh, and to it more, Death can complete, but what is done before: Laying his gentle hand upon my back, My soul may part from hence without a crack. My spirit failing, and my strength exhaust, I freely may like thee give up the Ghost. Why did the Sun (my Lord) withdraw his Light, Changing bright day into a darksome night? CHRIST. At a full Moon the Sun eclipsed, to see It was both Miracle and Mystery: A Glorious Star points out my Glorious Birth; A greater Star's eclipsed at my death: By both conclude this truth was verified, 'Twas God that once was born, 'twas God that died. This dreadful darkness (child) had ne'er been seen, Were't not for Thine, the Jews, and Adam's sin. For so in Holy Writ 'tis often ¶ Ezek. 32.7, 8. said, God's Wrath to sin by darkness was ‖ Joel 2.10. displayed. When God was wroth with Pharaoh and his † Amos 8.9, 10. Host, Thick darkness overspread th' Egyptian Coast. That dreadful day of doom shall make this good, The Sun to darkness turns, the Moon to blood. So base is sin, and of so foul a feature, That neither God can view it, nor his creature. SOUL. Who would not hate his sin, and fear his God, That for its baseness, and this for his Rod. Tho God's not clothed with passions of man, His anger far outgoes man's Passion: What Tyrants frown like to the louring sky, Rattling down Fire and Brimstone from on high. The Lions roaring, and the Thunder's noise, Is but the Echo of his angry Voice: Night-hag of Hell, clad in its black Attire, Is but the shadow of his dreadful Ire: If darkness be so full of fear and fright, What is the darkness of Eternal Night? O sin of Hell! or rather Hell of sin; Darkness without, and darkness too within! But here my doubts return to me again, Why was the Veil o'th' Temple rend in twain? CHRIST. The Temple of the Jews did typify This lower World, and that above the sky: The outward Court, this outward world did mean, Where all do meet in, and where beasts are slain. That inward Court, wherein God had his Throne, By that the Heaven of Heavens is clearly shown: To this most Holy Place none could prevail To enter in, 'twas guarded with a Veil; Now this Veil was thy sins that dismal shroud, Which on the place of glory draws a cloud: This is that Cherub who with flaming Rod, Bars up thy passage to the Living God: Nor was it meet, till th' bars of Hell be broken, This passage-gate to Heaven should e'er be open. Whose sins do chain them to the posts of Hell, In heavenly places are unfit to dwell. In likeness of thy sinful flesh and blood, Thy sins I did atone upon the Wood: And when my flesh was torn with dying pain, Thy sins with Temples veil were rend in twain: Now is the Veil pulled off from Moses Face, And the way plained to the most Holy Place: Where neither Peasant, Priest, nor King did venture For to approach, all holy souls may enter. Nor is man reconciled to God. alone, But Jew and Gentile too, here meet in one. SOUL. Grant that thy voice which made the vail to part, May rend the Veil of sin off from my heart! My sin's the Gulf that Dives knew so well, Makes that vast distance between Heaven and Hell. Let this wide space be filled with thy great Merit, And circumcise my heart too with thy Spirit. What boots it Lord, if Heaven's laid to me, If that my souls unfit for Heaven and Thee. Silence my doubts, dear Lord, and make this clear, Why was thy side once pierced with a spear? From thence came Water, and from thence came Blood: Methinks there must be something understood. CHRIST. Near to the Heart, so Providence thought fit, A Cruse of Water's placed, to cool its heat. When Blood and Water from my side burst out, That I was truly dead, thou needst not doubt. Except it did appear I truly died, My Resurrection can't be verified: When Moses in the Desert struck the Rock, He smote my side with a Prophetic Knock. The Covenant of old was then made good, When ratified by Water and by ‖ Heb. 9.19. Blood, And so the Covenant that did come after, It was confirmed too by Blood and Water. This Water and this Blood th' Apostle saith, Are the great witnesses o'th' Christian Faith. Pure as the water, such my Doctrine was, My Patience was exemplar on the cross. What I have teached, you may build your faith on; And what I promised, that I took my death on. In the old Law there's no atonement made, Till the blood of the Sacrifice was shed. That sacrificing Rite was then applied To me, when that the Dagger pierced my side: This bloody spout, once gauged for thy sin, Let's my Life out, and lets thy death come in: My Blood comes forth, thy Pardon for to merit, Water concurreth for to cleanse thy spirit: For so of old, to make a Leper pure, Blood mixed with Water must effect the cure. Such Cordials from this Lymbeck were distilled, Thy Font with one, thy Cup with others filled. As Woman first was framed from Adam's side, So from my Breast was formed the Church my Bride; First formed by vital Water, than my Blood And body both, became her sprightly food. SOUL. What greater favour could my Lord impart, Than through his side, that I may view his heart, More wounded by his Love than Dagger's Art▪ What greater love than this was ever read? My Lord will live in me when he is dead. The Cross displayed thy Death, 'twas thy intent, Thy Life should be conveyed by th' Sacrament. Once to my flesh thou didst thyself impart, Nothing will please thee now, except my heart. What said (Hypocrates) is here made good, If all the Spirits in the Creatures blood, Were once extracted and imbibed, than Men that are mortal would be immortal men. Who drinks thy blood, draws in thy vital breath, Must find a life, yea in the Jaws of Death. Thou art the Tree of Life in Paradise; Whose Faith can strongly feed on thee, ne'er dies. Let thy Wounds and thy Blood, Lord make me whole, And with this water purify my soul. I beg thy Favour (Lord) what dided betoken, Not one bone of thy body shall be broken? CHRIST. God counts our hairs, and heareth all our groans; And is in Covenant with our very bones. That mine might be preserved, I'd the defence Of Promise, Prophecy, and Providence. The Jew want break a bone o'th' Paschal Lamb When sacrificed; that Sacrifice I am: What in my natural body's understood, My body Mystical shall make it good. My Bride so dearly bought, I'll love and cherish, Not the least member of her once shall perish: My piercing eye beholds each dust, and whither Retired, my hand can bind up all together, I died, 'tis true, but yet I live, and I As little can in my poor Member die. My flesh and blood, my soul and life he is, Can such a member ever fail of bliss? Will not God cherish that life he's begun, Or can you cut a Ray off from the Sun? The dearest husband may forsake a wife, But God whiles God can ne'er forego his Life. Souls full of Goodness, Truth, Integrity, The Life and Spirit of the Deity Then ceases for to live when God can die. SOUL. Lord hear my voice, and listen to my cry, Reach me thy hand, or else I faint and die! What loving Mother but will hear the crying Of her dear Child when at the point of dying? Suffer not thy dear self to be in pain, Why should my Lord and Saviour die again? What life I have in me, 'tis thine alone, Let not thy foes and mine once break a bone, Nor suffer me to see corruption. Vouchsafe (my Lord) this secret to disclose, Why at thy death we read the dead arose? CHRIST. Under that curse of dying thou shalt die A double death, for sin did couched lie: Sin robbed thy body of its vital breath, And caused thy soul to die a second death: My body from my soul was rend o'th' Cross; My soul from God o'th' two the greater loss. But yet by dying thus, 'twas truly shown, Thy double death I satisfied in one. I loosed deaths bonds, bursting Hell-gates asunder, Out comes the dead, and tells abroad the wonder. Hast thou not heard nor seen that wont Fashion Of Potent Princes at their Coronation, To make their Glory and their Joy combine, The very Conduit-Pipes must flow with Wine; To show withal their Grace and Clemency, The Prison's open, and the captives free. So in Triumphal Conquests, Princes please To cast about their Gifts and Largesses. My Cross it was my Throne, though cursed by sin, Where I was consecrated Priest and King. When that my side was pierced by my foe, My blood more choice than wine did freely flow: Having discharged thy debts upon the Tree, Both from the Grave and Hell I set thee free, And here I made the Goal-delivery. Mounting on my Triumphant Chariot, I Led sin and Satan in captivity, Dragging them at my Chariot-Wheels, and then I freely gave my gifts and grace to men. Such was the glorious conquest of my Cross, That sin, death, grave, and hell, my Vassals was. SOUL. If so, my Lord, why am I dead in sin? As if what thou hast done had never been. Since thou hast broke the Prison of the Grave, Why doth my sin fetter me like a slave, Making my soul forget her former birth, Sinking her deeper in this mud of earth? And though within this Clay she can't stay long, Why should she strive to make her Prison strong? Since that my soul's enlarged from th' nether Hell, I will no more in that dark dungeon dwell: Since thou hast paid so dearly for thy slave, Shall not my Lord his dear-bought purchase have? My debts are paid, shall I begin the score, And load thy Cross with sins and sorrows more? Oh that the breath of life would breathe upon This rotten Carcase, and this dried Bone, That I may testify two Truths in one, Thy mighty Death, and Resurrection! One question more, Why did th' Apostles all So faithfully record thy Burial? CHRIST. The Prophet David did this Truth † Psal. 16. foretell, Thou wilt not leave my soul i'th' nether Hell. This from Isaiah too may be ¶ Isa. 55.9. inferred, I died with wicked, with the rich interred. Joseph 's Pit, Daniel 's Den, and Jonah 's Whale Were but the umbrage of my Burial. 'Tis a religious seed in nature bred, All Nations do prepare t' inter the dead: Such was the custom of th' Egyptian Sages, Holding the Soul to live immortal Ages, Lest after death the soul might transmigrate, The body was embalmed in Princely State, That both uniting, they might frustrate death, Aping an Immortality on Earth. The Grecian Rites, though different, did tend To perfect and complete the selfsame end; Fetching the Souls Original no higher, Than that its nature was like unto Fire; The Piles erected, and the Bodies burned: By this the soul to her first state returned: The body too, thus purged in the fire, Like to the soul, may never more expire. The Romans did no less their bodies burn, Closing the ashes in sepulchral Urn. The corpse drenched of its dregs was thus calcined, And made Aethereal, like to the mind: These uncorrupted Ashes did presage Their firm belief of an immortal age. The Jews best taught of God, abhorred burning, The soul next aftr death to God returning; The body was committed to the Earth, It's proper Parent, whence it had its birth. It was Gods penal law too, sinners must, As dust they were, return unto the dust. Nor did God's Law consign men to this fate, Without a prospect of a future state: Who died a cursed death, so 'tis ‖ Deut. 29. inferred, Was afterwards exposed, but then interred; Lest perishing o'th' tree may thence create A foul opinion of a future state: For so God's image would have been belied; As if the soul like to the body died; The body too preyed on by winged Fowl, Should never more return unto the soul: The Washings, Ointments, Gums, with other cost: Suggests this Truth, None that are dead are lost. Nor can we (Judas- like) this question state, Why was this Ointment spent at such a rate? Why are our wrapped up, so neatly spread, But that the Grave's a Wardrobe for the Dead? When th' Sacrifice o'th' Altar was consumed, The Ashes by the Priest was then assumed. Then Faithfully deposited abroad, As Relics that were Relative to God. The Earth, the Elements, the spacious Globes, Are but one chest to keep my Servants Robes. The Keys are hung upon my Royal Throne, And when I turn my hand, all know their own. None is so rich in death, but that he hath Either a Monument, or Epitaph; Nor none so poor, but that he thinks it meet, A stone should Crown his Head, or show his Feet. This truth by this dumb Language is displayed, Man fain would be alive when he is dead. Thus stones do speak, and speak it to the full, That man both is, and would be living Soul. Thus Custom, Nature, Piety withal, Brings Gums and Spikenard for my Burial. Nor did my due interment want its sense, Both as to time, and place, and circumstance, The seventh day was the season God had blest, The very day on which I took my rest. O'th' sixed day Adam's Body had its Birth; O'th' sixed my Body visited the Earth. This held for truth, and for a truth related, Adam the same day fell he was created, On the same day I gave the Thief a taste, O'th' Fruit of Paradise which Adam lost. Nor was it less Mysterious that I have A Garden-plat, wherein to pitch my Grave. By this cunclude, my Death a way hath forced, To Paradise again which Adam lost. 'Tis not without remark I laid my Head In a new Tomb where none was buried. As I was spotless in the Virgin's Womb, My Purity required a Virgin Tomb. Were I interred with sinners as I died, My Resurrection would have been belied. Had others slept with me, it might be said, Some other person's risen in my stead. My Tomb was therefore new, hewn out of stone, That so my Resurrection may be known. Had it been built of stones, stones more than one, The Bottom might be razed, the Body stone. But since it was a stone cut out of Rock, Had pilate's Signet too, to be the Lock. Since that a weighty stone too, guards the Cell; And did become its sturdy Centinel. And to make sure, a band of Soldiers taken, Whom envy, malice, fear, did keep awaken. This Rock so Guarded, was the Cornerstone Of the truth of my Resurrection. SOUL. Since my Lord died for me, shall I not come, And break a Box of Spikenard on thy Tomb? I know thy purity and innocence Needs not my Myrrh, my Gums, my Fankincense For to preserve thy sacred person whole, As uncorrupt in Body as in Soul. What Power in Gums and Ointments e'er can be, The Body from corruption to keep free; Such was the power of thy Divinity: Since that I cannot now Embalm my Head, I will Anoint the Members in its stead, Thy Body, Hands, and Feet shall nor go free, What to the Members done, is done to thee. Since thou wilt have a Tomb cut out by Art, Oh let thy Spirit work it in my Heart! It is a Rocky Stone, but yet it will Make thee a Tomb when Polished by thy skill. Since it was so, as thou my Lord hast said, Thou wast interred where no man else was laid; Oh let no wilful sin dare once to dwell Within that place where God hath made his Cell: Seal it then with the signet of thy Word, That no vile lust may steal away my Lord. Help me to watch my Lips, and guard my Heart, That no ill thought, ill speaking, or ill Art, May offend my Lord and cause him to departed. What I engaged in my Baptismal Vow, I here remember, and do promise now, That since my Lord was Dead and Buried, This Truth in me shall be accomplished. My sins shall die with thee upon the Cross, A painful lingering Death as Jesus was. When once they're Dead, Oh let it ne'er be said, I shall renew acquaintance with the Dead. But like our dearest Friends, when dead and rotten, Become vile Earth, and therefore soon forgotten. So Abra'm said of Sarah when she died, Take her away, let her no more be eyed. If that my sin with thee is thus interred, And that I am made free among the dead, I shall with joy at last lift up my head: Lord lay me lower in this bed of dust, Then raise me to the mansions of the Just. The Close. I am thy Servant Lord! I am no Poet; As thou dost know, and all that know me know it. If I have asked, or made thee say amiss, I beg thy pardon on my beaded knees; Grant me thy Spirit, Lord, and by its art Do thou imprint these Lines upon my heart, That then my scribble, not till then, shall be Esteemed to be good Divinity. what's said amiss, thy pardon, Lord, that mine is; What well, the Grace and Favour only thine is: As thou hast been my Alpha, be my— FINIS.