The Mystery of Mankind, Part 2
GOD MANIFEsted in the Flesh.
Explication.
GOD is the height of this Mysterie,2 The first day of the weeke. God in the flesh, is the depth of this Mysterie, God manifested in the flesh, is the length and breadth of this Mysterie. Of God it is reuealed that hee is one in nature, and three in persons, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, that is a Trinitie in Vnitie, & an Vnitie in Trinitie. Euen as in the nūber of three are one number, and yet three vnities, in a triangle are three angles, yet one figure, in the Sunne are body, brightnesse, and heate, yet one Sunne, in the fire, light, flame, and heate, yet the fire cannot bee diuided, in the soule our memorie, vnderstanding and will, and yet one soule; all these shewing, that three may bee one, and one three. So likewise in God, are three persons, Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost; and yet one God, who is blessed for euermore: For vnlesse I vnderstand (when I heare the name of God) that it is meant of the holy and vndeuided Trinity, wherby I am sau…d, mine vnderstanding shall content me nothing.
The supereminency of which Mysticall Beeing of God passeth mans vtterance,August. l. 7. cap. 4. de Trin. and therefore wee can better thinke, then speake of God. Let vsus not then be ouer curious to search out this mysterie: For God is ex…ellent, Iob. 6. 26.and wee know him not, (sayeth Elihu in Iob) Our thoughts comprehend him not, Ier 32. 19.sayeth Ieremie, And his wayes are past finding out (saith Saint Paul) These secrets belong vntounto the Lord our God, Ro. 11. 33.and the reuealed things thereof belong vntounto vsus,Deut. 29. 29. and to our children for euer. Let vsus then here content our selues with a touch rather then with a taste of this secret of the essence and will of God: For God the Father in himselfe is the Fountaine of the Dei…ie, which no curiositie can finde out:Dyonys. Areopag. foreignEpiph. foreignOrigén, Iust Mart foreign Perfection of himself, which no man can comprehend: God of himselfe, whom all adore, and Life of himselfe, in whom we all liue. God the Sonne in himselfe is the very engrauen forme of his Father, in whom the whole Godhead dwelleth bodily. And God the holy Ghost, is in himselfe the fulnesse of them both by procession. God (I say) whose power is all puissance, whose sense is all knowledge, whose essence is the principal good; whose worke is eueryevery good, whose scites beneath al things without substractiō, aboue all things without elation, within all things yet not included. without all things yet not excluded: aboue al things as president, beneath all thinges as sustinent, within all things as cōplement, without all things as comprehēdent. The first mouer yet notmoued in local scite, yet not circūscribed, ordering al times, yet not changed, in Essence infinite, incō prehensible in Maiestie, in goodnes soueraigne, in wisedom wonderfull, in counsels terrible, in iudgmēt righteous in cogitations secret, in works holy, in mercy rich, in promise true, alwayes the same, eternal, immortal, vnchangeable, not to bee expressed by speech, not conceyued by thought, of whom al the Angels of Heauen doe stand in feare, whom all dominations and thrones doe adore, at whose presence all powers do shake.
God, I say, being thus of himselfe, is also reuealed towards vsus to bee of power incomprehensible, creating all things by his owne power, ordering all things by his owne will, directing all things to his owne ends of his owne good pleasure: of wisedome vnsearchable, by which hee spreade the heauens,Psal. 103. diuided the waters, & setled the earth; for in wisdome hath he made them all: of mercy vnspeakable, by creating vsus of nothing, and by redeeming vsus when wee were worse then nothing: And of iuslice vncontrouleable, leauing no good vnrecompensed, no euill vnpunished.
This then indeede is a surpassing incomprehensible mistery, that thus God should bee manifested in our weake flesh, that God and Man should be in one person. And that of the same God, the holy Scripture should say, in respect of this his manifestation in the flesh:Luk 2. The child increased in wisedome and knowledge, and in fauour with God and man: And Emanuel, God with vsus, should say of himself, The Father is greater then I: And of the same God in respect of his Dietie,Ioh. 14. he h…mself sayth;Ioh. 8. Before Abraham was borne, I am, and that hee was the first begotten of eueryevery Creature. And further in respect of the vnion of both natures in the person of the Sonne of God (the sacred word sayth) That God redeemed his Church with his bloud, Act. 2.That the Iewes crucified the Lord of glorie▪ 1. Cor. 2.and that he gaue his life for vsus: 1. Ioh. 3.So that the Catholike conclusion of all, is this, That Christ Iesus Emanuel consisting of two distinct Natures in the person of the Sonne of God, without confusion was incarnate, and became our Mediator, according to both Natures, that the same hand that wrought the institutiō of the world, should also worke the restitution of the same: For it was impossible that the World should be saued without the Incarnation of the Sonne of God: For God in Christ reconciled the world vntounto himselfe: And by taking vntounto himself our flesh by Incarnation, made it his owne flesh, that so of his own (albeit from vsus) hee might hauehave what to offer to God for vsus.
And without this our flesh hee could not suffer, for the manhood is the proper subiect of passion, compassion and feeling pitty, which causeth the regiment of Christes Kingdome to bee most amiable, exercising dominion ouer all men, with a true, naturall and sensible touch of mercy▪
The second person therefore of the glorious Trinitie; was sent to performe this great worke: not the Father, who being of none, could not be sent: Not the holy Ghost, who albeit he proceed, yet he is not the first that proceedeth: And forasmuch as a double Mission was requisite, the first person that proceedeth, was fittest for the first Mission, and the second for the second, who also more fitte, to make vsus the sonnes of God by grace, then hee that was the sonne of God by nature: And who more fit to repaire the images decayed in vsus, then he that was the engrauē form of his Fathers person. And this was done that man with more assurance, and without danger of euer erring, might come neare vntounto the presence of sacred truth it selfe, and settle therein by this manifestation of the Sonne of God. And God became man, that he whom man was to follow, might shew himselfe vntounto man, and bee seene of him. Besides it was done, that the humane nature might be aduanced to such an high dignitie and excellencie, that no man should any more so much forget himselfe, as to defile the same with sinfull impurities. Lastly, it was done that man might bee deliuered from the slauery and bondage of sinne, whereinto hee was plunged; For man was punished as Iustice vrged: That was p…rformed which God had threatned, as Truth required The offender was pittied as Mercy entreated, & God and Man reconciled, as Peace desired. Thus MercieMercy and Truth met together, Righteousnesse and Peace kissed each other.
The manner of this is the astonishment of Heauen, and Earth; but our holy faith makes it more true then plain vntounto vsus; yet some resemblances may in some part expresse this vnion vntounto vsus.
The vnion of soule and body maketh one man a flaming and fiery sword, makes one sword one man may hauehave two accidentall formes, Phisicke and Law, and a branch engraffed, and a tree is one tree: so Christ is one, and yet hath two different Natures, & in them performeth the distinct actions pe…tayning to eyther of them. Condemned then be all hereticall cauils of Arr…us Macedonius, Apollonarius, Panlus Samofatemus, Sabellius, Photinus, Aetius, together with the whole swarm of Dimiarr…ans, and the like damned heretiques, who eyther impeach the truth of Christs Incarnation, and Natiuity, or the vnion of his natures in one person, or his line of Dauid, Rom. 1.according to the flesh, that is, according to the weake flesh,Ioh. 1. 14. but not corrupted flesh: For the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among vsus. There is the whole Nature of man. And Christ in the dayes of his flesh offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vntounto him, Heb. 5. 7:that was able to saue him from death, and was heard in that he feared. There is the true affection of our nature: So then,1 Iohn 4. 2. He that confesseth that Iesus is come in the flesh is of God, and he that confesseth it not is of the Diuell. There is the triall of our faith. For this manifestation of God in the flesh is to vnbeleeuers as the cloud that stood betwixt the Israelites and the Egyptians at the red sea, which to the Israelites was a bright shining cloud, but to the Egyptians a dark, dangerous, and portentous Commet.
And is not this then a Great Mysterie? That God, who is without beginning and end, should hauehave a beginning with vsus by birth, and an end by death. That God who neither changeth nor altereth, should encrease in stature: That God who is without commixture or defect, should eate and bee an hungry. That God who could be no more then he was, should take vpō him the shape of a seruant, & be that he was not, that could hauehave no more then hee had, should bee lesse then he was, and could know no more thē he knew, and yet would feele our infirmities, and taste our miseries. What tongue, what pen can expresse this mysterie? that God should bee vnited vntounto man, not onelyonly in louelove & grace, but in one person: for we must obserue that the humane nature of Christ is not a distinct person by it selfe, as Peter, Iohn, and such like, but to our vnspeakeable comfort is so vnited to the diuine nature that did assume it, as they both make but one person: so that all that is in it, is truly said to be Gods, and al that was don by it, to be done by God, as Christs bloud was Gods bloud, Christs death was Gods death, as hath been sayd. And the God of glorie may as well be sayd to suffer death, as to rayse the dead frō their graues, and the sonne of man as well to hauehave made, as to hauehave redeemed the world.
Who would euer hauehave thought that so great a woūd as mans sinneful defect from God, should euer hauehave beene thus healed? or that God, and a wretched sinner should bee thus reconciled, or that heauē and earth should bee thus incorporated, or that the veritie of God,Ita celeberima illa concilia Nicenum contra Arrianum, foreign Constant. cont. Apol. foreign. and the compleate substance of man should bee vnited in one Christ,Ephel. cont Nestor. foreign. who is truly God,Calcedon. contra Eutichen. foreign. perfectly man, God and man indiuisibly, and both in that one distinctly.
But yet behold this Great Mysterie of Godlinesse, as it is not to be ascēded vntounto in the exaltation therof▪ for it is God; and as it is vnutterable in the humiliation; for it is God in the flesh: so it is vndoubted & infalible in the demonstratiue manifestation thereof; for nothing is more euident to the faith of christian beleeue…s. It being not onelyonly prophesied, shadowed and portrayed out vntounto vsus in the old Testament vnderunder diuers types, and sundry formes, but also substantially, and really performed, fi…ished, and consummated in the new testament. Mark but the diuine paralels of this manifestation in some few particulars,Hoc mysterium in veteri Testamento fuit velatum. in nouo Reuelatum. and note whether they doe not touch each other, and point out to eueryevery beleeuing soule, the whole frame and for me thereof from the circumference to the Center: Pharaoh kileth the Hebrewe children, Exod. 1. Mat. 2.Herod the true Pharoah killeth the children of Bethelem. Both stirred vp by Sathan to murther the Messias (if they could) and to falsifie the promise of this manifestation, purposed before of God from euerlasting.1 Reg. 3. Salomon at twelue yeeres decideth the question between the 2. women for the liuing childe: Christ the true Solomon at 12.Luc. 2. yeares is found admidst the Doctors, posing and questioning them, doubtlesse of the Iewish Synagogue then dead and of the true Christian Church, the liuing child. Moses fasted fortie dayes at the giuing of the Law; Christ fasted forty dayes at the commencement of the Gospell▪ Twelue Patriarches the fathers of the Law; Twelue Apostles the Patriarches of the Gospel. Ten commandemēts giuen on mount Sinay. Exo. 20.Ten petitiōs on moūt Horeb. Mat. 4.Iudah the Patriarch selleth Ioseph, Iudas the Apostle & traytor selleth for thirtie peeces the true Ioseph, Iesus Christ. Christ is taken in a garden by the Brooke Cedron: Man sin…ed in the Garden of Eden. Ioseph the innocent is imprisoned: Pilate im… prisoneth the innocent Lord Iesus. At noone Christ suffered, at noone man sinned. The first Adam by transgression shuts vp heauen, the second Adam by his passion openeth heauen to all beleeuers. Ioseph the Patriarch burieth Iacoh: Ioseph of Arimathea burieth the true Israel. Daniel is sealed vp in the Lyons denne▪ the true Daniell Christ is layde in his sepulcher, and the Magistrates seale the stone: yea the very circumstances of this manifestation are most exactly set downe.
The time limited, to wit, When the scepter shall depart from Iuda; Gen. 49.the place designed, At Bethlem in Iudaea. The miraculous manner published. A virgine shall conceiue a sonne. Mich. 5. 2.His presentation in the Temple verified,Esa. 7. 14. The Lord whom ye seeke shall suddenly come into hisZac. 11. 13. Temple. His price valued. A goodly price was I prized at of them, saith the Lord. The treason against him foretold. That his owne familiar friend in whō he trusted, Psal. 41. 9.and did eate his bread should list vp his heele against him. In a word, all things (euen to the very vineger and gal in his last suffrings) were at sundry times, & in manifold maner long before certainly prophesied of, as they were manifestly in their determinate times of Godperformed. So that this manifestation was the accomplishment of vision and prophesie, the body of type, and shadow, the ende of Law, and Priesthood, the perfection of Sacrifice and Sacrament, and the vnion of mankind with God in Christ and thereby life euerlasting.
Is God then thus abased in… our flesh?Application. Oh the great bountie of Gods fauor vntounto vsus. Oh then let vsus submit our selues vntounto God. For the Lord will hauehave an eye to none but to such as are of a broken, and contrite heart, and trembleth at his word. But if wee bee meeke and lowly in heart, We shall finde rest vntounto our soules. Mat. 11.Yea our chife seruice consists in this, To humble our selues to walke with our God. Mic 6.Remembring the excellent dignity of our sanctified nature, beeing now vnited to our God, and pertaking of his holy nature, by filiation according to the Euangelicall precept,Mat. 5. Be mercifull as your heauenly father is mercifull. See God is become our father by sanctificatiō. For if wee being wretches can giuegive good gifts vntounto our children, how much more shall our heauenly father giuegive graces and blessings to them that all vponupon him. By adoption, For to as many as receiue him, he hath giuen power to become the sons of God. Ioh. 1.Let not the vnbeleeuing Iewes demād how this vnion should be? or how God could bee manifested in our flesh? But let them tell how the dead rod of Aron could beare blossomes? how a virgin should conceiue and beare a son? how a bush could burne & not consume? how Gedeons fleece could be wet at one time in the floore, & all the floore about it dry, and another time dry and all the ground about it wet, & in answer of these, this vnion wil be euē vntounto thē manifest: …or all these things they v… doubtedly beleeue. Let not the damnable Atheist discusse this mysterie asking reasons how, and which way? but let him tell me, this one thing, how the Sun beames pierce through the glasse, and yet the glasse remains whole? And if he cannot tell this, let him adore and reuerence in sacred silence, & not explore in curiositi… this secret Mysterie.
And let all Infidels and miscreants know, that both heauen, and earth, and hell, doe all witnes against them, and doe manifest this mysterie which is God in the flesh InIn earth. earth, besides the trembling thereof at Christs passion, the rage of the Sea qualified by a word of his mouth, the crosse that had the ordinances, and hand writing that was against vsus fastened vntounto it, and the life and the death of the Lord Iesus so famoused throughout the Christian world, which was as wonders in heauen and earth, filling both with the sweet odours thereof, the very heathen Emperour Augustus the then Monarch of the world, when this manifestation was in the fulnesse of time accomplished' made a decree in the Senate of Rome, not to be saluted by the name of Lord, as if he had been taught by some diuine inspiration (for the holy ghost ofttimes hath spoken by the mouth of his enemies, as in Balaam, Caiphas, and others) that now there was manifested in the earth one, that was indeede the Lord of Lords.
In heauen also appeares at the time of this manifestation,In heauen. as Albertus Magnus citeth out of A…bumaser the great Astrologer, in the first aspect of the sign of Virgo, a faire and chast virgin, hauing two eares of corne in her hand, and a childe in her arms, which child some natiōs do call Iesus, not as if he that made the starres were any way subiect to the motion of the starres, but that he which stretcheth out the heauens as a scrole of parchment, where he wrote the booke of nature, Apollo Collophonius quaerenti (Quis aut quid deu…) respondit.might not want witnesse out of the booke of nature of that which was contained before in the booke of Eternitie,foreign. L…ctan. de de fals. vill. cap. 7. which was his secret decree: That a virgin should bring forth a child, and so he should be described to vsus to be a naturall man, albeit not borne after a naturall manner. Thus heauen and earth witnesse apparantly this mysterie. Yea the very diuels of hell beleeue this and tremble; confessing in the Gospell, Iesus I know, and Paule I know, but who are ye? at what time some counterfeyt exorcists tooke vponupon them to call ouer the possessed the name of the Lord Iesus.
And the Oracle of Delphos beeing the diuels mouth did at the time of this manifestation take their last farewell in these words, Me…puer Hebraeus diuos Deus ipse gubernans cedere sede iubet, tristemque ridere suborcum, Aris regno dehin… tacitus aboedito nostris. And in steede of the darkenesse of this kingdome, Sathan which had almost ouer spred the whole world, this glorious Sunne-shine of Gods manifestation with vsus, appeared, which was so effectuall, that euen as in the spring time when the Sunne returneth all things beginnes, to waxe greene, the earth brings foorth, the trees are cloathed with leaues, and the whole surface of the earth is renued: so at the manifestation of Christ the Sonne of righteousnesse, the whole frame, and fabrique of the world was spiritually altered.
For then arose out of the former Hellish darkenesse, quires of holy ones, men, women, virgins, martyrs, confessors, Preachers, holy people, whole nations, countries, and tongs declare the wonderfull mercies of theCan. 2. Lord in the reuelatiō of Iesus Christ: Who is the Rose of the field, and the Lillie of the vallies. Moses of old posed the whole world with this question. Enquire of the dayes of olde which were before thee and frō the day that God created man vponupon the earth, yea euen from the height aboue to the depth beneath, Deut. 4.if euer the like thing were knowne. That a people should heare the voyce of the Lord speaking out of the middest of the fire. But now we may pose Moses, & say, O Moses, then God spake by an Angell out of the middest of the fire, but now (O man of God) was euer the like as this heard, That God himself in the nature of man should sit amidst his disciples and teach the. This is that the spirit of God so magnifieth. That at sundry times, and in diuers manner God spake heretofore in his Prophets, Heb, 1.but in these last dayes by his only Sonne, And if the word deliuered by an Angell was stedfast, Heb. 4.what shall become of them that refuse and neglect the Sonne of God now speaking vntounto them?
O most ingratefull, and brutish are the sonnes of men, who seeke not to vnderstand this mysterie so anciently prophesied of, so fully performed, and so manifestly declared. Me thinkes I heare all other creatures of heauen and earth say. Oh that God had vouchsafed vsus such a blessing, such a tie, such a fauour, for then had wee had beene most happy. The quires of Angels say, Oh that God had ordayned to vsus so vnspeakeable a fauour, as to hauehave beene vnited to our nature. But Christ tooke not vponupon him the nature of Angels, but tooke vponupon him the nature of children, that being tempted himselfe, and suffering, Heb. ….hee might succour them that suffer, and are tempted. Who would not then in consideration hereof giuegive himselfe a whole burnt offering vntounto his God, and consecrate his whole life (if the terme thereof were euen from the first Adam, vntounto the ende of the world) as a votiue seruice vntounto the glory of this God. Oh vncircumcised hearts and eares of those who neither care to heare, nor to vnderstand this▪ blessed mysterie. For if they would diligently seeke, they should find that God would manifest himselfe vntounto them euen in their indiuiduall flesh, by the sanctifying power of his holy Spirit,Apoc. 3. and by pertaking of his diuine nature,Io…. 14. 2. Pet. 1.whereby they should see with open face (as in a mirrour) the glory of the Lord, and be changed into the same image from glory to glory,2. Cor. 3. euen as the spirit of the Lord. In no wise shold they be as those wretches in whose flesh Sathan, and not God is manifested, who are indeed incarnate diuels (as the prouerb is) whom Sathan hath so sifted to the bran, and winnowed to the chaffe, that no remainder of any godlinesse, or goodnesse is leaft in them, in whom Sathan is Totus in toto, & totus in qualibet parte (as Aquinas saith) of the soule.
Their imagination euill, their minde ill, their meaning ill, their will obstinate, their vnderstanding darkned, their eares itching after vanities, their eyes adulterous, which cannot choose but sinne, their mouth blasphemous, their an open graue of fulsome slanders, their hands rough, and cruell, their feete swift to shed bloud, their whole body a cage of vncleane birdes, their life and conuersation a stye of stinking swines flesh, an Acheldema of oppression, a Caluarie of dead spoyles, & their ende a puddle of loathsome impieties.
But those that secke God, doe vnderstand this mysterie, and shew forth this manifestation in themselues, hauing lift vp their heads as gates, & their minds as dores, and the king of glory is come in vntounto them,Psal. 24. and is manifested in them by their faith in Christ by their good workes among men,Mat. 5. by all the fruites of his gra…ious spirit, and by their ioyfull departure hence being assured of a farre better rest, and happinesse in their maisters kingdome.
The custome of the Aethiopian Church, which liue vnderunder Prester Iohn, is to obserue the feast of the Epiphany as their chiefe and principall festiuitie, at which time God shewed himselfe both to Iew and Gentile in this manifestation by a starre. Thereby acknowledging, and that most truly, that this blessing, is the beginning and fountaine of all other blessing in Christianitie whatsoeuer, and ought most sollemnly to bee obserued, and most diligently to be considered, especially of vsus that were Gentiles.
Goe foorth therefore yee daughters of Sion (euen all religious and denoute soules) and behould King Solomon (your Christ) with the crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals,Cant. 3. and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart.
Go foorth (I say) from out the fashions and fancies of this world, both with readinesse and resolution, as men do to meete their new king. If you be malefactors, he will pardon you vponupon repentant reconciliatiō throgh Christ Iesus, and will receiue you to fauour. If you bee already his seruants and citizens of the citie of God, goe foorth to meete him with your presents of good workes and holinesse, as your homages of fealtie. If you be friends and allyance, as are all deuout Soules, doe that often which hee hath bidde you doe, in remembrance of him, that is, offer the sacrifice of thankefulnesse, receiue the cup of saluation, & call vponupon the name of the Lord, that so you may shew the Lords death all your life long, vntill his comming againe. So shall your eyes b… opened, that you shall not onelyonly vnderstand this Great mysterie of Gods manifestation in the flesh, but also see it Iustified in the Spirit.
Oh blessed Emanuell encrease our faith.
O Eternall and most mightie Iehouah Elohim,Inuocation. whose seate is in heauen, whose footestoole is in earth, whose chariots are the clouds, whose might is in the great waters, whose power is eueryevery where, whose displayed glory is in heauen, where angels are they attendants, and where all the blessed dominations and thrones doe thee dayly homage, where the innumerable company of elected Saints, doe vncessantly prayse thee, where thine habitation is light, that none can approach vntounto, thy cloathing Maiestie, and honor, thy wisdome incomprehensible, thy mercy vnspeakeable, and thy iudgements past finding out, Looke downe looke downe most mercifull Father in Christ from thine holy place, the seate of merciemercy, vponupon me a most miserable & distressed wretch. O hearken thou to my prayers which I sinfull soule powre out from an vnfained heart. Open vntounto my soule this great mysterie of thy manifestation in our flesh, that I may know, and comprehend with all Saints, the height, length, breadte, and depth of the vnsearchable riches of thy grace in Christ Iesus our Lord. For thou diddest so louelove the world that thou gauest thine onelyonly begotten Sonne, that who so beleeueth in him should not perish, but hauehave euerlasting life.
This diuine louelove of thine is incomprehensible, this gift inestimable, this deliuerance vnutterable, and this felicitie incomparable. My heart burneth with in me, and the sparkes of deuotiō arise from the center of my soule, in musing on this so holy…, and so happy a mysterie which I doe adore in the retirednesse of my spirit continually, and the fire of thy zeale, O Lord, encreaseth in my heart…, and the flames thereof bursts forth, and I crie to thee O King of heauen, and of earth, that thy goodnesse would vouchsafe me a blessing among thine holy ones, in whose flesh thou art manifested by the power of thy spirit of sanctification, and other graces of thy goodnesse. For, O my God, I hauehave perceiued sinne and Sathan a long time to hauehave ruled and raigned in my flesh, In my heart, by auersenes from thee, in my vnderstanding, by misled iudgments, in my wit by wayward purposes, & froward desires, in my fancie by foolish imaginations & designes, and my thoghts by rebellious affections, in mine eyes by adulterous wanderings, in mine eares by itching after vanities, in my forhead, as in the whores brow, by impudent outfacings, in my mouth by blasphemous swearings and curses, and in my whole masse of nature by lewde and loose conditions.
Now therefore I come vntounto thee, O Sauiour of mankind, the Phisition of soule and body, and lie groueling in mine owne dust before thy footestoole, humbly praying thy goodnesse for thy Christ his sake, that thou wouldest vouchsafe to manifest thy selfe by thine almighty power in my flesh, in my wretched flesh, in my rebellious, and rotten flesh, in mine haughty naughty and hellish flesh.
That it may by thy thy power become a vessell of holinesse, of puritie, of grace, and of glory.
To this blessed ende mortifie in me, O Lord, the deedes of the flesh, adulterie, fornication, vncleanesse laciuiousnesse, Idolatrie, witchcraft, hatred, variance emulation, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, enuyings, murders, drunkennesse, reuellings and suc…h like, and in stead thereof manifest in me, O God, thy selfe by bestowing vponupon me a principall portion of thy Spirit, in louelove, ioy, peace, long suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, meckenesse, temperance, and what else thy holy wisedome knowes fit for me in my vocation and ranke.
Restraine sinne that it may not raigne in my mortall body, and Sathan that hee may not rage ouer me,
Set vp thy selfe, O God, aboue the heauens, and thy glory aboue all the earth.
That thy beloued in whom thou art manifested by thy gra…ious spirit of sanctification, may euer praise and magnifie thy Great name amiddest the Congregatigations. And I the vnworthyest of all thy creatures, shall euer bee telling of thy goodnesse towards me, for redeeming me with thy bloud, for sanctifying mee by thy grace, for vniting thy selfe mystically vntounto mee thine humbled Votarie, and for sauing mee from those many, and manifold euills of the flesh, whereinto thousands are faine also, had not thy gratious assistance, O Lord, vpheld my weake and feeble flesh.
…N Lord, there hath no sinne beene committed since Adams fall vntounto this day, by any the sonnes and daughters of men, but I had done the like, if thy sweete fauour in Iesus Christ had not preuented mee, O Lord, then let mee liue in thee, let mee wholly resigne my selfe vntounto thee that neither sinne, nor Sathan, nor shame, nor confusion may come neere my dwelling: but that thou mayest dwell in mee here by thine owne spirite of holinesse, that hereafter I may obtain the happinesse of thy glorious kingdome through Iesus Christ mine onelyonly Lord and Sauiour, Amen.