A Sacred Memorie of the Miracles wrought by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Written by Samuel Rowlands |
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 | A Sacred Memorie of the Miracles wrought by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ |  |
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A Leaper is clensed, the Centurions seruant healed, Peters
wiues mother cured of a Feauer, diuers dispossed of
Deuils, the windes calmed with rebuke, two men possest
of Deuils, and beeing cast foorth, they enter into Swine.
Math. 8.
Descending a most hie cloud-checking hill;
From painefull preaching of his Fathers will:
To saue those soules which hell (for sin) did clayme,
A Leaper met him, and himselfe did frame
In humble manner falling at Christs feet,
With such due worship as to God was meet,
Oh Lord he cryes, of health the onely meane,
If so thou wilt, tis thou canst make me cleane;
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Most blessed Iesus, to my helpe incline.
The Sonne of God no sooner heard the crie
Of this poore wretch, plagued with leprosie,
But in his mercy, of which none doe fayle
That aske by faith, (Faith euer doth preuayle)
Replyed thus, and did his sute fulfill;
Because thou saist I can, I say, I will,
Then toucht him with his holy hand most pure,
And absolute he wrought a perfect cure:
So to the Priest to offer being sent,
As Iesus into Capernaum went,
Came a Centurion, and besought him thus;
O Lord, my seruant lyeth grieuous,
Pain'd with a palsie: Iesus did reply,
When I doe come, ile cure his maladie:
The Captaine answeres, Lord, that paines forbeare;
I am vnworthy that thou shouldst come neere
The place of my abode, great Heauens King,
That hast thy seat where Cherubins doe sing;
Speake but the word, I know thy onely breath
Can heale my seruant, and giue life in death;
For I my selfe that at thy fauour stand,
By power impos'd, haue souldiers at commaund,
I bid one come, he comes, another goe,
A third doe this, and they performe euen so,
When Iesus heard his faith, our Sauiour sayes,
In peace doe thou depart, and goe thy wayes,
And as thou hast firmely beleeu'd on me,
So Ile extend my grace, and doe for thee.
To Peters house then did our Sauiour goe,
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Whereas the mother of th' apostles wife
(Subiect as others in this mortall life
To frayle diseases) lay with griefe opprest
Of Feauer fits, most painefully possest
Her Iesus, with his healing hand did touch,
And presently her healthfull state was such,
That she arose, praysing the King of Kings;
And ministred vnto them needfull things.
When glorious Phæbus with his shining light,
Was drawne to West, at the approching night,
They brought to Iesus many wofull wights,
That were possest with Deuils and foule sprites,
Which with his powerfull word he did expell,
And sent them to their Habitation, Hell,
With his Disciples then forsakes the shore,
Betakes himselfe where stormy tempests roare,
Where ship is tost with hazard vp and downe,
And raging waues doe ouerwhelming drowne,
Where great Leuiathan in deepes doe sayle;
And all the rest that swimme with finne and tayle,
Doe keepe their watry common-wealth together,
There in the great extreames of foulest weather,
The frayle Disciples all amazedly
Expected nothing but to drowne and dye:
Those blessed eyes that watch of all things keepe,
Were then (as God was man) closde vp with sleepe,
Helpe master helpe, the poore Disciples call,
Arise, and saue vs, or we perish all:
He that made wind and waue vnto them sayth,
Why are yee fearefull, yee of little faith?
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And did rebuke his creatures for their raging;
Which instantly were calme and quiet found,
As if the waters were secure like ground,
Causing beholders strangely to admire,
To reason with themselues, and thus enquire;
Why, who is this that beares such powerfull sway?
His very word makes wind and sea obey.
Being arriued on the other side,
Two men with Diuels met him, and they cry'd
Iesus, that sonne of God art known to be,
What haue we (hellish fiends) to doe with thee?
Before the time dost thou intend preuent vs?
Wherefore art thou come hither, to torment vs?
Thy power doth make vs tremble, dread and doubt,
From our possession thou wilt cast vs out:
Which if thou doest, thus much to vs encline;
Graunt we may enter yonder heard of Swine,
That are a feeding, if we part these men,
Of those same hogs giue vs possession then,
Suffer vs, as our fellow diuell sayd;
When he a spoyle of all Iobs substance made,
Then sayd our Sauiour to the Deuils, goe,
And they into the Swine departed so,
Carrying them in a fury from the ground,
Into the sea, and there they all were droun'd:
The Heards-men at this sight with terror runne
Reporting in the City what was done,
How from those men (that put them all in feare)
The fiends (by Iesus) dispossed were:
Then getting leaue of that great power diuine,
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Which when they heard, they all came forth to meete him,
And suing for his absence, thus did greet him;
Iesus of Nazareth, with one mind and heart,
We doe entreate, that hence thou wilt depart.
| A Sacred Memorie of the Miracles wrought by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ | |