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 man possessed with a Deuill healed, diuers healed, and
deuils cast out of many, A blinde man healed, that
first saw men walk like trees, & after saw them clearly,
The possessed healed, Blinde Bartimeus healed, The
draught of fishes, The Widdowes son restored to life at Naim,
Mark. 1. 8. 9. 10. Luk. 5. 7. Chap.
To Capernaum Iesus tooke his way,
Where being entred on the Sabboth day,
He went into the Synagogue to teach.
And one amongst the rest that heard him preach,
Vext with a Spirit in most fearefull wise,
Deliuered forth outragious hellish cryes;
Let vs alone, remaining where we be,
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Of Nazareth, Iesus Gods holy one;
In our possession leaue thou vs alone:
Be silent Sathan, hold thy peace, Christ sayes,
(Deuils are not ordayn'd to giue God prayse)
Come forth, depart, whereat he loude did roare,
And the possessed, felly rent and tore;
So leaues him then, which such amazement wrought,
That all the people were in terrour brought,
Saying, with power, is this of matchlesse wonder?
That with a word, brings Sathans outrage vnder.
Come to Bethsaida, there they bring one blind,
Intreating Iesus they might mercy finde,
That he would touch him, so his hand he takes,
And leades him forth (for their beleeuing sakes)
From out the towne, where onely he applyes,
Spittle, as medcine to his closed eyes,
And did demaund what obiect then he sees;
Who looking said, men walking like to trees.
Then Iesus touch'd his eyes, and made them cleare,
That euery thing did perfect true appeare.
That Hill descending, where those blessed three,
Iohn, Peter, Iames, did Iesus glory see.
(When as his rayment, in bright shining show,
Was seen in whitenesse to exceed the snow;
Where Moses and Elias did appeare.
And Peter said, Lord tis good being here)
One came to Iesus, and his sonne did bring;
Saying, oh Master, heare a wofull thing:
This sonne of mine, a spirit that is dumbe,
Hath with great torments strangely ouercome,
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And gnashing teeth as fiends are said in hell,
To vse with horrour, this poore man I brought
To thy Disciples, and I them besought,
That they in thy all powerfull holy name,
Would cast him out, who could not doe the same;
Then answered he, O faithlesse generation,
How long shall I endure your Prouocation?
Bring him to me, which done, outragiously
The Spirit did torment him instantly,
Euen in vnwonted manner, fearefull, strange,
With cruell fits, and torments interchange,
For inwardly he did him rent and teare,
And falling on the ground, lay foming there,
And wallowing vp and downe, said Iesus than
Vnto the father of this wofull man;
How long hath he bin thus from peace exilde?
Who answer'd, euer since he was a child,
And like as now he casts him on the ground,
He throwes him oft in water to be droun'd,
And otherwhiles into the flaming fire;
But if thou canst, O Lord, I thee desire,
Helpe, helpe, haue mercy, dispossesse this fiend;
That nothing but destruction doth intend:
Then Iesus said, if thou hast faith in this,
Of my expected helpe thou shalt not misse.
Whereat Christs poore petitioner did cry,
With sorrowes voyce, and teares excessiuely;
O Lord that art the great, the good, the chiefe,
I doe beleeue, helpe thou mine vnbeleefe.
Then Iesus sayd, thou Deuill deafe and dumbe,
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And neuer to reenter any more;
Who crying low'd, and hauing rent him sore,
Departing, left the man as seeming dead,
And all beholders sayd, his soule is fled:
But Iesus rais'd him by the hand from ground,
And no infirmity in him was found.
Then on the way that leades from Ierico,
As he along with multitudes did goe,
(That admiration to his wonders gaue)
There sate a begger that for almes did craue,
Call'd Bartimeus, who when he did heare
That all the people followed Iesus there,
Making amongst them an vnwonted noyse,
He with a loud and eleuated voyce,
Cry'd, Iesus, sonne of Dauid mercy show;
Iesu of Nazareth thy grace bestow:
His cryes were such so vehement and shrill,
The Lord of life was moued to stand still:
And wil'd the people for to call him then,
Who like most kind and charitable men,
Said, be of comfort man (vnto the blind)
He calleth thee, and thou shalt fauour find:
Incouraged with that the people spoke;
Hasting to Christ, he cast away his cloake:
Who sayd, what wilt thou that I doe for thee;
Good Master (quoth the blind) that I might see;
And Iesus said, in peace depart away,
Thy constant faith is thy assured stay.
So he immediately receyued sight,
And followed Iesus with a ioyfull Sprite.
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That from Genezareth its name doth take;
The multitude of people was so great
Of those that came to Christ for heau'nly meate;
(Which pressed on him with their throng so sore)
He entred Simons ship and left the shore.
When finishing his speech, an end did make,
To Simon Peter, thus our Sauiour spake;
Launch out into the deepe, and cast thy net,
That forth the Sea of fishes thou mayst get:
Then Peter said, Master, last night in vaine,
For nothing we haue spent our toyle and paine;
But yet at thy commaund, obey we will:
So cast and drew the net, which fish did fill
Vntill it brake, and they for ayde did call
Vnto their fellowes, wherewith ioyning all,
They laded both their ships with such a fraight,
Both ready were to sinke with fishes waight.
Then Peter fell at Iesus feet with feare;
Iohn, Iames and all the rest amazed were:
But vnto them our blessed Sauiour sayd,
Let not your hearts with terror be dismay'd,
Take constant courage, I will make you then,
From henceforth fishers of the soules of men.
As Christ proceeded to extend his grace,
In seeking out lost sheepe from place to place.
He came to Naim, where euen at the gate,
He met an obiect of our mortall state;
A liuelesse body carried to the graue:
A son, whose death sad teares of sorrow gaue,
Vnto a wofull widdow that did beare him:
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Much people followed her deare onely sonne,
To show their loue in this last office done
To a dead friend, their latest tooken paine,
In giuing mother earth her owne againe.
Which when the Lord beheld, the sight did moue,
And make him willing to expresse his loue.
Weepe not he said, but stint thy vse of teares,
Then toucht the Coffin; wherewith those that beares
The burden of the dead, stood still to see
What the euent of this strange stay would be.
Whilst all on Iesus fixt their gazing eyes;
He sayd, Young man I say to thee arise.
And presently the dead-man sate vpright:
And spake to all that did behold the sight,
Then to his mother, Christ her sonne did giue,
Who seeing now her sorrowes cause to liue,
Had such a fulnesse of a ioyfull heart,
That neuer woman sharde a greater part.
The wondring multitude of people there,
Strangely possest with mixed ioy and feare,
Gaue all the glory that they could expresse
To Gods dread name, saying with thankfulnesse,
A Prophet great is risen vnto vs,
And God hath visited his people thus.
| A Sacred Memorie of the Miracles wrought by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ | |