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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The Woman vexed with the spirits of infirmity to wit, a
disease brought on her by the Deuill, one healed of the
Dropsie, ten Leapers cured, the Rulers sonne healed,
one healed at the poole, sight giuen to him that was born blind.
Luk. 13. 14. 17. Iohn. 4, 5. 9.
Vpon the sanctified day of Rest,
The holy Sabboth which the Lord hath blest;
And Consecrated, that vpon the same,
Men should adore his dreadfull glorious name.
The Sonne of God, appointed to fulfill
All righteousnesse vnto his Fathers will;
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VVithin their Synagogue (as he did vse)
VVhere he beheld a woman in estate,
VVofull distrest, and most disconsolate:
For he that enemie of soules appeares;
Had kept her in subiection eighteene yeares,
And like a most malitious hellish sprite,
So brought her body to a crooked plight,
That she was bound together in strange wise,
By no meanes able straight for to arise.
Her Iesus call'd vnto him, and he said,
Free from the bands of Sathan thou art made,
VVherewith hee touch'd her, and shee was releast;
The Deuils power of mischiefe instant ceast,
And she that did of mercie thus partake,
A sacrifice of prayse and thanks did make,
Vnto the God of euerlasting might:
That made a crooked creature walke vpright.
A Pharisee, one chiefe amongst the rest,
(Though chiefe with men, are not with God the best.)
Inuited Iesus, where there did attend
The circumuenting hollow-hearted friend,
With purpose in his deeds and words to pry,
And so to worke aduantages therby,
It was the Sabboth day, and there was one
To whom the power of Christ (no doubt was knowne)
That had the Dropsie, for it seemes hee staid,
Expecting there our blessed Sauiours ayde,
Then Christ to Lawyers and to Pharisees,
And such as in their owne conceit were wise,
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To heale this man, or send him sicke away:
But they replyed not a word againe:
Then did he take the man and cur'd his paine,
A cure that was no longer time in hand,
Then fingers touch or breath of tongues commaund;
His body perfect, absolute was well,
And he no more of ache or griefe did tell,
Releast of all the misery he had,
And made to his great comfort healthfull glad.
As the most iust, meeke, holy, innocent.
Towards the sanctified City went,
Which did containe his Fathers house of prayer,
Vnto a village as he made repayre,
There met him certaine sad afflicted men,
Diseas'd with leprosie, in number ten;
Who when they saw the soueraigne cure of griefe,
They stood far off, imploring his reliefe;
Lifting vp voyces with such wofull cries,
As from constraining sorrow did arise.
Iesus, they sayd, master, behold and see
The great extreames wherein poore wretches be,
Of thy accustom'd clemency and grace.
Haue mercy on ten lothsome Leapers case.
Iesus beheld them with compassions eye,
And for their comfort thus he did reply;
Vnto the Priest doe you forthwith repaire,
(As law appoints for such as Leapers are)
And shew your selues to him; so as they went,
The grace of Iesus did their griefes preuent:
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Returned backe (poore wretch) himselfe alone,
Falling most meekely with his face on ground,
Deliuering with a thankefull voyces sound,
Gods glorious worthy and renowned praise,
To whom our blessed Lord and Sauiour sayes,
Are there not ten infectious creatures cleane,
Of whom this poore Samaria stranger, meane,
Onely returnes, and thankfull doth encline:
What is become of these vngratefull nine?
Is there amongst so many cur'd, no more
But onely one, that giues God prayse therefore?
Arise, depart, thy selfe in soule perswade,
By true and liuely faith, thou whole art made.
A certaine ruler, that of Iewes bare sway,
Hauing a sonne which very grieuous lay,
In extreame sicknesse, and by common fame,
Hearing that Iesus out of Iewry came,
To Cana, where by miracle diuine,
He made of perfect water purest wine;
Went to the Lord, and earnest sute begon,
That he would please to come and heale his sonne,
At Capernaum, where he then did lye
In all mens iudgement at the point to dye:
Iesus replyed, except that Signes you see
And wonders wrought, you haue not faith in me:
The Ruler answered, sir affoord thine ayde,
Ere deathes hard hand vpon my child be layde:
My dearest sonne is breathing out his last,
Oh come and helpe before his life be past.
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Doe thou depart, thy dying sonne doth liue,
Because thou hast a faithfull constant mind,
At thy returne in health thou shalt him find,
As with great ioy he from our Sauiour went,
Some of his seruants came incontinent,
And met their master cheerefull on the way,
With voyces full of comfort, thus did say,
Thy son (whose sicknesse caus'd vs all complaine)
Is wonderfull restor'd to health againe:
He liues and all his former griefe is past,
Which lay most wofull breathing out his last,
Then he demaunded at what time and howre,
He was deliuer'd from Deaths fatall power,
And they replyed, yesterday at seuen
The feauer left him, prais'd be God of heau'n.
Then knew the father t'was the time direct
That Iesus of his mercies free respect,
Said vnto him, thy dying son doth liue,
That instant he restoring life did giue,
And hereupon he and his houshould all
Beleeu'd, and faithfull did on Iesus call.
At Poole Bethesda where attending lay
Of blind and lame, and withr'ed, that each day
Expected cure, when heau'nly Cherubin,
Did touch the waters, then to get them in,
And wash away all griefes they did sustaine:
A man that eight and thirty yeare in paine,
Endeuour'd helpe, amongst the Lazars there;
Yet wofull wretch, not any whit the neare,
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By entring that same sanctified floud,
Alwayes by others he was thrust aside,
Where euery man did for himselfe prouide,
And got before him, so that he put by,
In most perplexed state, distrest did lye.
Christ comming there, and knowing well how long,
He had sustained this preuenting wrong;
Sayd to the sicke, wilt thou haue helpe at all?
Oh sir, (quoth he) I know not how I shall:
I haue no friend, that will so much befriend me
As an assisting hand at need to lend me;
When waters moue by holy Angels touch,
To get me in, there's none will do so much,
But when I seeke with all my best endeuour,
Some one or other doth preuent me euer,
Stepping before me; thus am I kept backe,
To doe me good all helpe of friends I lacke.
Then Christ (whose word to heale him did suffice)
Said but vnto him, take thy bed, arise:
Depart away, who cheerefully arose,
Tooke vp his burden, and from thence he goes:
This gracious worke vpon the Sabboth done,
The Iewes would quarrell for it with Gods sonne;
His sinnefull creatures which he made of clay,
Would question him, who made both night and day;
Not thinking how his word fram'd all thats wrought:
And how that word can bring that all to nought.
A man borne blind vpon the way did lye,
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And the Disciples to their Master said,
Lord tell vs why this punishment is layde,
On that blind creature, what hath he misdone,
Is it for Fathers trespasse, or for sonne,
Iesus reply'd, the cause he wanteth sight,
(Depriued of the day adorning light)
Is not for any wicked works of sinne,
That Parents or himselfe haue liued in;
But that the mighty power of God might be
Made manifestly knowne in such as he,
I am to worke the works of him that sent me,
While it is day, before darke night preuent me,
As long as I within the world abide,
I am the light that vnto glory guide,
When thus the Lord had spoke, spittle and clay
He mixt together, and the same did lay
Vpon the eyes of him that was borne blind;
Whose hope resolued, with a faithfull mind,
That Christ had power to giue those eyes true sight,
Which neuer yet had seene what thing was light.
Then Iesus sayd vnto the blind-man goe,
And wash thy selfe within the Poole Siloe,
Which by interpretation is call'd sent:
He with more ioy, then can be vttered went,
And did according, hauing sight as cleare,
As euer did to glorious light appeare:
Whereat great wonder present was in all;
Which saw what to the begger did befall,
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And most miraculous, now perfect ey'd
Yet question'd him, and fell to great debate,
And wickedly from Christ did derogate,
Denying him his owne eternall might;
More blind in soule, then was the man of sight.
| A Sacred Memorie of the Miracles wrought by our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ | |