repentance but to condemne my selfe if my tongue hath not liuely expressed my desire alasse Lord thou knowest what wee would haue before we haue thought thereon It is sufficient to lift vp our harts vnto thee and forthwith thou grantest our petitions 10. But wherefore ô Lord dost thou delay to giue me the holy comfort which thou hast promised me alasse I am hable to do no more my hart faileth me my sences are troubled my strength forsaketh mee my sight waxeth dimme and my run away soule is already vpon the brinkes of my lippes 11. All my friends stand about me and doe already bewaile my death they haue no hope of my health they take care for my buriall and question with them-selues where is the helpe he expected from his God wher is the fauor which he promised to himselfe from him 12. Flatterers are departed from me they did thinke to deuide my spoiles they would haue preuented my fatal houre so troblesome am I to the whole world in the state wherin I stād 13. They rounded one another in the eare and made a thousand tales of me they did daily inuent new practises against me and thought on nothing so much as to betray me he is said they vpon his death bed he wil neuer rise vp againe what doe we feare wil the shaddow of his bones bite vs 14 And I as if I had beene deafe made as though I heard nothing and like a dumbe man I answered not a word my patience was my buckler and my constancy my rampier 15 Euery one that sawe me so patient in mine aduersity did say this man for a certaine is dumbe when he is taunted hee replies not could he indure all these indignities if any feeling of courage or reputation were left him Hee must needs bee guilty for innocence is euer bold in her owne defence yet all this did not mooue me 16. Wherefore I trusted in my God and am assured that he will helpe me Let the world bend it selfe against me let heauen and earth conspire my downefall so long as I haue his aide I shall alwaies conquer By the breath of his mouth hee created all things and by his breath if he please he can destroy them I will fight vnder his banner and I am assured of victory 17 I haue often-times saide vnto them reioyce not at my misery though I am tormented and afflicted braue me not for the Lord is long enough to reach you trust not to his long patience for though hee hath feete of woll his armes bee of Iron If he once lift them ouer your heads ô yee impenitent soules he will crush you in such sort as there shal bee no more remembrance of you 18. As for my selfe I haue handled the rod I haue imprinted vpon my shoulders the condemnation of my sinne I haue O Lord appeared before thee with teares in mine eyes repentance in my mouth and sorrow in my heart I haue fought with my selfe for feare least myne enemies should triumph ouer me 19. I haue openly confessed my fault I made my sinne manifest in time I tooke care to run vnto thy mercy in due season 20. But the more I humble my selfe before thee to draw of this running water out of the fountaine of thy grace which streameth from thy goodnesse the more doe mine enemies oppresse mee their number doth daily encrease they strengthen them-selues on euery side and foresee not the tempest which will crush them in peeces They kindle by their pride the furnace of thy wrath they despite thy power which to their destruction they shall soone make proofe of In a word they being secured against heauen and earth doe wallow in their filthy pleasures and rase out as much as in them is the marke of diuinity which thou hast imprinted in their soules and shut their eyes at the hope of saluation which shineth on them out of thy word 21. I do not ceasse ô my God to admonish them but they pay me euil for good and turne into laughter all that which I doe to please thee and to giue them good example they doe slanderously traduce mee vp and downe the streets and lay a thousand wickednesses to my charge I confesse ô Lord that I beginne to loose my patience 22 But my God strengthen mine infirmity and forsake mee not by any meanes otherwise I should fall like a little childe into the first pitte I come at Encrease strength and courage in mee ô Lord as much as thou hast afflicted mee giuing mee firme constancie as often as I shall stand in need thereof no lesse then a charitable mother who so soone as shee heareth her childe crye doth straight wayes giue it the dugge 23. Nourish me then ô Lord with the milke of thine holy charity to the end that beeing in some sort strengthened I may day and night run on in thy paths to attaine saluation the hope whereof shineth in thy promises And if sinne come and stand in my way I will open the floud-gates of mine eyes and will not close them againe till I haue drowned it in my teares Miserere mei Deus Psalme 50. HAue pitty vpon me ô my GOD according to the greatnesse of thy louing kindnesse and by thine immense mercy pardon the punishment which I most iustly haue deserued For if thou expectest that my fasts watchings and prayers should make satisfaction for my sinnes alas ô Lord that wil neuer be Mine offence beeing measured by the compasse of heauen and earth surpasseth the greatnesse of the whole world who then can enuiron and wholy blot it out but only thy holy mercy which is by so much greater as thy righteousnesse exceedeth ours It is thy mercy ô Lord which cricleth the whole vniuerse which keepeth fast together the parts of the world which shake and are ready to fall vpon our heads to bury with vs in their ruine the memory of our sinnes to turne away thy sight from our ingratefull disloyall and disobedient generation which disadvoweth her birth creation and conseruation frō thee Let then this mercifull goodnesse which shineth in thy diuinity aboue al thy other vertues spred it selfe now vpon me not in a sparing manner but prodigally and without measure And as thou diddest once cause the waters to ouer-runne the tops of the highest mountaines for to smother and ouer-whelme the wicked cause in like manner a torrent of mercy to ouer-flowe me not O Lord to drowne but to bathe and purifie mee 2. And be not satisfied with once clensing mee doe not tell mee that thou hast regenerated and washed mee in the bloud of the chaste and innocent lambe for notwithstanding my purenesse then thou shalt now finde mee foule and deformed I did plunge my selfe in a deep filthy vault and am so durty and disfigured as thou wilt no more know mee I doe sometimes question with my selfe whether I am hee whom thou diddest create with thine owne hands or no but my heart beeing confounded and ashamed
graue A graue in deed too happy for mee if so small a pitte may bee able to stay the violent course of mine extreame misery 5. Hee that hath seene the mowed grasse to turne coulor and wither in the field let him looke vpon my pale and leane visage which seemeth to make death it selfe afraid Mine heart waxeth drie in the midest of my intrailes my bloud withereth within my veines for I no more remember to giue bread to my mouth and euery day I forget to eate meate 6. My mouth serueth me for none other vse but to crie out and lament and the vsuall voice of my sorrow is of such force as it carries away with it all the remainder of my strength so as my sorrowfull body doth by little and little consume it selfe and my boanes doe already pierce my skinne why then should I bee carefull to pamper this wretched body which is the subiect of my miseries wherefore should I study to preserue this life which wrestleth with so many discontents and is tormented with so many afflictions were it not better for mee by ending my life to giue an end to my miseries 7. The Pellican which in the most solitarie deserts of Aegipt torments her selfe for killing her yong ones and bathes them with her bloud to restore them to life which shee berest them of is shee more sorrowfull then I dooth shee feele more griese then my selfe hath not my sinne procured the death of that child whom I loued better then my selfe and now that all my teares are drawne dry bloud will gush foorth of mine eyes for feare that weeping should faile mee in such a lamentable misfortune But the Pellican with the price of her bloud redeemes the life of her yong ones and my wretched self shal for euer bee depriued of that child whom I so deerely loued Therefore will I abandon the light of the day and will confine my selfe in the thick darknesse like vnto the fatall Owle which stirreth not foorth of some hollow place vntill the night hath spred his obscure mantle ouer the earth 8. I am continually awake alwayes rauing vpon my mishap and seeking to hide my selfe from the miserie which followes me apace I seeke nothing so much as some corner to bestow my selfe in like to the wilde Sparrow who beaten with the winde and raine searcheth out some place of couert to keepe her from the storme 9. Mine enemies seeing me in this plight haue derided mee they haue reproched mee with my misery and those which were wont highly to esteeme mee in steed of bewailing mine afflictiō haue conspired against mee Of what worth then are the goods of this world if friends bee the most pretious richesse that a man can purchase and if they prooue treacherous and disloyall and make so small account of violating their faith 10. My strength is indeed diminished the floure of my complexion is withered for I haue strewed my bread with ashes I haue tempered my drinke with teares but therfore shal this vnbeleeuing race make mee the argument of their laughter 11. It is true that I met with thine angrie countenance in the day of thy wrath thou hast laide on mee the arme of thy vengeance it hath crusht mee to peeces I was glorious among men and behold I am now cast downe to the ground O vaine presumption vnto what height hast thou raised mee to giue mee so terrible a downefall Alas what matter could I finde in my selfe that might beget such a selfe-conceit in mee 12. Euen as wee see the shaddow of a body to decrease by little and little when as the sunne stands right ouer it and at last becometh a small point in like manner so soone as thy wrath did ascend ouer mee ô Lord my life my wealth and my greatnesse did consume away by little and little in such sort as I seeme like to the withered haye without sap and beauty it is gathered for the fodder of cattell and so many faire sweet and odoriferous flowers are made vp in bottels among weedes and thistles 13. But shall I therefore despaire not so my God for thy power is infinite and lasteth for euer thy mercy is immense which spreds it selfe ouer all those which trust in thee Ages shall passe away one after an other but the memory of thy goodnesse shall neuer haue end for euer one generation shall succeed an other and they shall continually set forth thy praise and louing kindnesse 14. Thou wilt one day awake ô my God and shew fauor vnto Sion for the time of mercy is at hand It is already come behold I see it The riuers send not so many cleere waters into the large bozome of the Ocean as thy goodnesse shall shed foorth fauours and mercies vppon the earth Open your hearts oh yee people open your hearts for the liberall hand of my GOD will fill them with an holy heate which shall cleanse and purifie them more then gold is in the furnace 15. Now the building of Sion is ô Lord the refuge which thy seruants waite for that it may become the dwelling place of eternall life the seate of saluation the treasury of grace and the temple of eternitie 16. Then my God shall the nations bee astonished and all the Kings of the earth shall tremble at the brightnesse of thy glory What remotest corner is there in the world but shall resound thy happy comming what people are there vnder the sunne so confined in darkenesse but will open their eyes to behold the glistering brightnesse of saluation which shall shine vpon them Heauen it selfe shall encrease the number of his torches to giue light to this thine entrie into the world and Kings shall runne from all parts to doe homage to the King of Kings and to the Lord of Heauen and Earth 17. For in Syon hath hee erected his royall throne in magnificent and sumptuous manner there shall men behold him all enuironed with glory darkning the Sunne and Moone with the brightnesse of his countenance 18. But what is the cause ô Lord that thou hast so highly exalted the throne of thy glorie Is it because thou wilt contemne the humble prayers of thy faithfull seruants and neglect the whole world which is nothing in comparison of this thy greatnesse Alas not so my God Thou hast lifted vp thy selfe in an eminent place to the end that all the inhabitants of the earth may see and acknowledge thee to haue recourse to thy grace mercy for thou wilt be alwayes ready to come at the humble summons of thy seruants and thou wilt neuer scorne their pittifull requests Behold they are all set in order like poore galley slaues condemned to the chaine which waite for the arriuall of some King to set them at liberty on the day of his coronation In this manner ó Lord dooest thou deliuer those which haue giuen them-selues ouer to the bondage of sinne at the onely twinckling of thine eye their Irons shall fall from
had their wealth in this world it shall bee said vnto them Depart hence for you stand indebted in a great summe thinke vppon yeelding an account of the goods which were committed to your keeping and pay the arrerage for the mis-spending of them Your dwelling is prepared for you where you deserue among eternall paines and torments the rigor whereof hath beene often denounced vnto you and yet it could neuer drawe you from your vngodly life yee shall now feele it because then yee did not feare it But as for those ô LORD which haue beene patient in thy name and suffered in thine honour the furie of the wicked thou wilt say vnto them Come yee blessed children of my Father enter into the Tabernacle of glory to iudge with him the quick and the dead Comfort thy selfe then my soule waite for this time hope in GOD GOD almighty and most mercifull who hath neuer forsaken the iust man in his aduersitie nor neuer stopt his eare against the innocent which was oppressed Benedicam Domino in omni tempore Psalme 34. BLessed be thy name o Lord which hast comforted mee in my sorrow blessed bee it for euer which hast succoured mee in mine affliction All things haue their appointed houre and all the actions of men are disposed by times and seasons change serueth for rest and rest refresheth the ordinary labour of liuing creatures nothing can continue at one staye without relaxation yet for all that heerein this rule faileth for I ô my God doe and will continually blesse thy name the sunne rising shall finde mee praysing thy name the sunne setting shall leaue mee praysing thy name I will thereby beginne the moneths and the yeares and thereby I will finish them ô eternitie I haue no feeling of thee in this world but onely in this will of mine which is euer ready perpetually to praise and glorifie thy name ô my God My body consumeth with age and my strength fades away but my soule obstinate against eorruptible humanity dooth not onely last but encreaseth dayly in this holy affection If I thinke to take my rest my heart giueth spurres to my thoughts If I thinke to bee silent my soule breakes forth betwixt my lips and by maine force formeth a voyce which prononnceth the glory of my LORD What makes thee ô my soule so feruent in the praises of my God I see wel that thou knowest that thou hast drawne thine essence from him and waitest by him to be glorified what vsury doest thou offer him Thou presentest him with a parcell of his praises and thou in the meane time expectest to be made partaker of the ritches of his glory For from him only thou art to hope for al honour The heauens shall passe away shall weare like an old garment it shall be changed but God shal remain to triumph ouer the ruines of the world Peaceable and meeke people shal be on euery side about him they shall heare the triumphant hymnes which shall be sung to his victory and filled with ioy they shal accord their voices to the trumpets of the Angells 2. Let vs beginne then betimes to learne the songes of his glory let vs magnifie him and exalt his name as high as our voyces will stretch let vs re-enforce our cries to the end they may ascend as high at the least as we can discerne them that the ayre filled with our songes may carry them on the winges of the winde to the very farthermost partes of the earth to the end that all people may be wakened with the sound of our tunes and reioyce when they shall in this manner heare the name of the Lord of heauen and earth to be exalted the lord who is the trusty assured refuge of all those which call vpon him 3. I sought him and he forthwith heard me I no more knew whether to goe and after that I had cast mine eyes on euery fide finding nothing able to succor me the whole world forsaking me I returned towards my selfe and bewayling my calmity beheld my selfe And on a sodaine he at once filled me with strength and courage and causing my soule to rebound out of the gulfe of sorrow and tribulation which had swallowed me vp he said vnto me trust in me for I am here then I cryed out ô Lord where art thou make hast and quickly help me and forthwith his spirit came downe vpon me and as a strong wind driueth away the cloudes euen so did it driue from me all manner of griefe and aflictions 4. Come then and runne vnto him come the way is easie it is open on ouery side he shewes himselfe euery where in what place so euer we be he calls vs vnto him He is so much affraid least we should goe astray as he comes downe from heauen to carry the torch before vs to giue light vnto our feet For hee is the Father of light and giues a purer light to our soules then to our bodies it dissipates and scatters of it selfe all that which may hurt and offend vs. Come then and draw neere vnto it for so long as it shall shine vppon you you shall walke with an erected browe and nothing shall be able to offend you your strength shall be renued within you and nothing shall bee able to confound you if your sinne offers to shew it selfe it will driue it away if your enemies come towards you it will ouer-throw them 5. Will yee behold an excellent proofe of his helpe and singular mercy Looke vppon this poore miserable wretch who was accounted the maister-peece of misfortune who was supposed to haue lost al that he had yea very hope it selfe the onely comfort of the miserable yet he no sooner cryed vnto God but he foorthwith heard him and deliuered him from the misery wherein hee was hee hath brought him to the hauen and set him in a place of safety 6. He sends his Angels to the ayde of his seruants who compasse them about like a strong guard and stir not from them till they haue deliuered thē out of al danger For as he is great so are his ministers mighty and albeit of himselfe he is able to doe all thinges yet in regard of his greatnesse he executeth his wil pleasure by the means of his creatures gouerning the small ones by the meane the meane ones by the highest and the highest by himselfe 7. Taste then a little how sweet his mercy and goodnesse is how happy is he which putteth his trust in him The swallow is very carefull of her young ones yet she often lets thē cry out for hunger mixing their sweet with bitternesse but our God comes at the first cry at the first signe at our first wish and so soone as he perceaues that we thirst after his succour he puts into our mouthes the fertill dugges of his goodnes and sheds betwixt our lippes the sweet milke of his grace which quencheth the thirst of our infirmity and the
dares make mee none answer O my God thou hast created mee of dirt and clay and loe I am now such an one as I was before thou tookest me in hand I haue put off my beauty and comlinesse and put on dirt and filthinesse But my God wherefore doost thou not new make me is thine arme waxed short doost thou want will to doe good to thy creature alas thou art Almighty all good wherefore then dooest thou tarry Thy workemanship ô Lord grew obstinate against thee and tooke pleasure in diffiguring and deforming it selfe bee thou obstinate against thine handy-worke and make it faire and perfect yea euen in despight of it but my God I will bee no more stubborne hold mee take mee in hand turne mee as thou pleasest repayre this dirte renew it refresh it with new coullours it is ready to obey thy will But ô Lord when as thou shalt haue wholy renewed it forsake it not for all that put a bridle in his mouth which by abstinence may keepe it from gluttony wherevnto it is proane by chastitie it may quench the impudent heates of voluptuousnesse which warmeth it by humility it may beat downe pride which biting enuie raiseth vp in her let pittifull charity driue hatred and the hunger of couetousnesse farre from it let the care to serue and honor thee be a continuall spurre in the sides of her slothfull and blockish negligence 3. For otherwise my God I haue made too great proofe of these vices which enuiron mee they will in such sorte teare and dismember thy workmanship as at thy comming thou shalt find nothing but the fragments thereof all bruzed and broken I haue had such experience of them it is they who haue brought mee into the state wherein now I am and I now perceiue them standing round about mee to reproach mee with those blottes where with they themselues did defile me and to make me guilty of the wrongs which they haue done to mee How hast thou sinned say they how foule and deformed art thou become 4. Indeed I haue sinned I confesse it my God behold I offer the bottom of my heart vnto thee take notice of my whole life I haue sinned before heauen and earth and the whole world is witnesse of my misdeeds But if I had not sinned vnto whome wouldest thou shew mercy how wouldst thou discharge thy selfe of the promises of grace which thou hast so long declared by thy Prophets when thou shalt come to sit vpon the eternall throne of thy Iustice if wee were all iust who would stand in feare of thee But to the end thy greatnesse may bee knowne it behooueth vs when wee shall bee summoned before thee humbly to fall downe vpon our faces and to cry out Bee midle ô Lord for wee come not to excuse our selues before thee our fault is notorious but loe our pardon stands ready thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs behold it signed with thy bloud sealed with thine image which for our redemption was imprinted in the weakenesse of the flesh 5. Diddest thou expect O my God that when I should present my selfe before thee I would make a rampier of mine innocencie or that I was so blinde of vnderstanding to go about to iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas ô Lord I know that I was nothing but sinne before I was borne my mother thought to bring forth a childe and shee was deliuered of sinne it had been much better for her if so prodigious a burthen had prooued abortiue which shameth the tree which bare it the earth which nourished and heauen which ripened it I was fedde with sinne in my mothers wombe I suckt it with her milke and loe it grew vppe in such sort with mee as it ouer-shaddoweth mine head and blindeth mine eyes 6. But when I perceiue the eyes of my body to be dazeled I then open the eyes of my minde and begin to discerne a farre off the beame of thine infallible truth and to acknowledge the wonderfull secrets of thy wisedome which thou hast reuealed vnto mee Then my soule abandoning the impurity of my body liftteth her selfe vppe vnto heauen and pearceth thorowe his incredible light and lookking vpon the booke of Eternity shee therein readeth the treatye of the new allyance which thou wilt make with mankinde then returning into her wretched body shee filleth it with hope and ioy and promiseth it an assured victorie ouer his sinne 7. For shee learned in heauen how thou wouldest take the branch of odoriferous Hisope in hand and sprincle vpon mee the water of purification thou wilt wash mee and I shall become whiter then snowe there shall no one spotte of sinne bee seene on mee What manner of washing-lye will that bee ô LORD which shal be made with the ashes of my sinnes consumed by the fire of thy charity with the water of teares which my repentance shall distill from my hart and in the sun-shine of thy grace our laments shal be dried vp which shall cause new spirituall ioy to grow vp in vs and at the last will make vs so white in the purity of righteousnesse as we shall one day shine brighter then the starres in the firmament 8. We shall then heare the delectable sound of the trumpet of saluation which wil proclaime grace and mercy vnto all those who will receaue it Wee shall then see rotten and consumed bones to rise vp out of their graues to be partaker of this vniuersall ioye wherevnto thou hast inuited the whole world 9. Now to the end I may at that time appeare before thee in such honorable equipage as so noble a magnificence doth deserue put all my offences ô my God vnder thy feete bury them in the center of the earth to the end that noe eye may behold them seperate mee for euer from mine iniquitie from hence-forth I renounce it and sweare an irreconcileable diuorcement from her 10 Behold my soule which I offer vnto thee make it pure and cleane powre a new spirit into mine heart which may conceiue nothing but holinesse and righteousnesse Establish therein ô Lord God the mansion house of thy holy spirit to the end that hence-forth I may thinke wish nor breath any thing but thy praises let thy will bee alwayes imprinted in my minde and thy glory written in my lips 11. When thou shalt haue thus clothed decked me with pietie and integrity I shall then be assured that nothing shal be able to seperate mee from thy presence and then as the true bred Eagle looketh directly vpon the Sunne euen so will I fixe mine eye vppon the face of thine Eternitie and will beholde in thy wonderfull countenance all those perfections which now I can not conceaue thine holy spirit shall neuer more depart out of mine heart it shall carry me on the winges of zealous charity into thy bosome there to make mee an associate of that celestiall ioy 12. Let me then quickly tast the sweetnes of this immortall life saue me sodainly
from the rocks of this world which on euery side threaten shipwracke to my soule and as the Sailer when he is arriued in the hauen crownes the masts of his ship with garlands of flowers in token that he is in safty euen so crowne me ô my God with the precious guifts of thine holy spirit for pledges of the eternall blessednesse which thou promisest me I say of thy spirit which reigneth in thy faithfull ones which distributes faith to thine elect charity to thy beloued and hope to those whome thou hast predestinated 13. Now whilest my soule continues in this exile looking euery day when thou wilt call it to thy â—elfe I will teach sinners the way they ought to follow for to please thee I will direct them left that in the darknesse of this world they stumble vpon the blocks which shall he presented to them they will beleeue me and they shall returne to thee ô father of light turne to thee ô Father of light they shall with all their hearts imbrace thy law and walke in thine obedience 14. I know ô Lord that there bee some who will stoppe their eares at my words and will grow stubborne in their sinnes they will plot my death and willingly would die their barbarous cruelty with my bloud Deliuer mee my GOD forth of their hands and preserue mee that I may declare thy righteousnesse and pronounce their condemnation I will fore-tel them of their miseries and so soone as my speech is ended thine hand shall strike them and so soone as thine hand hath stricken them behold they shall bee for euer crusht in peeces and confounded 15. And then thou shalt open my lippes and my mouth shall declare thy victory the aire wil be cleere the winds will bee appeased and the flouds will stand still to heare mee sound forth the wonders of the eternall GOD. For thy praise ô LORD shal bee the sacrifice which I continually will offer vp vnto thee which at all times will bee pleasing vnto thee 16. I would willingly haue bloudied thine Altars with the slaughter of much cattell I would willingly haue sacrifized a thousand Oxen and as many sheepe in thine honor but bloud stinkes before thee and their flesh thou acceptest not the smoake of such offerings consumes it selfe in the arie like wind and it can not ascend where thou art the onely voyce of a iust man mounteth higher then the heauens and thine Angells present it vnto thee 17. O how acceptable vnto thee is the sacrifize of an hart pearced thorow with repentance an hart that is humbled in the knowledge of his sinne such an one wilt thou neuer reiect hee that will go vp vnto thee must descend downe into himselfe the way to touch heauen to lie groueling vpon earth hee that wil bee heard of thee must hold his peace and hee that will bee crowned in thy kingdome must be beaten and scourged in this world These are the sacrifices which can reconcile vs vnto thee and enter vs into the alliance which thou hast made with vs. 18. If thou wilt haue vs ô Lord to offer vp vnto thee bulls and oxen and that wee shall make thine Altars smoake with the bloud of Beasts if thou wilt haue vs by the death of an innocent oblation to represent before thee the death innocency of him whome thou hast destined for the redemption of our soules if the figure of that which shall come to passe in the person of the Immaculate Lambe bee pleasing vnto thee in the slaughter of sheepe and rams pittifully then beehold thy poore people comforte desolate Sion encourage her poore inhabitants to the end that they may repaire the walls of thine holy citty and re-edifie thy teÌ„ple not in equall measure to thy deserts ô Lord but according to the riches and industry that the world can attaine vnto 19. Thither from all parts shall thy faithfull people come in heapes to offer sacrifize vnto thee there onely shalt thou accept the expiation for their sins But my God neither the bloud nor death of beasts can wash out their filthinesse the expiation of their sinne and disobedience is prepared before all eternity It is an inestimable sacrifize an immaculate burnt-offering that must draw away the vaile dissipate the darkenesse and breake downe the partition-wall for to make vs behold the truth of our saluation face to face which must cause the beames of the diuine mercy to shine vpon vs and reassociate vs to the communion of the eternall blessednes which we haue willingly renounced O must pittiful God which hast cleered the eies of mine vnderstanding made me to see the mistery of my saluatioÌ„ cause me ô Lord to tast the excellent frute which budding on the tree of the crosse shall quicken with his iuyce our mortified soules shall for euer keepe and preserue vs from the ruine and calamity which hath so miserably attainted man-kind hath spred it selfe all ouer them by their owne disobedience Domine exaudi Psalme 110. O Lord how long haue I cried out for thy mercy yet I am still expecting thine aide The aire is filled with my lamentations the winds haue carried the voyce of my complaint to the farthest parts of the earth and thine eare which vnderstandeth what is done in the deepest bottoÌ„ of hell harkeÌ„s not vnto my praier which pierceth the very heauens Thou art onely deafe ô Lord in my respect and the whole world will sooner then thy selfe giue eare to my laments No no my God thou hast too long stretched out thine arme vnto me to reiect me now when I come vnto thee for refuge 2. Now that I feele a thousand and a thousand griefes and that euills assaile mee on euery side turne not thy face away from mee ô Lord. Alas I haue placed all my comfort in the milde aspect of thy countenance I haue left the world and retired my selfe vnto thee I haue forsaken the children of the earth to the end to allie my selfe to the maister of heauen can'st thou now cast mee of doe not so ô Lord but all the dayes of my life helpe my infirmitie 3. So soone as my voice shall cry out vnto thee ô my God so soone let me feele thee let thy grace come downe as swiftly vpon mee as an Eagle to the succour of her yong ones For if thou assist mee not what combate can I wage against the enemies of my soule 4. My strength and my life doth continually vanish away like to a light smoake which in flying abroad looseth it selfe that eye which sees it come forth of the fire doth as quickly see it dispersed and accompanieth it in a moment from his originall to his end and they that aske what is become of it cannot so much as discerne the trace thereof Who hath seene peeces of wood lye drying in the sunne loose both their vigor and verdure let them behold my poore bones which are become drye and withered and craue nothing but a
off theyr hands 19. Then shall they all bee heard to sing a song of glory to the victorious King their voice shall bee heard in all the parts of the earth and the memory of thy singular goodnesse and infinite mercy shall bee engraued in mens mindes to passe from age to age euen to their last posteritie when the earth shall bee consumed the waters dryed vppe the firmament vanished away and the heauens come to an end euen then shall men sing forth the glory of the eternall God 20. The eternall GOD who hath vouchsafed from the highest heauens to cast his eyes downe to the depths of the earth to take notice of the torments of poore captiues deteined in the prisons of hell who hath heard their gronings and made haste to vnbinde and deliuer these poore wretched prisoners and their whole posterity Death had ouercome them with the weapons of sinne and confined them in his darke prisons but the God of life hath vanquished death and set them all at liberty 21. To the end ô Lord that they may declare thy praise in Sion and preach thy mercy in Ierusalem But though euery one of them had an hundered mouthes and a voyce as strong as thy thunder they should neuer bee able to attaine to the greatnesse of thy glorie All the parts of the world doe conspire together but to represent in their motion some part of thy power and infinite goodnesse and yet they shall misse the marke for they are bottomlesse pitts and more then bottomlesse pitts which haue neither banke nor bottome and which must onely bee look't vpon a farre off 22. Bee pleased then ô my God that thy people assembled together and revnited in body and minde doe deuoutly offer vnto thee the holy desire and will which they haue to honor thee for the effect it selfe can in no sort draw neer to thy desert Take it in good worth ô Lord that the Kings of the earth doe come and humble themselues before thee to pay the homage and seruice which is due vnto thee as to their souerain Lord. They shall lay their scepters on the ground and their crownes at their feete and shall present thee with a sacrifice of humble deuotion and an innocent conscience I will be the first ô my God that will prostrate my selfe before thee to adore and serue thee with my whole heart I will settle my thoughts on thee onely vnto thee alone will I consecrate my spiritte Quicken it ô Lord to the end that it beeing purified by the holy heat of thy charity it may receaue into it selfe like a well-pollished looking-glasse the Image of thine incomprehensible beauty and perfection and that it may feele the reflection of thy sincere affection so as thine infinite goodnes may make it one of the number of thine elect to bee a coheire with them of eternall life 23. I doe now already feele ô my God that thou hast enlightned my soule by thy grace and hast shewed me the mercy which thou wilt offer to all the children of the earth my spirit hath already seene from a farre off how readily thou walkest to deliuer the world which was in danger of death before thine arriuall that was the cause why thou heardest it cry out vnto thee saying tell me ô Lord the number of my yeares and what time thou wilt giue an end to my daies 24. Cut not of the thred of my life ô Lord at the first or second turne of the wheele shorten it not in the middest of his course stay my God til the time be come when as thou wilt open the treasures of thy graces to giue a largesse of saluation vnto men or if at the least thou hast determined of mine end and that my life cannot bee so farre stretched out yet remember my posterity and cause him to bee borne of my stocke who by his comming shall sanctifie the world 25. In very deed ô Lord I know that in the beginning thou diddest make heauen and earth and all that excellence which wee see in this world is the worke-man-shippe of thy hands 26. But all that shall weare away like an ouer-worne garment men shall seeke after and enquire what is become of it but it shall bee no more found it hath beene made and it shal be vndone it had a beginning and must needs haue an end but thou alone ô Lord which art from all eternity shalt remayne for euer at one stay Age and time which consumes all things doe but confirme thine essence and publish thy diuinity and it seemeth vnto me that men are borne vpon the earth to none other end but to behold on the one side thine incomprehensible greatnes and their owne weakenes on the other 27. Men shift not shirts so often as one selfe-same land doth oftentimes change hir inhabitants the one pusheth on another and all is renued in a moment But thou art yet my God to day the same that thou wert at the beginning Euery Prouince of the earth makes mention of a great number of Kings which haue commaunded therein one after another but heauen and earth doe continually sing vnto vs that thou hast alway beene alone euer like thy selfe and that neither the time past nor that which is to come can in any sort change thee 28. Yet notwithstanding ô Lord that we must part hence I doe not lose my hope to taste one day of the sweet fruite which will heale vs of this contagious disease which our first parents haue communicated to vs by eating of the fruite of sinne and death For our children shall succeed vs and thou wilt doe vs this fauour ô Lord to continue our posterity from age to age vntill that all of vs together doe appeare in thy presence not to receaue a rigorous iudgement but to enter by the merrits and intercession of thy welbeloued Sonne our Sauiour into the inheritance of eternall blessednesse which shal be purchaced for all thy faithfull ones by the adoption of thy sonne in the house of thy seruant Dauid De profundis Psalme 129. FRom the bottome of the deepes I haue cried vnto thee oh my God being buried and lost in the most fearefull cauernes of the earth I haue called vpon thy name listen to my voyce and giue eare vnto my praier for all hope of aide was taken from mee I saw nothing round about me but feare and trembling and yet notwithstanding I was not discourraged but haue expected from thee that which thou hast promised to all those which shall liue in the feare of thy name and in the obedience of thy commandements 2. Lend then a fauourable eare ô Lord vnto my prayer if sinne haue set it selfe betwixt thee and mee to whet thee on against mine iniquitie and to make thee an enemy to my request chace it away from the aspect of thine eye of mercy or else ô Lord shut for a while the eye of thy iustice vntill that thine eare of clemencie hath receiued
me like a dead man in the caue of obscurity My soule is highly greeued within mee and mine heart is astonished like vnto his who walking with an erected countenance is by misfortune fallen into the bottome of some pit his sences are forth-with troubled he forthwith loseth his reason and torments himselfe hee knowes not what to will or do till calling his wits together he takes notice of the place where he is and the maner how he fell downe for then hee begins by little and little to get vp againe and to climbe with great labour from the place whereinto hee easily fell 5. Euen so I hauing called to memory from farre the remembrance of things past and representing to my selfe in a deepe meditation the workes of thine hands and considering exactly the things which thou hast wrought namely remembring the state wherein thou diddest create vs and then calling to minde that wherein I finde my selfe now as it were crusht downe in the ruines of sinne I curse the houre wherein my mother conceiued mee I detest the daye which first opened mine eye-liddes to cause mee to looke vppon heauen and earth the witnesses of my weaknesse and at last finding nothing in this world which can comfort mee in this distresse I come againe vnto thee 6. I fall downe on my knees before thee I lift vppe vnto thee mine armes and hands and my soule thirsteth after thy grace with as great a desire as the earth gaping with heate waiteth for a pleasing shower of raine in the hottest time of summer 7. Runne then hastily vnto me ô my God for I am already out of breath my courage faileth and loe I fall fainting downe wilt thou tarry till I am dead I am so already if thou make not the more hast for my sences faile by little and little my soule slideth sweetly out of my body leauing it without motion and I am like vnto him who is let bloud in his foote in hot water whose life runnes out with his bloud not feeling the cause of his death 8. Now ô Lord if thou keepest thy selfe farre from me turning thy countenance away I shall become like vnto those who goe downe into the bottome of the graue pale death will discolour my visage and benum my sences and that which is worsse spirituall death ô my God will kill my soule will fill it with feare and horror and bereaue it of the knowledge of thy singular goodnesse and the hope of grace which shineth in thy wonders like a glistering star in an obscure night 9. Cause me then betimes to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy and in the morning when the sunne shall arise vpon the earth let thy clemency rise vpon me to enlighten mine ignorance and to direct mee in the way of thy commandements But let it not doe ô Lord like thy Sunne who at the end of his race plungeth it selfe in the sea hiding his light for a time from poore mortalls but let it perpetually assist me let it bee no more seperated from mee then my soule from my body for thy mercy is far more the soule of my soule then my soule is the life of my body 10. Let it not then leaue me let the brightnesse thereof still direct my pathes in thy waies let it still guide mee in the way which I must walke to come vnto thee For my spirit which hath throwne it selfe into the middest of the briers of this world which hath gonne astray amongest her thickest bushes can no more finde out her right way but walking at all aduentures loseth both her way and her labour going still back-wards from the place whether shee thought to arriue But my GOD I still waite for thy helpe I hope for succour from an high 11. I am prisoner in the hands of the cruellest enemies of my life make hast ô Lord to deliuer mee thou art my refuge receiue mee into thy protection teach mee what thou wouldest haue mee to doe for thou art my God vnto whome onely I now resolue my selfe to doe seruice Away far far from mee deceitfull pleasure which hereto fore diddest bewitch my soule and poyson my mind thou hast by thy lickorish delights inueigled me and with a little honney thou hast made me swallow a most bitter and deadly pill which spredding it selfe thorow my members hath in such sort mortified and made me giddy as there is small difference betwixt mee and a dead person and my body is not only thus mortified but my soule likewise wherein consisteth the originall of my life present and to come 12. It behooueth then thine holy spirit to come vnto me to warme againe my dying soule to take it by the hand to leade it into safety and to quicken it imprinting in it the image of thy righteousnesse which may defend it against the temptation which on eueryside doth beseege it and threaten her ruine 13. Thou wilt come then and at thine arriuall thou shalt draw my soule out of trouble and in shewing mercy vnto me thou shalt destroy all those which haue conspired against me Then shall my greefe haue an end and theirs beginne it shal be a beginning of their forrow which shall neuer end but as riuers rising out of their springs run on stil bigger bigger vntill they fall into the bosome of the sea which hath no bottome euen so shall their miseries encrease and at the last shall heape vpon them extreame torments and infinite distresse In this manner shall all those perish which vex my soule for ô GOD I am thy faithfull seruant whome thou hast remembred and thou wilt not forget those who in disdaine of my Lord haue so shamefully abused me they laughed at my misery but the time drawes on when they shall bewayle their owne Thy vengeance begins to bee kind bee against them and they shall wither like leaues vpon the trees at the approach of winter O GOD what glory shall I giue vnto thy name and how shall I beginne to declare thy praise shall I publish thy goodnesse in the creation of so many wonderfull workes which are vnderneath the sun thy wisedome in thy preseruation of them shall I preach thy Iustice in the condemnation and punishment of the pride of the Angels and disobedience of men Shall I sing of thy mercy in the redemption of those who offending thy lawe had throwne themselues head-long into the bondage of eternall death to what part of thy prayses may the humble sound of my voyce attaine and though my voyce were able what eares are capable to receiue it All things faile mee ô Lord in this businesse except courage and will which full of feruent affection doe crye out vnto thee Ayde with thy grace their weake strength and seeing the teares of my penitence haue washed away the filth of sinne wherewith my soule was heauily loden giue it now the winges of faith and hope which may carry it with a swift flight into thine armes to reunite
to the afflicted which call vppon him hee forsakes him not neither day nor night so soone as sorrow hath humbled vs and caused vs to know what neede wee haue of him behold hee is at hand to saue vs. 18. The righteous indeede are afflicted with strange calamities and wee may in a maner say that they are the subiect of misery so many euills doe at once seeme to ouer-whelme them But it is onely to make the mercy of God the more illustrious notable in their behalfe For the greater that their tribulation is the brighter doth Gods pitty and compassion shine in their conseruation 19. Hee preserueth the least of their bones yea namely not an haire of their heads shall perish or be pluckt off but by his expresse will and he neuer wils it but for their good and saluation More-ouer a their wealth and store is vnder his protection and when hee pleaseth hee will multiply their riches hee will make his blessings to florish in their houses and hee will encrease their wealth and possessions aboue all enuy 20. On the contrary the life of the wicked shal be miserable If at the least-wise for to try theÌ„ to inuite them to returne vnto him he doth lend theÌ„ some wealth in this life hard and lamentable shall bee their death Death which shall turne them ouer to eternall torments Death which shall plung them in the botomlesse pitte of fires vnquencheable there to bee deuoured and neuer consumed there to bee euer languishing and neuer dead such shall bee the end of the wicked and of him which persecuteth the iust man 21. And thy poore seruants in the meane time whom thou hast so deerely redeemed out of the hands of death and sinne shall enioy in all happinesse the saluation which thou hast purchased for them and holding death and sinne in bands vnder their feete in the chaines of thy mercy they shal trust in thee so long as they shall remain in this worldly exile after that they are come forth of it they shall enioy that eternall blessednesse which thou hast promised them beholding in thy countenance that fountaine of brightnes goodnes and beauty wherwith thou diddest create heauen earth and al therein contained Noli Aeâ—ulari Psalme 36. IN regard that Gods prouidence which gouerneth the world oweth a recompence to euery man according as hee hath deserued I am sometimes amazed to see how those whose onely study is to do euill do receiue so many fauours in this life and doe bath them-selues in so many kindes of pleasures But as my heart begins to swell and to bee despited in it selfe I feele as it seemeth vnto me the spirit of God which comes and toucheth me and plucking me by the eare it saith vnto me soft and faire soft and faire thou poore wretch thou losest thy selfe in this ouer-deepe and dangerous discourse comfort thou thy selfe in mee and enuie not the good of the wicked bee not iealous of those which worke iniquity 2. For that which thou thinkest to bee their felicity is but a vaine shaddow a false and deceitfull image which will bee lost betwixt their hands will flie away when they shall thinke to hold it fast As the hay which is mowen downe fades withers in a moment euen so in a moment shal the magnificence of the wicked lose his colour brightnesse The herbes in a garden are not so soone withered as thou shalt perceiue the riches of the wicked to fal away and perish Hast thou not beheld the flower Emerocall true beauty of a day which flourisheth with a crimson dye in the morning keepeth his coulour all day long and in the euening becomes so pale and withered as though it had bin bitten with the frozen teeth of winter The happinesse of the wicked if a deceitfull smile of an apparent felicity may be termed a happinesse doth properly resemble that flower for it is withered so sodainly is changed in so short a time and is transformed in such diuerse manner as it is a wonder to behold it 3. Put then thy trust in God and beleeue it the insolence of the wicked shall neuer continue so long as the diuine iustice shall beare rule and bee likwise assured that the iust man shall neuer bee forsaken what affliction so euer he be in Discourage not thy selfe but continue in wel doing for he which perseuers vnto the end shall be saued Dwell in the land which thy God hath giuen thee content thy selfe with the graces which he hath giuen thee and enter not into iudgment with him For thou shalt find in the end that the riches of the wicked are but giuen them to keepe 4. Reioyce thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God lay aside the melancholy which thou hatchest in thy soule which like rust eats consumes thy heart For when thy minde shall bee once purified and thy thoughts lifted vp to thy Lord he will accomplish all thy wishes will cause thee to enioy all that which y u art able to desire 5. But do not present thy selfe before him with wauering goe not vnto him with diffidence do not hide thy thoughts opeÌ„ the very bottom of thy heart before him discouer thy thoughts For it is impossible to deceiue him and it is dangerous to goe about it He seeth and noteth all things chiefly a double and vnbeleeuing heart the which aboue all things else hee detesteth but hee receiueth and embraceth the poore man that is humbled hee harkeneth to his prayer and giues him before hand that which he ment to ask 6. Nothing is wanting neither wealth nor honour vnto him which hath his fauour if thou please him once hee will cause the glory of thy righteousnesse to shine brighter then the day light and the equity of thy iudgments to glister like the mid-daies sunne For people on all sides shall be seene to come from thee blessing thy house for a temple of iustice praysing thy word for an oracle and reuerencing thee as the cause of their rest and liberty Euery one shall exalt thine integrity as the protector of good men and sure defence of the afflicted But the more honour and glory that thou receiuest humble thy selfe so much the more vnder the hand of thy GOD and acknowledge this good to come from him and yeeld him homage The homage which hee demandes of thee besides thy heart is but thy mouth and hands thy mouth to set foorth his praise thy hands to serue him according to his commandements 7. Loe this is that which the spirit of God told mee I communicate it to you my friends and make yeepertakers of these holy aduertisements to the end that if here-after you see any one to prosper in his affaires and yet to blaspheme in his life yee should not bee offended thereat nor be angry in your selues though hee which worketh iniquity do abound in all manner of wealth 8. Be quiet then in your minds
Their miserie hangs ouer their head misfortunes follow them at euery steppe vntill they haue throwne them head-long into that gulph the onely thought whereof is fearefull to all those which do remember it whose easiest places of retreate are full of cryes groanings and lamentations Where paine is without end griese without remedie repentance without mercy where death is immortall the body liuing but to dye and the soule to suffer where the soule feeles nothing but her sinne and the body but his punishment On the contrary those which couer themselues with the Lords fauour which make his mercy their buckler who haue no other hope but in his goodnesse who follow his comandements and are iealous of his will and pleasure what felicitie is there but they may attaine to what precious thing is there in heauen but shall bee opened vnto them They shall sitte side by side with their God and beeing enuironed with glory so much happinesse shall be heaped vpon them as the soule of man is not able to conceiue the least part thereof much lesse can my barren tongue expresse it 14. I will then reioyce ô my God in the hope of such and so many benefits as thou reseruest in heauen to crowne the iust withall Vnto this ioy I inuite you all which trust to the wordes of our Sauiour which loue iustice and righteousnesse there doth the reward of your labours attend you there you shall be placed in honor and glory there shall you exchange the sharpe thornes of this world for flourishing Lillies of all eternity Oh then shall the sweate of your afflictions finde most sweete rest Gold comes not forth of the flames in the Furnace more pure and shining to bee stamped with the Image of a great Prince and then to serue for the adornment of some rich cabinet as the hart of that man which loueth his God shall be drawne pure and cleane from the miseries of this world to be inuironed with splendor and glory What day can now displease mee in this world who shall hinder and stay me from entring into the howse of the Lord for to liue in his seruice vpon what day of my life shall I ceasse from bewailing those sinnes which kept me forth of his fauor vnite then in me ô my God these two contrary passions ioy and repentance to the end that like as the pilgrim who hath lost his way in a desert reioyceth when hee beholds the dawning of the day and yet for all that cannot forget the obscure darkenesse out of the which hee is yet scarce come nor lay aside his feare of so troublesome a night euen so haue I alwayes abhorred my sinnes past and haue neuerthelesse a certaine and liuely hope to enioy that eternall happinesse which thou hast purchased for vs by the price of the bloud of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ. Alas how great is this loue when the Maister spareth not the life of his childe to redeeme his seruant Beeing then formed by thy hand redeemed by thy bloud and purified by thy mercy I offer my selfe vnto thee for a sacrifice of obedience reiect mee not ô my God Domine ne in furore Psalme 37. O Lord I must needs returne againe vnto thee and begin a new to implore thy mercy for thine anger seemeth to bee newly kindled against mee Alas my God wilt thou punish mee in thy wrath and cause me to feele the violence of thy iust furie which my sinnes haue stirred vp against me the torch consumed by fire falleth into ashes and I being deuoured by the heate of thine indignation shall vanish away and nothing will be left of me but onely smoake 2. For I see ô my God that thou hast let fly the sharpest arrowes of thy vengeance vpon mee thou hast touched mee with thine hand and thou takest it not of from me I feele remorse and terror in my conscience which doe astonish and bruze me like flashes of lightning and claps of thunder miseries come vnto me by heapes and one mishappe brings on another warre is no sooner ended but the plague assaileth mee and dâ—ath at the last bereaues mee of the deerest pledges which I haue in this world In what then ô my GOD shall I take comfort shall it bee in my selfe 3 Alasse there is no whole member about mee the disease hath pearced euen to the marrow of my bones there is no part about mee but doth reproch me for my sinnes and endures the punishment thereof I languish in my sorrow and no man comforts mee myne eyes serue mee for none other purpose but to behold my misery and my soule but to acknowledge my misfortune 4. I looke round about mee and as much as the eyes of my body and soule can discerne of the time past I see nothing aboue beneath nor on each side of me but sinne which compasseth me about and mine iniquites which crush and presse me downe they are heaped vpon my head like an heauy burthen and behold they smother me 5. How shall I resist them what strength haue I to defend my selfe seeing that my body falleth in peeces corruption runnes from it on euery side mysoares are no sooner shut but they open againe and if my body bee ill my soule is much worsse it is all confounded and trembleth for feare 6. And as sicknesse vndermines my body which is ready to die euen so doth sorrow my soule and steales away the strength thereof and as a sharp cold doth freeze and wither the tender new bud in the blosome euen so doth the finger of the Lord which hath touched my soule discourage it and make it to languish 7. But Alasse my God! what courage can I haue when I behold my selfe couered with wounds and that there is no part of my body free from greefe and that besides my disease my licentious pleasures present them-selues before me which reproch my sinne and deride my vanity I say to my selfe must I needs dippe my life in the honney of so many delights to steepe it afterwards in the gall of such bitter anguish where art thou now ô deceitful voluptuousnes which diddest melt my soule in the sweere licour of thy pleasures ô what a draught dost thou now leaue mee 8 Now ô Lord haue I not endured enough hath not my humility sufficiently chasticed my pride if I haue sinned thorow foolish presumption I haue since then fallen vpon the ground and couered mine head with ashes with mine owne arme I haue preuented my punishment I haue cleft my hart with cries and melted mine eies into teares and yet thy wrath continewes 9 It may be ô Lord that thou hast not perceued my laments thou who in the twinckling of an eye lookest thorow heauen and earth whose sight pearceth the very bottom of our hearts ô LORD thou hast read my thoughts and knowest mine intents what haue I craued but thy mercy wherein did I hope but in thy goodnesse wherefore haue I made a publicke profession of
my confession and the humble petition for fauor which I present vnto thee For I come not into thy presence to boast of mine owne righteousnesse but of thy mercy and louing kindnesse 3. If thou shouldest keepe a register of our offences and shouldest call vs to an account who were able ô my God to endure the rigour of thy iustice What day of my life is there but would deserue an age of torment Thou mayest in a maner inflict all the paines of hell vppon mee and yet the greatest part of mine offences will remaine vnpunished 4. But notwithstanding that men doe offend thee yet thou lettest not to receiue the sinner which comes vnto thee with confession in his mouth and contrition in his heart He hath no sooner looked towards thy mercy but hee feeles it to worke in him to breakâ— and dissolue sinne which had frozen his heart with feare and horror The punishment which did hang ouer his head runnes backward from him and carries away with it this wretched carefulnesse which tormenteth the consciences inflicted with sinne This is the reason ô Lord why I would neuer forsake thy law but haue alwayes waighted till it might please thee to shew mercy vpon mee For hee who ill aduised doth despaire in his sinne and abandons his soule as lost dooes like the abhominable vsurer who because hee hath susteined some losse in his goods doth therefore depriue himselfe of life 5. My soule hath not done so for so soone as shee hath felt thy heauie hand vpon mee which exacted a part of the punishment which my sinnes had merited shee did still for all that keepe whole the hope which shee had in thy promise Euen when thy blowes fell heauie on my back I cryed out vnto thee Lord God thy will bee done yet giue mee as much strength as affliction Measure my punishmeÌ„t by my strength and my torments encreasing augment my courage thou hast ô Lord done so 6. Let all Israell then from the day breake vntill darke night hope in his God let them expect succor from him alone For his helpe is ready vnto those which call vpon him in integrity of conscience and purity of heart It matters not how great and fearfull the misery is for so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the cry of his seruants euen so soone do they feele themselues deliuered 7. For hee aboundeth in mercy hee is infinitely good to those which haue recourse vnto him For if our sinnes surpasse all measure his mercy exceeds all thoughts We haue deserued a long and greeuous captiuity loe he deliuers vs and sets vs at liberty We haue blinded the eies of our vnderstanding behold he comes and enlightens them O Israell thou hast offended the Lord thou hast derided his law thou hast played with his commandements thou hast forgotten his benefits which he hath bestowed vpon thee He hath drawne thee forth of a miserable bondage he hath fed thee with the bread of heauen hee hath caused fountains of water to gush forth of the barraine rocks only to giue thee drinke he chose the most delicious garden of the earth for thy dwelling place he made his couenant with thee hee gaue thee his wil in keeping and thou hast conspired against his honour committed whoredome with strange Gods troden his lawe vnder thy feete thou hast in a word deserued more punishments then hell can affoord And hee neuerthelesse offereth himselfe fauourably vnto thee he will redeeme thee from the bondage of sinne where-vnto thou wert willingly bound with the price of his owne bloud Behold hee himselfe payes their ransome which did betray him and takes vpon himselfe the punishment for our sinnes and payes the forfeiture of our offences With what wordes shall wee giue thee thankes Open then my lippes my God my Creator my Redeemer to the end that my voyce may bee spent and mine heart enflamed with a burning affection to praise and thanke thee and cast me downe in the knowledge of my selfe to the end to exalt mee in the knowledge of that holy mysterie whereby wee are re-incorporated into thee and re-integrated into thy allyance for to enter into this blessed societie of glory in the which all those shall triumph which shall bee pertakers in the merite of the passion of thy well beeloued Sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Domine exaudi vocem meam Psalme 142. MAn ô Lord is at the last weary of all things continuall running puts him out of breath too much looking vpon a thing dazels the eyes a thundring noyce troubles the hearing but the more my voyce cryeth vnto thee the stronger it is my courage is the more encreased and my praier is the more pleasing vnto mee Therefore do I euery day begin a fresh to cry out ô Lord hearken vnto my prayer and giue eare to my supplication for all my comfort consisteth in praying vnto thee ô my God It is my prayer ó Lord which coniures thy clemencie to expiate my sinnes not by the rigor of the punishment but by the effect of grace which thou hast granted vs by the which thou abollishest by thy soueraigne and absolute power the memory of our offences 2. Enter not then into iudgement with thy seruant ô Lord giue him not ouer to the rigor of the law for of all liuing creatures which shall appeare before the face of thy rigorous iudgement not one shall bee iustified none shall escape that fearefull condemnation whose paine is not onely terrible but eternall in his terrour Alas ô Lord who is able to saue himselfe in thy presence It is thou who art offended it is thou who wilt accuse vs thou hast seene our offenâ—es and canst witnesse against them it is thou which shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall bee the witnesse and the witnesse shall bee the Iudge what shall become of the offendor what excuse can serue to iustifie him But ô Lord I will not trust to that I will shield my selfe vnder thy fauour and oppose it to thy iustice Thy fauour is obteyned by the acknowledgment of our offences by the humiliation of our mindes loe I prostrate my selfe before thee laying open my sinne ô Lord haue pitty vppon mee 3. My sinne ó my COD the chiefe enemy to my soule hath in such sort hurried and beaten mee downe as I now grouell vpon the earth not daring to looke vppe vnto heauen for so soone as I lift vp mine eyes I see the light which presenteth to the day such and so many faults which doe accuse my conscience I also doe sodenly feele shame in my guiltie countenance which makes mee holde downe my face to the ground my face vnworthy to looke vppe to heauen the Lord whereof it hath so greeuously offended my face which is not valiant enough to cast vppe his eyes towards those places which haue so many lightning flashes prepared to roote out guilty offenders 4. My spirit then hath conducted mee into darknesse and hath buried
it to her first originall without euer nourishing any other thought then that which shall tend to the honour of thy seuice and aduancement of thy glory FINIS Meditations on seauen Consolatorie Psalmes of Dauid Dominus illuminatio mea Psalme 26. AFter that I had a long time bathed my heart in my teares and sighed forth a thousand sorrowes in bewailing my sinnes I thought ô Lord that I had appeased thy wrath and that my miseries should forth-with end But alas as I walke on in the world and determine with innocency of life to conuerse amongst men I perceiue their enuie to bee turned against me and all their enuie to be turned against me and all their endeuours bent to doe mee hurt So as I begin to doubt whether I am yet reconciled vnto thee and whether that this my penitence haue satisfied thâ— or no But when castinge myne eyes on euery side I perceiue that this affliction is common to me with all honest people when I behold euery where what practises are vsed against them how that their constancy is continually put to the tryall and on the contrary how that the wicked doe abound in delight pleasure and all manner of wealth I stand all amazed and confounded For on the one side I call to minde how thou art a great and a righteous GOD whose all-seeing eye pearceth the profoundest deepes whose almighty hand stretcheth it selfe foorth to the farthest parts of the world And on the other I perceiue how those that lift vp their heads against thee and oppresse thy poore and innocent seruants doe prosper in thy sight and waxe proud euery day for thy happy successe of their impiety I confesse ô Lord that in this contemplation I remaine as though I were dull and blinde not beeing able to pearce thorow this thick mist which did dazell the eyes of mine vnderstanding But at the last ô Father of light thou hast opened mine eye liddes and enlightning mee with the beames of thy wisedom thou hast made mee to vnderstand the reason thereof and freeing mee from the trauaile and doubt wherein I was thou hast filled mee with assurance of my saluation and giuen me a most certaine consolation so as now I not onely neglect the threats of the wicked and despise their insolencie but beeing armed with an admirable constancy and greatnesse of courage I of my selfe doe vndertake the combate and crye out with a lowd voyce Happen what will I now feare nothing For although God for a while doe exercise his faithfull seruants yet hee forsakes them not at their need but doth in such sort mixe their aduersity with their strength as they euer remaine victorious in this incounter And indeed so long as I shall put my trust and assurance in his mercy what occasion shall I euer haue to feare Hee hath now taken my life into his protection and couereth me on all sides with the wings of his power who is able to enforce him to forsake mee what shall I feare if hee defend mee whom all the world stands in feare and awe of his forces are not armies of men but legions of Angels Princes and Captaines are not his ministers but lightenings and tempests his displeasures are not stroakes and wounds but earthquakes swallowings vp of Citties inundations of Countries Thou hast already ô Lord taken all these weapons in hand and art ready to thunder vpon the pride of the wicked who haue conspired the destruction of good men But because ô my God thy mercy doth for a while hold back the arme of thy diuine vengeance thou comfortest mee in the meane time with a firme hope that thou wilt neuer forsake mee And I seeme dayly to heare thee speaking thus vnto mee Tarrie yet a little while the houre which I haue appointed is not yet come and build thou in the meane time on my promise and what affliction soeuer is prepared for thee assure thy selfe I will make thee to ouer-come it My courage ô LORD encreaseth when I feele thee thus to second mee and this thine exhortation doth more animate mee to patience then thee applaudes of the people doe the wrastler in the middest of his game Nothing dooth now any more astonish mee all these practises and conspiracies against my life and honour seeme like the tempestuous waues of the raging Sea who roaring a farre off come and breake them-selues against the foote of some rocke they are scattered at the first shock and the blow yeelds nothing but a vaine sound which is the end of these great menaces It is certaine that the conscience of an innocent person builded vpon thy fauour is stronger then the greatest rocks and no furious assault is able to shake it 3. What shall I now feare any more a sort of wicked people who compasse mee about seeking meanes to surprize mee they inuent sundry meanes to entrappe mee Behold how they looke at one side how they bend theyr browes and grinde their teeth at mee I doe verily beleeue that their cheefest desire is to teare mee in peeces with their teeth to glut themselues with my flesh to gnaw my bones and to drinke my bloud O cruell beasts how can yee thus change your natures how can yee thus abiure all humanitie Doe you thinke that because yee haue forgotten GOD that GOD hath forgotten his seruants Doe yee thinke that his seruâ—nts are as farre seperated from him as your selues are from righteousnesse 4. And though like cruell Tygers yee haue shedde your poyson vppon mee yee haue disquieted mee with your fearfull cryes and torne mee in peeces with your teeth and talents yet your stroakes haue none otherwise lighted on mee then on burnisht steele they would not pearce mee mine innocence is invulnerable and at the last beeing tyred and spent yee are constrained to make retreate and lying flatte on your bellyes yee barke and grinne in despight but yee haue no more power and yee haue none other weapons left but onely the will to doe euill But because your voyce is abhomination before God and that by your threatnings yee blaspheme him hee will wholy roote yee out and throwe downe those hills vppon you which your ambition and auarice haue heaped one vpon an other thinking thereby to scale his throne and to robbe him of his glory 5. O Lord what sight hast thou presented to mine eyes I am now so assured of thy mercy so comforted by the care which I perceiue thou hast of thy faithfull seruants as albeit I should see neuer so great an armie of men yet I would not feare them Let them bring against mee an Armie composed of all the nations of the earth let them place Scithyans on the right wing of the battaile Aethiopians on the left the East Indies and America in the rereward and place the rest of the world for the battaile in the middest adde there-vnto what so-euer the arte of killing men is able to inuent so as my GOD conduct mee I will
admirable face of thine Thy warth ô Lord is onely vpon such as glory in their sinne and wax stubborne in their iniquity But I thy seruant doe humble my selfe before thee and doe acknowledge that being an vnworthy sinner as I am I durst not appeare in thy presence but that thy clemēcy brings me before thee Thou shalt not then reiect me for thou must forthwith then reiect thy mercy wherevnto I am so strictly bound and tied that as it is not to be seperated from thee euen so can it not bee seauered from my penitence 15. If it please thee then thou shalt dwell with me and seeing it hath pleased thee to aduouch mee for thy seruant and to put mee to this combat thou shalt not forsake mee therein otherwise my destruction would turne to thy shame whereas my victorie will redound to thy glory Now ô Lord cause this ayde to be continually with me For as mine owne infirmity doth ordinarily fight against mee euen so is it needfull that my succour should euer bee at hand If thou estrange thy selfe from mee neuer so little my soule will vanish away in the same maner as would my body by the losse of my soule For thou ô Lord art more the soule of my soule then my soule is the life of my body I do very well know that in mee thou shalt finde a dwelling place in no sort worthy thy diuine Maiestie yet for all that disdaine not to enter into mee where thou commest all magnificence abounds and where thou art there is alwaies honor enough Thou doest not ô Lord honor thy selfe by visiting me but thou thereby doest honor vnto mee thy poore seruant wherefore shouldest thou leaue the brightnesse of the heauens and the glistering of the starres to come downe here on earth to so dishonorable a subiect But as I thinke thou dooest it to giue warning to thine Angels not to growe proud in their magnificence in regarde they are thy creatures and that thou art able to make the basest dweller vpon earth as glorious as they That is the reason why thou descendest from heauen to shew mercy vpon vs and bearing a part in our misery thou commest to re-establish vs in our ancient perfection And because we as much as in vs was haue defaced the image of the diuinity which thou hadst imprinted in vs thou of thine especiall grace commest to renew those beauties and sparkes of our first nature It is thou then which art not onely content to bee our Creator but our redeemer likewise and as thou art our father in like manner it pleaseth thee to bee our protector and defender When all the world forsooke vs thou stretchedst out thine armes vnto vs and diddest receiue vs vnder the wings of thy clemencie 16. I stood in great neede thereof for I knew no more whether to goe My father and mother had forsaken mee that father I say who had tenderly fed and brought mee vp did abhorre mee when hee perceiued that I delighted wholy in thee and that I had left the vanities of this world They beheld mee with sorrow and accounted mee for a lost child The kinde embraces of my bretheren were conuerted into disdaine the sweet friendship of my sisters changed to contempt and the louing welcomes of my friends turned into derision Whether now should I make retreate If my deerest friends vse mee in this manner what will mine enemies doe whose mouth is all bitternesse and tongue poyson whose actions and ordinary exercises are wrongs and reproches But when I am most of all forsaken then art thou neerest vnto mee then doest thou most fauourably embrace mee and most liberally powrest vpon mine head the treasures of thy mercy 17. Now seeing it pleaseth thee in this aboundant manner to bestow thy grace vpon mee to the end I may be able to keep it teach mee how I ought to serue thee Learne mee thy law and how to direct my paths to walke alwayes aright in this narrow thornie way which should conduct mee to the hauen of health For ô Lord I haue left long since that easie beaten way strewed with earthly pleasures and which leadeth those that follow it to destruction and damnation Shew mee then my God thy way for vnder such a guide I shall neuer goe astray shew it I say vnto me ô Lord for if I stray neuer so little I am vndone mine enemies watch to surprise mee and to finde matter to dishonor mee and thy selfe likewise because they know I serue thee truely and faithfully 18. Giue mee not ouer then into their hands to do with me after their hearts desire for they would soone depriue mee both of life and honour They haue already laide their plotte inuented a thousand accusations practised a world of witnesses but their lyes returne vppon themselues and beare witnesse against them Falsehood cannot bee hidden shee lyeth open and truth pierceth it thorow on all sides It is compounded of peeces ill ioyned together which fall a sunder at the first blowe they receiue and beeing opposed against innocencie it melts away like Snowe before the sunne 19. But if as they desir they should heape slanders vpon me and smother me vnder the burthen of their wrongs I would not for all that be discouraged I haue not put my trust ó Lord in the richesse and honours of this world they are commonly the portion of the wicked they are for the most part the rewardes of their perfidious wickednesse and deceits this marchandize is commonly bought with none other money All my trust and hope ô Lord is in thee the world is not able to containe it the fruit of my labours dooth not grow in the land of the dead it is in the land of the liuing that I waite to gather them there doe I hope to see my wealth nay rather thine ó my GOD. Other men looke for the fruite after the blossome but I expect it after the fall of the leafe After that the leafe of my body shall bee fallen I hope that my soule shall flourish with new fruite and shall bee cloathed with the eternall verdure of immortallity 20. Bee patient then my soule and beare thy selfe valiantly redouble thy courage and waite till my GOD come towards thee Bee not astonisht at the prosperitie of the wicked feare thou not though they doe oppresse good men And because thou seest ó Lord that I am not strong enough of my selfe assist and vnderproppe mee least that the affections of the wicked cause mee to remooue foorth of the place where thou diddest set mee second my feruent zeale to the end that hauing fought valiantly in the assault which the wicked make vppon mee I may stand ready when thou shalt open the gate and beeing entred in triumph with thee I may sitte at thy feete at such time when thou shalt iudge the quick and the dead Then wee shall see the great difference betwixt their liues and ours and what reward attends them they haue
sweeten the sharpnesse which pricks and vexes you and neuer go about to hurt him because of that For the recompence of good men is nor only good for good but good for euill 9. And those who caried away with a fiery impatience do procure the hurt of others who in stead of leauing vengeance to God vnto whom it belongs will vsurpe it from him they shall bee rooted out for euer like insolent seruants which enterprize vpon their maisters authority they shall be sharply and shamefully punished But he which possesseth his soule in patience and constantly waiteth for Gods iudgement God will praise and blesse his obedience and after that he hath punished the wicked for their mischiefe hee will confiscate their possessions and make him maister and owner thereof 10. Tarry yet a little and yee shall see the sport Hee whom yee did see so magnificent which made so great profit by his sinne who by his naughty practizes had gathered together so much wealth as he thought thereby to haue purchased an immortall name he shall glide a way like a waue where the water flowed with great surges there shal be seene nothing but mudde and dirt there shal not remaine so much as any signe of the place where he stood he shall be no more remembred then the wind which blew a twelue-moneth past 11. And on the contrary a good and righteous man shall possesse his roome shall be successor of his ritches and shal raigne in safety on the earth leauing his wealth in succession to his children peace shal passe on to his by inheritance Peace a rich and wealthy in heritance which giueth tast to all other benefits without which all the other is but torment and afliction Peace more sweet then the sweetest oile and milke which hatcheth all kind of pleasures in thy bosome which causeth vertue to budde and flourish and which no wrisheth and ripeneth her holy fruites 12. Now this peace is the guift of God and nothing can bestow it vpon vs but his goodnes and nothing can procure his goodnesse but the reformation of our wicked liues for so so long as warr shall remaine in vs and that sinne which is the sinne of discord shall lodge with vs wee cannot hope for peace and rest amongst our selues But on the contrary if wee can make peace with God wee shall forth with haue it with men and wee shall liue in a firme and quiet rest 13. I know well that there will alwayes be wicked people found whose euill-will will not cease till they dye I know very well that they wil alwayes lie in waite to surprize good men to practize against them they will grinde their teeth at them gromble like roaring Lions for their hatred is so extreame against the good as when they see them they know not how to looke and resemble beasts rather then men 14. But God almighty who hath appointed that which hath bin which shal be and is whose ordonances are immouable doth mock such practises laugheth at the vaine doings of those false miserable wretches which beate the ayre and skirmish with the wind he sees their end to come on faire and softly which shall beare them hence like a great whirle-wind 15. For wheÌ„ they think themselues to be maister to haue al in their own power euen theÌ„ shall they bee in most danger You shal see these miserable siâ—ners with naked swords in hand to bend their bowes and to take their ayme to hit the innocent They will band themselues together they will put their people in order place their ambush giue the watch-word and ioyfull in their hearts they will say we hold him he cannot escape vs. 16. They will come to slay the poore needy and innocent person and will make account to roote out all those whose harts and soules are vpright For against such men they denounce warre because they hinder the execution of their purposes and for that their innocence is a continuall reproach vnto them 17. They had already set their knife to the throate of the innocent they were fetching their stroake they had shot off their arrowes but loe by a wonderfull accident the point of their swordes was turned vpon their owne brests their arrowes fell vpon themselues their bowes brake betwixt their fingers And at last they slew one another with their owne weapons Thou hast rightly said ô Lord that alwaies euill councelles ouerthrow the authors thereof thou hast foretold that the wicked are taken in their owne snares and that at the last they shal suffer the punishment which they prepared for others 18. It is not then ô Lord power greatnes and worldly authority which make men happy troopes and armies of men make them not safe and conquerors For the small store which thou giuest vnto the iust man who by his sincerity is reconciled to thy fauour is of more worth then all the plenty and a fluence of the wicked the little which a iust man hath riseth like the leuen in the dough his strength flourisheth like the branches of the Palme tree for his vigour takes root in thee who art the depth of al strength and power 19. But on the contrary the arme of the sinner how strong soeuer it be shal be broken and his strength shall be troden vnder foote for it is but a vaine shew which swelleth like to the glasse in the furnace it waxeth great by the breath of the workman but the more it encreaseth and shines the more weake and brittle it becomes so as a small knock breakes it all to pieces But the iust man is like to the diamond the more it is hammered the brighter it is Affliction takes only from the innocent man his vppermost filth and excrement and the nakeder he is the fairer and purer he appeares 20. In a word whatsoeuer God sends to good men all is for theire good Hee knoweth the life and dayes of all such people as are pure and cleane and giueth them that which is needfull for them Their happinesse is prepared from all eternity and they shall eternally possesse it not an earthly inheritance but a heauenly whose wealth is infinite and eternall an inheritance which deuided amongst his children shall neuerthelesse remaine whole entier whose parts shall be as great as the whole For it is this inheritance of glory which enritching so many people doth fill them all with eternall blessednesse and remaineth euer one and alwaies infinite 21. Now albeit that the hope of Gods seruants is not fixed on earth yet neuerthelesse so long as they shall remaine in this world he will not suffer them to want that which is necessary for the maintenance of this life For when the euil time shall come when as vengeance shal be poured vpon men when the waters shall ouerflow their bankes when tempests shall beare sway and the heauens raigne downe fire the iust shall be then at rest in the midst of the tempests stand
bee the fruits of the iust man shall they bee the wealth which hee hath gathered together the castles which he hath builded ô fruits vnworthy such a tree fruites which wither at the first feeling of frost fruites which fall off with the first winde not so it shall bee the goâ—d and sauory fruites which growe in the faire and plentiâ—ull arbors of the diuine wisedome They are holy and religious thoughts they are meditations full of zeale and deuotion by which he will ioyne his spirit to God then opening his soule he will receiue the beames of the holy Ghost which will animate him to a thousand goodly vertuous actions as the fruite of his life Holines passing from his heart to his lippes will cause him to vtter none other speeches but of equity and righteousnes 34. For he will alway haue the saw of God imprinted in his soule as a iust and certain rule whereby hee will encompasse his speech and he need not feare euer to goe astray out of the right way nor that his foot will in any sort slide for the foundation thereof is too surely laide and the pathe too much beaten The lawe of God is more firme and solide then Iron or Steele It is an in flexible rule an immoueable rocke It is a place of safety where a man is not onely conducted in righteousnesse but safely preserued as betwixt two brazen walles 35. For behold the wicked how long hee hath laine in ambush to surprize the innocent behold what meanes hee hath vsed to take away his honour and life see whether hee haue forgotten any thing or no 36. But God forsaketh not the iust man into what danger soeuer hee falles hee giues him not ouer to the sacriligious hands of these cruell murtherers nor to their bloudy impostures and impudent slanders For hee is Iudge and the power resides in him but hee is likewise a witnesse and the knowledge of truth is in him seeing then that hee knoweth the truth and that hee can and will iudge the innocent shall he not be iustified by his sentence 37. Waite then on him ô yee iust for his helpe is certaine be not weary of staying for him for he knowes better what yee need then your selues sometimes hee tarries to trye your patience some-times to glorifie you walke then in his waies obserue them carfully Plant strong hedges round about his wayes stick your labours with thornes and your tribulations with briers for feare least voluptuousnesse enter in and pleasure breake and spoile your way Perseuer in your course vntill yee sweate water and bloud to the end that yee may arriue at the hauen of rest where God will exalt yee aboue this visible world yee namely aboue his glorified Angels Hee will cause yee to lead sinners in triumph and will make yee to see the earth purged from their iniquity to bee assigned for a portion to good men 38. I haue beene some-times amazed to see the wicked man raised vp to all sorts of honors and to hold the earth in a manner subiect vnder his feet The Cedar of Libanus lookes not more faire and straight at such time as hee puts on his greene liuery and spreds forth his new blossoms as the wicked seemed in the strength of his magnificence 39. But returning by the place where I left him I did greatly wonder what was become of him I beheld the seate of his greatnesse which was turned into solitude I did aske what is become of him that was so braue and so much feared no man made me answer I sought vp and downe euery where to see if I could meete him but I could heare no tidings at all All melted away with him there remained not so much as a mentioÌ„ of him and it seemed that the fire had eaten all vp 40. Wee must then by the example of their misery learne to eschew sinne and following another life meritte another end Preserue your selues then ô yee innocent people study righteousnesse loue equity and iustice For the peacable man loueth rest in his family and is new borne in his posterity 41. They are not like to the reprobate whose memory is lost in a moment and no man remaines afterward to name them vnlesse it bee with cursses Theyr posterity is lost at once the first stroke that striketh them doth wholy ouerthrow theÌ„ for they had no helpe but in their own selues God had forsaken them long since 42. He succoureth onely the iust that trust in him they haue waited on him and it is reason that they should find comfort in him he likewise supporteth them in the day of their affliction They shall retire theÌ„selues vnder his wings like to poore chickins pursued by the Kite they shall there be couered defended and comforted 43. Hee will helpe them in the middest of the bickering and then they shall bee enuironed on euery side hee will miraculously by his power come and deliuer them Hee will breake into the throng will draw the iust forth of the hands of the wicked Wherfore ô Lord doest thou support the iust with such affection Because they haue trusted in thee and not placed their confidence in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world but on thine infinite goodnesse and mercy which neuer faileth those which call vpon thine holy name Seeing them ó father of Iustice and mercy that it pleaseth thee for a time to permit the wicked to enioy the goods and honours of this world and to set their feete on the necks of good men and with their euil artificiall practises to torment thy good and faithfull seruants compose in such sort our affections as wee may not be offended with their good hap nor enuy their decetfull riches but graunt that wee may couragiously beare what affliction so euer it shall please thee to lay vppon vs wayting with patience till thou comest to iudge their conscience to enquire out the depth of their councells and with the seuerity of thy iustice to imprint on their for-heads the shame they haue deserued razing their infamous memory from the face of the earth which is appointed for the seruice of thy glory And in the meane time containe our hearts in such sort that we haue none other hope but in thee and make account of nothing else in this world or to set our loue vpon but on thine onely grace and blessing Iudica me domine Psalme 42. BEe my Iudge ô Lord take notice of my cause and iudge the slanders wherewith the wicked doe accuse mee deliuer mee oÌ„ Lord out of the vngodly and from deceitfull lippes For they are gathered together to conspire against me and they haue practised my destruction They would cloke their theft with iustice and vnder shew of law they would ouerthrow and defame mee But ô diuine iustice which with an all-seeing eye doest scatter the cloudes of slander and giuest light to innocency shine a little vppon mee and make them know that trueth pearceth
throw theyr deceits and makes way to appeare before thee who art a seuere and vncorrupted iudge and the only comforter of the afflicted 2. Thou art my strength and defence on thee alone doeth mine innocency repose I was prepared to encounter the impostures of those which assailed me I had deuised a thousand arguments to conuince them made acoūt to gaine the cause But when I did consider that thou tookest vppon thee the knowledge of my cause like my God my keeper my protector I said vnto my selfe to what purpose are all these goodly syllogismes for my Iudge knowes the truth of the matter and is acquainted with the equity of my cause What can be hidden from him before whom all things are present what can bee shewed vnto him which is iustice it selfe who hath established lawes and vnto whom the interpretation of them doth belong I throw my selfe then into thine armes my God my strength and refuge Iudge my cause and deliuer me from the slanders of the wicked But wherefore dost thou reiect mee ô my God I haue a long time called vppon thee and yet thou commest not Mine enemies in the mean time oppresse mee and I am able to hold out no longer ô Lord I am almost in despaire why dost thou forsake mee But soft and faire my soule why art thou so desolate although God doth for a while deferre to come to thine ayde whilest the wicked doe afflict thee why art thou thus discouraged and giuest thy selfe ouer to griefe and sorrow That which is deferred is not lost hee will come seeing he hath promised it 3. Come then ô my God my Lord and display the beames of thy diuine light vppon mee and seeing thou art the father of truth leaue not this thy poore daughter captiue to the iniquity and iniustice of these accusers If thou louest innocency deliuer it frō the bandes of these false accusations now ô Lord mallice lies hid in the middest of darknes if thou putst it to the light of the day shee is ouercome If it bee knowne it is vndone Let then thy light thy truth ô my God assist mee in my iustice For all my life time I haue loued them from my youth I haue made much of them and sought them out They are they ô Lord which first of all brought mee before thee and presented mee vnto thee vppon thine holy hill seated in the middest of thy Tabernacle they brought mee into thy Church and gaue mee a place of honour in thy house 4. It is there ô Lord where I haue chosen my dwelling place mine habitation is with thee in thee ô Lord is my rest al my glory hath beene to serue thee Beeing then assured of thine aide hoping in thy grace I will present my selfe before thee which knowest my conscience and knowing iudgest it in iudging thou esteemest it in esteeming it confound the common enemies of mine honor thy seruice I will cōe vnto the Altar that I haue built vnto thee to blesse and sanctifie thy name I wil cal on thee ô my God which fillest my youth with ioy warmest my hart with the sacred flames of thy holy will and heapest pleasure and gladnesse vpon me 5. Taking my Harpe in hand I will play the confession of thy magnificence and with my voyce I will tune the sweete accents of thy praise I will now sing of thy mighty power by by of thine immense goodnesse then thine infinite clemency but I will end with this admirable iustice which hath defended me from the oppression of the wicked and hath caused the shame of their naughty practises to light vpon themselues wherefore then my soule art thou thus sorrowfull why dooest thou thus trouble mee and fret thy selfe at the indignities of the wicked as though theyr venemous tongues were able to preuaile against an innocent conscience no no a burning torch thrust into the water is not so quickly put out as is slander which is throwne vpon an innocent life 6. Hope in God then ô my soule and reioyce in his fauor for I perceiue that he is pleased with his praises in my mouth All my life long I will praise and confesse my selfe vnto the God of truth the God of Iustice God the defender of the innocent the father of saluation God mine only defence I will alway fixe mine eyes and countenance on him for I haue found no saluation but in him onely O God who from the beginning of the world doost stretch forth thine armes to the afflicted protectest the oppressed and comfortest the iust man vniustly tormented giue mee ô Lord comfort and courage to the end that recollecting my spirits halfe dulled with affliction I may glorifie thee with my whole strength and drowne with the vigor of my voyce the blasphemies of the wicked who defame thine honor who beeing not able to reach vnto thy selfe doe furiously assaile good men that serue thee faithfully Audite haec omnes gentes Psalme 48. COme vnto me ô yee strangest nations draw neere vnto mee ô yee people the most remote come from all parts to heare that which no where else yee can heare crosse the seas and mountaines ouer-come boldly all difficulty of the long way For the reward of your nauigation shall bee greater then his which sayleth from the East to the West laden with Pearles and Diamonds The recompence of your trauailes shall bee more pretious then the trophees of those which subdue the nations of the earth Bend then your ear and listen attentiuely to that which I will now declare vnto you Oh! how gladly would I wish that all the rest of your sences were turned into hearing to the end yee might purely conceiue that which I will pronounce vnto you 2. Come come all yee which call your selues children of the earth and thinke that yee owe your originall and beeing to the earth and your birth onely to your parents and acknowledge in this world nothing older then they nor nothing greater then your selues In deed yee may bee rightly called the children of the earth yee are insensible like it and yee haue no more vnderstanding then Images made of claye which art bakte in the furnace Come and open your eares to the end that I may open your mindes shut the eyes of your body that I may cause your soules to see cleerely forsake the earth this goodly mother-in-law to the end I may make you to know your heauenly father come then euery one both rich and poore for yee are all alike vnworthy of the benefits which I will liberally bestow vpon you 3. Come for I will open vnto you the treasures of eternall wisedome And opening my mouth inspired with the grace of God Almighty I will declare in my words the wonders of his wisdome I haue a long time held my soule in a profound meditation and after much deliberation I did at last conceiue a strange discourse of the diuine wisdome whereby I haue in all
to haue in his fauour How happy are they whom the sundry encounters of this world could neuer shake in their assurance of the diuine iustice how great and praise-worthy is the constancie of such people 12. For to speake truth my foote did often-times slip in this way I did often slide and almost fell to the ground Like vnto those who ascend a sharpe and thornie passage when they feele them-selues pricked with some thorne or bryer doe presently with the paine let goe their hold whereby they went vp and forth with tumble down vnlesse they bee soone stayed euen so ô my God whilst I take vpon me to iudge of thy works and to behold how thou disposest thy graces being pricked grieued at the prosperity of the wicked I fetch many false steps and am ready to fall head-long downe and to iudge amisse of thy wisedome and iustice 13. How comes it to passe say I that people which know not God but to blaspheme him who thinke they haue hired him to serue their libidinous and peruerse affections who care not otherwise for him but only to haue him serue for a coulour to their wickednesse and for a maske to their iniquities that they should neuerthelesse reape the fruite of his fauor and possesse in peace and quiet the very creame of his blessings I confesse it ô my GOD that I am iealous of their prosperity and I enuy it and it seemeth vnto mee that it is altogether against reason 4. What man that beholds them will say that they should euer die who is it but would thinke that they had purchased of thee at a price immortality in this world and parted stakes with thee of an eternall continuance in all felicity In other matters of this world some change is seene which sheweth that of necessety an end must follow but in their happinesse is such firmnesse descerned as it seemeth that they still encreasing as they doe will at last attayne thy infinitenesse and seate them-selues in thine Heauenly throne for there is no manner of likely-hood to imagine that any thing should hurt them nor that the least misfortune should once draw neere the lustre of such magnificence It is a matter incredible to thinke that any euell should hurt their pretious bodies enuironed with such numbers of excellent riches 5. Other men waxe crooked with trauaile labour is their trade of life they are borne in teares and grow vp in sighs they waxe olde in lamentations the sea is oftener free from winde then their life from torment so many arrowes stick not about a white as miseries and aflictions are seene to encompasse other men But these men only are free and safe and with a firme and smooth course of life they bath themselues with ease in the pleasures of this world and make the calamities of honest people and such as feare God their only sport and pastime Who hath seene a tyrant from a theater to behold his slaues fighting with Tygers Lions and to feed his cruell eies and heart with the inhumane sight of those poore dismembred creatures in the selfe same manner doe these vile wretches feed their wishes with the sight of the aflictions which scourge the innocent 7. Oh how proud and arrogant it makes them they think that the earth was made only for them and that it is not bigge enough to hold them As for the other sort they behold them at one side and it seemeth that they enuie that they liue and they scornefully mutter these words shall we neuer be rid of these rascalls wil they still be in our sight Then they say among themselues what is this fellow but a varlet that man but a foole So in loue are they with themselues that they account nothing in this world goodlier then themselues they adore them-selues like Gods they serue their owne lusts reuerence their owne passions so as they are couered ouer head and eares with pride rapine and iniustice 7. They are fatte onely with mischeefe their bodies are not so larded with fatte as their soules with sinnes All manner of villainy and abhomination dwells in their consciences all their thoughts and wishes tend to filthinesse they fixe their eies onely therevpon their fingers itch at it they haue none other minde nor affection and mallice doth animate and giue motion to their bodies 8. Yee shall see them so soone as they haue a long time thought on their sinne chewed their euell plottes and executed some wicked enterprise how they will glorie in them braue the world and talke as though they had authority for whatsoeuer they did If there were any shame in them they would at leastwise satisfie them-selues with their licentious outrages exercized vpon men and not thus vilanously blaspheame and curse the sacred name of God 9. But what ô my God they haue listed vp their heads against Heauen they haue scornefully beheld the seate of thy greatnesse as if they should say what is there to bee compared vnto vs To vs who do what wee list in this world who haue aboundance of all things As for the earth they vouchsafe not to looke on it or if in pitty they cast their eyes on it they say what is this earth but that which cloyes vs with her aboundance wearies vs with hir fruitfulnesse 10. This is truely the reason ó Lord why all the people beeing amazed come together in heapes to view this prodigy and runne from all partes to behold this spectacle and they are mute to see this wonder they are there fixed and looke one vppon another 11. At the last they waxe impatient and beginne to murmur What doth not God who seeth all things perceiue this Is it not hee which hath this greate all-seeing eye who bath beheld things before they were created sees them in their beeing and force-sees their end Is not his prouidence saide to bee as great in the gouernment of the world as his goodnesse was wonderfull in the creation thereof If hee hath disposed all things in order if hee hath created by measure if his iustice bee present in the gouernement of the world what doth hee at this time where doth hee now sleepe 12. Behold the wicked haue seazed on his benefits and possesse the wealth of the world a man would thinke that al was made for them ritches raines downe vpon them honours enters their houses in heapes happinesse laies hold on them perforce they desire and haue they wish and obtaine 13. And at the last I my selfe haue likewise said my God how comes this to passe I haue in vaine iustified myne hart and ruled mine actions according to thy commandements I haue despoiled my selfe of al affections for to loue nothing but thee I haue circumcized my heart from all euill desires I haue fettered my will in thy law to the end it might only serue thy glory eschew sinne and sinners I kept company with the innocent and haue lifted vp my hands with them not
only the hands of my body ô my God but those of my soule which are my affections the which I haue wash ed and purified in the torrent of my teares 14. I haue done pennance and haue all day long scourged my selfe beating my hart with continuall sighes peircing it with sharpe contrition and haue driuen away by force of my bloudy teares that viscuous humor which had ouerflowed my will with very bitter gall Euery morning when I arose I cryed thee mercy for my sinnes and I haue detested mine offences I did euery day awake with this purpose and with it I beganne my dayes worke 15. I said to my selfe lo this is al I can say those which feare God and serue him are aflicted those which blaspheme him are at their ease And therevpon I beganne to detest the condition of those which glory ô Lord in being thy children thy chosen and went foreward and said Are these they who are called the children of the Almighty God surely they are reprobate children seeing that others possesse the inheritance of theit father and they in the meane time are in extreame pouerty The other who ouerflow in wealth and vnto whom God is so fauourable and indulgent are his children this name belongs vnto them because they enioy his benefits and are next him masters ouer his workes 16. As for my selfe to speake truly I thought that the matter went thus I could not chuse but vexe and torment my selfe and said alasse my God how comes this to passe can it be thus seeing thou hast pronounced threatnings against the wicked and prepared punishment for them in a word I was in extreame perplexity 17. But at the last I perceiued what thy purpose was and I peirced to the bottome of thy sanctuary I entred as I thought into thy holy consistory and there learn'd thy meaning heerin For after that I had resolued my selfe to wait the end which thou hast prepared for such people I knew foorth with that thy iustice neuer lies though it be somtimes long ere it come it recompenceth her slownesse by the rigor of the punishmeÌ„t I then stedfastly determined to behold what would become of these people 18. Truly at the last thou didest pay them home thou didest giue them the reward of their mischeefe and deceit For when they thought themselues to be at the toppe of their greatnesse loe thou madest them leape downe into the pitte of misery All their pompe and magnificence all their ritches were in the end like to an high and lofty scaffold which they ascended to giue them the more shamefull downefall 19. Good God what discomfort what desolation there is nothing at all round about them but lamentations all their officers and vshers runne vp and downe beating their brests and alwaies hanging downe their heades like vnto a flower which is much beaten with the raine and is also pittyed of those men who were wont to enuy them They doe pittifully behold the ruines of their Idoll and perceiue how madde they were to make a wretched mortall man their God who was but smoake and winde For if a man consider their end hee may see how in a moment they are vanished there is nothing so short as the way from their greatnesse to their ruine the change was so sodaine as sight could not comprehend it They were heere they were there they were and are no more their foote-steps can hardly bee perceiued to this passe hath their finne brought them it layde snares a long time for them loe at the last they are fallen into it Whilest it vndermined the foundation of their house they went vp to the top thereof to the end their fall might bee the higher They still went vpwards and thought all beneath them to bee their owne but at the last they went vp so high as they lost themselues in the ayre before they could come downe to the ground and so vanished like the wind 20. They became like vnto dreames from which wee awake for as men say when they awake I did but dreame this or that euen so when such men are gone the people will say The greatnesse of these men was but a dreame it was a meere vanity and folly which had nothing in it sure and certaine For thou wilt in such sort abolish their memory as no man shall think of them but to deride their pride and to condemne their insolency It shall be said loe these are the ruines of their houses these places belonged to these proud sirs who cared neither for God nor men who tooke delight in all manner of euill and filthinesse who built them so many houses with the boanes of poore people and cimented their pallaces with the bloud of the needy behold there remaines nothing of what they haue heeretofore beene but the markes of their shame lightening fell vpon them and consumed them to nothing 21. We must not ô Lord iudge rashly of thy prouidence he that will consider rightly thereof must with patience attend the end must be directed by thy spirit and inuoke it for his guide and comfort For whilst my heart boyled with anger and that for very spâ—te I fetched great sighes from the bottome thereof and that all the partes of my body were in a sweate I had almost lost my selfe and yet neuerthelesse it was to no purpose at all for after all this vexation I was as wise and well resolued as before 22. I was so troubled as I could not tell whether I were a beast or a man nay verily I was like a beast and I could comprehend no more then if I had wholy lost mine vnderstanding But neuerthelesse I still held fast my hope in thee and the more I perceiued my sence and iudgement to faile the faster did I runne vnto thee and humbly besought thee to open my minde and to cause mee to vnderstand thy will 23. Thou diddest take mee by the hand and gently sette mee in the right way of thy will thou diddest acquaint mee with thy purpose Thou hast done more then that for as I thinke thou diddest open mine eyes and heauen at one instant where I did see the fulnesse of thy glory I say ô Lord that thou diddest cause mee to see it for it is a thing that without thee no mortall man canne attayne vnto 24. For alas what should such a poore and weake creature as I am seeke in heauen that cannot well see that which is vnder my feete nor perceiue but with much a doe that which is before mee on earth my bodyly eyes are very dim but those of my soule are much more The cogitations of men are full of weakenesse and vncertaintie for the earthly and corruptible body doth dull our spirits and staketh our sences to the ground So as without thee I can hope for nothing in this base world nor promise to my selfe certaine knowledge of any thing How can I beeing on earth iudge without thy helpe and vnlesse it please