side of me but sinne which inuironeth me round about and mine iniquities which presse and ouer throwe me They lye heaped vpon my head as a very heauy burden and loe how ready they are to throttle and strangle me 5 How shall I be euer able to resist them What strength haue I to defend me from them seeing that my body is ready to fall in peeces The very filthinesse of them flowe on euery side me my vlcers and sores are no sooner closed vp but that they breake out againe and if my body be ill can my soule be well Must not she be altogether ashamed and tremble with horror and feare 6 After the same maner that a disease vndermineth my body maketh it stoope to death sorrow vndermineth my soule bereaueth her of her strength and as great cold congealeth in the bud the tender blossom withereth drieth it vp euen so dooth the finger of the Lord which hath touched my soule cause it to languish and to be out of heart 7 But alas my God what courage can I haue when as I see my selfe thus couered ouer with wounds and no part of my body free from paine and ouer and besides this my miserie the remembrance of my dissolute pleasures is still before my face and reproch me with my sinne laugh at my vanitie Then say I thus vnto my selfe must I season my life with the honie of so many delights and afterward kneade them with the gall of so bitter anguishes Where now art thou ô thou deceitfull voluptuousnesse which drownest my soule in the sweet licour of thy pleasures Oh what drinke is that that thou leauest me 8 Haue not I ô Lord endured enough hath not mine humilitie sufficiently chastized mine arrogancie If I haue through fond presumption sinned alas I haue sithence that crept vpon the earth I haue couered mine head with ashes and with mine arme haue I preuented my payne I haue cut through mine heart with crying out I haue drowned mine eyes in teares and yet thine anger continueth still 9 Is it of set purpose ô Lord that thou hast not perceiued my teares Is it thou I say who with the twinkle of thine eye trauersest both heauen and earth euen thou I meane whose sight goeth beyond the depth of our harts It is thou ô Lord that hast read euen my very thoughts and knowne mine intent What haue I desired but thy mercie Wherin haue I trusted but in thy goodnes Why haue I made open profession of repentance but to condemne my selfe If my toong hath not throughly expressed my minde and caused my desier to be vnderstood alas ô Lord thou knowest what we would haue before we once thinke of it It is enough for vs to lift vp our harts vnto thee and thou forthwith grauntest our petitions 10 Why stayest thou ô Lord so long before thou geuest me that holie coÌ„solation which thou hast promised me I am quite spent my hart is gone my senses are troubled my streÌ„gth faileth my sight waxeth dim my soule is vpoÌ„ the shore of my lips ready to fly away 11 All my friends are now about me bewailing my death they are out of all hope of my health they dreame of nothing but of my funerall saying where is now that help which he looked for to come froÌ„ his God where is his fauour which he so promised to himselfe 12 The flatterers are gon away from me they thought to haue parted my goods they meant to haue preuented my fatall houre I am noisome to the whole world in the case that I now staÌ„d 13 They whisper in mine eare and tell me a thousand tales They dayly bring me in new acquaintances and thinke of nothing but to betray me He lieth say they on his death-bed and will neuer rise vp aliue againe What do we feare that the shadowe of his bones will bite vs 14 And I as if I had bin deafe made shew that I heard them nor and as if I had bin dumb spake not one word vnto them for my patieÌ„ce was my buckler and my constancy my rampart 15 And euery man seing me so patieÌ„t said surely this man is dumb for when he is touched he saith not a word would he abide all these indignities if he had any feeling of his honor and credit or yet the least courage in the world And therefore it may well be said that he is very guilty for an innocent man is alwayes bold in his owne defence And yet all this could neuer â—oue mee 16 And why so verely because I trusted in my God and fully assured my selfe that he would assist me For although the whole world banded against me and heauen and earth coniured my ruine and ouerthrow yet if he be mine ayder and defendor I am sure alwayes to conquer For with the breath of his mouth hee made all things and in breathing againe vpon them he will destroy them all if it please him and therefore I will fight vnder his cloth and liuerie because I shall be sure to haue the victorie 17 I haue sayd vnto them many times Reioyce not at my miserie and although I be neuer so much tormented and afflicted yet braue not your selues vpon me for the hand of the Lord is able euen to reach you and therefore trust not his patience ouer much for as his feet are of wooll so are his armes also of iron For if he once lay them vpon your heads ô ye impotent soules he will so crush you together as that a man would thinke that you had neuer bene 18 And I haue taken the rods in my hand and imprinted with them vpon my shoulders the condemnation of my sinne I haue appeared before thee ô Lord with weeping teares with repentance in my mouth and with a sorrowfull hart and haue fought with my selfe that mine enemie might not triumph ouer me 19 I haue openly confessed my fault I haue in an happie houre shewed foorth my sinne and I had great care to runne vnto thy mercy whilst time and season serued 20 But the more I humble my selfe before thee to drawe the running water out of this founraine of thy grace which floweth from thy goodnes the more mine enemies glut me and deale cruelly and butcherlike with me their troupe dayly encreaseth and ioyne them selues together on euery side neuer foreseeing the tempest that will shake them in a thousand pecces They through their pride blow the hote burning coles of thine ire they despite thy power which they will too too soone make try all of to their great destruction To be short in setting most confidently their brasen faces against heauen and earth they wallow and welter them selues in their filthie pleasures and blot out as much as in them lye the mark of the deitie which thou hast sealed in their soules close vp their eyes against the hope of saluatioÌ„ which shineth brightly in thy word 21 I cease not ô Lord to admonish them of
his hands whatsoeuer she craueth she setteth prisoners at libertie calleth home againe those that are banished and obtayneth pardon for the condemned For the hand of the poore is Gods purse Haue wee any thing to buy of him let vs then geue him our money And the best way for vs to bestow our goods is to put them into Gods banke for he will assure it vs not only on the land and the whole continent thereof which is his but also in heauen and in eternall blisse wherewith he will sease and inuest vs. Why should we then be so foolish as to suffer our gold and siluer to rust in our chests and so alwaies blindfold our minds with laying vp crowne by crowne seeing we suffer the time to passe for the doing of our employments and that all which we gather and scrape together is nothing but toyle vpon toyle heaped vp together Surely all these goods which bring with them nothing else but sorrow and griefe with their only aboundance and in which are neuer fulnesse nor yet measure are nothing else but a cage of gold and a prison of siluer vnto their maisters to hold them fast bound to the vpper part of the earth thereby bereaue them of their libertie for going vnto heauen This is the water that is powred vpon the Egles wings because he should not flye vp vnto the Sunne Euen so must they that will taste of the fruite of contemplation and attaine vnto perfect felicitie where the course of our soule must rest take heed that they hinder not them selues but as little as they can in the dirty dunghill of riches which are no better then very clay and earth what great accompt soeuer they make of theÌ„ And yet notwithstanding it is for this dust that we kill one another and this is it which we set both our souls bodies on the teinters for For this great and mightie cities band theÌ„selues one against another in arms battel this is the very plague of ciuil societie this is the water of seperatioÌ„ which parteth brethreÌ„ asunder yea which seperateth the father from the child And therefore we had need set a fourth the last bar betwixt vs our affections to keepe vs froÌ„ desiring that which is another mans to teach vs to geue to euery one that which is his owne And this vertue we call Iustice wherof if we coÌ„sider in generall wrappeth within her self al sorts of vertues and her office as Lactantius teacheth vs is first to ioyne men together with God secondly to reconcile one maÌ„ to another which are two things verie neerely knit together For if the first keepe vs within that duty wherin God hath created vs which is to feare loue and serue him and do good vnto our neighbour it cannot be but that we must stand in the grace and fauour both of God and men Or if we will more particularly coÌ„sider of this vertue and wherein she disposeth vs to liue iustly and lawfully with men her action may very fitly be deuided into three parts or heads The first is to liue honestly without breaking the lawes either of God or of our countrey The other is not to offend any man either in word or deed The third is to geue vnto euery man that which is his owne Now if as much should be spoken of this argument as might be we should exceed that measue that I haue prescribed and set downe for this small treatise And therefore it shall suffice that we speake of the principall thing which is recommended vnto vs by Iustice which is to keepe our faith in all our doings to take in hand nothing craftily cuÌ„ningly but to deale plainly openly in all our affaires For ouer besides that faith is the knot common band of the amitie societie of meÌ„ so also is it vnto vs as gage of the grace of God which he hath vouchsafed vs to communicate himself with vs. And seeing that by this the self same word is signified vnto vs the assurance which we haue of our saluation and constancy of our promise we are verily to beleeue that whosoeuer shall abuse this pawne amongst men will lightly abuse that gage which God hath geuen him And in very deede whosoeuer he is that shall set before his eyes the lawe of God the iudgement which therein is denounced and the paines that are prepared for the wicked is it possible that that man will euer haue the heart to deceiue him whome the lawe hath commaunded to loue as him selfe will he by defrauding of his neighbour deceiue his owne soule of that euerlasting blessednesse whereof those men can neuer be partakers who communicate with the father of lying and of lyes For truth commeth from heauen falshood iâ— of fiction coulored and counterfeit shewes and all leasings are the craftie deuises of the deuuill and he that enterraineth them and vseth them couenanteth with the wicked spirits and maketh himselfe the bondslaue of sin And therefore all our actions should be sincere and faithfull but especially their actions who are in authoritie to gouerne the people and are put in trust to render iustice vnto euery particular man They must not do as the Egiptian Iudges did that ware the image of Iustice about their necks but they must haue it imprinted in the bottome of their hearts and betweene their lips for she alone it is that must direct their iudgements so as neither loue nor hatred must at any hand make the ballance or scales which they hold in their hands leane either one way or other but reason alone must cause the lawe spurne and kick against iniquitie Surely no man can haue a better testimonie vnto his conscience of his election then when as he feeâ—eth himself to take pleasure in dealing iustly and rightuously for whosoeuer he is that loueth iustice is a man of God for the light shineth on the righteous man and vpoÌ„ him that is of an vpright hart The way and path of the iust is like vnto the dawning of the day her light encreaseth by little and little and becommeth like vnto the noonetide The wise man could not more properly compare iustice vnto any thing theâ— vnto the light for as the light shinetâ— not for it selfe but causeth others tâ— see euen so this most excellent sounâ— vertue of it selfe looketh nor but vntâ— the benefit profit of another hauing none other end but by a well willing 〈◊〉 righteous affection to conioyne entertaine one another of vs. When thâ—… vertue is growne vnto a full perfectioÌ„ she straightwayes beginneth to loue 〈◊〉 may very wel take vnto her that name because that she hauing vnited conioined vs together teacheth vs to accompt our selues to be one another flesh as being the members of one body or rather the body of one head leauing in vs a charitable affection which is the souldering sinowing of our bodies together For as we see in the constitution
heaueÌ„ vnto the earth froÌ„ cleare shining bringtnesse into mâ—serable darknesse and to lead away my sences froÌ„ puritie and cleannesse into a most filthy dunghil or iakes and therfore O thou my deare soule liue yea liue I say and settle and resettle thy selfe amidst these heauenly delghts which as pearles and diamonds haue banished themselues into the wildernesse and vttermost parts of the earth and are such an excellent market as can possibly be wished vnto all such as haue the hearts to go thether to seeke after them and liue thou this blessed life which is the way of immortalitie that pleasantly leadeth vs euen into the entrie of the heauens following our God step by step and holding him by the garment where being arriued we shall be bereaued but of that clothing that hindereth vs and be cast with a lost body into the middest of the depth of his glory where being full not of pleasure ease reioycing delights and voluptuousnesse but with an vnspeakable and vnbeleeueable contentment which surpasseth whatsoeuer we are able not to speake of but to thinke of We shall begin the course of this immortall life which neuer shall haue end enter into this eternall blessednes out of which we shal neuer come be enlightened with that most heauenly glory which neuer shal be darkened But because that this last most perfect felicitie consisteth in beholding the face of the father of light wherein we shall see the spring-head and originall beginning of all goodnesse and excellencie will not haue vs see him face to face so long as we are encompassed about with the darknesse of this world but onely his back part as it were passing by we might hold our peace and with silence admire that which we know to be but we know not how neither are we once able to speake thereof but that we must needes accuse our owne ignorance and that whereof we are not able to affirme any thing saue that we know not any thing thereof by any of our sences but is a thing which beyond all whatsoeuer for our sences can no way possibly pierce so farre into it and the more that our spirit striueth to enter into it the more it stumbleth therat What is there then for vs to do Forsooth a most assured hope that if we liue heere in this world holily righttuously and make our selues worthy of the grace and fauour which our heauenly father offreth vnto vs one withdraw draw not our affections from him and giue not the honour which we owe vnto him vpon and to these earthly and worldly things we shall one day enter as his children and heyres of his glory into the treasury of his heauenly ritches and enioy according to his promises the brightnesse of his eternitie I Haue adioyned this Epistle vnto the end of this treatise because they are both of like argument and because also we should not so esteeme of our owne inuentions as that we should not commend likewise the workes of the auncient fathers who haue farre exceeded vs both in age zeale and knowledge And that small diuersitie that may be found in the translation may be imputed vnto the barenesse of our language wherein as in a painting men are enforced to imitate by shadowes and images the helpe of naturall bodies And let a man do what soeuer he can yet is it a rare and strange thing to make the counterfet of any thing equall vnto the thing it selfe The Epistle of S. Basile the Great vnto S. Gregorie the deuine I Haue forthwith re-acknowledged your letter as men reacknowledge their friends children to be like vnto their parents for there is no man that can or may better mislike of our heremitages than you your selfe nor know before hand what our manner of life and ordinarie conuersation is to vphold and maintaine that the choise of places can any way enlarge and encrease your heart vnto deuotion and that there is nothing therin at all which may cause you to hope for any such sweet delight and felicity which we heerein promise vnto our selues In very deed I should be ashamed to cause you to haue a desire to write hereof that which I my selfe day and night do here in this wildernesse For although I haue left the city all those tedious dealings which brought vnto me with them a thousand mischiefes and a thousand discommodeties yet can I not possibly leaue my selfe but am euen properly most like vnto them that being not wonted vnto the sea grow so sick when they are a ship-borde thinking thegreatnesse of the vessell and rolling thereof to be the cause of their sicknesse are desirous to go downe into the cockboate for the easing and bettering of themselues and when they are there they grow sicker then they were before because they carie with them both their stomach and choller also into it And after that manner fareth it also with me for I carrying with my selfe both my priuate and particular passions am continually in the very selfe same trouble and vnquietnesse that I was before and so I haue gotten nothing by withdrawing my selfe from the world Howbeit whosoeuer he be that would do that that should further his saluation and follow the way of him which saith If any man will follow me let him forsake himself and take vp his crosse and follow me the same man without doubt shall finde rest vnto his soule For as the eye which continually mooueth and rolleth it selfe hither and thither sometime high and sometime lowe can neuer looke straite vpon any thing and therefore if he will looke well he must stedfastly cast and fixe his eye altogether vpon one point euen so mans vnderstanding being drawne away with a thousand sundrie cares cannot well bend it selfe aright vnto the knowledge of the truth for the vnmaried man shall be carried away with foule and beastly desires and lusts troubled with foolish and furious loue toyes other vnbrideled desires And on the otherside with how many cares shal the maried maÌ„ be thwarted for if he hath no children that will be a great corsiue to him he must also haue an eye ynto his wife he must prouide for the necessaries of his house he must be at charges with his seruants he shal be at variance with his neighboures he shall always be at sute in the law his marchandize shall be in hazard and the manuring and storing of his grounds will be a great paine and charge vnto him he shall euery day haue new troubles in his minde and the night which bringeth with it all the cares of the day forepassed will tosse vp and downe in his fantasie And there is but one onely remedie for all this which is wholy to forsake the world neither must he abandon his bodie onely from the world but he must with a sweet and an assured resolution separate his minde cleane from the world yea he must as it were violently pluck away his very
against themselues for lying cannot be hid she is full of crackes on euery side truth pierceth it on euery part For she is made of many odde peeces which fall away one from another assoone as they are touched and in opposing her selfe vnto innocencie she melteth away as snowe against the Sunne 19 But although they had me euen as themselues would wish oppressed with slaunders quelled vnder the burthen of their iniuries yet would I not for all that be discouraged I haue not O Lord put my trust in the benefits and honours of this world for that is almost alwaies the portion of the wicked and are as it were the rewards of their vnfaithfulnesse dissimulations and wicked dealings this is the marchandise which most commonly is not bought but with this money My hope O Lord is altogether in thee the world is not capable to be able to containe it the fruite of my labours groweth not in the land of the dying but that which I looke to gather together O Lord is in the land of the liuing there is that I hope to see my felicitie nay rather thine my God Others looke for the fruite after the budding and blooming time but I O Lord looke for it after the fall of the leafe For after the leafe of the body shal be fallen I hope and trust that my soule shall bud in new fruit be clothed againe with the euerlasting verdure of immortalitie for euer 20 And therefore my soule haue patience and carry thy selfe man-like redouble thy courage valiantly and attend vntill my God commeth vnto thee Be not astonied or affeard to see the prosperitie of the wicked neither be thou amazed to see them oppresse the godly but stand to it to the end And when thou seest O Lord that I am not of my self strong inough assist me and lend me thy shoulders for feare the afflictions of the wicked cause mee to depart from my stand where thou hast placed me second my feruentnesse and zeale that hauing couragiously fought at the place where mine enemies assaulted me I may be found at the gate when thou openest it to enter with thee in triumph sitting at thy feet when as thou shalt iudge both the quick the dead Then shall we see what a great change there is betweene our life and theirs and what paiment tarrieth for them they haue had their felicitie in this world therefore then shall it be said vnto them Stand aside for yee owe the rest and consider that yee shall render an accoumpt of those benefits which were giuen you to keepe and be amerced for your abusing of them Your habitation prepared for you as you deserue depart into euerlasting paines and torments yee haue beene many times told of the rigour thereof yet haue you not so much as a very little turned away from your cursed liues therfore shall ye now feele it seeing you would not as then any whit feare it And as for those ô Lord which haue bene pacient for thy names sake and suffered for thine honor the rage of the wicked thou shalt say vnto thē Come yee blessed children of my father enter into the Tabernacle of glorie that yee may iudge with him both the quick and the dead Comfort thy selfe now therefore my soule with this expectation and hope trust in God euen in the almightie and most merciful God who neuer forsooke the iust in aduersitie nor stopped his eare against the oppressed innocent I will at all times blesse the Lord c. Psalme 34. 1 BLessed be thy name ô Lord which hast cōforted me in misery blessed be he for euer that hath holpen me in mine affliction All things haue their time and all mens actions are distributed by times and seasons change serueth for rest and rest for the refreshing of the ordinary labour of the liuing neither can any thing continue without rest in any occupation and trade Neuerthelesse here in this rule faileth that is I do blesse and for euer will blesse thy name O Lord at the sunne rising I wil praise thy name and at his going downe I will praise the same at that will I begin both moneths and yeares and at that also will I end them O eternitie I haue no feeling of thee in this world but in this my will to praise and glorifie my God for euer My body melteth away with age and my forces vanish and decay but my soule which stoutly standeth against humaine corruption dooth not onely continue but also dayly encreaseth in this holy affection For if I thinke to take my rest mine heart stirreth my thought And if I thinke to stop my mouth my soule is ready to breake out betweene my lippes and forceably frameth my voice to set foorth the glorie and praise of my God My soule who maketh thee so eager to praise thy God Thou knowest right well and I also see it very well that thou hast had thy being from him and lookest by him to be glorified what vsurie makest thou with him Thou giuest vnto him a parcell of his praises and by this meanes thou lookest that he should associate thee with the riches of his glory For from him alone thou must hope to haue some honor The heauens shall passe and weare away like an old garment and be changed as men change a couering But God shall continue still triumphing ouer the destruction of the world The peaceable and meeke people shall sit by him and heare the triumphant hymnes which shall be song in his victorie and conquests and all full of melodie and reioicing shall ioyne their voices vnto the trumpets of the angels 2 Let vs begin therefore betime to learne to sing the praises of his glorie magnifie him and exalt his name as high as our voices will serue vs let vs straine out our cries to the end they may ascend as high at the least as we are able to see so as the ayre being filled with our songs it may cary them vpon the wings of the winds vnto the vttermost parts of the earth to the end that euery one may be awakened with the sound of our notes and reioyce in hearing the name of the Lord of heauen and earth thus sounded out who is the most faithfull and most assured helper of all those which call vpon him 3 I haue fought after him and he forthwith hath vnderstood me I knew not my selfe whither to go and after I had turned mine eyes on euery side and being forsaken of the world could see nothing which was able to helpe me I returned into my selfe and pitifully beheld my selfe bewailing my calamitie and all at once he gaue me courage and strength making mine heart to leape our of the gulfe of heauinesse and tribulation which had swallowed me vp said vnto me trust in me for loe here I am Then cried I out and said O Lord where art thou make hast to helpe me quickly And I had no sooner spoken but
vnderstood thy councell therein For after I had resolued with my selfe to see the end whereunto thou haddest prepared those peoples I forthwith saw that thy iustice is most true and that although it sometimes maketh slow haste yet it payeth home at the last with seueare punishment and therefore I verie stedfastly waited and looked what should become of them 18 And truly in the end thou payedst them thorough stitch and rewardedst them according to their craftie and wicked dealing For when they thought them selues at the highest degree of honor behold thou ouerthrewst them and castedst them down headlong in a bottomlesse depth of miserie For all their pomps magnificences and ritches were nothing vnto them in the end but an high and eminent scaffold to bring them vp vnto that steepe and high breake-necke from whence they were most shamefully rolled downe ouer and ouer 19 O most true God what a desolation discomfort is this There is nothing but weeping about them for all they of their guards and all their pentioners do nothing else but beate their brests holding down their heads as the Lilly holdeth downe his when it is sore rayne-beaten and hauing compassion of those whome they were wont to enuy They most lamentably looke vpon the ruine of their idoll and consider with them selues how foolish they were to make a mortall and miserable man their God who was no better then wind or smoke For if a man considereth and marketh their end he shall see them dispatcht and gone in a moment neyther is there any thing that commeth more speedily to an end then the way of their greatnesse bringeth them thereunto and they haue bene so suddainely changed as that there could be nothing possibly to be seene of them Behold and looke on them for once they were and now they are not hardly can a man see their footsteps and marke whither their sinnes haue brought them it was a great while before the snare or grin could be made fit for them but loe in the end they lighted into it For during the time that the foundation of the house was in vndermining they climbed the higher that their fall might be the greater They continually clambered vp higher and higher and thought that whatsoeuer was below them was theirs only but in the end they clambered vp so high as that they lost them selues in the ayre before they could get againe to the earth so as they were caried away with the wind And loe they became as dreames when men awake for as a man sayth when he awaketh I dreamed well to thinke of such a thing euen so shall it fare with you for when such men as ye are shall vanish away and come to naught the people will then say surely the greatnes of these men was but as a dreame and a very meere vaine and inconstant folly For thou wilt make them of so little worth as that they shall be neuer once thought of but as in a mockerie and in discommending and condemning their pride and insolencie will say See how their houses are ruined behold the place where these outragious Sirs dwelt who cared neither for God nor men which delighted in nothing but in filthinesse wickednes who haue built so many and so many houses with the boanes of the poore and cimented their palaces with the bloud of the needy and loe there remaineth nothing of all that they had but the markes and notes of their ignominie for the tempest hath passed ouer them and there is not so much as any one tittle or iote remayning of them 21 Thus we see ô Lord that we must not rashly iudge of thy prouidence and therefore who so euer will iudge therof must patiently wait vnto the end and suffer himself to be led by thy spirit must call vpoÌ„ thee also for the comforting addressing of him for notwithstanding that I fret fume chafe sigh grone and haue set euery part of my body in a sweat with sore labor and brought my selfe as it were euen to deaths dore yet am I neuer awhit the better for it and after I had tormented my selfe I found my selfe as resolute as I was before 22 I was so vexed and grieued I say as that I knew not whether I was a man or a beast nay I was in very deed like a beast and could no more comprehend the same then if I had vtterly lost mine vnderstanding Howbeit I still stand to that hope which I haue in thee and the more I see my sense and iudgement fayle me the speedelier runne I vnto thee and humbly beseech thee to open my spirit that I may know and vnderstand what thy will is 23 Thou hast taken and held me fast by the hand and set me gently againe in the way of thy will and madest me vnderstand the purpose and mind nay thou hast done more then that for me thinketh thou hast opened both mine eyes and the heauens all at once that I might see the mightinesse of thy glorie Thou hast I say ô Lord made me to see it for this is a thing whereunto no mortall man without thee is able to reach 24 For alasse should I poore weake thing that I am go to seeke for that in heauen which I cannot very well see at my feet who cannot perceiue but â—ith much ado that which is here oâ—…â—…th before me The eyes of my boâ—e are very duskish and mistie and â—…e eyes of my soule farre worse and â—ens thoughâ—s are maruellous vncerâ—ine and weake for the earthly and â—…rruptible body dulleth and maketh â—…le our spirits and â—yeth and bindeth 〈◊〉 senses fast vnto the earth in so â—…ch as that without thee I can not â—ope for any thing here below in the â—orld nor yet promise vnto my selfe â—y certaine knowledge of what thing â—…uer What am I able being here â—…on the earth to iudge and discerne â—hout thy ayd and without it pleaâ—…h thee to enlighten my spirit with â—…se things which thou hast ordeyâ—…d in heauen in the seate of thine eâ—…itie But thou also ô Lord hast â—…plyed my want and led me by the â—…d to make me see the counsels of â—e eternall wisedome thou hast as 〈◊〉 â—ere made me in loue with thee â—…d hast heaued and thrust my spirit 〈◊〉 of my body to make it capable of 〈◊〉 heauenly light and of thy wise â—poses 25 Surely when I consider of these wondrous things I am cleane gone my hart is taken from me and I am fallen into a swound ô God What is this my God which thou hast made me see O thou the God of my hart of my thoughts of my hope and thou ô God whome I esteeme to be my only felicitie and whome to loue I haue from henceforth destined all my affections I now know ô Lord what thou art how iust and how puissant I will now neuer be abashed more ne yet astonyed to see the strange and wonderfull things of the world whereof I am
haue appeased the wrath of my Father through the satisfaction of my Redeemer I come because thou thy selfe hast called me vnto thee and holdest forth thine armes Receyue me therefore my God not after the austeritie of a iust Iudge but according to the compassion of a pitifull father and accept this mine earnest prayer which being conceyued in the bottome of mine hart hath disclosed it selfe by my lips and flyeth with my voyce vnto the fauourable care of mine heauenly Father seeing it hath pleased thee ô Lord to suffer me so to call thee Cause it ô Lord my God to pierce the heauens where thou thy selfe art I know right well that thy Throne is aboue and that thou keepest vnder thy feet both the Sunne and the Starres and the earth to be but a very tittle and my selfe being the least part thereof am a great deale lesse then nothing Who then shall dare to make me so saucy as to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee It is euen thou my God who sittest on hye to behold at once all the works of thine hands the better to vnderstand our wants and dayly to poure vpon vs thy grace as a most â—…eet showre Euen thou who hast thy selfe sayd Aske and yee shall be heard But thou wilt be prayed vnto with a constant faith cause it therefore to be borne and growe in my soule for it is a gift that cannot come but from the Treasuâ—e of thy grace and as at other times thou hast addressed the lips of infants to glorifye thee gouerne now the infancie and infirmitie of mine hart that it may deliuer vnto my mouth â—…ch a prayer as may very well like and please thee And because thou â—ayest know my God that my prayer is sooner conceyued in my soule â—en in my lips and that although the burden of my flesh greeueth and â—eâ—eth my spirit yet breatheth it our as much as it can thine honor and prayse And the first petition that I â—ake vnto thee is this Hallowed be thy name or rather let thy â—…me hallow and sanctifie me that I may â—e after able to blesse glorifie thee â—ut which of thy names shall I blesse â—…at wherwith thou hast confouÌ„ded â—ast down the enemies of thy people or else that wherewith thou hast blesseâ— all the nations of the earth Wilt thoâ— be praysed as the God of hosts ô Lorâ— God of all battailes or as the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world Shalâ— I tell abroad how thou hast made aâ—… things of nothing how thou hast soweâ— the heauens with starres couered thâ— earth with flowres fruites riuers and with all liuing creatures and Man like vnto thy selfe Or shall I speake but of that incredible loue by which thou hast deliuered thine owne only Sonne vnto death to purchase for vs life euerlasting I haue not breath inough ô Lord for such an enterprise but let it content thee that I sanctifie thy name with an humble and chaâ—… thought and that my meditation be alwayes fixed vppon all the benefits wherwith it pleaseth thee continually to fauour me so as both my selfe and as many as thou hast placed here in this world as in the middest of a ritch Temple for the beholding and admiring on euery side the excellency of thy Deitie we neuer turne our vnderstandings vnto any other thing but to the comprehending and learning o◠〈◊〉 will to the end that we being reâ—…ed in one and the selfe same deâ—…e â—o serue thee Thy kingdome may 〈◊〉 and that after we shall haue cast 〈◊〉 the yoke of sinne which so long â—…e hath thralled and captiued vs 〈◊〉 loue alone may reigne in our conâ—…ences A most blessed and prospeâ—…s reigne for to obey thee is to â—…maund our vnruly appetites and 〈◊〉 command them is for a man to be â—aster of his owne selfe and for a man 〈◊〉 be master of his selfe is the most â—…ereigne principalitie It is an easy â—…tter my God to obey thee thy yoâ—e â—gratious and the tribute which thou â—…ctest on vs is nothing else but to â—…ue vs to be blessed Confirme vs â—…erefore ô Lord in this thy will and â—…ist the zeale of thy good seruanâ—s â—pressing the insolencie of all such as â—…spheme against thy Maiestie beâ—…se that thy lawe and thy truth do â—…gne throughout the world O King 〈◊〉 kings which hast the dominion of 〈◊〉 hearts who by our humilitie and â—edience hast established thine Emâ—…e bend our wills vnder thy law â—o â—…end that we looking all to one end aspire not but to the aduancing of thy glory and that our good actions may testifie the good discipline of the King of heauen vnto whome we do homage and who alloweth vs for his subiects of whome we hold so many benefits and graces as that we can not possibly come any thing neere the number of them Now what obedience is it that we should yeeld vnto thee how should we ghesse to do that which might please thee who is able to sound the bottome of thy thoughts and who shall be able to vnderstand that which thou wouldest haue I therefore beseech thee only that thy will be done For sith thou art altogether good thou willest nothing but good things and for thee both to do and to will is all one and in making this prayer vnto thee we wholy submit our selues vnto thee who neuer faylest to will vs well and to performe the same also For whatsoeuer ô Lord thou hast willed was done and from this thy will as from a liuely and pleasant spring head are deriued all the benefits wherewith the whole face of the earth is couered and wherewith all â—he heauens are beautified Continue thou the same towards vs and seeing 〈◊〉 loue is as a fire that encreaseth acâ—…ding as it findeth matter to burne 〈◊〉 it encrease and enlarge it selfe in â—…ing good vnto vs vnto vs I say â—oore miserable wretches in whose â—eakenesse miserie and infirmitie 〈◊〉 shall finde it selfe matter enough â—o exercise and worke vpon When 〈◊〉 pray thee ô Lord That thy will be 〈◊〉 my meaning is to beseech thee that thou wouldest eft soones root out â—f mine heart all these worldly desires and willes which being borne 〈◊〉 the corruption of the flesh cannot â—aue any fellow-feeling and agreeâ—ent with the law of the spirit neyther geue thou me the bridle to liue as I lust and seeing that I am thy child â—…d honorest me with this title let me â—euer be bondslaue vnto my affectioÌ„s but keepe me vnder the rod of thy law 〈◊〉 â—nder the tutoâ—ship of thy commandemeÌ„ts to the end that my self and as â—any as haue sworne to thy word beâ—…g framed to serue and obey thee â—oâ—thely may also be ready cheerâ—…ll in the ministerie of thy seruice so long as we shall abide here below in this mortall world as thine Angels and other most blessed soules are in that heauenly habitation and so Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen And seeing it is
other rocks as we must sayle and flote by in this voyage that we may feare And let vs consider that we are now so wounded and brused as that if an especiall fauour from heauen saue vs not we shall be hardly able to auoyd shipwracke This is the contritiō which should be in our souls this is that bitter repentance which shoulde drawe bloudie teares euen frō out of the bottome of our bowels This is it that should make vs hate euēn our own selues for the recōciling of vs vnto our God to renue our life of sin and wickednes into puritie and cleannesse This is it that should cause vs to enter into iudgement with our selues that we might not be reserued vnto the day of that most heauy iudgemēt For what man is he that is able at that day to iustifie himselfe Now it is not enough that we haue had this compunction and repentance in our harts but we must also lay open our sinnes and the iustice of God that we might receiue from him his mercy and comfort And it is he that must accept of our sorrow and griefe and he vnto whome we must make an honorable amends and simply and plainely confesse our errors For seeing it is his pleasure that his goodnes which he is able to keepe and reserue vnto himselfe should be poured out vpon all his creatures and that he hath made all things to manifest his glorie and bestowed the vse of our life only to glorifie him neither are we any way able to repare the offence which we commit against him by the corrupting of the vse of our life but in manifesting that he hath created vs to do good that we our selues haue conuerted our selues only to do ill And therefore we must of necessitie vndoubtedly declare that he is liberall we most vnthankfull we must say that he is good our selues to be most wicked we must also pronounce his righteousnesse and our sinne we must set forth our own griefs and his mercy we must protest that all the euill which is in vs commeth of our selues and all the good which we hope after to proceed from him alone For if so be we shall be silent after that we haue once acknowledged our euill it is to be belieued that we will perseuere with this silēce all the daies of our life past and so approue by this silēce that we cannot freely be found fault withall And Tertullian exhorting vs vnto this confession telleth vs that we do not confesse our selues vnto God as if he knew not our sinnes before hād but because confession is a counsel vnto satisfaction and maketh vs apt vnto reconciliation and reconciliation vnto mercy and mercy vnto euerlasting life Now the satisfaction which we looke for commeth from his fauour and grace by which only we must and may be restored vnto immortalitie and this grace is not geuen vnto any but vnto such as acknowledge themselues to be miserable sinners and not geuen by any but by him that is chiefe in power It must needs therefore be that the word which he hath bestowed vpon vs to glorifie him withall must be employed to the manifestation of our misery because the confession of our sinnes iustifieth the goodnes of God which we haue as much as in vs lieth vtterly peruerted We must therefore pray vnto him to forgiue vs as if we should say that he may and ought to punish vs and so thereby testifie his power and righteousnes For this cause it is why the Prophet Isaiah calleth vs when as he sayth Goe your waye◠with those that are sanctified and present your Confession vnto God with the liuing O sayth Ecclesiastes it is a good thing when as he that is found in a fault will manifest his repentance And truly it were a great glorie for vs if we would be once so couragious as openly to confesse our sinnes and shew that as we haue been the first that haue sinned so also we are the first that do repent Howbeit there remaineth in vs a foolish shame which abideth with vs as the skarre of sinne and causeth vs the slowlier and hardlier to do it This was the cause why the auntient Fathers in fitting them selues vnto this our infirmitie and vnto the weakenesse of such also which might be offended in the reciting sometimes of very strange sinnes of ours were contented that we should put downe and poure out the secrets of our consciences into the bosoms of those vnto whome they had geuen power to binde and lose and apply vnto vs the grace by which we are redeemed And from this misterie we receiue a maruelous fruite when as it is worthely administred vnto vs. For first he that is appointed to the dispensation of this grace being made vnto vs the father of the spirit is to bring the same vnto vs for the comfort of the mistery which he findeth in vs by the trial of our life euen the very selfe same affection which a louing father in the behalfe of his very sick son vnto whom he bringeth besides help remedy the hope of health wherewith he feedeth him For he should in the fellow feeling of our misery and taking vpō him the burden of our sins help to relieue vs euē then whē we faint in the middest of our course This example which God hath set before vs who as Isaiah sayth came himselfe first and hath layd vpon his owne backe all our miseries and borne vpon his shoulders all our diseases After he hath thus imparted vnto vs this comfort he is to direct vs vnto the way of truth and with the instrumēt of the word of God wherin he is exercised to till the faith which he hath sowed in vs which by reason of the barrennesse of the ground wherein it is cast had always neede to haue the help and care of the husbandman For we are properly like vnto a small Boate which is forcibly rowed with ores against the streame but if the watermen neuer so litle leaue rowing she fleeteth back more in an hour then she did in a whole dayes rowing The end and consummation of this holy action is this that when we call vpon the holy Ghost our grace is pronounced vnto vs and confirmed as it were by the iudgement of the church which is a certaine pawne and testimonie that as we are heere in this world kept fine and cleane by him or them vpon whom such graces are bestowed so should we also be in the other by him vpon whom he hath appointed them There resteth thē nothing after this but that we humble our selues in acknowledging the grace which we haue receiued a thing that we hardly can obtaine at our own hands Now we will not greatlie stick to admire at this but we will neuer follow the example of our fathers which at that time vsed this holy repentance Yee should haue seene of these men saith this Tertullian kneeling at the feete of the Aulters
is heereby so gloriously expressed The onely beholding whereof is able to stay our sences and spirits and furnish them with an aboundant and sufficient contentment whereon bangeth our felicitie This is it whereon we should studie day and night and not content our selues with the bare looking of the couer onely but diligently to way the periodes yea euen to pluck out the sillabes and meanest points which containe excellent and holy secrets And this was a very good answer in my opinion which the good Heremite S. Anthonie as Socrates writeth made vnto a Philosopher who asked him how he could possiblie dwell in a solitarie place without hauing of bookes about him Surely quoth he I lacke not bookes for the world is my booke and my studie is the contemplation of nature wherein I reade day and night of the glory of my God howbeit I can neuer attaine to the end thereof O happie life voide of such a number of boiling sorrowes and greefes which vndermine and consume our yeares gladding and reioycing in this gratious rest and hauing good â—eaue to thrust our hands vp to the elbowes into the treasures of the Deitie which feedest the desires of the soule with the knowledge of immortalitie and swondest and diest within the burning flames of eternall wisdome These are the delights and these are the alluring baites which kept Acepsenas a recluse within his cell in the wildernesse full threescore years These are the allurements which stayed that Simeon all his life long vpon the top of a piller What a merueilous desire thinke you had those men who being lifted vp aboue the earth did swim in the ayre communicated with the Angels and beautified themselues before they dyed Without doubt our bloud is wonderfully congealed and grosse about our heart and we very dull and as it were in a swound if we admire not their blessednesse neither haue we compassion of our owne miseries our spirits are mightely mortified if so be we comprehend not that in this life in this contemplation and in the knowledge of this eternal verity our consolation contentation felicitie lieth consisteth and resteth Now God who loueth vs as his children meaneth not to leaue vs vnto the darknesse of this world and to make vs seeke after gropingly as it were amongst his workes for this his truth But hauing left his spirit with vs he hath also left vnto vs his owrde as an interpretor of his will where in we shall be sure to finde sure and faithfull directions to bring vs vnto this veritie and easily vnderstand his maruelous workes This is that voice which is called the burning worde this is that word which is called the light which as Euscbius saith is like vn to fier because it doth not only heate lighten and make ripe but also melteth softeneth and hardeneth And therefore we should follow those good Egiptian fathers whose liues Philo describeth who loosing their eyes to looke farre aboue the workes of God cast them forthwith into the reading of the Propherts and of the holy books as vpon the commentarie and interpretor of their meditations And these are they that haue most profoundly entred into the diuine wisedome and who for that occasion are in the scriptures called Seers for they are they by whom we haue had the mysteries of eternities reuealed and not by any humaine industrie but by the inspiration of the spirit of God haue communicated vnto vs the miracles of heauen and opened the entrie into wisdome with the which when as our soule is mixed and from thence hath receiued her forme and perfection she must then bring forth her fruite according as the same Philo hath taught vs That that is the propertie of euery perfect thing The fruite of a meditating soule or rather the infant thereof if we will speake as Eusebius doth is praier which being conceiued in the inward part of our thought discloseth it selfe betwixt our lips euen as the child is conceiued in the mothers wombe For the knowledge of God the effectuall feeling of his goodnesse which are imprinted in vs by an holy cogitation engendreth also in vs this motion of courage which Mercurie the great caleth The inward word which being well fashioned within and aided by the spirit the body thrusteth out it selfe and vttereth this outward word which we call praier we take not this onely for ordinary prayeâ— which proceedeth of our infirmity and should be the beginning of all our workes which we are not to keepe to be the last action of the soule but for that by which we expresse that affection which is borne in vs by perceiuing of that which we haue froÌ„ the goodnesse of God which after that we haue by holy thoughts prepared our tongues for it ruleth gouerneth the same and maketh it the instrumeÌ„t of his glory by which we try whether we conuerse therin hoâ—ily yea or no which is such a wonderfull contentment as that there remaineth not in our spirit to receiue any other cogitation at all into it For be it that we prostrate our selues before him to beseech him of his fauour grace or require his benefits or to giue him thaÌ„ks for his fauours daily shewed vnto vs our spirit is as it were rauished in a swond we feele his hand already coÌ„ming faster vpon vs then we are in calling vpoÌ„ him hauing assured our selues a long time together that whatsoeuer we should craue at his hand in a liuely faith he would graunt vs whether it be that we at al times as indeed we ought cause our voices resound his praifes preaching and setting forth his wonderous works singing as he hath commanded vs songs vnto his glorie and answering one another with hymnes spirituall songs our heart rebound and leape in vs and our spirit lifteâ— vp it selfe aboue the heauens and ioineth in thought with our creator And what houre nay what moment of aâ— houre ought we to cease turning the eyes of our soules towards him who continually standeth with his armes wide open to embrafe vs bendeth his fauourable eares vnto our praiers hearkeneth louingly vnto our vowes and is not iealous of the praises which we sing vnto him Is it meet then that there should be either businesse or sleepe to bereaue vs of this pleasure or rather that we our selues should bereaue our soules so bring our selues a sleepe euen then when the sweete songs earnest and feruent prayers should gather our spirits together assemble them to striue with the grace of God which worketh in vs. Is it fit that we should become deafe euen then when he toucheth the instrument of our soules to cause vs agree vnto the tune of his will and content our selues with the melodie of this sweet and perfect hermonie which soundeth from the coniunction of our vnderstanding of his deitie O immortall delights who shall seperate my soule from thee who shall pluck me from out of thine armes to drawe me out of
mocks to betray me 8 But when as thou hast mercie vpon me I will say vnto them Away from me yee children of iniquitie yee shall no longer laugh at my miserie The Lord hath heard my praier and my teares haue appeased his anger and behold I now enioy the fruite of his holy fauour The light of his goodnesse hath shined vpon me and behold the stormes that came about my head are calmed and dasht in a moment 9 With much a do haue I opened my lips to call vpon him for aide with much a do could I get mine heart to crie him mercy and I haue found his grace to be powred vpon me comfortting and quickening my languishing and sick soule euen as warme water refresheth a poore surbatted traueller O incredible clemency how ready O Lord art thou to pardon and forgiue I runne to offend thee and yet thou wilt shew me fauour I haue bestowed all the daies of my life both by sea and by land to hunt after ambition couetousnessc and filthie lust and when I haue beene ouer head and eares and vtterly vndone in my beastly delights yet hast thou in a moment pierced the uens and the clouds to come downe to deliuer me so as behold me now triumphing ouer my sinne which most humbly followed the trophes of my repentance which hath found grace before thee And so the hope which my sinnes had as it were strangled is now more liuely then euer it was before which promiseth me not onely the Empires of the world that bend themselues which way soeuer the Lord enclineth them but also openeth vnto me the highest heauens and assureth me after an happy life here in this world to enioy the heauenly immortalitie 10 What will mine enemies then do when as they shall see me stored with so great felicitie They will then surely blush with shame their soules will be greatly troubled and returne altogether confounded and amazed for he whom they thought to be vtterly ouerthrowne is now set in an higher degree then euer before he was Alas they all made a scorne at my ashes they laughed at my fastings and whilst I with abstinence straue against my flesh the very enemy vnto my soule they bathed themselues in the pleasures of the world but loe the arme of the Lord is ready to thunder lighten vpon their insolencie O my God giue them a long time to acknowledge the extreame danger wherein they are and to call vnto thee from on high for the onely remedy of their disease and as for my selfe who feele my soule purge her selfe of the filthy matters which are in and about her who feele my spirit inflamed with the fier of thy loue teach my lips to set forth thy praises lift vp my voice to resound thy mercies and guide mine affections sincerely to loue thee and to establish in the knowledge of thy truth my soueraigne happines chiefest felicitie Blessed are they vnto whom c. Psalme 31. BLessed are they my God whose sinnes thou hast pardoned and whose iniquities thou hast buried in the toombe of obliuion Alas what shall become of him whose iust punishment thou doost still continue vpon him for his iniquities An armie of euils encompasse him pouerty assaulteth him sicknesse afflicteth him famine presseth him and death it self which he thinketh to be the porte of this tempestuous nauigation is the bottomlesse pit which must draw him vnto euerlasting torments 2 And therefore they are three or foure times blessed whom God calleth not vnto a reckoning for their deedes but is contented to haue them humble themselues before him acknowledging their infirmities opening vnto him the very bottom of their harts For we must by true confession and with a sincere conscience call vpon him for his mercies and he that will be heard must humble himselfe before him for as he that goeth vnto a riuer or pond putteth downe the mouth of his vessell to take vp the water so must he also do that humbleth himselfe before his creator that will draw and taste of the water of this holy spring from whence runneth the moisture which onely purgeth and clenseth our consciences 3 I haue somtimes thought O my God to hide my sinnes away frō thee and haue said within my selfe how shall he vnderstand what I haue done or not And so haue my sinnes putrified within my bones and as the vlcers and foule sores of a shamefast diseased man who dareth not shew his disease vnto the Surgion encrease and waxe worse euen to the vtter ouerthrow of the body euen to haue the sinnes which I haue hid from thee mightily infected me 4 But in the end thou hast day and night so heauily laid thy hand vpon me and made me taste of such a number of sorts of miseries amongst which my soule taketh no rest being ouercome with the continuall pricking of my conscience that pierceth euen through mine heart that I haue ackowledged my fault which I presently beare vpon mine hand Behold and acknowledge this my God but not in thine anger for the dropping teares which with much weeping haue almost put out mine eyes ought also put out thy iustly hoate burning ire And besides am not I the worke of thine owne hands nay am not I rather the very liuely image of thy Deitie And what is he that is so angrie as that he wil bruse or breake the worke which it pleased him so to polish and make perfect when as he seeth it to be foule filthy In very deed I must needs confesse that this image is laden with filthie matter but is it not better to make it cleane and neate then to breake it in peeces and tread it vnder feete 5 Teach me then my God what satisfaction I shall make for I haue now laid open vnto thee all the sinnes which before I had concealed For the feare wherein I was when I hid my selfe from thee is at this present that I haue discouered my selfe vnto thee changed into hope of grace and pardon And now I cast my selfe betweene thine armes as into the most assured defence I haue euen with such a countenance as the poore pacient that sheweth his wound to the Barbar looketh wishly vpon him and couragiouslie suffereth his searching and lancing by reason of the desire and hope that he hath to be healed But that which giueth me a greater hope of health is that the sinnes wherein I before tooke pleasure make me now abhor to see them euen as the meates wherewith a man in health gorgeth himselfe are very lothsome vnto his stomack when he is weake and sickly And that which made me before bold and male part I am now ashamed of when as I consider the hazard of death whereunto my pride had exposed my poore soule I giue my most hearty thankes for the day wherein I was enlightened to acknowledge my sinne I do acknowledge my God that day to be a singular testimonie of thy goodnesse toward me graunt
thy selfe my God attend and looke that when I shall come before thee that I wil make a rampaâ—… of mine innocency and that I am so voyd of vnderstanding as that I would iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas ô Lord I right well know that I was not yet borne and that I was also nothing but sinne my mother likewise thought to be deliuered of a childe â—nd was brought abed of sinne But â—t had beene a great deale better for â—er that she had beene deliuered â—efore her time of such monstrous â—…uite which shameth the tree that â—are it and the earth that nursed it â—nd heauen that ripened it I was â—urâ—ed of sinne within my mothers womb â—nd suckt her milke and behold it is â—o growne vp with me as that it shaâ—oweth my head and blindeth mine yes 6 But when I see the eyes of my â—odie so seeled vp with sinne that is â—bout me I then open the eyes of my â—…ule and begin to see a farre off the cames of thine infallible truth and â—cknowledge thy maruellous secret â—isedome which thou hast manifeâ—…ed vnto me And then my soule forâ—…king the impuritie of my bodie lifâ—eth herselfe vp vnto heauen and â—erceth through the incredible brightâ—esse thereof and casting her eye upon the booke of eternitie shee â—erein readeth the draught of the â—ewe couenant which thou art to make with men and then returning into her miserable body she filleth heâ— selfe with hope and ioy and promiseâ— vnto her selfe assured victorie ouâ— her sinne 7 For she hath learned in heauâ—… that thou wilt take into thine haâ—… the Sprinkle of sweet smelling hysopâ— and sprinkle vpon me cleane and pâ—rified water Thou shalt wash me aâ—… I shall become whiter then snowâ—… and none shall see vpon me no not 〈◊〉 much as the very trace and steps 〈◊〉 sinne But ô Lord what lees shall thâ—… be that shall be made of the ashes 〈◊〉 my sinnes consumed with the fire 〈◊〉 thy loue with the water of the teaâ—… which my repentance shall distill froâ— mine heart and in the Sunne of thâ— grace wipe away teares and caâ—… a spirituall reioycing to growe in 〈◊〉 and in the end make vs white wiâ—… the puritie and brightnesse of righâ—…ousnesse that we may one day shiâ—… farre more excelleÌ„tly then the staâ—… of the firmament 8 and then shall we heare nothing but the pleasant sound of the Troâ—…â—et of saluation which shall deliâ—… out grace and mercie vnto all those that will receiue the same Then shall we see the rotten and consumed bones rise againe and take theyr fleshie bodie vppon them to partake that vniuersall ioye whereunto thou hast called the whole world 9 Now to the end I might then appeare so honorably apparelled before thee as such an honorable magnificence is worthie of I beseech thee my God to cast downe all my sinnes vnder thy feete and burie them all in the middest centre of the earth that no eye may be able to pierce through to see them and seperate me for euer from mine iniquitie which at this present I repudiate and do sweare an irreconciliable diuorce betweene me and them 10 Thou seest heere my Soule what an offer I make vnto thee and therefore make thy selfe pure and â—eate reneue in mine heart a newe spirit which will conceiue nothing but holinesse and righteousnesse O Lord my God establish therein an house for thine holie spirit to the end I neuer hereafter either thinke breathe or vtter foorth any thing but the prayses of thee my God and let thy will be alwayes printed in my minde and. thy glorie written vppon my lips 11 When thou hast thus clothed and furnished me with pietie and integritie I shall be then verie assured that nothing shall keepe me from thy presence and then as the Eagle naturally looketh full vpon the Sunne euen so will I fixe my sight and eyes vppon thine euerlasting face and so thereby I shall see in thy wonderfull countenance all the perfectioÌ„s which I at this present am no way able to conceyue neyther shall thine holie spirit euer dwell out of mine hart for it is he that vnder the wing of a zealous loue shall carrie me euen into thine armes to associate me vnto this heauenly ioy 12 Make me therefore rightly to taste the sweete pleasures of this immortall life Saue me speedely from the rocks of this world which on euerie side threaten my soule with wracke And as the Marriner when he is come to the hauen crowneth the maste of his Ship with floures in token that he is in safetie euen so O Lord crowne thou me with the pretious gifts of thine holie Spirit as pawnes of thy euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast promised me With the gifts I say of that Spirit of thine which reigneth amongst thy faithfull which distributeth faith vnto thine elect loue vnto thy best beloued and hope vnto those whome thou hast predestinate to euerlasting life 13 Now all the while that my soule resteth thus banished looking still to be called home agayne vnto thee I will teach the wicked to walke in the way that may best please thee and set them also in it for feare they hurt not them-selues in the darkenesses of this world against the stumbling blocks which they may suddainely light vppon lying before them And so they will beleeue me and returne vnto thee ô Father of lights and with all their hearts embrace thy faith and walke in thine obedience 14 I know O Lord that there will be some such found as will stop their eares at my words and will obstinatly continue in their sinnes coniure my death and defile their barbarous crueltie with my bloud O my God deliuer me out of their hands and reserue me to declare thy righteousnes and to pronounce their condemnation I will foretell them their miseries and they shall feele them and I shall no sooner hold my peace but that thy hand shall be vppon them and thy hand shall no sooner haue stricken them but that they shall be broken to fitters and be vtterly destroyed 15 And then thou shalt open my lips and my mouth shall set forth thy victorie for the ayre shall be still the winds shall be calme and the flouds shall be quiet to hearken vnto my resounding voyce which shall sing out the wonders of the eternall God For thy prayse ô Lord shall be the sacrifice that I will alwayes offer vp vnto thee and which thou also wilt euer haue good liking of 16 I would gladly haue embrued their Aulters with the bloud of a great number of cattell I would gladly haue cut the throats of a thousand oxen and of a thousand lambs to haue done thee honor but bloud stinketh in thy nostrels neither takest thou pleasure in the flesh of beasts The smoke of such offerings the winds carrie away so as they neuer ascend vnto thee But the voyce onely of a iust man passeth aboue the heauens and the Angelles present the same before
tenderly loued And I will also abandon both the day and the light and confine and limit my selfe within the most darke places that I can finde out euen as a shritch owle dooth that commeth not out of his hole all the while it is day light 8 I am continually kept waking still dreaming of my miserie and seeking to hide my selfe before such time as the in felicitie which runneth vpon me enforceth me And being altogether mated and out of heart I seeke after some corner to hide my selfe in euen as the wilde sparrow that flieth out of the raine and winde seeketh after some couert or sunne shine place to bathe and drie her selfe in 9 Mine enemies seeing me in this case and with such a countenance stand mocking of me therewith and cast my miserie in my teeth and they which were wont to make a great accompt of me in stead of sorrowing with me in mine afflictiō haue coniured against me What reckoning then should any man make of the wealth of this world and if he were able to get as great richesse and as many friends as were possible and then to haue his friends so traiterous and so double as to make little or no accompt of breaking their faith and promise 10 And surely my strength is decayed the flower beauty of my well coloured and smooth ruddy cheekes is quite cleane gone for I haue sowne my bread vpon the ashes and moisted my drinke with my teares And shall I for all this become a laughing stock vnto this infidelous generation 11 It is very true that I haue bene met withall before thy face in the day of thy wrath thou hast laid againe vpon me the arme of thy vengeance and am become therewith frushed in peeces Men haue had me in great estimation and honour and loe how I am now drest and dealt withall O vaine presumption vnto what steepe break-neck hast thou lifted me vp to make me leape such a leape Alas what did I finde in my selfe why I should conceiue in mine heart such an opinion of my selfe 12 As we see the shadow of the body by little and little decrease when as the sunne is risen aboue the same and reduceth it as it were vnto a small point euen so all so soone O Lord as thine anger is vpon me my life my goods and my greatnesse is by little and little dispersed and come to nothing in such sort as that loe I am like vnto the grasse that is tedded abroade without grace and colour which men cock vp to giue vnto the cattle to feed on and like vnto a great many goodly sweete smelling flowers bound vp in a bottle amongst a sort of thistles 13 But do I for all this lose my hope No no my God for thy power is infinite and lasteth for euer and thy mercie immeasurable which will spred it selfe ouer all such as shall trust in thee One age shall passe after another but the remembrance of thy goodnesse shall neuer haue end one generation shall succeed another but it shall be alwaies for the setting forth of thy praise and good dealing 14 Thou wilt one day my God awaken to haue mercie vpon Sion for the time of mercie draweth neare And loe I see it euen at hand The flouds and riuers powre not out so much clears water into the deepe sea as thy goodnesse will spred abroad thy fauour and grace vpon the face of this earth Open your hearts yee people open your hearts I say for the liberall hand of my God will fill them with an holy zeale which will make thee farre purer and cleaner then the gold in the fining pot 15 Now the house of Sion O Lord is the refuge which all thy seruants looke for it is it which they so greatly loue and which they so earnestly desire it is it where they looke to finde mercy it is the temple O Lord which thou wilt destroy in three daies and raise it vp againe mother three that it may be the house of euerlasting life the seat of saluation the treasure of grace and temple of eternitie 16 Then shall all the nations my God be afraide and all the kings of the earth tremble at the brightnesse of thy glorie What corner of the world shall be so secret where the noise of thy blessed comming shall not sound and be heard where shall that people be so farre from the sunne so confined and limitted in darknesse as will not vnseele their eyes to behold the cleare burning brightnesse of saluation which will shine vpon them Yea heauen it selfe shall encrease his flames to giue light vnto this thine entrance into the world and the kings shall run from all places to do homage vnto the king of kings vnto the gouernor both of heauen and earth 17 For he hath set vp and aduanced his kingly throne vpon Sion in great costly array there shall he be seene wholy encompassed with glory darkning the Sunne and Moone with the brightnesse of his face 18 But why hast thou O Lord so highly exalted the throne of thy glory hast thou done it because thou wouldest not vouchsafe to heare the praiers of thy faithfull seruants And because thou wouldest make no reckoning of the whole world which in deed is nothing in respect of thy greatnesse Alas no my God Thou hast lifted vp thy self vpon an eminent place that all the inhabitants of the earth might see acknowledge thee and so run vnto thy grace and mercy for thou shouldest be alwaies ready to come at the humble summons of thy seruants neuer disdaine their pittifull petitions And behold them also standing as miserable offenders condemned vnto bolts shackles looking for the comming of some king that should set them free at the entrance into his kingdome Euen so ô Lord deliuer thou them who haue giuen themselues vp into the bondage of sinne and with the onely twinke of thine eye the mainacles shall fall from their wristes 19 Then shall they be all heard to sing a glorious song vnto the victorious king their voices shall be heard throughout al the corners of the earth and the remembrance of thy singular bountie and infinite mercy shall be engraued within the memory of men and so passe from age to age euen vnto the last posteritie The earth shall then be consumed all the waters dryed vp the ayre vanished and the heauens haue an end which shall as yet sing the glory of the eternall God 20 The eternall God who hath vouchsafed merely and ioyfully to cast downe his eyes from the highest hauens into the very deepest place of the bowels of the earth for the acknowledging of the torments of the miserable detained captiues in hell heard their groanes is himselfe suddenly runne thither to vnbinde and set at libertie his poore captiue prisoners and all their posteritie where death with the weapons of sinne had ouercome them and confined them in his most darke prisons But the God of
life hath ouercome death and hath freed and cleared them quite from thence 21 To the end O Lord that they might set foorth thy praise in Sion and preach thy louing kindnesse in Ierusalem And although euery one of them had an hundreth mouthes and their voices as lowd as thy thunder yet should they neuer be able to attaine and reach vnto the greatnesse of thy glory All the parts of the world conspire not nor ioyne not themselues together saue onely to represent in their motions a part of thine infinite power and goodnesse howbeit they neuer looke to come neere thereunto for they are more then bottomlesse depths which haue neither bottom nor yet brinke and therfore they must onely behold them a farre of 22 And therefore I most humbly beseech thee my God to be contented that thy people assemble and reunite themselues both in bodies and minds deuoutly to offer vp vnto thee that holy will which they haue to honour thee for the effect can in no wise other wise be able to come neare that which thou deseruest Accept therefore O Lord the humble submission of the kings of the earth which come before thee to yeeld vnto thee their homage and seruice due vnto thee as vnto their soueraigne chiefe Lord. They shall cast their scepters vnto the earth and their crownes at their feete and present for a sacrifice vnto thy maiesty their humble praiers and innocent consciences And I will be the first my God which will cast downe my selfe before thee to worship and serue thee with all mine heart to thee alone will I consecrate my spirit Quicken it therefore O Lord that being purified by the holy zeale of thy loue it may receiue in it selfe as it were in a cleare looking Glasse the image of thine incomprehensible excellency perfections feele in it self the reflexion of thy sincere amitie aswel as thine infinite goodnesse accompanied with the number of thine elect to be an inheritor with them in euerlasting life 23 Now I haue already felt my good God that thou hast enlightened my soule with thy grace and haue presented the fauour which thou wouldest shew vnto all the children of the earth Heretofore hath my spirit a far of takeÌ„ a note how thou proceedest for the deliuerance of the world but it hath beene afraid to die before such time as thou wert come and that is because thou hast heard it call vpon thee saying Tell me Lard how long the course of mine age shall be and when thou wilt end my dayes 24 Go not about O Lord to cut of the thred of my life the first or second winding vp of the spindle neither stay it ouer short in the middest of the course Attend my God vntill the time be come when thou must set open the treasure of thy graces to make an entrance for men vnto the largenesse of saluation or if thou hast at least appointed mine end and that my life cannot stretch so farre yet remember my posteritie and let him be borne of my race that must sanctifie the world by his comming 25 I right well know O Lord that at the first thou madest heauen and earth and whatsoeuer excellent thing we see here in this world to be the worke of thine owne hands 26 But all this shall come to an end euen as an old worne garment a man shall enquire what is become of it and there shal be no mention made thereof at all It was made and it shall be vnmade it had a beginnings it must haue an end But thou alone O Lord which hast beene from all eternitie shalt be alwaies one and the same For age time which consume all things serue for none other purpose but to confirme thine euerlastingnesse and to set foorth thy Deitie men see me to remaine heere vpon the earth for none other cause but to behold round about them thine incomprehenâ—…ble greatnesse on the one side and their infirmitie on the other side 27 A man changeth not his shire so often but the earth oftner changeth her inhabitants one putteth forth another and all is renued euen in a moment But thou my God art euen the same at this day that thou wast at the beginning Euery prouince of the earth hath a great catalogue of kings who haue there commaunded one successiuely after another but the heauens and the earth continually sing vnto vs that thou hast alwaies beene alone euer like vnto thy selfe and that neither the time past ne yet the time to come can any wayes alter nor change thee 28 Now my Lord although we must depart from hence yet do I not doubt but that I shall one day taste of that sweet fruite which shall heale this contagious disease of ours which our fathers transferred ouer vnto vs hauing eaten the fruite of death and of sinne For our children shall come after vs and therefore O Lord shew vs this fauour as to continue our posteritie from age to age vntill such time as we altogether shall appeare before thy face not to receiue sharpe and seuere iudgement but to enter by the merite and intercession of thy deare beloued sonne into the enheritance of the eternall blessednesse which shall be purchased for all thy faithfull by the adoption of thy sonne in the house of thy seruant Dauid From the depth of depths Psalm 129. FRom the depth of depths haue I cryed vnto thee my God being lost and buried in the most fearefull caues of the earth I â—aue called vpon thy name hearken â—nto my voice and heare my praier For all hope of succour is taken from â—e and I see nothing about me but â—orror and trembling and yet haue I â—ot beene discouraged and do waite â—or at thy hands that which thou hast â—romised to all such as shall liue in the â—eare of thy name and in the obediâ—nce of thy commaundements 2 Giue thou therefore O Lord a fauourable eare vnto mine heartiâ— praier If my sinne stand betweene thee and me to whet thee againâ—… mine iniquitie and to make thee contrarie vnto the praiers which I maâ—… vnto thee beate back the same wiâ—… the looke of thy mercifull eye or 〈◊〉 O Lord shut vp for a time the eyes 〈◊〉 thy iustice vntill such time as the eaâ—… of thy louing kindnesse hath receiueâ— my confession and the humble requeâ—… which I make vnto thee for grace Foâ— I come not before thee to braggeâ— mine owne iustification but of 〈◊〉 great louing kindnesse and benigniâ—… 3 If thou shouldest keepe a registâ—… of our sinnes and we come to an â—…dite before thee who were able 〈◊〉 God to abide thy seuere iudgementâ— For what day of life is there that haâ— not deserued a world of tormentâ—… Thou mightest draw out O Lord 〈◊〉 the paines of hell and yet the greateâ— part of my sins should go vnpunished 4 But although we haue mightâ— offended yet for all that thou ceasâ— not to receiue any sinner that commeâ— vnto
speake not vnâ—o thee but with mine heart which â—ryeth our saying vnto thee O Lord why haue I sought thee so carefully â—ay and night both in peace and warre in quietnesse and in trouble 〈◊〉 haue desired nothing in the world â—ut to see thy face I meane nor O Lord thy diuine face wherein is imprinted that fearefull Maiestie which shineth as the lightning which no mans eye is able to abide to behold but that face at the least which is couered and courtayned with thy workes which although no man is able to see but the verie hinder parts thereof and that verie hardly also yet me thinketh it to be most wonderfull and maketh me beside my selfe as it were Sith then O Lord 〈◊〉 thou be that increated word which hath created al things which doth paâ—… of thy will and thy will a part of thy selfe doth it not represent it selfe vnto me as thy face for me to note maâ—… therein such a great number of beaâ—tifull and excellent lineaments of Diuinitie which shine most brightly in euery part thereof O Lord I am in loue with this rare beautie neyther haue I any other care thought but that I may enioy this thy presence which offreth it selfe vnto 〈◊〉 in thy word as in a looking glasse of thy Deitie 14 Seeing then that thou seeâ— mine holie and sincere loue depriue me not then of this holie obiect which sanctifieth and blesseth my cogitations and thoughts And although my sinnes which are most foule and filthie make thee to be displeased with me yet I most humbly beseech thee not to be angry with me neither turne thou away this thy faire and wonderfull face from me For thou O Lord art angry with none but with such as glorie in their sinnes and stubburnely persist in their iniquities But I thy seruant my God humble my selfe before thee and do acknowledge most vnworthie sinner that I am not once to dare appeare in thy presence if thy louing kindnesse did not bring me in vnto thee And therfore thou art not to reiect me for if thou shouldest thou must also therewith reiect thy mercie whereunto I am coupled and so fast linked as that as it cannot be seperated from thee so is it also now fast linked vnto my repentance 15 And therefore thou shouldest if it might so please thee dwell and remayne with me and seeing it hath liked thee to allow me for thy seruant and to thrust me into this combat thou art not to leaue and forsake me in it for if thou shouldest my destruction would turne to thy shame where on the other side my victorie will turne to thy glorie And therefore O Lord I beseech thee to help me euermore For as mine infirmitie striueth commonly against me so also haue I need to haue continuall help on euery side of me For if thou keepe thy selfe neuer so little awhile from me my soule will euen vanish away and so will also my bodie if my soule be once gone For thou O Lord art farre away more the soule of my soule then my soule is the soule of my bodie I right well knowe that thy Diuine Maiestie hath a most vnworthie dwelling place in mee but yet I humblie beseech thee disdaine nor to come into it for where thou once entrest all magnificence aboundeth and there is alwayes honor sufficient where thou art And besides O Lord thou receyuest no honor by comming to visit me but I thy poore seruant am honored by thy presence Why shouldest thou leaue the glorious bright Heauens and bright shining Starres and to come downe heere belowe to seeke for nothing that can bee sayd to bee honorable But it is as I thinke because thou wouldest haue thine Angelles knowe and vnderstand that they ought not to pride vp themselues in theyr magnificence seeing they are thy creatures and that thou canst make the most vile enhabitant on the earth as honorable as any one of them This is it why thou commest downe from the heauen of heauens to haue mercie vppon vs and hauing the like feeling of our miseries thou commest to reestablish vs in our auncient perfection And because that wee as much as in vs lyeth haue defaced the image of the Deitie which thou haddest imprinted in vs thou commest to recharge and recouer the liniaments of our first nature halfe defaced It is thou then who as thou wast our Creator so also wilt be our Redeemer and as thou hast beene our Father so also wilt be our protector and defender And it is thou O Lord who although the whole world hath reiected vs yet hast stretched out thine armes and gathered vs together vnder the wing of thy louing kindnesse 16 And so is it most meet for I knowe not whither else to goe My Father and my Mother haue forsaken mee I meane the Father that begot mee and my Mother that tenderly nursed me and brought me vp did abhorre mee when as they sawe mee set my whole hart vpon thee and leaue the vanities of this world They neuer looked on me but with griefe and held me but for a castaway My brethrens making much of me turned into disdaine the kinde and sweet amitie of my sisters chaunged into contempt and the gratious meetings of my deerest friends were turned into mockerie Whither then must I flye If my dearest friends entreate me after this sort what will mine enemies doo vnto me whose mouthes are full of gall and their tongs full of deadly poyson whose ordinarie actions and exercises are nothing else but doing of wrong and speaking contumeliously But euen then when I am most geuen ouer then art thou neerest vnto me embrasest me most fauourably and powrest vpon my head the treasures of thy mercie most largely 17 Now seeing it hath pleased thee thus to enlarge thy grace towards me that I might be conserued teach me I beseech thee how I may serue thee Learne me what thy law is and how I must direct my steps that I may continually walke a right in that narrow and thornie path which must conduct me vnto the port of saluation For it is long sit hence O Lord that I left that broad and easie way sowed with the pleasures of this world and which bringeth all those that follow the same vnto destruction damnation Shew me therefore my God thy way for vnder such a guide I can neuer stray shew it me O Lord I say for if I go neuer so little out of it I am vtterly vndone mine enemies lie in waite to surprise me and to make me subiect to dishonour me and so consequently thy selfe O Lord because they know that I serue thee faithfully 18 Deliuer me not therefore into their hands that they may deale with me according to their hearts desire For then were mine honour at an end They haue already made strong their part suggested a thousand accusations and framed a world of witnesses but their leasings haue returned vpon their owne heads and borne witnesse
that his spirit descended into me and as a strong and mighty winde driueth the cloudes before it euen so did it driue from round about me all manner of griefes and afflictions 4 Come therefore and runne vnto him come then for the way is easie and open on euery side he sheweth himself in all places and in what place soeuer we are he calleth vs vnto him He is so afeard of vs that we would go astray as that he commeth downe from heauen to carry a lampe before vs to giue light vnto our feet he is also the father of lights which more cleerly and purely lighteth our soules then our bodies For the light which lighteth our eyes is to cause vs to see that which we are either to follow or to eschew but this light of all goodnesse and bountie enlighteneth our soules and of it selfe putteth farre from vs and driueth away whatsoeuer may hurt and offend vs. Come therefore and draw neere therevnto for so long as it shineth vpon vs you shall be sure to go vpright and nothing shall be able to do you hurt your strength shall renew in you and nothing shall confound you for if your sinnes shall appeare it shal disperse them and if your enemies come thither it will send them back and ouerthrow them 5 Will you see a most excellent proofe of his aide and singular mercy Behold then this poore and miserable caitife who is held to be an especiall vnhappy man yea such a one as is thought to be a man without all hope of recouerie the onely comfort of all miseries who hath but a very little cried out vnto God and he forthwith heard him and deliuered him out of the misery wherein he was he hath brought him to the port and setled him in a place of safety 6 He sendeth his angels to helpe his seruants who compasse them about as a most sure guarde and will not suffer them to stirre a foote from them before such time as they haue rid them out of danger For as he himselfe is great so hath he also mighty strong ministers and although he of himselfe is able to do all things and yet notwithstanding all his greatnesse he executeth his will by his creatures gouerning the lesser by the meaner the meaner by he higher and the higher by himselfe 7 Taste thou and consider a little how kinde and fauourable his goodnesse and mercy is and how blessed he is that putteth his trust in him The Swallow is very carefull of her yong ones and yet she oftentimes leaueth theÌ„ to cry by reason of hunger somtimes she giueth them the sower with the sweet but our God commeth at the first call nay at the first signe we make yea at our first wish so soone as he seeth vs thirst for his helpe he putteth his most sweet delicate dugs and breasts of his bounty vnto our mouthes streameth the sweet milke of his grace into our lips which stancheth cooleth the thirstinesse of our infirmity quencheth the heat which our sin as foule filthy vlcers sores haue engendred in our consciences 8 And therfore seeing he is so good gratious vnto vs and denieth vs nothing that we aske looke somwhat vnto your selues I beseech you I speake vnto you vpon whom he hath bestowed so many benefits whom he hath sanctified with his holy blessings and whome he hath set a part to be his elect and partakers of his loue And beware yee offend him not with your vnthankfulnesse thereby make you vnwortthie of his benefites through distrust and incredulitie of his beneficence For they that feare him waâ—… nothing in fearing him they trut iâ— him and they feare him with a feare that proceedeth of loue not with a feare that he will do them some ill but with a feare not to offend him but rather with a fatherly reuerence who is farre readier to do vs good then we are carefull to demaund of him For he knoweth of himselfe what is most necessary for vs and preuenteth forthwith our desires if they be agreeable vnto his will and enricheth vs when we are most poore and maketh vs valiant when we are most weake 9 And contrariwise the richmenâ— of the world whose goods he hath not blessed they I say are not worthy of their riches but starue with their aboundance their goods melt into pouerty their great magnificences vanish away into smoake and become like vnto a streame whose spring-heaâ— is dammed vp his bed becommeth parched with drinesse the skirts of his garments lose their beauty and his trees which he hath planted on a row wither and drive vp But such as haue recourse vnto God and forsake him not and referre all vnto his honour shall neuer want any good thing because the spring head of all goodnesse which is the loue of God floweth ouer their soules and spreddeth it selfe throughout all the parts of their bodies 10 Now sith that you see that the feare of the Lord bringeth so great profit and that his feare is it which reconcileth vs vnto him his conciliation getteth vs grace enlargeth our felicity come ye vnto me that I may learne yee how yee shall feare him as a most good merciful father who neuer denieth mercy vnto him which acknowledgeth his sinnes and giueth himselfe to walke in the way of well doing 11 Desire ye to please him and by that meanes to liue in his grace that is to say to liue blessedly and passe your dayes with a quiet minde and aboundance of whatsoeuer is necessary for this life and yet to go forward on the way of this immortall life which attendeth vs after we shall be departed from hence To be short desire ye his blessing that is to say firme and assired prosperitie which engendreth iâ— you spirituall reioycing which laiâ—… your heart continually open to breaâ—… out his honor coÌ„tentedly to vse tâ—… benefits which he lendeth vnto yoâ— here in this world I will deliuer 〈◊〉 vnto you in few words how yee shaâ—… attaine vnto this meanes For I know wherewith he is pleased and what aâ—…ons of ours they are that are agreeable vnto his liking 12 The first thing that ye shall do 〈◊〉 this Keepe your tongue that it speakâ— nothing to the dishonor of God noâ—â—…ter any bitter angry talke Mark whâ—… a small and little thin member this iâ— yet it is the sterne of our life which turneth and windeth our spirit which way soeuer it pleaseth For when it iâ— once filled with corrupt filthy speeâ—… it carrieth the passions of our hearâ— from whence they are conceiued euâ—… into the bottom of our vnderstanding and in such sort watereth them as thaâ— they are like vnto an earthen potouâ—… much soaked in water so loseth theâ—…by the forme and shape of the reasâ—… which God had breathed into it Sâ—ty not that one sparke of fire setteth an whole house on a burning flame Euen so the tongue as the
they wil euer haue a watchfull eye to surprise good men and to take part against them they will gnash their teeth at them and grin like roring Lions for their hatred is so extreame against the good and godly as that when they behold them they cast downe their countenance and are more like beasts then men 14 But the Almightie God who hath ordeyned that which hath bene shall be and must be and whose ordinances are vnchangeable laugheth to scorne these their deuises and smileth at the vaine deuises of these miserable false wretches which rush into the ayre and flourish with their swords against the winde he seeth their end draw neere by degrees which will carrie them away as a great whirle winde 15 For when as they shall thinke them-selues to be maisters and make a reckning to haue all in their owne then shall they be in greatest danger Ye shall see these miserable sinners with their naked swords in their hands bending their bowes and taking their ayme to ouerthrow the innocent They will make their part strong dispose of their people lay their ambushes haue their watch-word and in a iollitie and meriment will say in their harts Tush wee haue him now in hold he shall neuer escape 16 They will massacre the poore the needy and innocent and take vppon them to roote out all such as are of an vpright soule and heart For it is they with whom they meane to deale it is they whome they bid warre vnto because they stop the execution of their purposes and whose innocencie is a perpetuall reproch vnto them 17 They haue already put their kniues to the throats of the poore innocents their blowes were numbred they had shot their arrowes and the traine had already takē fire and loe by a wonderfull accident the points of their swords are turned vppon theyr owne breasts their owne arrowes stab in them their bullets rebounded and lighted vpon them-selues their bowes brake all to shiuers in their hands and in the end they were slayne with their owne weapons Thou hast sayd ô Lord alwayes right well that wicked counsels light vpon the authors of them to their owne destruction Thou hast rightly foretold that the wicked are takē in their own snares and thou hast rightly fore-iudged that the wicked in the end abide the same punishment which they had prepared for others 18 It is not therefore ô Lord the worldly power greatnesse authority which make men happy neither yet the troupes nor the armies which do assure them make thē conquerors For that little that the iust man hath who by his sinceritie hath obtained thy grace standeth him in better stead then the aboundance of all sorts of goods which the wicked do any way get stand them in stead The litle that a iust man hath swelleth riseth as a peece of dough his force redoubleth against the charge euen as the arme of a Palme tree doth for his strength taketh roote in thee who art the foundation of all force and power 19 But as for the arme of the sinner how stiffe and stout soeuer it be yet shall it be shiuered in peeces and his strength shall be troad vnder feet for it is but a vaine outward shewe which swelleth and puffeth it selfe vp as a glasse in the furnace for it is puffed vp by the blowing of the workeman groweth and looketh very cleare but the more it groweth and waxeth bright the tenderer and britler it is so as it breaketh in peeces with the first knocke it hath and after the noyse of the breaking and fall there is no more seene of it but the small peeces But as for the iust man he is compared vnto a Diamond for the more it is rubbed the cleerer it is And that which affliction taketh away from an innocent man is nothing else but his beastlinesse his ordure and his excrements for the nakedder that he is the more beautifull he is 20 Lastly whatsoeuer it is that God layeth vpon the godly it is altogether for their saluation For he knoweth both the dayes the life of those that are pure and cleane and geueth vnto them that which is needfull for them Their blessednes is prepared for them from all eternitie and shall possesse it vnto all eternitie Not as an earthly inheritance but as an heauenly inheritance whose ritches are infinite and eternal and inheritance which being deuided amongst all his children will continue sound and whole for euer and euer whose parts shall be as great as the very whole enheritāce For this is that glorious enheritance which enriching so many people filleth all with eternall blessednes and remayneth alwayes one and alwayes infinite 21 Now although the hope of the seruāts of God be not tied to the earth yet neuerthelesse so long as they shall be here in this world yet will not God let them want that which is necessarie for their liues For whensoeuer the ill time shall come and that vengeance shall rise vp against men and that the waters ouer flow stormes reigne and heauen poure downe fire like rayne yet shall the righteous be then at rest and peace in the middest of the tempests dry amongst the shipwracks and safe and sound in the hotest of the flames And againe whensoeuer any hideous famine shall come to deuoure the people yet shall they haue Manna rayne downe from heauen to satisfie them For the wrath of God is but against the wicked and his anger is not kindled but against them But as for the godly the neerer that they thinke them-selues vnto danger the neerer are they vnto saluation and health 22 It fareth not with them as it doth with the enemies of God who are mightely exalted and honored on hye that their fall might be the greater and the more shamefull because no man can leape a great leape but such a one as standeth very hye The falls of hye Towres shutter all to pieces and are brought as it were vnto dust Howbeit it is farre worse with the wicked for when they haue once had their blow they fall not only vnto dust but vanish into smoke nay they become nothing at all Behold how the cloudes come foorth as if it were the thunder out of the mouth of a great Cannon they grow into heapes increase and lye out so broad and thick as that a man would say they would fill the emptinesse of the ayre and roll vp the Sunne But after they haue by little and little gotten higher vp ye see them by and by to waxe thin and in the end scatter and consume so as a man shall not see so much as any signe or token that euer they had bin And such is the mightinesse of the wicked whose substance is nothing else but sinne and whose mouing is nothing but vanitie it groweth suddainly and it is gone as suddainly and what soeuer they are able to do for to think to conserue the same they can by no meanes any way
horror and astonishment in their countenances For extreame famine hath dried vp their flesh cold hath bereaued them their ruddy and smooth checkes sorrow and griefe hath wrinkeled their faces and the flower of their chastitie by the souldier insolently defaced hath couered all their faces with shame and dishonor And these are now no more but euen so many dead liuing For they liue altogether in sorrow and griefe Neither is there any thing that encourageth them more to liue then the same dolor which killeth them with very heauinesse and awakeneth them out of their bitternesse He. A dolor truly too too bitter and in very deede more bitter then soote to see them-selues carried in triumph by their greatest enemies to see them braue by our spoyles ritch by our great pouertie and mightie by our ouerthrow Thou hast ô Lord poured out thy heauie wrath vppon vs and madest vs feele how heauie thy reuengefull hand is Thou hast I beleeue gathered together all our faults into a bundell once for all because that when thou sawest them to be so infinite and worthie the like payne and punishment thou awakenedst thy selfe and hast discharged the arrowes of thy seuere iustice against vs. But ô Lord oughtest not thou to stay the course of our punishment in our owne persons and consume all thy torments vpon vs but must we also be tormented in the persons of our children and for the making of our miserie the greater to cause vs also to see theirs For wee were spoyled of our goods put out of our houses and led away captiue Wee thought that there was nothing as it were to bee feared more then death and yet now wee feare it not for it is sweet to those that are in miserie But our speedie and quicke calamitie to our great payne and griefe hath now ouertaken vs with newe miseries For wee haue seene goe before vs whole bands of our children fettered and carried captiue into Babylon there to serue our enemyes as bond-slaues Vau. Euen so hath Syon lost the flower of her youth and all the honor of her City is cleane gone She hath bene miserably torne all to rags and there is no whole thing left in her but sorrow griefe For the greatest and ritchest of her inhabitants were caried away by troupes and led into strange Prouinces as flocks of sheepe are driuen by dayes iourneys from market to market without geuing them any leaue to feed as they go They go with their heads and their eyes looking downe to the ground sighing most piteously And the conqueror followeth them scourging them with rods and they which dwell by the hye wayes sides as they passe laugh at their affliction and most iniuriously cry out vpon them Zain And as a fresh wound openeth againe the old ones euen so were their harts throughly pierced whereby they remembred their old sinnes and the punishment which their fathers suffered because they had forsaken the true seruice of God and geuen them selues ouer vnto their foolish passions They called also to mind how often they were fallen into their enemies â—ands when as God had left them O â—hou too too ouer late remembrance â—hou shouldest haue come a great deale sooner to haue turned them from their wicked and abhominable â—ayes and if they would not haue done it for Gods sake yet they should â—aue done it at least for feare of his fury which they had so often felt O late repentance which commeth after punishment suffred They were very poreblind that could not foresee this great trayne of miseries which followed their offences But alasse ô blind sinne thou doest thus bleare the eyes of thy friends and wilt not put them in mind of their repentance but â—hen it is all past time For Ierusalem hath turned her back vpon God and followed her owne concupiscences she hath made her a God of her owne pleasure and worshipped her owne delights She neuer once turned her eyes towards heauen vntill such time as she sawe her magnificence cleane vnder foote the whole world laughing at her shame making a scorne of her Sabboths and translating and altering of her sacrifices wherein she had so great confidence which could in very deeâ— serue her to no purpose because they were done with such polluted hands Heth. For to say truly Ierusalem waâ— nothing else but a sinke of sinne and filthinesse for from the highest vnto the lowest they were all most abhominable for she began to forget her God that was so fauourable vnto her and thereupon as one that was blinde she stumbled fell into all maner of wickednesse And after that she had groped about here and there at all aduentures she fell into this strange calamitie and then as many as heretofore were wont to reuerence honor her began forthwith to disdaine and looke sourely vpoÌ„ her For her shame lay opeÌ„ vnto the eyes of al the world was seâ— before euery man as a laughing stocke some asking her what was become of all her wealth some what was become of all her honor and there was neuer an honest womaÌ„s child which had not a gird at her In so much that she could do nothing else but weepe and being all ashamed and comfortlesse she was driuen to goe hide her selfe Thet. And wheÌ„ she saw her self alone and in what estate she stood she found her self from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot to be most filthie and her garmeÌ„ts to be most beastly beâ—rayed with bloud and mire And as the Peacock when he hath spread abroad his tayle in looking at his feet letteth it fall downe agayne abating thereby his pride euen so hath she plucked downe her heart sorrowed within her selfe and cared no whit for death by reason that all things misliked her but chiefly and aboue all her poore and miserable life She was giuen to be altogether sad without hauing any bodie to comfort her For her friends had forsaken her or if they were neere about her it was to none other end but to afflict her Wherefore when as she found no help here vpon earth she lamentably lifted to her head vnto heauen with deep fighâ—s froÌ„ the bottome of her hart addressed her selfe vnto God and sayd O Lord hast thou not compassion vpon me in this my great affliction Seest thou not mine extreame misetie Surely there is none can saue me so well as thy selfe Come therefore if thou be the God of mercy and forsake not thine humble and old seruant for mine enemy setteth his foote vpon my throate and causeth me most shamefully to belch Come therefore ô Lord for my continuall iniury is thy shame and the outrage that is done vnto a seruant redoundeth to the mayster And therefore come ô Lord for mine enemy outrageth me beyond all measure and without all pitie Iod. He hath layd his bloudy hand vpon that which I accompted most deere and spared no whit of that which I made reckning off to be most
geuen them all power and â—…thoritie ouer thee Sade But God in the end began to waxe weary of their insolency because they carryed theÌ„selues too too proudly of their conquest for after they had troden vnder feet the greatnes of Ierusalem they meant againe to deale with his maiestie and blaspheme his name and hauing ouerthrowne the walles of this holy Citie they bragged that they would make warre against God him selfe and triumph ouer the spoyles of his Temple Let their example ô Ierusalem serue thy turne and take occasion to appease God by thy repentance that he may turne the punishment which he hath prepared for thee vpon thine enemies Let thine eyes forthwith burst into bloudy teares and weepe continually day and night geue no rest to thy sighes let thy pitifull eyes speake for thee and looking vp still vnto heauen attend thou thine ayde from thence Coniure by thine humble lookes this diuine mercy that it may ease thy weakenes and conuert his iustice vnto the chastising of the insolency of thine enemies Coph Lift vp lift vp I say both thy body and soule all at once and before it be day so soone as thou shalt awake put thy selfe in a readinesse to pray into God to prayse and thanke him for that he by the torments which he hath caused vs to abide hath brought thee back into the right way as men do oxen with the goade vnto the knowledge of his name and the acknowledging of thine iniquities And before his face that is to say when thou hast obtayned fauour at his hand to looke vpon thee and seest him to haue compassion on thee distill thine heart through thine eyes and melt it all into teares by thine earnest repentance euen as the Sunne would melt the snow newly fallen into water But if so that thy teares will not touch him and bring him to haue compassion of thy miserie lift vp thy hands yet at the least vnto him and beseech him to be contented with thy miseries and not extend them vnto thy poore innocent childreÌ„ who are there dispersed dying of hunger and weakenesse in corners saying vnto him Resch O Lord if thou haue any eyes behold this pitifull spectacle and if thou haue any eares harken vnto out prayers and consider how great our miserie is Behold how thou hast bene auenged of vs and see what a spoyle thou hast made of vs. And in very deed I must needs confesse that we haue deserued it and I do protest that we are vnworthie of thy mercy and do also vow that we our selues are the causes of our owne miserie But what haue these poore and wayling children done whom thou seest screaking out them selues faintly drawing their breath Why should the child whom hunger torment had drawne out before the time of the mothers womb was ready to deliuer it which is not as it were so great as a mans hand be rent in pieces by her which should bring it forth and so be eaten by her and the same to go downe by peece-meale into the body out of which it came whole and sound Surely happy and twise happy are the Tygres and Lyons whelps in comparison of these whose dammes will aduenture their own liues against whatsoeuer violence shall be offred their yong ones rather then they would suffer them to take any hurt at all O Lord how canst thou abide this horrible dealing Is it possible that thou which are altogether good gratious wouldest abide such great impietie to be wrought that thou which art so wise wouldest allow of such a cruell acte and that thou which art Almightie wouldest suffer such a strange outrage Shew thy selfe ô Lord shew thy selfe as thou art and although for a time thou art determined to exercise thy seueritie and iustice yet thinke vpon this also that thy mercy must reigne haue her course Content thy selfe that so much bloud is spilt for the appeasing of thine heauie wrath Thou hast not bene pleased with the bloud of our sheepe and oxen alone but wilt needs also haue thine Aulters couered with the bloud of thine owne Priests for they haue sacrificed their owne liues and thy Prophets likewise haue bene offred vp in oblation and yet thou art no whit appeased Syn. What more wouldest thou haue at our hands Thou hast scene abroad in the fields the gray haired and â—ecreped old men and women lye vpon the ground crying out groaning and â—eeping thou hast seene lying with 〈◊〉 our walles the slaughter of our youths our streetes strawed all ouer with legs and ames our riuers running ouer with bloud and neyther sexe or yet age spared Thou hast seene amongst the dead the yong and tender maydens with their haires sheueled about their heads hauing their breasts lying open with great wounds out of which gushed streames of bloud and thou hast seene them lying on their backs with their eyes vp vnto heauen beseeching thine ayde And thou ô Lord hast notwithstanding all this turned away thine eyes from them and as if thou haddest bene a God not to be intreated hast without either pitie or mercy run through them all with the sword of thy fury Tau Thou hast inuited all my neighbour nations round about me to come to my discomfiture as it were vnto a mariage and to take part of my spoiles Thou hast brought them in such great multitudes to take possession of me and to compasse me as that I can not deuise which way to escape theÌ„ Thou thy selfe hast sounded to the assault animated them to my destruction and stopped vp the passages for feare that any of vs should be saued And truly thy will hath bene done vpon all the children which I haue brought vp nay there is not one of them saued mine enemies haue made a shambles of theÌ„ they haue murdered and massacred them till they cryed hoe withall and lo seest thou them weary with killing yet carest thou not to see them do it to let them to do it and to cause them do it Hath the remembrance of our sins made thee forget the remembraÌ„ce of thy clemency Hast thou created vs in thy mercy to destroy vs in thy fury Be thou then no more Almightie if thou wilt not become both all curteous all kind To be short be thou no more God without thou wilt be likewise pitifull Ha ô Lord why hast thou called vs thy people if thou wilt be no more our protector Why hast thou called vs thy childreÌ„ if thou wilt not deale with vs as a father Haue therefore ô Lord compassion vpon vs and feeing thy mercy is infinite euer since before the world was cause that thine ire which was neuer vntill our sins were may take end and dye with them and that as our repeÌ„tance hath set vs againe into the especiall way of obedience godlinesse so also it may bring vs againe into thy fauour CHAPTER III. Aleph IT is I euen I my selfe that hath so many times foreseene and
about O how wonderfull great is thy mercy which blindfoldeth the eyes of thy Deitie which hideth from thee that euery one seeth and maketh thee forget that which thou knewest before such time as it was done 13 From whence ô Lord commeth this great change and alteration in thee whence commeth it that to do me fauour thou puttest so farre from thee thy iustice which is naturally in thee I wonder but yet cannot I tell from whence this thy so great clemency and louing kindnesse proceedeth It is yea it is ô Lord because thou wilt saue vs whether we wil or no and to draw vs as it were by force out of that condemnation which we most iustly haue deserued For thou art the God of glory iealous of honour and praise for thou art alone worthy therof Thou knowest right well that very hell shall praise thee and thou knowest also ô Lord that death it selfe shall set forth thy praise Seeing that thou hast created all things to testifie thine infinite goodnesse and power shall death which is one of thy works make an end of thy praise Yea and seeing thou hast here placed man to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen and to behold thy glory and to sing both with the heart and mouth a continually hymne therof and if thou take away his life is not that a breache of one of the organes of thine honour And if thou send him to hell is not that to defame thy workmanship Thou hast ô Lord sowne by the mouthes of thy Prophets the truth of thy promises Shall they that are pent vp in the earth gather together the fruite thereof shall they whome the death of the body hath closed vp the eye liddes and whome the death of the soule engendred through their impenitence hath sealed vp the eyes of the spirit making them go groping to hell wandring and stumbling from paine to paine and from torment to torment No no it shall be the liuing man that shall publish and set forth thy praise the man I say that liueth and that liuing life which is maintained by those blessings which thou bestowest vpon vs here on the earth and that life which is nourished by the beholding of thy Deitie and by the blessings which thou hast laide vppe in heauen Euen so O Lorde do I at this day with them seeing it hath pleased thee to conuert my miseries into grace and blessing and to turne away from me death and dolors which brought them vnto mee Mine infirmitie is at this day seeing it so pleaseth thee an argument of thy glory thou workest such miracles in me as are able to astonish an whole world To the end ô Lord that the fathers may tell vnto their children what the effects of thy mercies are how sure the effect of thy promises and how vndoubted the truth of thy word And so wâ—…soeuer the lasâ— and hindermost posteritie shall vnderstand what hath be fallen vnto my person it will praise and blesse thy holy name 15 Seeing then my God that â—hou hast assured me this life I meane this earthly and corporall life graunt me also assurance of this heauenly and diuine life to the end that I being most full of all hope and strength may passe the rest of my daies in praising and seruing of thee continually Mine aboade ô Lorde shall be alwaies at the feete of thine aulâ—eâ—s mine action shall â—ee a song of thy praise and goodnesse and so will goe day and night into thy church lifâ—ing vp mine eyes vnto thee and hauing my thoughts fixed on thee I will openmine heart and thou shalt fill it with thy grace that it may sanctifie all mine affections and so I thereby may set forth nothing more then thy glory FINIS