cure her leprosie and to remedy her loathsomenesse She is proued a bastard vine and degenerated to a soure grape A froward bowe which will rather flie in peeces then come to the bent A fruitlesse and barren soile not answerable to the sowers hope Against thee her God she hath lifted vp her hand against the omnipotent she hath vaunted her feathers With a proude gate and lofty countenance she hath stalked against thee as though she would checke thee to thy face She saith I am safe in the midest of waters my shippes are my brasen wall Yet is she flesh and not a spirit a worme and not a God Be it that she soareth as high as an Eagle shee should be reached with thy arrowe but spare her O Lord. Be it she were as stronge as steele shee should bee dashed in peeces by thy fury but mittigate thy wrath She extolleth her selfe in conceipt of prosperity and vannteth her proceedinges in iniquity In a moment canst thou crush her bones and lay her pride in the dust but oh remember thy mercy VVhat-soeuer this people thinketh is meere iniquity all their communication is conspiracy against heauen and treason against thee They haue all made a league with death and concluded a couenant with hell Their feete are svvifte to euill and their handes stronge to doe mischiefe The earth it selfe is infected with wickednesse of the inhabitants and cryeth vnto thee for vengeance And possibly vvould svvallovve them as it did Chore and his company vvere it not for thy elect sake Reuenging fire of Sodome and Gomorrha might be justly feared if the faithfull stayed not thy rodde If any forsake iniquity he is made a pray our chanels flow with bloud Who did euer heare such horrible thinges as this people commit against thee their maker Degenerated is thy vineyarde and turned wilde yealding verjuce for wine Thy darling and vowed Virgin hath giuen ouer her selfe common to all adulteries To Luther and Caluin she hath opened her bosome and to whome so-euer else that would dishonour her She hath sought her louers farre and neere and hired teachers for her itching eares She careth not whome she admit so she admit not thee her first spouse nor whither she runne so she flie from thy face As a woman contemneth her husband so hath she contemned thee and with disdaine turned her backe Defending her iniquity vnder pretext of thy glory she dareth to say I am no adulteresse I am no Apostatrice Her brasen face cannot blush her impudent minde can conceiue no repentance But if she harden her face not to repent harden the face of thy messengers to reprehend If she harden her face to persecute harden thou their face to withstand Confirme the hartes of those thy labourers endue them with strength from aboue and giue successe vnto their endeauours Whose only presence representeth in some sort the state of former times And maintayneth thy holy fire that it goe not out Diminish not their number because of our sinnes and vnworthynesse but encrease it for our better comfort That the daylie foode of our soules we may receiue at their hands and not want their assistance in our extreamities Protect them night and day from their enemies wheresoeuer thy busines detayneth them Embolden our harts with courage from heauen to concurre with them freely in furthering thy seruice Fully thereby to discharge our Christian duty and be partaker of their reward and Crowne So may they build apace the wales of thy Hierusalem and winne innumerable soules to thy Kingdome So may they speedily bring to passe that auncient happinesse may returne So may thy Temples be clensed of their abhominations returning to the vse whereunto they were builded No longer be dennes of Diuels and instruments of thy dishonour Be it so O mighty Patron of thy afflicted be it so And all that loue their Country let this be their daylie teares A CONTEMPLATION OF THE BLESsed state of a Catholike THE FIPT PSALME COME and consider vvith me the sweetnesse of our Lord O all yee that be of his holy congregation Come and consider with me the glory of his Spouse O all yee that dwell in her Tabernacle Come and consider with me the happinesse of your owne soules yee which haue entred into the sanctuary of our God Meditate his goodnes in the night in the day time lift vp your handes vnto his holy Seate Great is he and vvorthy of all prayse thy workes beare witnesse of thee O Lord. Thou hast erected thy Church as thy Kingdome vpon earth her glory shall not depart from the lippes of thy Saintes In thy only Sonne it was founded from the beginning and to the end of the world it shall endure For faithfull art thou in all thy wordes and holy in all thy workes Iust righteous in all thy wayes and perfect in thy determinations As in the sunne-beames thou hast placed this thy Tabernacle that the vertue thereof might comfort the world Vpon an hill thou hast situated thy City whither all people should repaire for lawes and doctrine This is the Queene standing at thy right hand glittering in gold and rich attire Thy Spouse vvhome thou canst not but loue thy turtle which can not but be chast and true The piller of truth whereupon thy faith is builded The rocke against vvhich hell gates shall not preuaile The ship which thou permittest to be tossed but neuer sufferest to be ouerwhelmed The arke ordayned to saue the elect out of which who so is found perisheth euerlastingly The sanctuary of refuge whither to flie from the anger to come The mount of thy sanctification which the right hand hath cōquered The inheritance which thou hast purchased with thy Sonnes bloud A pauilion immoueable vvhose pinnes can neuer bee pulled out whose cordes can neuer be broaken A high and strong Castle vvhose vvalles are Adamant against which no strength can preuaile A massy hard stone vpō whome it lighteth it crusheth him in peeces All benediction thou hast bestowed vpon thy Church vvho hath not her for Mother shall not haue thee for Father In her only thou hast established thy true worship and confirmed it neuer to faile As other people haue Gods none the true God but Christians So may factions adore the also none truly and fruitfully but thy Catholike Church alone Among all trees thou hast chosen one Palme amōg al birds one Doue Among all flowres thou hast preferred one Lilly among all hilles one Sion All nations are thy subjectes and creatures but we thine inheritance Rejoyce and be glad yee inhabitants of Hierusalem among whome is the great and holy one of Israell Yee are all like Gods the true children of the Highest Happy are the eyes vvhich see that yee see and enjoy the presence of him whome yee adore Happy are the eares that heare what yee heare and the harts which are partakers of your instructions No nation vnder heauen hath a God so potent so louing so neere to them which
SEAVEN SPARKES OF THE ENKINDLED SOVLE WITH FOVRE LAMENTATIONS WHICH COMPOSED in the hard times of Queene Elizabeth may be vsed at all times when the Church hapneth to be extreamely persecuted Drawne out of the holy Scriptures after the forme of Psalmes By R. B. P. In my meditation breaketh out fire Psal 38. Is any of you sadde let him pray Is he of a calme minde let him Psalme Iac. 5. v. 13. IHS Printed with licence TO THE VERY WORSHIPFVLL MY EVER-HONOVRED Mother B.B. encrease of all good in him who is the only good TO many wee owe much to sundry their certayne dueties to friends kindred clyents neighbours to instructors gouernors but vnto our parentes we owe all we owe our selues Of which eminent prerogatiue although Christians can not be ignorant through the frequent commendation thereof in the word of God as which beganne in the a Exod. 20 ten Commaundementes was by our b Math 15. Sauiours blessed mouth recommended by c Ephes 6. S. Paul noted to be the first Commaundement hauing a promise thereunto annexed so neither were the Heathens so destitute of natures light but that they alwayes held this as a high principle The great reuerence of d 3. Reg. 3. King Salomon towarde his mother is to be read in the booke of Kings and no lesse rare example had the Gentiles of e Plut. Cleobis Biton who submitted their owne shoulders to the drawing of their Mothers Chariot f 1. Tim. 5. And the Apostle expresly commaunded children to yeald requitall vnto their aged parents saying that it was acceptable commendable in the sight of God so to doe That same by way of Prouerbe drawne from the Storke committed they to an eternall care and memory gladly also at all times reciting that memorable nature of this bird which is Antipelargein that the younger fostreth againe the elder of whome before he was fed and bred vp Let this litle labour of mine be in some sort to play the Storke although in a contrary yet most equiualent sort of foode such surely as in this time of my long absence from you wil be as acceptable I doubt not to receiue as it was gratefull to minister it shal prooue as cordiall in the vse as it was paynefull in the composition Liue you to God who also preserue you Your Sonne with all loue and duty R. B. TO THE DEVOVTLY AFFECTED AND enduring Catholikes THANKES ought vve alvvayes to rēder vnto God for you DEARE BRETHREN as worthy and meete it is 2 The. 1.3 for that your faith highly encreaseth the charity of each of you towardes other aboundeth so that other nations glory in the Church of God for your patience and faith in all the persecutions and tribulations vvhich you sustayne to an example of GODS just judgment that yee may be accounted vvorthy of the Kingdome of GOD for which yee also suffer Persist yee that our joy may be full a Phil. 2.27 And be not in any thing terrified by the aduersaries what to them is cause of perdition is to you of saluation and this from God for asmuch as to you it is giuen for Christ that not only yee beleeue in him but that yee also suffer for his sake b Ephes 12. Yee were in times past without Christ alienated from the conuersatiō of Israel strangers to the testamēt hauing no hope of the promise without a God in this world But nowe are yee who earst were far off in Christ IESVS become neere in the bloud of Christ for he is our peace c Collos 2.13 Dead when yee vvere in sinnes God reuiued you together with him imparting cōdonation of all your offences d Phil. 1.26 Walke yee therfore worthy of the gospel of Christ e Phil. 2 15. without reprehension in the middest of a wicked peruerse people among whome yee shine as lights in the world f 1. Thes 5.11 Be mutually comfortable and edifie one another as also yee doe g 1. Cor. 2.12 Yee haue not receiued the spirit of this world h 1. Thes 5.2.4 The day of our Lord shal come as a theefe in the night But yee BRETHREN are not in darknes whereby that day might as a theefe catch yee vnwarres for all yee are Sonnes of light Sonnes of God We are not of the night neither of darknes therefore let not vs sleep as doe others but let vs watch and be sober Be instant in prayer watchfull therein in thanksegiuing a Ephes ◠18. Be not inebriate with wine wherein is luxury but be filled with spirit speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes spiritual songs singing and Psalming in your hartes vnto our Lord yealding alwayes thankes for all thinges to God the Father in the name of our LORD IESVS CHRIST b Ioh. 14.13 15.16 16.23 Whatsoeuer is asked in his name it is obtayned Yet c Iac. 4.3 some receiue not because they euilly aske And commonly d Rom. 8.26 vve doe not knowe what we pray as behooueth vs. But e 1. Ioh. 5.14 this is the comfort which we haue to Godward in that whatsoeuer we shall request according to his will he heareth vs. Not the Author but sacred Authority AN INVOCATION OF GODS AIDE FOR CEASSING THE AFFLICTION OF his Church THE FIRST PSALME O MY LORD O my God how long wilt thou deferre the deliuery of thy people Arise and free vs O Lord arise O Lord and saue vs. Helpe vs thou in our tribulations for vaine is the aide of man Accomplish gratiously what thou mercifully seemest to beginne shewe forth the amiable light of thy countenance By the hand of thy great seruant IAMES shake off our yoake that we may finde him an honourable comforter Beautifie him with a name more pretious then his Crowne by the true name of a good King Deserue he the resemblance of thy owne Title Prince of peace Least they which vexe vs exalt their hartes for euer and magnifie themselues in their iniquities Thou hast tried vs as the Diamond is tried by hammers or gold in the fornace Thou hast chastised vs throughly for our offences nowe spare vs for thy mercy To thee lift we vp our eyes who dwellest in the heauens and sittest vpon the Cherubins As slaues in their Masters fury or handmaides at their Mistris feete Attend from thy heauenly throne vnto our cry for exceedingly haue we beene oppressed Howe many are the dayes of our afflictions when wilt thou doe vs fauour and bowe our Persecutors vnto pittie Thine we are thy children and thy seruants the scattered and oppressed sheepe of thy pasture Preserue vs for we haue embraced thy wayes and diligently searched thy commaundementes For which cause we sustayne the note of folly and madnes and are a daylie laughing stock to each wicked person Reputed also as vnworthy to liue and enemies to our deare country Our acquaintance haue vvithdrawne themselues from
the noyse of newe opinions their manners drew infection from the weakenesse of their faith When they sawe the theefe they followed him to be partaker of his pray They joyned shot with the adulterous generation furthered their proceedinges And eating with vncircūcised persons mingled themselues with those which thou hast strictly forbidden They learned their workes they suckt in their opinions and stumbled to their vtter ruine They found in their conuersation the scandall of Balam eating drinking and fornication Thy Nazarites were prouoked to violate their vowes and inuited to meates renounced Way was by liberty made open to intrusion of a newe beliefe and men vaunted their proper inuentions to be thy word Blessed is the memory and euerlasting is the glory of the shepherds which looked well to their charge at the time of Apostasie For the brightnesse of Israell was not quite put out but that many lampes gaue their accustomed light Rather choosing triumphantly to loose their liues then by yealding to betray their flocke Cursed for euer are those Prelates and Pastors not worthy the name of subjectes and sheepe Who either slept while the Diuell sowed his cockle O eternall reproach or like dumbe dogges bayed not when they sawe the wolfe Idols stockes not trusty watchmen who sawe the sword comming and gaue no warning But wonne with reward or amazed with feare suffered soules to be seduced The Prince frowning and commaunding his lawes to be obserued for Gods truth They staggered as men dronke all their wisdome and learning was gone with a word Holding downe their heades as degenerate shrinking as rammes that had lost their hornes In steede of denouncing to people their daunger and deterring them from iniquity They themselues yealded GODS honour to man and augmented the scandall by their example Great was the multitude which swaying with the time did cut off themselues from the body of Christendome The earth vvas infected vvith the pride thereof and the aire detested so great abhomination The elementes were defiled with continuall sacrileges the bloud of the Saintes cryed vengeance Angry vvast thou vvith those which were once thy beloued people and disclaymedst from England as none of thine inheritance Also deliueredst vp therefore the faint-harted shepherdes vvith their flockes to the handes of their mortall enemies Thy Sacrifice was taken from an vnworthy generation thy Ceremonies were abolished Vnder name of diuine seruice were obtruded newe rites for thy Sonnes body a bare peece of bread The table and cup of Diuels was thrust vpon the people with prayers thereunto belonging Blasphemies heresies were proclaymed for Gospell and all mens mouths opened against heauen England ah vngratefull England forgate thee the liuing God and felt the curse of hauing a child to her King Thus the bournes became desert and a batefull land turned to a soure soile Catholike faith here first planted vvhich neither Saxons altered nor Dane abolished Which the Normans rejected not which so many ages had not vvorne out Was nowe at last in a most infortunate age corrupted chaunged destroyed And our Nation after a thousand of yeares Apostated from thy faith to the vvhich it vvas first conuerted Yet remembring thy former mercies thou didst dissolue at last this heauy yoake Sending a Debora vvhich judged Israell in peace and tranquillity and repared the late ruines But too soone thou tookest her away for the vnworthinesse of her subjectes Quickly was thy goodnesse forgotten the Realme returning to her vomit Thou pouredst forth therefore thine indignation in aboundance kindledst all thy wrath to the full Thou gauest vs ouer to our owne inuentions suffering vs vvith full saile to make our course Our sinnes deserued no lesse yet vvhat could thy vvrath doe more extreame The Nobility to their owne vtter extirpation shamefully forsooke their Bishops without assistance Who constantly in defence of the Church pined all in durance and perished one by one The common sort went vniuersally to the golden Calues and at the commaunders voice bowed their knees to Baall Sincere Christians fled from Babilon least they should be plunged in her iniquities Thou determinedst in thy wrathfull fury to cast of England for euermore To let it runne to the bottomelesse pit and neuer to recall it to the faith But a Moyses stood vp before thee entreating for his comfortlesse country Appeasing thy wrath thou saidst vnto him prepare thy selfe to be my instrument For I will reare vp a newe generation of Priestes and people They vvhich so easily forsooke me in time of tentation shall not enter into the land of promise Forthwith didst thou puruey in a straunge lande a receptacle for thy people a refuge for thy persecuted Choosing out such as it pleased thee of whome to frame vessels of honour Many thou drewst to thy seruice by whome the Diuell wished to set forth his owne glory As diligent bees they gathered hony in aboundance for succour of their distressed Country Being deliuered like Israelites out of the fornace of Aegipt and called like Abraham from house and kindred Thou inspiredst them vvith desire of conuerting soules and sentest them in due season of thy haruest Vnder banner of a second Gregory they aduentured the second conuersion of their Nation Opposing thēselues to the streame of the time hope against hope was their comfort As thou gauest them learning which their aduersaries can not resist so constancy which they can not ouercome They purchased soules by their Doctrine and confirmed them by seale of their bloud Springes of health were opened from all coastes men sought helpe of their maladies The cause waxed famous men beganne to lift vp their eyes and flowe to the Church apace Sound of the Catholike faith pearced through the Island and none can anie more pleade ignorance Darknesse stroue to repell light not able to endure the glimps thereof The Diuell armed himselfe with furie to maintayne his KINGDOME feelinge the foundation thereof to tremble Rigourous lawes were made and executed with all extreamity Worse and worse daylie added seuerity finding neither end nor measure In these tearmes of contradiction O ineffable Majesty standeth thou seest our miserable Britany Who by this time hadst thou not sent supply had become worse then Sodome and Gomorrha Iniquity hath ingendred impiety and want of faith hath brought forth double iniquity Ah thou eldest Daughter of Sion howe is thy beauty faded Howe miserable is nowe the land wont to be so happy and fortunate The Lady of Isles is become like a perilous rocke which farre and neere is shunned for danger of shipwracke Or as a cursed quick-sand infamous through destruction of many passengers swallowed The chiefe of Prouinces is become the basest the most Religious turned to most sacrilegious Woe to a sinnefull people whose burden is iniquity Woe to an Apostatrice nation who like an Harlot hath broaken her faith From the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote shee is full of sores and maladies Who is able to
worship him More pretious are your soules in his sight then the Phoenix or the Vnicornes fole He hath raised vnto you a seate of mercy whither to haue recourse for remission of sinnes And prepared a table for your refection wherein himselfe is the banquet and feast O howe delectable are thy dainties O Lord howe acceptable are thy holy Altars Much better are the reliques there of then the exquisite cates of princes Much better is it to be an abject in thy houshold then a great man in Kings Courtes The meanest in thy Church is noble the poorest in thy Church is rich Who is able to expresse the magnificence of thy Church or the one halfe of her glory We haue Priestes rightly consecrated and anointed in sacred wise Orderly accomplishing thy dread full misteries in vestments of holynesse and honour Monkes and other Religious persons persisting day and night in prayer With fasting and disciplines afflicting themselues in sackcloath and hayre for the sinnes of the people Vowed Virgins veiled handmaides of thy Christ by like order of life contend for like Crowne And fixing him profoundly in hart whome they haue chosen as celestiall Spouse Endeauour nothing else then to be perfect in his sight and serue him without distraction Vpon the society of thy faithfull legions of Angels attend for their defence Vpon them thy eyes are perpetually open to consider their wants and heare their prayers Who liueth in their vnity is in the communion of Saintes partaker of their assistance and patronage Hath his part in euery good deed and is daylie prayd for throughout the world Who dieth a liuely member of this holy body misticall by prayers of the liuing hath remission of payne Happy art thou O flocke of Peter blessed are all nations subject to his chaire Where sit the judges of the house of Iacob the rodde and scepter of thy Kingdome O Redeemer Thy selfe art a watchman ouer it who neuer sleepest a protector who neuer slumbrest Whosoeuer impugne it shall rotte as they liue their eyes shall sinke and their tongue shall be eaten out They shall perish in thy fury and melt like waxe before the fire None shall resist thy Church and be innocent No man fighteth against her without foile he dasheth his fist against a Rocke Her enemies shall licke the dust of her feete and those which oppugned her kisse her steps Such as will not shall be called a reprobate company vvith vvhome thou wilt exercise eternall wrath Aboundance of blessinges vpon all them which honour her and curses eternally will followe them which vexe her Her loue and mercy is more then the tender hart of a Mother Her anger more to be feared then a Princes rage In her remayneth knowledge vvhich can not erre power vvhich may not be contradicted In her is the treasure of thy Sons merits reposed In her possession are the Keyes of thy heauenly Kingdome Thou art her teacher that shee may not be ignorant The holy Ghost is her sanctifier to preserue her from iniquity As the Moone from the Sunne fetcheth her light so is she illuminated from Christ her Spouse In her only dost thou raigne with magnificence in her only thou art to be found Not so the Sinagogue of the wicked not so the congregation of Heretikes Among whome as in his Kingdome sitteth the Prince of pride who hath dominion ouer all children of darknesse Presuming as though they were thy counsailors or as if the holy Ghost spake in their eare As though they were the lampes of the world with whome Religion was borne with whome it should die They say to the auncient Fathers hold your peace and to the Doctors of the Church we will teach you wisedome But their pride is more then their power for thou dwellest not in harts subject to sinfulnesse Swelling in cogitations of their harts they proudly tosse vp their heddes as vntamed coltes As childrē of Belial without yoke they challenge liberty without obedience Priestes they make to themselues for their newe lawe and put vpon them authority which they cannot giue Like Apostata children they haue made assemblies not in thy name begonne a webbe and not in thy spirit False Prophets sell them follies and lies and set cushions of ease vnder sinners elbowes For a little lucre they justifie the wicked vpon confidence of faith they assure saluation Peoples sores they close vvith a false skinne vvhen the vvound festreth they say all is well Eating in effect the peoples sinnes and cloathing themselues vvith their iniquities In steede of the supersubstantiall Bread of life they giue them Serpents for the Chalice of saluation poyson of Adders Making thee more vnjust then any Tyrant they teach that thou punishest all sinnes with equall payne And that vvithout difference of desertes thou rewardest all vvith equall glory They say thou canst not make thy Saints and Angels to vnderstand our prayers nor shewe to them thinges done in earth They foolishly say that thou wilt not haue vs honour thy friendes and that thou settest litle by their intercession Denying that vvhose sinnes the Church forgiueth are forgiuen in heauen they say thou canst not giue such authority to man Doubting of thy Omnipotency they say with the Capharnaits howe can Christ giue vs his body for food With the faithlesse they sticke not to say his wordes are hard and who can beleeue him His promise of being vvith his Church to the end of the vvorld they contemne And that the Holy Ghost shall teach her all truth they credit not Wanting the band of vnity vnder seuerall heades they make seuerall companies and sects Hauing no certayne rule of faith each is author of his owne beliefe framing a Religion by priuate fancy Both in Doctrine and life all disorder is among them eternall horrour and confusion Oh with how great difference most supereminent light hast thou seperated Israell from the Aegyptians So plaine hast thou made the high way of truth that a very foole neede not misse the path Our enemies giue testimony to our faith and confesse that we may be saued therein They which oppugne it doe justifie it in confessing the primitiue Doctors to haue erred with vs. And thy Church not vnmindefull of her great priuiledge nor vngratefull for thy benefits Honoureth thee alwaies with inward purity worthy of thy holines and with outward ornaments worthy of thy Majesty Seauen times in the day shee singeth thy prayses and prayeth for Catholikes throughout the world Heare her prayers O enemy of falshood and giue all the earth to vnderstand That Heresie is a tempest raging only for a time but the foundation of thy Church endureth for euer A PSALME WHEREIN THE CATHOLIKE CALleth to minde his conuersion giuing thankes to God for the same THE SIXT PSALME MEDITATE O my soule a newe song open my lips to a psalme of thanksgiuing Rejoyce in him that made thee rejoyce in him that redeemed thee Rejoyce in him that conserueth thee rejoyce in him that