reuertentur but it must nedes dye the death through sinne When thou dyddest coÌ„mauÌ„de thy prophet Elias to depart froÌ„ Achab there ensued in all Iurie great drought barreÌ„nes Iacob .v. iii. Regum .xviii. It rayned not by the space of .iii. yeres .vi. monethes But wheÌ„ thou dyddest tourne thy face towarde the couÌ„trey agayne seÌ„ding thy sayd prophet thither Emitte spiritum tuum â—et creabuntur they had pleÌ„tie of rayne great fertilitie Sende forth therfore mercyfull God thy swete breath vpon vs make vs new againe that we may leaue our olde naughtines become new creatures Genes xviii We knowledge our selues to be dust ashes Et renouabis faciem terte Sende therfore thy holy spirite to renewe the face of oure soules makinge it confirmable to thyne image according as thou diddest fyrst create it whiche through synne we haue made very foule Sit gloria domini in sempiternum â—etabitur dominus in operibus suis and defourmed Then shal we gyue glorie vnto thy maiestie whiche endureth for euer And thou Lorde shalte reioyse in thine owne workes Our worke is iniquitie thy worke is mercy for gyuenes Esay .xxviii. Thou art our iustice wherby thou makest vs iuste whiche before were wycked sinners Thou makest vs Qui respicit terram et facit eam tremere thine earthly creatures to tremble for feare of thy myghtie power thy iustice Our pride is therby abated We accoÌ„pte the good dedes which we haue done to be of thy gift goodnes nothinge presuminge of our owne frayle power Esoy lxvi For we know that thy holy spirite resteth vpon those that haue a lowly troubled spirite stande in awe of thy wordes But the greate hylles doest thou toutche they smoke Qui tangit moutes ei fumigant The proud stiffenecked people doest thou toutche by scourging punishinge them theÌ„ they come to the knowledge of the of thy myghtie maiestie Daniel .iiii. Then wyll they say as Nabuchodonosor sayed after his punishement honour and prayse be to the God of heauen whose power endureth alway his kingdom froÌ„ one generatioÌ„ to an other In coÌ„parisone of whoÌ„ al that dwel vpon the earth are to be reputed as nothing TheÌ„ wyl they sende forth a smooke of sacrifices prayses to the coÌ„fessing theyr weakenes thy mightie magnificeÌ„ce Psalm Cxli. Their prayer shal ascende vp into thy sight as an incense the lifting vp of theyr handes shal be an euenynge sacrifice i. Corhinth xv Cruel Saule was toutched of thy hande and became Paule a welbeloued apostle throughe the helpe of thy grace laboured more abouÌ„dauÌ„tly theÌ„ al thother apostles Such is the power of thy gracious influeÌ„ce This thy noble grace seÌ„de me most merciful god wherby I shal haue a louing desire to honour the lorde to praise the my god Cantabo domino in dâ—ta mea psalaÌ„ deo meo ê™diu sum So longe as I haue any beinge I wyll not ceasse to coÌ„fesse my sinnes to the to lameÌ„t mine iniquities then shal my wordes be pleasauÌ„t acceptable to ye. Placeat ei eloquium meum Ego vero letabor in domino And as I ioy wholy in the the art my creatour in thy soÌ„ne which is my redemer so shalt thou also delite in me the am thy poore creature haÌ„dy worke graunting me the frute of thy son christes passioÌ„ â—uc xv which he suffred for my redeÌ„ptioÌ„ And sence lorde the thou al thy heaueÌ„ly coÌ„pany reioyse so much in the coÌ„uersioÌ„ of siners that it is more ioy in heaueÌ„ of the turning of one siner to penauÌ„ce theÌ„ it is of .lxxx. .xix. iust meÌ„ which nede no repeÌ„tauÌ„ce I most huÌ„bly require the to coÌ„sume the vpgodly al siners out of the earth Deficienâ— peccatores a â—erra Et impli vltra â—on sint not that thou shuldest destroy theÌ„ but coÌ„sume their sines through the power of thy grace so that froÌ„ hence forth they be no more sinners but returne to the through herty repeÌ„tauÌ„ce Let their vngodlines be brought to an ende That they and we in perfect vnitie of thy fayth may prayse and magnify the with thy sonne Christ the holy gooste Benedic anima mea â—omino froÌ„ you both proceadynge worlde wythout ende Amen The Cxvi Psalme ¶ The faythfull man consideryng the benefytes by God to him gyueÌ„ breaketh forth to geuing of prayses and workynge good workes and for the loue whiche he beareth to God is contented gladly to suffre al persecutions Yea very death So that the honour of God be therby encreased WHo so euer enteÌ„deth to be the sonne of the most merciful God that art so good and so louyng a father and to enheryte the kyngdome of heauen as heyres togyther wyth thy blessed sonne Iesus Christe it is aboue all thynges fyrste requisite that he beleaue trewly in the in tharticles of thy fayth Roma xiiii Hebre xi whiche thou hast in holy scripture coÌ„maunded For what so euer is not of fayth that same is synne Fayth is the sure and perfect foundation of all chrysten religion whereby thy faythfull hope surely that all thy promises made to them of thy mere liberalitie shal surely and vndoutedly be fulfilled Luc. xxi So the heauen and erth shal perysh rather then one of thy wordes or promises should be vnperfourmed By fayth Abraham was iustified and by fayth Gens xv Genes xx Exod. iiii Exod. xiiii he was redy to make sacrifice of his onelye begotten sonne Isaac By fayth Moyses vnder toke to do message vnto Pharao kyng of Egypte and by fayth he entred the red sea wyth al the Israelites Fayth saued all the holy Patriarkes Prophetes and the good Iudges of thy people VpoÌ„ the faith ful onely dyd thy sonne Chryst worke his miracles In so much that in his country of Galile Mathw xiii he dyd not many miracles because of their vnbelefe And by this fayth with the helpe of thy grace at thys daye and to the ende of the worlde are and shal al Thy chosen people besaued Ephes ii and that frely without any deseruyng Of this beyng fully perswaded by thy holy scripture I beleue in the my most myghtie God three persones in one essence Credidi and in all thynges conteined within the limittes of thi sayd holy scripture And the same thy fayth I wyll not let to confesse before all the worlde I wyll not do as many of the prynces of the Iewes did which beleued in thy sonne yet durst they not boldlye confesse hym nother be acknowne of their faith lest thei should haue bene expelled out of the sinagoge Iohn xii They more estemed the glorye of this worlde then they dyd the glorye of God but through the helpe of thy grace Lorde I wyll nothing speake but that I fermely beleue Propter quod
locutus sum And that whych I do beleue I can by no meanes hyde but haue and wyll boldlye speake Mathw x. For I knowe that who so dothe confesse the before men hym wylte thou confesse before thy father which is in heaueÌ„ Faith causeth me to loue the for thyne owne sake aboue al creatures Loue causeth me to confesse the before al the world and for thy sake to worke towarde my neighbour as thou hast commaunded me trustyng for my so workyng to haue the reward which thou frely hast promised annexed to my worke But as the vtteryng of veritie coÌ„monly bredeth enuy so dothe enuye brede muche trouble Ego autem humiliatus sum nimis To the true confession of thy godly word is annexed persecution trouble vexation with out which fewe good men haue escaped sence the beginnyng of the world Act. xiiii The faythful must entre heaueÌ„ by many tribulatioÌ„s Paule suffred much trouble as an euyll doar ii Timoth. ii and was in bondes for the Gospels sake But the worde of God was not bounde It is a true saiyng sayeth thyne Apostle Paule that if we dye with Christ we shall lyue with him If we suffre patientlye aduersities for hym we shall also reigne with hym Aduersitie is the right way to the kingdome of Christ Who so take not theyr crosse on theyr backes and folow hym Lu. xiiii cannot bee hys dysciples Persecution and trouble bringe the feare of God the knowledge of maÌ„s owne infirmitie and lede him as it were a maÌ„ rapt in a traunce Ego dixi in excessu meo to the only conteÌ„plation of heauenly thinges wherby he shall know boldly confesse that all hys power and sufficiencie commeth of God All vyce naughtinesse cometh of his owne corrupte nature God only Rom. iii. Omnis homo meÌ„daâ— Math. xxvi of him selfe is good and true but al men are liars the childreÌ„ of sinne damnation Peter presumed of him self to staÌ„d fast by his master Christ but sone after he denied him was fouÌ„d a liar It is thi grace that maketh maÌ„ to be true and to be good Sapen xvi Thy grace is the nurce of al good thinges It ledeth maÌ„ froÌ„ one vertue to another It kepeth vs from falling helpeth vs vp again when we are falne Thi louing kindnes hath bene froÌ„ euerlasting endureth for euer Quid reddam domino pro omnibus que reâ—erbuit mihi What shal I therfor geue again vnto the Lord for the manifold benifites that thou hast done vnto me when I remembre thi tendre loue shewed to maÌ„ in his noble creation next in power wisdom knoledge vnderstanding to the nature of angelles made also touchyng the soule like to thine owne image whoÌ„ thou diddest plaÌ„t in that most pleasauÌ„t garden of Eden a place of pleasure wher he might haue liued euer if he woulde haue kept thi coÌ„maundement Genes ii I cannot but stil lameÌ„t his frailte in that he so shortly did breke it for which he deserued death euerlasting yet of thy mercy gentlenes thou diddest not straight execute thy sore sentence vpon him throwyng hym doune to hel as thou didest the angels for their offence But thou didest suffre him to dwel in this world to lament his fall to abide the tyme by thy maiestie apointed for his reconcilatioÌ„ Thou didest geÌ„tly coÌ„sidre his fraile nature substaunce wherfore thou dydest more pitie him theÌ„ thou didest angel whose nature was made pure and excellent and therfore of presuÌ„ption minded to be equal with the Then Lorde at length thou sendest thyne owne onely sonne to become man and wylledest him to suffre death for mannes redemption What more loue myght be shewed to him then thou hast shewed What more could be done to thy vineyarde then thou hast done Thi charitie was feruent to vs when we were all synnes Esaie v Fewe men woulde nowe gladlye die for their ryghteous frende Rom v but thou sendest thy sonne to suffre deathe for thyne enemyes that were synners Yea when we dayly nowe do fall styl from the by commyttyng al kindes of vices yet doest thou mercifully suffre vs gently receiue vs so oft as we do returne agayne to the by penaunce We forgeue our neighbours scarsely one or two displeasures that thei do to vs But thou Lorde forgeuest vs not .vii. tymes onely but seuentie times seuen tymes that is so ofteÌ„ as we fal and eueÌ„ so willest thou vs to forgeue one another Mathw xviii Wherfore to the intent I would not be found vnthankful nor vnkynd I do search busely to fynd some meane to recompence part of thy louyng gentlenes oft shewed to me the more I search the more I fynde my selfe vnable I fynde in me nothing that is good I am enuironed with mysery vanitie and sinne hauing no good thing but that I haue receiued of the. So that if I yeld to the any goodnes i. Corhin iiii it is a rendryng of that thou gauest me before The moost pleasaunt thynges that I may do to thy maiestie is fyrst to receiue the cup of saluatioÌ„ Colicem salutaris accipiam that is to geue the hertie thaÌ„kes for thy great benefites and to be inwardlye sorye that euer I dyd any thyng whych shoulde offend the Ephes iiii Rom. xiii then to mortifie the concupiscences of the fleshe to put of the olde Adam and putte on Christ to leaue to be carnal become spiritual Yea I wyl not loue the frayl fleshe so much but that as thou hast caused thy sonne Chryst to dye for me so wyl I not let takyng example of hym to suffre al kyndes of paines and persecutioÌ„s yea death if nede require for thyne honoures sake But I knowe ryght wel that I am much vnable this to do and suffre of myne owne selfe Et nomen domini inuocabo Wherefore I wyl cal on thy name for thi grace for thine ayde and assistence to helpe me and to strengthe me in thys my good purpose Psal l. not doubtyng but thou wilte graciously here me in the daye of my trouble and deliuer me my herte and all my hole bodye I offre willyngly to thy seruyce whiche al though it be of smale valure in dede yet I do not mystrust but that it shal be as acceptable in thy syght as was the offryng of two minutes which the poore woman threw into the treasury at Hierusalem Which smale some of her pouertie Mar. xii thou diddest more esteme and prayse then thou dydest al the great gyftes of the ryche men Besechyng thy highnes to accept this gyft of my poore soule and body not for that thou shalt anye thynge be auaunced therby But for the declaration of my louyng mynde toward the Vota mea domino reddam that thou mayst vouch safe so to worke in theym by thy grace that they may wil and worke that may be acceptable in
A godly meditacion vpon .xx. select and chosen Psalmes of the Prophet Dauid as wel necessary to al them that are desirous to haue the darke wordes of the Prophet declared and made playn as also fruitfull to suche as delyte in the contemplatioÌ„ of the spiritual meanyng of them Compiled and setfurth by Sâ— Anthony Cope knight ¶ Imprinted at London in Sepulchres paryshe a lytle aboue Holborne Conduit at the sygne of the Resurrection by Ihon Daye ¶ Anno. M.d.xlvii Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The preface ¶ To the mooste vertuous Ladie and gratious princes Katherine Quene of EnglaÌ„de FrauÌ„ce and Irelande her humble seruaunte Sir Anthonie Cope Knyght desyreth longe lyfe wyth health and muche honour to the pleasure of God THe vse of gyuyng gyftes by men to theyr frendes the fyrst day of the newe yere mooste noble Ladie and vertuous Quene hath of longe time continewed within thys Realme of Englande wyth an opinion that the luckie beginning is a good token of lyke prosperous successe duryng the rest of the yere Which maner of presentyng gyftes as I do ryghte well alowe if they be gyuen as a declaration of mutuall loue and hertie beneuolence so the opinion therto annexed I thynke not so commendable whiche is that the gyft should be a token or presage of good fortune to come no more then mondayes handsel of a peny gyuen to a poore begger shoulde be so esteamed that the happy begynnyng of the weke muste drawe to it also a fortunate ende therof The good intent of the gyuer of the peny is to releue the poore mans necessitie not to be an augurie of thinges that shal folowe So in likewyse ought the newe yeres gyftes to be deliuered onely as a testimony of the hertie seruice or louynge myndes of the gyuers And for so muche as the mooste numbre of the giuers do search to present suche thynges as they iudge shoulde be moste acceptable to the receyuers therof I longe imagined wyth my selfe what thynge I myght best offre vnto your grace at thys present wherein I myght in some parte declare my loyall and obedient herte towarde you of whose heaped goodnes I haue so muche tasted that I can neuer be able to deserue the thousande parte but onely wyth my prayer and hertie seruice At the laste when I consydered your gracious entent and godly purpose in the readynge and studie of holy scripture and the auauncement of the trewe worde of God I thought I coulde in no thynge do your grace a more pleasaunt seruice then to make an exposition of certeyne psalmes of the noble prophete Dauid whose harmonie is so swete pleasaunt that the eares of the faythfull maye scantly therwith be fully satisfied The poetes faine that Orpheus made so pleasaunt harmonie on his harpe that he caused the beastes and stones dauncing to folow hym Theyr meanynge was that his language was so plesauÌ„t and his entent so reasonable that he brought the people to good ciuilitie whiche before were rude and beastly But our celestial Orpheus the prophete Dauid hath so sette forth his songes that they haue strength and force to cause men which be carnall and beastly to become spiritual and heauenly Who so wyll learne to geue to God dewe honoure and prayses maye in them take a perfecte patron Agayne to gyue thankes for the benefites receyued to cal for grace to pray for the deliueraunce from all enemies spirituall and temporall to lyue in the heauenly meditation of goddes lawes to dispise the vanities of this worlde to become mere spirituall maye men in them abundauntly be instructed In conclusion there is nothynge necessarie for any christian to do thynke or saye but in them as in a myrroure he maye beholde the perfecte image therof bisyde the playne prophecienge of Christes coÌ„myng our very Messias his natiuitie passion death resurrection and ascention as lyuely as they were in colours set forth before oure eyes wyth so many tropes figures and allegories that there is almoste no worde whiche lacketh na hidde misterie as the Apostle Paule sayeth all thynges happed to them in figure and were darke and obscure But nowe that the thynges are come whereof it was spoken the vayle is taken awaye from the face of Moyses Now are fewe thinges leaft vndiscussed by good holy fathers who hauynge a good zeale to bestowe theyr talent of knowledge gyuen them by God to the profite of his people haue earnestly trauayled in the manifestation of suche secrete and hidde thynges beinge holpen by the holy spirite of God to thachiuing of their gostly purposes whom I hauing very smal learning but onely to gratifie your mynde and to auoyed idlenes haue folowed settyng forth a rude exposition in our maternal tonge vpon twentie psalmes whiche I haue chosen forth reducynge the same to the kynde or fashion of prayers and contemplatife meditations whiche I turste your grace of your accustomed and naturall goodnes wyl take in good part sinse there wanteth in me not wyll but knowledge to do better Neuertheles I trust conferring the paraphrase to the text ye shal haue greate lyghte of the meanyng of the Prophete and therby fynde his diffuse darke wordes made open and playne To moue your grace and al other of the flocke of Christ to the reading of psalmes maye it please you to reade the Chapter of the boke of Kynges where Dauid by playinge on his harpe and syngynge therto expelled from Kynge Saule his father in lawe for the season whyle he played the wycked spirite which was entred into hym and sore tourmented hym And thys thynge I truste none wyl iudge to be done by the vertue of the sounde of his harpe but through the power of the noble Psalmes that he sange playinge theron whiche Psalmes he vndoubtedly being inspired with the spirite of God had before made Muche more maye we thynke and assurdly iudge that for our owne deliuerauÌ„ce from the power of oure spiritual enemies God wyl not fayle to sende his holy spirite to assist vs and comforte vs expellynge vtterly the temptations of the wycked serpent if we in fayeth ernestly and hertely prayinge and trustyng to hym reade or vtter the sayed Psalmes And I shal praye to God who is the authoure and geuer oâ— all good gyftes so to illuminate the eyes of youâ— graces herte that ye maye proceade in the path oâ— his lawes wherin you are al readye entred accoâ—dyng to the ardent desyre which ye haue hithertâ— had to atteyne to the knowledge of them so thaâ— wheÌ„ ye shall leaue thys transitorie worlde whose pleasures in al your time ye neuer esteamed ye maye ascende to the place prepared for Goddes electe there to receyue ioyes perdurable worlde wythout ende DIEV · ET · MON · Dâ—OVT An exposicion vpon the fyrst Psalme ¶ This Psalme of Dauid is fyrst set in the booke Beaâ—us vir as a Prologue to all the rest In whiche he exhorteth al men to the study folowyng and teachyng of
the lawe of God O Most holye father of heauen the onely lyuyng God of power inestimable of wysdom incomprehensible to the be honour glorye and thaÌ„kes geueÌ„ for thy noble work in the creation of maÌ„kynde also for hys redemption out of the captiuite thraldome of the deuyl by the passion of thy most derely beloued sonne Iesus Christ The final cause wher of was to brynge hym to beatitude that is to make him haue the fruition of thi deite and ther by to tast of all kyndes of ioye in thy heauenlye mansion worlde without ende But to the atteinement therof of thy godly pleasur thou gauest hym certayne lawes to laboure and trauayle in theim in the presente pilgremage of thys lyfe Whych if he did obserue continue in theÌ„ thou didest promyse him the sayde beatitude And for good skyl lord For as man lost Paradyse and his originall iustice by disobedience and transgression of thy commaundement so was it mete that he wyllyng to recouer the same shoulde stande fast in fayth and hope of thy promises with the obedient kepynge of thy lawes after the waye and gate to the sayde heauenlye place was set open by the meane of thy blessed sonnes death and passion Wherfore wyth the Prophet Dauyd we maye well saye Bâ—â—tus vâ— qui non aâ—â—â— in concilio impioruÌ„ et in â—ea pâ—ccatoruÌ„ non sreâ—â—â—et in â—â—â—hâ—dra pestilencis non sedit that blessed is the man that goeth not in the counsayle of the vngodly or vnfaythfull personnes that standeth or aabydeth not in the waye of synners and sitteth not in the chayre or seat of pestilent and skornefull persons By fayth we beleue in the and in thy mercifull promyses by charite we worke towarde oure neyghboure accordynge as thou hast coÌ„maunded by the influeÌ„ce of thy grace we teach other truly thy lawes and godly preceptes and lyue therafter to the good example and edifyinge of other No maÌ„ lyueth wythout synne no not the chylde of one dayes age but happy blessed is he to whom thou geueste the grace not to abyde and slepe in synne but by penitence to come to a godly coÌ„uersion In the chayre of Moyses satte the Scribes and Phariseis Mathâ—â—â—â— to whome apperteyned the teachinge of the true lawe of god in stede wherof for the most part they taught theyr owne traditions But in case they preached at ony tyme truly yet was theyr euyll example of lyuinge a mockage and a pestilent infection to all the beholders thereof But what daunger then mercifull God shall they runne in whych neither by godly lyuing geue good example neither yet truly teach thy holy worde Sâ—â— in leâ—â— commi do 〈◊〉 eius â— in lege eius â—â—â—â—tabitur die at noâ—â—â— To all suche lorde we beseche the sende grace to repeÌ„t and to refourme that they haue vntruly taught and to vs sende a wil to heare and an hert to delyght in the folowinge of thy law wheÌ„ it is taught vs or wheÌ„ we reade it so that we may exercise oure selfes therin all the dayes of oure lyfe In youthe and in age In prosperitie and in aduersite The knowlege of thy lawes Psalmo .xix. bringeth vs to the knowlege of thy goodnes and of our infirmite The readyng in them doth make vs to accoÌ„pt all wordly thinges to be but vaine as they are in deade and to set all oure delyght in the consideracion of heauenly thinges which be perdurable Thy lawe is pure wythout spot and hath a secret operation to conuerte the reader therof from the euyll way wherin he walked before and teacheth him wysedome Et erit tanquaÌ„ lignum quod plantatuÌ„ est secâ— decursus aquaruÌ„ quod fructuÌ„ suum dabit in tempore suo Who so kepeth thy lawes is lyke a tree plaÌ„ted by the water side that bringeth forth his fruite in dew seasoÌ„ All trees and herbes that are planted in bareyn drye groundes be nothynge fruiteful Maye a rushe be grene wythout moysture or maye the grasse grow without water no truly Iob .viii. It is the moisture of thy grace that maketh vs fruiteful in good workes And the dewe season of our workynge is whyle we be in this present lyfe Mathei iii. The tree that briÌ„geth not forth good fruit shal be cut downe it serueth only to the fyer Marke .xi. The tree also that bringeth forthe but leaues Prouerb xi that is to saye fayre wordes without workes or els hipocritical workes onely to the showe of the worlde shal be curssed as was the figge tree that Christ cursed comming from Bethany But the kepers of thy law lorde for the fruit which they beare here in this world shal receyue the fruit of euerlasting glory in another world Ye the leaues of this tre shal not fall of For as the fruite it selfe is good that is Et fursum 〈◊〉 non deâ—â—uâ— as hys workes do profyt hys neighbour so doth his leues that is his doctrine also edifie Lyke as the snow and the rayne coÌ„myth downe from heaueÌ„ retourneth not thither again Esaiâ— â—â— but watereth the earth making it fruitful grene that it may geue corne and breade to the sower so the worde that commeth oute of the mouth of thy faythfull Et omnia quecumque â—aâ—â—â— prosperabuÌ„tur shall not retorne agayne voyde but shall accomplishe thy godly wyll And what so euer he doth shall prosper Roma viâ—â— All thynges worke for the beste vnto them that loue God But it worketh fare otherwyse wyth the vngodlye for they are like the dust which the wynde bloweth and skaterith away from the face of the grouÌ„de Non â—â—c impli non sic sed tanquaÌ„ puluis queÌ„ proucit ventus a facie 〈◊〉 They haue euer loued the worlde and the pleasure therof and that haue they inioyed whyche standeth to them in steade of a rewarde for the good deades which they haue done yf euer they dyd anye They were inconstant lyght and wauerynge wyth euery wynde of temptacion not regardinge the heaueÌ„ly thynges which are sure and permanent They were drye wythout moistur of grace bareyn of good workes wherfore lyke lyght and vnprofitable people they shall be blowne frome the lande of the that arte the lyuynge God 〈…〉 froÌ„ thy holy habitacion They are put forth of the boke of lyfe by iust reprobation and shal be blowne from thy face lorde at the last iudgemeÌ„t Mathe. â—â—v when by thy blessed sonne shal be sayd to theÌ„ Depart froÌ„ me ye cursed into euerlasting fyer Ideo non resurgde impii in iudicio nâ—que peccatores in congregatione iustorum Thys iudgemeÌ„t shal be so terrible that the vngodly shal not be able to stand ther in nether the sinners in the congregacioÌ„ of the rightuous True it is and we do beleue that al thy resonable creatures shall at that generall daye aryse i. Corin. xv both bodyes soules Ezechiel .vii. then
harde our huÌ„ble peticioÌ„ hath receyued our prayers Eradiuit dominue doprecationeÌ„ meaÌ„ dominus orationeÌ„ meaÌ„ suscepit We prayed to the for grace and thou full louynglye hast sent vs downe dewes therof in great abundaunce We prayed for remission of oure synnes and delyueraunce out of all our tribulations thou lorde most mercifully hast harde and graunted our peticioÌ„s Wherfore al our enemyes shall be coÌ„fouÌ„ded and sore vexed EruhescaÌ„t conturbeÌ„tur inimici mei coÌ„uertaetur et erubescaÌ„t valde velociter Yea they shal be put to flyghte and to shame And that ryght sone sodenly For they haue lost in a shorte space thorowe oure humble contricion that whiche they haue of longe tyme had in theyr possession They kept wyth wronge that thy blessed sonne hath dearely boughte But he lyke a stronge myghty warriour hath throwen them all out of theyr possession And throwgh our humilitie grauÌ„ted to vs that felicitie whiche oure sayde enemyes throwgh theyr pryde hath loste Wherfore Lord we thy poore faythful creatures beyng through thy grace and the battayle of thy sonne vpoÌ„ the crosse restored now to thy fauour and hauynge the houses of our hertes and soules swepte and made cleane from all vices whiche were wont to inhabit in vs we now fearynge lest the sturdy tyraunte oure enemye fyndynge no reste in places where he walketh returne agayne into the houses of oure soules Luke .vi. from whence he is already by force of thy sonne cast out and fyndyng it cleane swept brynge wyth hym seuen other suche as he is him selfe to dwell there and therby make vs in worse case then we were before we most humbly beseche the to gyue vs strengthe and force to kepe our sayde houses of our soules from euerye violent inuasion of these wycked enemyes And sence thou hast said by thine apostle Paule 1. Corin. iii. that thy faythfull are the teÌ„ple or habitacioÌ„ of god that the spirite of god dwelleth in theÌ„ we therfore moost hertely beseche the to dwell styll in vs by thy continuall grace whose assistence is sufficient to put to flyghte all wycked spirites Ephes â— Make vs to be of thy householde buylde vs vppon the foundacyon of thy blessyd sonne Iesus Christe that is the head corner stone In whoÌ„ euery buyldynge coupled together growyth to an holy teÌ„ple in the Lorde and is made an habitacyon for God in the spiryte ¶ The Prophet considering the corrupt maner of lyuing of the greatest sort of people and forseyng in spirit the darknyng of holy scripture through meÌ„s tradicions in the person of the faythfull congregation prayseth the lawe of God and desyreth to be deliuered from all false doctryne and from the company of the wycked Psalme â—â— Vsque quo dominâ—â— O Most holy most glorious and ineffable trinitie .iii. persoÌ„s in one godhed By whose goodnes al creatures haue theyr beyng before whose eies all thynges as well that are paste as that are to come are accoÌ„ptid as preseÌ„nt to thi mighty maiestye we thy poore faythfull subiectes of thy churche here militant shewe forth oure lameÌ„table prayer Beseching the pitifully to behold the miserable estate therof whyche neuer had more neade of thy godly assisteÌ„ce theÌ„ at this present it hathe For where to Adam father of all man kynde in his creacioÌ„ thou gauest a participacion of thy wisdom goodnes iustice whyche all by his transgressioÌ„ were greatly diminished and after by the incarnacion and passion of the seconde person in trinite thou dyddest restore agayne maÌ„kynde to his originall iustice through the sacramentes of baptisme penaunce yf he dyd abyde in the obseruynge of thy lawes the veritie of theÌ„ It is now come to passe most mercifull lorde that not onely oure sayd father AdaÌ„ beynge made iust and holy dyd fall froÌ„ the veritie of thy lawes in which lawes as in a mirour thy veritie iustice goodnes are declared but also all other very fewe except since that tyme haue also erred left thy sayd verities Saluum me fac domine quoniam defecte saÌ„ctus There is not one saynte or good man left few haue continued in thy faith and giueÌ„ the thy dewe honor puttinge all theyr hope loue and trust in the as in the most chief goodnes but haue falleÌ„ froÌ„ the euen from the begynninge vnto this daye For as Ninus erectid an ymage of his father which he caused to be honoured of all meÌ„ that were vnder his dominioÌ„ wherbye ydolatry grew amoÌ„ge al other nacions so that at length euery cytie contrye chose theÌ„ a peculiar god euen so hath it ben sence the coÌ„mynge of thy sonne Chryste vnto this day For the honoure only dew vnto thy maiestie hath ben yet in most places is geuen to stockes stones Superstition ydolatry remainith yet amoÌ„ge the professoures of the christeÌ„ religioÌ„ Diminute sunt veritatis a fi us hominum Michee iii. Wherby thy verities are diminished and few are faythful amoÌ„ge the childreÌ„ of men The veritie of iustice is gone For rewardes affection blyndeth iustice The veritie of good lyuinge is decayed for verye fewe are founde whiche gyue good example to other by there godly lyfe and coÌ„uersation The veritie also of doctrine hath takeÌ„ her wynges and is flowen away The priestes prophetes preach and prophecy for lucre please for promotion Eseâ— iiii They peruerte scripture to theyr imaginations Neither are men louing to theyr neighbours for thy sake as thou hast coÌ„mauÌ„ded them to be but euery man telleth lyes to other Euery man is glad to deceyue his neighbour in bargayne â—lana loquuti sunt vnus quisque ad protimuÌ„ suum No man lendeth wythoute gaynes Yea that most pitie and harme is they lye vpoÌ„ the trew testament of Christ by wrestynge therof makynge lyght to be darkenes Esaye .v. and darkenes to be taken as lyght Labia dolosa in corde cordeloquuti suÌ„t They do flatter with theyr lyppes beyng disseÌ„blers double of hert They haue one hert to thincke one thynge an other hert causing the mouth to vtter the coÌ„trary Iacob .i. Al which sorte of men that haue double chaungeable mindes are incoÌ„stant in al their waies And as thier hertes are double eueÌ„ so are their toÌ„ges But we doubte not but that thou wilt rote vp and vterly destroy such deceptfull toÌ„gues and lyppes Disperdat dominus vniuersaâ—â—abiâ— dolosa linguaÌ„ magni loquam specially if they at any tyme speake proude thinges in conteÌ„pt of thy name as thou diddest coÌ„founde the building and tongues of those that buylded the tower of Babel in the land of Sinear Psalme lxâ—â— Whiche tower they of pryde intended to erecte vp to heaueÌ„ These crafty people whet they re tongues as men do the edges of theyr swerdes to do myschyef Adders poyson is vnder their lyppes but their language to the vtter shewe is fayr painted that therby
But thou Lorde canst not be so disceyued nor blinded Thou wilt say as Isaac sayde The handes be the handes of Esau but the voyce is the voyce of Iacob that is in apparaunce thou arte a penitente but in deade thou arte an hipocryte Some other blame the deuyll as the causer of there synne many their desteny some other say theyr complexions be such that they can not forbere to coÌ„mitte certeyne synnes But I Lord leauing all such vayne excuses do saye with thy prophete Dauid It is I Lorde ii Reg. xxiiii whiche haue offended It is I that haue wrought thys iniquitie It is I Lorde not thou nor yet the deuyll nor destenye for they maye onely entyse me but they can not enforce and compelle me Psalmo .xl. Wherfore I pray the heale cure my sycke soule for I haue offeÌ„ded the. And I doubte not but thou hast forgeuen me the wyckednes of my synne I wyll in my confession geue example to other to folowe me Pro hac orabit ad te omnis setuÌ„s in temporâ— oportuno VeruÌ„ tamen in diluuio aquarum multaruÌ„ ad euÌ„ non approximabuÌ„t Roma vii for it is necessary for euery saynte or iust man to praye daylye for the remission of hys synnes in dew season as I do Whych beynge ones obtayned the great water floudes shall not come nere him Al we are holden vnder the lawe of synne may say wyth Paule O wretch that I am who shall delyuer me from the body of synne death It is thou lorde that muste do it and wylt do it yf we call to the in dewe season whych is whyle we are in thys lyfe This is the acceptable tyme ii Cori. vi in whych thou wilt hear vs and the day of health in whych thou wylt helpe vs. In thys daye we may worke Ihon. xi but when the night cometh theÌ„ may no maÌ„ more worke after death is no time of prayinge it is then to late for thou wylt not theÌ„ here oure prayers Seke the Lord sayeth the prophet Esaye whyle he maye be founde Esaye .lv. and call vppon hym whyle he is nere you Thou arte nere Lord to all that in this lyfe call vpon the faythfully thou kepest theÌ„ from the rage of water floudes Psalm .cxlv. that they come not nere them Beyng in this worlde we are in the midle of waters of teÌ„ptacions and vices in the company of the proud and wycked people in many tribulations We see the vanities of this worlde that are able to moue men whych are worldly we suffer persequutions whiche are able to brynge some to desperacion but thy grace kepeth vs that they come not nye vs. We behold the dartes comynge vpon vs and are not wounded We are in the water and are not drowned Theyr entisemeÌ„tes we esteame not al through thy might power Tu eo refugium mesi a pressura que circuÌ„dedit me Psalm .xiii. who arte and shal be my refuge and defence in the trouble that is to come aboute me Thy sonne Christe is the stronge rocke in which all byrdes that buylde do rest out of all ieoperdy Mathei xi To this al sinners may flye for succour and confort beynge werye there haue they refreshynge beynge loden they maye laye vppon hym al theyr burdeÌ„s of sinne and be eased This rocke the deuyll can not vnder myne nor skale no water of tribulation can drownde those that dwell on thys rocke no wynde of temptacion can ouerthrowe them The deuyll and hys wycked flocke may well assaulte them but he shall neuer haue power to hurte them Pharao kynge of Egypte with a great host purshued the chyldren of Israell that wente oute of Egypt Exod. xiiii but he coulde not hurt theÌ„ Thou lord wast theyr defence and destroyedest al theyr aduersaries Eâ—ultatio mea crue me a circuÌ„daÌ„tibus me EueÌ„ so arte thou oure defence our hoope our coÌ„fort Thou wylt compasse vs aboute wyth ioyfull deliueraunce Iob .xix. The house or tabernacle of oure body is enuironed with enemyes but thy prouidence wyll defende vs deliuer vs out of al daungers Intellectum tibi dabo et instruaÌ„ te in via hac qua gradieris Thou wylt enforme vs shew vs the way wher as we shall go This lyfe is a pilgrimage and a iorney for vs to trauayle in The ende of this way arte thou lorde Thou arte the marke that we shoulde shotte at To this ende we ought to haue al our respecte and tyll we come to the ende of oure iorney whiche arte thou we must neuer reste but styll go forward merily lustely in hope to haue ioy rest wheÌ„ we come to our iorneyes ende To be able to performe our viage thou geuest vs instructions fyrst to know the countrey wherin we do trauail the maner therof with the dauÌ„gers that we must passe in the iorney that therin we caÌ„ not loÌ„ge haue our abiding although it were neuer so moch to our coÌ„teÌ„tacion but must neades procede forth to an other region TheÌ„ geuest thou vs knowledge instructioÌ„ by fayth that if we passe well through this worlde we shal haue ioy euerlastiÌ„g in an other world Wherunto all wyse and good people wyl couet and so ronne theyr course here Hebre. xâ—â—â— that they may haue one of the games for their ruÌ„ning which is thou croune of rightuousnes imortalitie The loue of this rewarde should gyue al meÌ„ courage to endure payne trauayle in theyr course At the lest let the thyrde instruction serue them â–ª that is the paynes appoynted for them that are slowe in there course and lye downe in the midle of theyr waye other by disperacion sayinge thys instructioÌ„ is to harde for vs to learne or elles louynge ease and pleasure wyll chuse to reste here welthyly for a season though they suffer intollerable paynes therfore in an other worlde contrary to the example geuen vs by thy blessed sonne Christ whose iourney here was all paynfull and at no tyme pleasaunt and the same way toke his apostle Paule sayinge that by many tribulatioÌ„s we must entre the kingdom of heauen Actu xiiii These rules or instructions of oure iourney are very good trew and perfect but oure infirmitie is suche that we can not haue theÌ„ styl in oure remembraunce The hande is sette at a crosse where diuersitie of wayes lye to dyuers townes to shew whyche is the redy way to the most vsed towne of most estimation or resort but yf the man peregryne beyng in a talke with his felowe or hauynge hys mynde earnestli set on other thinges do passe by see not his rule and his directour whych is the hande he anon erreth and goeth out of his right way And why because the eye of hys mynde or hert is fyxed on other thynges not on hys wayes ende But thou Lord wyllynge to kepe vs in the right way