cogitations from it and make them flie haue nothing proper vnto himselfe keepe no company he must be poore and without substance and without all worldly dealings farre from any negociations ignorant of politike sciences and trades and onely prepare himselfe to receiue into his soule the instructions of holy wisdom And we cannot better prepare our selues herevnto then to forget wicked conditions and naughtie dealing wherein we were heretofore brought vp in and instructed for it is impossible to write any thing vpon a written paire of tables except we first wipe that out-which before was written Euen so likewise it is impossible to engraue in the heart of men the will and word of God if ye first of all pluck not out thereof the fore conceiued opinions which before haue beene therein imprinted by a wicked kinde of life And hereunto the solitarie life is wonderfull profitable because that it ouercommeth all our perturbations and giueth reason time and leisure to draw them out of the soule For as wilde beasts are easily tamed when as they are made much of and dealt gently withall euen so our lusts choller terrors and sorrowes which are the very poisons of our soules are with greater ease ruled and gouerned by reason when as they begin to quiet themselues and are not prouoked and made sauage by a continuall cogitation And therefore such a place must be chosen out as this which we are in out of all company to the end our continuall meditation be not interrupted by any resort for this godly meditation nourisheth the soule with sweet and heauenly cogitations and what a more blessed thing can there be then to imitate here vpō earth die life and accord of Angels And to be vp by the sunnering to pray sing himnes and songs vnto the creator and when the sunne is at the highest to begin his labour againe and licor and season his trauaile in the salt of deuout praiers and spirituall songs For there is nothing that so much gladdeth the minde and maketh it more merie and strong then the consolation of holy songs and therefore quiet rest is the very right preparatiue for the purging and clensing of the soule For because the tongue is not then impeached for the discouering of the affaires of the world neither are the eyes yet occupied about the iudging of the brightnesse and diuersity of colours or of the proportion of bodies neither doth the hearing spend and waste the forces of the vnderstanding to heare pleasant songs which are made to tickle the eares or yet matter of laughter foolery and knauery which serue for none other purpose but to weaken the force and intention of the mind Now when the soule is not caried away with thinking of outward things spred abroad as it were by the sences vpon worldly things she commeth back vnto her self and returnerh wholy into her selfe and afterward of her selfe raifeth vp her self euen vnto God Then all the clearnesse and brightnesse of this diuine most bright shining light forgerteth all her naturall actions careth no more for food and clothing no she not so much as once thinketh of any earthly thing but transferreth all her study for the getting of eternall benefits She addicteth her selfe and studieth how she may become temperate how she may frame her actions according to righteousnesse and prudence how she may become couragious and generallie all other vertues which deuout persons learne to addresse al their actions vnto comlinesse and perfection of life The plaine beaten high way that must bring vs hereunto and keepe vs within the compasse of our duty is the reading and meditating of the holy scriptures for therein we shall finde the most vertuous and excellent instruction to cause vs to do well that possiblie may be and examples and histories of the liues of holy and religious persons which are so many liuely images and exemplars of all good manners and holy conuersation which are there set before vs to follow Wherefore whosoeuer he be that shall feele any infirmitie in him selfe and staieth himselfe hereon shall finde therein as in a ritch and well furnished Apothecaries shop euery necessarie drugge that is fit to recouer his heal for let him that loueth temperance and modestie read oner ordinarily the historie of Ioseph and therein he shall learne actions full of great continencie and chastitie and finde that he was not onely chaste and a resister of filthie lust but by reason of long exercise confirmed also in all sorts of ventues he shall likewise learne by Iob a rare couragious minde in seeing the aduersities which he endured as being become from a great riche man to be a most miserable poore wretch and from a father of a noble and great familie a man alone and without children standing couragiouslie and coutinually vnto his tackling his mightie constancie being neuer abated nor his heart any whit at all lessened And when his friends which came to comfort him had prouoked him and fell a iesting at him for his talke and stirring his mildnesse yet could they neuer thereby driue him into choller But if any man would dreame with what magnanimitie he could be able to hold himselfe courteous and gentle and being angrie against sinne loue and make much of the persons that offēd he shall finde Dauid who was a most braue and valiant expert man of warre to be notwithstanding such a one as was farre from reuenging himselfe of his enemies Such a one was also Moses and yet notwithstanding he would be mightely angrie against those that blasphemed the honour of God but vnto such as offended and slaundered himselfe he would be merueilous calme and gentle And therefore we must do as good Painters and Counterfeiters do who taking vpon them to draw out the counterfeit of some man or beast or any other thing else curiously wrought in a table before their faces looking oftentimes vpon the thing which they are counterfeiting do draw the liniaments one after another vntill they haue finished and ended their worke that is to say looking vpon the liues of holy men as vpon liuely images draw out of them the most excellent liniaments of vertue to make vs perfect and to make ours by imitation like vnto them in all goodnesse and excellencie So we returning from labour vnto praiers shall by them make our minds and spirits more liuely and merie as heated and enflamed with a true godly loue For a good and faithfull praier engendreth in our soules a manifest knowledge of the goodnesse of God for that maketh God as it were to dwell in vs as hauing setled him deepely in our remembrances and so by this means we are made the temples of God when as the intent of our minde is not interrupted by any earthly cogitations nor our soule troubled with any suddaine motions but flying and eschewing all other thing retireth her selfe towards God as to her friend and driuing away all peruerse affections which mooue vs vnto intemperance
hart stirreth it selfe like vnto one walking with his nose lifted vp into the weather who through his retchlesnesse falleth into the botrome of a well hauing forthwith thereby beene amazed is incontinent void of iudgement falleth out with himselfe and tormenteth himselfe vntill such time as being come againe to his wits he knoweth both the place wherein he is and vnderstandeth the maner how he fell in and then beginneth by little and little to get vp againe vnto the top thereof and yet is scarslie able to note and marke the place whence he so easily fell 5 And so hauing called to minde as farre as I possibly could the memorie of things past hauing set before me in a deepe meditation the workes of thine hands and hauing exactly considered the perfection thereof yea and remembring the estate wherein thou hast created vs and besides setting before me him by whome I feele my selfe now as it were oppressed vnder the destruction of sinne I cursed in my self the houre wherein my mother conceiued me I abhorred the day which first opened vnto me mine eye lids whereby I might see heauen and earth witnesses of mine infirmitie and in the end finding nothing in the world that in this distresse might comfort and helpe me I at last addressed my selfe vnto thy most excellent maiestie 6 I fell on both my knees before thee I stretched out mine armes and hands vnto thee and my soule thirsting for thy grace waited with a great desire for the same as the chapping ground through heat looketh for a gratious and sweet showre in the hoatest daies of sommer 7 Make hast therefore vnto me O my God for I am already out of breath for loe mine heart fainteth and I am at the point of swound wilt thou stay vntill I be dead I am already so if thou make not hast for my sences do by little and little faile me my soule glideth gentlie out of me leauing my body without moouing and I am like vnto him who letting his foote bleede in the water looseth his life with his bloud without feeling the occasion or cause of his death 8 If thou O Lord holdest thy selfe aloofe from me and turnest thy face away I shall become like vnto those that go downe into the bottom of hell pale death will make my face looke wanne and my feeling to sleepe nay a worse thing then this will betide me my God for spirituall death will kill my soule make it horribly a feard and take from her the acknowledgement of thy singular goodnesse and the hope of grace which shineth in thy miracles as a bright shining starre in a duke night 9 Make me therefore O Lord in thy good time to vnderstand and feele the effect of thy mercy and when the sunne riseth in the morning vpon the face of the earth let then thy louing kindnesse rise vpon me for the enlightening of mine ignorance and leade me in the way of thy wyll But let it not deale with me O Lord as the sunne dooth who at his fall plungeth him selfe into the sea keeping away his light for a time from poore wretched and distressed men But let thy fauour and grace continually assist and defend mee and neuer depart more from me then my soule doth from my body for thy mercy is farre away more the soule of my soule then my soule is the life of my bodie 10 And therefore let thy mercie neuer forsake me but let her light direct my footsteps alwayes in thy wayes and leade me continually in the way which must bring me vnto thee For my spirit which hath run it self through the strange queaches of this world and strayed into the broad and thicke bushes thereof can neuer find out her tract againe but rusheth out at all aduentures and loseth both her path and also her payne going alwayes back from the abiding place whither she was determined to goe But I my God do alwayes attend thine ayd for it is from aboue that I looke for help 11 I am a captiue in the hands of the most cruell enemies of my life and therefore I most humbly beseech thee ô Lord to make haste to deliuer me I flye vnto thee for refuge receiue mee into thy protection Teach mee what thou wouldest haue me to do for thou art my God whome alone I am resolued now to serue And now away away from me deceitfull pleasure which heretofore hast bewitched my poore soule and poysoned my spirit thou hast with thy sweet delights fed me and made me with a little bait of hony to swallow a deadly potion which running through my members hath so astonished and mortified me as that there is no differēce betweene me and a dead man nay worse then that for it is not my body that is thus mortified but it is my soule wherin cōsisteth the principall matter both of this present life and also of the life to come 12 And therfore thy holy spirit must light vpon me to rewarme and fetch againe my dying soule and take it by the hand to quicken and set it in a safe place imprinting therein the image of thy righeuousnesse to serue her as a sauegard against all tentations which besiege her on euery side and threaten her destruction 13 Thou shalt come therefore and at thy comming shalt draw back my soule from tribulation and in shewing of me mercy shalt destroy all those that haue coniured against me And then shall my sorrow haue an end and theirs shall begin and the beginning of their sorrow shall neuer cease But as the streames comming out of the spring heads do still growe larger and larger vntill such time as they enter into the deepe Seas where is neyther brinke nor bottome euen so shall theyr miserie day by day encrease and in the end will heape vppon them extreame dolour and infinite distresse 14 And so shall all they perish which shall vexe my soule for I ô God am thy faithfull seruant whome thou hast remembred and wilt remember all those who in disdayne of my Lord haue thus shamelesly troubled mee They laughed at my miseries but now behold the season wherein they shall bewayle theirs Thy vengeance beginneth to waxe hoat against them and a man shall see them fall like vnto the leaues of trees in the beginning of winter O God what glorie shall I render vnto thy name and at what end shall I begin to set foorth thy prayse Shall I publish thy goodnesse in creating so many wonderfull works which are vnder the Sunne Thy wisdome in the conseruing of them Shall I preach abroad thy iustice in the condemnation and vengeance of the pride of the Angels the disobedience of men Shall I sing foorth thy mercy in the redeeming of those who by transgressing thy lawes haue cast them-selues downe headlong into the bondage of eternall death vnto what part of thy prayses may the sound tune of my voyce attaine reach Yea put the case that my voyce were
and open your eares that I may open the spirit close vp the eyes of your bodies that I may make your soules so clearely forsake this stepmother of earth that I may make you know your heauenly father Come ye therefore together both poore rich for ye are vnworthy of the goods that I meane largely to bestow vpon you 3 Come for I go about to discouer lay wide opeÌ„ vnto you the treasures of eternal wisdom And in opening my mouth being inspired with the grace of Almighty God I meane to vnfold vnto you in my words his wonderfull wisedome I haue long held my soule in a deep thought and after I had a great while dreamed I conceiued in the end of a strange discourse of Gods wisedome by which I vnderstood his goodnesse and mercie in all things and the folly misery infirmitie of mankinde 4 Whereupon I being as it were beside my selfe about the wondring at his greatnes the feeling of our own infirmitie I was forthwith desirous to geue eare vnto that which my spirit taught me and began carefully to consider of those things which it couertly shewed me vnder a disguised maner the knowledge the truth And after I had carefully vnderstood examined the same I tooke my harp in my hand according my voyce vnto the sweet tune of my harp I was ready to put abroad my conceits and to make my meditations to be heard vnto all those that would heare them that they might be acceptable vnto God the author of so holie thoughts and wholesome instruction vnto the fauourable hearer of my discourses 5 If thou wilt then know what I sayd within my selfe this I sayd what shall I feare in the hardest time of my life Why should I feare when death shall come to lay hold on me and to cause me to get me out of this world Alas deat is a strange busibody I know not who should not feare him seeing no man can keepe him-selfe from him How shall I be able to defend my selfe from his arrowes What armour shall I put on against his pick-axe which ouerthroweth and razeth Castels Cities Kingdomes and Empires yea which threatneth to bring the world to an end and who at last shall make an end of him-selfe I shall need no kinde of weapons but innocencie that is able to be a steely an assured buckler for me for if I take not good heed vnto it that traytor sinne whome death hath appoynted will neuer be from my heeles will lodge in my concupisceÌ„ce and deliuer me presently at an assault into the hands of damnation 6 O deare and wholesome innocencie in thee alone resteth all our assurance vnder thy faith we constantly abide whatsoeuer shall come vppon vs and we beleeue that thou art strong inough to defende vs from death O foolish and mad men who leauing this faithfull protection assure them-selues in their greatnesse and mightinesse make an accompt of their ritches and magnificences They accompt the Nations which are vnder their gouernments and recken vp the treasure which they keepe vnder lock and key and to what purpose serueth all this against death 7 If one brother can not redeeme the life of another for money nay and if one would dye for another yet inexorable death will not receyue him what then shall man geue vnto death for his owne ransome Shall he geue the goods that are none of his or his dominions which he loseth as soone as he is dead No no there is nothing which hee hath left vnto him-selfe wherewith God is appaised and pacified when his iudgement is once pronounced against mortall men He â—ill not compound with him for any thing whatsoeuer This is his creature this is the slime of the earth out of â—hich hee will take when it pleaseth him the spirit of life whcih he breathed into him and therefore man can no way gaynsay nor yet reply against him 8 Let vs I beseech thee a little value the soule of man and let vs see what he will offer vnto God for his ransoming of him let him trauell a little all his life long let him go and trauell awhile all the dayes of his life let him goe and ferrit out all the corners of the earth let him go and draâ— out the bowels of the mines let him draw dry the golden dugs of both the Indies let him dispeople the Easterne parts of the world of all her pearles and when he hath heaped vp all this geare let him then come and bargain with God for the prolonging of his life and wee shall heare his reasons What other thing shall he be but like vnto a prisoner which offreth to cast off his bolts and shackles if he might haue libertie geuen him O miserable man that thou art for that thing which thou thinkest should serue thee for thy safegard is the very window whereat death must enter For death commeth by reason of sin 〈◊〉 by reason of concupiscence and thâ— concupiscence is nourished encreased and kindled by all these For God will speake all naked vnto thee euen aâ— â—e placed thee here in the world and will before he begin to capitulate with thee haue thee deliuer vnto him that which thou hast robbed him of I meane those graces and benefits whcih thou hast misused then shalt thou thinke with thy self whether thou hast of thine owne to pay him double yea quadruple for the punishment due vnto thee for thine ill life 9 Alasse poore senselesse thing if thou once commest to that what shalt thou be able to say against death seeing that the wisest and valiantest men are enforced to be courbed vnder his yoke Shalt thou who hast made no accompt but of corruptible and perishing ritches shalt thou I say be preserued from corruption and the wise man who sought by all the meanes possible he could to immortalize himselfe here in this life conuersed with the Angels cannot warrant himselfe from him Thou thy selfe seest him come to an end and hopest thou to be immortall No no for both wise men fooles dye but after a diuerse sundry manner for the death of the wise man shal be but a passage he shal fâ—nd at his returne his talent infinitely multiplied and encreased and the glorie which he hath sowne shal encrease aboundantly and ouershadow the generation of his children 10 Howbeit all these poore wretched blind soules who continually hold down their heads vnto the earth and whose spirits are shut vp in their purses who haue none other vnderstanding but to loue those things which are not to be beloued who neglect and contemne both Sunne and Moone the verie principall works of nature to admire stones and marble gold and siluer which vainely scatter and disperse the vertues of intelligeÌ„ce and vnderstanding for the getting together and heaping vp of the excrements of the earth shall forgoe the ritches which they haue so greatly loued and for which they hated all
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
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
esteemed amongst men as an vnnaturall and cruell Parricide Now God came not into the world to dissolue and adnihilate this naturall obligation but contrarywise more surely to strayne and tye the knot by this loue which he hath so greatly recommended vnto vs. Euen so we also see that when we once begin to cut asunder the bond of the common affection vnto our countrey that all manner not onely of disorders but of most abhominable crimes and wickednesses set in foote and thefts murders rapes extortions and sacrileges forthwith rule and reigne Now what is it in the whole world which a man can more mislike more abhorre kindle his furie more and more stirre and prouoke him to ruyne and confound people What shall wee then say whilest so many labour headlongly to ouerthrow both them selues and their countrey will you euen you I say that haue alwayes had charge and whose office bindeth you to take paines for the common weale remayne as it were carelesly in the desert to see your selfe being safe the fire burne your countrey and reserue your selfe to behold the ashes thereof What a grief would it be vnto you not to haue brought the ayde which you might haue done or at least not to haue made an assay proofe thereof Do you not dayly see that after our friēds are dead we say euen with sighs if we had done such a thing it may he that he had bene aliue Come therefore and contribute with vs your wisedome and resolute counsels that we may saue that which in this world is most deare vnto vs. Forbeare this purpose of yours to liue a solitarie life and drawe you vnto your rest euen then when wee shall all at once haue brought the Ship to the hauen or else being ouercome with that foolish opinion of such as would willingly cast away them selues be saued with some boord of the wracke But if we perish therein death which way soeuer he may come shall haue shewed vs no small fauour in taking vs away from the beholding of so lamentable a spectacle or sight A MEDITATION OF THE PSALMES OF DAuid his repentance ANCHORA SPEI 1594 A MEDITATION vpon the Psalmes of Dauid his repentance Lord in thy wrath reprooue me not c. Psalme 6. TAke away ô Lord the arme of thy seueare and heauy vengeance from me for it will else driue me downe headlong as a violent streame into euerlasting death and Condemnation and consume mee like fier and the rest of my bodie shall be turned into ashes And what eye shall be able to abide but must needs perish with feare to behold the onely looke of thine angrie face when as in casting thine eye vppon vs thou shalt pierce the verie bottoms of our hearts and discouer the secrets of our vncleane consciences For our abhominable sinnes will blowe the bellowes of thy iust anger vpon our heads and thine hote burning wrath will all at once cast vs downe headlong into that fearefull gulfe of paines torments and miseries And therefore before such time as thy furie doth arise against me and that thou with iust disdaine commest to ouerthrow and destroy me I beseech thee to geue eare vnto the humble and grieuous groanes which my fearefull heart powreth out vnto thee 2 Mercie therefore ô Lord mercie I craue Oh my God what wilt thou do Shall thy mightie power and strength make tryall of mine infirmities Thinkest thou my God that I come before thee to wrastle against thy mightie power No no O Lord it is vnto thy clemencie that I runne it is vnder her wing that I place my selfe that she might arme her selfe against the rigour of the condemnation which I most iustlie haue deserued Appease therefore somewhat what thy countenance and seeing that I haue along while called vpon thy goodnesse helpe and deliuer me from all those euils which do besiege me for behold I leade my life in most pittifull manner and me thinketh that all my bones are brused and broken 3 Howbeit it is not my poore bodie onely that is thus cruelly afflicted but my miserable soule also doth sorrow and grieue This soule of mine O Lord yea euen this soule of mine who is fully and wholy purposed with her voice to glorifie the author of her life is cast downe and become desolate without either courage or strength And as the fearfull Doue hideth her selfe in some small hole or creauie at the noise of thunder euen so my soule when she beholdeth thine heauie indignation seeketh the darkest and obscurest places for her retraite But how long O Lord will thine anger last 4 Howbeit come O my Lord come and looke vpon me with thy pittifull eyes with which thou canst not blot out my sinne alone but all the sinnes of the world also For I feele my soule sticke fast in a most filthie and deepe puddle of iniquitie therein she lieth drowned ouer head and eares and stretcheth out her hand O Lord vnto thee alas pluck her out of it O Lord and set her againe into the way of saluation Saue her O Lord for she coniureth thee therunto by thine infinite goodnesse and incredible mercy True it is O Lord that she no whit deserueth the same neither oughteth she to hope for any helpe at his hand whom she hath so cowardly forsaken against whose honour she hath so wickedly conspired the reward of whose sinne deserueth no fauour but hell fier and eternall death 5 But who O Lord shall sing thy praises and sound thy name in the infernall pit and in the bottomlesse depth of death For it is the house of sorrow for there is nothing heard and seene but howling torments where contrariwise thy praise consisteth onely in setting forth of thine infinit mercy goodnesse and clemencie 6 And besides behold on the one side how humble repentance maketh intercession for me and hath sworne that she will neuer depart from me vntill such time as she hath reconciled me vnto thee And on the other side consider how humble praier importuneth thee for me and hath sworne also that she will neuer be frō thine heeles vntill such time as she hath reconciled me vnto thee O my God thou hast often times seene my teares heard my grones I daily wash my face with tears through the remēbrance of my sins I cause my bed to swim with the teares that trickle down my eyes what is that O Lord which repentance cōmandeth me that I do not religiously obserue 7 I cast downe mine eies tremble with feare when I behold thy angry countenance I patiently beare the rebukes of mine enemies take in good part their reproches as a iust punishmēt for my sinnes I walke before their faces in sackcloth ashes and with the confession of my mouth I kneele at the feete of thine aulters I with rods make leane my flesh which caused my soule to sin howbeit mine enemies do but laugh at my trouble which place them selues round about me with
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
ouerthrowe mee They will hang vp a cloake of righteousnesse before theyr theeuish purposes and vnder pretence of lawe vndoe and defame mee But ô thou diuine Iustice who with an all-seeing eye scatterest the clowdes of sclaunders abroad and grauntest day vnto the innocent shine vpoÌ„ me a little make them vnderstand that truth pierceth through and beholdeth all their crafty iugling and maketh way to appeare before thee ô thou seueare and vncorrupt Iudge the only comfort of the afflicted 2 Thou art my strength and my defence and vppon thee alone resteth mine innocencie I made readie my selfe to fight against the craftie deuises of these deceiuers which assayle me and haue dreamed of a thousand arguments to conuince them withall and do make an accompt rightly to deduct my reasons But when as I had throughly considered that thou keepest in minde the knowledge of my cause as my God my gardian and protector I haue sayd alone to my selfe for what purpose serue all these goodâ— syllogismes for my Iudge knoweth the truth of the fact and vnderstandeth the equitie of my cause What can be hid from him who is present at all things and what can any man declare and shew vnto him that is righteousnesse him-selfe who hath established lawes and vnto whome it belongeth to interpret them I therefore put my selfe into thy armes my God my strength and refuge Iudge my cause and rid me from the sclaunders of the wicked But why reiectest thou me my God I haue a long while called vppon thee and yet thou hast not come vnto me In the meane while mine enemies oppresse me and I am no more able to abide But now thou my sweet yea my most sweet soule why art thou so heauie and sad and God be some-what slacke in comming to help thee all the while the wicked are afflicting of thee why losest thou thy courage thus and geuest thy selfe ouer vnto sorrow and griefe That that is deferred is not altogether lost for he will come seeing he hath promised it 3 Come therefore my Lord my God and spread out the beames of thy diuine light vppon me and seeing thou art the father of truth leaue not this thy poore captiued daughter in the wicked and vniust hands of her acâ—…sers If thou louest innocencie deliuer her then from the bonds of these false accusations For now O Lord malâ—ce lieth hidden in the darke and if thou let her haue day light she is ouercome and if she be acknowledged she is vndone I beseech thee therefore O my God let thy light and truth assist my righteousnesse for I haue loued them all my life long and from my youth haue I made much of them They haue bene they my Lord which first led and guided me before thee and presented me vnto thee vppon thine holie mountaine set me in the middest of thy Tabernacle brought me into thy Church and gaue me an honorable place in thine house 4 There it is ô Lord where I haue chosen my mansion and mine aboad is with thee My rest ô Lord is onely in thee and all my glory is to serue thee Assuring my selfe then vpon thy support stay and trusting in thy grace I will present my selfe vnto thee who knowest my conscience and in knowing it iudgest it in iudging it esteemest it and in esteeming of it thou confoundest the common enemies of mine honor and of thy seruice I will goe vnto thine Aulter which I haue seâ— vp to blesse sanctifie thy name and call vppon thee my God which fillest my youth with gladnesse and inspiring in minde heart the holie flame of thine holie loue doest heape vpon me pleasure delight and ioy 5 And therefore will I sound out vpon mine harp in mine hand the confessing of thy magnificence and tune with my voyce the sweet notes of thy prayse one while I wil sing thy immeasurable power one while thy exceeding goodnesse and another while thy infinite clemency and in the end I wil fâ—nish with this wonderful iustice which hath saued me froÌ„ the oppressioÌ„ of the vngodly and made the shame of their wicked purposes rebound leape vpoÌ„ their owne faces Why wilt thou then be sad my soule why vexest thou mee thus and takest in ill part the opprobries and sclanders of the wicked as if their venemous tongs could any way hurt an innocent conscience No no a burning torch thrust into the water can no sooner be extinquished then the sclanderous reports of a man that leadeth an innocent life 6 Trust therfore in God ô my soule reioyce in his fauour for I right well knowe that he is well pleased with his prayses by my lips All my life long â—ill I prayse him and declare and confesse him to be the God of truth the God of iustice God the tutor of the innocent God the father of saluation and God mine only defence I will haue mine eye alwayes fixed on him and my face continually turned towards him for I haue found no saluation but in him O my God who from the beginning of the world reachest out thine armes vnto the afflicted which hast alwayes receyued into thy protection the oppressed and comfortest the iust vniustly tormented graunt me O Lord both comfort and courage to the end that I taking my spirits vnto me againe which were halfe in a dead sleepe through affliction may glorifie thee with all my force and strangle by the strength of my voyce the blasphemies of the wicked which goe about to defame thine honor and not being able to reach thee rush and runne vppon the good and godly men thaâ— faithfully serue thee All people harken and geue c. Psalme 46. 1 COme vnto mee all yee stronge nations dâ—awe neere yee people that are farthest off come yeâ— from all coasts to heare that which ye shall neuer heare else-where Passe ye the seas mountaines and let not any hardnesse of tho way stop ye for the prize of your nauigation shall be greater then he â—hat sayleth from the East to the West lâ—den with pearles and diamonds And the reward of your sweatings shall be more pretious then the Trophees of those that conquer the nations of the earth Shore vp your eares therefore harken attentiuely vnto that which I shall now say vnto you O I would to God that ye were all eares and that all the rest of your benummed senses might strengthen your hearing to conceiue that which I will deliuer vnto you 2 Come come all ye that call your selues the children of the earth which thinke to attribute your originall being vnto nothing but vnto the earth and your being borne vnto none but vnto your fathers and suppose nothing to be more auncient here in this world then they and nothing greater then your selues In very deed yee are the right children of the earth for ye are as insensible as it is and of no more vnderstanding then images made of clay and annealed in the fornace Come
the rest Ye shall see them hale and pull against death and draw their ritches with them euen vnto the graues but death will set them vpon their fingers ends and cause them to leaue them euen when they haue gotten them They that are halfe dead shall goe about to lift vp a little their eye lids to â—ee if they can find their treasure at â—he wykes of their eyes but in the end â—hey must be packing they must leaue â—his worldly pomp because a mightie power hath pluckt them away But â—nto whome shall they leaue this preparation furniture forsooth it may â—e vnto a stranger whome they neuer â—…ew or euer yet once dreamed of â—ho shall bath and blesse him selfe in â—he sweate of this miserable ritch cayâ—ife churle who shall haue no more â—eft him for his portion but a graue of â—…teene or twentie soot long at the â—ost and this shall be his house for eâ—er wherein let him keepe him selfe if â—e will 11 What is become then of these â—raue waynscotted palaces these guilt â—autes these beautifull ranks of choyse â—illers these so faire curled marbles â—hese emblemes sentences engrauen 〈◊〉 brasse and all the rest of these wonâ—ers of vanitie What is nothing of â—ll this left for him he had established â—is lands and possessions from race to â—…e from generation to generation â—…d called his houses by his owne name surely this must needs be 〈◊〉 great man 12 Alasse poore man for when hâ— was in honor he knew not himselfe neither had he any knowledge he sâ— caried himself as that he is brought tâ— be of the number of the bruite beasâ—… made like vnto Asses horses whâ— haue neither wit nor iudgement For what greater honor could he desire 〈◊〉 wish to haue then to be made and formed vnto the fashion of the Deity aâ—… to be placed amoÌ„gst the works of Goâ— there to command as his lieutenant he was not as it were lesse then Aâ—…gels had a spirit to comprehend thâ— greatest wonders of the Deity but bâ— flying from the day and light of knoâ—…ledge he hid himselfe in the dens aâ— caues of ignorance blockishnes aâ— remained therein all his life long haâ—…ching there I know not what misâ—…rable ritches was found in the eâ—… to become like vnto the bruite beastâ— for as they neuer neigh bray but â—…ter otes and neuer trauell but for pâ—…sture euen so this man neuer bestirâ—… him selfe but about the getting of nâ—…cessarie things for the bodie nay 〈◊〉 did worse then so for he could not prouide and vse for the entertayning of him selfe the goods which he so eagerly coueted but became therein farre worse then all the rest of the beasts of the field whose vnruly appetites were satisfied with the vse of those things which they desired 13 O what an infamie and offence are the liues of such kinde of men who are so shamelesly brutished What remayneth then more for them both here in this world and in the world to come but shame in this and payne and torment in the other And besides let them runne on in delighting them selues in their vayne discourses and priding of themselues in their ritches Let them now a little remember the speeches which they haue whereby they seeme to esteeme of none but of them selues and their money making no better accompt of all other men then of the rushes vnder their feet 14 Thus we see how they draw them selues vnto hell eueÌ„ as sheep led to the Shambles death is come who hath deuoured them and nothing left of them but their pitifull bare bones which canker and are worme-eaten in the graue 15 And loe the iust man who patiently endured their insolencie his time is now come to reigne and is at ease he is vp by the breake of the day and after hee hath geuen thanks to God he goeth to see if he can finde the place where one of these miserable caytifs dwelt and where he is placed for insulting brauing and tyrannizing of the whole world and sayth a part vnto him selfe Thanked be God for cleansing the earth of such off-scouring and placing such as blesse his name For this wicked churle with all his glorie is become rotten and puttified He is now in torment and there is not one to help him and so let him remayne there hardly for death is a passage for him neuer to returne 16 And as for me ô Lord I right well know that I must dye for the sin of our first parent hath bound vs to pay that debt it is the reward for his disobedience we must go againe into the earth and returne from whence we came Neuerthelesse ô Lord thou shalt redeeme me from death and deliuer me from the hand of hell when it would lay hold on me Thou wilt not suffer me to go downe all below but wilt deliuer me eueÌ„ at the very mouth thereof and be contented that I acknowledge it without suffering the punishment of my deserued thraldome and captiuitie But what shall be the price of my redemption shall it be the goods and possessions of the earth and the aboundance of gold and siluer No ô Lord for hell is full thereof it maketh no reckning of this geaâ—e for thou thy selfe shalt be the price of my redemption thou shalt deliuer thine owne body to death that my soule might be deliuered from hell Thou shalt put vpon thee and cloth thee with the dolors of the dead that I might be clothed with the ioyes of immortalitie And therefore I will not from henceforth my God haue any other ritches but thee and in possessing thee I shall possesse the whole world and in louing thee I shall be in thee thou in mee and thou being there shalt bring thither all the goods strength and glorie of the world and fill me full with other manner of ritches then the ritches of these miserable carles which will not acknowledge thee for their ritches are but the fruite of their sinne which shall perish with their sinne 17 No maÌ„ ought to be abashed to see them all at once suddainly enriched ne yet to esteeme theÌ„ to be any whit the happier therby for although the false honor which they so greedily hunt after exceedeth excelleth and are filled with this vaine and vanishing glorie which carieth with it but a glorious glittering outward shew yet must we not be in an admiration thereat much lesse enuie the same 18 For although they shall at any time haue kissed the earth and put on the round compasse thereof yet shall they carry away nothing of it with theÌ„ saue their winding sheet nothing shall follow them but their shadow and yet I beleeue that it will also leaue them for the very selfe-same day which maketh the shadow will forsake them and they shall want the ordinary light and in stead of these magnificeÌ„ces pomps and swelling ostentations wherewith they make little children afeard shall wrap them vp
THE HOLY LOVE OF HEAuenly VVisdome With many other godly Treatises Newly set forth perused and augmented by the Author Translated out of French into English by Tho. Sto. Gent. ANCHORA SPEI LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Thomas Man 1594. The names of the treatises contained within this volume 1 The holy loue of heauenly Wisdome 2 The Epistle of S. Basile of a solitary life 3 An exhortation vnto a ciuil life dedicated vnto Mounsi L. 4 A Meditation of the 7. Psalmes of Dauid his repentance 5 A Meditation of the 7. Psalmes of Dauid his consolation 6 A Meditation of the Lordes Prayer 7 Meditations of the Lamentations of Ieremiah 8 The song of Ezechias Isaiah 38. The Translator to the Christian reader THou shalt receiue here I hope Christian Reader vnto thy great comfort these short discourses and meditations if thou reade them with iudgement and according to sobriety the titles of which thou shalt finde set downe seuerally and a part in the next page before Accept therefore I beseech thee both the great paine of the Author and my poore trauell in translating of them which I trust I haue faithfully done according to his meaning and looke what benefit thou reapest by them be first thankefull vnto God and next vnto him and so I commit them to thy gentle acceptation The holy loue of heauenly Wisedome WE are like vnto that kinde of people who hauing bene led captiue into some farre countrey when they were yong haue not onely lost their time but haue forgotten also both their countrey naturall language and the amitie of their own kindred For we are no sooner out of our cradle and swadling cloutes as it were but that our peruerse and froward affections surprize vs as a man would say like violent windes and filling the sayles of our desires with a thousand delicat gales make vs mightely degenerate from our owne naturall inclination driuing vs therby from all true and right reason For let our soule continue neuer so litle a while in this banishment she by and by forgetteth her originall being leeseth the remembrance of her principall benefite and good and in the end which is a farre greater mischiefe she forgetteth likewise the knowledge of her self Now then there remaineth nothing why we are not altogether like vnto these miserable captiues For if they after their long captiuitie haue neuer so little hope of their returne or do but heare their countrie spoken of a man shall perceiue their hearts to leape with ioye in their bodies so greatly doth this kinde of newes please and like them But contrariwise we vtterly mislike those men who labour to call vs home againe vnto the place where we had our first being and abhorre nothing more then when we see them marke out vnto vs the ready way to come thereto These men will leaue the fortunate Islands and returne vnto the Ithaque set fast like a neast built vpon the very top of a sharpe steepie rocke And we will not onely leaue the mire and dirte wherein we sit fast mortrized rather then we would possesse and enioy most assured and euerlasting felicitie Now some man may peraduenture say vnto me I beseech you Sir where is that felicity which you talke of shew it vnto vs for that is it that we desire for what man is he that would refuse to be happie and blessed Alas my good friends I know that the worde liketh you well but without doubt yee flie from the thing it selfe or at least yee follow naught else but the shadow and leaue the bodie flying from you and hunting after a vaine cloude of delight reiect the true sound and incomparable pleasure Where then is it say you shew vnto vs the way and tract that we may speedely take hold thereof Shall I tell you my good friends one thing and that is this would it not thinke you make you laugh to see a pore or sand blinded man come vnto Pylon a most excellent counterfeitor in painting and importune him to shew him his pictures and exquisite paintings or to see a deaffe man presse in to heare the sweet musicke and hermonie of Bayf a most excellent musition would not the first man say vnto the sand blinded man go thy way and remoue first from thee that running humor which is the cause of the dimming of thy sight vnto the other go thou and drie vp the catarre which is the occasion of thy deafenesse and then thou that art blindish shalt see our excellent paintings and thou that art deaffish shalt heare our delicate and pleasant songs For as the pleasure of the sences cannot be well tasted nor relished but by such as haue whole and sound bodies no more can the contentation and delight of the minde wherein resteth our chiefe felicitie be perceiued by any but by such as haue cleansed their soules of all sinfull and corrupt lusts which as filthie botches and blaines extinguish the vitall spirits in that part of the body wherein they are engendred Heere then you see what you must do if you determine to make your selues capable to taste of the fruits of this euerlasting happinesse I right well know that ye are so brought vp euen from your youth in the pleasures of your sences and make so much of them as that you are afeard yee shall lose them without I leaue this as a pawne vnto you which will bring vnto you farre more infinite greater pleasure and wherewith I will feast you and quickly shew it you But who is able to make men that are no better then dust and ashes to see the estate and disposition of a pure and innocent soule whose action is perfectly blessed and altogether heauenly wherin consisteth this most excellent contentation In very deed you presse me too too sore and craue at my hands more then I am able to do But because I am loth to discourage you and make you mal-content I wil do for you whatsoeuer I am able And I will deale with you as the carriers about of monsters do For they set vp their pictures at the corners of the streets and hang out the portraitures of them at their owne lodgings and when the people haue paid their money at the comming in of the gate then they shew them their naturall and liuely bodies Now the sight which I inuite you to see is this VVisedome which we may rightly say to be the very truth and knowledge of all things but especially of heauenly things which is full of vnspeakeable cleerenesse brightnesse and splendure and which also if we might behold face to face and in her naturall excellencie would rauish vs with her loue and cause vs hate these base and earthly things with the loue of which we are so farre sotted euen to our very destruction I will heere hand vp as it were vpon the beaten high waies pictures and images so that if ye be disposed to go right on to the gate yee shall see
both the image and the embosting of them which is without all doubt most maruellous and when you haue paid your custome and passed the borders and limits of this life you shal see that which no tongue is able to vtter nor eare able to heare But to make you acknowledge at length what this is and plainly to prick out vnto you some draughts hereof I beseech you consider euen of the things which you so wonder at heere in this world and so greedely and egerly labour for and hunt after and you shall finde that if you go onely step by step on them and follow still your way that they will at last bring you vnto the knowledge of that which you at this day desire But because that in stead of going on them you settle your selues and sit fast down vpon on them you your selues become most vile and filthie by them Now let vs see a little why you thus satisfie your sences and from whence this pleasure and tickling delight springeth wherein you establish the seat of your worldly felicitie Commeth this from the obiect of naturall things that are growne vnto perfection Are these the well mingled sorted and setled colours and the exactly obserued proportions and dimensions which thus please the eyes What other thing admire you in a medow ennameled with a thousand goodly and odoriferous floures and so richly in diuerse places with sundrie colours bedecked What other thing admire you in the stately buildings of kings in their Bracelets Chaines and other Iewels and in the Tables of most excellent Pictures but onely this curious obseruation Yea what other estimation make you of the most faire sweete faces of women with whom yee effeminately burne in loue but an equall proportion and exact diligence of nature in the conformitie and assemblie of many things differing one from another What other thing is the sweetnesse of one especiall voice of a man or the melodie of many together in consort but a iust and orderly continuation of them all together or suddaine motion of many voices according to a naturall rule and proportion of the same And what other thing is the most pleasant and sweete sauour that a man can possiblie smell but a certaine temperature both of heate and moisture and a certaine qualitie imprinted in a bodie by the suddaine motion of one or many causes Neither is any thing sweet and pleasant in the most delicate meates and sauoures but a certaine measure of well mixed licoures Neither doth the touching of them bring or yeeld any other pleasure but a certaine equalitie and length which we finde in naturall bodies Now marke then all the pleasures which your sences can possibly receiue yee consume the whole time of your life onely about thē for for them alone ye wearie your bodies with continuall toiling moiling and for them alone yee striue against the winds and crosse the seas If then yee finde that all these particular things do possesse your minds by a certaine vaine shew of beauty and excellencie what will yee then say when as yee shall consider of them all at once and at one view euen from their first beginning vnto the highest degree of their perfection Shall yee not see the selfe and the same difference betweene them that is betweene one stone alone and an whole proude and costlie Pallace and betweene one voice and a complet and full noise of musick and betweene one finger and the whole bodie What matter can you make of all these particular things especially of these earthly things when as in lifting vp your eyes towards the Sunne and Starres yee behold the world from the highest part of heauen to the lowest part of the earth euen from the beginning of the same vnto the end thereof and consider how many wonderfull things are depainted and set foorth on euery side If so be then we haue done it to feed and satisfie our sences onely with the communicating of these beautifull and excellēt things it must needs be that we haue done it at the least by reason of the whole workmanship and frame of the same the elegancie whereof consisteth in the accordance and assembly of all the other particular beauties ornaments thereof But our soule which lancheth and stretcheth forth her desires and wishes farre aboue the reach of our sences without we will violently captiuate choake and strangle her hath no desire to stay heere For she findeth nothing heere which can any way retaine or yet containe her But she is more honourable then so for she embraceth heauen and earth compasseth all the whole world pierceth the bottomlesse depths knoweth all things and bestirreth and manageth her selfe and is so glorious as that if we conserue her in her naturall excellencie all the rest of the things of the world in respect of her will seeme to be most filthie and ouglie After she hath beheld her selfe and exercised her selfe about the searching out of causes and sciences finding nothing in all this no not any thing in her selfe that liketh her selfe and resting her selfe in a desire which she hath to learne she is enforced to lift vp her selfe farre aboue the world yea and farre aboue her selfe and suffereth her selfe to be guided by the workes of the worke-maister And there she seeth all at once all sorts of beauties and perfections abutting and assembling themselues euen from their very first originall and by so much the more they appeare most excellent and wonderfull by how much the nearer they come from thence from whence they first came Altogether like vnto the Sunne beames which the nearer they are the bodie from whence they shoote and spred themselues the greater the purer and the brighter they do appeare I vse especially in this behalfe this comparison because that of all things which we know heere below nothing more proportionably agreeeth with our soule then our sight which is the most noble liuely quickest action of all our sences nor nothing more proportionable vnto God then the light which is the most pure and most excellent thing in the world And the ancient wise men haue said That the light was Gods bodie and the truth his soule representing shewing and giuing vs a taste as it were heereby of one of the greatest secrets of the Godhead We must therefore open and vnseele the eyes of our minde that we may pearse into this heauenly light euen vnto the depth of the euerlasting truth If we will neuer so little helpe our selues and lift vp our soule that she may ascend by those steppes which offer themselues vnto her and hoise vp her saile on hie what delight and pleasure might she not hope for but wish not wish for but say not say but thinke which we enioy not in full measure yea such pleasure as that we should feele encrease and redouble in vs vntill the time that being ascended vnto the feast we should be ioined vnto that first and most high light
wherof is able to keepe him backe froÌ„ comming to the point of his felicitie When man saw himselfe thus defaced he was displeased with himselfe cursed his life as a gulfe of miserie where he saw nothing before his eyes but coÌ„fusion and darkenesse And all his animaduersions were nothing but of euils and all his hope of nothing but of calamities For God being nothing but righteous and man nothing else but sinne what measure or end could there be of his punishment Howbeit the eternall wisedome who wrought with God in the creation of man hauing compassion of the losse destruction of such a worke came as Tertullian sayth to lay a steepe the poison of death in his own blood to wash cleanse vs besides to turne away the iust wrath of his Father that he might haue mercy vpon vs and so turne vnto vs againe Thus we see how we are entred againe into grace with our God purified by his mercie called againe vnto the knowledge of his truth and the beholding of his glorie Howbeit we are so peruerse obstinate in our cursednesse so great enemies to our owne felicitie as that so soone as this eternall light would begin to appeare and shine vppon the clearenesse of our consciences there to expresse and reimprint the face of his Deitie and relieue and recharge the lineaments of this deuine wisedome which are so shamefully defiled and as it were vtterly defaced as that we make a thousand foule blemishes rebound vpon our selues which blind and defile vs and thrust them selues betweene vs and the grace which should enlighten vs. We must therefore as often as we defile our selues so often also lay too our hands to wipe away our foule and filthie staines for the cleansing and clearing of our soules so that we thereby being polished the beames of our principall bountie and goodnesse may cause the clearenesse of vertue and truth most clearely shine and brightly burne vpon vs. Here then we see the meanes which we herein must hold and keepe let vs now looke what the cause of this euill is and then let vs also wisely consider of the remedie for the same In very deede our peruerse and corrupt iudgement is the very fountaine of all our offences and the spring-head of that pestilent humor which so infecteth and spoyleth vs. The things which spoyle and trouble vs are the delightes and pleasures which on euery side alure vs and make vs drunke before we are fully awake This licour then being mixed amongst our tender senses by reason of the infirmitie of our age so delicately seasoneth vs as that we can neuer after lose and forget the sauour thereof We content not our selues with moderatly drinking but we will be ouer head and eares also tarrying still by it as if we would haue the tide ouerflowe vs leauing our selues drowned as it were vpon the swallowing quicksand of miserable old age Now these sweet licours wherewith we so fill and glut our selues turne by and by into bitternes and fill our harts and minds with a venemous humor which infecteth and corrupteth vs. For the affection which we beare vnto the beauty of these created things being entertained and flattered by vs changeth it selfe into a furious and mad lust which peruerteth and ouerthroweth our sentes for the flattering and dissembling desire which we haue vnto these worldly riches turneth it selfe into a blinde and senslesse passion and are none otherwise to be esteemed in this world but as the ordure and excrement of the earth and the loue of false honor conuerteth it selfe into a foolish desire to be farre more then the rest of the world and chalengeth vnto it selfe the reuerence and seruice that is due vnto God himselfe The pleasure which we take in our feeding is turned into beastly and shamelesse gluttony The care that we take in preseruing our bodies delicately groweth into beastly vncleannesse and filthy lust and the worthinesse that we beleeue too too much of our own courage and valure turneth it selfe into outragious choler and rashnesse And surely our minds being stopped and oppressed with so foule and slimie humors can neuer breathe forth any thing that is pure and cleane Now for the purging of all these subtile and mortall passions and poysons of the minde we must see what remedie we can finde out for them and it may be it will be to good purpose to vse the counsell which a good auncient Father gaue vnto a religious nouice of his house Like as wise nurses sayd he when they will weane their children will rub the neble of their teate with wormewood and other bitter druggs euen so must we be dealt withall for the making of vs lose the taste of our delightes and pleasures for wee must set downe vnto our selues a certaine punishment for our lusts and change the houres of our pleasures into rigorous and austere exercises and at that time we are wonted to take our foolish and dissolute recreations let vs examine with all humilitie what paynes and torments our sinfull and detestable life deserueth I cannot tell whether this good old Father in speaking this thought vpon the custome which the Hebrewes vsed who made a solemne feast vpon that day that they began to weane any of their children or whether they reioyced in that their children left their weaker foode and fell to more strong and marâ—owye meates either else to stirre them vp by their example vnto a new kinde of dyer For we may verie fitlie applie this example vnto the instruction of our minâ—es if 〈◊〉 we will weane our selues from the milke of our delights and sweare an irreconciliable diuorce betweene vs and our sinnes inuiting our selues vnto the like feast as he amongâ—… those â—olie religious men of whome Phylo in the booke of a contemplatiue life maketh mention did They met together at this banquet and the first principall and most delicate and sweet dishes were the most beautifull and best tasting fruites of true wisedome which were presented vnto them by a most elegant preaching of the Prophets and commaundements of God as pure and vndefiled vessels Their reioycing was consolation their pastime austeritie their delicate dishes abstinence Their mindes being satisfied with such marrowy meate they were in a maruelous great and firme tranquillitie to be at leysure to follow their most happie contemplation And surely this exercise would become vs all very well neuerthelesse we had need euery one of vs particularly to accomplish this our purging of the soule which we call repentance by meanes whereof our soule returning into her selfe shall be able to wipe out spot by spot the blots that there most filthely do sauour Seeing then that this repentance should be vnto vs as it were the entrance and preface of a good and perfect life which should make vs cleane we should therein exercise our selues both carefully and ordinarily For seeing we are determined to erect a Temple in our soule wherein to lodge the
Deitie we must therfore throughly wash and rewash the same with this purifying water and thinke that it is to vs vnto whome Ezechias speaketh when as he said vnto the Leuits Listen vnto me and sanctifie your selues make cleane the house of the Lord and thrust the filthinesse out of the Sanctuarie We will haue our Spirite to be his Aulter our thoughtes his offerings our prayers his â—…esents and shall we offer them in a filthie â—…ace would he not then say vnto vs â—…at which was spoken vnto the Iewes â—y the mouth of Malachy saying I haue â—ot set mine heart vpon you neither will I receiue any sacrifice from you because you are most filthie and full of pollution But how shall we begin to performe such a glorious and profitable an action Saint Iohn Chrysostome teacheth vs and geueth vnto vs an excellent instruction hereof We must sayth he looke well vnto our selues and hauing compassion of our miserie we must rub and make leane our hearts so as we must alwayes haue our mouths full of the confessing of our sinnes and the rest of our actions in great and singular humilitie The filthy stinking and brutish concupiscences of ours finding our hearts voyd of the grace of God place themselues there and in such sort puffe vp and harden our harts as that no goodnes can now enter them without we first presse and squeeze them betweene our hands with sharpe earnest contrition To be short if we shall not haue blowen this bladder full of wind we shal neuer find this spiritual licour this holy oyle of consolatioÌ„ euer to be placed there This was the presumption that first assaulted the Angels and since that time hath set a snare or pitfall to trap our feet in This is that thing which as an heauie counterpoise keepeth vs continually tied vnto these worldly lusts and which settle our desires in our selues and maketh vs beleeue that we liue only for this world and stayeth also the sayle of our soules from lanching towards heauen How shall we then rid our selues out of this Forsooth in casting back our eys vpon our life in considering of our foulenesse deformitie in beholding how many miseries afflictioÌ„s coÌ„tinually surprize vs which we neuer once loked for If the iustice of God ouer-compassionat in our behalfe did not sufficiently furnish vs with matter to be angrie with our selues or if because wee are too neere vnto our owne harmes we cannot see them let vs turne our eyes vpon the infinite millions of men which now are or yet heretofore haue been and let vs marke what a small and short thing their life is and hath been and yet although it bee neuer so small and short yet it is enuironed with infinite sorrowes griefes and cares which are the verie fruites of theyr sinnes and transgressions Do not all men liuing continually cry and complayne of their miseries and mishaps Now it is no reason that we most sinfull and filthie wretches that we are should seeke out of our selues the matter for which we should be angrie and grieued with our selues For our consciences do commonly tell vs and continually represent vnto vs in despite of vs the register of our sinnes agreeing with that of Democritus saying That hee heard the voyce of malice and sinne accusing her selfe Ouer and besides all this the heauenly iustice or the fatherly care of God continually sheweth vnto vs his rods sometimes striking vs with them to make vs awake and leape out of this miserable filthie and dittie puddle But if nothing will cause vs to hate our selues and detest our miserable sinfull life let vs consider with our selues and thinke of this hideous and terrible image of death vnto whome our sinne hath deliuered vs vp For death followeth vs hard at our heeles both by sea and land he embarketh himself with vs and rideth on horsebacke behinde vs and leaueth vs nothing saue only our shadow We do nothing else all our life long but flye from him and yet we are still neerer and neerer him It is he that in a moment cutteth off the thread of our desires and he who vppon the suddaine bereaueth vs of all that we haue scraped together with great paine and in the end taketh our selues away cleane out of the world Seeing then that his image is pictured out to be so feareful in all the corners of our life let it be a bridle to restraine our filthy lusts and let vs step backe when we see such a bottomlesse deapth lye wide open before vs. But if we haue so engaged and bound our selues before hand as that we cannot goe backe yet he at least forewarneth vs of the danger and let vs forsake this vile and heauie burden of baggage that we may the lightlier leape and lustelier skip ouer this dangerous breake-necke and leape into that goodly and flourishing playne which we see to be on the other side which is that euerlasting life that we all waite for Howbeit if the remembrance of this temporall and corporall death cannot possibly wither and dry vp our thoughts who is he amongst vs wheÌ„ as we shall but once think vpon the other death which afterward threatneth vs which is this spiritual eternal death that wil not tremble gnash his teeth with feare yea a most horrible death because that they vpon whom it layeth hold do dye eternally not looking for the blessednes whereof they depriued themselues for euer and yet liue for euer but altogether in sorrowes torments whereunto they are eternally reserued Alas are not we able so terribly horribly to picture him out as that we neuer dare once behold his looks Let vs picture the dart which he carieth in his hand with fire and flamâ— round about it and arme it with helâ— fire with fireforks and tongs But we coÌ„trariwise garnish him with al maneâ— of ornameÌ„ts to make him seeme pleasing vnto our eyes set a false coulâ— vpon him to make him shew more agreeable vnto our liking we erect auâ—ters vnto him neuer make feasts 〈◊〉 reioycing but when as we consecratâ— our soules vnto him And when is that forsooth euen then when we bath ouâ— selues in these worldly pleasures or rather when we plunge our soules into that infernall riuer of forgerfulnesse which putteth out that heauenly fier that is in vs rocketh vs asleepe maketh vs become most brutish beastly And yet notwithstaÌ„ding we then say that we liue not counting any of those dayes any part of our life which we passe not ouer in pastimes merimeÌ„ts nay rather which we passe not ouer in sins traÌ„sgressioÌ„s Surely we are much like vnto those sailers which turn their backs vpoÌ„ the place where they meane to go ashore We make a shew as thogh we would eschue this death yet according to the course of our liues we run vnto it with open mouth Let vs therefore looke wishly vpoÌ„ this death and on as many
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
be a companion with him in this workemanship Nay he did more then this for his meaning was that man wh◠was bond and thrall vnto death looke◠that there should one day one o◠his posteritie be borne of a Virgine who should be the Sauiour and redeemer of the world stirring him vp as i◠were religiouslie to vse an holy vnion which should serue to the ministeri◠of his redemption Wherefore as the vse of this coniunction at this day is no more necessarie for our saluation which for vs is fully purchased neither left vnto vs but as a lawfull intemperāce if so be we are not able to passe it yet let vs vse it at the least as a remedy of infirmity vnder the authority of the law of God for the cooling and mortifying of the lusts of the flesh which bud spring out in vs. And seeing that the desire which casteth vs out of ou◠selues cannot driue vs to loue God as we should let vs yet at the least keep it within the chaste bosom of her whom God hath destined for our wife companion And let vs take great heed that we make not our members filthy stinking vessels and so defile the Temple of God seeing he vouchsafeth to dwell in vs by the impure dealing with those kind of women who in violating their bodies violate also therewith all maner of lawes For first they breake the law of God who commaundeth chastitie the law of nature which forbiddeth to make that common which is borne for one alone the law of Nations which hath brought in marriages and the law of families vniustly transferring the labour and trauell of another vnto a strange heire Truly from this abhominable and vnbrideled concupiscence come and are deriued as from a liuely and pleasant Fountaine all publike and particular calamities as it were For when this foolish loue is once formed in our soules which being nourished with belly-cheere and idlenesse beginneth there to grow and encrease and hath as heady wine run through our vaines it by and by bringeth our sences a sleepe and benummeth our members bereaueth our reason and so furiously reigning ouer vs carrieth vs away violently into most furious purposes and practises Do we not see at this day the mightiest kingdomes to be by it digged downe as it were with Pickaxes and Empires to stumble and fall downe to ruine And do we not see that it deuoureth in one day the ritches and conquests of infinite worlds That it openeth the gate to all iniustice Hath it not brought ielowsie betweene brethren and quarrels betweene Fathers and their children But the worst and foulest of all the effects that it hath wrought is the vncertaintie that it bringeth into the minds of kinsmen and families For in defiling the mariage bed it taketh frō the children the loue of their father which cannot be conserued but by the good opinion that the husband hath of the chastitie of his wife it breaketh also the pietie of the children towards their fathers which cānot be founded but vpon the self same conside ratiō Now when these bonds of affection good will are lost amongst mē how can they conteine themselues within any ciuill amity and society how can they ioyne vnite themselues together to serue God obey his cōmandements This sinne as an ancient father saith is the deuils hauen which floting flowing in vs through voluptuousnes continually rebloweth the bellowes of our sences with new hoat desires which set our soules on fire there nourisheth them with smoake taking from them both sight iudgement which should guide them to euery good thing And therfore how far soeuer we can see this foolish loue we must hunt it away and detest it as the very poison of our souls Howbeit we contrariwise call it vnto vs and make much of it how farre soeuer it be from vs. For we inuite it to giue it reward and the rewards of honor are for none but for his officers all the most fine and rare wits take the greatest delight to impe his feathers that he might the speedelier and more contentedly come flying into the palaces of Princes Now a Christian man especially such a one as would attaine vnto this blessed contēplatiō whervnto we prepare him will bereaue his soule of all these filthy lusts vsing himselfe vnto this continuall continēce wil endeuor himself if he possibly can to cōserue this treasure of virginity wherein lieth a great purity of the mind perfection of vnderstanding they chiefly conserue the same which cōmunicate themselues with the spirit of God which gaue S. Ierome occasion to say according to Varro That the reward of virginity was diuination because that diuination is nothing els but the knowledge of the truth to come which we attaine vnto by communicating with God that which we neuer can obtaine except we keepe our selues pure from all earthly and beastly affections So as as we haue before said if that our infirmitie surmounteth our discourse we may make our intemperance lawfull excusable in rightly vsing the remedie which God hath giuen vnto our infirmitie and so be like vnto those first Christians of whom Tertullian said That they were not borne men but for ther wiues Let vs therefore with reuerence enter into this societie of marriage and let it be a coniunction both of the spirit and will a communion both of faith and religion wherein nothing is proper ne yer particular no not so much as the very secret thoughts themselues This is as Themistius the Platonist said a full mixture of all together as wine and water which being once mingled together can neuer be seperated againe Heereby we see wherein the principall effect of this Temperance should rest To stirre vp men vnto sobrietie and detest infamous foule gluttonie or filthy delicacie of meates and drinkes neither is vertue thereby any whit impeached but through bond slaues and transgressours for such lusts very seldome grow in an honest mind Such lusts are very seldome found in the minds of wisemen Although the ages heeretofore haue borne and brought foorth monstrous Sardanapales who made their bellies their God The common cry of the people themselues detest them and are sufficiently reprooued by the voice of the multitude although wisdom should no way deale with them about the matter It is very true that when such spirits are choked with great cheere they can neuer talke of any thing that is either honest or yet godly which should make them capable of that contemplation wherevnto we call them Now when as Philo describeth out vnto vs the liues of these good religious Egyptians he therein noteth out vnto vs such a notable sobriety as that it is impossible for bodies which kept such a diet could any way hinder the beautifull actions of their soule And therefore let vs vse meates and such other like transitorie good things for the strengthening and vpholding of the infirmitie of our
Peacocks do reason great wrong when as they so do clothing him with such talke as vtterly disgraceth him and maketh him odious And beleeue me it is a very hard thing for these men to come any thing neere this holy Philosophie or wisedome which dwelleth amongst the graces that garde and enuiron her on euery side Tertullian who is desirous to haue vs learne how greatly mildnesse and simplicitie serue vs to prepare our selues to receiue the gifts and perfections of the holy Ghost saith precisely that he appeareth oftenest in the shape of a Doue to shew vnto vs that he dwelleth not but in such as are without gall as a Doue is but are very gratious and gentle Now because that for the most part it commeth by reason of our infirmitie as thinking to fly one sinne we fall into another we are to feare that because we are not well confirmed in vertue thinking to hold vs in humilitie we fall to become very cowards when as in deed we should rather fall to banding charging And therefore it shall not be amisse that we adde vnto that which we haue spoken of temperance and mildnesse certaine considerations to raise vs vp to be most couragious whē as it shall stand vs in hand to be so Which wil principally serue vs to keep vs in a straite and an assured course against all whatsoeuer shall offer it self to amaze and turne vs from obeying the commandements of God For first we shall on the one side haue rash presumption to egge vs forward to desire more then that wherevnto God hath called vs and oppose our selues vnto his constant and firme purpose Our happie successes and prosperous encounters or accidents will so tickle vs as that they will make vs laugh our good hap will promise vs high and great things and yet for all this we will not once change our visage nor countenance We will scornefull behold and looke vpon and that with a leering eye the presents of fortune if I may so say like vnto the faire fresh coloured Apples which grew neere to the lake of Ghomorre but they were no sooner touched but that they fel forthwith into powder and ashes But if reason telleth vs that we must take them we will then vse them with great equalitie of minde and facilitie of maners and make none other estimation of them On the other side we shall haue afflictions dangers griefes and pouertie which in the iudgement of the common people wrappeth vp all manner of miseries And it is against these enemies chieflie that this vertue must boisterouslie stretch forth her armes It is through them that she must make way if she meane to come to the end of her purpose Howbeit if we our selues stand in no feare and she not before such time as we see the enemie what mischiefe may they do vs Forsooth they will spoile vs of all our goods and so we shall go the lighter seeing then that the reward is reserued for him that commeth first and shall the longer while enioy the immortall goddes which soonest commeth thether shall we then feare to lose the baggage for the obtaining of such a glorious victorie And now behold the breach is made and our Captaine within that calleth vs and we our selues busie our selues to shoote at him that arresteth vs by the cloake and put our selues in hazard to remaine prisoners in the hands of the enemie that will cause vs lose both cloake and honour and the fruite also of all our trauell We are threatned with death and what other thing else is it that we seeke after We haue not clothed our selues with this transitorie and mortall life but onely to pay the tribute and discharge the tolle at the comming in of euerlasting life These are good newes seeing we are called vpon to pay for it is a token that we are come on shore But what is this death that thus terrifieth vs What is he so to be feared as that he will make vs turne our backs vpon him forsake the field of vertue lie slily hid in the trenches or rather in the sand holes of slouthfulnesse and cowardise If we thinke it an euill thing it is because we feele it to be so or else because others thinke so of it Haue we not heard the plaint of those who haue couragiously died either for the honor of God or els for the seruice of their king or for the defence of their countrey Was there euer yet any nation so barbarous so voide of humanitie or as we commonly say so farre from the sunne as that commend not with great praise the valure and worthinesse of those that haue spent their liues for the common-wealths sake Hath not the memorie of posteritie taken them out of their graues to make them aliue againe in the remembrance of men And if we should come to number out the parts of the life of man shall we recken the time which they haue bestowed in eating drinking and sleeping or rather principally bring into a short accoumpt the dayes wherein they haue most valiantly fought for vertue And therefore that which we call life is but a death because it dyeth without leauing any memory therof for that which we call death is in very deed life because it is that which maketh vs to be continue for euer Neither are we to regard how long we liue but how wel we liue neither commeth death too soone if he bring honor with him neither is it for the only opinion of another and for the honor which we shall get by well dying that ought to make vs contemne death but for the loue of that second life whereinto we must enter The Druydes had some forefeeling of the immortalitie of our soules which caused them to be more valiant then all the people of the world for they made a skorne to saue their liues saying that they made no more accoumpt of them then of the head of a willow tree And the Philosophers who made a iest at them confessed yet that they held a blessed error Howbeit we say that their wisedome was blessed by tasting of this opinion whereby they found groping in the darke the very resting place of felicitie and had found out the counterpoyson which driueth away and slayeth feare the very poyson of our soules which drieth vp and feeb lisheth our hearts and minds But we being brought vp and taught in a better Schoole then they were do not only know but constantly beleeue and not only beleeue but are glad also as a man would say of this second immortall life For we haue a spirit lodging in the inward part of our soule which sayeth and soundeth continually if so be we will heare it nothing else but this life to come And vnto this voyce it is that so many millions of Christians haue in the middest of their afflictions and torments followed the standard or ensigne of their Captaine spilling and sheading their bloud in
giueth her selfe wholy vnto the studie of those knowledges which lead her vnto vertue And first it is very meet we take heed that we speake nothing impertinently to the purpose but to finde out things after a gentle manner and without contention and to answer vnto that which is demaunded without affectation and not interrupt him that speaketh to the purpose of any thing and to keepe such a moderation in hearing of him as that it might not seeme that he meant by any vaine ostentation to thwart the matter at that time set a broche Neither must any man be ashamed to learne or yet hide that which hath beene taught him by another dealing like vnto wicked women that robbe other women of their children and make their husbands beleeue that they are theirs But we must giue vnto him that hath taught vs all the honour and glory It is best as I thinke that euery man speake moderately and temperatly so as his wordes be not lost before they come vnto the eare neither yet must they bee ouer lowde nor rashlie spoken nor yet vnaduisedly for a man must first consider with himselfe what he will say and then afterward vtter it carie himselfe gratiously in reasoning and to giue a good liking in particular conuersation not with meriments but with beneuolence gratious communication naturall courtesie alwaies flying and auoiding when there is any need of reproouing all bitternesse and eger words He must first frame himselfe to be of an humble and meeke spirit that he might like and please him who hath need of his discourses The manner which the Prophet vsed in reproouing of Dauid is very many times good and profitable for vs who would not by and by and vpon the sudden accuse him of the soule fact which he had committed but told him of his fault vnder the title of another whereby he made him the iudge of his owne sinne so as hauing condemned himselfe he could by no means take any occasion to fall out with him that had reproued him Now he that is humble and cast downe in his cogitations looketh alwaies downward weareth his apparell careleslie his haire long and his garment not made after the fashion so as that humilitia that mourners fashion themselues vnto is naturall in him His Gowne must be girt vnto him but not aboue his loynes for that is somewhat womanish neither yet too loose for that bewrayeth his slothfulnesse His gate must not be slow because it signifieth a soft spirit ne yet ouer-hastie for feare he be noted to be haggar headed The garments are made but for one thing which is to keepe the flesh from heat and cold He must not hunt after colours to please the eye nor exquisit fashions for delicacies sake for they that hunt after these sorts of attires are womanish who beautify their smooth well coloured cheeks and their haire with many strange and diuers coloured paintings The Gowne must be made of such stuffe as that we shall not need to cast another vpon it to kepe vs from the cold His hosing must be of a small price but yet of such a price as may suffice the necessitie for which he vseth it And generally as in his garments so must he also in all other things haue regard vnto frugalitie and profit As for meate bread will staunch hunger and water quench the thirst of a sound man He may vse salads of herbs as farre as is necessarie to strengthen and brawne the bodie He must not at his meales eate rauenously like an hungerstarued Wolfe but shew himselfe alwayes like vnto himselfe sober and temperate in all his desires neither must he in the meane while occupie his minde in playing the foole but dreaming of the nature of things wherewith we are nourished take occasion to glorifie God who gouerneth and moderated all things for so much as he hath deuifed and brought forth so many sundry sorts of meates which by a singular propertie are applied vnto the vse and maintenance of our bodyes And therefore before we go to meate we must gene God thanks for that which he hath bestowed vpon vs and beseech him to bestowe vppon vs in time to come that which he hath promised vs. We must haue but one houre in the day for our meales and that must be also obserued in good order so as in the xxiiij houres of the day and night we must bestow this one houre about our body and all the rest of the time must be spent in spirituall exercises We must make but short sleepes that we may wake quickly and our sleepe must be after the manner of our life which is oftentimes interrupted by great and earnest cogitations For to be tyed to a deepe sleepe as if all our members were benummed and by such rest to gene place vnto dreames and foolish imaginations is to dye alwayes Their morning which make a deuout profession is midnight for then do they take their time to prayse God because that when as the rest of the night turneth away their hearts from whatsoeuer might occupie their eyes eares it keepeth their thoughts fixed on God geueth them the means to amend their consiences by recording of their sinnes and to set barres vnto their soules to keepe them from euill and to implore the goodnes of God that it might worke together in them this perfection of life which they hope to aspire and come vnto AN EXHORTATION of a ciuile life vnto Monsieur de L. I Am very glad that there is some-thing passed my hand which liketh you And I neuer thinke my watchings better bestowed then when as they content such as with their friendship honor me and vnto whome I haue vowed ray seruice as I haue done to you Howbeit if the Epistle of Saint Basile which I haue put forth into French haue done you any pleasure it is not to me that you should shew the fauour not vnto me I say who haue rather empared then amended the worke of so great a Clarke in making it to change the toong and to speake our french language Truly amongst all the Fathers of the Grecians there is not one amongst them all that I better like of then I like of him Euery man hath his liking and I will leaue other men to the commending of that which they best like of but as for mine owne part I will rather vse his man which pleaseth me for this is the man that I chiefeliest make accoumpt of Neuerthesse there is one thing in your letter which you wrote vnto me that misliketh me and that is this You write that the often reading if this Epistle which you say you read ouer as it were euery day hath brought you into a desier to get you into some Monasterie and there to passe the rest of your dayes that you might turne away your eyes from beholding the great miseries which this miserable ciuill warre hath hatched and brought foorth and wholy conuert your mind and thoughts
then that the delight which I haue taken to be displeased with my selfe may likewise continue as long with me as I haue had pleasure to dwell in my sins For if I can take as great pleasure in my repentance as I haue taken in my sinne my felicity shal be without doubt equal with thine angels shall see me in the humiliation of my selfe before thy maiesty to ascend to the highest top of thy grace 6 Who doubteth O Lord that thou wilt not receiue me vnto mercy whose mercy and benignitie no tongue is able to expresse nor hart comprehend I did neuer thinke so soone to returne vnto thee as thou wast alwayes ready to offer thy selfe vnto me I did neuer sooner say that I would confesse my sinne but that thou diddest by and by graunt me thy grace I haue no sooner acknowledged the punishment which my sinnes deserued but that thou hast remitted them I haue taken the rods into my hands to scourge my flesh thou hast pluckt them out of my hands To be short I thought thou wouldest haue proclaimed open warre against me and thou offeredst me a most charitable peace and reconciliation O Lord how farre readier and more willing art thou to forgiue then to punish Can a good father receiue his child more gratiously that cryeth him mercy then thou hast receiued me when as I haue humbled my selfe at thy feete my heart also leapeth with ioy and boileth with an holy feruentnesse to praise thy name reioyceth in the grace that thou hast shewed vnto it accusing none but it selfe of that that is past and cryeth out saying It is I that haue willed it it is I that haue done it it is I that haue taken pleasure in it but yet my God hath had mercy vpon me 7 How could he denie me his mercie seeing that the Saints which are the holy men and women liuing haue prayed do pray and will continually pray for me They are they which beseech his maiestie for me and are a meane of his grace fauour towards me What can they O Lord craue at thy hands to greater purpose and obtaine of thee more easily then when they pray for me Alas it is very meet that they should crie call vpon thee for me seeing that the impietie of mine heart hath so blinded my sences by wicked thoughts as that my soule cannot any more lift vp her selfe towards heauen to stretch forth her hand vnto him who alone is both able and willing to saue And therfore what more remaineth but that they whom thou vouchsafest to come neare vnto thee by faith and holinesse of life may pray for me vnto thee that thou wouldest haue mercy vpon me As for my selfe who am mine owne capitall enemie I haue neuer had eyther skill or yet will to pray vnto thee for my trespasse And therefore I do presently comfort my selfe to see how thou hast opened mine eyes that I may behold what a foule and black conscience I haue and hast mollified mine heart that I might lodge contrition in my soule And although it hath not beene so soone as it ought to haue beene yet â—t neuer came so late but that thou vouchsafedst to receiue me as thou â—rt wonted to do those that haue not ouerslipped the occasion to repent â—hemselues 8 For they that hasten themselues â—o sinne and willingly neglect to reâ—ent wheÌ„ as they might haue acknowâ—edged their sinnes and haue had the meanes to do it but haue tarried vnto â—he very end of their liues to crie thee mercy and make their eyes burst out â—nto a deluge of teares it is very dangerous but that they must deceiue â—hemselues and that true repentance can neuer after enter into such hard hearts and their weeping and wailing â—o be but the sorrowes of desperate people and thy mercy to shew it selfe deafe vnto their ouer late repentance 9 But as for me I ranne in a bâ—…sed time vnto thee as to my reâ—… and to the end of my hopes and 〈◊〉 to my comfort in the trouble whâ—… after that manner hath enc ompasâ—… me as the feare of death taketh hâ—… on him who is destined vnto a shaâ—… full punishment And therefore I bâ—seech thy maiestie make me taste 〈◊〉 feele that pleasure which he feele that is deliuered and freed from 〈◊〉 bonds or chaines set at libertie 〈◊〉 of prison and deliuered from the â—…nishment wherein his enemy had 〈◊〉 time held him captiue And coâ—…riwise that the enemy of my soâ—… shall blush with shame when as 〈◊〉 shall see that I shall so deuoutly 〈◊〉 vpon the ayde of my good God 〈◊〉 with the very winke of his eye is 〈◊〉 to deliuer me from the voluâ—… bondage which I had vowed 〈◊〉 damnable voluptuousnesse 〈◊〉 then when I dranke the sweet hâ—… of the delightfull pleasures which 〈◊〉 with a deceitfull hand gaue vnto 〈◊〉 within this foule and filthie cup of 〈◊〉 world 10 Alas when as I remember 〈◊〉 time that thou returnedst thy selfe after that sort vnto me and with this mercifull eye of thine gauest me a signe of pardon mercie and saluation me thought verely that I then saw the bright sunne rising vpon the tempests and fell stormes of the sea which by little and little cutting with his beames betweene the clouds brought againe cleare and pleasant weather and calmed the raging and billowing surges And me thinketh I do alwayes heare this sweete and gratious saying when as thou saiest vnto me Feare not for behold my spirit which shall guide thy foote steppes and wayes neither shall he lift vp his eye aboue thee and thou shalt now marche vnder the conduct of him who bringeth pure and cleane soules into my kingdome of glorie All so soone as I heard these wordes spoken I fixed mine eyes vpon my guide and leader not once looking off no more then a carefull and diligent maister of a shippe casteth his eye aside from the pole or bright shining starre by which he guideth and ordereth the course of his nauigation O my God what 〈◊〉 shall I enioy when as I shall haue walked in the wayes which thou had taught me to go in euen I my selfe say who haue troade beside the pâ—… which leadeth vnto thine holy tabâ—…nacle I was already entred into thâ— thick forrest of the world where aâ— they easily lose themselues who sâ— the enioying of the pleasure of thâ—… queachie shadowie places leaue 〈◊〉 day light which should shew them 〈◊〉 way For euen by and by the doleâ—… sight of the night bringeth them together and putteth them foorth aâ—… pray to the wilde beasts who will pluâ—… them in peeces and cruelly deuouâ— them And thus was I hindered aâ—…staied in this labyrinth without hoâ—… to 〈◊〉 euer come out of it agaiâ—… had 〈◊〉 thou not put into my hand thâ—… bottom which I must needs winde 〈◊〉 to bring me out of this perilous pâ—…son And now loe I am at libertie â—…serue my God who hath so deliuereâ— me and to present
before him his own pure and cleane image and to vow vâ—to his goodnesse so many fauourâ— wherewith he hath pleased to graâ—… me And he hath not onely heard me before all the rest of his creatures granting vnto me the vse of diuine reason but also hath lifted me vp amongst men into an honourable and magnificent throne so as there remaineth nothing vnto my felic it iâ— but to learne to know and after that I had forgot my selfe he enlightened me by his holy light and gaue me time and will to bewaile my sinfull life past and to amend it also for the time to come 11 And therefore my good friends do as I haue done and recouer his fauour in good time for he himselfe â—alleth you vnto the way of saluation and do not as the melancholike and froward Moyle dooth who kicketh at him that pricketh him to go eight foorth because he wanteth both sence knowledge and iudgement 12 And so thereby he hath a bitte â—ut into his mouth and is continually spurred about the flankes After the same sort The Lord at the first summons that he setteth you in his wayes if yee submit not your selues vnto his will he will poâ—… downe vpon you an huge heape 〈◊〉 calamities which will make you 〈◊〉 wretched and miserable then miseâ—… it selfe 13 Yee right well see how cleeâ—… lie the starres shine in the heaueâ—… and the sand which rolleth on these shore howbeit there is not so muâ—… sand in the sea nor so many starre in the skies as the obstinate shaâ—… endure plagues and punishment Their cursednesse hangeth ouer their heads their miseries follow them aâ— their heeles euen vntill such timâ— as that they are cast downe headloâ—… into that gulfe the thinking whereâ—… dooth terrifie whom soeuer remenbreth it and whose pleasantest resting places are full of weeping crying howling and groaning where the paine is without end the dolour without remedie and the repeatance without mercie where dead is immortall the body liueth but 〈◊〉 die and the soule but to suffer where the soule feeleth nothing bâ—… her sinne and the body nothing 〈◊〉 his paine But contrariwise they thâ—… couer themselues vnder the grace and fauour of the Lord Iesus which make his mercy their shield and buckler hope in nothing but in his grarious goodnesse follow his commaundements and precepts and are iealious of his will what felicitie and happinesse is there which they shall not attaine vnto Nay what is there in heauen neuer so good and pretious that is not opened vnto them They shall sit cheeke by cheeke with their God and being all encompassed with glory shall be filled and heaped vp with so many blessings as that the heart of man can no way possiblie be able to conceiue the least part of them so farre of is it then as that my babbling tongue cannot possiblie expresse the wonderfulnesse of them 14 I will therefore reioyce my God in carefully waiting and looking for the manifold benefits which thou reseruest in heauen to crowne the righteous withall Vnto this cheerfulnesse do I inuite al those whom thou hast sworne in the word of Sauiour which louest the law of his righteousnesse This is it that attendeth the recompence of your trauels This is it wherein you shall be placed in honour and glorie This is it that shall change the sharpe thornes of the world into the flourishing and beautifull Lillie of all eternitie Oh then shall the dropping and painfull sweating of your afflictions finde most gratious rest The golde commeth not out of the fierie furnace more pure nor brighter to be cast to make the image of some great Prince and afterward to be set vp as an ornament in some rich closet then the heart of him that loueth his God he will draw him pure and cleane out of the miseries of the world and compasse him with brightnesse and glorie What iâ— there now in the world that I shall like of What shall staie and let me from entring into the house of the Lord to liue to serue him What day of my life shall I cease to bewaile my sinnes which haue so farre estranged me from his grace And therefore I humblie beseech thee my God to reconcile these two contrary passions in me repentance and ioye to the end that as the poore traueller wandring in the deserts our of his way is glad when he seeth the dawning of the day peepe and yet cannot forget the great darkenesse out of which he is but newly gotten ne yet cast of the feare which he had of so tedious a night Euen so also haue I a continuuall horror of my sinnes past and yet a sure and ioyfull hope of enioying that euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast purchased for vs with the bloud of thy dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesus O Lorde what a loue is that when as a maister dooth not spare the life of his owne onely sonne to redeeme his slaue Wherefore O most louing Sauiour seeing that I being formed with thine owne hands bought with thy bloud and purified by thy mercie I do here offer my selfe an obedient sacrifice vnto thee my God and Sauiour and therefore reiect me not Lord in thy wrath reprooue me not Psalm 37. I Must O Lord returne vnto thee and beginne againe to call vpon thee and to beseech thee of thy mercy For it seemeth to me that thine anger is rekindled against me Alas my God wilt thou chastise me in thine anger and make me feele the violence of thy iust furie which my sinnes haue prouoked thee to do The flame being consumed by the fire falleth into ashes and I being deuoured with the heate of thine anger do so vanishaway as that there remaineth not so much as the smoake 2 For I see my God that thou hast discharged the sharpest arrowes of â—…y vengeance against me thou hast touched me with thine hand and neuer takest away the same from me I feele the gnawing and terror of my conscience which astonish and bruse me eueÌ„ as it were thunder and lightning my miseries came vpon me one after another and one mischiefe presseth another warre is no sooner finished but that the plague assaulteth me and in the end death bereaueth me of the dearest pawnes I haue in this world Wherein then shall I take comfort my God shall it be in my selfe 3 Out alas my good God I haue neuer an whole member in me for my misery is entred euen into the marrow neither is there any part of me that reprocheth me not with my sinne and for the which I am not pained I languish in griefe and there is none to comfort me mine eyes serue me for none other purpose but to looke vpon my miserie and my soule for nothing else but to acknowledge my cursednesse 4 I looke round about me and so farre as the eyes of my body and eyes of my soule can discerne what is past I see nothing either aboue me or below me or yet on any
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
thee 17 O what an acceptable sacrifice before thee is a broken and contrite heartâ— and an humble heart that acknowledged his sinne thou wilt neuer reiect for if it will come vp vnto thee it must first come downe and if it will touch the heauen it must first crawle vppon the ground if it will haue thee to heare it it must fyrst be silent and if it will be crowned in thy kingdome it must fyrst be beaten and scourged in the world These are the Sacrifices O Lord wherewith wee must be reconciled vnto thee and enter into couenant as thou hast set it downe vnto vs. 18 But if it be thy pleasure ô Lord that we shall offer bulls and bullocks vnto thee and perfume thine Aulters with the bloud of beasts if thou wilt that we by the death of an innocent burnt offering should represent vnto thee the death and innocencie of him whome thou hast destined to redeeme our soules If the figure of that which should come in the person of the vnspotted lambe doth please thee by the killing of Weathen and Sheepe looke then with pitie vppon thy poore people comfort thoâ— desolate Syon and encourage her poore enhabitants to the end they may set vp againe the walls of thine holie Citie and reedifie thy Temple not according to that equall proportion O Lord which thou deseruest but according to the wealth and industrie that the poore world can possibly affoord 19 Thither shall come from alâ— parts thy faithfull in great multitudesâ— to offer vp sacrifice vnto thee and there shall the expiation and purging of their sinnes be acceptable vnto thee But it shall neither be the death of beasts that shall wash away their spots for the cleansing of their disobedience and preuarication was prepared from all eternitie This is an inestimable sacrifice a burnt offering without spot which shall drawe away the curtayne disperse and destroy the darkenesses breake downe the wall or hedge that we may see the truth of our saluation face to face make the beames of his diuine mercie shine vpon vs and reassociate vs vnto the communion of that euerlasting blisse which we willingly haue renounced O most mercifull God which hast vnseeled the eyes of mine vnderstanding to see the misterie of my saluation make me O Lord to taste the excellent fruite which flourishing vppon the tree of the Crosse shall with the iuice thereof quicken and gene life vnto our dead souses preserue and warrant vs for euer from that ruine and calamitie which hath so miserably brought together the race of mankinde and ouerflowed them through their disobedience Lord heare my Prayer Psalme 102. I Haue ô Lord cryed and called vppon thee a long time for thy mercie and do yet looke for ayd and help from thee The ayte is filled with my cryes The winds haue carried the voyce of my dolor and griefe euen vnto the vttermost parts of the world and thine eaâ—e which heareth and vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is done in the bottomlesse pit of hell doth not yet heare and vnderstand my prayer which reacheth and beateth the very heauens Wilt thou therefore be deafe only vnto meâ— and shall all the world heare me saue thy selfe alone No no my God thou hast ouer-long stretched out thine armes now to reiect mee when as I come vnto thee for refuge 2 And now that I feele a thousand and a thousand sorrowes and that miseries assayle me on euery side do not turne thy backe vpon me ô Lord. Alas haue I setled my whole power and strength vpon the sweet countenance of thy face Haue I diuorced my selfe from the world to the end I might drawe neere vnto thee and haue I forsaken the children of the world that I might ioyne my self vnto the master of the heauens and wouldest thou now forsake me O Lord deale not so with me but assist mine infirmitie all the dayes of my life 3 Let my voyce no sooner cry and call vnto thee my God but that I may also soone feele thee and let thy grace descend as speedely vppon me as an Eagle hasteth her selfe to ayd her yong on s For if thou assist me not what maner of sight shall I be able to make against the enemies of my soule 4 My strength and life would dayly vanish away as the light smoke doth in flying in the ayre for the eye which seeth it goe out of the fire seeth it also forthwith consumed and in a moment accompanied both with his originall and his end and if any should aske what is become of it there is not one that can so much as tell where â—he trace only of it is to be found He that hath seene the loppings of wood wither in the sunne and loose their strength and verdure hath also seene my poore bones become both drye and consumed meete for none other thing but for the graue The graue yea surely the graue which is the happiest thing that can betide me if so be so small a pit may be able to stay the violent course of mine extreame misery 5 Who soeuer he be that hath seene grasse cut downe and tanned with the Sunne in the field and lose the coulor and wither and looke vppon my gastly and deadly face he would thinke that I were able to make death afeard Mine hart is parched within mine entrailes and my bloud drieth vp within my vaines for I remember not to put bread into my mouth and do still forget to eate my meales 6 My mouth serueth me for none other purpose but to cry out lament and the ordinary voice of my griefe is so strong as that it draweth after it all the rest of my strength Now if so be that my body being so extreamely full of heauinesse consume it selfe by little and little and my bones horribly sticke through my skinne what cause haue I to take care for the sustayning of this miserable body of mine which is the matter and substance of all my miseries Wherefore should I be watchfull for the conseruing of this life of mine which wrestleth against so many enemies and is cast downe with so many afflictions Were it not much better for me in ending my life to make also therewith an end of all miseries 7 Is the Pellican more full of greefe then I who liuing in the most solitary deserts of Egipt tormenteth her selfe for the killing of her yong ones and washeth them in her owne bloud to restore them to life which she had taken from them Is her sorrow greater than mine Hath nor my sinne procured the death of the child whome I more dearly loued then my selfe And now that I haue dried vp all my teares the bloud will gush out of mine eyes for feare I should be voide of teares in so lamentable and cursed a case But the Pellican hath redeemed with her own bloud the price of her yong ones and I most miserable wretch that I am shall be depriued for euer of the child which I so
thee with confessioÌ„ of the mouâ—… and contrition of the heart He hath 〈◊〉 sooner looked towards thy mercy but that he feeleth it working in him and breaketh destroieth the sinne which freeseth his heart with feare horror And the punishment which hangeth ouer his head recoyleth farre away from him and caryeth with it this miserable carefulnesse which tormeÌ„teth the consciences defiled with iniquitie And therefore O Lord haue I not forsaken thy lawes but haue alwaies waited to see when it would please thee to graunt me fauour and grace for the vnwise man that despaireth by reason of his sinne and giueth ouer his soule as condemned is like vnto the abhominable vsurer who hauing susteined some losse in his goods by and by bereaueth himselfe of his life also 5 My soule hath not done so my God for although she hath felt thine hand lying most heauily vpon me executing part of the punishment which my sinnes haue deserued yet hath she alwaies conserued in her selfe that sound hope which she hath had in thy promises Euen as the blowes light vpon my backe I crie out and say vnto thee O Lord my God thy will be done and giue me as great strength as thou layest affliction on me Measure my punishment by my strength and as my torment encreaseth euen so augment my courage and so hast thou done O Lord. 6 Let Israell therefore looke vp and trust in his God euen from the day breake vnto the shutting in of the euening looke for none other helpe but from him For his helpe is ready sure for him that calleth vpon him with a sincere conscience and a pure will And although the miserie hath beene neuer so great and extreame yet so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the crie of his seruants they haue all so soone felt also their deliuerance 7 For he most bountifully powreth out his mercy and is infinitely helpfull to all those that come vnto him Insomuch as that his goodnesse putteth out as it were the sorrow which we haue for our sinnes maketh vs as it were reioyce in our fall as being the cause whereby we haue made triall of his louing kindnesse For if our sinnes surpasse all measure his grace exceedeth all our thoughts We haue deserued long and hard captiuitie and loe who it is that freeth vs and hath brought vs a most sweete libertie We haue blinded the eyes of our spirite and loe who commeth to enlighten them 8 O Israell thou hast offended the Lord thou hast scorned his lawes thou hast made a iest at his commandements thou hast forgotten the good turnes which he fauourably hath bestowed vpon thee He hath drawne thee out of most miserable captiuitie fed thee with the bread of heauen made purposely streames flow out of hard rocks to make thee drinke hath chosen for thy dwelling place the most delitious garden in the world made a couenant with thee giuen thee his will to keepe and thou hast coniured against his honour gone an whoring vnto strange goddes troden his lawes vnder thy ferre To be short thou hast deserued more punishment then there is to be had in hell And yet notwithstanding he offereth to graunt thee grace and with the price of his own bloud would redeeme thee from the bondage of sinne whervnto thou most voluntarily boundest thy selfe Behold him who hath himselfe paide their ransome that betraid him who tooke vpon him the punishment which we deserued and satisfied for our transgressions With what wordes then are we any way able to thanke him for all these mercies Open my lips therefore my God my Creator and redeemer that my voice may be heard and mine heart enflamed with a boiling affection to praise and thanke thee and humble me also in the acknowledging of my self to the end thou maiest heare me in the knowledge of the holy mysterie bâ— which we are reincorporate into thee and renued in thy couenant that we may enter into that blessed fellowship of glorie in which all they shall triumph which shall be partakers of the merit of the passion of thy best beloued sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Lord heare my prayer Psalm 142. O Lord man in the end is weary of all things a continuall course bringeth him out of breath ouermuch staring dimmeth the eies and a shrill sound deaffeth the eares but the more my voice cryeth vnto thee the stronger it is my courage encreaseth more and my praier better pleaseth me And therefore do I begin againe daily to crie vpon thee Lord heare my praier giue eare vnto my complaint for in praying to thee my God consisteth all mine whole comfort It is my praier O Lord which coniureth thy louing kindnesse to purge my sinnes not by reason of the seueritie of the punishment but by the meanes of the effect of the grace which thou hast graunted vnto vs by which thou doest abolish by thy souereigne and absolute power the remembrance of our sinnes 2 And therefore enter not O Lord into iudgement with thy seruant ne yet leaue him vnto the rigour of thy lawes for no man liuing that shall appeare before thee at thy iudgement seate shall be iustified No man shall escape this fearefull condemnation the punishment whereof is not onely cruell but immortally rigorous also Alas O Lord who can be saued before thee It is thou that art offended it is thou that wilt accuse vs It is thou that hast seene our iniquities and wilt attest them and it is thou that shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall be witnesse and the witnesse Iudge what shall become of the offendor What defence can he make to iustifie himselfe O Lord my God I will not tarrie vntill this blowe light vpon me I will defend me with thy fauour and grace to oppose it vnto thy Iustice And thy grace is obtained by the acknowleding and confessing of our sinnes and the humbling and submitting of our mindes Loe I here cast downe my selfe prostrate before thee and lay open my sinnes and therefore I beseech thee O Lord to haue mercy vpon me 3 My sinnes my God the capitall enemie vnto my soule haue so terrified me and cast me downe as that I now lie crawling vpon the ground daring not once to looke vp vnto heauen For so soone as I lift vp mine eyes I see the light which shineth vpon me discouer on the day a great many of sinnes which accuse my conscience And then I feele forthwith shame take holde on my guiltie face and to make me cast downe my countenance vnto the ground a countenance vnworthy to behold the heauens the maister wherof she hath so grieuously offended too too cowardly a face to cast the eyes thereof vpon such places which haue so many thunder-bolts prepared to roote out the guiltie 4 My spirit therefore hath led me into darke places and buried me as a dead man in the crannies of obscuritie My soule is made very sad in me and mine
neuerthelesse because your voyce is abhominable before God and that with your threats ye blaspheme him vnto his face he will vtterly roote ye out and throw vpon you the mountaines which your ambition and couetousnesse haue heaped vp so hye thinking thereby to scale his Throne and to rob him of his glory 5 O Lord what a spectacle hast thou made for mine eyes to behold nay I am now so assured of thy mercie so comforted by reason of the care which I see thou hast of thy faithfull seruants as that although I should see the greatest armye that possibly could be yet would I not be afeard of it Let there an armye be brought against me composed of all the nations of the world and let there be placed in the vauntgard on the right hand a battell of Scythians and on the left hand a battell of Ethiopians and in the reregard the East India and America and all the rest of the world in the middest to serue for a battell and adde thereunto whatsoeuer Arte and skill for the killing of men was â—uer able to finde out or deuise aâ—… yet if my God be my conductor aâ—… leader I will passe through them 〈◊〉 without any feare Agayne if he bee angry with the world and shaâ— like him to serue him-selfe with 〈◊〉 hands to be aduenged of them fâ—… theyr vngodlynesse I my selfe 〈◊〉 cut them all in peeces not leauing so much as a tayle of any 〈◊〉 them 6 Nay I do now reioyce when 〈◊〉 I heare saye that the wicked baâ—… them-selues against mee and doo assure my selfe that it is God which â—…lend me matter wherein to glorie For be thou O Lord onely neeâ—… mee blesse my weapons and mine enemies are confounded But what weapons verely do thou but blowe onely vppon this people and thoâ— shalt scatter them all as a great winde driueth the dust too and fro neuerthelesse O Lord I beseech thee bloâ—… not vppon them the wind and blast 〈◊〉 thy curse but tarrie a little while 〈◊〉 thou please to see if thy patience will bring them backe to do their duties And as for my selfe although I â—e couered ouer with their wounds and defamed with their iniurious deaâ—ings yet had I rather haue them subâ—ect vnto thy mercie then vnto thy â—ustice and desire if thou thinke it good that their iniustice might rather â—erue to try me withall then for their condemnation 7 Thou knowest O Lord my desires thou readest them in mine hart neither haue I euer called vppon thee â—or vengeance my vowes coniure nothing but thy mercie and my thoughts â—re addressed vnto nothing but vnto â—eace Wouldest thou vnderstand the â—umme of my desires and the end of â—ll my prayers it is O Lord that I â—ay passe my dayes in seruing thee faithfully and that thou wouldest graunt me thine holie house to dwell â—…n and that all the while that I am â—eperated from thee and a great â—ay off from thine heauenly Taberâ—acle tyed vnto the earth by reason of the counterpoise of my boâ—ye I might vnite and tye all my â—houghtes vnto thee and conforme â—nd frame my selfe wholy vnto thy will O blessed habitation that is able to couer vs from all worthly passions from all the lusts of the flesh and to be short from all the assaults of the Deuill For there ô Lord thou art present with vs and commâ—… downe from the heauens to keepe companie with vs and fillest vs with thy selfe that we might be voyd oâ— sinne and conuertest our carnall 〈◊〉 into a liuing and quickning spirit that we might effectually feele thy maruellous works comprehend thy mercies and conceiue of thy power and almightinesse 8 Suffer therefore my God thaâ— I being incorporate into thee 〈◊〉 farre-forth as mine infirmitie aâ—… thine infinitenesse will permit I may be enlightened with the beames of thy wisedome to the end that mine vnderstanding being enlightened 〈◊〉 may learne mee to knowe thy wiâ—… For this is the thread ô Lord which may assuredly guide me through the windings and turnings of the laberinth of this world and this is the passeport which must bring vs vnto that euerlasting life which we so incessantly gape and sigh for Reueale vnto me therefore this thy will and lay it vp in my soule that I may there keepe it most dearely and in the middest of thy Church I may set vp an Aulter in my mouth presenting the same dayly vnto thee for an offering vnder the holie vayle of thy most holie word 9 For seeing ô Lord thou hast morâ—…ized mee within thy holie Tabernacle shewing me the holie mysteries of thy diuinitie that in the hardest time of mine aduersitie thou hast gathered hid and drawne me vnder thine Aulter yet not content with that hast made me to enter into â—…e holie of holiest and bottomes of â—…y Sanctuarie where thou wast wont â—o reueale the greatest secrets of thy will graunt that I may so well coâ—â—eiue them as that I may cause thy faithfull seruants faithfully to vnderstand them 10 For sith thou hast aduaunced mee into so eminent and high 〈◊〉 place as one set vpon an hye rocke â—o be seene of the whole world and â—onored aboue all mine enemies let the foundation of my faith be aâ— firme as any stone and the grâ—… which thou shalt bestow vpon me 〈◊〉 be a testimonie of thy righteousneâ—… making me worthie and capable of 〈◊〉 benefits which it shall please thee 〈◊〉 vouchsafe me 11 As for my selfe O Lord I 〈◊〉 take paines reueâ—entlie to vse tâ—… ministerie which thou hast commâ—ted vnto mee Thou knowest how 〈◊〉 haue carried my selfe therein I haâ—… turned my selfe euery way reknoâ—ledge that which might best like thâ—… I haue most willingly offred vnto thâ—… calues and sheepe in sacrifice I haâ—… willingly bathed thine Aulter wiâ—… bloud but that was too too small an â—…fring for thee I haue ô Lord sacriâ—…ced mine hart consecrated mine affeâ—tion vowed my thoughts and hauing pluckt them from the verie bottom 〈◊〉 mine heart I haue offered them vâ—… thee with my voyce whereby thou hâ—… vnderstood whatsoeuer my soule haâ—… desired which was nothing else but 〈◊〉 please thee in all mine actions My crying out then hath bene my offring which thou diddest gratiously accepâ— opening the heauens to gather them together and to receiue them And therefore ô Lord I will all the dayes of my life sing thy prayse and recite an Hymne of thy glorie 12 Heare ô mercifull God my songs and receiue in good part the voyce which testifieth thy goodnesse and publisheth thy mercies Encrease my strength and courage that I may strayne my cryes and spirits to thee And sith thy mercie is neuer deafe vnto those which sincerely call vppon thee encline the same to me for all sorts of felicities follow her continually Incline the same I say ô Lord for thou hast promised it vnto all those that call vpon thee 13 How often hast thou heard mine heart I say mine heart and â—ot my mouth for I
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
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
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
Tygres feeding his eyes and cruell hart with seeing a poore man pluckt quite cleane in pieces and dismembred After the same manner do the wicked feed their desires in beholding the troubles which scourge the innocents 6 O how prowd and arrogant doth this make them for they thinke that the earth was made for them alone nay they suppose that it is not great enough to hold them As for other men they looke ouer their shoulders at them and it should seeme that they enuie them because they liue and disdainfully say in murmuring wise Shall we alwayes see this raskall before vs Shall this bundle of miserable wretches be euer still in our eyes And besides when they are alone they say What begger is this What beast is it Thus we see how they are louers of them-selues without companion and they know no good thing here in this world but them selues none worthie desert but them selues and taking them selues as Gods they adore themselues seruing nothing but their owne lusts and reuerencing nothing but their owne passions so as they are couered ouer from top to toe with pride iniustice and impietie 7 They are fat with nothing but with wickednes and their bodies are not fatter with grease then their soules are with sinnes iniquities All manner of villanies and abhominations rumble tosse vp and downe in their coÌ„sciences all their desires thoughts tend to nothing but vnto some fiâ—thinesse or malignitie at this their eyes leere and gleere at this it is that their hands itch hereon is all their heart set other affection haue they none they are moued with nothing but with malice a man would say that this were it which stirreth and emboldneth their bodies 8 Thou shalt see that after they haue along while forethought themselues of their sinnes after they haue chawed down their wicked purposes executed any cursed enterprise how they glory therin braue all the world speake of Authority they haue law to do what so euer they do there can nothing be so stoutly or yet so proudly imagined as they do but if they had any shame at the least that being contented liceÌ„tiously to outrage men yet might they coÌ„teine theÌ„selues froÌ„ most villanously blaspheming the holy name of God 9 But what shall I say my God they haue lifted vp their heads against heauen disdainfully looked vpoÌ„ the seat of thy mightines as if they would haue sayd who is like vnto vs which do here in this world what we lust yea euen we vnto whose bowes all men bend themselues and vnto whome nature her selfe serueth for a walking staffe And as for the earth they will not so much as once vouchsafe as it were to looke on it but in the end casting their eyes vpward by way of commiseration say what is all this that we see but that whose abundance is noysome to vs and whose fertilitie troubleth vs 10 This is in very deed the cause ô Lord why all the people being astonied assemble them selues together to behold this monstrous sight men run euery where vnto this spectacle and know not what to say when they looke vpon this wonderfull shew for they are there fast tyed gaping and looking on it 11 And in the end they lose their patience and begin to murmure and why doth God which seeth all things say they perceiue this Is not this he which hath that great seeing eye which sawe all things before they were made seeth them in their being and foreseeth them to bring them to their end Is this he whose prouidence is sayd to be as great in the gouernment of the world as his goodnes was great in the creation of the same If he â—ath disposed all things by compasse and created all things by measure If his iustice be presideÌ„t and hath the chiefe place in the gouernment of this world what doth he at this present how is it that he is now asleepe 12 Behold how the wicked spoyle his goods and possesse the ritches of the world a man would say that all things are creâ—ted for them goods rayne downe vpon them as they would desire honors roll in by heapes â—nto their houses felicitie holdeth them whether they will or no they desire and haue they wish and it commeth vpon them 13 And in the end I my selfe thus sayd also what now my God what a thing is this for the iustifying of mine hart and the ruling of mine actions according to thy commandements are all in vaine I gaue ouer all mine owne affection because I would loue none but thee I haue circumcised mine hart of all his wicked desires and fettered my will with the shackles of thy loue because it should serue nothing else but thy glory and in eschuing both sinnes and sinners I haue kept companie with the innocents and washed mine hands amongst them and not the hands of my body only my God but the hands of my soule that are mine affections which I haue washed and purified with the brookes of my teares 14 I haue embraced repentance scourged my selfe all day long beating mine hart with coÌ„tinuall sorrows pricking it with sharp and piercing contritions and driue from it with many sorrowfull sobs all that ill and cursed humor which hath engalled my will Euery morning when I rose I cryed thee mercy for my sinnes and detested mine iniquitie and thinking to amend my life I continually watched ouer this purpose and thereupon I began my dayes worke 15 I sayd within my selfe wheÌ„ I was alone loe as for my selfe all that I am able to say is this that in the end they which feare God and serue him are afflicted and they that blaspheme his name liue at all ease pleasure And therupon I began ô Lord to detest the condition of all those who glorifyed them selues in being thy children and chosen people and began to say Are these they that are called the children of the Almightie God verely these are the children of reprobation for loe the other sort possesse the inheritance of their Fathers and these men liue in extreame pouertie But the others are they that abound in all wealth and vnto whome God is so fauourable and indulgent which are his children it is they vnto whome this name belongeth seeing they enioy his benefits and are masters next vnto him selfe of his works 16 As I my selfe ô Lord verely thought that I knew it to be so and to say truly I was told that it was so indeed I could not hold me from vexing tormenting my selfe saying Ah my God how doth this fall out Is it possible that it should be thus considering how thou hast threatned the wicked and how thou hast also prepared punishment for them To be short I became strangely and wonderfully perplexed when I considered of this geatâ— 17 But I at last perceyued thy mind and purpose and hauing entred into the depth of thy sanctuary me thought I was come into thy holie consistorie and
thy will that our frayle and mortall bodies do dayly decay and had need to be repared and strengthned by some new nourishment that wee might haue continually recourse vnto thee Geue vs my God our dayly bread and geue vs therewith the grace so to vse it and all other thy benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon vs that we in some measure nourishing and maintaining our bodies grieue not not vexe not our soules making them thereby lesse able to come vnto the knowledge of thy truth And in vsing thy liberall dealing with thanksgeuing we tye not for all that our affections vnto earthly and worldly things but make vs so to passe through these temporall benefits as we lose not for the getting of them the eternall blessings Let not the taste of earthly bread wherewith we feed our bodies make vs forget our heauenly bread that bread of life that eternall bread which â—ourisheth strengthneth our soules â—eepeth them from death filleth our â—outhes with the Deitie and maketh 〈◊〉 the temples of our God to receiue 〈◊〉 into our bodies and to be made â—embers of his members Graunt vs â—y God that by this bread or rather 〈◊〉 this flesh we may be incorporated â—…o our Redeemer and as he in taâ—…ing and putting on of our flesh was â—…rtaker of our death euen so we taâ—…ing and putting on of his flesh may â—e partakers of his immortalitie And seeing we haue my God bene made â—essels and receptacles of his Deitie â—ash vs and make vs cleane to the â—nd that he comming to dwell in vs â—ou mayest finde nothing there to geue thee occasion to depart from vs and to make vs voyd of thy grace and of our saluation Now it is impossible â—…r vs to be made cleane without thou â—orgeue vs our sinnes and remit our â—…ebts For we haue bene bondslaues â—oth vnto sinne and vnto death and â—hatsoeuer we clayme to be ours it belongeth vnto him neither haue we any thing either to pay our raunsome 〈◊〉 yet to discharge our debt and therfore ô Lord it is thou that must do Thou hast once for all redeemed and set vs at libertie but yet notwiâ—…standing we dayly fall into the hâ—… of the enemy we daily commit a thâ—…sand sinnes which make vs bond 〈◊〉 sinne cease not for all this my Gâ—… to opeÌ„ vnto vs this treasure froÌ„ whâ—… we may take the price of our liberâ—… Be thou ô Lord more strong 〈◊〉 in pardoning of vs then we are in 〈◊〉 sending of thee Let thy merciful hâ—… stretch it selfe our continually vnto for sin cleaueth fast vnto the mattâ—… of our benes and groweth and waxe old in vs which maketh vs wheÌ„ we aâ—… old to be after a sort more filthy â—…fectious were it not that thou coâ—…nually applyest vnto our miserie 〈◊〉 merit and worthinesse of thy holy pâ—…sion to the end that we in some meâ—sure launching wounding our coâ—sciences thou mayest strengthen a heale our wounds and rub out wiâ—… the oyle of thy mercy the skarres thâ— may of them remayne Otherwise Lord I should be afeard that thou casting thine eyes ordinarily vpon 〈◊〉 wouldest in the end be so angry aâ— â—…ieued as that thou wouldest come â—…ry fast vpon vs to be reuenged of the â—…ckednes which we our selues haue â—…mined Forgeue vs therfore our ofâ—…ces that is to say our sins which we â—…oÌ„mit all the time of our life And forâ—…rs ô heauenly Father as we from our 〈◊〉 harts forgeue theÌ„ that trespasse against 〈◊〉 Cause vs coÌ„tinually to set before vs 〈◊〉 loue by which thou hast not only 〈◊〉 vpoÌ„ thee to pay our debts but the â—…nishment for our sins that we may â—…dge what an vnreasonable thing it â—…ould be for vs to looke to haue any â—…our at thy hands who wil not agree â—itâ— our neighbors considering there â—…o comparison betweene the offerâ—… which we commit against thee and 〈◊〉 offences wherwith they offend vs. â—…ck cleane out of our harts all pride 〈◊〉 malice for their sakes for whose ayd â—…d succour thou causedst vs to be â—…rne Geue vs gentle and meeke spiâ—… which may keepe vs in vnitie and â—…berly loue by patiently meekly â—…aring the infirmities one of anâ—â—…r For we right well know my God 〈◊〉 easily we slip yea how easily 〈◊〉 stumble and fall in the way of this slippery and irkesome life Wâ— haue too too little force and strength continually to keepe our feet and iâ— resist the winds which driue vs forward into the steepe breake necks 〈◊〉 all wickednes and iniquitie And therfore we pray most earnestly vnto thee Not to leade vs into tentation and 〈◊〉 keepe farre froÌ„ vs all occasions which may any way cause vs to offend thee and to arme vs with thy holy spirit against all those obiects which of them selues offer them vnto vs without thâ— which we shall be alwayes ouercome and by the which we shall continuallâ— be vaÌ„quishers in this wrestling againâ—… sinne for this prize and garland 〈◊〉 victory is for none but for such a 〈◊〉 as thou doest second in this fighâ— Graunt vs therefore such grace 〈◊〉 that when any extraordinary desire 〈◊〉 getting worldly ritches assayle vs thaâ— thou wilt strengthen vs with a minde obtaine heauenly ritches and valiantly contemne and despise the goods 〈◊〉 this world and the vncertaine as frayle knowledge of them And let 〈◊〉 remember that they passe away as thâ— cloudes in the ayre from one countreâ— â—…to another and in the end melt and â—…sume away to nothing and that for 〈◊〉 most part the gold and siluer which 〈◊〉 so greedely gather and heape vs â—…gether with so great toyling moyâ—…g serue vs to none other end but to â—…ng condemnation on our heads 〈◊〉 if so he that thou of thine owne â—…es departest with more vnto vs 〈◊〉 we any way deserue graunt vs â—…nes a will to vse them well and â—…aritably communicate them vnto â—…ose that haue greater need of them 〈◊〉 we haue For the earth is thine 〈◊〉 we are but the gardiens and farâ—…s thereof our goods are thine 〈◊〉 we are but the dispensers and â—…rd of them And therefore if we â—…e to geue them vnto those which â—…e them of vs in thy name thou wilt 〈◊〉 only take them from vs but wilt â—…so for our vnthankfulnes and infideâ—… make vs pay double vsury for theÌ„ 〈◊〉 graunt vs also this grace that the â—…riousnes of the honors of this world â—…nd not vs and draw vs on to desire â—…e then is expedient for out saluaâ—…on And let it alwayes be imprinted 〈◊〉 our thoughts that there is no true honor in this world but to serue theâ— worthely and that for the seruing 〈◊〉 thee the place of honor is too toâ— baâ—… that the greatnes therof coÌ„sisteth 〈◊〉 humilitie As for the rest which we sâ—… wonder at admire it is but a deceitful light after which we hunt with to mouth is like vnto those little fiâ—… which appeare in the night about the riuers
They shine and cast light but 〈◊〉 the dark and carry them which follâ—… them euen to their drowning if they take not very great heed of them Fâ—… our worldly pomps secular dignitieâ— neuer appeare beâ—… this darke world wheÌ„ we haue winkingly cast our 〈◊〉 vpon the heauenly light they seeme 〈◊〉 vs to shine as bright as the fire thâ—… clearenesse is like vnto a basen of goâ—… finely polishedâ— but in following 〈◊〉 them we fall into the running brookâ— where we are incontinently lost aâ—… vndone We vncertainely flore amiddest the wills of Princes and the opinions of the common people so long as that we stumble at last at some scandale or offence which mighteâ—… shaketh and shiuereth vs. And therefore my God geue me coÌ„stancie thaâ— â—e not shaken with beholding the 〈◊〉 â—…ties but make me only ambitious thy glory and cause that my spirit 〈◊〉 lifting vp it selfe towards immortaâ—…ie feed not it selfe with the smokes 〈◊〉 this world Neyther let me enuy â—ose which possesse all these frayle â—…d transitorie goods and honors â—…t let my desire be to approach as â—…ere as I possibly can the example 〈◊〉 good life which thou hast picâ—…ed out vnto vs with most liuely â—…lors in the table of thine owne 〈◊〉 And this being done let all the viâ—…ent passions of ire wrath and ranâ—… be banished from my soule and 〈◊〉 my desires be to do good vnto 〈◊〉 the world and hurt to none and 〈◊〉 my body and soule be euer waâ—…ng and employed about good and â—ommendable works without euer â—o be englutted with pale and ill faâ—oured slouthfulnesse And let this â—…hie and infamous gluttonie which â—…useth thy gifts and which is drowâ—…d in wine and buried in superfluous â—…ting and drinking be far away from â—…e Quench also ô my heauenly Faâ—…er all these shamelesse prickings of the flesh which allure vs to breake the chastitie of our bodies and puritie of our minds Beate backe from vs all obiects which may stirre vp in our soules any slippery and shamelesse affections And to be short Deliuer vs from all euill namely from all euill Angels not giuing them any power ouer vs. And if thou knowest that we are about to cast our selues headlong into euill make speed to pluck vs back and stretch our that fatherly haÌ„d of thine which is alwayes more ready to shew mercy then iustice Saue vs ô Lord maugre our selues neither let our relaps and peruersenesse so sharpen and quicken thee against vs as that thou remember not thy selfe that thou art not only our God but our Father also MEDITATIONS VPON THE Lamentations of IEREMIAH Translated out of French into English by Tho. Sto. Gent. 1594. Vnto the Kingdome of France Guill Du Vair greeting SEing most miserable and wretched Prouince that thy ouer great exceeding in thine auncient and wonted delights pleasures hath brought thee into this outragious fury and that thine ill hap hath caused thee to put to these thy renâ— and torne hands to plucke out thine owne bowels withall and to disfigure thine own fâ—ce yet if there be any intermission of this hote broyling mischiefe see thou employ the same about the beholding and looking vpon thy miserie But if so be thou be too too fearefull of the miseries which thou hast brought vpoÌ„ thy selfe or canst not abide the sight of them behold and looke vpoÌ„ the ruine destrunction of these miserable Hebrewes because it is the truest glasse that thou canst looke in But wheÌ„ 〈◊〉 thine eyes shall haue borrowed their image and face to behold and see thy miseries therein let them also borrow teares of thee 〈◊〉 mayle and mourne for them For the chiefeâ—… remedy to ease thy sorrow and griefe is for thee to acknowledge the same and then to haue compassion thereof And when will that be forsooth euen then when God who loueth thee more then thou louest thy selfe shall by his owne loue ouercome that desire of thine which thou hast to destroy thy selfe And in waiting for this good and praying for the same I do here prepare and make ready for thee holy teares that thou mightest thereby mollifie thine hard hart and extinguish therein the wrath of God enflamed against thee It may be that they will well like thee as a charitable remedy ought to do and it may be that they will mislike thee and then wilt thou do as men do who vtterly reiect whatsoeuer is offred them for their good And whether they please or displease thee yet will I neuer cease both to loue and serue thee For what is it that I should more readily and willingly loue and serue then my deare and best beloued Countrey my dearâ— Countrey I say that maketh some accompt of me The Lord my God saue and preserue thee my poore countrey of France and graunt me grace to be able as blessedly to procure thy welfare as I haue an earnest desire to do it G. DE V. MEDITATIONS vpon the Lamentations of Ieremiah THE PREFACE Aleph A Good Father hath alwayes a great regard vnto the welfare of his childreÌ„ and seeketh by all meanes possible to preserue keepe them But when they through their rashnesse and wilfulnesse shall despise his wisedome and go about vtterly to vndoe them selues and in the end cast them selues headlong into those calamities which he foretold them he by and by is reuenged of his eyes filleth his face with teares and his soule with griefe But if so be he haue leysure to poure out his sighes and that sorrow geueth his tongue leaue to vtter any words they are nothing else but so many lamentable passions turned into gall and bitternesse Such a one do we both heare and see at this day this Prophet to be who hauing long before forescene the tempest which should ouerthrow his countrey denounced and cryed out with open mouth that the time of her destruction was at hand and should see their houses burnt and their City sackt before their faces if so be the inhabitants therof did not speedily with running streames of teares and with sackcloth and ashes meet with the enflamed wrath of God for their sinnes and transgressions But they rather harkned vnto the deceitfull words of their enemies then vnto the voyce of their friends and harkned rather vnto those that brought them tidings of their destruction then vnto them which denounced the same vnto theÌ„ And so it fell out that this beautifull and mightie Citie the very eye of the East and myracle of the whole world after so many and so many threats fell in the end into extreame calamitie And after that she had bene spoyled and sacked she saw her inhabitants chayned and led into miserable bondage whole households taken away and led into captiuitie â—omen and maydes dishonored and afterward deuided parted amongst the Souldiers And then Ieremiah beholding the vncomfortable face of this Citie acknowledging therein nothing more then the sorrowfull effects of his old prophesies began to lament them after
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
an ineuitable mischiefe I had none other recourse but vnto mine eyes My teares haue trickled downe aboundantly and haue bitterly bewayled my mishap and the misery of my fellow citizens and of thee my best beloued Ierusalem Ain And as our miseries neuer ceased no more also did mine eyes so as a man would haue verely sayd that through affliction mine heart was in the presse to squeeze teares out of it as men squeeze water out of a spunge Thus did I leade my life continually vntill such time as I had enforced thee ô Lord to haue pitie on me and had with my teares quenched the heat of thine anger What other thing should I haue done when as I sawe before mine eyes so many Cities destroyed so many houses burnt so many Templs cast downe so many men slayne and so many mayds forced and defloured And surely I had had a very steely hart if I could haue held my self from weeping and although it had bene of steele yet had my dolor bene strong and able inough to haue molten it into weeping Sade Ha what a thing is this they draue vs before them as men driue cattle We fled from our enemies and yet they pursued vs we yelded our selues vnto them and yet they massacred vs and all this they did not geuing them any occasion of offence They led me into the bottome of the arse of a ditch and tyed a stone about my necke as they do about a dogs necke when they meane to drowne him And verely I had like to haue bene drowned for mine afflictions had aboundantly runne ouer the very crowne of mine head and had almost choked me and all the help that I had was to cry out and say O Lord I dye haue mercy vpon me Coph I was as it were in a bottomlesse depth in the hole of a prison I knew not but by my memorie whether there had bene eyther Stye or Sunne in the world so monstrous darke was the place wherein I was And yet ceased I not to call vpon thee my Lord my God and sent vp my faith whither my senses could by no meanes reach And thou neuer reiectedst me but receiuedst my prayer for my sobs in the end moued thee and made thee turne againe vnto thy first resolution I felt thee forthwith to assist and help me yea euen at the very first instant I say that I began to pray vnto thee And still me thought I heard thee say vnto my soule be of good courage feare not Resch And so ô Lord thou canst tell that as great a sinner as I am that thou wilt help and succour me euen for thy Christ his sake and for thy mercy promise and truth sake For thou that vnderstandest the very bottoms of our harts canst truly iudge that my soule hath bene carryed away vnto sinne by her senses and concupiscence but as soone as she felt thy rods she conuerted vnto thee her creator and redeemer from whom alone as she hath had life so also aduoweth she the restauration thereof after sinne For the question ô Lord is of the iudging betweene mine enemies and me whether it be reasonable that my misery should serue them for a sport or whether it be hye time that they should beare part of the punishmēt Iudge it ô Lord thou that knowest the righteousnes of my cause For thou knowest their thoughts their cruell purposes the plagues which they haue prepared for me I haue mine health by reason of their inhabilitie for if they had as great power as they haue will I had abidden as much as they had bene able to haue layd vpon me Syn. Thou hast sufficiently seene ô Lord that they haue dealt with me as farre as they might and thou knowest also that there is no iniury which they haue not committed and spoken against me And I do be short thou hast very well knowne their counsels and thoughts And I do verely thinke that there was neuer word came out of their lips wherwith they purposed not to hurt me and beleeue me their minds were neuer vnoccupied in finding out some cunning deuise or other to hurt me And cōsider I beseech thee whether euer they arose or lay downe that their talke was not on me neyther had they euer any other matter to sing on but to speake euil of me Tau Go to then ô Lord seeing they haue ouer come thy patience wilt thou not daunt their malice and sith nothing can driue them to repentance wilt thou not punish them And seeing they take so great pleasure in ill doing shall they not feele and abide thy displeasure by course For once I am sure that thou art iust and sith thou art so thou must needs pay them home according to the works of their owne hands And seeing that through their pride and arrogancie they haue forsaken thee to follow their own presumption thou must needs leaue them in their error and they must needs perseuere in their sinne and this hard scale of impenitencie must of force couer ouer their whole hearts and a greater curse canst thou not lay vpon them then this then to blinde their minds and take away from them their senses For when thou shalt come at once in the day of vengeance with a rod of iron in thine hand and breake them all in shards like a potters vessell there shall be nothing vnder the heauens by many thousands of degrees so miserable as they for they shall find no mercy at all because they themselues were mercylesse they shall be poore and there shall be none to helpe them and they shall be afflicted and none shall comfort them In the meane while ô Lord haue thou an eye vnto vs and second our patience with thine holy mercy to the end that as long as thou shalt please to exercise vs with the iniuries and opprobries of the wicked our hearts fayle vs not and that our soules may alwayes be able to lift them selues vp vnto thee and looke for thine ayde taking the miseries which it pleaseth thee to send vs for a tryall of our faith hoping that after our long patiēce thou wilt crowne vs as victorious wrastlers and cause vs triumphantly leade the wicked against whome we continually wrastle here in this life CHAPTER IIII. Aleph I Knowe O Lord right well that we must yeeld vnto thy will and that we do but kicke against the pricke in complayning of thee Neuerthelesse I can not keepe in my griefes much lesse my sighs when as I behold this strange desolation And although my soule biddeth me hold my peace yet can not mine heart keepe it selfe from sighing For who ô Lord would not haue pitie of this to see all the beawtifull golden walls of thy temple bescrabled and scraped all the goodly golden vessels so finely wought now melted and clipt in pieces all the ritch Iasper Porphirie of thy sanctuary brokē layd in gobbets cast about all the corners of the Citie in so
In how short a time changeth the face of the world And truly are not the euening and morning all alike For I was this morning aliue and lo I am now amongst the dead I looke but for the houre wherein I meane to tread the fields that I might trusse vp bag and baggage and away 6 Why I was this morning a very gallant and I was tickled with new and strange hopes I proued mine owne strength and me thought I was sound and like to liue long and I had a world of deuises in mine head and euery minute my courage encreased and anon death commeth vpon me like an hungrie Lyon sucketh my bloud shaketh my flesh breaketh in sunder my bones and loe I am stretched out and readie to yeeld vp the last gaspe of my life Alasse I was this morning some body and now at night I shal be no body O God what a small distance is there betweene a mans being and his not being And from morning to night euery man goeth this broad beaten hye way yea yea ô Lord in a moment if thou please a man passeth from the one to the other and goeth from life vnto death The first course of the heauens is verie suddaine and swift and yet is the cutting sythe of death more suddaine and far nimbler for thou geuest vs life in breathing on vs an wheÌ„ thou ceasest we dye Thou lookest vpon vs we are borne thou turnest away thine eye froÌ„ vs and by and by we are dead We are the bubble of the water which apeareth with the least mouing and is puffed out with the smallest winde We are the haruest leafe hanging now vpon the tree and eftsoone lying flat on the ground or to speake more properly we are the shadow of a dreame which is quire gone so soone as we awaken But although ô Lord death hath laid fast hold on me and that one of my feete is already in the graue yet will I crie out vnto thee and coniure thee by thine infinite power and pittifully gâ—one vnto thee in acknowledging my misery and thy clemency wilt thou not then haue compassion vpoÌ„ me wouldst thou not somwhat lengthen the thred of my life 7 The terror ô Lord of thy great maiesty maketh me afeard to speake although I feele my misery to presse me and pursue me that I know my helpe is in thee yet dare I not addresse my praier vnto thee But I am like vnto the young new hatched swallow who being naked and without feathers is left alone in the nest pittifully chirping and looking for her dam. Nay I am rather like vnto the fearefull Doue alone in her nest who seeing the Gerfalcon soaring ouer her head hideth her selfe poore miserable Doue sitteth close and amazed by reason of the danger she seeth her self in O my God I know my misery do right well vnderstand mine infirmity But although ô Lord that with a submisse voice trembling words I implore thy maiesty yet forsake me not I humbly beseech thee 8 Is it so long sithence ô Lord that I turned mine eies vnto thee to call vpon thy goodnesse I am alwaies wonted to lift vp mine eyes on hie O Lord I am at a non plus I am forced and my misery is gone ouer mine head and therfore I beseech thee to helpe me if it may so please thee 9 But alas dare I speake vnto God and shew my selfe vnto him Euen I whom he hath created with his owne hands and fashioned by his grace who in stead of seruing and honouring of him haue giuen my selfe vnto the pleasures of this world and turned the honor which I owe vnto him vnto earthly and corruptible things what answer will he make me for if he grow once to be angry and shew himselfe vnto me in his fury with that countenance that he shall iudge the guilty were it not an hundreth times better for me to haue held my peace then to speake But it were better I say to be dead and buried then to haue eyes to see him and eares to heare him what then shall I either do or say 10 I will endeuour my selfe to appease him before in presenting him for an offring the contrition of mine heart and bitternesse of my soule and in my greeuous anguish will call to minde all my yeares past lay abroade the moments of life runne ouer the number of my sinnes that I might cleanse and purge the sinnes and transgressions which defile my conscience and stirre vp Gods wrath against me 11 And therfore thou shalt ô Lord most assuredly seeing that I returne vnto thee and bitterly weepe for mine offences receiue my repentance and through the heartinesse of my continuall prayers which I so effectuously powre out vnto thee appease thy sharpe and heauy wrath Thou shalt stay the hand of thy iustice which would swallow me vp Thou shalt turne away the dart of death whose point hath pierced me euen to the very hart Thou shalt lengthen the course of my yeares which my sinne hath already shortened And thou shalt bee contented that thou hast reprooued me without vtterly vndoing me and made me to acknowledge and confesse my sinnes with punishing me for the same 12 And although I thinke my selfe blessed and as it were in most excel-cellent peace yet do I vse nay rather abuse the blessings and riches which thou hast lent and vouchsafed mee yea and although I say I should be drunken with the hony sweet pleasures of this world yet loe a slote of affliction and misery is betide me which as a most bitter brooke is come vpon me to drowne me and swallow me vp But as I was about to giue vp the ghost I felt thee taking me by the hand and by a wonderfull helpe drewest me by little and little out of that fearefull gulfe O Lorde the weight that sunke me to the bottome was the waight of my sinnes They lay so thick and heauie on my head and held me so to the ground as that I knew not how to lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen much lesse was I able to hold vp my head and open my mouth to vtter and shew forth thy holy grace and mercy Thou hast broken the chaines of the wicked affections which held me bound vnto these cursed sinnes And neuerthelesse because they are euer before thine eyes and that my repentance in some measure coniureth thy goodnesse and mine iniquity sharpeneth thy iustice yet hast thou cast all mine offences behinde thy back and turned them all away from thy presence to the end there might be nothing betweene me and thy mercy to hinder me from being enuironed by the same as mine only and assured defence But how can this be ô Lord that thou who seest all things both present to come which seest through the earth and piercest the bottomes of our hearts that in regard of me alone ô Lord thou becommest blinde and seest not my sinnes which enuiron me round
further it 23 They borrow and neuer pay againe all is fish that commeth to net and all is theirs that they may gayne by neither leaue they any thing behinde which they are able to carry away and yet notwithstanding all this profiteth them nothing for as the aboundance of meates fatteth not him that is in a consumption because the radycall humor of his life is dried vp euen so is the blessing of God which is the roote of all prosperitie withholden from the wicked But contrarywse the iust which is mercifull and full of compassion geueth his goods and dealeth liberally distributeth his money and is as the course an running of a liuely water which neuer dryeth vp 24 This is a blessing which is promised vnto all those that blesse the name of God that they shall enherit the land that is to say they shall haue a good title vnto the land as it were by enheritance And although they are striuen agaynst for it yet shall they neuer lose it For they are as Gods deere children whome hee hath created and therefore they are of a good and sure ground that they shall hold the same But they which blaspheme agaynst his name are disinherited of his grace and as vnthankefull children depriued of theyr fathers inheritance so as they hauing his curse can not choose but perish 25 For there is no saluation in this world but by trusting in God and by committing our selues vnto his tuition For he so directeth the wayes of a good man and so guideth all his actions as that it is impossible to be amended He aymeth his will at godlinesse and turneth away his eyes from the baytes of sinne he bringeth back the windings and crosse wayes of voluptuousnes into the broad beaten hye wayes of vertue and setteth it in the way of his commaundements 26 For this is a faire and smooth way wherein are no stones ne yet lets for it is altogether playne and smooth So as although the wicked one or the father of lyes casteth his leg before the iust man to make him trip stumble or yet set a snare for him thou thy selfe O Lord standest hard by him to life him vp againe and wilt not suffer him to be frushed and crushed And with thy mercifull hand yea euen with a most gentle and euen hand thou shorest him vp and redressest him 27 I haue bene yong and now an old and yet as far as I can remember I can not call to minde that euer I saâ—e God forsake the righteous man nor his children driuen to beg their bread Well may he haue sometimes a little trouble come vpon him to proue his constancie and to try his strength but â—t passeth and tottereth on without aâ—y fearing of him 28 I haue seene a man that hath â—one nothing all day long but geue â—…d lend so as a man would haue sayd â—hat he had taken great pleasure in â—cattering abroad his goods and yet â—e more abounded in wealth them eâ—er he did before He resembled proâ—erly the pipe of a pumpe which draâ—eth water by casting of it out for the â—ulnesse thereof can not abide that aâ—y emptinesse should be in it And so â—he rightuous man geueth and God â—orthwith filleth him againe his posteâ—itie feeleth no want of his largenesse â—or the blessing of God causeth his â—…one to bud forth euen as the Sunne maketh the fruits of the earth and â—ultiplieth an hundred for one 29 Seeing then that God is so good â—…d so liberall if thou louest to haue â—is fauour bethinke thee how thou â—ayest please him for it is the verie meane to turne him from doing hurt â—nd to do good For God loueth such a one as imitateth him for loue commeth of resemblance and his actions are to do good for he busieth hâ—…selfe about nothing else and he â—…gan this worke euen from the first bâ—ginning of the world and was 〈◊〉 wearyed therewith And therfore let 〈◊〉 do like vnto him and so long as 〈◊〉 shall dwell here in this world whâ—… he hath graunted vs meanes to seâ—… for his glorie and for the profiâ—… of our neighbors let vs neglect no â—…casion at all to discharge both the 〈◊〉 and the other and in so doing we shâ—… be sure to obteyne his fauour which 〈◊〉 the richest treasure that we possâ—… can recouer 30 For there is nothing that pleâ—seth him so much as to deale vprighâ—… and iustly for thereby we conseâ—… his workemanship as much as in 〈◊〉 lyeth and allow of his wise counsell 〈◊〉 rendring vnto euery man that whiâ—… is appoynted him and distributed 〈◊〉 the vniuersall law of the world whâ—… we call Nature and to thinke thâ—… when we iudge others we adminiâ—… his power and looke what iudgemeâ—… we geue against others the like will 〈◊〉 also geue against vs wheÌ„ as he shal â—…ter into his Throne to iudge the 〈◊〉 world Not that he can iudge corruptly as we do but will make vs feele by his iudgement the corrupt dealing which we haue made others feele by our owne For he will neuer forsake his holy ones he will gather them together at the end and couer them from the vniust dealing of men and will expressely enter into his iudgement seate to iudge all those that oppressed them 31 And there will he pronounce heauie iudgemeÌ„t against the vniust make the wicked perish They shall be fast bound in infernall paines where they shall be heard houle amiddest their torments and the paine shall exceed abound ouer their heads euen vnto their posteritie and their childreÌ„ shal draw their fathers sins after them and beare part of their miseries 32 And at that time shall the grace of God spread it self aboundantly vppon the righteous because their prosperitie might be a second paine vnto the wicked filling their harts with enny which shal coÌ„tinually gnaw the for they shal see the good godly me possesse their laÌ„d in peace their generatioÌ„ reigne in most assured rest and flourish as the tree planted fast alongeâ— hard by the pleasant riuers side which casteth our his branches at length anâ— spreadeth forth his boughes into the ayre flourish beautifully bring forth leaues aboundantly and fructifie moâ—… excellently 33 But what shall be the fruites oâ— the rightuous man shall they be his goods which he hath scraped and scratched together or the castles and goodly houses which hee hath built Nay nay they are fruites most vnworthy oâ— such a tree which will wither away aâ— the very first feeling of any frost yea fruites that will fall at the first blast No no they are those good and sweet sauouring fruites which growe within the beautifull and fat greene soyle of the diuine wisedome They shall be holie and religious thoughts meditations full of zeale and deuotion by the which hee shall ioyne his spirit vnto God and withall opening his soule shall receyue the beames of the holie Ghost which shall animate in him a thousand gratious and vertuous actions as the
fruit of life and holynesse passing from his hart into his lips shall make his talke to be both righteous and full of equitie 34 For he shall haue the law of God alwayes imprinted in his soule as a most iust and sure rule wherewith he shall encompasse his talke neyther shall hee need to feare for euer going out of the right way or yet to haue his foote at any time to slip for the foundation thereof is ouer-strongly layd and the scituation therof too too sure and the path thereof most excellently directed for the law of God is sounder and surer then either steele or iron it is an inflexible rule and an vnchangeable light this is such a place of assurance where a man is not onely rightly guided but also in as great safetie as if he were betweene two brasen walles 35 For marke and behold awhile the wicked what ado he maketh to lye in ambush to surprise the innocent and consider also what preparation he maketh to take from him both his honor and his life and marke if he hath forgotten any thing for his purpose 36 And yet God neuer leaueth a good man into what danger soeuer he falleth he neuer geueth him ouer into the sacrilegious hands of these cruell murderers neither yet into their bloudie craftie doings nor shamelesse sclanders for he is Iudge and full of all power he his also a witnesse and the knowledge of all truth is in him and thereforee sith he knoweth the truth and both can and will iudge the innocent shall not he be iustified by his sentence geuing 37 Wait vpon him therefore allye righteous for his help is sure neither let it grieue ye to attend vppon him for he knoweth what ye haue need of better then ye your selues For he maketh slow haste many times because hee would prooue your patience and sometimes because hee would glorifye you Walke therefore in his wayes and see that ye carefully keepe yee in them set yee strong hedges about his wayes and edder theâ— with the thornes of your paynes with the briers of your tribulations for feare that voluptuousnesse enter noâ— in at them and that pleasure trayne yee not vp in them and so breâ—ke â—…d spoyle your way Perseuere still in your course euen vntill you sweate both bloud and water to the end yee may come vnto the aboad of your rest where God will exalt ye far aboue this â—isible world yea far aboue his glorified Angells for he will cause you leade sinners in triumph and make you see the land purged of their iniquitie assigned out for the portion of good and godly men 38 I am many times astonyed to see the wicked naughty man aduanced â—…o all honor dignitie and holding al the whole land as it were subiect vnder his feet The Cedar tree of Lybanon hath not an hier nor an vprighter head ne yet seemeth to be more glorious euen then when he is clothed with his greene tender boughs and putteth forth his new buds and branches as is the wicked maÌ„ in the streÌ„gth power of his pomp magnificence 39 But as I passed by whereas I had left him I was abashed that I could see him no more for I saw the place of his greatnesse it was become like vnto a wildernesse I demaunded what was bâ—…ome of him that was so lustie and braue and that was so redoubted anâ— feared and loe there was not a maâ— that could tell me what was become of him I sought after him in euery place to see and if I could haue met with him and I could neither heaâ—e either tale or tidings of him all was melted away with him so as there was not so much as any note or marke of him it seemed that the fire had runne ouer him and consumed him 40 We must therefore learne bâ— the example of their miserie to esâ—hâ—… their sinnes and in following another kinde of life we may come toâ—abeâ—… end Be innocent therefore and 〈◊〉 die to be vpright and loue equitie and righteousnesse for the peaceable and reasonable man leaueth rest to his familie and is renued in his posteritie 41 It fareth not with him as it doth with the reprobate who is forgotten in a moment and none commeth after that once vouchsafeth to name him without it be to curse him Their race is gone at once and swallowed vp as it were in a bottomlesse depth for the first blow he geueth them turneth them cleane ouer for they haue no help but from them-selues and God hath long sithence geuen them ouer 42 For he helpeth only the righteous which put their trust in him For on him they attend and therefore it is reason that they should find comfort at his hands They gather them-selues together vnder his wing as poore chickens whome the kite pursueth there shall they finde couert defence and consolation 43 He will help them out of the strongest part of the battell yea and although they were enuironed on euery side yet will he come and deâ—iuer them as it were by his miraculous power and might he will runne through the prease to pluck the righteous out of the hands of the wicked Why doest thou ô Lord after this manner so affectionately support the righteous Forsooth it is because that they haue put their whole trust and confidence in thee and not put their hope in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world but in thy infinit goodnesse and clemencie which is neuer voyd of help vnto all those that call vpon thy holy name Seeing then ô most righteous and mercifull Father it hath pleased thee for a time to endure the wicked to enioy the wealth and honor of this world and to set theyr feet vppon the throats of good and godly men and sufferest them by theyr cursed threats and craftie deuises to torment thy good and innocent seruants Frame we beseech thee our affections so as that we be not offended at their prosperitie and not enuie theyr deceytfull ritches but couragiously to beare whatsoeuer affliction thou shalt lay vppon vs paciently attending till thou shalt come to iudge theyr consciences and search out the bottoms of their counsels and with the seueritie of thy iustice imprint vppon theyr foreheads the shame which they haue iustly deserued abolishing their infamous memorie from aboue the earth destined vnto the seruice of thy glorie and in the meane while so to keepe out harts as that we trust in none but in thee and make no reckning of whatsoeuer is here in this world to set our loue thereon but on thy grace and blessing Iudge me O Lord. c. Psalme 33. 1 LOrd be my Iudge take knowledge of my cause and bee thou iudge of all the sclanders wherof the wicked accuse mee Deliuer mee O Lord from the hands of the vnrighteous and from deceiptfull lips For they haue assembled themselues together to imagine mischiefe against mee and haue set vp themselues against mee to oppresse and