come any thing neere the number of them Now what obedience is it that we should yeeld vnto thee how should we ghesse to do that which might please thee who is able to sound the bottome of thy thoughts and who shall be able to vnderstand that which thou wouldest haue I therefore beseech thee only that thy will be done For lâ—…h thou art altogether good thou willest nothing but good things and for thee both to do and to will is all one and in making this prayer vnto thee we wholy submit our selues vnto thee who neuer faylest to will vs well and to performe the fame also For whatsoeuer ô Lord thou hast willed waâ— done and from this thy will as from a liuely and pleasant spring head are deriued all the benefits wherewith the whole face of the earth is couered and wherewith all the heauens are beautified Continue thou the same towards vs and seeing thy loue is as a fire that encreaseth according as it findeth matter to burne let it encrease and enlarge it selfe in doing good vnto vs vnto vs I say poore miserable wretches in whose weakenesse miserie and infirmitie it shall finde it selfe matter enough to exercise and worke vpon When I pray thee ô Lord That thy will be done my meaning is to beseech thee that thou wouldest eftsoones root out of mine heart all these worldly desires and willes which being borne in the corruption of the flesh can not haue any fellow-feeling and agreement with the law of the spirit neyther geue thou me the bridle to liue as I lust and seeing that I am thy child and honorest me with this title let me neuer be bondslaue vnto my affectioÌ„s but keepe me vnder the rod of thy law vnder the tutorship of thy 〈…〉 demeÌ„ts to the end that my 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 many as haue swoâ—…se to 〈…〉 â—…ing framed to serue and 〈◊〉 thee worthely may also be reâ—dy â—…erfull in the ministerie of thy â—eâ—…ce so long as we shall abide here below in this mortall world as thine Angels and other most blessed soules are in that heauenly habitation and so Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen And seeing it is 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 nor 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 nourisheth strengthneth our soules keepeth them from death filleth our mouthes with the Deitie and maketh vs the temples of our God to receiue him into our bodies and to be made members of his members Graunt vs my God that by this bread or rather by this flesh we may be incorporated into our Redeemer and as he in taking and putting on of our flesh was partaker of our death euen so we taking and putting on of his flesh may be partakers of his immortalitie And seeing we haue my God bene made vessels and receptacles of his Deitie wash vs and make vs cleane to the end that he comming to dwell in vs thou 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 for vs to be made cleane without thou forgeue vs our sinnes and remit our debts For we haue bene bondslaues both vnto sinne and vnto death and whatsoeuer we clayme to be ours it belongeth vnto him neither haue we any thing either to pay our raunsome or yet to discharge our debt and therfore ô Lord it is thou that must do it Thou hast once for all redeemed vs and set vs at libertie but yet notwithstanding we dayly fall into the hands of the enemy we daily commit a thousand sinnes which make vs bond vnto sinne cease not for all this my God to opeÌ„ vnto vs this treasure froÌ„ which we may take the price of our libertie Be thou ô Lord more strong stout in pardoning of vs then we are in offending of thee Let thy merciful hand stretch it selfe out continually vnto vs for sin cleaueth fast vnto the marrow of our bones and groweth and waxeth old in vs which maketh vs wheÌ„ we are old to be after a sort more filthy infectious were it not that thou continually applyest vnto our miserie the merit and worthinesse of thy holy passion to the end that we in some measure launching wounding our consciences thou mayest strengthen and heale our wounds and rub out with the oyle of thy mercy the skarres that may of them remayne Otherwise ô Lord I should be afeard that thou in casting thine eyes ordinarily vpon vs wouldest in the end be so angry and grieued as that thou wouldest come very fast vpon vs to be reuenged of the wickednes which we our selues haue coÌ„mitted Forgeue vs therfore our offences that is to say our sins which we coÌ„mit all the time of our life And forgeue vs ô heauenly Father as we from our very harts forgeue theÌ„ that trespasse against vs. Cause vs coÌ„tinually to set before vs this loue by which thou hast not only takeÌ„ vpoÌ„ thee to pay our debts but the punishment for our sins that we may iudge what an vnreasonable thing it should be for vs to looke to haue any fauour at thy hands who wil not agree with our neighbors considering there is no comparison betweene the offences which we commit against thee and the offences wherwith they offend vs. Pluck cleane out of our harts all pride malice for their sakes for whose ayd and succour thou causedst vs to be borne Geue vs gentle and meeke spirits which may keepe vs in vnitie and brotherly loue by patiently meekly bearing the infirmities one of another For we right well know my God how easily we slip yea how easily we stumble and fall in the way of thiâ— slippery and irkesome life We haue too too little force and strength continually to keepe our feet and to resist the winds which driue vs forward into the steepe breake-necks of all wickednes and iniquitie And therfore we pray most earnestly vnto thee Not to leade vs into tentation and to 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
end to commaund the sinnewes to moue or not to moue Let him then if he will lay open his stomacke and see how his life is mainteined how the meates sent downe into the stomacke are transformed by a secret and incomprehensible power how by laboring and stirring in the stomack they runne into the paunch how the good iuice floweth through the small vaines into the liuer which is the shop of the bloud how the liuer dischargeth her superfluities into the gall splene and kidneys how it distributeth the bloud into the veynes and how it is sent into the heart to be there made thin and subtilized euen vnto the confection of the vitall spirites If he behold the moouing and breathing of the lights which refresheth and moderateth the heat of the heart if he see the artificiall turnings and wreathings of the guts let him not thinke the same to be fallen out of the clouds neither yet that he seeth any other thing within then he seeth without Howbeit when as he shall come to consider of the head which is the treasure of the sences and seat of reason let him dreame amongst other things what an especiall worke the eye is and with how many filmes and thin skinnes this lightsome spirit is garnished and defended which in very truth is the pleasure of the life he shall remaine as it were astonished and amazed but yet not so much as when he commeth to pierce the braine where he shall perceiue the manner whereon the portracture and images of things are borne by the sences as faithfull messengers and interpreters to be receiued and exercised therein by the common sence and afterward to be ordered and placed within the custodie of the celles of the memorie But the thing that most astonisheth vs is this when as we desire to vnderstand what our soule is which manageth gouerneth all this whole workemanship what a power it is of that thus strangely moueth and worketh which awaketh when we sleepe comprehendeth so easily and things reacheth into the deepest matters and by discourse findeth out the cause and reason of the most secret things And we see and feele these effects in our selues and yet we can neither see nor yet conceiue them Certainly when we in the contemplation of these things are lifted vp by faith we feele our selues forthwith led vnto the author of these workes And to say truly when as we see so many maruelous things dispersed throughout the whole face of the earth for what other purpose serue they but to be as a booke left wide open for vs to read out thereof the greatnesse and almightie power of God who 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 hangeth 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 no 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 leaue 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 heaâ—t 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 lâ—eth 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 worde as an interpretor of his will wherein 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 Eusebius saith is like vnto 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 Prophets 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 eternitie 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 calleth 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
the same dayly vnto thee for an offering vnder the holie vayle of thy most holie word 9 For seeing ô Lord thou hast mortrized 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 and yet not coâ—tent with that hast made me to enter into the holie of holiest and bottomes of thy Sanctuarie where thou wast wâ—… to reueale the greatest secrets of thy will graunt that I may so well conceiue them as that I may cause thy faithfull seruants faithfully to vnderstand them 10 For sith thou hast aduaâ—…ced mee into so eminent and high a place as one set vpon an â—ye rocke to be seene of the whole world and honored aboue all mine enemies let the foundation of my faith be as firme as any stone and the grace which thou shalt bestow vpon me to be a testimonie of thy righteousnesse making me worthie and capable of the benefits which it shall please thee to vouchsafe me 11 As for my selfe O Lord I will take paines reuerentlie to vse the ministerie which thou hast committed vnto mee Thou knowest how I haue carried my selfe therein I haue turned my selfe euery way to reknowledge that which might best like thee I haue most willingly offred vnto thee calues and sheepe in sacrifice I haue willingly hathed thine Aulter with bloud but that was too too small an offring for thee I haue ô Lord sacrificed mine hart consecrated mine affection vowed my thoughts and hauing pluckt them from the verie bottom of mine heart I haue offered them vnto thee with my voyce whereby thou hast vnderstood whatsoeuer my soule hath desired which was nothing else but to please thee in all mine actions My crying out then hath bene my offring which thou diddest gratiously accept 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 not my mouth for I speake not vnto thee but with mine heart which cryeth out saying vnto thee O Lord why haue I sought thee so carefully day and night both in peace and warre in quietnesse and in trouble I haue desired nothing in the world but to see thy face I meane not 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 if thou be that increated word which hath created al things which doth part 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 marke therein such a great number of beautifull 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 me in thy word as in a looking glasse of thy Deitie 14 Seeing then that thou seest 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 not 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
obiects which of them selues offer them vnto vs without the which we shall be alwayes ouercome and by the which we shall continually be vaÌ„quishers in this wrestling against sinne for this prize and garland of victory is for none but for such a one as thou doest second in this fight Graunt vs therefore such grace as that when any extraordinary desire of getting worldly ritches assayle vs that thou wilt strengthen vs with a mind to obtaine heauenly ritches and valiantly contemne and despise the goods of this world and the vncertaine and frayle knowledge of them And let vs remember that they passe away as the cloudes in the ayre from one countrey vnto another and in the end melt and consume away to nothing and that for the most part the gold and siluer which we so greedely gather and heape vp together with so great toyling moyling serue vs to none other â—nd but to bring condemnation on our heads And if so be that thou of thine owne goodnes departest with more vnto vs then we any way deserue graunt vs eftsoones a will to vse them well and charitably communicate them vnto those that haue greater need of them then we haue For the earth is thine and we are but the gardiens and farmers thereof our goods are thine and we are but the dispensers and stewards of them And therefore if we refuse to geue them vnto those which aske them of vs in thy name thou wilt not only take them from vs but wilt also for our vnthankfulnes and infidelitie make vs pay double vsury for theÌ„ And graunt vs also this grace that the gloriousnes of the honors of this world blind not vs and draw vs on to desire more then is expedient for our saluation And let it alwayes be imprinted in our thoughts that there is no true honor in this world but to serue thee worthely and that for the seruing of thee the place of honor is too too base that the greatnes therof coÌ„sisteth in humilitie As for the rest which we so wonder at admire it is but a deceitful light after which we hunt with opeÌ„ mouth is like vnto those little fires which appeare in the night about the riuers They shine and cast light but in the dark and carry them which follow them euen to their drowning if they take not very great heed of them For our worldly pomps secular dignities neuer appeare but in this darke world wheÌ„ we haue winkingly cast our eyes vpon the heauenly light they seeme to vs to shine as bright as the fire their clearenesse is like vnto a basen of gold finely polished but in following of them we fall into the running brooks where we are incontinently lost and vndone We vncertainely flote 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 mightely shaketh and shiuereth vs. And therefore my God geue me coÌ„stancie that I be not shaken with beholding these vanities but make me only ambitious of thy glory and cause that my spirit in lifting vp it selfe towards immortalitie feed not it selfe with the smokes of this world Neyther let me enuy those which possesse all these frayle and transitorie goods and honors but let my desire be to approach as neere as I possibly can the example of good life which thou hast pictured out vnto vs with most liuely coulors in the table of thine owne life And this being done let all the violent passions of ire wrath and rancor be banished from my soule and let my desires be to do good vnto all the world and hurt to none and let my body and soule be euer waking and employed about good and commendable works without euer to be englutted with pale and ill fauoured slouthfulnesse And let this filthie and infamous gluttonie which abuseth thy gifts and which is drowned in wine and buried in superfluous eating and drinking be far away from me Quench also ô my heauenly Father 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 out that fatherly had 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 rent and torne hands to plucke out thine owne bowels withall and to disfigure thine own face yet if there he any intermission of this hoâ—e 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 best brought vpoÌ„ thy selfe or caust not abide the sight of them behold and looks vpoÌ„ the ruine destruction of these miserable Hebrewes because it is the truest glasse that thou canst looke in But whoÌ„ aâ— thine eyes shall haue borrowed their image and face to behold and see thy miseries therein let them also borrow teares of thee to wayle and mourne for them For the chiefest 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 â—…en do who vtterly râ—iect whatsoeuer is offred them for their good And whether they please or displease thâ—… yet will I neuer cease both to loue and serue thee For what 〈◊〉 it that I should more vâ—…â—…ly and willingly loue and serue then 〈◊〉 â—…are and best beloued Countrey 〈◊〉 deare Countrey I say that maketh some 〈◊〉 of me The Lord my God saue and presence
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 hang 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 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 So as we then being compassed with brightnesse and rauished with the sight of this wonderfull beautie should feele the pleasure most infinitly to be encreased be filled with incōparable ioy to make vs generally scorne these fleeting perishing delights al these fading chāgeable sweet pleasures which occupie our minds here belowe and none otherwise to be desired then as a small sparke of beautie spred ouer vs like a scarfe Then shall we enter into the shop where all these rare and strange workes were cast in a mould where we shall not onely see the patternes of them and not onely handle the tooles and instruments but shall also see and familiarly know the very workemaster of them who will not onely shew vnto vs his workemanship nor descifer only vnto vs his purposes but will also teach vs his arte and science and make vs all perfect and godly according to him selfe There shall we see the beames of this Deity spread all ouer and reunite it selfe vnto this body of light whereunto when we shall see our selues conioyned in thought we shall then perceiue at once all the causes and effects of the eternall wisedome which particularly and separably may seeme to be able to be furnished with matter to our great contentment Here then we see wherein consisteth our felicitie that is to say in this vndriable spring-head of beauties in this deepe sea of all bounties whereinto all the riuers streames of the world must run That is to say into this original light vnto whom we must turne our selues and vpon whome we must fast fixe and set the eyes of our soules if so be we loue the eternall blessednesse Alas how excellent was this last sigh of the Philosopher Plotin who hauing now his soule geuing vp her selfe betweene his lips called his schollers vnto him giuing them this farewell My good friends God graunt you to liue both now and hereafter in blisse for euer and alwayes turne that godlinesse that is in you vnto that auncient principall Deitie O noble speech and worthie the closing vp of the mouth and life of a Philosopher But what shall we do for the returning of our selues vnto God and to approch reunite and become one with him Shall we present our selues vnto his maiestie in that estate wherein we commonly stand No surely for if we before such time as we lift vp the eyes of our soules towards this cleere and bright burning light do not wipe and cleanse our selues we shall in stead of enioying this glorious and pure light haue that little sight that we haue vtterly put out For as in the lawe of the Iewes the woman that offred her selfe vnto the triall of the ielousie offering receiued no hurt by the bitter cursed water if she were chast and sound but was quit and free frō all blame suspicion and contrariwise if she had broken her mariage promise faith remained infected and so rotted and burst in sunder euen so also those mē who as the members of the Church of God haue maried his only Sonne if they offer themselues poluted and defiled to touch the holy fier of his holy spirit are rather blinded then enlightened yea rather consumed then warmed And this is the reason why God when as he hauing compassion of our ruine fall is willing for our saluation to disclose vnto the world this light of wisedom he sendeth his herault before to wash make cleane the soules of all such as he would haue behold the brightnes of his glory We heare euery where the soūd of the holy voice of this Prophet crying Make straight plain◠the wayes of the liuing God repent and bring forth the fruites worthy of repentance for he will come with his fanne in his hand to winnow the Corne from the Chaffe lay vp the Corne by it selfe and cast the Chaffe into euerlasting fier Seeing then that we desire this great felicitie and that before we present ourselues vnto him we must cleanse our harts and minds and make them capable to conceiue of heauenly things let vs see what remedies we haue for that purpose Howbeit let vs somewhat a little before consider how and in what sort we haue so defiled our selues that we might thereby the more easily finde out the meetest meanes to
filthy lusts vsing himselfe vnto this continuall continēce wil endeuor himself if he possibly can to cōserue this treasure of virginity wherin 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 bodies as the necessary instrument of the spirit But we must not so deale with our bodies as men deale with the garments of the magnificence of Princes which are so stiffened with embrodery and Goldsmithes worke and so beset with Pearles precious stones as that a man can scarsly stir himselfe when they are on his back but we must make vs such a garment as must serue for euery day and take such a fold as pleaseth vs to giue it There is also another thing which hindreth our soules no lesse thē these passions wherof we haue already spokē And that is choler which to speake truly is the fairest flower of follie and that is that passion which blindeth vs all at once when as it hath once taken hold of vs maketh things appeare vnto vs as it were through a clowd cleane otherwise then in deed they are is so much the more dangerous a guest by how much the more that they that are possessed therewith are mighty of great power authority for the choller of princes which is aided by reason of their power flyeth out like lightning breaketh out before such time as a man can see the flash or heare the crack thereof as the thunder and lightning breaketh a sword in the scabard euē so doth choller punish without knowing any cause insomuch that they pursue their actions for the most part with most tedious and vnprofitable repentance being able to do no more as great as they are but to wish that that which is ill done were vndone For as Pyndare saith God himself hath no other power ouer that that is past but to forget and so they are for the most part driuen to repent them of that at leisure which in their hast they had committed Howbeit for the repressing of this furious hast we must frame a moderatiō of the spirit which we call Clemency by which our wils being vnaduisedly prickt forward to wish euill to another and the desire of reuenge are restrained repressed when as we shall haue this clemency rightly framed in vs by the perfect obseruation of our maners she will temper vs with such a milde and gratious behauiour as shall defend our reason from such a tedious and strong impression as choller is She will make vs take leisure to iudge of things by weight and measure to counsell our friends therunto and disswade vs from beleeuing and trusting too much to our owne selues Wherefore she will infinitely serue vs to perswade our selues that we cannot be offended but with our selues neither yet once keepe in our brests those iniuries which others haue done vnto vs. For if our actions be pure and sound and our life holy and innocent can our venimous and hatefull tongue change it selfe against our neighbour And if we at any time propound vnto our selues to liue to the good liking of any one man whē shall we be able to find the meanes to please all the world and content both good and bad together if we iustifie vs before God and our selues haue cleane and vndefiled consciences nothing shall then do vs hurt Thou wouldest hurt me in my good name and thinkest by falsly accusing me of my life greatly to wrong me and I haue God men and mine owne conscience to testifie against thee to assure and iustifie me Thou maiest haue a will to hurt me howbeit I need not feele it without I will Thou takest and carriest away my goods from me all this mooueth me not or the time was that I had none or I had them when I was so yong as that I knew not what to do with them and lastly although thou haddest left them vnto me yet carried I not them with me when I dyed and I must either leaue them or else they must leaue me And why should I be more sorie for the one then for the other Well thou greeuest me in my body thou beatest and hurtest me and behold the Souldier which returneth very ioyfully from the skirmish carrying his arme in a scarfe maketh more account of his wound then he doth of his life if so be he bring from thence a great gash either in his head or in his face the more he beholdeth himselfe the more he wondereth at himselfe If he come home with the string halt
the iudgement which therein is denounced and the paines that are prepared for the wicked is it possible that that man will euer haue the heart to deceiue him whome the lawe hath commaunded to loue as him selfe will he by defrauding of his neighbour deceiue his owne soule of that euerlasting blessednesse whereof those men can neuer be partakers who communicate with the father of lying and of lyes For truth commeth from heauen falshood in the daughter of darkenesse All kinds of fiction coulored and counterfeit shewes and all leasings are the craftie deuises of the deuill and he that entertaineth them and vseth them couenanteth with the wicked spirits and maketh himselfe the bondslaue of sin And therefore all our actions should be sincere and faithfull but especially their actions who are in authoritie to gouerne the people and are put in trust to render iustice vnto euery particular man They must not do as the Egiptian Iudges did that ware the image of Iustice about their necks but they must haue it imprinted in the bottome of their hearts and betweene their lips for she alone it is that must direct their iudgements so as neither loue nor hatred must at any hand make the ballance or scales which they hold in their hands leane either one way or other but reason alone must cause the lawe spurne and kick against iniquitie Surely no man can haue a better testimonie vnto his conscience of his election then when as he feeleth himself to take pleasure in dealing iustly and rightuously for whosoeuer he is that loueth iustice is a man of God for the light shineth on the righteous man and vpoÌ„ him that is of an vpright hart The way and path of the iust is like vnto the dawning of the day her light encreaseth by little and little and becommeth like vnto the noonetide The wise man could not more properly compare iustice vnto any thing then vnto the light for as the light shineth not for it selfe but causeth others to see euen so this most excellent sound vertue of it selfe looketh not but vnto the benefit profit of another hauing none other end but by a well willing righteous affection to conioyne entertaine one another of vs. When this vertue is growne vnto a full perfectioÌ„ she straightwayes beginneth to loue may very wel take vnto her that name because that she hauing vnited conioined vs together teacheth vs to accompt our selues to be one anothers flesh as being the members of one body or rather the body of one head leauing in vs a charitable affection which is the souldering sinowing of our bodies together For as we see in the constitution of our persons euery member to be so framed therein as that that which is fardest off moueth it selfe forthwith in affectioÌ„ good liking vnto the rest so as if we haue any paine in our foot by by the eye looketh vnto it straightways we put to the hand in the end bend the whole force of our body to help to do it good Euen so fareth it with the mistical coniunction of the body in the holy coÌ„gregation of the faithfull whereof we are all members and the spirit of God which doth rule and gouerne vs teacheth vs that for our owne conseruation we must needs make one of another and make both our aduersitie and prosperitie common that we might contribute vnto the necessities of one another For our christian righteousnes restraineth not vs only to discharge the ciuile and politick bands which may be amongst vs but also acquiteth this naturall obligation which bindeth one man to another by mutuall good will and loue It remayneth now that this righteousnesse must conioyne vs vnto God and bring forth her most excelleÌ„t effects which kepeth our soule vpright quiet capable of the wil of God and as it were fast tied vnto the loue of euerlasting blisse which is done by the gifts of faith hope For after we haue purged our selues of the peruerse filthy affectioÌ„s which our soul hath gotteÌ„ into her by liuing on erth so blinded our wil as that she caÌ„not returne to ill yet must she go on to her mark guide her self vnto her resting place Now as we are cast downe into the darkenesse of this world into the deserts of sin bottomlesse deapths of perdition we cannot see our end without light nor find our way without a guide ne yet sustaine our selues go forward without stay and our light guide and stay is the reuelation which God hath shewed vnto vs out of his will the knowledge which he hath geuen vnto vs by his grace the spirit by which he communicateth himself with vs and in the end commeth himselfe vnto vs because we are so feeble as that we cannot go vnto him We call faith the sound and right affection whereby wee receiue that which he declareth vnto vs and which we constaÌ„tly beleeue and by which we iudge of him in the goodnes simplicitie of our harts This is it with which we humble our senses and with which we deny our selues to geue credit vnto his truth in acknowledging our infirmitie by which we allow his almightines reuereÌ„ce admire the effects so often reiterated for the reconquering of our saluation deliueraÌ„ce froÌ„ eternall death Now wheÌ„ as our soule hath once found her self disposed to belieue this and receiued this impression froÌ„ the word of God she then cleerly seeth the marke whereat she aimeth knowing thereby the benefit which is set before her she is touched with a certain effectual feeling of pleasure which eggeth her coÌ„tinually forward to wish looke for the saluation which is prepared for her This is that hope by the which she foreseeth the happy hour of her felicitie by which she is kept for the loking for her blessednes vpholden double strengthened against all the griefes and miseries which mâ—ght shake the same and crosse her in the way Here then wee see how we must prepare our soule to make it capable of this felicitie We must now then necessarily see behold by her dealing how she delighteth her self in this most excelleÌ„t pleasure And it is to be considered two maner of wayes the one is that whilst she is clad about with this flesh and detained here in this vile world yet she still ioyneth and vniteth her selfe vnto God her creator by meanes of her pure holy disposition and of her good and charitable works The other is that wheÌ„ she is deliuered despoiled of the earth the world she wholy vniteth her self vnto her first originall being In this first estate we shal see her reioice in such happinesse pleasure contentment as infinitely surpasseth all the other delights which we possibly are able to wish or desire here below And such in very deed as are no way comparable vnto those pleasures which we know to be prepared for vs in the life to
brought vnto me with them a thousand mischiefes and a thousand discommodities yet can I not possibly leaue my selfe but am euen properly most like vnto them that being not wonted vnto the sea grow so sick when they are a ship-borde thinking the greatnesse of the vessell and rolling thereof to be the cause of their sicknesse are desirous to go downe into the cockboate for the easing and bettering of themselues and when they are there they grow sicker then they were before because they carie with them both their stomach and choller also into it And after that manner fareth it also with me for I carrying with my selfe both my priuate and particular passions am continually in the very selfe same trouble and vnquietnesse that I was before and so I haue gotten nothing by withdrawing my selfe from the world Howbeit whosoeuer he be that would do that that should further his saluation and follow the way of him which saith If any man will follow me let him forsake himself and take vp his crosse and follow me the same man without doubt shall finde rest vnto his soule For as the eye which continually mooueth and rolleth it selfe hither and thither sometime high and sometime lowe can neuer looke straite vpon any thing and therefore if he will looke well he must stedfastly cast and fixe his eye altogether vpon one point euen so mans vnderstanding being drawne away with a thousand sundrie cares cannot well bend it selfe aright vnto the knowledge of the truth for the vnmaried man shall be carried away with foule and beastly desires and lusts troubled with foolish and furious loue toyes other vnbrideled desires And on the otherside with how many cares shal the maried mā be thwarted for if he hath no children that will be a great corsiue to him he must also haue an eye vnto his wife he must prouide for the necessaries of his house he must be at charges with his seruants he shal be at variance with his neighboures he shall alwaies be at sure in the law his marchandize shall be in hazard and the manuring and storing of his grounds will be a great paine and charge vnto him he shall euery day haue new troubles in his minde and the night which bringeth with it all the cares of the day forepassed will tosse vp and downe in his fantasie And there is but one onely remedie for all this which is wholy to forsake the world neither must he abandon his bodie onely from the world but he must with a sweet and an assured resolution separate his minde cleane from the world yea he must as it were violently pluck away his very 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 the life and accord of Angels And to be vp by the sunne rising to pray sing himnes and songs vnto the creator and when the sunne is at the highest to begin his labou◠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 cares 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 returneth wholy into her selfe and afterward of her selfe raiseth vp her self euen vnto God Then all the clearnesse and brightnesse of this diuine most bright shining light forgetteth 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 health for let him that loueth temperance and modestie read ouer ordinarily the historie of Ioseph and therein he shall
remedies it is far better to entertaine them by wisedome that they empaire not for in the end it is length of time that must ripen and heale them For the people by experience recouer health and then they seeke after good and honest men and abhorre those whome before they had made much of They are like vnto pale-coulored maydes which eate all the worst things that possibly they can get but they cast them by and by vp againe For so soone as they are stirred and moued they vse for the seruing of their turne the most desperate and most wicked men but they are no sooner quieted and in a good moode and that this inconsiderate boyling heate hath runne ouer they by and by make no accompt of those villaines but are the first that will lay hold on them and plague them And therefore is not the common-weale greatly benefited when as good men preseruâ— them selues for such a dangerous time and forsake not either through anger or despaire the ship wherein they see the drunken passengers for a time rage and storme I confesse in deed that he must needs in such a case runne into a thousand hazards and suffer a thousand indignities But whosoeuer taketh the paine to him bâ—longeth the merite and reward and through trauell glorie encreaseth But especially amongst vs Christians who make profession to endure and abide by it and haue enrolled our selues vnder a Captaine that layeth before our eyes an hard and tedious warfare and assigneth vnto vs no crowne before such time as we haue sustayned many strange afflictions and innumerable trials and corrections He braggeth no whit of his victories nâ— yet of his souldiers that haue followed him otherwise then for their patience By this only vertue haue they conquered so many Prouinces Kingdomes and Empires and were no way glorious but by the receiuing and bearing of iniuries How can we then better follow him then by hazards opprobries and iniuries And in what a more worthie and recommendable occasion can we endure all this then to serue for the good and preseruation of our countrey If loue which God hath so highly commended vnto vs may so preuaile with vs as to hazard our goods and liues for the safetie of our neighbour what ought we to do for such an innumerable number of men and such a number of cities and prouinces vnto which nature hath conioyned and allyed vs by all one lawe language manners and secret affection which she hath imprinted in vs from the which whosoeuer separateth himselfe is adiudged of all the nations of the world vnworthie to behold the day light and to liue and be 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 themselues 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 frieÌ„ds are dead we say euen with sighs if we had done such a thing it may be 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 themselues 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 herselfe against the rigour of the condemnation which I most iustlie haue deserued Appease therefore somewhat what thy countenance and seeing that I haue a long while called vpon thy goodnesse helpe and deliâ—… me from all those euils which do â—…siege 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
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 so 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 soâ—…le â—aketh 〈◊〉 rest being ouercome â—ith 〈◊〉 continuall pricking of â—y conscience thâ—… pierceth euen through mine heart that I haue acknowledged my fault which I presently heare vpon â—ine 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 â—…h to be healed But that which gâ—…th 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 meaâ—es 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 â—…d malepart 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 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 〈◊〉 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 maiestâ—… ascend to the highest â—op of â—hy 〈◊〉 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 pluckâ— them out of my hands To be short I thought thou wouldest haue proclaimed open warre against me and thou offeredst mâ— 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 feeâ—e my heart also leapeth with ioy and boileth with an holy feruentnesse to praise thy name reâ—…yceth in the grace that thou hast shewed vnto it accusing none but it selfe of that that is past and â—…eth out saying 〈◊〉 is I that haue â—…ed it it is I 〈◊〉 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 towardâ— heauen to stretch forth her hand vnto him who alone is both able and willing to saue And therfore what more remameth 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 â—kill 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 it neuer came so late but that thou vouchsafedst to receiue me as thou art wonted to do those that haue not ouerslipped the occasion to repent themselues 8 For they that hasten themselues to sinne and willingly neglect to repent wheÌ„ as they might haue acknowledged their sinnes and haue had the meanes to do it but haue tarried vnto the very end of their liues to crie thee mercy and make their eyes burst out into a deluge of teares it is very dangerous but that they must deceiue themselues and that true repentance can neuer after enter into such hard hearts and their weeping and wailing to be but the â—oâ—…owes 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 blessed time vnto thee as to my refuge and to the end of my hopes and vnto my comfort in the trouble which after that manner hath encompassed me as the feare of death taketh hold on him who is destined vnto a shamefull punishment And therefore I beseech thy maiestie make me taste and feele that pleasure which he feeleth that is deliuered and freed from his bonds or chaines set at libertie out of
prison and deliuered from the punishment wherein his enemy had long time held him â—aptiue And contrariwise that the enemy of my soule shall blush with shame when as he shall see that I shall so deuoutly call vpon the ayde of my good God who with the very winke of his eye is able to deliuer me from the voluntarie bondage which I had vowed vnto damnable voluptuousnesse euen then when I dranke the sweet honie of the delightfull pleasures which she with a deceitfull hand gaue vnto me within this foule and filthie cup of the world 10 Alas when as I remember the 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 â—p his eye aboue thee and thou shalt now marche vnder the conduct of him who bringeth pure and cleane foules 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 easteth 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 rest shall I enioy when as I shall haue walked in the wayes which thou hast taught me to go in euen I my selfe I say who haue troade beside the path which leadeth vnto thine holy tabernacle I was already entred into this thick forrest of the world where all they easily lose themselues who for the enioying of the pleasure of thick queachie shadowie places leaue the day light which should shew them the way For euen by and by the dolefull sight of the night bringeth them together and putteth them foorth as a pray to the wilde beasts who will pluck them in peeces and cruelly deuoure them And thus was I hindered and staied in this labyrinth without hope to haue euer come out of it againe had dest thou not put into my hand the bottom which I must needs winde vp to bring me out of this perilous prison And now loe I am at libertie to serue my God who hath so deliuered me and to present before him his ownâ— pure and cleane image and to vow into his goodnesse so many fauoures wherewith he hath pleased to gratifie 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 felicitie 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 calleth 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 right foorth because he wanteth both sence knowledge and iudgement 12 And so thereby he hath a bitte put 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 powre downe vpon you an huge heape of calamities which will make you more wretched and miserable then miserie it selfe 13 Yee right well see how cleerlie the starres shine in the heauens and the sand which rolleth on the sea shore howbeit there is not so much sand in the sea nor so many starres in the skies as the obstinate shall endure plagues and punishments Their cursednesse hangeth ouer their heads their miseries follow them at their heeles euen vntill such time as that they are cast downe headlong into that gulfe the thinking whereof dooth terrifie whom soeuer remembreth 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 repentance without mercie where death is immortall the body liueth but to die and the soule but to suffer where the soule feeleth nothing but her sinne and the body nothing but his paine But contrariwise they that 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 gratious 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 thorne 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 is 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 out
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 vanish away as that there remaineth not so much as the smoake 2 For I see my God that thou hast discharged the sharpest arrowes of thy 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 my 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 ouerthrowe me They lyâ— 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 euer and besides this my miserie the rememberance 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 crepe 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 It is thou I say who with the twinkle of â—hine 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 trouble 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 not 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
this lump of earth for it is ready to follow thy will But wheÌ„ thou ô Lord shalt throughly haue renued it do not then I beseech thee forsake it but put a bridle in the mouth therof to the end that by abstinence it may keepe it selfe froÌ„ surfetting which pricketh it forward thereunto that it may by a chaste life keepe in a good â—…mper vnchaste and hote burning lusts that by humilitie it may abate the pride which biting enuie stirreth vp in her that pitifull charitie may chase from her hatred and greedy couetousnesse and that a godly care to serue honor thee may coÌ„tinually set spur to the flanks of her slothfulnesse and filthie negligence 3 For I haue already ô Lord made ouer-great a triall of this troupe of sine which enuiron me so as they will in such sort pull downe and teare in pieces thy workmanship as that wheÌ„ thou shalt come thou shalt finde nothing there but the shreds thereof shiuered broken all to fitters I haue had experieÌ„ce enough of them and these are they that haue brought me into that estate wherein now I am and neuerthelesse see yet at the tayle of these a coÌ„pany placed about me which cast in my teeth the spels blemishes wherewith they them-selues haue defiled me and make me culpable of the iniuries which theÌ„-selues haue done vnto me For thus they say It is thou that hast sinned and it is thou that art so foule and filthy 4 It is true in very deed that I haue sinned ô my God I lay open vnto theâ— the very bottom of my hart thou knowest my whole life I haue sinned in the sight of heauen earth all the world can beare witnes of mine iniquities But if I had not sinned vnto whome shouldest thou haue been mercifull How wouldest thou haue discharged thy selfe of the promises of grace which thou haddest so long agoe announced by thy Prophets And when as thou shalt come to sit vpon the eternall Throne of thy Iustice who is he that would not be afeared of thee yea although we were euen all rightuous Howbeit to the end that thy greatnes might be knowne we must when we shall be assigned a day to come before thee humbly fall downe vpon our faces before thy maiestie and cry out and say Most mercifull Lord we will not stand in defence before thee because our fault is manifestly knowne but loe our grace and pardon is in thy hand for thou thy self hast graunted it vs behold a token of thine owne bloud sealed in our image which for our redemption was imprinted in the weakenesse of our flesh 5 Doest thou thy selfe my God attend and looke that when I shall come before thee that I wil make a rampart of mine innocency and that I am so voyd of vnderstanding as that I would iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas ô Lord I right well know that I was not yet borne and that I was also nothing but sinne my mother likewise thought to be deliuered of a childe and was brought abed of sinne But it had beene a great deale better for her that she had been deliuered before her time of such monstrous fruite which shameth the tree that bare it and the earth that nursed it and heauen that ripened it I was nursed of sinne within my mothers womb and suckt her milke and behold it is so growne vp with me as that it shadoweth my head and blindeth mine eyes 6 But when I see the eyes of my bodie so seeled vp with sinne that is about me I then open the eyes of my soule and begin to see a farre off the beames of thine infallible truth and acknowledge thy maruellous secret wisedome which thou hast manifested vnto me And then my soule forsaking the impurite of my bodie lifteth her selfe vp vnto heauen and perceth through the incredible brightnesse thereof and casting her eye vppon the booke of eternitie shee therein readeth the draught of the newe couenant which thou art to make with men and then returning into her miserable body she filleth her selfe with hope and ioy and promiseth vnto her selfe assured victorie ouer her sinne 7 For she hath learned in heauen that thou wilt take into thine hand the Sprinkle of sweet smelling hysope and sprinkle vpon me cleane and purified water Thou shalt wash me and I shall become whiter then snowe and none shall see vpon me no not so much as the very trace and steps of sinne But ô Lord what lees shall that be that shall be made of the ashes of my sinnes consumed with the fire of thy loue with the water of the teares which my repentance shall distill from mine heart and in the Sunne of thy grace wipe away our teares and cause a spirituall reioycing to growe in vs and in the end make vs white with the puritie and brightnesse of righteousnesse that we may one day shine farre more excelleÌ„tly then the starres of the firmament 8 And then shall we heare nothing but the pleasant sound of the Trompet of saluation which shall deliuer out grace and mercie vnto all those that will receiue the same Then shall we see the rotten and consumed bones rise againe and take theyr fleshie bodie vppon them to partake that vniuersall ioye whereunto thou hast called the whole world 9 Now to the end I might then appeare so honorably apparelled before thee as such an honorable magnificence is worthie of I beseech thee my God to cast downe all my sinnes vnder thy feete and burie them all in the middest centre of the earth that no eye may be able to pierce through to see them and seperate me for euer from mine iniquitie which at this present I repudiate and do sweare an irreconciliable diuorce betweene me and them 10 Thou seest heere my Soule what an offer I make vnto thee and therefore make thy selfe pure and neate renue in mine heart a newe spirit which will conceiue nothing but holinesse and righteousnesse O Lord my God establish therein an house for thine holie spirit to the end I neuer hereafter either thinke breathe or vtter foorth any thing but the prayses of thee my God and let thy will be alwayes printed in my minde and thy glorie written vppon my lips 11 When thou hast thus clothed and furnished me with pietie and integritie I shall be then verie assured that nothing shall keepe me from thy presence and then as the Eagle naturally looketh full vpon the Sunne euen so will I fixe my sight and eyes vppon thine euerlasting face and 〈◊〉 thereby I shall see in thy wonderfuâ—… countenance all the perfectioÌ„s which I at this present am no way able to conceyue neyther shall thine holie spirit euer dwell out of mine hart for it is he that vnder the wing of a zealous loue shall carrie me euen into thine armes to associate me vnto this heauenly ioy 12 Make me therefore rightly to taste the sweete pleasures of this immortall life Saue me speedely
the more my voice cryeth vnto thee the stronger it is my courage encreaseth more and my praier betteâ— 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 kindnessâ— 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 â—ccuse vs It is thou that hast seene ouâ— iniquities and wilt attest them â—nd 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 â—…rrie vntill this blowe light vpon me I will defend me with â—…y 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 cranuies of obscuritie My soule is made very sad in me and mine hart stirreth it selfe like vnto one walking with his nose lifted vp into the weather who through his retchlesnesse falleth into the boâ—rome 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 to swound wilt thou stay vntill I be dead I am already so if thou make noâ— hast for my sences do by little and â—…tle 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 â—…ay I shall become like vnto those that go downe vnto the bottom of hell â—…le death will make my face looke wanâ—… and my feeling to sleepe â—ay 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 darke 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 〈…〉 of my soule theâ— my soule is 〈◊〉 lâ—fe of my bodie 10 And therefore let 〈…〉 neuer forsake me but let 〈◊〉 â—ight 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 â—…ches 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 deteâ—…ned 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 any poore soule and poysoned my spirit thou hast with thy sweet delights fed me and made the wiâ—h a little baâ—… of hony to swallow a deadly potion which running through my members hath so astonished and mortified me as that there is no differeÌ„ce 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 coÌ„sisteth 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 rightuousnesse 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 câ—…se 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 〈◊〉 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 sufficient thus to do where are the eares that are able to receiue them I want all things ô Lord for the taking in haÌ„d of this enterprise sauing courage will which being full of feruent affection cry out as much as iâ— possible vnto thee And therefore I humbly beseech thee to ayd their weak indeuours and seeing that the teares of my repentance haue washed away the filthines of my sinne wherwith my spirit was greatly charged burdened geue vnto it now the wings of faith hope that may swiftly carry the same into thine armes to reunite it selfe vnto her first originall being without hauing any other thought but such as may tend to the honor of thy seruice and aduancement of thy glory A MEDITATION VPON THE SEAVEN PSALMES OF the Consolation of Dauid 1594. A MEDITATION vpon the seauen Psalmes of the Consolation of Dauid The Lord is my light c. PSALME 26. AFter I had layeâ— in soâ—… min◠〈◊〉 in â—y tears sighed a thousand times with sorrowe in the â—eckning 〈◊〉 of my sinnes I thought ô Lord 〈◊〉 I hâ—… appâ—ised thy wâ—…th and thereby forthwith to haue ended my miâ—…e◠〈◊〉 alas as I looke vnto the world and thinke with an innocent life â—o conuerse amongst men I see their 〈◊〉 turned vpon me and all their purposes drifts directed to dâ—â—e 〈◊〉 â—o 〈◊〉 stand in doubt whether I be reconciled vnto â—…ee or no and whether thou be satisfied with this my repentance But in turning mine eyes euery way I perceiue that this affliction is common to me and to all honest and good men by the parts that I see playd them on euery side and how their constancie is alwayes in danger and contrarywise to see how the wicked easily regorge pleasure and all maner of benefits maketh me confounded and astonied For on the one 〈◊〉 I caâ—… to mind that thou art the great and mightie God of 〈◊〉 whose 〈◊〉 seeing all â—hiâ—gs â—…weth the deeâ—… â—ecrâ—… corâ—… and whose 〈◊〉 hand reacheth vnto the farthest parts of the world And on the other side I see those that lift vp their heads against thee and oppresse thy poore and â—…noâ—… 〈◊〉 prosper in thy â—ight and dayly pride vp them-selues in the happâ—…â—ucâ—eâ—… of the 〈◊〉 godlâ—neâ— I confesse ô Lord that I stand like a block and as one being blindâ—…ed with this 〈◊〉 am not able to pâ—erce through these thick mists which thus enuiron 〈◊〉 eyes of mine vnderstanding â—uâ— in the end ô Father of lights thou vnseeledst mine eye-lids and enlightning me with the beames of thy wisedome hast made me vnderstand why thou so vsest them and deliuering me from the payne and care wherein I was hast filled me with the assurance of my saluation and geuen me a most certaine consolation comfort So as I do not only at this present care for the thretnings of threatners and disdaine their insolencie but being râ—mpard with wonderfull constancie and great courage I offer my selfe vnto the combat and cry with a loud voyce Come who so euer will and dare for I now feare nothing For although God for a while exerciseth his faithfull seruants yet forsaketh he them not wheÌ„ they stand in need but in such sort compasseth their aduersitie with their forces 〈◊〉 that they become alwayes conquerors in this fight And to say truly so long as I am assured of his mercie what occasion can I haue euer to feare 2 He hath now taken my life into his protection and couered me all ouer with the wings of his power who can enforce him to set me ashore What shall I need to feare seeing that all the world feare and dread him which defendeth me his forces are not the armies of men but legions of Angels his ministers are not Princes and Captaines but thundring lightning and stormes his wrath is not blowes and hurts but earthquakes swallowing vp of Cities and drowning of whole Countreys Thou hast alreadie ô Lord all these armyes and hosts in thine hand and art readie to thunder them against the proude boldnesse of the wicked that haue coniured the ruyne of good men But because my God thou holdest back for 〈◊〉 time the arme of thy diuine vengeance comfort mee in the meane while with a sure hope that thou wilt neuer forsake mee And mee thinketh that thou sayest continuallie vnto mee tarrie a little for the time
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 sithence 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 it 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 sought at the place where 〈◊〉 enemies assaulted me I 〈…〉 fouâ—d at the gate when thou 〈…〉 it to enter with thee in triumph 〈◊〉 at thy feet when as thou shalâ— iudge bâ—th 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 is 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 the 〈◊〉 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 care against the oppressed innocent I will at all times blesse the Lord c. Psalme 34. 1 BLessed be thy name ô Lord which hast coÌ„forted me in misery blessed be he for euer that hath holpen me 〈◊〉 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 herein 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 caâ—y them vpon the wings of the winds vnto the vtter most 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 sought 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 out 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 is 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 himselfe 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 sâ—…les shall appeare it shal disperse them and if your 〈◊〉 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 the 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 want nothing in fearing him they trust in 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 richmen 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-head 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 drie 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 assured prosperitie which engendreth in you spirituall reioycing which laieth your heart continually open to breath out his honor cōtentedly to vse the benefits which he lendeth vnto you here in this world I will deliuer out vnto you in few words how yee shall attaine vnto this meanes For I know wherewith he is pleased and what actions of ours they are that are agreeable vnto his liking 12 The first thing that ye shall do is this Keepe your tongue that it speake nothing to the dishonor of God nor vtter any bitter angry talke Mark what a small and little thin member this is yet it is the sterne of our life which turneth and windeth our spirit which way soeuer it pleaseth For when it is once filled with corrupt filthy speech it carrieth the passions of our hearts from whence they are conceiued euen into the bottom of our vnderstanding and in such sort watereth them as that they are like vnto an earthen pot ouer much soaked in water so loseth therby the forme and shape of the reason which God had breathed into it See ye not that one sparke of fire setteth an whole house on a burning flame Euen so the tongue as the baite of sinne giueth it an entrance into vs bringeth it deafly in setting by that means our soules on fire wasteth and consumeth whatsoeuer good thing is within vs. Let vs then commaund our lips to receiue nothing but the bare and simple truth and banish lying deceit for euer from them For if we keepe in fast shut the wicked thoughts which may arise in our hearts without giuing thē vent they will in the end choke themselues euen as fire that hath no ayre 13 And therfore let vs first of all put all lying deceit farre away from vs for the true praise which God looketh for at our hands is that we should imitate him as much as our nature will permit Now he is the God of truth and of iustice who can neither loue not make much of vs so long as lying which is contrary to him shall dwell in vs. Secondarily we must estrāge our selues frō all sin whatsoeuer for to eschue ill is the beginning to do well and alwaies prouided that if God findeth vs void of wicked intents he will fill vs with good ones and teach vs that which we ought to wish and procure and the thing which we ought principallest to desire he teacheth vs. And that is peace which he would haue vs desire with all our hearts First peace with him which is the store-house of all goodnesse which we can neuer haue except we yeeld him that obedience which we owe him And then peace amongst our selues without the which we can neuer haue hi◠For he hath commanded vs to loue our neighbours as our selues so as if in stead of this we breath out nothing but bloud spoiles what peace would we haue with him whose lawes and commaundements we infringe and breake And withall that warre is no better then the blossome of iniustice which is abhominable before God 14 His eye which is this well framed and louing eye beholdeth none but the iust and righteous his light enlighteneth none but them neither are his miracles shewed but in fauour of them and his eares are not open but vnto their praiers and we may properly say that his iustice is on his side that examineth the life of those which offer themselues vnto him and to him recommendeth their praiers which are of an vpright heart 15 And as for those that take pleasure in ill dooing he looketh vpon them indeed but it is with a furious burning eye whose beames are like the arrowes of paines and miserie wherewith he woundeth their soules filling them with feare and astonishment besides a thousand other miseries which he laieth on them as earnests of torments which attend them He dreameth not of them otherwise then of the rooting out of their memorie from the ◅ce of the earth and by iustice to wash the arrowes of their polution which are left for he sufficiently knoweth their impenitent hearts which haue insolently neglected his holy mercy 16 Now the righteous haue not so done for they haue in good time returned vnto God and calling vpon his clemencie haue in the end obtained it they reioyced therein and it remained with them as it were their portion he hath deliuered them out of all their troubles wherein they were plunged and receiued them vnder his grace as vnder a brasen wall so as no violent mischiefe what soeuer can be able to make them false hearted 17 Vndoubtedly God is maruelous good fauourable thou mightest say that he is alwaies fauourable vnto the afflicted which call vpon him and forsaketh him not day nor night For no sooner hath our griefe sorrow humbled vs and made vs know what need we haue of him but that he is by and by ready at hand to saue vs. 18 In very deed the righteous are afflicted with strange calamities and a man might properly say that they are the very subiect and matter of miseries to worke on there are so many mischiefes come tumbling in one in anothers necke to oppresse them But this is not to any other end saue to make the mercy of God shine more gloriously in them For the greater that the tribulation is the more doth the pitty and compassion shine in the preseruing of them 19 For he keepeth euen the very least bone they haue nay there shall not one haire of their heads fall not be pluckt in sunder but by his expresse
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 that faithfully serue thee All people harken and geue c. Psalme 46. 1 COme vnto mee all yee strange nations drawe neere yee people that are farthest off come yee from all coasts to heare that which ye shall neuer heare else-where Passe ye the seas mountaines and let not any hardnesse of the way stop ye for the prize of your nauigation shall be greater then he that sayleth from the East to the West laden with pearles and diamonds And the reward of 〈◊〉 sweâ—…ings 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 〈◊〉 God that ye were all 〈…〉 all the rest of your 〈…〉 might strengthen your heâ—… 〈…〉 conceiue that which I will delâ—… 〈…〉 to you 2 Come come all ye that 〈…〉 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 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 death 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 〈◊〉 key and to what purpose serueth and 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 will not compound with him for any thing whatsoeuer This is his creature this is the slime of the earth out of which hee will take when it pleaseth him the spirit of life which he breathed into him and therefore man can no way gaynsay not 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 thâ—…â—…ners of the earth let him go and 〈…〉 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
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 geare 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 in sorrow griefe dolor anguish pouertie and miserie and cast them into Mercuries heape 19 And is it not great reason that it should be thus for they haue taken their pleasures here in this life and haue had their felicitie in this world and whatsoeuer they haue desired hath falne vnto them goods haue come rolling in by heapes vnto them the felicitie of their greatnesse was a burden vnto them they esteemed of none but of such as did help to enrich them neither loued they any but such as gaue them and made much of none saue of those that encreased their reuenues They are like to those meÌ„ who because they would haue a great stock sell the proprietie of their goods vnto others they dye leauing nothing behinde for the world to come hauing made no prouision for any goods that are there in request but content them selues with the goods that serue for this earthlie life which being ended they are left verie poore They haue desired honor but a vaine and slipperie honor which hangeth and resteth but vpon the opinion of fooles they had it but they could not tell well how to keepe it They would gladly haue sit vppon the top of the wheel that being turned about they are now downe in the bottome thereof but blessed and happy are they which can keepe them sure and immoueable vpon the scaffold and see them selues safe both aboue and below 20 But these miserable caytifes haue done nothing so for they haue made the leape them selues they haue voluntarily climbed vp to the steepest place from whence they haue bene cast downe backward euen vnto hell they are at this day in the number of their forefathers there haue they found their Auncesters from whome they receyued their birth and conditions they were imitators of theyr sinnes and when they are dead they shall be also partakers of their punishment for when repentance commeth too late they then learne but out of season what it is to lift them selues vp against God and oppose them selues vnto his glorie then they learne what it is to afflict the iust to oppresse the poore and to scorne the afflicted They are confined in the darke and the light geueth no more sight vnto their eyes They heare nothing but horror and gnashing of teeth they breath out nothing but sighes and groanes and they neuer stirre but with trembling and fretting 21 When these poore senselesse people were in honor they could not vnderstand it but became like vnto brute beasts which haue neyther sense nor iudgement But yet alasse they are farre vnlike for death in bereauing the beasts of their liues taketh from them aswell the feeling of their paine as of their pleasure but as for these poore fooles who would neuer vnderstand wherein their chiefe blessednes consisted but closed vp their eyes against the eternall light and stopped their eares against the spirituall word shall haue their sense as an argument or subiect of torments and their spirit shall liue continually to conceiue and eternally to languish their miseries O how good is God c. Psalme 73. 1 O How grâ—…t is the goodnes of our God and how assured is his helpe vnto all those that wait vpon him Vnto those I say who haue neuer turned away their thoughts from his iustice and mercie and who hauing the eyes of their soules alwayes fixed vpon his prouidence neuer gaue ouer the hope which they should haue in his grace And how greatly blessed are they whome the sundry ill haps of this world could neuer shake that constant assurance which they ought to haue of Gods righteousnesse O how greatly I say is the constancie of such men to be commended 2 For to say truly my foot oftentimes began to slip in the way and I glided oftentimes as it were euen readie to fall to the ground Much like vnto them that climbe vp a steepe thornie hill who so soone as they feele the briers and brambles begin to prick and raunch them or rub off the skinne against any flint stone lay hold with theyr hands for verie griefe vpon the crampons and rests which help them to climbe vp and then forthwith tumble quite cleane downe if they be not the sooner stayed Euen so my God whilst I would vnderstaÌ„d the iudgemeÌ„ts of thy works behold how thou dispensest thy graces as one pricked wounded to see the wicked prosper I make many false steps strides and am ready to fal into this steep breakeneck of not belieuing thy wisedome and
righteousnesse 3 What say I shall become of the people which know not God otherwise then to blaspheme him who think that they haue taken a pawne to serue their lusts and peruerse affectiōs who wil none of him but to haue him serue thē as a mommet to serue their wicked doings for a maske to serue their iniquities for a lure to serue their deceits yet get together the fruit of his grace and possesse in peace rest the chreame of his benefits I confesse my God that I am iealous of their prosperitie and do enuie this their ease and me thinketh it to be altogether against all reason 4 For who is he that seeth them that would say they should dye Who would not thinke but that they had bought of thee for a certaine summe the right of immortalitie here in this world Who would not say but that they were partakers with thee of euerlasting and constant felicitie Moreouer we see that all things alter and change here in this world which sheweth that in successe of time all these things must come to an end but we see their prosperitie to be so firme and of so great equalitie as that a man would thinke that if they continually encrease in such sort as they do they will grow at last to be as infinite as thy selfe and place them selues in thy heauenly Throne for there is no likelyhood that any thing can do them hurt neither yet that any the least and only mishap is able to rest vpon the skirt of this so glorious magnificence It is incredible that any thing can be able to hurt their pretious bodies enuironed with such aboundance of so excellent ritches 5 As for other men they are made crooked with labor and trauell is their ordinarie course of life they are borne with groanes they grow vp with sighs they waxe old with lamenting the Sea is oftner without wind then their liues are without torments a man shal not see so many shot about a white as he shall see miseries and afflictions fas◠tyed round about all other men But these men alone are shielded and exempt from all these and in an equall and constant course of life they swimme at pleasure in the delights of this world and make the calamities of good men and such as feare God their pastimes and sports Hast not thou seene a Tyrant vpon the top of a Theatre looking vpon poore slaues fighting against Lions and 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 abhhominations rumble tosse vp and downe in thei◠cōsciences all their desires thoughts tend to nothing but vnto some filthinesse 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 a long 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 licētiously to outrage men yet might they cōteine thēselues frō 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 vpō 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 hath disposed all things by compasse and created all things by measure If his iustice be presidēt 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 created for them goods rayne downe vpon them as they would desire honors roll in by heapes into 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 cōtinuall 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 whē 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 A◠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 geare 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 vnderstood thy councell therein For after I had resolued with my selfe to see the end whereunto thou haddest prepared those peoples I forthwith saw that thy iustice is most true and that although it sometimes maketh slow haste yet it payeth home at the last with seueare punishment and therefore I verie stedfastly waited and looked what should become of them 18 And truly in the end thou payedst them thorough stitch and rewardedst them according to their craftie and wicked dealing For when they thought them selues at the highest degree of honor behold thou ouerthrewest them and castedst them down headlong in a bottomlesse depth of miserie For all their pomps magnificences and ritches were nothing vnto them in the end but an high and eminent scaffold to bring them vp vnto that steepe and high breake-necke from whence they were most shamefully rolled downe ouer and ouer 19 O most true God what a desolation discomfort is this There is nothing but weeping about them for all they of their guards and all their pentioners do nothing else but beate their brests holding down their heads as the Lilly holdeth downe his when it is sore rayne-beaten and hauing compassion of those whome they were wont to enuy They most lamentably looke vpon the ruine of their idoll and consider with them selues how foolish they were to make a mortall and miserable man their God who was no better then wind or smoke For if a man considereth and marketh their end he shall see them dispatcht and gone in a moment neyther is there any thing that commeth more speedily to an end then the way of their greatnesse bringeth them thereunto and they haue bene so suddainely changed as that there could be nothing possibly to be seene of them Behold and looke on them for once they were and now they are not hardly can a man see their footsteps and marke whither their sinnes haue brought them it was a great while before the snare or grin could be made fit for them but loe in the end they lighted into it For during the time that the foundation of the house was in vndermining they climbed the higher that their fall might be the greater They continually clambered vp higher and higher and thought that whatsoeuer was below them was theirs only but in the end they clambered vp so high as that they lost them selues in the ayre before they could get againe to the earth so as they were caried away with the wind 20 And loe they became as dreames when men awake for as a man sayth when he awaketh I dreamed well to thinke of such a thing euen so shall it fare with you for when such men as ye are shall vanish away and come to naught the people will then say surely the greatnes of these men was but as a dreame and a very meere vaine and inconstant folly For thou wilt make them of so little worth as that they shall be neuer once thought of but as in a mockerie and in discommending and condemning their pride and insolencie will say See how their houses are ruined behold the place where these outragious Sirs dwelt who cared neither for God nor men which delighted in nothing but in filthinesse wickednes who haue built so many and so many houses with the boanes of the poore and cimented their palaces with the bloud of the needy and loe there remaineth nothing of all that they had but the markes and notes of their ignominie for the tempest hath passed ouer them and there is not so much as any one tittle or iote remayning of them Thus we see ô Lord that we must not rashly iudge of thy prouidence and therefore who so euer will iudge therof must patiently wait vnto the end and suffer himself to be led by thy spirit must call vpō thee also for the comforting addressing of him for notwithstanding that I fret fume chafe sigh grone and haue set euery part of my body in a sweat with sore labor and brought my selfe as it were euen to deaths dore yet am I neuer a-whit the better for it and after I had tormented my selfe I found my selfe as resolute as I was before 22 I was so vexed and grieued I say as that I knew not whether I was a man or a beast nay I was in very deed like a beast and could no more comprehend the same then if I had vtterly lost mine vnderstanding Howbeit I still stand to that hope which I haue in thee and the more I see my sense
and iudgement fayle me the speedelier runne I vnto thee and humbly beseech thee to open my spirit that I may know and vnderstand what thy will is 23 Thou hast taken and held me fast by the hand and set me gently againe in the way of thy will and madest me vnderstand thy purpose and mind nay thou hast done more then that for me thinketh thou hast opened both mine eyes and the heauens all at once that I might see the mightinesse of thy glorie Thou hast I say ô Lord made me to see it for this is a thing whereunto no mortall man without thee is able to reach 24 For alasse should I poore weake thing that I am go to seeke for that in heauen which I cannot very well see at my feet who cannot perceiue but with much ado that which is here oâ— earth before me The eyes of my bodie are very duskish and mistie and the eyes of my soule faâ—re worse and mens thoughts are marâ—ellous vncertaine and weakâ— for the earthly and corruptible body dâ—lleth and maketh idle our spirits and tyeth and bindeth our senses fast vnto the earth in so much as that without thee I can not hope for any thing here below in the world nor yet promise vnto my selfe any certaine knowledge of what thing soeuer What am I able being â—ere vpon the earth to iudge and discerne without thy ayd and without it pleaseth thee to enlighten my spirit with those things which thou hast ordeyned in heauen in the sâ—ate of thine eternitie But thou also ô Lord hast supplyed my want and lâ—d me by the hand to make me see the couâ—sâ—… of thine eternall wisedome thou haâ—… 〈◊〉 it were made me in loue with 〈◊〉 and hast heaued and thrust my 〈◊〉 out of my body to maâ—e 〈◊〉 capable of the heauenly light and of thy wise purposes 25 Surely when I consider of these 〈…〉 things I am cleane gone 〈…〉 is tâ—…en from me and I am 〈…〉 ô God What is 〈◊〉 my God which thou hast made 〈…〉 the God of any hart of 〈…〉 of my hope and thou 〈◊〉 God â—hoâ—e I esteeme to be my onlâ— felicitie and whome to loue I haue from henceforth destined all my affections I now know ô Lord what thou aâ— how iust and how puissant I will now neuer be abashed more ne yet astonyed to see the strange and wonderfull things of the world whereof I am not able to comprehend the reason For thy counsels are maruellous â—…gh and thy wisedome â—eâ—iâ—ble profound But in the end ô Lord whatsoeuer thou disposest oâ—… here in this world is finished 〈◊〉 Iâ—stice 26 For as many as withdraw them 〈◊〉 from â—y obedience and estrâ—… them selues from thy grace â—…aâ— perish most miserably and â—ll they which breake the faiâ—h of the 〈◊〉 which they haue sworâ—… to â—eruâ— theyr concupiscences and 〈…〉 and goe â—n whoring with 〈…〉 â—arth and 〈…〉 all they thâ—… 〈…〉 sciâ—… and proâ—… 〈…〉 vnto 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 shall be rooted 〈…〉 the â—…y of thy reueâ—ging 〈◊〉 27 〈◊〉 as for me 〈…〉 depart from thee neither hope for 〈◊〉 other felicitie but 〈…〉 stick faâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…y â—…des as 〈◊〉 I â—…ll â—…uer dâ—pâ—rt â—hence I will so stedfastly lookâ— vpon tâ—eâ— as that I 〈◊〉 obserue 〈◊〉 tâ—…nâ—ling of thine â—yes and so confirme my selfe vnto whatsoeuer thou desirest of me follâ—… ranke by ranke whatsoeuer thou coâ—…andest 〈…〉 iâ—…eâ—d 〈◊〉 pâ—… 〈…〉 aâ—d seeing I 〈◊〉 thee to be altogether good and almightie and 〈…〉 â—…redly beleeue that 〈…〉 also will I constan◠〈…〉 wilâ— assist me and gâ—u◠〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 that are necessary for 〈◊〉 O how 〈◊〉 câ—…lâ—Ì„t most assured iâ— tâ—…t 〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 vpon the 〈…〉 good almighty God 〈…〉 mâ— such 〈◊〉 â—…mbâ—… 〈…〉 of hiâ— beneâ—… 〈◊〉 so 〈…〉 hiâ— liberalitie◠〈…〉 me beleeue that I shall be assured of the reward which he hath promised me if I serue him faithfully Why doest thou my God most liberally bestow vpon me so many benefits why doest thou promise me such infinitenesse seeing there is in me nothing but sinne and infirmitie 28 I right well see ô Lord that it is to the end that I may be the man to declare abroad euery where thine immensurable mercy and vnspeakâ—able goodnes and publish thy prayse throughout all the gates places of resort and secret corners of Syon thine holy Citie To the end that I going vp into thine holy hill amongst those whome thou hast assembled in thy Church for the receyuing of thy blessings and seruing of thy glory might make them vnderstand the secrets of thy wisedome which thou hast vouchsafed to reueale vnto me And that in addressing my voyce with that stile which thine holy spirit hath framed in the same I might vnfold the holy mysteries of thine incompreheÌ„sible wisedome to the end that euery one heaâ—ing me discourse of the knowledge wherein thou hast instructed mee might be had in admiration not of me who am but an hoarse instrument of thy glory but of the maruellous effects of thy quickning spirit who shall embolden me vnto this glorious holy and solemne worke But ô Lord after thou hast for a while entertained vs here in this estate vpoÌ„ this terrestriall Syon lift vp our eyes vnto that heauenly Syon embolden and encourage vs vnto the attayning of that blessed aboad and teach vs which are they vnto whome thou hast promised the same And teach vs also how we must carry our selues to be made worthy of so excellent holy and glorious a dwelling place O Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. Psalme 15. 1 THE world ô Lord sith it hath so pleased thee is vnto vs a tedious pilgrimage wee dayly walke therein and cannot finde any nights rest for our wearyed members For if we thinke to lay downe our heads vpon the pillow or bolster to geue our eyes sleepe our afflictions importune vs like flyes yea and the very passions which are bred within our flesh do swell puffe vs vp and venome vs like dangerous scorpions and kill vs if we presently kill not them What are we like to hope after seeing that as we lack strength so must the miseries also needs grow vpon vs seeing that which way so euer wee turne or are any way able to turne vs we shall finde our selues altogether in the middest of the world and this world find it how and where we will is onely full of misery Where then shall we finde rest we shall neuer find it in this miserable life where-into we are put as chief wrestlers to striue against all manner of aduersities but rather ô Lord in thy Tabernacle in the holy dwelling place of thy Godhead where our labors shal be crowned O blessed yea thrise blessed is he for whom thou hast prepared this so goodly and pleasant a withdrawing place for the mitigating and comforting of his paines and griefes past within the bosome of thy grace and resteth himselfe betweene the armes of thy mercy But who
the sea do But alasse the sea hath sometimes calme winds and thou ô Syon hast in thine affliction nothing but stormes and tempests the sea hath ports and hauens to come into and thou billowest continually in trauell and payne O poore Ierusalem who shall then be able to saue thee seeing thy misery is greater then either heauen or earth from whence then shalt thou finde remedy Nun. Shall thy Prophets do it which haue so long troubled thine head which haue deliuered vnto thee their dreames and old wiues tales and entertayned thee with vanities and leasings whereas they should haue boldly told thee of thy sinnes and so thereby haue called thee backe vnto repentance But they imagined and thought vpon Anticks and being sotted and in loue with their owne shadowe◠presumptuous opiniōs vndid them selues in all their discourses and enterprises Samech Behold in what a case thou now standest ô poore desolate Syon for thou receyuest herein both losse and shame together for now all they that go by clap their hands and shake their heads at thee saying Is this that so braue and honorable Citie that was so full of all magnificence and more full of all delights and pleasures then all the Cities of the earth beside Phe. There is not one that passeth by thee which hath not a cast at thee to bite and sting thee and who will not after their groining manner thus say we wil now haue it we wil deuoure it and nothing shall keepe vs from it this is the day which we haue so long looked for and now is the houre which we haue dayly hoped after Ain Behold Ierusalem the reason why God preserued thee so long is because thou wert worthie of it Thou thoughtest that his threats had bene vayne and friuolous and now thou seest whether he be a lyer or not and whether he be able to performe that which he promiseth yea or no. For he foretold thee that if thou obeyedst not his lawe that he would destroy thee make thee an heape of stones and see now if he hath mist it Yea he hath ruined thee without remission and made thee a scorne vnto thine enemies and geuen them all power and authoritie ouer thee Sade But God in the end began to waxe weary of their insolency because they carryed thē 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 vnto 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 be 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 childrē 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 cares harken vnto our 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 art 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 owen 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 out hands Thou hast seene abroad in the fields the gray haired and decreped old men and women lye vpon the ground crying out groaning and weeping thou hast seene lying within our walles the slaughter of our youths our streetes strawed all ouer with legs and armes 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
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 store of affliction and misery is betide me which as a most bitter brooks 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 sâ—…nes which enuiron me round 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 continuall 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 whensoeuer the last 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 thou 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 aulters mine action shall bee a song of thy praise and goodnesse and so will goe day and night into thy church lifting 〈…〉 eyes vnto thee and hauing my thoughts fixed on thee I will open â—ine heart and thou shalt fill it with thy grace that it may sanctifie all mine affections and so 〈◊〉 thereby may set forth nothing more then thy glory FINIS
we take not this onely for ordinary praye◠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 frō 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 instrumēt of his glory by which we try whether we conuerse therin holily 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 thāks for his fauours daily shewed vnto vs our spirit is as it were rauished in a swond we feele his hand already cōming faster vpon vs then we are in calling vpō 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 praises 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 hearts rebound and leape in vs and our spirit lifteth vp it selfe aboue the heauens and ioineth in thought with our creator And what houre nay what moment of an houre ought we to cease turning the eyes of our soules towards him who continually standeth with his armes wide open to embrase 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 heauē vnto the earth frō cleare shining brightnesse into miserable darknesse and to lead away my sences frō puritie and cleannesse into a most filthy dunghil or iakes And therfore O thou my deare soule liue yea liue I say and settle and resettle thy selfe amidst these heauenly delights which as pearles and diamonds haue banished themselues into the wildernesse and vttermost parts of the earth and are such an excellent market as can possibly be wished vnto all such as haue the hearts to go thether to seeke after them and liue thou this blessed life which is the way of immortalitie that pleasantly leadeth vs euen into the entrie of the heauens following our God step by step and holding him by the garment where being arriued we shall be bereaued but of that clothing that hindereth vs and be cast with a lost body into the middest of the depth of his glory where being full not of pleasures ease reioycing delights and voluptuousnesse but with an vnspeakable and vnbeleeueable contentment which surpasseth whatsoeuer we are able not to speake of but to thinke of We shall begin the course of this immortall life which neuer shall haue end enter into this eternall blessednes out of which we shal neuer come be enlightened with that most heauenly glory which neuer shal be darkened But because that this last most perfect felicitie consisteth in beholding the face of the father of light wherein we shall see the spring-head and originall beginning of all goodnesse and excellencie will not haue vs see him face to face so long as we are encompassed about with the darknesse of this world but onely his back part as it were passing by we might hold our peace and with silence admire that which we know to be but we know not how neither are we once able to speake thereof but that we must needes accuse our owne ignorance and that whereof we are not able to affirme any thing saue that we know not any thing thereof by any of our sences but is a thing which beyond all measure surpasseth all perfection else whatsoeuer for our sences can no way possibly pierce so farre into it and the more that our spirit striueth to enter into it the more it stumbleth therat What is there then for vs to do Forsooth a most assured hope that if we liue heere in this world holily rightuously and make our selues worthy of the grace and fauour which our heauenly father offreth vnto vs and withdraw not our affections from him and giue not the honour which we owe vnto him vpon and to these earthly and worldly things we shall one day enter as his children and heyres of his glory into the treasury of his heauenly ritches and enioy according to his promises the brightnesse of his eternitie I Haue adioyned this Epistle vnto the end of this treatise because they are both of like argument and because also we should not so esteeme of our owne inuentions as that we should not commend likewise the workes of the auncient fathers who haue farre exceeded vs both in age zeale and knowledge And that small diuersitie that may be found in the translation may be imputed vnto the barēnesse of our language wherein as in a painting men are enforced to imitate by shadowes and images the helpe of naturall bodies And let a man do whatsoeuer he can yet is it a rare and strange thing to make the counterfet of any thing equall vnto the thing it selfe The Epistle of S. Basile the Great vnto S. Gregorie the deuine I Haue forthwith re-acknowledged your letter as men reacknowledge their friends children to be like vnto their parents for there is no man that can or may better mislike of our heremitages than you your selfe nor know before hand what our manner of life and ordinarie conuersation is to vphold and maintaine that the choise of places can any way enlarge and encrease your heart vnto deuotion and that there is nothing therin at all which may cause you to hope for any such sweet delight and felicity which we heerein promise vnto our selues In very deed I should be ashamed to cause you to haue a desire to write hereof that which I my selfe day and night do here in this wildernesse For although I haue left the city all those tedious dealings which