[Page] HOLY MEDITATIONS Vpon Seauen Penitentiall and seauen Consolatory Psalmes of the Kingly Prophet Dauid. Written by the noble and learned G. D. V.
Imprinted at London for Thomas Thorp 1612.
TO SIR PETER Manwood, Knight of the Honourable order of the Bath.
NEITHER Seas nor Mountaines are so impassable a diuision in humain society, as diuersity of language: they seperate our [Page] bodies onely, these our mindes, making vs absent euen in presence, while though our bodies meet together, yet wee, (I meane our diuiner parts) cannot: If any one could open the backe doore of the Indies, and let vs in a neerer way, how would fame dwell on his memory, and posterity gratifie his labour. A sinceere cleere Translator dooth more, for hee conducts our vnderstandings the next safest way to the ritchest intellectuall mines that are. How many after a long trauaile, bring forth onely some forraine deformitie, their example making deeper impressions then their precepts, where as these Bees bring vs home the [Page] honey, leauing the poyson in the weede, saue vs the labour of trauaile, by transporting other countryes to vs, and not exiling vs to them, making remotest kingdomes as domestick and cheape as mapps, greatest Princes as familiar as bookes, and our farthest iourney but to Paules Church-yard. For they reconcile and new tune iarring man-kind, bringing back the harmony of speech from discord to vnisone. For as originall writers are the spring-heads of knowledge, so are these the conduit pipes bringing vs home what wee haue not strength or leysure to fetch abroad. The vnhappy difference is, that all waters are cleerd and [Page] purified by long conueyance, writings corrupted and thickned. How so nyce and delicate an apprehension will relish these, euent will tell mee. The Author can protect him-selfe (who is yet liuing, and famous for his singular learning and eloquence) and you mee, not by patronizing mine errors, but in correcting them. Some houres of melancholy I haue bestowed on these Holy Meditations, with much satisfaction to my selfe, if so to you I will thinke it a very fortunate idlenesse, and striue hereafter to present you with matter of some other subiect. Thus wishing you whatsoeuer may become your owne vertues [Page] or my desires. I submit my selfe to your fauourable censure, and rest
Meditations on the Penitentiall Psalmes of Dauid.
Domine ne in furore. Psalme. vi.
LAie not vpon me ô Lord the arme of thy seuere iudgement: It wold throw me like a torrent into the depth of death and eternall damnation. It would deuour mee like fier, and the remander of my body would fly away into ashes: what eye is able to endure, without perrishing for feare, the onely [Page 2] looke of thine angry countenance, when casting thine eye vpon us, thou percest the very bottome of our hearts, and discouerest the secrets of our impure consciences? our abhominable sinnes will draw downe thy iust anger vpon our heads, and thy inkindeled wrath will throw vs head-long at once into the gulphe of paine, torments and misery. Before then that thy fury doth arise against mee, and that thou commest with a iust disdaine to ouerthrow & destroy me, harken vnto the humble groning which my heart, possessed with feare, doth present vnto thee, and receaue this weake and panting voyce which with tears, cryeth [Page 3] thus vnto thee.
2. Mercy, mercy ô Lord, alas my God what dost thou? wilt thou make proofe of thy strength on my weakenesse? dost thou thinke that I present my selfe before thee to wrastle against thy power? it is thy clemency ô Lord which I run vnto. I place my selfe vnder thy wing to the end it may defend mee from the rigor of the cōdemnatiō which I haue to much deserued. Looke then vpon me with a milder countenance, and seeing that I haue in a time conuenient called vpon thy goodnes, helpe me, & deliuer me from so many euills which beseege me: for behold, my body doth languish: & it seemeth vnto me [Page 4] that all my bones are bruzed and broken.
3. And my poore body is not onely thus cruelly aflicted, but likewise my miserable soule is wholy dipped in sorrow: this soule, ô Lord, which did determine with her voyce to glorifie the author of her life, is beaten downe, and desolate, without strength, and courage; and as the fearefull Doue hideth her selfe at the voyce of thunder in some little hollow place, euen so she perceauing thy fearefull indignation doth seeke out the most obscure darkenesse for retreat. But vntill when my God, shall thine anger last?
4 Come, come ô my God, and turne vpon mee that looke [Page 5] of pitty where-with thou canst blot out, not onely my sinnes, but those of the whole world. I feele my soule to sticke fast in a foule and deepe bogge of iniquity: she sinketh, she stretcheth out her hand vnto thee ô Lord: alasse draw her forth of it, & bring her into the way of saluation. Saue her ô Lord, for she coniures thee by thine infinite goodnesse and vnspeakeable mercy. It is most true that she deserues it not, and ought not to hope for helpe from him, whome shee hath so carelesly forsaken, against whose honor she hath so wickedly conspired: The reward of her offence ought not to be mercy, but torment and eternall death.
[Page 6] 5. But ô Lord who is it that in the middest of hell; in the bottomlese pit of death, shall sing thy praises, and sound forth thy name? there is the dwelling place of sorrow, there is nothing heard but howlings, there is nothing seene but torments, and thy prayse on the contrarie consisteth in the publication of thy infinite meekenesse, goodnesse and mercy.
6. And thenbehold on the one side humble penitence which intercedeth for me, and which hath sworne not to leaue mee vntill it hath reconciled me vnto thee. And on the other, humble praier which importunes thee for me, and hath sworne not to let thee rest till it hath [Page 7] reconciled me vnto thee. Alas ô Lord, thou hast so oftentimes seene my teares, and heard my lamentations. That I doe daily at the remembrance of mine offences wash my face with my teares, I cause my bed to swim in the water with streameth from mine eyes: what is it which commandeth mee to doe so? is it not ô Lord penitence which I religiously obserue?
7. I looke downe-ward, and tremble with feare at the aspect of thine angry countenance. I doe patiently endure the rebukes of mine enemies, and take their reproches in good worth, as the iust punishment of their offences. I walke in their sight with sackcloth, [Page 8] with ashes on my head, and confession in my mouth, I prostrate my selfe at the feete of thine Altars; I make leane with scourges of affliction the flesh which deliuered ouer my body vnto sinne: but my torments serue for matter of laughter vnto those that hate mee, who swarme about mee to traduce me by scoffes and derision.
8. But now that thou doost shew mercy vnto me, I will bid them stand backe, stand backe ô yee children of iniquity, yee shall no more laugh at my misery: the Lord hath heard my prayer, my teares haue ouercome his wrath, and loe I enioy the frute of his holy fauor. The brightnesse of his goodnesse [Page 9] hath shined vpon me, and behold, the mists wherin my head was wrapped are on a sodaine scattered and vanished away.
9. I had skarce opened my lips to inuoke his ayde; my heart did skarcely dispose it selfe to craue his pardon, when as I felt his grace to bee shed vpon me, to comfort and quicken my languishing soule, euen as an hot bath doth the members of a poore Pilgrime tired with trauell: oh incredible clemency! how comes it to passe O Lord that thou art so ready to forgiue? I ranne on to offend thee, and thou came'st flying to giue me pardon. I haue employed all the dayes of my life to seeeke both [Page 10] by sea and land matter for my ambition, auarice, and licentiousnes; and after that I had engulphed and lost my selfe in mine owne pleasures, thou pearced'st in a momēt the heauens, and clowdes, and cam'st to deliuer me. So as now I triumphe ouer my sinne, which followes the tropheis of my penitency, the which hath found fauour in thy fight. And in this manner my hope (which mine offences had almost smothered) is reuiued more then before, & doth promise me not onely the Empires of the world, which houer where the Lord enclineth them, but openeth the highest heauens vnto me, and assureth mee after an happie [Page 11] life in this world, the enioying of diuine immortallity. What shall then mine enemies doe now, when they shall see such felicity heaped vpon me? They shall blush for shame, and shall by greatly troubled in their mindes: they shall retire themselues all confounded and astonished: For he whome they thought to destroy, is raised higher then euer he was. Alas they mocked mine ashes, they iested at my fasts, they flouted my teares, and whilest by abstinence I tamed my flesh, the true enemy to my soule, they did swimme in worldly delights: but loe, the arme of God was ready to thunder on their insolency. ô my God, [Page 12] giue them leasure to perceaue the extreame danger wherein they are, and to begge from an high the onely remedy for their disease, and as for me, who feele my selfe purified from those filthinesses which compassed mee about, which feele my soule enflamed with the fire of thy charity, teach my lippes to set forth thy prayses, adresse my voyce to resound thy mercy, and direct mine affection to loue thee sincerely, and to establish her cheefe happinesse, and highest felicity in the knowledge of thy truth.
Beati quorum, Psalme, 31.
HOw happy my God are those, whose offences thou [Page 13] hast pardoned, and whose sinns thou hast buried in a tombe of forgetfulnesse. For, alas! what can become of him whom thou causest to endure the iust punishment for his sinnes? an armie of miseries enuirons him, pouerty assailes him, sicknesse afflicts him, famine oppresseth him, and death it selfe, which he thinketh to bee the hauen of this tempestuous nauigation, is the bottomlesse pit to draw him into eternall torments.
2. Thrice and foure times happy then are they of whom God demandeth none account of their actions, but is satisfied so that they humble themselues before him, acknowledging their infirmity, and opening [Page 14] vnto him the depths of their hearts: For his mercy is to bee called vpon by true confession, and sincerity of conscience: hee that will be heard, must humble himselfe before him. As hee which goeth to a fountaine, puts downe the mouth of his vessell before hee can fill it with liqour, in like manner it behooueth him to cast himselfe down before his creator, which will draw and taste of the water of this sacred fountaine, from whence distilleth the humour, which alone can cleanse and purge our consciences.
3. I did thinke sometimes, oh my God, to hide my faults from thee, & haue said vnto my selfe; How can hee tell, or not, what I [Page 15] haue done? In this manner my sinne waxed old in my bones, and like the sores of a sick man, who is ashamed and dares not shew his disease to the surgeon; they doe increase and waxe worse, till the whole body perrish: in like manner the sinnes which I haue hidden from thee, haue wholy infected me.
4. But at the last thou hast in such sort, day and night, layde thy heauy hand vppon mee, and hast caused mee to taste so many kindes of misfortunes, betwixt which my soule liueth without rest, quelled with a continual pricking in my consciēce which pierceth the very bottom of my heart, as I haue acknowledged my falt, the which I now [Page 16] carry in my hand. Take notice of it ô my GOD, but not in thine anger: for the streaming teares which haue quenched with weeping the light of mine eyes, ought likwise also to haue extinguished the heate of thy iust indignation. And then, am I not the worke of thine hands, and that which is more, the liuely image of thy diuinity? who is hee so transported with choller, which will breake in peeces the workmanship which hee hath so much delighted to polish and bring to perfection, because it is a little foule and slubberd? This image is loden with filthinesse I confesse, but is it not much better to clense & burnish it then to destroy it [Page 17] and tread it vnder foote?
5. Teach me then my God, what satisfaction I am to make, for I haue now discouered vnto thee all those faults which before I did conceale. The feare which possessed me then, when I hid my selfe from thee, now when I lay my selfe open vnto thee, is turned into hope of fauor and pardon. And now I cast my selfe into thine armes, as my surest refuge, with the selfe same countenance, as the poore patient, who shewing his wound to the Surgeon, lookes attentiuely vpon him, and manfully endureth the search and lancing, for the desire and hope which hee hath to bee healed. But that which giueth me most [Page 18] hope of health, is, that those vices wherein I delighted heertofore, doe now make mee afraide to behold them, as the meates where-with a man is stuffed in health doe afterwards make him sicke at the heart. That which made mee fierce, doth now make mee ashamed, when I consider the danger of death, wherevnto my pride had exposed my poore soule. I thanke that day which first gaue mee the light to acknowledge my fault. I did on that day, my GOD, receiue a singular testimony of thy goodnesse towards mee, let it please thee then, that the pleasure which I haue receyued in displeasing my selfe, [Page 19] may continue with me as long as that which I tooke in my vices: For if I can take as great contentment in my penitencie, as I haue taken in my sinne, my happinesse shall bee equall to that of thine Angels, and by my humilation before thee, I shall see my selfe exalted to the highest toppe of thy fauour.
6. Who doubteth ô Lord that thou wilt not receiue mee to mercy? thou whose meekenesse and benignity, is not only vnspeakable but incomprehensible? I did no sooner thinke of returning vnto thee, but thou diddest meete mee. I did no sooner say that I would confesse my misdeeds; but thou [Page 20] diddest grant mee pardon. I did no sooner know what punishment belonged to my sinne, but thou forgauest it. I tooke the roddes in hand to chastice my flesh, and thou tookest them from mee. To bee short, I thought that thou wouldest haue proclaimed war against mee, and thou offeredst mee a charitable reconciliation. Oh how much more rather ô Lord doost thou pardon then punish? Can a good Father more louingly receiue his Childe which beggeth his pardon, then thou hast receiued mee, when I did cast my selfe at thy feete? Mine heart also leapeth for ioy, and boyleth with an holy heat to praise [Page 21] thy name; it reioyceth in the fauor which thou hast shewed it, accusing none but it selfe for what is past, and cryeth out, it is I which willed it, it is I which haue done it, it is I which tooke pleasure therein: but my God was mercifull vnto mee,
7. How could he haue refused me his mercy, seeing Christ Iesus is my Aduocate, and thy Saints, whose prayer is so deere vnto him, haue prayed, doe pray, and will continually pray vnto him for mee? They are those who make intercession for mee; who procure his fauour for mee; who implore his goodnesse, for in those prayers which they powre out for thy vniuersall Church [Page 22] I hope to haue my part? They haue need alas to intercede for mee, seeing that the impiety of my heart hath in such sort blinded mine vnderstanding by her euill thoughts, as my soule could not looke vp towards heauen, to lift vp her hand to him, who onely can and will saue it: what remained for mee more, but that those whom thou drawest neere to thy selfe, and whom thou hast receiued into the sacred consistory of thine eternity, should beseech thee to haue pitty vppon mee? Vpon me, who (a cheife enemy to my selfe) haue neuer, could, nor would haue prayed vnto thee for mine offence. I doe now then comfort my selfe, [Page 23] for that thou hast opened mine eyes to see the lothsomnesse of my conscience, for that thou hast mollified my heart to make true contrition to lodge therin. If it hath not beene so soone as it shold, it hath not at the leastwise beene so late, but thou hast vouchsafed to receiue mee as thou art wont to doe those who let slippe no time of repentance.
8. For those which make haste to sinne, and do willingly neglect repentance, when they perceiue their faults, and haue meanes to doe it, deferring till their liues end, to craue thy mercy & louing kindnesse, and to make a deluge of their eyes, they are in great danger [Page 24] of deceiuing themselues, and true repentance cannot afterwards enter into their hardned hearts; their sorrow will be like that of desperate people, and thy mercy prooue deafe to their too late repentance.
9. But I runne in time to thee as vnto the refuge and end of my hopes, to my comfort in tribulation which hath enuironed mee in the same manner as the feare of death sezeth vpon him that is appointed to some shamefull punishment. Cause mee then now to taste the pleasure which that man feeleth in his heart who is freed from Irons, deliuered out of prison, and defended from the punishment, wherein his [Page 25] enemy hath a long time held him captiue. And on the contrary, let the enemy of my soule blush for shame when hee shall perceiue mee so deuoutly to craue the assistance of my God, who with the onely twinckling of his eye, can deliuer me from the voluntary bondage which I vowed to damnable voluptuousnesse, at such time as I drank the sweet honney of delicious pleasures which it presented vnto mee with a deceitfull hand in the loathsome cuppe of this world.
10. Alas! when I call to minde the time that thou diddest thus returne vnto mee, and when with that eye of mercy thou madest a signe vnto me of [Page 26] pardon mercy, and saluation, it seemeth vnto mee that I doe verily behold a cleere sunneshine to arise amiddest the stormes and tempests of the sea, who by little and little perceiuing the clowdes bringeth back a cleere and calme season, and vniteth the raging waues of the water. Euery houre I seeme to vnderstand that sweet and gracious word, when thou diddest say; Feare no more, for behold my spirit shall direct thy pathes, and shall not lose the sight of thee, thou shalt walke now vnder his conduct, who bringeth in pure & cleane soules into my glorious kingdome. So soone as I heard this word, I fixed mine eyes on [Page 27] my guide, like the attentiue Pilot on the shining starre that directeth the course of his Nauigation. O God! how sweet shall that rest bee which I shall enioy, after that I haue walked in those wayes which thou hast taught mee; I which went astray out of the path which leadeth to thy holy Tabernacle? I was already entred into the thick forrest of this world, where such doe easily loose them selues, who to enioy tho pleasure and sweetnesse of the shades, doe flye from tho light of the day, which should direct them in their iourney: for soone dooth the fearfull face of night afright them, and deliuers them for a [Page 28] prey vnto wilde beasts that cruelly teare & deuoure them. I did already wander in this Labyrinth, and I was hopelesse to get forth of it, but that thou diddest put the thred into my hand, which brought mee out of this dangerous prison.
Be hold I am now at liberty, to doe homage and seruice vnto that GOD which did deliuer mee, to present vnto him his image pure and vndefiled, and to acknowledge all those fauors, which it hath pleased him to bestow on mee, to proceed from his onely goodnesse. Hee hath not onely heard mee aboue his other creatures, giuing mee the vse of diuine reason, but hee hath likewise [Page 29] among men lifted mee vp into a throne of honor and magnificence, so that there was nothing left to perfect my happinesse, but onely to bee able to know it: and after that I had forgotten my selfe he did enlighten me by his holy light, and gaue mee time and will to bewaile my life past, and to amend in time to come.
11. Doe then like mee that are my friends, and haue recourse in time to his mercy, for he himselfe calleth you into the way of saluation: and bee not like to the stubborne Mule which kicketh against the spur, hee wanteth reason, knowledge and iudgement.
12. For a bit is put into his [Page 30] mouth, and he doth continually feele the spurre in his side. In like manner, if at the first warning, which the Lord giues you, to returne into his wayes, you doe not obey his will, hee will raine vppon you showers of calamities, which will make you more miserable then misery it selfe.
13. You see the starres which twinckle in the firmament, the sand which lyeth on the Sea shoare, but neither hath the sea so much sand, nor the heauens so many starres, as there are punishments prepared for the obstinate. Their miserie hangs ouer their head, misfortunes follow them at euery steppe, vntill they haue throwne them [Page 31] head-long into that gulph, the onely thought whereof is fearefull to all those which do remember it, whose easiest places of retreate are full of cryes, groanings, and lamentations: Where paine is without end, griese without remedie, repentance without mercy, where death is immortall, the body liuing but to dye, and the soule to suffer; where the soule feeles nothing but her sinne, and the body but his punishment. On the contrary, those which couer themselues with the Lords fauour, which make his mercy their buckler, who haue no other hope but in his goodnesse, who follow his comandements [Page 32] and are iealous of his will and pleasure, what felicitie is there but they may attaine to? what precious thing is there in heauen, but shall bee opened vnto them? They shall sitte side by side with their God, and beeing enuironed with glory, so much happinesse shall be heaped vpon them, as the soule of man is not able to conceiue the least part thereof, much lesse can my barren tongue expresse it.
14. I will then reioyce ô my God in the hope of such and so many benefits as thou reseruest in heauen to crowne the iust withall. Vnto this ioy I inuite you all which trust to the wordes of our Sauiour, [Page 33] which loue iustice and righteousnesse, there doth the reward of your labours attend you, there you shall be placed in honor and glory, there shall you exchange the sharpe thornes of this world, for flourishing Lillies of all eternity; Oh then shall the sweate of your afflictions finde most sweete rest. Gold comes not forth of the flames in the Furnace more pure and shining to bee stamped with the Image of a great Prince, and then to serue for the adornment of some rich cabinet, as the hart of that man which loueth his God shall be drawne pure and cleane from the miseries of this world, to be inuironed with splendor and [Page 34] glory. What day can now displease mee in this world? who shall hinder and stay me from entring into the howse of the Lord, for to liue in his seruice? vpon what day of my life shall I ceasse from bewailing those sinnes which kept me forth of his fauor? vnite then in me, ô my God these two contrary passions, ioy and repentance, to the end that like as the pilgrim, who hath lost his way in a desert, reioyceth when hee beholds the dawning of the day, and yet for all that cannot forget the obscure darkenesse out of the which hee is yet scarce come, nor lay aside his feare of so troublesome a night: euen so haue I alwayes [Page 35] abhorred my sinnes past, and haue neuerthelesse a certaine and liuely hope to enioy that eternall happinesse which thou hast purchased for vs by the price of the bloud of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ. Alas! how great is this loue, when the Maister spareth not the life of his childe to redeeme his seruant? Beeing then formed by thy hand, redeemed by thy bloud, and purified by thy mercy, I offer my selfe vnto thee for a sacrifice of obedience; reiect mee not ô my God.
Domine ne in furore. Psalme 37.
O Lord I must needs returne againe vnto thee, and begin a new to implore thy mercy, for thine anger seemeth to bee newly kindled against mee. Alas! my God, wilt thou punish mee in thy wrath, and cause me to feele the violence of thy iust furie, which my sinnes haue stirred vp against me? the torch consumed by fire falleth into ashes, and I being deuoured by the heate of thine indignation, shall vanish away, and nothing will be left of me but onely smoake.
2. For I see ô my God that thou [Page 37] hast let fly the sharpest arrowes of thy vengeance vpon mee: thou hast touched mee with thine hand, and thou takest it not of from me. I feele remorse and terror in my conscience, which doe astonish and bruze me like flashes of lightning, and claps of thunder miseries come vnto me by heapes, and one mishappe brings on another, warre is no sooner ended but the plague assaileth mee, and d [...]ath at the last bereaues mee of the deerest pledges which I haue in this world: In what then ô my GOD shall I take comfort? shall it bee in my selfe?
3 Alasse there is no whole member about mee, the disease [Page 38] hath pearced euen to the marrow of my bones: there is no part about mee, but doth reproch me for my sinnes, and endures the punishment thereof. I languish in my sorrow and no man comforts mee: myne eyes serue mee for none other purpose but to behold my misery, and my soule but to acknowledge my misfortune.
4. I looke round about mee, and as much as the eyes of my body and soule can discerne of the time past, I see nothing aboue, beneath, nor on each side of me, but sinne which compasseth me about, and mine iniquites which crush and presse me downe: they are heaped vpon my head like an heauy [Page 39] burthen, and behold, they smother me.
5. How shall I resist them? what strength haue I to defend my selfe, seeing that my body falleth in peeces? corruption runnes from it on euery side: mysoares are no sooner shut, but they open againe, and if my body bee ill, my soule is much worsse, it is all confounded and trembleth for feare.
6. And as sicknesse vndermines my body, which is ready to die, euen so doth sorrow my soule, and steales away the strength thereof, and as a sharp cold doth freeze and wither the tender new bud in the blosome, euen so doth the finger of the Lord, which hath touched my [Page 40] soule discourage it, and make it to languish.
7. But Alasse my God! what courage can I haue, when I behold my selfe couered with wounds, and that there is no part of my body free from greefe, and that besides my disease, my licentious pleasures present them-selues before me, which reproch my sinne, and deride my vanity? I say to my selfe, must I needs dippe my life in the honney of so many delights, to steepe it afterwards in the gall of such bitter anguish: where art thou now ô deceitful voluptuousnes, which diddest melt my soule in the sweere licour of thy pleasures? ô what a draught dost thou [Page 41] now leaue mee.
8 Now ô Lord, haue I not endured enough? hath not my humility sufficiently chasticed my pride? if I haue sinned thorow foolish presumption, I haue since then fallen vpon the ground and couered mine head with ashes; with mine owne arme I haue preuented my punishment. I haue cleft my hart with cries, and melted mine eies into teares, and yet thy wrath continewes.
9 It may be ô Lord that thou hast not perceued my laments; thou who in the twinckling of an eye lookest thorow heauen and earth, whose sight pearceth the very bottom of our hearts; ô LORD thou hast read my [Page 42] thoughts, and knowest mine intents what haue I craued but thy mercy? wherein did I hope but in thy goodnesse? wherefore haue I made a publicke profession of repentance, but to condemne my selfe? if my tongue hath not liuely expressed my desire, alasse Lord! thou knowest what wee would haue before we haue thought thereon. It is sufficient to lift vp our harts vnto thee, and forthwith thou grantest our petitions.
10. But wherefore ô Lord dost thou delay to giue me the holy comfort which thou hast promised me? alasse, I am hable to do no more, my hart faileth me, my sences are troubled [Page 43] my strength forsaketh mee, my sight waxeth dimme, and my run away soule, is already vpon the brinkes of my lippes.
11. All my friends stand about me, and doe already bewaile my death, they haue no hope of my health, they take care for my buriall, and question with them-selues, where is the helpe he expected from his God? wher is the fauor which he promised to himselfe from him?
12. Flatterers are departed from me, they did thinke to deuide my spoiles, they would haue preuented my fatal houre, so troblesome am I to the whole world in the state wherin I stād.
13. They rounded one another in the eare, and made a [Page 44] thousand tales of me: they did daily inuent new practises against me, and thought on nothing so much as to betray me: he is (said they) vpon his death bed, he wil neuer rise vp againe, what doe we feare? wil the shaddow of his bones bite vs?
14 And I, as if I had beene deafe, made as though I heard nothing, and like a dumbe man I answered not a word, my patience was my buckler, and my constancy my rampier.
15 Euery one that sawe me so patient in mine aduersity, did say, this man for a certaine is dumbe, when he is taunted hee replies not, could he indure all these indignities if any feeling of courage or reputation were [Page 45] left him? Hee must needs bee guilty, for innocence is euer bold in her owne defence, yet all this did not mooue me.
16. Wherefore I trusted in my God, and am assured that he will helpe me. Let the world bend it selfe against me, let heauen and earth conspire my downefall, so long as I haue his aide, I shall alwaies conquer. By the breath of his mouth hee created all things, and by his breath, if he please, he can destroy them: I will fight vnder his banner and I am assured of victory.
17 I haue often-times saide vnto them, reioyce not at my misery, though I am tormented and afflicted, braue me not, for [Page 46] the Lord is long enough to reach you: trust not to his long patience, for though hee hath feete of woll, his armes bee of Iron. If he once lift them ouer your heads, ô yee impenitent soules, he will crush you in such sort, as there shalbee no more remembrance of you.
18. As for my selfe, I haue handled the rod, I haue imprinted vpon my shoulders the condemnation of my sinne, I haue O Lord, appeared before thee with teares in mine eyes, repentance in my mouth, and sorrow in my heart, I haue fought with my selfe, for feare least myne enemies should triumph ouer me.
[Page 47] 19. I haue openly confessed my fault, I made my sinne manifest in time, I tooke care to run vnto thy mercy in due season.
20. But the more I humble my selfe before thee, to draw of this running water out of the fountaine of thy grace, which streameth from thy goodnesse, the more doe mine enemies oppresse mee, their number doth daily encrease, they strengthen them-selues on euery side, and foresee not the tempest which will crush them in peeces. They kindle by their pride the furnace of thy wrath; they despite thy power, which to their destruction they shall soone make proofe of. In a word, [Page 48] they being secured against heauen and earth, doe wallow in their filthy pleasures and rase out, as much as in them is, the marke of diuinity which thou hast imprinted in their soules, and shut their eyes at the hope of saluation, which shineth on them out of thy word.
21. I do not ceasse ô my God to admonish them, but they pay me euil for good, and turne into laughter all that which I doe to please thee, and to giue them good example: they doe slanderously traduce mee vp and downe the streets, and lay a thousand wickednesses to my charge: I confesse ô Lord that I beginne to loose my patience.
22 But my God, strengthen [Page 49] mine infirmity, and forsake mee not by any meanes: otherwise I should fall like a little childe into the first pitte I come at. Encrease strength and courage in mee ô Lord, as much as thou hast afflicted mee, giuing mee firme constancie as often as I shall stand in need thereof, no lesse then a charitable mother, who so soone as shee heareth her childe crye, doth straight wayes giue it the dugge.
23. Nourish me then ô Lord with the milke of thine holy charity, to the end that beeing in some sort strengthened, I may day and night run on in thy paths, to attaine saluation, the hope whereof shineth in thy promises. And if sinne [Page 50] come and stand in my way, I will open the floud-gates of mine eyes, and will not close them againe, till I haue drowned it in my teares.
Miserere mei Deus. Psalme 50.
HAue pitty vpon me ô my GOD, according to the greatnesse of thy louing kindnesse, and by thine immense mercy pardon the punishment which I most iustly haue deserued. For if thou expectest that my fasts, watchings, and prayers should make satisfaction for my sinnes, alas! ô Lord, that wil neuer be. Mine offence beeing measured by the compasse of [Page 51] heauen and earth, surpasseth the greatnesse of the whole world, who then can enuiron and wholy blot it out, but only thy holy mercy, which is by so much greater, as thy righteousnesse exceedeth ours? It is thy mercy ô Lord which cricleth the whole vniuerse, which keepeth fast together the parts of the world which shake and are ready to fall vpon our heads, to bury with vs in their ruine the memory of our sinnes, to turne away thy sight from our ingratefull, disloyall and disobedient generation, which disadvoweth her birth, creation, and conseruation frō thee. Let then this mercifull goodnesse which shineth in thy diuinity, aboue al [Page 52] thy other vertues, spred it selfe now vpon me, not in a sparing manner, but prodigally and without measure. And as thou diddest once cause the waters to ouer-runne the tops of the highest mountaines, for to smother and ouer-whelme the wicked, cause in like manner a torrent of mercy to ouer-flowe me, not O Lord to drowne, but to bathe and purifie mee.
2. And be not satisfied with once clensing mee: doe not tell mee that thou hast regenerated and washed mee in the bloud of the chaste and innocent lambe, for notwithstanding my purenesse then, thou shalt now finde mee foule and deformed. I did plunge my selfe in a deep filthy [Page 53] vault, and am so durty and disfigured, as thou wilt no more know mee. I doe sometimes question with my selfe, whether I am hee whom thou diddest create with thine owne hands, or no, but my heart beeing confounded and ashamed dares make mee none answer. O my God thou hast created mee of dirt and clay, and loe, I am now such an one as I was before thou tookest me in hand, I haue put off my beauty and comlinesse, and put on dirt and filthinesse. But my God, wherefore doost thou not new make me? is thine arme waxed short? doost thou want will to doe good to thy creature? alas! thou art Almighty, all good, [Page 54] wherefore then dooest thou tarry? Thy workemanship ô Lord grew obstinate against thee, and tooke pleasure in diffiguring and deforming it selfe: bee thou obstinate against thine handy-worke, and make it faire and perfect, yea, euen in despight of it: but my God, I will bee no more stubborne, hold mee, take mee in hand, turne mee as thou pleasest, repayre this dirte, renew it, refresh it with new coullours, it is ready to obey thy will. But ô Lord, when as thou shalt haue wholy renewed it, forsake it not for all that, put a bridle in his mouth, which by abstinence may keepe it from gluttony wherevnto it [Page 55] is proane: by chastitie it may quench the impudent heates of voluptuousnesse which warmeth it, by humility it may beat downe pride, which biting enuie raiseth vp in her, let pittifull charity driue hatred and the hunger of couetousnesse farre from it, let the care to serue and honor thee be a continuall spurre in the sides of her slothfull and blockish negligence.
3. For otherwise my God, I haue made too great proofe of these vices which enuiron mee; they will in such sorte teare and dismember thy workmanship, as at thy comming, thou shalt find nothing but the fragments thereof all bruzed and broken. I haue had such [Page 56] experience of them, it is they who haue brought mee into the state wherein now I am; and I now perceiue them standing round about mee, to reproach mee with those blottes where with they themselues did defile me, and to make me guilty of the wrongs which they haue done to mee. How hast thou sinned, say they? how foule and deformed art thou become?
4. Indeed, I haue sinned, I confesse it my God, behold, I offer the bottom of my heart vnto thee, take notice of my whole life. I haue sinned before heauen and earth, and the whole world is witnesse of my misdeeds. But if I had not sinned, vnto whome wouldest thou [Page 57] shew mercy? how wouldst thou discharge thy selfe of the promises of grace, which thou hast so long declared by thy Prophets? when thou shalt come to sit vpon the eternall throne of thy Iustice, if wee were all iust, who would stand in feare of thee? But, to the end thy greatnesse may bee knowne, it behooueth vs when wee shall bee summoned before thee, humbly to fall downe vpon our faces, and to cry out; Bee midle ô Lord, for wee come not to excuse our selues before thee, our fault is notorious, but loe, our pardon stands ready, thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs, behold it signed with thy bloud, sealed [Page 58] with thine image, which for our redemption was imprinted in the weakenesse of the flesh.
5. Diddest thou expect O my God, that when I should present my selfe before thee, I would make a rampier of mine innocencie, or that I was so blinde of vnderstanding to go about to iustifie my selfe in thy presence? Alas! ô Lord, I know that I was nothing but sinne before I was borne, my mother thought to bring forth a childe, and shee was deliuered of sinne, it had been much better for her, if so prodigious a burthen had prooued abortiue, which shameth the tree which bare it, the earth which nourished, [Page 59] and heauen which ripened it. I was fedde with sinne in my mothers wombe, I suckt it with her milke, and loe, it grew vppe in such sort with mee, as it ouer-shaddoweth mine head, and blindeth mine eyes.
6. But when I perceiue the eyes of my body to be dazeled, I then open the eyes of my minde, and begin to discerne a farre off the beame of thine infallible truth, and to acknowledge the wonderfull secrets of thy wisedome which thou hast reuealed vnto mee. Then my soule, abandoning the impurity of my body, liftteth her selfe vppe vnto heauen, and pearceth thorowe [Page 60] his incredible light, and lookking vpon the booke of Eternity, shee therein readeth the treatye of the new allyance which thou wilt make with mankinde, then returning into her wretched body, shee filleth it with hope and ioy, and promiseth it an assured victorie ouer his sinne.
7. For shee learned in heauen how thou wouldest take the branch of odoriferous Hisope in hand, and sprincle vpon mee the water of purification: thou wilt wash mee, and I shall become whiter then snowe, there shall no one spotte of sinne bee seene on mee. What manner of washing-lye will that bee ô LORD, which [Page 61] shalbe made with the ashes of my sinnes, consumed by the fire of thy charity, with the water of teares which my repentance shall distill from my hart, and in the sun-shine of thy grace our laments shalbe dried vp, which shall cause new spirituall ioy to grow vp in vs, and at the last will make vs so white in the purity of righteousnesse, as we shall one day shine brighter then the starres in the firmament.
8. We shall then heare the delectable sound of the trumpet of saluation, which wil proclaime grace and mercy vnto all those who will receaue it. Wee shall then see rotten and consumed bones, to rise vp out [Page 62] of their graues, to be partaker of this vniuersall ioye, wherevnto thou hast inuited the whole world.
9. Now to the end I may at that time appeare before thee in such honorable equipage as so noble a magnificence doth deserue, put all my offences ô my God vnder thy feete, bury them in the center of the earth, to the end that noe eye may behold them, seperate mee for euer from mine iniquitie, from hence-forth I renounce it, and sweare an irreconcileable diuorcement from her.
10, Behold my soule which I offer vnto thee, make it pure and cleane, powre a new spirit into mine heart, which may [Page 63] conceiue nothing but holinesse and righteousnesse. Establish therein ô Lord God, the mansion house of thy holy spirit, to the end that hence-forth, I may thinke, wish, nor breath any thing, but thy praises: let thy will bee alwayes imprinted in my minde, and thy glory written in my lips.
11. When thou shalt haue thus clothed & decked me with pietie and integrity, I shall then be assured, that nothing shal be able to seperate mee from thy presence, and then as the true bred Eagle looketh directly vpon the Sunne, euen so will I fixe mine eye vppon the face of thine Eternitie, and will beholde in thy wonderfull [Page 64] countenance, all those perfections which now I can not conceaue: thine holy spirit shall neuer more depart out of mine heart: it shall carry me on the winges of zealous charity into thy bosome, there to make mee an associate of that celestiall ioy.
12. Let me then quickly tast the sweetnes of this immortall life, saue me sodainly from the rocks of this world, which on euery side threaten shipwracke to my soule: and as the Sailer when he is arriued in the hauen crownes the masts of his ship with garlands of flowers, in token that he is in safty, euen so crowne me ô my God, with the precious guifts of thine holy [Page 65] spirit, for pledges of the eternall blessednesse which thou promisest me. I say, of thy spirit, which reigneth in thy faithfull ones, which distributes faith to thine elect, charity to thy beloued, and hope to those whome thou hast predestinated.
13. Now whilest my soule continues in this exile, looking euery day when thou wilt call it to thy [...]elfe, I will teach sinners the way they ought to follow for to please thee I will direct them, left that in the darknesse of this world they stumble vpon the blocks which shall he presented to them: they will beleeue me, and they shall returne to thee ô father of light, [Page 66] turne to thee ô Father of light, they shall with all their hearts imbrace thy law, and walke in thine obedience.
14. I know ô Lord that there bee some who will stoppe their eares at my words, and will grow stubborne in their sinnes; they will plot my death, and willingly would die their barbarous cruelty with my bloud. Deliuer mee my GOD forth of their hands, and preserue mee that I may declare thy righteousnesse, and pronounce their condemnation. I will fore-tel them of their miseries, and so soone as my speech is ended thine hand shall strike them, and so soone as thine hand hath stricken them, behold [Page 67] they shall bee for euer crusht in peeces and confounded.
15. And then thou shalt open my lippes, and my mouth shall declare thy victory, the aire wil be cleere, the winds will bee appeased, and the flouds will stand still, to heare mee sound forth the wonders of the eternall GOD. For thy praise ô LORD shalbee the sacrifice which I continually will offer vp vnto thee, which at all times will bee pleasing vnto thee.
16. I would willingly haue bloudied thine Altars, with the slaughter of much cattell: I would willingly haue [Page 68] sacrifized a thousand Oxen and as many sheepe in thine honor, but bloud stinkes before thee, and their flesh thou acceptest not, the smoake of such offerings consumes it selfe in the arie like wind, and it can not ascend where thou art, the onely voyce of a iust man, mounteth higher then the heauens, and thine Angells present it vnto thee.
17. O how acceptable vnto thee is the sacrifize of an hart pearced thorow with repentance, an hart that is humbled in the knowledge of his sinne? such an one wilt thou neuer reiect: hee that will go vp vnto thee must descend downe into himselfe, the way to touch heauen [Page 69] to lie groueling vpon earth: hee that wil bee heard of thee must hold his peace, and hee that will bee crowned in thy kingdome must be beaten and scourged in this world. These are the sacrifices which can reconcile vs vnto thee, and enter vs into the alliance which thou hast made with vs.
18. If thou wilt haue vs, ô Lord, to offer vp vnto thee bulls and oxen, and that wee shall make thine Altars smoake with the bloud of Beasts, if thou wilt haue vs by the death of an innocent oblation, to represent before thee the death & innocency of him whome thou hast destined for the redemption of our soules, if the figure of that [Page 70] which shall come to passe in the person of the Immaculate Lambe bee pleasing vnto thee in the slaughter of sheepe and rams, pittifully then beehold thy poore people, comforte desolate Sion, encourage her poore inhabitants, to the end that they may repaire the walls of thine holy citty, and re-edifie thy tēple, not in equall measure to thy deserts ô Lord, but according to the riches and industry that the world can attaine vnto.
19. Thither from all parts shall thy faithfull people come in heapes to offer sacrifize vnto thee, there onely shalt thou accept the expiation for their sins. But my God, neither the bloud [Page 71] nor death of beasts can wash out their filthinesse: the expiation of their sinne and disobedience is prepared before all eternity. It is an inestimable sacrifize, an immaculate burntoffering, that must draw away the vaile, dissipate the darkenesse, and breake downe the partition-wall for to make vs behold the truth of our saluation face to face, which must cause the beames of the diuine mercy to shine vpon vs, and reassociate vs to the communion of the eternall blessednes which we haue willingly renounced. O must pittiful God, which hast cleered the eies of mine vnderstanding & made me to see the mistery of my saluatiō, cause me [Page 72] ô Lord to tast the excellent frute, which budding on the tree of the crosse, shall quicken with his iuyce our mortified soules, shall for euer keepe and preserue vs from the ruine and calamity, which hath so miserably attainted man-kind, & hath spred it selfe all ouer them, by their owne disobedience.
Domine exaudi. Psalme, 110.
O Lord, how long haue I cried out for thy mercy, yet I am still expecting thine aide. The aire is filled with my lamentations, the winds haue carried the voyce of my complaint to the farthest parts of [Page 73] the earth, and thine eare which vnderstandeth what is done in the deepest bottō of hell, harkēs not vnto my praier, which pierceth the very heauens. Thou art onely deafe ô Lord in my respect, and the whole world will sooner then thy selfe giue eare to my laments. No, no, my God thou hast too long stretched out thine arme vnto me, to reiect me now when I come vnto thee for refuge.
2. Now that I feele a thousand, and a thousand griefes, and that euills assaile mee on euery side, turne not thy face away from mee ô Lord. Alas! I haue placed all my comfort in the milde aspect of thy countenance, I haue left the world, and [Page 74] retired my selfe vnto thee, I haue forsaken the children of the earth, to the end to allie my selfe to the maister of heauen, can'st thou now cast mee of? doe not so ô Lord, but all the dayes of my life helpe my infirmitie.
3. So soone as my voice shall cry out vnto thee ô my God, so soone let me feele thee, let thy grace come downe as swiftly vpon mee, as an Eagle to the succour of her yong ones. For if thou assist mee not, what combate can I wage against the enemies of my soule?
4. My strength and my life doth continually vanish away like to a light smoake, which in flying abroad looseth it selfe: [Page 75] that eye which sees it come forth of the fire, doth as quickly see it dispersed, and accompanieth it in a moment from his originall to his end: and they that aske what is become of it, cannot so much as discerne the trace thereof. Who hath seene peeces of wood lye drying in the sunne, loose both their vigor and verdure, let them behold my poore bones which are become drye and withered, and craue nothing but a graue: A graue in deed, too happy for mee, if so small a pitte may bee able to stay the violent course of mine extreame misery.
5. Hee that hath seene the mowed grasse, to turne coulor [Page 76] and wither in the field, let him looke vpon my pale and leane visage, which seemeth to make death it selfe afraid. Mine heart waxeth drie in the midest of my intrailes, & my bloud withereth within my veines; for I no more remember to giue bread to my mouth, and euery day I forget to eate meate.
6. My mouth serueth me for none other vse but to crie out and lament, and the vsuall voice of my sorrow is of such force, as it carries away with it all the remainder of my strength, so as my sorrowfull body doth by little and little consume it selfe, and my boanes doe already pierce my skinne: why then should I bee carefull to pamper [Page 77] this wretched body, which is the subiect of my miseries? wherefore should I study to preserue this life, which wrestleth with so many discontents, and is tormented with so many afflictions? were it not better for mee, by ending my life, to giue an end to my miseries?
7. The Pellican which in the most solitarie deserts of Aegipt torments her selfe for killing her yong ones, and bathes them with her bloud to restore them to life which shee berest them of, is shee more sorrowfull then I? dooth shee feele more griese then my selfe? hath not my sinne procured the death of that child whom I loued better then my selfe? and [Page 78] now that all my teares are drawne dry, bloud will gush foorth of mine eyes, for feare that weeping should faile mee in such a lamentable misfortune. But the Pellican with the price of her bloud redeemes the life of her yong ones, and my wretched self shal for euer bee depriued of that child whom I so deerely loued. Therefore will I abandon the light of the day, and will confine my selfe in the thick darknesse, like vnto the fatall Owle which stirreth not foorth of some hollow place, vntill the night hath spred his obscure mantle ouer the earth.
8. I am continually awake, alwayes rauing vpon my mishap, [Page 79] and seeking to hide my selfe from the miserie which followes me apace: I seeke nothing so much as some corner to bestow my selfe in, like to the wilde Sparrow, who beaten with the winde and raine, searcheth out some place of couert to keepe her from the storme.
9. Mine enemies seeing me in this plight, haue derided mee, they haue reproched mee with my misery: and those which were wont highly to esteeme mee, in steed of bewailing mine afflictiō, haue conspired against mee. Of what worth then are the goods of this world, if friends bee the most pretious richesse that a man can purchase, and if they prooue [Page 80] treacherous and disloyall, and make so small account of violating their faith?
10. My strength is indeed diminished, the floure of my complexion is withered, for I haue strewed my bread with ashes, I haue tempered my drinke with teares: but therfore shal this vnbeleeuing race make mee the argument of their laughter?
11. It is true that I met with thine angrie countenance in the day of thy wrath: thou hast laide on mee the arme of thy vengeance, it hath crusht mee to peeces: I was glorious among men, and behold I am now cast downe to the ground. O vaine presumption! vnto [Page 81] what height hast thou raised mee, to giue mee so terrible a downefall? Alas! what matter could I finde in my selfe, that might beget such a selfeconceit in mee?
12. Euen as wee see the shaddow of a body to decrease by little and little, when as the sunne stands right ouer it, and at last becometh a small point; in like manner, so soone as thy wrath did ascend ouer mee ô Lord, my life, my wealth, and my greatnesse did consume away by little and little: in such sort as I seeme like to the withered haye, without sap and beauty, it is gathered for the fodder of cattell, and so many faire, sweet, and odoriferous flowers [Page 82] are made vp in bottels among weedes and thistles.
13. But shall I therefore despaire? not so, my God, for thy power is infinite, and lasteth for euer, thy mercy is immense, which spreds it selfe ouer all those which trust in thee. Ages shall passe away one after an other, but the memory of thy goodnesse shall neuer haue end: for euer, one generation shall succeed an other, and they shall continually set forth thy praise and louing kindnesse.
14. Thou wilt one day awake, ô my God, and shew fauor vnto Sion, for the time of mercy is at hand. It is already come, behold I see it. The riuers send [Page 83] not so many cleere waters into the large bozome of the Ocean, as thy goodnesse shall shed foorth fauours and mercies vppon the earth. Open your hearts oh yee people, open your hearts, for the liberall hand of my GOD will fill them with an holy heate, which shall cleanse and purifie them more then gold is in the furnace.
15. Now the building of Sion, is ô Lord, the refuge which thy seruants waite for: that it may become the dwelling place of eternall life, the seate of saluation, the treasury of grace, and the temple of eternitie.
16. Then my God shall the [Page 84] nations bee astonished, and all the Kings of the earth shall tremble at the brightnesse of thy glory. What remotest corner is there in the world, but shall resound thy happy comming? what people are there vnder the sunne so confined in darkenesse, but will open their eyes to behold the glistering brightnesse of saluation which shall shine vpon them? Heauen it selfe shall encrease the number of his torches, to giue light to this thine entrie into the world, and Kings shall runne from all parts to doe homage to the King of Kings, and to the Lord of Heauen and Earth.
17. For in Syon hath hee erected his royall throne in [Page 85] magnificent and sumptuous manner: there shall men behold him all enuironed with glory, darkning the Sunne and Moone with the brightnesse of his countenance.
18. But what is the cause ô Lord that thou hast so highly exalted the throne of thy glorie? Is it because thou wilt contemne the humble prayers of thy faithfull seruants, and neglect the whole world, which is nothing in comparison of this thy greatnesse? Alas! not so my God: Thou hast lifted vp thy selfe in an eminent place, to the end that all the inhabitants of the earth may see and acknowledge thee; to haue recourse to thy grace & mercy, [Page 86] for thou wilt be alwayes ready to come at the humble summons of thy seruants, and thou wilt neuer scorne their pittifull requests. Behold they are all set in order like poore galley slaues condemned to the chaine, which waite for the arriuall of some King to set them at liberty on the day of his coronation. In this manner ó Lord dooest thou deliuer those, which haue giuen them-selues ouer to the bondage of sinne: at the onely twinckling of thine eye their Irons shall fall from off theyr hands.
19. Then shall they all bee heard to sing a song of glory to the victorious King, their [Page 87] voice shall bee heard in all the parts of the earth, and the memory of thy singular goodnesse and infinite mercy, shall bee engraued in mens mindes, to passe from age to age, euen to their last posteritie: when the earth shall bee consumed, the waters dryed vppe, the firmament vanished away, and the heauens come to an end, euen then shall men sing forth the glory of the eternall God.
20. The eternall GOD who hath vouchsafed from the highest heauens to cast his eyes downe to the depths of the earth, to take notice of the torments of poore captiues deteined in the prisons of hell, who [Page 88] hath heard their gronings, and made haste to vnbinde and deliuer these poore wretched prisoners, and their whole posterity. Death had ouercome them with the weapons of sinne, and confined them in his darke prisons, but the God of life hath vanquished death, and set them all at liberty.
21. To the end ô Lord that they may declare thy praise in Sion, and preach thy mercy in Ierusalem. But though euery one of them had an hundered mouthes, and a voyce as strong as thy thunder, they should neuer bee able to attaine to the greatnesse of thy glorie. All the parts of the world doe conspire together, but to represent [Page 89] in their motion some part of thy power and infinite goodnesse, and yet they shall misse the marke; for they are bottomlesse pitts, and more then bottomlesse pitts, which haue neither banke nor bottome, and which must onely bee look't vpon a farre off.
22. Bee pleased then ô my God, that thy people assembled together, and revnited in body and minde, doe deuoutly offer vnto thee the holy desire and will which they haue to honor thee, for the effect it selfe can in no sort draw neer to thy desert. Take it in good worth ô Lord, that the Kings of the earth doe come and humble themselues before thee, to pay the homage [Page 90] and seruice which is due vnto thee, as to their souerain Lord. They shall lay their scepters on the ground, and their crownes at their feete, and shall present thee with a sacrifice of humble deuotion, and an innocent conscience. I will be the first ô my God that will prostrate my selfe before thee, to adore and serue thee with my whole heart: I will settle my thoughts on thee onely, vnto thee alone will I consecrate my spiritte: Quicken it ô Lord, to the end that it beeing purified, by the holy heat of thy charity, it may receaue into it selfe, (like a well-pollished looking-glasse) the Image of thine incomprehensible beauty and perfection, [Page 91] and that it may feele the reflection of thy sincere affection, so as thine infinite goodnes may make it one of the number of thine elect, to bee a coheire with them of eternall life.
23. I doe now already feele ô my God, that thou hast enlightned my soule by thy grace, and hast shewed me the mercy which thou wilt offer to all the children of the earth, my spirit hath already seene from a farre off how readily thou walkest to deliuer the world, which was in danger of death before thine arriuall, that was the cause why thou heardest it cry out vnto thee, saying, tell me ô Lord the number of my yeares, and [Page 92] what time thou wilt giue an end to my daies.
24. Cut not of the thred of my life ô Lord at the first or second turne of the wheele; shorten it not in the middest of his course; stay, my God, til the time be come; when as thou wilt open the treasures of thy graces, to giue a largesse of saluation vnto men: or if at the least thou hast determined of mine end, and that my life cannot bee so farre stretched out, yet remember my posterity, and cause him to bee borne of my stocke, who by his comming shall sanctifie the world.
25. In very deed ô Lord I know, that in the beginning thou diddest make heauen and [Page 93] earth, and all that excellence which wee see in this world, is the worke-man-shippe of thy hands.
26. But all that, shall weare away, like an ouer-worne garment, men shall seeke after and enquire what is become of it, but it shall bee no more found: it hath beene made, and it shalbe vndone, it had a beginning, and must needs haue an end; but thou alone ô Lord which art from all eternity shalt remayne for euer at one stay. Age, and time which consumes all things, doe but confirme thine essence, and publish thy diuinity, and it seemeth vnto me that men are borne vpon the earth to none other end, but [Page 94] to behold on the one side thine incomprehensible greatnes, and their owne weakenes on the other.
27. Men shift not shirts so often as one selfe-same land doth oftentimes change hir inhabitants, the one pusheth on another, and all is renued in a moment. But thou art yet my God to day, the same that thou wert at the beginning. Euery Prouince of the earth, makes mention of a great number of Kings which haue commaunded therein one after another, but heauen and earth doe continually sing vnto vs, that thou hast alway beene alone, euer like thy selfe, and that neither the time past nor that which [Page 95] is to come can in any sort change thee.
28. Yet notwithstanding ô Lord, that we must part hence, I doe not lose my hope to taste one day of the sweet fruite which will heale vs of this contagious disease, which our first parents haue communicated to vs by eating of the fruite of sinne and death. For our children shall succeed vs, and thou wilt doe vs this fauour, ô Lord to continue our posterity from age to age, vntill that all of vs together doe appeare in thy presence, not to receaue a rigorous iudgement, but to enter by the merrits and intercession of thy welbeloued Sonne our Sauiour into the [Page 96] inheritance of eternall blessednesse, which shalbe purchaced for all thy faithfull ones by the adoption of thy sonne, in the house of thy seruant Dauid.
De profundis. Psalme 129.
FRom the bottome of the deepes I haue cried vnto thee oh my God, being buried and lost in the most fearefull cauernes of the earth: I haue called vpon thy name, listen to my voyce, and giue eare vnto my praier: for all hope of aide was taken from mee, I saw nothing round about me but feare and trembling, and yet notwithstanding I was not discourraged, [Page 97] but haue expected from thee that which thou hast promised to all those which shall liue in the feare of thy name, and in the obedience of thy commandements.
2. Lend then a fauourable eare ô Lord vnto my prayer: if sinne haue set it selfe betwixt thee and mee, to whet thee on against mine iniquitie, and to make thee an enemy to my request, chace it away from the aspect of thine eye of mercy, or else ô Lord, shut for a while the eye of thy iustice, vntill that thine eare of clemencie hath receiued my confession, and the humble petition for fauor, which I present vnto thee. For I come not into thy presence to [Page 98] boast of mine owne righteousnesse, but of thy mercy and louing kindnesse.
3. If thou shouldest keepe a register of our offences, and shouldest call vs to an account, who were able ô my God to endure the rigour of thy iustice? What day of my life is there, but would deserue an age of torment? Thou mayest in a maner inflict all the paines of hell vppon mee, and yet the greatest part of mine offences will remaine vnpunished.
4. But notwithstanding that men doe offend thee, yet thou lettest not to receiue the sinner which comes vnto thee with confession in his mouth, [Page 99] and contrition in his heart. He hath no sooner looked towards thy mercy, but hee feeles it to worke in him, to break [...] and dissolue sinne, which had frozen his heart with feare and horror. The punishment which did hang ouer his head, runnes backward from him, and carries away with it this wretched carefulnesse which tormenteth the consciences inflicted with sinne. This is the reason ô Lord why I would neuer forsake thy law, but haue alwayes waighted, till it might please thee to shew mercy vpon mee. For hee who ill aduised, doth despaire in his sinne, and abandons his soule as lost, dooes like the abhominable [Page 100] vsurer, who because hee hath susteined some losse in his goods, doth therefore depriue himselfe of life.
5. My soule hath not done so; for so soone as shee hath felt thy heauie hand vpon mee, which exacted a part of the punishment which my sinnes had merited, shee did still for all that keepe whole the hope which shee had in thy promise. Euen when thy blowes fell heauie on my back, I cryed out vnto thee, Lord God thy will bee done, yet giue mee as much strength as affliction. Measure my punishmēt by my strength, and, my torments encreasing, augment my courage, thou hast ô Lord, done so.
[Page 101] 6. Let all Israell then from the day breake vntill darke night, hope in his God, let them expect succor from him alone. For his helpe is ready vnto those which call vpon him in integrity of conscience, and purity of heart. It matters not how great and fearfull the misery is, for so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the cry of his seruants, euen so soone do they feele themselues deliuered.
7. For hee aboundeth in mercy: hee is infinitely good to those which haue recourse vnto him. For if our sinnes surpasse all measure, his mercy exceeds all thoughts. We haue deserued a long and greeuous captiuity; loe, he deliuers vs, and sets vs at [Page 102] liberty. We haue blinded the eies of our vnderstanding, behold, he comes and enlightens them.
O Israell, thou hast offended the Lord, thou hast derided his law, thou hast played with his commandements, thou hast forgotten his benefits which he hath bestowed vpon thee. He hath drawne thee forth of a miserable bondage, he hath fed thee with the bread of heauen, hee hath caused fountains of water to gush forth of the barraine rocks, only to giue thee drinke; he chose the most delicious garden of the earth for thy dwelling place, he made his couenant with thee, hee gaue thee his wil in keeping and thou hast [Page 103] conspired against his honour, committed whoredome with strange Gods, troden his lawe vnder thy feete, thou hast in a word deserued more punishments then hell can affoord. And hee neuerthelesse offereth himselfe fauourably vnto thee: he will redeeme thee from the bondage of sinne, where-vnto thou wert willingly bound, with the price of his owne bloud. Behold, hee himselfe payes their ransome which did betray him, and takes vpon himselfe the punishment for our sinnes, and payes the forfeiture of our offences. With what wordes shall wee giue thee thankes? Open then my lippes, my God, my Creator, [Page 104] my Redeemer, to the end that my voyce may bee spent, and mine heart enflamed with a burning affection to praise and thanke thee: and cast me downe in the knowledge of my selfe, to the end to exalt mee in the knowledge of that holy mysterie, whereby wee are re-incorporated into thee, and re-integrated into thy allyance, for to enter into this blessed societie of glory, in the which all those shall triumph, which shall bee pertakers in the merite of the passion of thy well beeloued Sonne, the true and onely Sauiour of the world.
Domine exaudi vocem meam. Psalme 142.
MAn ô Lord is at the last weary of all things: continuall running puts him out of breath, too much looking vpon a thing dazels the eyes, a thundring noyce, troubles the hearing: but the more my voyce cryeth vnto thee, the stronger it is, my courage is the more encreased, and my praier is the more pleasing vnto mee. Therefore do I euery day begin a fresh to cry out, ô Lord hearken vnto my prayer, and giue eare to my supplication, for all my comfort consisteth in praying vnto thee ô my [Page 106] God. It is my prayer ó Lord, which coniures thy clemencie to expiate my sinnes, not by the rigor of the punishment, but by the effect of grace which thou hast granted vs, by the which thou abollishest, by thy soueraigne and absolute power, the memory of our offences.
2. Enter not then into iudgement with thy seruant ô Lord, giue him not ouer to the rigor of the law: for of all liuing creatures which shall appeare before the face of thy rigorous iudgement, not one shall bee iustified, none shall escape that fearefull condemnation, whose paine is not onely terrible but eternall in his terrour. Alas! ô Lord, who is able [Page 107] to saue himselfe in thy presence? It is thou who art offended, it is thou who wilt accuse vs, thou hast seene our offen [...]es, and canst witnesse against them, it is thou which shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall bee the witnesse, and the witnesse shall bee the Iudge, what shall become of the offendor? what excuse can serue to iustifie him? But ô Lord, I will not trust to that, I will shield my selfe vnder thy fauour, and oppose it to thy iustice. Thy fauour is obteyned by the acknowledgment of our offences, by the humiliation of our mindes, loe, I prostrate my selfe before thee, laying open my sinne, ô Lord [Page 108] haue pitty vppon mee.
3. My sinne ó my COD, the chiefe enemy to my soule, hath in such sort hurried and beaten mee downe, as I now grouell vpon the earth, not daring to looke vppe vnto heauen: for so soone as I lift vp mine eyes, I see the light which presenteth to the day such and so many faults, which doe accuse my conscience. I also doe sodenly feele shame in my guiltie countenance, which makes mee holde downe my face to the ground; my face vnworthy to looke vppe to heauen, the Lord whereof it hath so greeuously offended; my face, which is not valiant enough to cast vppe his eyes towards [Page 109] those places, which haue so many lightning flashes prepared to roote out guilty offenders.
4. My spirit then hath conducted mee into darknesse, and hath buried me like a dead man in the caue of obscurity. My soule is highly greeued within mee, and mine heart is astonished; like vnto his who walking with an erected countenance, is by misfortune fallen into the bottome of some pit; his sences are forth-with troubled, he forthwith loseth his reason and torments himselfe, hee knowes not what to will or do, till calling his wits together, he takes notice of the place where he is, and the maner how he fell [Page 110] downe: for then hee begins by little and little to get vp againe, and to climbe with great labour from the place whereinto hee easily fell.
5. Euen so, I hauing called to memory from farre, the remembrance of things past, and representing to my selfe in a deepe meditation the workes of thine hands, and considering exactly the things which thou hast wrought: namely remembring the state wherein thou diddest create vs, and then calling to minde that wherein I finde my selfe now as it were crusht downe in the ruines of sinne, I curse the houre wherein my mother conceiued mee: I detest the daye [Page 111] which first opened mine eyeliddes to cause mee to looke vppon heauen and earth, the witnesses of my weaknesse; and at last finding nothing in this world which can comfort mee in this distresse, I come againe vnto thee.
6. I fall downe on my knees before thee, I lift vppe vnto thee mine armes and hands, and my soule thirsteth after thy grace, with as great a desire, as the earth gaping with heate, waiteth for a pleasing shower of raine in the hottest time of summer.
7. Runne then hastily vnto me ô my God, for I am already out of breath, my courage faileth, and loe I fall fainting [Page 112] downe, wilt thou tarry till I am dead? I am so already if thou make not the more hast, for my sences faile by little and little, my soule slideth sweetly out of my body, leauing it without motion, and I am like vnto him who is let bloud in his foote in hot water, whose life runnes out with his bloud, not feeling the cause of his death.
8. Now ô Lord, if thou keepest thy selfe farre from me turning thy countenance away, I shall become like vnto those who goe downe into the bottome of the graue; pale death will discolour my visage and benum my sences: and that which is worsse, spirituall death ô my God will kill my soule; [Page 113] will fill it with feare and horror and bereaue it of the knowledge of thy singular goodnesse and the hope of grace which shineth in thy wonders, like a glistering star in an obscure night.
9. Cause me then betimes to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy, and in the morning, when the sunne shall arise vpon the earth, let thy clemency rise vpon me, to enlighten mine ignorance, and to direct mee in the way of thy, commandements: But let it not doe ô Lord like thy Sunne who, at the end of his race, plungeth it selfe in the sea, hiding his light for a time from poore mortalls: but let it perpetually assist me; let it bee no more seperated [Page 114] from mee then my soule from my body: for thy mercy is far more the soule of my soule, then my soule is the life of my body.
10. Let it not then leaue me; let the brightnesse thereof still direct my pathes in thy waies, let it still guide mee in the way which I must walke to come vnto thee. For my spirit which hath throwne it selfe into the middest of the briers of this world, which hath gonne astray amongest her thickest bushes, can no more finde out her right way, but walking at all aduentures, loseth both her way and her labour, going still back-wards from the place whether shee [Page 115] thought to arriue. But my GOD I still waite for thy helpe, I hope for succour from an high.
11. I am prisoner in the hands of the cruellest enemies of my life; make hast ô Lord to deliuer mee: thou art my refuge, receiue mee into thy protection, teach mee what thou wouldest haue mee to doe, for thou art my God, vnto whome onely I now resolue my selfe to doe seruice. Away, far, far from mee deceitfull pleasure, which hereto fore diddest bewitch my soule, and poyson my mind: thou hast by thy lickorish delights inueigled me, and with a little honney thou hast made [Page 116] me swallow a most bitter and deadly pill; which spredding it selfe thorow my members, hath in such sort mortified and made me giddy, as there is small difference betwixt mee and a dead person; and my body is not only thus mortified, but my soule likewise, wherein consisteth the originall of my life present and to come.
12. It behooueth then thine holy spirit to come vnto me, to warme againe my dying soule, to take it by the hand to leade it into safety, and to quicken it, imprinting in it the image of thy righteousnesse, which may defend it against the temptation, which on eueryside doth beseege it and threaten her ruine.
[Page 117] 13. Thou wilt come then, and at thine arriuall thou shalt draw my soule out of trouble, and in shewing mercy vnto me, thou shalt destroy all those which haue conspired against me. Then shall my greefe haue an end, and theirs beginne: it shalbe a beginning of their forrow which shall neuer end: but as riuers rising out of their springs run on stil bigger & bigger vntill they fall into the bosome of the sea, which hath no bottome; euen so shall their miseries encrease, and at the last shall heape vpon them extreame torments and infinite distresse.
In this manner shall all those perish which vex my soule: for, [Page 118] ô GOD, I am thy faithfull seruant, whome thou hast remembred, and thou wilt not forget those who in disdaine of my Lord haue so shamefully abused me: they laughed at my misery, but the time drawes on when they shall bewayle their owne. Thy vengeance begins to bee kind: bee against them, and they shall wither like leaues vpon the trees at the approach of winter. O GOD what glory shall I giue vnto thy name, and how shall I beginne to declare thy praise? shall I publish thy goodnesse in the creation of so many wonderfull workes which are vnderneath the sun? thy wisedome in thy preseruation of [Page 119] them? shall I preach thy Iustice in the condemnation and punishment of the pride of the Angels, and disobedience of men? Shall I sing of thy mercy in the redemption of those who offending thy lawe, had throwne themselues head-long into the bondage of eternall death? to what part of thy prayses may the humble sound of my voyce attaine? and though my voyce were able, what eares are capable to receiue it? All things faile mee ô Lord in this businesse, except courage and will, which full of feruent affection doe crye out vnto thee. Ayde with thy grace their weake [Page 120] strength, and seeing the teares of my penitence haue washed away the filth of sinne, wherewith my soule was heauily loden, giue it now the winges of faith and hope, which may carry it with a swift flight into thine armes, to reunite it to her first originall, without euer nourishing any other thought then that which shall tend to the honour of thy seuice, and aduancement of thy glory.
Meditations on seauen Consolatorie Psalmes of Dauid.
Dominus illuminatio mea. Psalme 26.
AFter that I had a long time bathed my heart in my teares, and sighed forth a thousand sorrowes in bewailing my sinnes: I thought ô Lord, that I had appeased thy wrath, and that my miseries should forth-with end. But alas! as I walke on in the world, and determine with innocency of life to conuerse amongst men, I perceiue their enuie to bee turned against me, and all their [Page 122] enuie to be turned against me, and all their endeuours bent to doe mee hurt. So as I begin to doubt, whether I am yet reconciled vnto thee, and whether that this my penitence haue satisfied th [...] or no, But when castinge myne eyes on euery side, I perceiue that this affliction is common to me with all honest people, when I behold euery where what practises are vsed against them, how that their constancy is continually put to the tryall, and on the contrary, how that the wicked doe abound in delight, pleasure, and all manner of wealth, I stand all amazed and confounded. For on the one side I call to minde, how [Page 123] thou art a great and a righteous GOD, whose all-seeing eye pearceth the profoundest deepes, whose almighty hand stretcheth it selfe foorth to the farthest parts of the world. And on the other, I perceiue how those that lift vp their heads against thee, and oppresse thy poore and innocent seruants, doe prosper in thy sight, and waxe proud euery day for thy happy successe of their impiety. I confesse ô Lord, that in this contemplation I remaine as though I were dull and blinde, not beeing able to pearce thorow this thick mist, which did dazell the eyes of mine vnderstanding. But at the last ô Father of [Page 124] light, thou hast opened mine eye liddes, and enlightning mee with the beames of thy wisedom, thou hast made mee to vnderstand the reason thereof: and freeing mee from the trauaile and doubt wherein I was, thou hast filled mee with assurance of my saluation, and giuen me a most certaine consolation: so as now, I not onely neglect the threats of the wicked, and despise their insolencie, but beeing armed with an admirable constancy and greatnesse of courage, I of my selfe, doe vndertake the combate, and crye out with a lowd voyce: Happen what will, I now feare nothing. For although God for a while doe [Page 125] exercise his faithfull seruants, yet hee forsakes them not at their need, but doth in such sort mixe their aduersity with their strength, as they euer remaine victorious in this incounter. And indeed, so long as I shall put my trust and assurance in his mercy; what occasion shall I euer haue to feare?
Hee hath now taken my life into his protection, and couereth me on all sides with the wings of his power, who is able to enforce him to forsake mee? what shall I feare, if hee defend mee, whom all the world stands in feare and awe of: his forces are not armies of men, but legions of Angels, Princes and Captaines, are [Page 126] not his ministers, but lightenings and tempests: his displeasures, are not stroakes and wounds, but earthquakes, swallowings vp of Citties, inundations of Countries: Thou hast already ô Lord, taken all these weapons in hand, and art ready to thunder vpon the pride of the wicked, who haue conspired the destruction of good men. But because ô my God thy mercy doth for a while hold back the arme of thy diuine vengeance, thou comfortest mee in the meane time with a firme hope, that thou wilt neuer forsake mee: And I seeme dayly to heare thee, speaking thus vnto mee, Tarrie yet a little while, the houre [Page 127] which I haue appointed is not yet come, and build thou in the meane time on my promise, and what affliction soeuer is prepared for thee, assure thy selfe, I will make thee to ouer-come it. My courage ô LORD encreaseth, when I feele thee thus to second mee; and this thine exhortation doth more animate mee to patience, then thee applaudes of the people doe the wrastler in the middest of his game. Nothing dooth now any more astonish mee, all these practises and conspiracies against my life and honour seeme like the tempestuous waues of the raging Sea, who roaring a farre off, come and [Page 128] breake them-selues against the foote of some rocke, they are scattered at the first shock, and the blow yeelds nothing but a vaine sound, which is the end of these great menaces: It is certaine, that the conscience of an innocent person, builded vpon thy fauour, is stronger then the greatest rocks, and no furious assault is able to shake it.
3. What shall I now feare any more? a sort of wicked people who compasse mee about, seeking meanes to surprize mee? they inuent sundry meanes to entrappe mee. Behold how they looke at one side, how they bend theyr browes and grinde their teeth [Page 129] at mee, I doe verily beleeue that their cheefest desire is to teare mee in peeces with their teeth, to glut themselues with my flesh, to gnaw my bones, and to drinke my bloud. O cruell beasts, how can yee thus change your natures, how can yee thus abiure all humanitie? Doe you thinke that because yee haue forgotten GOD, that GOD hath forgotten his seruants? Doe yee thinke that his seru [...]nts are as farre seperated from him, as your selues are from righteousnesse?
4. And though like cruell Tygers yee haue shedde your poyson vppon mee, yee haue disquieted mee with your fearfull [Page 130] cryes, and torne mee in peeces with your teeth and talents, yet your stroakes haue none otherwise lighted on mee then on burnisht steele, they would not pearce mee, mine innocence is invulnerable, and at the last beeing tyred and spent, yee are constrained to make retreate, and lying flatte on your bellyes; yee barke and grinne in despight, but yee haue no more power, and yee haue none other weapons left, but onely the will to doe euill. But because your voyce is abhomination before God, and that by your threatnings yee blaspheme him, hee will wholy roote yee out, and throwe [Page 131] downe those hills vppon you which your ambition and auarice haue heaped one vpon an other, thinking thereby to scale his throne, and to robbe him of his glory.
5. O Lord! what sight hast thou presented to mine eyes? I am now so assured of thy mercy, so comforted by the care which I perceiue thou hast of thy faithfull seruants, as albeit I should see neuer so great an armie of men, yet I would not feare them. Let them bring against mee an Armie composed of all the nations of the earth, let them place Scithyans on the right wing of the battaile, Aethiopians on the left, the East Indies and [Page 132] America in the rereward, and place the rest of the world for the battaile in the middest, adde there-vnto what so-euer the arte of killing men is able to inuent, so as my GOD conduct mee, I will without feare passe thorow the middest of them. And if hee beeing angry with the world, please to vse my hands to reuenge him on their impiety, I will cut them all in peeces, so as not one of them shall remaine aliue.
6. No, I doe now reioyce, when I heare tell that the wicked bend them-selues against mee, and assure my selfe that it is GOD who prepares matter for my glory: [Page 133] for ô my Lord, bee thou onely neere vnto me, and the victory is mine one, blesse my weapons, and mine enemies are confounded. But what weapons? breath onely vpon them, and they shalbee scattered abroad like the dust driuen by a great wind: yet for all that ô Lord I beseech thee, blow not yet vpon them the breath of thy vengeance, let it please thee to tarry a while, to see if thy long suffering will amend them. As for my selfe, albeit I am couered with their wounds and defamed by their wrongs, yet I had rather haue them to bee the subiect of thy mercy then of thy iustice, and I desire, if thou so please, that their vnrighteousnesse [Page 134] may rather serue for my confirmation, then for their owne damnation.
7. Thou knowest ô Lord my wishes, thou readest in my hart, how I neuer requested vengeance at thy hands, my vowes do cōiure thy mercy; my thoughts tend onely vnto peace: wilt thou vnderstand the summe of my desires and the end of all my prayers? it is ô LORD, that I may spend my daies in thy faythfull seruice, that thou wilt make thine holy house my dwelling place, and that so long as I shall bee seperated from thee and from thyne Heauenly Tabernacle, beeing staked downe to the earth by the [Page 135] counterpoise of my flesh, all my thoughts may bee vnited vnto thee, and my selfe made wholy conformable to thy will. O blessed dwelling place, which art able to couer vs from worldly passions, from concupiscence of the flesh, and in a word from the assaults of the Diuell. For there ô Lord thou art present with vs, and as much as thou canst thou drawest thy selfe downe from Heauen to remayne amongest vs, thou fillest vs with thy selfe to clense vs from sinne, and changest our carnall will into a quickning spirit, to make vs to feele thy wonders, to comprehend thy mercies, and to conceiue thy power.
[Page 136] 8. Grant then ô my God, that being incorporated into thee, as much as mine infirmity, and thine infinitenesse will permit, I may bee illuminated with the beames of thy wisdome, to the end that shining in mine vnderstanding, it may cause mee to know thy will. For it is the thred ô Lord which is able to guid mee safely thorow the bywaies of this worldly labyrinth, it is the passeport whereby wee attaine to his eternall life, the which we daily sigh for. Reueale then vnto mee this thy will and lay it vp in my soule, to the end I may carefully keepe it, and that in the middest of thy Church I may build an Altar for it with my mouth, in offering [Page 137] it vp daily vnto thee, vnder the sacred vaile of thy holy word.
9. For ô Lord seeing that thou hast shut me into thine holy tabernacle, shewing mee the sacred misteries of thy diuinity: and that in the hardest time of mine aduersity, thou hast receaued, hidden, and retired me vnder thine Altar, and not content there-with, hast caused me to enter into the holy of holies, and into the secretest place of thy Tabernacle, where thou art wont to reueale thy most secret commandements; cause mee to conceiue them so directly, as I may bee able faithfully to deliuer them to thy faithfull seruants.
[Page 338] 10. For seeing thou hast lifted mee vp on so eminent a place and sette me on an high piller for all the world to looke on, & hast honoured me aboue myne enimies, graunt that the foundation of my faith may bee as firme and solid as a rock, & that the fauour which thou shewest vnto me may be a testimony of thy righteousnesse, making me worthy and capable of those good things which it pleaseth thee to bestow vpon me.
11. As for my selfe ô Lord, I will indeuor reuerently to handle the ministery which thou hast committed to my charge, thou knowest how I haue carried my selfe therein; I haue turned on all sides to know what [Page 139] might please thee, I would willingly haue sacrifized sheepe and calues vnto thee, I would willingly haue bathed thine altars with bloud, but such an oblation is to smal for thee. I haue ó Lord slaine my heart, dedicated mine affection, and vowed my thoughts vnto thee: and drawing them from the bottom of my stomach, I haue presented them vnto thee in my voyce, whereby thou hast vnderstood all that which my soule desireth; which is, only to please thee in all mine actions. My cry then was mine offering, the which thou diddest accept, opening the Heauens to entertaine and receiue it. I will then ô LORD all the [Page 140] daies of my life sing thy praise, and rehearse the hymne of thy glory.
12. Giue eare ô pittifull God vnto my songs, and take in good part the voyce, which witnesseth thy goodnesse, and publisheth thy mercy. Encrease in mee both strength and courrage, to lift vp my cries and spirits vnto thee. And seeing that thy mercy is neuer deafe to those that call vpō thee sincerely, send it downe vpon mee for all manner of felicity attends it: send it downe ô Lord, for thou hast promised it to all such as shall inuoke it.
13. How often hast thou heard my heart, I say my heart, I speake not of my mouth, for I [Page 141] onely vnto thee with my heart, crying out vnto thee, saying, what ô Lord? I haue sought thee with so much carefullnes day and night, in peace and warre, in rest and torment. I haue desired nothing so much in this world, as to beehold thy face, not ô Lord the face of thy diuinity wherein that fearefull maiesty is imprinted, which shineth like lightning, and which humaine eyes are not able to beare, but at the least wise that face couered and vailed with thy workes, the which albeit wee can behold it but behind, and that very obscurely, doth seeme most admirable vnto me, and doth wholy rauish and draw me forth of my selfe. [Page 142] If then ô Lord, thou art this vncreated word which hath created all things, thy word which is a part of thy will, and thy will a part of the whole, doth it not represent thy countenance vnto me, wherein I behold many excellent markes of diuinity, which brightly shine on euery side? ô Lord I am amorous of this rare beauty, I haue none other care or thoght, but how to inioy this thy presence, which shews it self in thy word, as in the mirror of thy diuinity.
14. Seing that thou perceiuest the sanctity and sincerity of my loue, depriue me not of this sacred obiect, which blesseth and sanctifieth my thoughts: if thou doest abhorre my sinne [Page 143] and if the deformity therof doe displease thee, enter not into fury against me, neither turne away from mee this faire and admirable face of thine: Thy warth ô Lord, is onely vpon such as glory in their sinne, and wax stubborne in their iniquity. But I thy seruant doe humble my selfe before thee, and doe acknowledge, that being an vnworthy sinner as I am, I durst not appeare in thy presence, but that thy clemēcy brings me before thee. Thou shalt not then reiect me, for thou must forthwith then reiect thy mercy wherevnto I am so strictly bound and tied, that as it is not to be seperated from thee, euen so can it not bee seauered from [Page 144] my penitence.
15. If it please thee, then thou shalt dwell with me, and seeing it hath pleased thee to aduouch mee for thy seruant, and to put mee to this combat, thou shalt not forsake mee therein, otherwise my destruction would turne to thy shame, whereas my victorie will redound to thy glory. Now ô Lord cause this ayde to be continually with me. For, as mine owne infirmity doth ordinarily fight against mee, euen so is it needfull that my succour should euer bee at hand. If thou estrange thy selfe from mee neuer so little, my soule will vanish away, in the same maner as would my body, by the losse of my soule: For [Page 145] thou ô Lord art more the soule of my soule, then my soule is the life of my body. I do very well know, that in mee thou shalt finde a dwelling place, in no sort worthy thy diuine Maiestie, yet for all that, disdaine not to enter into mee; where thou commest, all magnificence abounds, and where thou art, there is alwaies honor enough: Thou doest not ô Lord honor thy selfe by visiting me, but thou thereby doest honor vnto mee thy poore seruant, wherefore shouldest thou leaue the brightnesse of the heauens, and the glistering of the starres, to come downe here on earth to so dishonorable a subiect? But as I thinke thou [Page 146] dooest it to giue warning to thine Angels not to growe proud in their magnificence, in regarde they are thy creatures, and that thou art able to make the basest dweller vpon earth as glorious as they. That is the reason why thou descendest from heauen, to shew mercy vpon vs, and bearing a part in our misery, thou commest to re-establish vs in our ancient perfection. And because we, as much as in vs was, haue defaced the image of the diuinity, which thou hadst imprinted in vs, thou of thine especiall grace commest to renew those beauties and sparkes of our first nature. It is thou then which art not onely content to bee [Page 147] our Creator, but our redeemer likewise, and as thou art our father, in like manner it pleaseth thee to bee our protector and defender. When all the world forsooke vs, thou stretchedst out thine armes vnto vs, and diddest receiue vs vnder the wings of thy clemencie.
16. I stood in great neede thereof, for I knew no more whether to goe. My father and mother had forsaken mee, that father I say, who had tenderly fed and brought mee vp did abhorre mee, when hee perceiued that I delighted wholy in thee, and that I had left the vanities of this world. They beheld mee with sorrow, and accounted mee for a lost child. [Page 148] The kinde embraces of my bretheren were conuerted into disdaine, the sweet friendship of my sisters changed to contempt, and the louing welcomes of my friends turned into derision. Whether now should I make retreate? If my deerest friends vse mee in this manner, what will mine enemies doe, whose mouth is all bitternesse and tongue poyson, whose actions and ordinary exercises, are wrongs and reproches? But when I am most of all forsaken, then art thou neerest vnto mee, then doest thou most fauourably embrace mee, and most liberally powrest vpon mine head the treasures of thy mercy.
[Page 149] 17. Now seeing it pleaseth thee in this aboundant manner to bestow thy grace vpon mee, to the end I may be able to keep it, teach mee how I ought to serue thee. Learne mee thy law, and how to direct my paths, to walke alwayes aright in this narrow thornie way, which should conduct mee to the hauen of health. For ô Lord, I haue left long since that easie beaten way strewed with earthly pleasures, and which leadeth those that follow it to destruction and damnation. Shew mee then my God, thy way, for vnder such a guide I shall neuer goe astray, shew it I say, vnto me ô Lord, for if I stray neuer so little, I am vndone, [Page 150] mine enemies watch to surprise mee, and to finde matter to dishonor mee, and thy selfe likewise, because they know I serue thee truely and faithfully.
18. Giue mee not ouer then into their hands, to do with me after their hearts desire, for they would soone depriue mee both of life and honour. They haue already laide their plotte, inuented a thousand accusations, practised a world of witnesses, but their lyes returne vppon themselues, and beare witnesse against them. Falsehood cannot bee hidden, shee lyeth open, and truth pierceth it thorow on all sides. It is compounded of peeces ill ioyned [Page 151] together, which fall a sunder at the first blowe they receiue, and beeing opposed against innocencie, it melts away like Snowe before the sunne.
19. But if as they desir, they should heape slanders vpon me, and smother me vnder the burthen of their wrongs, I would not for all that be discouraged. I haue not put my trust ó Lord in the richesse and honours of this world, they are commonly the portion of the wicked, they are for the most part the rewardes of their perfidious wickednesse and deceits: this marchandize is commonly bought with none other money. All my trust and hope [Page 152] ô Lord is in thee, the world is not able to containe it, the fruit of my labours dooth not grow in the land of the dead, it is in the land of the liuing that I waite to gather them, there doe I hope to see my wealth, nay rather thine, ó my GOD. Other men looke for the fruite after the blossome, but I expect it after the fall of the leafe. After that the leafe of my body shall bee fallen, I hope that my soule shall flourish with new fruite, and shall bee cloathed with the eternall verdure of immortallity.
20. Bee patient then my soule, and beare thy selfe valiantly, redouble thy courage, and waite till my GOD come [Page 153] towards thee. Bee not astonisht at the prosperitie of the wicked, feare thou not though they doe oppresse good men: And because thou seest ó Lord, that I am not strong enough of my selfe, assist and vnderproppe mee, least that the affections of the wicked cause mee to remooue foorth of the place where thou diddest set mee; second my feruent zeale, to the end that hauing fought valiantly in the assault which the wicked make vppon mee, I may stand ready when thou shalt open the gate, and beeing entred in triumph with thee, I may sitte at thy feete at such time, when thou shalt iudge the quick and the dead. [Page 154] Then wee shall see the great difference betwixt their liues and ours, and what reward attends them: they haue had their wealth in this world, it shall bee said vnto them, Depart hence, for you stand indebted in a great summe, thinke vppon yeelding an account of the goods which were committed to your keeping, and pay the arrerage for the misspending of them. Your dwelling is prepared for you where you deserue, among eternall paines and torments, the rigor whereof hath beene often denounced vnto you, and yet it could neuer drawe you from your vngodly life, yee shall now feele it, because [Page 155] then yee did not feare it. But as for those ô LORD which haue beene patient in thy name, and suffered in thine honour the furie of the wicked, thou wilt say vnto them. Come yee blessed children of my Father, enter into the Tabernacle of glory, to iudge with him the quick and the dead. Comfort thy selfe then my soule, & waite for this time, hope in GOD, GOD almighty and most mercifull, who hath neuer forsaken the iust man in his aduersitie, nor neuer stopt his eare against the innocent which was oppressed.
Benedicam Domino in omni tempore. Psalme 34.
BLessed be thy name o Lord, which hast comforted mee in my sorrow, blessed bee it for euer which hast succoured mee in mine affliction. All things haue their appointed houre, and all the actions of men are disposed by times and seasons, change serueth for rest, and rest refresheth the ordinary labour of liuing creatures: nothing can continue at one staye without relaxation: yet for all that, heerein this rule faileth, for I ô my God, doe and will continually blesse thy name: the sunne rising shall finde mee praysing [Page 157] thy name; the sunne setting shall leaue mee praysing thy name, I will thereby beginne the moneths and the yeares, and thereby I will finish them: ô eternitie, I haue no feeling of thee in this world, but onely in this will of mine, which is euer ready perpetually to praise and glorifie thy name ô my God. My body consumeth with age, and my strength fades away, but my soule, obstinate against eorruptible humanity, dooth not onely last, but encreaseth dayly in this holy affection. If I thinke to take my rest, my heart giueth spurres to my thoughts. If I thinke to bee silent, my soule breakes forth betwixt my lips, [Page 158] and by maine force formeth a voyce which prononnceth the glory of my LORD. What makes thee ô my soule so feruent in the praises of my God? I see wel that thou knowest, that thou hast drawne thine essence from him, and waitest by him to be glorified, what vsury doest thou offer him? Thou presentest him with a parcell of his praises, and thou in the meane time expectest to be made partaker of the ritches of his glory. For from him only thou art to hope for al honour. The heauens shall passe away, & shall weare like an old garment, & it shall be changed, but God shal remain to triumph [Page 159] ouer the ruines of the world. Peaceable and meeke people shal be on euery side about him; they shall heare the triumphant hymnes which shall be sung to his victory, and filled with ioy, they shal accord their voices to the trumpets of the Angells.
2. Let vs beginne then betimes to learne the songes of his glory, let vs magnifie him and exalt his name as high as our voyces will stretch, let vs re-enforce our cries, to the end they may ascend as high at the least as we can discerne them, that the ayre filled with our songes, may carry them on the winges of the winde to the very farthermost partes of the earth [Page 160] to the end that all people may be wakened with the sound of our tunes, and reioyce when they shall in this manner heare the name of the Lord of heauen and earth to be exalted, the lord, who is the trusty & assured refuge of all those which call vpon him.
3. I sought him and he forthwith heard me. I no more knew whether to goe, and after that I had cast mine eyes on euery fide, finding nothing able to succor me, the whole world forsaking me, I returned towards my selfe, and bewayling my calmity beheld my selfe: And on a sodaine he at once filled me with strength and courage, and causing my soule [Page 161] to rebound out of the gulfe of sorrow and tribulation which had swallowed me vp, he said vnto me, trust in me for I am here, then I cryed out ô Lord where art thou? make hast and quickly help me, and forthwith his spirit came downe vpon me and as a strong wind driueth away the cloudes, euen so did it driue from me all manner of griefe and aflictions.
4. Come then and runne vnto him, come, the way is easie, it is open on ouery side, he shewes himselfe euery where, in what place so euer we be he calls vs vnto him. He is so much affraid least we should goe astray, as he comes downe from heauen to carry the torch before vs to [Page 162] giue light vnto our feet. For hee is the Father of light, and giues a purer light to our soules then to our bodies, it dissipates and scatters of it selfe, all that which may hurt and offend vs. Come then and draw neere vnto it, for so long as it shall shine vppon you, you shall walke with an erected browe, and nothing shall be able to offend you, your strength shall be renued within you, and nothing shall bee able to confound you: if your sinne offers to shew it selfe, it will driue it away: if your enemies come towards you it will ouer-throw them.
5. Will yee behold an excellent proofe of his helpe [Page 163] and singular mercy. Looke vppon this poore miserable wretch, who was accounted the maister-peece of misfortune, who was supposed to haue lost al that he had, yea, very hope it selfe, the onely comfort of the miserable, yet he no sooner cryed vnto God, but he foorthwith heard him and deliuered him from the misery wherein hee was, hee hath brought him to the hauen and set him in a place of safety.
6. He sends his Angels to the ayde of his seruants, who compasse them about like a strong guard, and stir not from them till they haue deliuered thē out of al danger. For as he is great, so are his ministers mighty: [Page 164] and albeit of himselfe he is able to doe all thinges yet in regard of his greatnesse, he executeth his wil & pleasure, by the means of his creatures gouerning the small ones by the meane, the meane ones by the highest, and the highest by himselfe.
7. Taste then a little how sweet his mercy and goodnesse is, how happy is he which putteth his trust in him. The swallow is very carefull of her young ones & yet she often lets thē cry out for hunger, mixing their sweet with bitternesse: but our God comes at the first cry, at the first signe, at our first wish, and so soone as he perceaues that we thirst after his succour, he puts into our mouthes the fertill [Page 165] dugges of his goodnes, and sheds betwixt our lippes the sweet milke of his grace, which quencheth the thirst of our infirmity, and the heat which our sinne like a rotten vlcer hath in gendred in our consciences.
8. Now seeing he is so good vnto vs, & denies vs nothing that wee aske him, take heed I pray yee vnto your selues, I speake vnto you on whom hee hath bestowed so many benefites, whom he hath sanctified with his holy blessings, whom he hath set apart to be his chosen, and to be partakers of his loue. Take heed least yee offend him by your vnthankfullnes, and make your selues vnworthy of his benefits by a distrust and [Page 166] vnbeliefe of his goodnes. For those which feare him neuer want any thing, in fearing him they hope in him, also they feare him with a louing feare, with a feare, not that hee will hurt them, but with a feare to offend him, or rather with a fatherly reuerence, which makes him by so much the more the ready to doe vs good, as wee are respectiue to demaund it. For hee of himselfe knowes what is necessary for vs, hee forthwith preuents our desires if they are not agreeable to his will, and makes vs rich in the middest of our pouerty, and valiant in the middest of our weaknesse.
9. On the contrary, hee [Page 167] doth not so to the rich worldlings, whose wealth he hath not blessed, for those men are needy in their riches, starued in theyr aboundance, their wealth melts into pouerty, their magnificence vanisheth away into smoake, and becomes like to a riuer whose spring-head is damn'd vp, his channell remaines drie, his bankes lose their greenesse, and the trees planted thereon wither and fade. But those which haue recourse vnto God and do not forsake him, who referre all to his honor, shall neuer want any good thing, because the fountaine of all goodnesse, which is the loue of GOD, springeth in the middest [Page 168] of their soules, and sheds it selfe abroad through all the parts of their body.
10. Now in regard you see how much profit there is in fearing God, how his feare is that which reconciles vs vnto him, this reconciliation doth purchase vs his fauour, doth encrease our felicity, come vnto me and I wil teach you to feare him, who like a good and mercifull father, doth neuer deny his mercy vnto him which acknowledgeth his sin, and is willing to returne into the way of well doing.
11. Doe you desire to please him, by that meanes to liue in his fauour which is as much to say as to liue happily, and to [Page 169] passe your dayes in tranquillity of spirit, and plenty of al things necessary for this mortall life, and moreouer to walke apace in the way of this immortall life, which tarrieth for vs after our departure hence: In a word do yee desire his blessing, which is as much to say as a firme and certaine prosperity, which begetteth in vs a spirituall ioy, which will keepe your heartes alwayes open to breath his honour, and to vse, with contentation, the wealth which hee lends you in this world? In a few wordes I will shew yee the way. For I know wherein hee delighteth and which of our actions doe please him.
12. The first thing that yee [Page 170] shall doe, bridle your tongue, that it vtter no wordes which may offend Gods honour, nor vse sharp and bitter speeches. Doe you see this little member, how nice and tender it is? yet neuerthelesse it is the helme of our life, which steereth and turneth our minds on the same side as it selfe is turned. For so soone once as it is filled with naughty and vitious speeches, it carrieth the passions of our heart, where they are conceiued, vnto the depth of our vnderstanding, and doth water it in such sort, as it forthwith looseth the forme and figure of reason which God hath inspired into it, doe you not see how a little sparke of fire burnes [Page 171] downe a whole building? euen so the toung giues sin entry into vs, brings him in deafely and spreading his fire abroad in our soule, consumes in vs all matter of goodnesse. Let vs then command our lippes to receiue nothing but the bare and simple truth, and let lies and deceipt befor euer banished from vs. For if we shut vp the euill cogitations which may arise in our hearts, not giuing them any vent, they will in the end smother themselues, like to a fire which hath no ayre.
13. Let vs first of all then put farre from vs all deceipt and lying, for the true praise which God expecteth from vs, is, that we imitate him [Page 172] as much as our nature will permitte. Now hee is the God of truth and righteousnes, who can neither loue nor cherish vs, so long as lying, which is his contrary, shall dwell in vs. Secondly wee must fly from all sinne whatsoeuer; to avoyde euill, is the beginning of well doing, and if God find vs empty of euill meaning, hee will fill vs with good, and will teach vs what wee ought to wish and procure. Hee learneth vs that which wee ought chiefly to desire. It is peace which hee will haue vs to wish for, with all our hearts. Peace first with him, which is the heape of all goodnes, the which we cannot haue, vnles we yeeld him that obedience [Page 173] which we owe him. Peace afterward amongst our selues, without which we cannot obtaine his. For hee hath commaunded vs to loue our neighbours as our selues, but if we, insteed thereof, breath foorth nothing but blood and rapine, what peace can wee haue with him, whose lawes and commandements wee breake? For warre and discord are the roots of vnrighteousnes, and are abhominable before God.
14. His eye, which is this good and mercifull eye, doth not looke but vppon the iust: his light shines onely on them, his wonders are wrought in theyr behalfe; his eares are onely open to theyr prayers: [Page 174] and we may properly say, that his Iustice stands at his side which examineth the liues of such as present themselues before him and doth recommend vnto him the prayers of those that are of an vpright heart.
15. As for those who take delight in doing euill, he doth looke vpon them, but it is with an eye kindled with fury, whose beames are like arrowes of paine and misery, which he shooteth into their soules, filling them with feare and amazment, with a thousand other mischeefs which he sends vnto them, as the earnest of eternall torment which attends them. He thinkes not on them but only how to root out their memory [Page 175] frō the face of the earth, and by his iustice to wash out the spots of their polution: for he hath a long time knowne their impenitent heart, which hath insolently neglected his holy mercy.
16. The Iust haue not done so, for they returned vnto God in time, and crying after his clemency, they did at the last obtaine it, they now inioy it as their portion, he hath drawne them foorth of all the troubles wherein they were plunged, & hath couered them with his fauour as vnder a brazen wall, so as no violent euil whatsoeuer is able to pearce through it.
17. Truly god is good & fauourable he is alwaies neere to the [Page 176] afflicted which call vppon him, hee forsakes him not, neither day nor night, so soone as sorrow hath humbled vs, and caused vs to know what neede wee haue of him, behold hee is at hand to saue vs.
18. The righteous indeede are afflicted with strange calamities, and wee may in a maner say, that they are the subiect of misery, so many euills doe at once seeme to ouer-whelme them. But it is onely to make the mercy of God the more illustrious & notable in their behalfe: For the greater that their tribulation is, the brighter doth Gods pitty and compassion shine in their conseruation.
19. Hee preserueth the least [Page 177] of their bones, yea, namely not an haire of their heads shall perish or be pluckt off, but by his expresse will, and he neuer wils it, but for their good and saluation. More-ouer a! their wealth and store is vnder his protection, and when hee pleaseth hee will multiply their riches, hee will make his blessings to florish in their houses, and hee will encrease their wealth and possessions aboue all enuy.
20. On the contrary the life of the wicked shalbe miserable. If at the least-wise for to try thē, & to inuite them to returne vnto him, he doth lend thē some wealth in this life, hard and lamentable shall bee their death. Death, which shall turne them [Page 178] ouer to eternall torments; Death which shall plung them in the botomlesse pitte of fires vnquencheable, there to bee deuoured and neuer consumed, there to bee euer languishing and neuer dead, such shall bee the end of the wicked and of him which persecuteth the iust man.
21. And thy poore seruants in the meane time, whom thou hast so deerely redeemed out of the hands of death and sinne, shall enioy in all happinesse the saluation which thou hast purchased for them, and holding death and sinne in bands vnder their feete in the chaines of thy mercy, they shal trust in thee so long as they shall remain in this [Page 179] worldly exile, & after that they are come forth of it, they shall enioy that eternall blessednesse which thou hast promised them, beholding in thy countenance, that fountaine of brightnes, goodnes and beauty, wherwith thou diddest create heauen, earth and al therein contained.
Noli Ae [...]ulari. Psalme 36.
IN regard that Gods prouidence which gouerneth the world, oweth a recompence to euery man according as hee hath deserued; I am sometimes amazed to see how those whose onely study is to do euill, do receiue so many fauours in this life, and doe bath them-selues [Page 180] in so many kindes of pleasures. But as my heart begins to swell and to bee despited in it selfe, I feele (as it seemeth vnto me) the spirit of God which comes and toucheth me, and plucking me by the eare, it saith vnto me, soft and faire, soft and faire, thou poore wretch, thou losest thy selfe in this ouer-deepe and dangerous discourse: comfort thou thy selfe in mee, and enuie not the good of the wicked, bee not iealous of those which worke iniquity.
2. For that which thou thinkest to bee their felicity, is but a vaine shaddow, a false and deceitfull image, which will bee lost betwixt their hands, & will flie away when they shall thinke [Page 181] to hold it fast. As the hay, which is mowen downe, fades & withers in a moment, euen so in a moment shal the magnificence of the wicked lose his colour & brightnesse. The herbes in a garden are not so soone withered, as thou shalt perceiue the riches of the wicked to fal away and perish. Hast thou not beheld the flower Emerocall, true beauty of a day, which flourisheth with a crimson dye in the morning, keepeth his coulour all day long, and in the euening becomes so pale and withered, as though it had bin bitten with the frozen teeth of winter? The happinesse of the wicked, if a deceitfull smile of an apparent felicity, may be termed a happinesse, [Page 182] doth properly resemble that flower, for it is withered so sodainly, is changed in so short a time, and is transformed in such diuerse manner, as it is a wonder to behold it.
3. Put then thy trust in God, and beleeue it, the insolence of the wicked shall neuer continue, so long as the diuine iustice shall beare rule, and bee likwise assured, that the iust man shall neuer bee forsaken, what affliction so euer he be in. Discourage not thy selfe, but continue in wel doing, for he which perseuers vnto the end shall be saued. Dwell in the land which thy God hath giuen thee, content thy selfe with the graces which he hath giuen thee, and [Page 183] enter not into iudgment with him; For thou shalt find in the end that the riches of the wicked are but giuen them to keepe.
4. Reioyce thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God, & lay aside the melancholy which thou hatchest in thy soule, which like rust eats & consumes thy heart. For when thy minde shall bee once purified, and thy thoughts lifted vp to thy Lord; he will accomplish all thy wishes, & will cause thee to enioy all that which yu art able to desire.
5. But do not present thy selfe before him with wauering, goe not vnto him with diffidence, do not hide thy thoughts, opē the very bottom of thy heart before him, & discouer thy thoughts. [Page 184] For it is impossible to deceiue him, and it is dangerous to goe about it. He seeth and noteth all things, chiefly a double and vnbeleeuing heart, the which aboue all things else hee detesteth: but hee receiueth and embraceth the poore man that is humbled, hee harkeneth to his prayer, and giues him before hand that which he ment to ask.
6. Nothing is wanting, neither wealth, nor honour vnto him which hath his fauour: if thou please him once, hee will cause the glory of thy righteousnesse to shine brighter then the day light, and the equity of thy iudgments to glister like the mid-daies sunne. For people on all sides shall be seene to come [Page 185] from thee, blessing thy house for a temple of iustice, praysing thy word for an oracle, and reuerencing thee as the cause of their rest and liberty. Euery one shall exalt thine integrity, as the protector of good men, and sure defence of the afflicted. But the more honour and glory that thou receiuest, humble thy selfe so much the more vnder the hand of thy GOD, and acknowledge this good to come from him, and yeeld him homage. The homage which hee demandes of thee besides thy heart, is but thy mouth and hands, thy mouth to set foorth his praise, thy hands to serue him according to his commandements.
[Page 186] 7. Loe, this is that which the spirit of God told mee, I communicate it to you my friends, and make yeepertakers of these holy aduertisements, to the end that if here-after you see any one to prosper in his affaires, and yet to blaspheme in his life, yee should not bee offended thereat, nor be angry in your selues, though hee which worketh iniquity, do abound in all manner of wealth.
8. Be quiet then in your minds, sweeten the sharpnesse which pricks and vexes you, and neuer go about to hurt him because of that. For the recompence of good men is nor only good for good, but good for euill.
9. And those, who caried away [Page 187] with a fiery impatience, do procure the hurt of others, & who in stead of leauing vengeance to God vnto whom it belongs, will vsurpe it from him, they shall bee rooted out for euer: & like insolent seruants which enterprize vpon their maisters authority, they shall be sharply and shamefully punished. But he which possesseth his soule in patience, and constantly waiteth for Gods iudgement, God will praise and blesse his obedience, and after that he hath punished the wicked for their mischiefe, hee will confiscate their possessions, and make him maister and owner thereof.
10. Tarry yet a little, and yee shall see the sport, Hee [Page 188] whom yee did see so magnificent, which made so great profit by his sinne; who by his naughty practizes had gathered together so much wealth, as he thought thereby to haue purchased an immortall name: he shall glide a way like a waue, where the water flowed with great surges, there shal be seene nothing but mudde and dirt: there shal not remaine so much as any signe of the place where he stood; he shall be no more remembred then the wind which blew a twelue-moneth past.
11. And on the contrary, a good and righteous man, shall possesse his roome, shall be successor of his ritches, and shal [Page 189] raigne in safety on the earth, leauing his wealth in succession to his children, peace shal passe on to his by inheritance. Peace, a rich and wealthy in heritance, which giueth tast to all other benefits, without which all the other is but torment and afliction. Peace, more sweet then the sweetest oile and milke which hatcheth all kind of pleasures in thy bosome, which causeth vertue to budde and flourish, and which no wrisheth, and ripeneth her holy fruites.
12. Now this peace is the guift of God, and nothing can bestow it vpon vs but his goodnes and nothing can procure his goodnesse, but the reformation of our wicked liues: for so [Page 190] so long as warr shall remaine in vs, and that sinne, which is the sinne of discord shall lodge with vs, wee cannot hope for peace and rest amongst our selues. But on the contrary, if wee can make peace with God, wee shall forth with haue it with men, and wee shall liue in a firme and quiet rest.
13. I know well that there will alwayes be wicked people found, whose euill-will, will not cease till they dye; I know very well that they wil alwayes lie in waite to surprize good men & to practize against them, they will grinde their teeth at them, & gromble like roaring Lions, for their hatred is so extreame against the good, as when they [Page 191] see them they know not how to looke, and resemble beasts rather then men.
14. But God almighty who hath appointed that which hath bin, which shalbe, and is, whose ordonances are immouable, doth mock such practises, & laugheth at the vaine doings of those false miserable wretches, which beate the ayre and skirmish with the wind: he sees their end to come on faire and softly which shall beare them hence like a great whirle-wind.
15. For whē they think themselues to be maister & to haue al in their own power, euen thē shall they bee in most danger. You shal see these miserable si [...] ners with naked swords in hand [Page 192] to bend their bowes and to take their ayme, to hit the innocent. They will band themselues together, they will put their people in order, place their ambush, giue the watch-word, and ioyfull in their hearts they will say: we hold him, he cannot escape vs.
16. They will come to slay the poore, needy and innocent person, and will make account to roote out all those whose harts and soules are vpright. For against such men they denounce warre, because they hinder the execution of their purposes, and for that their innocence is a continuall reproach vnto them.
17. They had already set their [Page 193] knife to the throate of the innocent, they were fetching their stroake, they had shot off their arrowes, but loe! by a wonderfull accident, the point of their swordes was turned vpon their owne brests, their arrowes fell vpon themselues, their bowes brake betwixt their fingers; And at last they slew one another, with their owne weapons. Thou hast rightly said ô Lord, that alwaies euill councelles ouerthrow the authors thereof, thou hast foretold that the wicked are taken in their owne snares, and that at the last they shal suffer the punishment which they prepared for others.
18. It is not then ô Lord, power, greatnes, and worldly authority, [Page 194] which make men happy, troopes and armies of men make them not safe and conquerors. For the small store which thou giuest vnto the iust man, who by his sincerity is reconciled to thy fauour, is of more worth, then all the plenty and a fluence of the wicked: the little which a iust man hath, riseth like the leuen in the dough, his strength flourisheth like the branches of the Palme tree, for his vigour takes root in thee who art the depth of al strength and power.
19. But on the contrary the arme of the sinner, how strong soeuer it be, shal be, broken, and his strength shall be troden vnder foote: for it is but a vaine [Page 195] shew which swelleth like to the glasse in the furnace; it waxeth great by the breath of the workman, but the more it encreaseth and shines, the more weake and brittle it becomes, so as a small knock breakes it all to pieces. But the iust man is like to the diamond, the more it is hammered, the brighter it is: Affliction takes only from the innocent man his vppermost filth and excrement, and the nakeder he is, the fairer and purer he appeares.
20. In a word whatsoeuer God sends, to good men, all is for theire good. Hee knoweth the life and dayes of all such people as are [Page 196] pure and cleane, and giueth them that which is needfull for them. Their happinesse is prepared from all eternity, and they shall eternally possesse it, not an earthly inheritance, but a heauenly, whose wealth is infinite and eternall, an inheritance, which deuided amongst his children, shall neuerthelesse remaine whole & entier, whose parts shall be as great as the whole. For it is this inheritance of glory, which enritching so many people, doth fill them all with eternall blessednesse, and remaineth euer one, and alwaies infinite.
21. Now albeit that the hope of Gods seruants is not fixed on earth, yet neuerthelesse so [Page 197] long as they shall remaine in this world he will not suffer them to want that which is necessary for the maintenance of this life. For when the euil time shall come, when as vengeance shal be poured vpon men, when the waters shall ouerflow their bankes, when tempests shall beare sway, and the heauens raigne downe fire, the iust shall be then at rest in the midst of the tempests, stand dry-foot in the time of shipwrack, and shall be safe in the middest of the flames. And namely when a fearefull famine shall come to deuour nations, Manna shall fall from heauen to feed them. For the wrath of God is only vpon the wicked, his anger is [Page 198] only kindled against them: As for the iust the neerer they seeme to danger, the neerer they are to safety.
22. They are not like to Gods enemies, who are highly honored and exalted, to make their dounfal the more greiuous and shamefull; for nothing hath a great fal but that which is highly exalted. The ruines of towers shiuer themselues in peices and fall to dust, the wicked doe worse, for when they once fetch their leape, they do not only fall away to dust but vanish into smoake, and euaporate to nothing. Behold the cloudes which comes foorth of the thundring throate of a great Cannon; what a thick [Page 199] vapour it casteth foorth, how it seemes to fill the emptines of the vaste ayre, and to muste the sunne: but they are no sooner ascended, but they grow lesser, and so at the last consume away, so as not any token there of is at all to be seene.
Such is the greatnes of the wicked, which hath no matter but their sinne, no motion but theire vanity; it increaseth in an instant, and in a moment perrisheth. And all the labour they bestow in preseruing it, serueth to no vse or purpose at all.
23. They borrow and pay not againe, all that they catch is their owne, and they leaue [Page 200] nothing for other men to carry away, neuerthelesse all his proffits them nothing, for as the aboundance of meat doth not fatten him that is in a consumption, because the radical humor of his life is spent, eauen so the blessing of God which is the roote of all prosperity, declines from the wicked. The iust man on the contrary who is full of mercy and compassion, giueth largely of his goods, and distributes his money, and like a current of springing water neuer waxeth drye.
24. It is a blessing promised to those which blesse the name of God, that they shall inherit the earth, that is, they shall hold the earth, as an inheritāce [Page 201] by good title: albeit they are molested, yet they shall neuer be ouerthrowne; For they are Gods children, whom he hath created, and therefore they haue sufficient authority to hold it. But those which blaspheme his name, are disinherited of his fauour, and like vngratefull children, are depriued of their fathers inheritance, so, as bearing his curse they must of force perrish.
25. For there is none other saluation in the world but to trust in God, and to commit ones selfe to his keeping. He directeth the wayes of the iust man, and gouernes his actions, so as they need not to be amended. He stirres vp his will to [Page 202] godlines, and turnes a way his eies from the baits of sinne, he will bring him back from the lanes and bywayes of pleasure, into the road way of vertue, and cause him to walke in the paths of his commandements.
26. It is a faire plaine way where there are no stumblingblocks, all is smooth and euen. And if the wicked, or father of lies, holdes out their legges to giue the iust man a fall, thou ô Lord art neere vnto him to raise him vp againe, and not to suffer him to be broken in peices. And with thy hand of mercy, that most soft and tender hand, thou liftest him vp againe on his feet.
27. I haue beene young and [Page 203] now am olde, yet to my remembrance, I neuer saw the iust man wholly forsaken of God, nor his children brought to begge their bread. It may be that sometimes some crosse may light on him for a triall of his constancy, and for a proofe of his vertue, yet it do's no more but passe by and shake him, not being of force to throw him downe.
18. I haue seene such an one whoe all day long did nothing but giue and lend, so as a man would haue thought that hee tooke delight in wasting his goodes, and yet neuerthelesse hee did still abound in substance more then before, he much resembled [Page 204] the Pipe of a Pumpe, which draweth vp water in casting it forth: the full in him could not endure the empty. The iust man giueth, good doth forthwith fill him, his posterity is neuer the poorer for his bounty, for the blessing of God causeth riches to spring in him, as the sunne doth the fruites of the earth, & multiplies them a hundred for one.
29. Seeing then that God is so good and bountifull, if yee loue his fauour, take care to please him, the way is, to turne away from euil, and to do good. God loues him which imitates him, for loue proceeds from resemblance, his actions are to do good, it is his chiefest occupation; [Page 205] He began this worke when he made the world, and is neuer weary of it. Let vs then doe like him, and so long as wee shall dwell in this world, where hee hath giuen vs meanes to serue to his glory, and the profit of our neighbour, let vs not neglect this occasion to discharge our duties one to another, and by that meanes obtaine his fauor, which is the richest treasure we can purchase.
30. Nothing doth please him so much as Iustice, for thereby, as much as in vs lieth, wee preserue his workmanship and allow his wise councell, in giuing to euery one that which is his owne, and distributed by the vniuersall lawe of the world, [Page 206] which we call nature, and wee must thinke, that when wee iudge other men, we administer his power, and that such iudgment as wee giue, the like will he giue vs, when hee shall sit in his throne to iudge the world: not that hee can iudge amisse like vs, but he will make vs feele by his indgement the smart which wee haue procured to other men by ours. For hee will neuer forsake his Saints, hee will at the last gather them together, and will shield them from the in-iustice of men; he will of purpose sitte downe in his seate to iudge those which do oppresse them.
31. There will he pronounce a rigorous iudgment against [Page 207] the vniust, and hee will destroy the wicked. They shall bee confined in infernall torment, they shall bee heard to howle in the middest of their torture, and their punishment shall ouer-runne their heads, euen vnto their posteritie; and their children shall beare the sinnes of their fathers, and shall endure part of their misery.
32. And at the same time the grace of God shall shedde it selfe aboundantly on the iust, to the end that their prosperity may bee a second punishment to the wicked, filling their hearts with enuie, which shall continu [...]lly gnawe them: for they shal behold good men to pos [...]sse their lands [Page 208] in peace [...], their posterity to reigne in quiet, and to flourish like the tree planted by a sweet riuers side, which spreds forth her branches in the ayre, flourisheth in beauty, aboundeth in leaues, and brings forth most excellent fruite.
33. But what shall bee the fruits of the iust man? shall they bee the wealth which hee hath gathered together, the castles which he hath builded? ô fruits vnworthy such a tree! fruites which wither at the first feeling of frost, fruites which fall off with the first winde! not so, it shall bee the go [...]d and sauory fruites which growe in the faire and plenti [...]ull arbors of the diuine wisedome. They are [Page 209] holy and religious thoughts, they are meditations full of zeale and deuotion, by which he will ioyne his spirit to God; then opening his soule, he will receiue the beames of the holy Ghost, which will animate him to a thousand goodly vertuous actions, as the fruite of his life. Holines passing from his heart to his lippes, will cause him to vtter none other speeches but of equity and righteousnes.
34. For he will alway haue the saw of God imprinted in his soule, as a iust and certain rule, whereby hee will encompasse his speech, and he need not feare euer to goe astray out of the right way, nor that his foot will in any sort slide, for the [Page 210] foundation thereof is too surely laide, and the pathe too much beaten. The lawe of God is more firme and solide then Iron or Steele. It is an in flexible rule, an immoueable rocke. It is a place of safety, where a man is not onely conducted in righteousnesse, but safely preserued as betwixt two brazen walles.
35. For, behold the wicked, how long hee hath laine in ambush to surprize the innocent? behold what meanes hee hath vsed to take away his honour and life, see whether hee haue forgotten any thing or no?
36. But God forsaketh not the iust man, into what danger soeuer hee falles, hee giues him [Page 211] not ouer to the sacriligious hands of these cruell murtherers, nor to their bloudy impostures, and impudent slanders; For hee is Iudge, and the power resides in him, but hee is likewise a witnesse, and the knowledge of truth is in him, seeing then that hee knoweth the truth, and that hee can and will iudge the innocent, shall he not be iustified by his sentence?
37. Waite then on him ô yee iust, for his helpe is certaine, be not weary of staying for him, for he knowes better what yee need then your selues: sometimes hee tarries to trye your patience, some-times to glorifie you: walke then in his waies, & obserue them carfully: [Page 212] Plant strong hedges round about his wayes, stick your labours with thornes, and your tribulations with briers, for feare least voluptuousnesse enter in, and pleasure breake and spoile your way. Perseuer in your course vntill yee sweate water and bloud, to the end that yee may arriue at the hauen of rest, where God will exalt yee aboue this visible world; yee namely aboue his glorified Angels. Hee will cause yee to lead sinners in triumph, and will make yee to see the earth purged from their iniquity, to bee assigned for a portion to good men.
38. I haue beene some-times amazed to see the wicked man [Page 213] raised vp to all sorts of honors, and to hold the earth, in a manner, subiect vnder his feet. The Cedar of Libanus lookes not more faire and straight, at such time as hee puts on his greene liuery, and spreds forth his new blossoms, as the wicked seemed in the strength of his magnificence.
39. But returning by the place where I left him, I did greatly wonder what was become of him, I beheld the seate of his greatnesse, which was turned into solitude, I did aske what is become of him that was so braue, and so much feared? no man made me answer. I sought vp and downe euery where, to see if I could meete him, but I [Page 214] could heare no tidings at all. All melted away with him, there remained not so much as a mentiō of him, and it seemed that the fire had eaten all vp.
40. Wee must then by the example of their misery learne to eschew sinne, and following another life, meritte another end. Preserue your selues then ô yee innocent people, study righteousnesse, loue equity and iustice: For the peacable man loueth rest in his family, and is new borne in his posterity.
41. They are not like to the reprobate, whose memory is lost in a moment, and no man remaines afterward to name them, vnlesse it bee with cursses. Theyr posterity is lost at [Page 215] once, the first stroke that striketh them doth wholy ouerthrow thē, for they had no helpe but in their own selues, & God had forsaken them long since.
42. He succoureth onely the iust that trust in him: they haue waited on him, and it is reason that they should find comfort in him: he likewise supporteth them in the day of their affliction. They shall retire thēselues vnder his wings, like to poore chickins pursued by the Kite, they shall there be couered, defended and comforted.
43. Hee will helpe them in the middest of the bickering, and then they shall bee enuironed on euery side, hee will miraculously by his power [Page 216] come and deliuer them. Hee will breake into the throng, & will draw the iust forth of the hands of the wicked. Wherfore, ô Lord doest thou support the iust with such affection? Because they haue trusted in thee, and not placed their confidence in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world, but on thine infinite goodnesse and mercy, which neuer faileth those which call vpon thine holy name? Seeing them ó father of Iustice and mercy, that it pleaseth thee for a time to permit the wicked to enioy the goods and honours of this world, and to set their feete on the necks of good men, and with their euil artificiall practises [Page 217] to torment thy good and faithfull seruants: compose in such sort our affections, as wee may not be offended with their good hap, nor enuy their decetfull riches, but graunt that wee may couragiously beare what affliction so euer it shall please thee to lay vppon vs, wayting with patience till thou comest to iudge their conscience, to enquire out the depth of their councells, and with the seuerity of thy iustice to imprint on their for-heads the shame they haue deserued, razing their infamous memory from the face of the earth, which is appointed for the seruice of thy glory. And in the meane time, containe our hearts in such sort [Page 218] that we haue none other hope, but in thee, and make account of nothing else in this world, or to set our loue vpon, but on thine onely grace and blessing.
Iudica me domine Psalme. 42.
BEe my Iudge ô Lord, take notice of my cause, and iudge the slanders wherewith the wicked doe accuse mee, deliuer mee ō Lord out of the vngodly, and from deceitfull lippes. For they are gathered together to conspire against me, and they haue practised my destruction. They would cloke their theft with iustice, and vnder shew of law they would ouerthrow and defame mee. [Page 219] But ô diuine iustice! which with an all-seeing eye doest scatter the cloudes of slander, and giuest light to innocency, shine a little vppon mee, and make them know that trueth pearceth throw theyr deceits, and makes way to appeare before thee, who art a seuere and vncorrupted iudge, and the only comforter of the afflicted.
2. Thou art my strength and defence, on thee alone doeth mine innocency repose. I was prepared to encounter the impostures of those which assailed me. I had deuised a thousand arguments to conuince them, & made acoūt to gaine the cause. But when I did consider that thou tookest vppon thee the [Page 220] knowledge of my cause, like my God, my keeper & my protector: I said vnto my selfe, to what purpose are all these goodly syllogismes? for my Iudge knowes the truth of the matter, and is acquainted with the equity of my cause. What can be hidden from him, before whom all things are present? what can bee shewed vnto him which is iustice it selfe, who hath established lawes, and vnto whom the interpretation of them doth belong? I throw my selfe then into thine armes my God, my strength and refuge. Iudge my cause and deliuer me from the slanders of the wicked. But wherefore dost thou reiect mee ô my God? I haue a long [Page 221] time called vppon thee and yet thou commest not. Mine enemies in the mean time oppresse mee, and I am able to hold out no longer. ô Lord I am almost in despaire, why dost thou forsake mee? But soft and faire my soule, why art thou so desolate? although God doth for a while deferre to come to thine ayde, whilest the wicked doe afflict thee, why art thou thus discouraged, and giuest thy selfe ouer to griefe and sorrow? That which is deferred is not lost, hee will come, seeing he hath promised it.
3. Come then ô my God, my Lord, and display the beames of thy diuine light vppon mee, and seeing thou art [Page 222] the father of truth, leaue not this thy poore daughter captiue to the iniquity and iniustice of these accusers. If thou louest innocency, deliuer it frō the bandes of these false accusations; now ô Lord mallice lies hid in the middest of darknes, if thou putst it to the light of the day, shee is ouercome, If it bee knowne it is vndone: Let then thy light & thy truth ô my God, assist mee in my iustice: For all my life time I haue loued them, from my youth I haue made much of them and sought them out: They are they ô Lord which first of all brought mee before thee, and presented mee vnto thee vppon thine holy hill, seated [Page 223] in the middest of thy Tabernacle, they brought mee into thy Church, and gaue mee a place of honour in thy house.
4. It is there ô Lord where I haue chosen my dwelling place, mine habitation is with thee, in thee ô Lord is my rest, al my glory hath beene to serue thee. Beeing then assured of thine aide, hoping in thy grace, I will present my selfe before thee, which knowest my conscience, and knowing iudgest it, in iudging thou esteemest it, in esteeming it, confound the common enemies of mine honor & thy seruice. I will cōe vnto the Altar that I haue built vnto thee to blesse and sanctifie thy name, & I wil cal on thee ô [Page 224] my God, which fillest my youth with ioy, warmest my hart with the sacred flames of thy holy will, and heapest pleasure and gladnesse vpon me.
5. Taking my Harpe in hand, I will play the confession of thy magnificence, and with my voyce I will tune the sweete accents of thy praise, I will now sing of thy mighty power; by & by of thine immense goodnesse, then thine infinite clemency: but I will end with this admirable iustice, which hath defended me from the oppression of the wicked, and hath caused the shame of their naughty practises to light vpon themselues: wherefore then my soule art thou thus sorrowfull? why [Page 225] dooest thou thus trouble mee, and fret thy selfe at the indignities of the wicked, as though theyr venemous tongues were able to preuaile against an innocent conscience? no, no, a burning torch thrust into the water is not so quickly put out, as is slander which is throwne vpon an innocent life.
6. Hope in God then ô my soule, and reioyce in his fauor, for I perceiue that he is pleased with his praises in my mouth. All my life long I will praise and confesse my selfe vnto the God of truth, the God of Iustice, God the defender of the innocent, the father of saluation, God mine only defence. I will alway fixe mine eyes and [Page 226] countenance on him, for I haue found no saluation but in him onely. O God, who from the beginning of the world doost stretch forth thine armes to the afflicted, protectest the oppressed, and comfortest the iust man vniustly tormented, giue mee ô Lord comfort and courage, to the end that recollecting my spirits, halfe dulled with affliction, I may glorifie thee with my whole strength, and drowne with the vigor of my voyce the blasphemies of the wicked, who defame thine honor, who beeing not able to reach vnto thy selfe, doe furiously assaile good men that serue thee faithfully.
Audite haec omnes gentes. Psalme 48.
COme vnto me, ô yee strangest nations, draw neere vnto mee ô yee people the most remote, come from all parts, to heare that which no where else yee can heare, crosse the seas and mountaines, ouer-come boldly all difficulty of the long way. For the reward of your nauigation shall bee greater then his which sayleth from the East to the West, laden with Pearles and Diamonds. The recompence of your trauailes shall bee more pretious then the trophees of those which subdue the nations of the earth. Bend then your ear [Page 228] and listen attentiuely to that which I will now declare vnto you, Oh! how gladly would I wish, that all the rest of your sences were turned into hearing, to the end yee might purely conceiue, that which I will pronounce vnto you.
2. Come, come, all yee, which call your selues children of the earth, and thinke that yee owe your originall and beeing to the earth, and your birth onely to your parents, and acknowledge in this world nothing older then they, nor nothing greater then your selues. In deed, yee may bee rightly called the children of the earth, yee are insensible like it, and yee haue no more vnderstanding [Page 229] then Images made of claye, which art bakte in the furnace: Come and open your eares, to the end that I may open your mindes, shut the eyes of your body, that I may cause your soules to see cleerely, forsake the earth, this goodly motherin-law, to the end I may make you to know your heauenly father: come then euery one, both rich and poore, for yee are all alike vnworthy of the benefits which I will liberally bestow vpon you.
3. Come, for I will open vnto you the treasures of eternall wisedome. And opening my mouth, inspired with the grace of God Almighty, I will declare in my words the [Page 230] wonders of his wisdome. I haue a long time held my soule in a profound meditation, and after much deliberation, I did at last conceiue a strange discourse of the diuine wisdome, whereby I haue in all things acknowledged the goodnesse and mercy of God, and the folly, misery, and infirmity of men.
4. That is the reason why beeing wholy confounded in the admiration of his greatnesse, and compassion of our owne weakenesse, I thought good forthwith to listen vnto that which my soule taught me, and to take carefull heed of those things, the knowledge and truth whereof it shewed mee couertly, and vnder a disguised [Page 231] forme. And after I had carefully vnderstood and examined it, I tooke my Harpe in hand, and framing my voyce to the sweet tunes thereof, I prepared my selfe to commit my conceits to the ayre, and to cause my meditations to bee heard of all those which would giue eare vnto them, to the end they might bee pleasing vnto God, the author of such holy thoughts, and serue for a wholsome instruction to the fauorable hearer of my discourse.
5. If yee would then know what I said vnto my selfe, it was thus, what should I feare in the hardest time of my life? whereof should I bee afraide, [Page 223] though death did lay his hand vppon mee and tooke me out of this world? Alasse death is a strange peece of worke, I know not any one but would seare him, seeing no man can defend himselfe from him. How can I shield my selfe from his darts? what rampiar can I make against his assaults, which vndermines and ouerthrows houses, castles, Cittyes, Kingdomes, Empires, which thretens the destruction of the world, and will at the last giue end vnto himselfe? no armour will preuaile but innocency: Thereof will I make a strong shield of steele. For vnles I looke well to my selfe, the traitor sin, deaths hired soldiar, will dog me at the [Page 233] heeles, he will lodge in my concupiscence, and will turne mee ouer at the time of the fight into the hands of damnation.
6. O deere and pretious innocency, thou art onely our safety; vnder thy trust wee constantly wayte for all that which may happen vnto vs, and wee knowe thee to bee stronge enough to defend vs from death. ô foolish madde men, which forsaking this trusty protection, do strengthen themselues in their power and greatnesse, and highly account of their riches and magnificence! They reckon vppe the nations which are vnder their gouernment, they number the treasure which they haue vnder locke [Page 234] and key, but how can all this defend them from death?
7. If the brother cannot redeeme his brother with the price of his owne life, if being willing to dye for him, inexorable death will not accept thereof: what shall man then giue vnto death for his owne ransome? shal he giue those goods which are not his owne, or the Empiers which dye with him? nothing lesse, God will by no meanes be appeased, after he hath pronounced his iudgment against mortal men. He will compound with no man, man is his creature, the clay of his earth, from whom when he pleaseth he will draw that spirit which he breathed [Page 235] into him: man hath nothing to say against it, nor must not dispute with him.
8. Let vs I pray you a little rate the price of mans soule, let vs see what he will offer vnto God to redeeme it from him, let him labour all his life time, let him goe to the corners of the earth, let him thrust his hands into the bowels of the mynes, let him draw drye the golden dugges of both the Indies, let him spoile the East of her pearles, and hauing heaped all this together, let him come and trafficke with God for the prolonging of his life. It is eauen as though a prisoner should make offer to leaue his irons, if he might haue his [Page 236] liberty. Poore wretch, that which thou thinkest to be thy safety, is the window whereat death enters. Death comes of sinne, sinne from thy concupiscence, thy concupiscence is nourished, enflamed and encreased by those trumperies. God will talke with thee when thow art starke naked as he sent thee into this world, before he will capitulate with thee he wil haue thee to render that which thou hast stolne from him, his goods which thou hast mispēt; then thou maiest consider whether thou hast any thing of thine owne to pay the double, yea the foure-fould for the punishment of thy euill life.
[Page 237] Alasse poore mad creature, if thou commest once to that point, what wilt thou say to death, seeing that the wisest men haue bended their necks vnder his yoake? Thou who neuer madest acount of any thing but of thy corruptible and perrishing ritches, dost thou think to be preserued from corruption, and the wise man who, as much as in him lay, did immortalize himselfe in this life, and conuersed with the Angells, could not shield himselfe from it? thou seest him come to his end and yet thou hopest to be immortall! no, no, the wise and the foolish dye both together, yet for all that in a diuerse fashion, for the wise mans death [Page 238] is but a passage, at his returne hee shall finde his Tallent infinitely multiplyed, the glory which hee sewed shall growe vp in aboundance, and shall shaddow the generation of his children.
10. But these poore blinded people, who haue euer their eyes fixed on the ground, their minde shut in their pursse, who haue no more vnderstanding, but to loue those things which loue nothing, who neglect the Sunne and Moone, the chiefe workes of nature, to admire stones, marble, gold and siluer, the excrements of the earth, shall leaue the wealth which they so much loued, and for which they hated all the rest. [Page 239] You shall see them striue with death, they would gladly drawe their wealth with them to the graue, but death will strike them ouer their fingers, and make them leaue off their hold. Beeing halfe dead, they shall open their eye liddes, to beehold with halfe an eye their treasures, but at the last they must marche away, they must forsake all this trashe, a stronger power hales them away.
But vnto whom shall they leaue this store? Perhappes, an vnknowne stranger shall bathe him-selfe in the sweate of this poore wretched creature, vnto whom for a portion shall bee alotted a graue of [Page 240] fifteene or twenty foot at the most, that must be his house, let him dwell there if he will.
[...]. And what is now become of those goodly pallaces? where are those guilded roofs, those gallant rankes of carued Pillars, those marbles so brauely pollished, those emblems engrauen in brasse, and all his other miracles of vanity? is there nothing left for him? He purchased lands to continew from generation to generation, he gaue names to his houses, truely he was a great Lord.
12. Alasse, the poore man when he was in honor had not the witte to know it, and now he is like to the beastes, and resembleth the horse and asse [Page 241] which haue no reason nor vnderstanding: For what greater honor could he desire, then to haue bene cast in the mould of the diuinity, and to be placed amongst the workes of God to command ouer them as his Lieftenant? He was little inferiour to the Angells, and had a soule able to comprehend the greatest wonders of the diuinity, but eschewing the day-light of knowledge, he went groaping vp and downe in the dennes and caues of ignorance and blockishnes, and remained therein all his life-time; hatching this miserable ritches, and at the last is become like to a bruite beast. For as a beast [...]eigheth after his prouender, [Page 242] and takes no care but how to feede, euen so this man, would not stir but for the necessities of the body, nay, he would scarcely vse that wealth, which he had so much coueted, being heerein much worse then all other beasts, whose vnbridled appetite, is satisfied by the vse of those things which they desire.
13. O how scandalous and infamous is the life of such people! what share haue they in this world, or in the next? but only shame in this, and paine and torment in the other. Let them now please themselues in their owne discourse, let them grow proud in their wealth, let them now a little call to mind the speeches they were wont to [Page 243] vse, when they esteemed no man but themselues and their money, and held all other men in contempt.
14. Behold they are haled into hell like sheep to the slaughter, death hath deuoured them, and there is nothing left but their bare boanes, which rotte in their graues.
15. The iust man, who with patience endured their pride, his turne is now come: loe, his time is to raigne, and he is now at his ease. He riseth vp by the breake of day, and after he hath giuen thankes vnto God, he goes to behold the place where one of those miserable wretches dwelt, the place where he was wont to braue and tiranize [Page 244] ouer the world, and saies softly to himselfe, praised be God, who hath clensed the earth from this filth, and hath giuen place vnto those which blesse his name. This wretch is rotten and his glory with him. He is now in torment, and no man helps him, let him remaine so hardly, for death vnto him is a going on, but not a comming back.
16. As for my selfe ô Lord. I know very well that I must dye, the sinne of our first parent hath bound vs to this debt, it is the reward of his disobedience, we must returne into the earth from whence we came. Yet for all that ô Lord thou shalt redeeme me from [Page 245] death, and deliuer me from the hands of hell, when it would seaze on me. Thou wilt not suffer me to goe downe so low, thou wilt set me at liberty at the entry of the dore, and wilt be satisfied, that I should know without suffering, the punishment of my deserued bondage and captiuity. But what shall be the price of my redemption? shal it be the goods of the earth the aboundance of gold and siluer? Not so ô Lord. Thou thy selfe shalt be the price of my redemption, thou shalt giue vp thine owne body to death, to the end to deliuer my soule from hell, thou shalt put on the sorrowes of the graue, to the end to cloath me with [Page 246] the ioyes of immortallitie. I will then, hence-forward, ô my God, haue none other wealth but thou, possessing thee I shall enioy the whole world: louing thee, I shall be in thee, and thou in me, and being so, thou wilt bring thither all the wealth of the world, all the strength, all the glory of the world, and wilt fill mee with an other manner of wealth then that of these poore wretches: they know thee not, their riches is but the fruite of their sinne, which with their sinne shall perrish.
17. Wee must not be amazed to see them sodainly wax riche, nor account them happy for that: if they doe abound in false honor which they hunt [Page 247] after, and that they are loden with this vaine and fleeting glory, which is nothing but a shew, we must not wonder at it, & much lesse enuie them for it.
18. For so soone as they shall kisse the earth, and bee clothed with their winding sheete, they shall carry away nothing with them but the cloth that couers them, nothing shal follow them but their shadow. Nay, I beleeue that wil leaue them also, for the light which causeth the shadow wil faile them, & insteed of these magnificent shews, & pompous solemnities, wherewith they scared little children, grief, sorrow, anguish, pouerty, misery, shall wrap them about, and cast them into the lake of Brimstone.
[Page 248] 19. And, not without cause, they tooke their pleasure in this life, their happinesse was in this world, they obteined what they wisht for, wealth came to them by heapes, greatnesse and felicitie was a burthen to them, they loued none but such as inriched them, they made much of none but those which encreased their reuenues, they are dead, & haue nothing left them in the next world, for they made no prouision of the wealth that is currant there: they satisfied themselues to haue sufficient riches for this earthly life, that is now ended, and they are in pouerty. They desired honor, but it was vaine and fleeting, which depended onely on the [Page 249] opinion of fooles, they had it, but they could not well tell how to keepe it. They would needs sitte on the top of the wheele, it turned round, and threw them head-long downe. Happy are they which can sitte at the foote thereof constant and vnmooued, and behold in safety how it turnes about.
20. But these miserable wretches did not so, they willingly mounted the top from whence they fell into hell, they are now of the number of their fathers, they found their Ancestors there, from whom they drew their birth and manners; they imitated their vices, and after death they pertake their punishment. They learne, but too late, [Page 250] and when repentance is vnprofitable, what it is to lift themselues vp against God, and to resist his glory. They learn what it is to afflict the iust, to oppresse the poore, to deride the afflicted. They are confined in darknesse, and the light shineth no more before their eyes. They heare nothing but horror and gnashing of teeth, they breath out nothing but sighs & grones they do not moue vp and down, but in feare and ttembling.
21. When these wretched madmen were in honor, they knew not what it was, and became like beasts without vnderstanding. But alas, this is no true comparison, for when beasts die, death takes away their feeling of sorrow, [Page 251] as well as that of pleasure: but these wretches, which wold not know wherein their happinesse consisted, who would not looke vpon eternall light, who stopped their eares at the spirituall word, their feeling shall remain for the subiect of their tormēts, & their soule shal liue perpetually to cōceiue their misery and they shal for euer languish.
Quam bonus Israel Deus. Psalme 72.
HOw great is the goodnesse of our God, how certaine is his helpe to those which waite on him? to those I say, who neuer turned away their thoughts from his mercy, & who holding the eie of their soule, fixt on his prouidence, haue neuer let slip [Page 252] the hope which they ought to haue in his fauour, How happy are they, whom the sundry encounters of this world could neuer shake in their assurance of the diuine iustice? how great and praise-worthy is the constancie of such people?
12. For to speake truth, my foote did often-times slip in this way, I did often slide, and almost fell to the ground; Like vnto those who ascend a sharpe and thornie passage, when they feele them-selues pricked with some thorne or bryer, doe presently with the paine let goe their hold, whereby they went vp, and forth with tumble down, vnlesse they bee soone stayed, euen so ô my God, whilst I take [Page 253] vpon me to iudge of thy works, and to behold how thou disposest thy graces, being pricked & grieued at the prosperity of the wicked, I fetch many false steps, and am ready to fall head-long downe, and to iudge amisse of thy wisedome and iustice.
13. How comes it to passe say I, that people which know not God, but to blaspheme him, who thinke they haue hired him to serue their libidinous and peruerse affections, who care not otherwise for him, but only to haue him serue for a coulour to their wickednesse, and for a maske to their iniquities, that they should neuerthelesse reape the fruite of his fauor, and possesse in peace and quiet the very [Page 254] creame of his blessings? I confesse it ô my GOD, that I am iealous of their prosperity, and I enuy it, and it seemeth vnto mee that it is altogether against reason.
4. What man that beholds them will say that they should euer die? who is it but would thinke that they had purchased of thee, at a price, immortality in this world, and parted stakes with thee of an eternall continuance in all felicity? In other matters of this world some change is seene, which sheweth that of necessety an end must follow, but in their happinesse is such firmnesse descerned, [Page 255] as it seemeth, that they still encreasing as they doe, will at last attayne thy infinitenesse, and seate them-selues in thine Heauenly throne: for there is no manner of likely-hood to imagine that any thing should hurt them, nor that the least misfortune should once draw neere the lustre of such magnificence. It is a matter incredible to thinke that any euell should hurt their pretious bodies enuironed with such numbers of excellent riches.
5. Other men waxe crooked with trauaile: labour is their trade of life, they are borne in teares, and grow vp in sighs, they waxe olde in [Page 256] lamentations; the sea is oftener free from winde, then their life from torment: so many arrowes stick not about a white as miseries and aflictions are seene to encompasse other men: But these men only are free and safe; and with a firme and smooth course of life, they bath themselues with ease in the pleasures of this world, and make the calamities of honest people and such as feare God their only sport and pastime. Who hath seene a tyrant from a theater, to behold his slaues fighting with Tygers & Lions; and to feed his cruell eies and heart with the inhumane sight of those poore dismembred creatures? in the selfe same manner [Page 257] doe these vile wretches feed their wishes, with the sight of the aflictions which scourge the innocent.
7. Oh how proud and arrogant it makes them! they think that the earth was made only for them; and that it is not bigge enough to hold them. As for the other sort, they behold them at one side, and it seemeth that they enuie that they liue, and they scornefully mutter these words, shall we neuer be rid of these rascalls? wil they still be in our sight? Then they say among themselues, what is this fellow but a varlet? that man but a foole? So in loue are they with themselues, that they account nothing in [Page 258] this world goodlier then themselues, they adore them-selues like Gods, they serue their owne lusts, reuerence their owne passions, so as they are couered ouer head and eares, with pride, rapine, and iniustice.
7. They are fatte onely with mischeefe, their bodies are not so larded with fatte, as their soules with sinnes. All manner of villainy and abhomination dwells in their consciences, all their thoughts and wishes tend to filthinesse, they fixe their eies onely therevpon, their fingers itch at it, they haue none other minde, nor affection: and mallice doth animate and giue motion [Page 269] to their bodies.
8. Yee shall see them so soone as they haue a long time thought on their sinne chewed their euell plottes, and executed some wicked enterprise, how they will glorie in them, braue the world, and talke as though they had authority for whatsoeuer they did. If there were any shame in them, they would at leastwise satisfie them-selues with their licentious outrages, exercized vpon men, and not thus vilanously blaspheame and curse the sacred name of God.
9. But what? ô my God they haue listed vp their heads against Heauen, they haue [Page 260] scornefully beheld the seate of thy greatnesse, as if they should say: what is there to bee compared vnto vs? To vs, who do what wee list in this world, who haue aboundance of all things: As for the earth, they vouchsafe not to looke on it, or if in pitty they cast their eyes on it, they say, what is this earth, but that which cloyes vs with her aboundance & wearies vs with hir fruitfulnesse?
10. This is truely the reason ó Lord why all the people beeing amazed come together in heapes to view this prodigy, and runne from all partes to behold this spectacle, and they are mute to see this wonder: they are there fixed, and looke [Page 261] one vppon another.
11. At the last they waxe impatient, and beginne to murmur: What, doth not God who seeth all things perceiue this? Is it not hee which hath this greate all-seeing eye, who bath beheld things before they were created, sees them in their beeing, and force-sees their end? Is not his prouidence saide to bee as great in the gouernment of the world as his goodnesse was wonderfull in the creation thereof? If hee hath disposed all things in order, if hee hath created by measure, if his iustice bee present in the gouernement of the world, what doth hee at this time? where doth hee now sleepe?
[Page 262] 12. Behold the wicked haue seazed on his benefits, and possesse the wealth of the world: a man would thinke that al was made for them, ritches raines downe vpon them, honours enters their houses in heapes, happinesse laies hold on them perforce, they desire and haue, they wish and obtaine.
13. And at the last I my selfe haue likewise said, my God how comes this to passe? I haue in vaine iustified myne hart, and ruled mine actions, according to thy commandements. I haue despoiled my selfe of al affections, for to loue nothing but thee: I haue circumcized my heart from all euill desires, I haue fettered my will [Page 263] in thy law, to the end it might only serue thy glory & eschew sinne and sinners. I kept company with the innocent, and haue lifted vp my hands with them: not only the hands of my body ô my God, but those of my soule which are my affections, the which I haue wash ed and purified in the torrent of my teares.
14. I haue done pennance, and haue all day long scourged my selfe, beating my hart with continuall sighes, peircing it with sharpe contrition, and haue driuen away by force of my bloudy teares that viscuous humor which had ouerflowed my will with very bitter gall. Euery morning [Page 264] when I arose, I cryed thee mercy for my sinnes, and I haue detested mine offences. I did euery day awake with this purpose, and with it I beganne my dayes worke.
15. I said to my selfe, lo this is al I can say, those which feare God and serue him are aflicted, those which blaspheme him are at their ease. And therevpon I beganne to detest the condition of those which glory ô Lord in being thy children, thy chosen, and went foreward and said. Are these they who are called the children of the Almighty God? surely they are reprobate children, seeing that others possesse the inheritance of theit father, and they in the [Page 265] meane time are in extreame pouerty. The other who ouerflow in wealth and vnto whom God is so fauourable and indulgent are his children, this name belongs vnto them, because they enioy his benefits, and are next him masters ouer his workes.
16. As for my selfe, to speake truly, I thought that the matter went thus. I could not chuse but vexe and torment my selfe and said, alasse my God how comes this to passe? can it be, thus, seeing thou hast pronounced threatnings against the wicked, and prepared punishment for them? in a word, I was in extreame perplexity.
17. But at the last I perceiued [Page 266] what thy purpose was; and I peirced to the bottome of thy sanctuary, I entred as I thought into thy holy consistory, and there learn'd thy meaning heerin. For after that I had resolued my selfe to wait the end which thou hast prepared for such people, I knew foorth with that thy iustice neuer lies, & though it be somtimes long ere it come it recompenceth her slownesse by the rigor of the punishmēt. I then stedfastly determined to behold what would become of these people.
18. Truly at the last thou didest pay them home; thou didest giue them the reward of their mischeefe and deceit. For when they thought themselues [Page 267] to be at the toppe of their greatnesse, loe, thou madest them leape downe into the pitte of misery. All their pompe and magnificence, all their ritches, were in the end like to an high and lofty scaffold which they ascended to giue them the more shamefull downefall.
19. Good God, what discomfort, what desolation? there is nothing at all round about them but lamentations, all their officers and vshers, runne vp and downe beating, their brests, and alwaies hanging downe their heades, like vnto a flower which is much beaten with the raine, and is also pittyed of those men [Page 268] who were wont to enuy them. They doe pittifully behold the ruines of their Idoll, and perceiue how madde they were to make a wretched mortall man their God, who was but smoake and winde. For if a man consider their end, hee may see how in a moment they are vanished: there is nothing so short, as the way from their greatnesse to their ruine, the change was so sodaine, as sight could not comprehend it. They were heere, they were there, they were, and are no more, their foote-steps can hardly bee perceiued, to this passe hath their finne brought them, it layde snares a long time for them, & loe, at the last they are fallen [Page 269] into it. Whilest it vndermined the foundation of their house, they went vp to the top thereof to the end their fall might bee the higher. They still went vpwards, and thought all beneath them to bee their owne, but at the last they went vp so high, as they lost themselues in the ayre, before they could come downe to the ground, and so vanished like the wind.
20. They became like vnto dreames from which wee awake, for as men say when they awake, I did but dreame this or that: euen so, when such men are gone, the people will say. The greatnesse of these men was but a dreame, it was a meere vanity and [Page 270] folly which had nothing in it sure and certaine. For thou wilt in such sort abolish their memory, as no man shall think of them, but to deride their pride, and to condemne their insolency. It shall be said, loe, these are the ruines of their houses, these places belonged to these proud sirs, who cared neither for God nor men, who tooke delight in all manner of euill and filthinesse, who built them so many houses with the boanes of poore people, and cimented their pallaces with the bloud of the needy: behold there remaines nothing of what they haue heeretofore beene, but the markes of their shame, lightening fell vpon [Page 271] them, and consumed them to nothing.
21. We must not ô Lord iudge rashly of thy prouidence, he that will consider rightly, thereof must with patience attend the end, must be directed by thy spirit, and inuoke it for his guide and comfort. For whilst my heart boyled with anger, and that for very sp [...]te I fetched great sighes from the bottome thereof, and that all the partes of my body were in a sweate, I had almost lost my selfe, and yet neuerthelesse it was to no purpose at all, for after all this vexation I was as wise and well resolued as before.
22. I was so troubled as I [Page 272] could not tell whether I were a beast or a man: nay verily, I was like a beast, and I could comprehend no more, then if I had wholy lost mine vnderstanding. But neuerthelesse I still held fast my hope in thee: and the more I perceiued my sence and iudgement to faile, the faster did I runne vnto thee, and humbly besought thee to open my minde, and to cause mee to vnderstand thy will.
23. Thou diddest take mee by the hand, and gently sette mee in the right way of thy will: thou diddest acquaint mee with thy purpose. Thou hast done more then that, for as I thinke, thou diddest open [Page 273] mine eyes and heauen at one instant, where I did see the fulnesse of thy glory. I say ô Lord, that thou diddest cause mee to see it, for it is a thing that without thee no mortall man canne attayne vnto.
24. For, alas, what should such a poore and weake creature as I am seeke in heauen, that cannot well see that which is vnder my feete, nor perceiue but with much a doe, that which is before mee on earth? my bodyly eyes are very dim, but those of my soule are much more. The cogitations of men are full of weakenesse and vncertaintie, for the earthly and corruptible [Page 274] body doth dull our spirits, and staketh our sences to the ground. So as without thee I can hope for nothing in this base world, nor promise to my selfe certaine knowledge of any thing. How can I beeing on earth iudge without thy helpe, and vnlesse it please thee to inlighten my mind, of those things which thou hast ordaided in heauen in the seate of thine eternity? Yet ô Lord, thou hast supplied that defect, and hast led me by the hand to see the secrets of thine eternal wisedome, thou hast in a manner rauished me, and taken my soule out of my body, to make it capable of the diuine light of thy wise purposes.
[Page 275] 25. In very deed when I enter into the consideration of these wonders, my heart fainted, and I fell into a swoune, what is this ô my God? my God what hast thou made mee to see? God of my heart, God of my thoughts, God of my hope, God whome I account all my wealth, to loue whome I haue hence-forward destined all my affections. I know now ô Lord what thou art, how iust, how mighty, and I will neuer more be astonisht to see strange matters in this world, the reason whereof I am not able to comprehend. For thy councells are wondrous high, this wisdome is merueilous deepe. But in the ende ô LORD [Page 276] whatsoeuer thou disposest in this world endeth in iustice.
26. For all those who forsake thine obedience, and leaue thy fauour, shall most miserably perrish, all those which violate the faith of the alliance which they haue sworne vnto, and yet serue their owne concupiscences, and commit whoredome with the earth and their fleshly affections, all those which polute their consciences, and prostitute their soules to wickednesse and impious cogitations, shalbe rooted out, and passe through the fury of thy reuenging hands.
27 But as for me ô my God, I will neuer depart from thee, I will neuer hope for any other [Page 277] good but to be first ioyned to thy sides. I will fixe mine eyes vppon thee to the end to obserue thy becke, and to conforme my selfe to whatsoeuer thou desirest of me, and I will follow steppe by steppe all that which thou shalt commaund me. I meane to put all my trust in thee, and seeing that I know thee to be al good and almighty, as I steedfastly beleeue that thou louest mee, I will likewise firmely beleeue that thou wilt ayde mee and giue me whatsoeuer shalbe necessary for me. ô how goodly and certaine is the hope which is builded on the promise of almighty God, who hath giuen mee so many earnest pence of his bounty, so [Page 279] many pawnes of his liberallitie, and all to make me beleeue, that the recompence which he hath promised me for seruing him faithfully, is most certaine and sure.
Wherefore ô my GOD doest thou thus prodigally lode mee with blessings? why doest thou promise mee such aboundance of them, seeing there is in mee nothing but sinne and infirmitie?
28. I know very well ô Lord, that it is because I shall haue matter enough to spred abroad euery where of thine immense mercy, and vnspeakable goodnesse, to the end I may publish thy praise, in all the gates in all the streetes of thy holy Sion, [Page 278] that going vp into thine holy hill, in the middest of those whom thou hast gathered together in thy Church, to receiue thy blessings, and to serue to thy glory, I may acquaint them with the secrets of thy wisdome, which thou hast pleased to reueale vnto mee. And that directing my voyce by the stile which thy holy spirit hath framed, I may bee able to vnfold the sacred mysteries of thine incomprehensible wisedome, to the ende that as many as shall heare mee to discourse of the knowledge, wherein thou hast instructed mee, may admire, not mee which am but an hoarce instrument [Page 280] of thy glory, but the wonderfull effects of thy quickning spirit, which shall animate mee to this godly, holy, and worthy worke. And after ô Lord, that thou hast a while kept vs at this stay in this earthly Sion, lift vp our eies towards the holy Sion, encourage vs to aspire to this blessed dwelling place, and teach vs who they are, vnto whom thou hast promised it, and how wee ought to carry our selues to become worthy of so faire, so holy, and so glorious an habitation.
Domine quis habitabit in Tabernaculo. Psalme 15.
IT is thy pleasure then ô Lord thar this world to vs should be a wearisome Pilgrimage. Al day long we walk vp & downe in it, and at night we can find no rest for our tired members. If we thinke to lay downe our heads on our pillowes, to giue slumber to our eye-liddes, afflictions like so many flies disquiet vs, and the very passions which are ingendred in our flesh like dangerous scorpions do waken, and poison vs, and at the last kill vs, vnles we kil them on the wound. What may we [Page 282] hope for, seeing that as strength decreaseth, our euills doe encrease? seeing that on what side so euer wee turne our selues, wee walke in the middest of this world, and this world is euery where full of miseries?
Where shall wee then expect rest? not in this miserable life, where wee are sent like champions to the game, to encounter with all manner of aduersities, but onely ô Lord in thy Tabernacle, in the sacred dwelling place of thy diuinity, where our trauailes are to bee crowned. O happy! yea thrice happy hee, for whom thou hast prepared this goodly and delectable [Page 283] place of retreate, which will sweeten and comfort our passed griefes in the bosome of thy grace, and refresh vs in the armes of thy mercy. But who are they who shall one day dwell with thee, as beholders of thy felicity and glorie? for to heare so much as is spoken thereof, that place is not accessible to all the world, it is a place of fearefull heigth, of infinite largenesse, decked with incredible magnificence. I can no otherwayes describe it, then that it is a very high hill, on the toppe whereof a maruailous goodly garden is to bee seene, set with all sortes of flowers, hedged in with an infinite number [Page 284] of fruit-trees, watered with cleere and running fountaines, it is verely an hill, for to mount it, it behooues vs to climbe vpon all sides on tribulations a hundred times harder then flint or rocks: And in ascending it, we must goe still farther and farther from the center of the earth, that is to say from the loue thereof, and to put all sensuall and earthly affections vnder foot. It is indeed like a flourishing garden: for there groweth seedes and causes of all thinges, which do daily flourish with infinite faire effects, and excellent workmanship, it hath for compartiments the goodly disposing of the worlds parts, so iustly measured [Page 285] as nothing more, the fruits are the sweete and sauory contemplations of wisedome, wherewith it nourisheth and filleth those soules that dwell there: it hath for fountaines the springs gushing foorrh of the eternall goodnes, which poures it selfe from on high into all the parts of the world, & doth continnually bath and refresh them. O faire and holy hill! who shall ascend thy toppe? who shall rest in the very bosome of so goodly and so delectable a mansion?
2. He who purified in the sacred flames of an holy and deuout heate, hath purged his soule from the filth of the world, and hath nothing to [Page 286] hinder him in his course nor to hold him backe in his iourney. For when the desire of our soule is starke naked, it aymeth directly towards the marke of her wishes, towards the seate of her felicity. It is then, when despoyling it selfe of the loue of her selfe, the true seducer of our vnderstanding, she iudgeth rightly of all things, and yeeldeth the due to euery on which nature commandeth, preseruing peace by iustice, maintayning all things in the state of their creation, and directing them to the end why they were produced. And to speake truely, the iust man is none other, then natures defender, which maintaineth [Page 287] her rights, and fighteth for her conseruation, which keepes in rest that which was created by wisdome. ô iustice, mother of peace, thou art then next to innocency the first step whereby wee ascend this hill to eternall blessednesse.
3. Next followeth Truth, hich is carried vppe and downe euery where in a strong and lasting chariotte, against which the cloude of slaunder and detraction doe strike themselues, though to no purpose, for they are dispersed at the first shocke. Truth, which shewes it selfe as the second station, thorow which wee enter into this blessed lodging. For ô faire and holy truth: when any [Page 288] man loues thee, and sets his mind on thee, thou dwellest in his heart, from thence passest to his lippes, and deckest him with singular beauty. And to speake truly, beauty is none other thing, then eternall truth which shineth in the workmanship of the deuine word which hath created all things from the beginning. He then shall ascend the top of this hill which hath embraced this pure truth, is vnited to hir in thought, hath builded it an Altar on his lippes hath driuen deceit and lies far from him, and hath rooted them out of his hart & mouth. For lying is none other thing then the mortall poyson of the soule, it is a clammie and viscuous [Page 289] humor, which distilling into the eye of the understanding, doth there ingender a filme which bereaues it of sight and iudgement.
4. It behooueth him that will ascend this hill to be voyde of all vanity and lies: he must also be purged from this venomous malice, which is euer ready to hurt his neighbour, the true poison of humane society. For seeing it pleaseth thee ô Lord, that men liuing together should like thy other workes be instruments in the ministry of thy glory, that man which cutteth good-will asunder, which like a strong band knitteth them altogether, doth he not violate thy law, and [Page 290] offend thine honor? what shall become then of him who not content to haue smothered the fier of charity in his heart, doth by all means striue to dishonor his neigh-bour, and to take away his good name.
5. He ô Lord that will goe vp vnto thee, and giue thee his hand to take him into this blessed habitation will euer abhorre such monsters, who full of bloudy malice thinkes on nothing but other mēs harms, takes no pleasure but in displeasing others: behold their countenance, if they weep their neighbours are happy, if they laugh, they are aflicted: no, no, their immaginary greatnesse, their pride builded on [Page 291] their rapine and deceit, wil not get them estimation amongst good men, for they are but painted sepulchers whose filthinesse and infection will be laid open, when it shall please thee ô my God. But would yee know who they are whom a good man makes account of, those ô LORD which feare and serue thee in meekenesse of manners and simplicity of heart.
6. Of him I say, who thinking thee alwaies present, not only at his actions, but in his most secret thoughtes doth inuiolably keepe his faith, whose word is a most certaine pledge of truth, on whose promise his frend relies, and holds for already [Page 292] done that which he hath promised him. For such a man ô Lord beleeueth, that his saluation depends on the promise which thou hast made him of thy grace and fauour, and that he should not be worthy to reeeaue the effect of thy holy promise, vnles he gaue his neighbour an assured effect of his owne. He will not heare vsurie spoken of, and abhorreth that cursed theft which ransometh another mans necessity setts a price on the aide which a man owes to his neighbours, selleth times, dayes, monethes and yeares. And much lesse doth he suffer himselfe to be corrupted to condemne the innocent, to sell an other mans [Page 293] goods, by vniust iudgment, and to pollute the sanctuary of iustice by filthy sale: but keeping his eyes euer open to discerne the truth, doth not encline to any side, but to that Whither right bendeth him. Couetousnes shakes not his hand, nor fauour liftes vp his armes, but remaines euer like himselfe in all thinges, giuing by his wisdome authority to his iudgement.
7. He that shall liue in this manner, shall certainly ascend the toppe of that holy hill, the Angells shal carry him in their armes, keepe his feete from stumbling, and at the least shal sett him before the eternall truth where he shal perpetually [Page 294] enioy the sweet dwelling of this blessed mountaine lifted aboue the heauens, to be the mansion house of glorified innocency, and shall be re-united to the beginning of his essence with this eternall diuinity, this diuine eternity. All things heere below haue an end and shall bee consumed: but he whose vertue shall haue aduanced him to his celestiall happinesse, shall continue in the state of glory, conqueror of times and ages. Strenghen then ô Lord our courage, and comfort our worldly aflictions. And because it pleaseth thee that good men should passe through this way, in the midest of the iniuries of the wicked, strenghen [Page 295] their hope shaken by their aflictions, and by the prosperity of the wicked; and giue them constancy to waite for the end, where they shall behold the reward of the elect and the reprobate.