THE HOLY LOVE OF HEAuenly VVisdome. With many other godly Treatises. Newly set forth, perused, and augmented by the Author.
Translated out of French into English, by Tho. Sto. Gent.
LONDON Printed by Richard Field, for Thomas Man. 1594.
The names of the treatises contained within this volume.
- 1 The holy loue of heauenly Wisdome.
- 2 The Epistle of S. Basile, of a solitary life.
- 3 An exhortation vnto a ciuil life, dedicated vnto Mounsi. L.
- 4 A Meditation of the 7. Psalmes of Dauid his repentance.
- 5 A Meditation of the 7. Psalmes of Dauid his consolation.
- 6 A Meditation of the Lordes Prayer.
- 7 Meditations of the Lamentations of Ieremiah.
- 8 The song of Ezechias. Isaiah. 38.
The Translator, to the Christian reader.
THou shalt receiue here, I hope, (Christian Reader) vnto thy great comfort, these short discourses and meditations, if thou reade them with iudgement, and according to sobriety: the titles of which thou shalt finde set downe seuerally and a part in the next page before. Accept therefore I beseech thee, both the great paine of the Author, and my poore trauell in translating of them, which I trust I haue faithfully done according to his meaning, and looke what benefit thou reapest by them, be first thankefull vnto God, and next vnto him, and so I commit them to thy gentle acceptation.
The holy loue of heauenly Wisedome.
WE are like vnto that kinde of people, who hauing bene led captiue into some farre countrey when they were yong, haue not onely lost their time, but haue forgotten also both their countrey, naturall language, and the amitie of their own kindred. For, we are no sooner out of our cradle and swadling cloutes as it were, but that our peruerse and froward affections surprize vs, as a man would say, like violent windes, and filling the sayles of our desires, with a thousand delicat gales, make vs mightely degenerate from our owne naturall inclination, driuing vs therby from all true and right reason. For, let our soule continue neuer so litle a while in this banishment, she by and by forgetteth her originall being, leeseth the [Page 2] remembrance of her principall benefite and good, and in the end, which is a farre greater mischiefe, she forgetteth likewise the knowledge of her self. Now then there remaineth nothing why we are not altogether like vnto these miserable captiues. For, if they after their long captiuitie, haue neuer so little hope of their returne, or do but heare their countrie spoken of, a man shall perceiue their hearts to leape with ioye in their bodies, so greatly doth this kinde of newes please and like them. But contrariwise, we vtterly mislike those men, who labour to call vs home againe vnto the place where we had our first being, and abhorre nothing more then when we see them marke out vnto vs the ready way to come thereto. These men will leaue the fortunate Islands, and returne vnto the Ithaque, set fast like a neast built vpon the very top of a sharpe steepie rocke. And we will not onely leaue the mire and dirte wherein we sit fast mortrized, rather then we would possesse and enioy most assured and euerlasting felicitie. Now, some man may peraduenture say vnto me, [Page 3] I beseech you Sir, where is that felicity which you talke of? shew it vnto vs, for that is it that we desire: for what man is he that would refuse to be happie and blessed? Alas my good friends, I know that the worde liketh you well: but without doubt yee flie from the thing it selfe: or at least, yee follow naught else but the shadow, and leaue the bodie flying from you, and hunting after a vaine cloude of delight, reiect the true, sound and incomparable pleasure. Where then is it, say you? shew vnto vs the way and tract, that we may speedely take hold thereof. Shall I tell you my good friends one thing, and that is this, would it not thinke you, make you laugh to see a pore or sand blinded man come vnto Pylon, a most excellent counterfeitor in painting, and importune him to shew him his pictures and exquisite paintings, or to see a deaffe man presse in to heare the sweet musicke and hermonie of Bayf a most excellent musition, would not the first man say, vnto the sand blinded man, go thy way, and remoue first from thee that running humor which is the cause of the dimming [Page 4] of thy sight, & vnto the other, go thou and drie vp the catarre which is the occasion of thy deafenesse, and then thou that art blindish, shalt see our excellent paintings, and thou that art deaffish shalt heare our delicate and pleasant songs? For, as the pleasure of the sences cannot be well tasted nor relished, but by such as haue whole and sound bodies, no more can the contentation and delight of the minde, wherein resteth our chiefe felicitie, be perceiued by any, but by such, as haue cleansed their soules of all sinfull and corrupt lusts, which as filthie botches and blaines extinguish the vitall spirits in that part of the body wherein they are engendred. Heere then you see what you must do, if you determine to make your selues capable to taste of the fruits of this euerlasting happinesse. I right well know, that ye are so brought vp, euen from your youth, in the pleasures of your sences, and make so much of them, as that you are afeard yee shall lose them, without I leaue this as a pawne vnto you, which will bring vnto you farre more infinite greater pleasure, and wherewith I will [Page 5] feast you, and quickly shew it you. But who is able to make men, that are no better then dust and ashes, to see the estate and disposition of a pure and innocent soule, whose action is perfectly blessed, and altogether heauenly, wherin consisteth this most excellent contentation? In very deed, you presse me too too sore, and craue at my hands more then I am able to do. But because I am loth to discourage you, and make you mal-content, I wil do for you whatsoeuer I am able. And I will deale with you, as the carriers about of monsters do: For, they set vp their pictures at the corners of the streets, and hang out the portraitures of them at their owne lodgings, and when the people haue paid their money at the comming in of the gate, then they shew them their naturall and liuely bodies. Now, the sight which I inuite you to see, is this VVisedome, which we may rightly say, to be the very truth and knowledge of all things, but especially of heauenly things, which is full of vnspeakeable cleerenesse, brightnesse, and splendure, and which also, if we might behold face to face, and in her [Page 6] naturall excellencie, would rauish vs with her loue, and cause vs hate these base and earthly things, with the loue of which we are so farre sotted, euen to our very destruction. I will heere hand vp, as it were, vpon the beaten high waies, pictures and images, so that if ye be disposed to go right on to the gate, yee shall see both the image and the embosting of them: which is without all doubt most maruellous, and when you haue paid your custome, and passed the borders and limits of this life, you shal see that, which no tongue is able to vtter, nor eare able to heare. But to make you acknowledge at length what this is, and plainly to prick out vnto you some draughts hereof, I beseech you consider euen of the things which you so wonder at heere in this world, and so greedely and egerly labour for, and hunt after, and you shall finde, that if you go onely step by step on them, and follow still your way, that they will at last bring you vnto the knowledge of that which you at this day desire. But because that in stead of going on them, you settle your selues, and sit fast down vpon [Page 7] on them, you your selues become most vile and filthie by them. Now, let vs see a little why you thus satisfie your sences, and from whence this pleasure and tickling delight springeth, wherein you establish the seat of your worldly felicitie. Commeth this from the obiect of naturall things, that are growne vnto perfection? Are these the well mingled, sorted, and setled colours, and the exactly obserued proportions and dimensions, which thus please the eyes? What other thing admire you in a medow, ennameled with a thousand goodly and odoriferous floures, and so richly in diuerse places, with sundrie colours bedecked? What other thing admire you in the stately buildings of kings, in their Bracelets, Chaines, and other Iewels, and in the Tables of most excellent Pictures, but onely this curious obseruation? Yea what other estimation make you of the most faire sweete faces of women, with whom yee effeminately burne in loue, but an equall proportion, and exact diligence of nature, in the conformitie and assemblie of many things differing one [Page 8] from another? What other thing is the sweetnesse of one especiall voice of a man, or the melodie of many together in consort, but a iust and orderly continuation of them all together, or suddaine motion of many voices, according to a naturall rule and proportion of the same? And what other thing is the most pleasant and sweete sauour that a man can possiblie smell, but a certaine temperature both of heate and moisture, and a certaine qualitie imprinted in a bodie, by the suddaine motion of one or many causes? Neither is any thing sweet and pleasant in the most delicate meates and sauoures, but a certaine measure of well mixed licoures. Neither doth the touching of them bring or yeeld any other pleasure, but a certaine equalitie and length which we finde in naturall bodies. Now marke then all the pleasures which your sences can possibly receiue: yee consume the whole time of your life, onely about thē: for, for them alone, ye wearie your bodies with continuall toiling & moiling, and for them alone, yee striue against the winds, and crosse the seas. [Page 9] If then yee finde that all these particular things do possesse your minds by a certaine vaine shew of beauty and excellencie, what will yee then say, when as yee shall consider of them all at once, and at one view, euen from their first beginning, vnto the highest degree of their perfection? Shall yee not see the selfe and the same difference betweene them, that is betweene one stone alone, and an whole proude and costlie Pallace, and betweene one voice, and a complet and full noise of musick, and betweene one finger, and the whole bodie? What matter can you make of all these particular things, especially of these earthly things, when as in lifting vp your eyes towards the Sunne and Starres, yee behold the world, from the highest part of heauen, to the lowest part of the earth, euen from the beginning of the same vnto the end thereof, and consider, how many wonderfull things are depainted and set foorth on euery side? If so be then, we haue done it to feed and satisfie our sences onely, with the communicating of these beautifull and excellēt [Page 10] things, it must needs be that we haue done it at the least by reason of the whole workmanship and frame of the same, the elegancie whereof consisteth in the accordance and assembly of all the other particular beauties & ornaments thereof. But our soule, which lancheth and stretcheth forth her desires and wishes farre aboue the reach of our sences, without we will violently captiuate, choake and strangle her, hath no desire to stay heere. For she findeth nothing heere, which can any way retaine, or yet containe her. But she is more honourable then so, for she embraceth heauen and earth, compasseth all the whole world, pierceth the bottomlesse depths, knoweth all things, and bestirreth and manageth her selfe, and is so glorious, as that if we conserue her in her naturall excellencie, all the rest of the things of the world, in respect of her, will seeme to be most filthie and ouglie. After she hath beheld her selfe, and exercised her selfe about the searching out of causes and sciences, finding nothing in all this, no not any thing in her selfe, that liketh her [Page 11] selfe, and resting her selfe in a desire which she hath to learne, she is enforced to lift vp her selfe farre aboue the world, yea and farre aboue her selfe, and suffereth her selfe to be guided by the workes of the worke-maister. And there she seeth all at once, all sorts of beauties and perfections, abutting and assembling themselues euen from their very first originall, and by so much the more they appeare most excellent and wonderfull, by how much the nearer they come from thence from whence they first came. Altogether like vnto the Sunne beames, which, the nearer they are the bodie from whence they shoote and spred themselues, the greater, the purer, and the brighter they do appeare. I vse especially in this behalfe this comparison, because that of all things which we know heere below, nothing more proportionably agreeeth with our soule, then our sight, which is the most noble, liuely, & quickest action of all our sences, nor nothing more proportionable vnto God then the light, which is the most pure and most excellent thing in the world. [Page 12] And the ancient wise men haue said, That the light was Gods bodie, and the truth his soule, representing, shewing, and giuing vs a taste as it were, heereby, of one of the greatest secrets of the Godhead. We must therefore open and vnseele the eyes of our minde, that we may pearse into this heauenly light, euen vnto the depth of the euerlasting truth. If we will neuer so little helpe our selues, and lift vp our soule, that she may ascend by those steppes, which offer themselues vnto her, and hoise vp her saile on hie, what delight and pleasure might she not hope for, but wish, not wish for, but say, not say, but thinke, which we enioy not in full measure? yea such pleasure as that we should feele encrease and redouble in vs, vntill the time that being ascended vnto the feast, we should be ioined vnto that first and most high light. So as we then being compassed with brightnesse, and rauished with the sight of this wonderfull beautie, should feele the pleasure most infinitly to be encreased, & be filled with incōparable ioy, & to make vs generally scorne these fleeting & perishing [Page 13] shing delights, al these fading & chāgeable sweet pleasures, which occupie our minds here belowe, and none otherwise to be desired, then as a small sparke of beautie spred ouer vs like a scarfe. Then shall we enter [...]nto the shop where all these rare and strange workes were cast in a mould, where we shall not onely see the patternes of them, and not onely handle the tooles and instruments, but shall also see, and familiarly know the very workemaster of them: who will not onely shew vnto vs his workemanship, nor descifer only vnto vs his purposes, but will also teach vs his arte and science, and make vs all perfect and godly according to him selfe. There shall we see the beames of this Deity spread all ouer, and reunite it selfe vnto this body of light, whereunto, when we shall see our selues conioyned in thought, we shall then perceiue at once all the causes and effects of the eternall wisedome, which particularly, and separably may seeme to be able to be furnished with matter to our great contentment. Here then we see wherein consisteth our felicitie, that is to say, [Page 14] in this vndriable spring-head of beauties, in this deepe sea of all bounties, whereinto all the riuers & streames of the world must run. That is to say, into this original light, vnto whom we must turne our selues, and vpon whome we must fast fixe and set the eyes of our soules, if so be we loue the eternall blessednesse. Alas, how excellent was this last sigh of the Philosopher Plotin, who hauing now his soule geuing vp her selfe betweene his lips, called his schollers vnto him, giuing them this farewell. My good friends, God graunt you to liue, both now, and hereafter, in blisse for euer, and alwayes turne that godlinesse that is in you, vnto that auncient & principall Deitie. O noble speech, and worthie the closing vp of the mouth and life of a Philosopher! But what shall we do for the returning of our selues vnto God, and to approch, reunite, and become one with him? Shall we present our selues vnto his maiestie in that estate wherein we commonly stand? No surely, for if we, before such time as we lift vp the eyes of our soules towards this cleere and bright burning light, do not wipe, and [Page 15] cleanse our selues, we shall, in stead of enioying this glorious and pure light, haue that little sight that we haue vtterly put out. For, as in the lawe of the lewes, the woman that offred her selfe vnto the triall of the ielousie offering, receiued no hurt by the bitter & cursed water if she were chast and sound, but was quit and free frō all blame & suspicion: and contrariwise, if she had broken her mariage promise & faith, remained infected, and so rotted and burst in sunder: euen so also those mē, who, as the members of the Church of God, haue maried his only Sonne, if they offer themselues poluted and defiled to touch the holy fier of his holy spirit, are rather blinded, then enlightened, yea rather consumed, then warmed. And this is the reason why God, when as he, hauing compassion of our ruine & fall, is willing for our saluation, to disclose vnto the world this light of wisedom, he sendeth his herault before to wash & make cleane the soules of all such as he would haue behold the brightnes of his glory. We heare euery where the soūd of the holy voice of this Prophet, crying, Make straight & plaine [Page 16] the wayes of the liuing God, repent, and bring forth the fruites worthy of repentance, for he will come with his fanne in his hand to winnow the Corne from the Chaffe, lay vp the Corne by itselfe, and cast the Chaffe into euerlasting fier. Seeing then that we desire this great felicitie, and that before we present our selues vnto him, we must cleanse our harts and minds, and make them capable to conceiue of heauenly things, let vs see what remedies we haue for that purpose. Howbeit, let vs somewhat alittle before, consider, how and in what sort we haue so defiled our selues, that we might thereby the more easily finde out the meetest meanes to cleanse our selues: and let vs see from whence and which way we are fallen, that thereby we may perceiue by what meanes we may be able to lift vp our selues againe. For, God saw nothing amongst all his workes which any thing drew neare vnto his perfection: and therefore he himself was then desirous to mould and fashion a liuing image of his Deitie, which should be his chiefe and especiall worke, and set him in the middest of the world. Whereupon, man [Page 17] forthwith shewed himselfe in the middest of the earth so perfect and complete, as that nothing could be wished to be more excellently perfect. For, he being made a liuely image, and being also as it were but a short and halfe picture, hauing withall, many the lineaments both of the aire, and of the grace of the principall subiect or matter, was most wonderfully perfect. The holy fier which God had breathed into him, being very pure, enlightened his vnderstanding, and filled him with the knowledge of all things, in so much, that he hauing truth for his guide, and vertue for his ayde, all his actions passed within the compasse of reason: and turning him selfe continually vnto his Creator, receiued to himselfe as in a very cleere looking glasse, the forme and fashion of the Deitie: in beholding of whome, he fixed and stayed all his thoughts, and thereby became very blessed, for he liued in God, and God in him. But when as this mirror which was beautified and adorned with the obiect of the Deitie, would needs runne him selfe amongst the troublesome and dangerous stormes, and [Page 18] thereby defile and sully him selfe, then this immortall brightnesse disdained any more to shew himselfe vnto him, and left him altogether to remaine in darkenesse & obscuritie. So that man, before such time as he had turned his back vpō God, being filled with a most sure knowledge of all things, is now as it were become brutished, and in stead of truth, is full of error and lying: and in stead of a ruled and moderate will, is now full of burning lust, so as all his thoughts which before were reunited to the beholding of his creator, haue now spread themselues ouer the creatures, & roame about at all aduētures without either guide or reason. This concupiscence and lust then hauing thus prostituted her selfe, forthwith conceiued sin, which comming to a ful growth, amended death. And death in deed, brought forth the extremitie of al euils, and death I say, the hope of all horror and obscuritie, wherein, all the while that mā was swadled & wrapped, was neuer since euer able to receiue the brightnes of the immortal light, ne yet attaine againe vnto the conduct of the truth, the only beholding wherof is [Page 19] able to keepe him backe frō comming to the point of his felicitie. When man saw himselfe thus defaced, he was displeased with himselfe, & cursed his life as a gulfe of miserie, where he saw nothing before his eyes but cōfusion and darkenesse. And all his animaduersions were nothing but of euils, and all his hope of nothing but of calamities. For, God being nothing but righteous, and man, nothing else but sinne, what measure or end could there be of his punishment? Howbeit, the eternall wisedome who wrought with God in the creation of man, hauing compassion of the losse & destruction of such a worke, came, as Tertullian sayth, to lay a steepe the poison of death in his own blood, to wash & cleanse vs, & besides, to turne away the iust wrath of his Father, that he might haue mercy vpon vs, and so turne vnto vs againe. Thus we see how we are entred againe into grace with our God, purified by his mercie, called againe vnto the knowledge of his truth, and the beholding of his glorie. Howbeit, we are so peruerse & obstinate in our cursednesse, & so great enemies to our owne felicitie, [Page 20] as that so soone as this eternall light would begin to appeare and shine vppon the clearenesse of our consciences, there to expresse and reimprint the face of his Deitie, and relieue and recharge the lineaments of this deuine wisedome, which are so shamefully defiled, and as it were vtterly defaced, as that we make a thousand foule blemishes rebound vpon our selues, which blind and defile vs, and thrust them selues betweene vs, and the grace which should enlighten vs. We must therefore as often as we defile our selues, so often also lay too our hands to wipe away our foule and filthie staines, for the cleansing and clearing of our soules, so that we thereby being polished, the beames of our principall bountie and goodnesse may cause the clearenesse of vertue and truth most clearely shine, and brightly burne vpon vs. Here then we see the meanes which we herein must hold and keepe: let vs now looke what the cause of this euill is, and then let vs also wisely consider of the remedie for the same. In very deede, our peruerse and corrupt iudgement, is the very [Page 21] fountaine of all our offences, and the spring-head of that pestilent humor, which so infecteth and spoyleth vs. The things which spoyle and trouble vs, are the delightes and pleasures which on euery side alure vs, and make vs drunke before we are fully awake. This licour then being mixed amongst our tender senses, by reason of the infirmitie of our age, so delicately seasoneth vs, as that we can neuer after lose and forget the sauour thereof. We content not our selues with moderatly drinking, but we will be ouer head and eares also, tarrying still by it as if we would haue the tide ouerflowe vs, leauing our selues drowned as it were vpon the swallowing quicksand of miserable old age. Now these sweet licours wherewith we so fill and glut our selues, turne by and by into bitternes, and fill our harts and minds with a venemous humor, which infecteth and corrupteth vs. For, the affection which we beare vnto the beauty of these created things, being entertained and flattered by vs, changeth it selfe into a furious and mad lust, which peruerteth and ouerthroweth our sentes: for, [Page 22] the flattering and dissembling desire which we haue vnto these worldly riches, turneth it selfe into a blinde and senslesse passion, and are none otherwise to be esteemed in this world, but as the ordure and excrement of the earth: and the loue of false honor conuerteth it selfe into a foolish desire to be farre more then the rest of the world, and chalengeth vnto it selfe the reuerence and seruice that is due vnto God himselfe. The pleasure which we take in our feeding, is turned into beastly and shamelesse gluttony: The care that we take in preseruing our bodies delicately, groweth into beastly vncleannesse, and filthy lust, and the worthinesse that we beleeue too too much of our own courage and valure, turneth it selfe into outragious choler and rashnesse. And surely, our minds being stopped and oppressed with so foule and slimie humors, can neuer breathe forth any thing that is pure and cleane. Now, for the purging of all these subtile and mortall passions, and poysons of the minde, we must see what remedie we can finde out for them, and it may be, [Page 23] it will be to good purpose to vse the counsell which a good auncient Father gaue vnto a religious nouice of his house. Like as wise nurses (sayd he) when they will weane their children, will rub the neble of their teate with wormewood, and other bitter druggs, euen so must we be dealt withall for the making of vs lose the taste of our delightes and pleasures, for wee must set downe vnto our selues a certaine punishment for our lusts, and change the houres of our pleasures into rigorous and austere exercises, and at that time we are wonted to take our foolish and dissolute recreations, let vs examine with all humilitie, what paynes and torments our sinfull and detestable life deserueth. I cannot tell whether this good old Father in speaking this, thought vpon the custome which the Hebrewes vsed, who made a solemne feast vpon that day that they began to weane any of their children, or whether they reioyced in that their children left their weaker foode, and fell to more strong and mar [...]owye meates, either else to stirre them vp by [Page 24] their example vnto a new kinde of dyer. For we may verie fitlie applie this example vnto the instruction of our min [...]es, if [...] we will weane our selues from the milke of our delights, and sweare an irreconciliable diuorce betweene vs and our sinnes, inuiting our selues vnto the like feast, as he among [...] those [...]olie religious men, of whome Phylo, in the booke of a contemplatiue life, maketh mention, did. They met together at this banquet, and the first, principall and most delicate and sweet dishes, were the most beautifull and best tasting fruites of true wisedome, which were presented vnto them by a most elegant preaching of the Prophets and commaundements of God, as pure and vndefiled vessels. Their reioycing, was consolation, their pastime, austeritie, their delicate dishes, abstinence. Their mindes being satisfied with such marrowy meate, they were in a maruelous great and firme tranquillitie, to be at leysure to follow their most happie contemplation. And surely this exercise would become vs all very well, neuerthelesse, we had need euery one of [Page 25] vs particularly to accomplish this our purging of the soule, which we call repentance, by meanes whereof, our soule returning into her selfe, shall be able to wipe out spot by spot, the blots that there most filthely do sauour. Seeing then that this repentance should be vnto vs as it were the entrance and preface of a good and perfect life, which should make vs cleane, we should therein exercise our selues both carefully and ordinarily. For, seeing we are determined to erect a Temple in our soule, wherein to lodge the Deitie, we must therfore throughly wash and rewash the same with this purifying water, and thinke that it is to vs vnto whome Ezechias speaketh, when as he said vnto the Leuits, Listen vnto me, and sanctifie your selues, make cleane the house of the Lord, and thrust the filthinesse out of the Sanctuarie. We will haue our Spirite to be his Aulter: our thoughtes, his offerings: our prayers, his [...]esents: and shall we offer them in a filthie [...]ace? would he not then say vnto vs, [...]at which was spoken vnto the Iewes [...]y the mouth of Malachy, saying, I haue [...]ot set mine heart vpon you, neither will I [Page 26] receiue any sacrifice from you, because you are most filthie and full of pollution. But how shall we begin to performe such a glorious and profitable an action? Saint Iohn Chrysostome teacheth vs, and geueth vnto vs an excellent instruction hereof: We must (sayth he) looke well vnto our selues, and hauing compassion of our miserie, we must rub and make leane our hearts: so as we must alwayes haue our mouths full of the confessing of our sinnes, and the rest of our actions, in great and singular humilitie. The filthy, stinking, and brutish concupiscences of ours, finding our hearts voyd of the grace of God place themselues there, and in such sort puffe vp and harden our harts, as that no goodnes can now enter them, without we first presse and squeeze them betweene our hands with sharpe & earnest contrition. To be short, if we shall not haue blowen this bladder full of wind, we shal neuer find this spiritual licour, & this holy oyle of consolatiō euer to be placed there. This was the presumption that first assaulted the Angels, and since that time hath set a snare or pitfall to trap our feet in. [Page 27] This is that thing which as an heauie counterpoise keepeth vs continually tied vnto these worldly lusts, and which settle our desires in our selues, and maketh vs beleeue that we liue only for this world, and stayeth also the sayle of our soules from lanching towards heauen. How shall we then rid our selues out of this? Forsooth, in casting back our eys vpon our life, in considering of our foulenesse & deformitie, & in beholding how many miseries & afflictiōs cōtinually surprize vs, which we neuer once loked for. If the iustice of God, ouer-compassionat in our behalfe, did not sufficiently furnish vs with matter to be angrie with our selues, or if because wee are too neere vnto our owne harmes, we cannot see them, let vs turne our eyes vpon the infinite millions of men which now are, or yet heretofore haue been, and let vs marke what a small and short thing their life is, and hath been, and yet although it bee neuer so small and short, yet it is enuironed with infinite sorrowes, griefes, and cares, which are the verie fruites of theyr sinnes and transgressions. Do not all [Page 28] men liuing continually cry and complayne of their miseries and mishaps? Now, it is no reason that we most sinfull and filthie wretches that we are, should seeke out of our selues the matter for which we should be angrie and grieued with our selues. For, our consciences do commonly tell vs, and continually represent vnto vs in despite of vs, the register of our sinnes: agreeing with that of Democritus saying, That hee heard the voyce of malice and sinne accusing her selfe. Ouer and besides all this, the heauenly iustice, or the fatherly care of God, continually sheweth vnto vs his rods, sometimes striking vs with them, to make vs awake, and leape out of this miserable, filthie, and dittie puddle. But if nothing will cause vs to hate our selues, and detest our miserable sinfull life, let vs consider with our selues, and thinke of this hideous and terrible image of death, vnto whome our sinne hath deliuered vs vp. For, death followeth vs hard at our heeles both by sea and land, he embarketh himself with vs, and rideth on horsebacke behinde vs, and leaueth vs nothing saue [Page 29] only our shadow. We do nothing else all our life long but flye from him, and yet we are still neerer and neerer him. It is he that in a moment cutteth off the thread of our desires, and he, who vppon the suddaine, bereaueth vs of all that we haue scraped together with great paine, and in the end taketh our selues away cleane out of the world. Seeing then that his image is pictured out to be so feareful in all the corners of our life, let it be a bridle to restraine our filthy lusts, and let vs step backe when we see such a bottomlesse deapth lye wide open before vs. But if we haue so engaged and bound our selues before hand, as that we cannot goe backe, yet he at least forewarneth vs of the danger, and let vs forsake this vile and heauie burden of baggage, that we may the lightlier leape, and lustelier skip ouer this dangerous breake-necke, and leape into that goodly and flourishing playne, which we see to be on the other side, which is that euerlasting life that we all waite for. Howbeit, if the remembrance of this temporall and corporall death cannot possibly wither and dry vp our [Page 30] thoughts, who is he amongst vs whē as we shall but once think vpon the other death which afterward threatneth vs, which is this spiritual & eternal death, that wil not tremble & gnash his teeth with feare? yea a most horrible death, because that they vpon whom it layeth hold, do dye eternally, not looking for the blessednes whereof they depriued themselues for euer, and yet liue for euer, but altogether in sorrowes & torments, whereunto they are eternally reserued. Alas, are not we able so terribly & horribly to picture him out, as that we neuer dare once behold his looks? Let vs picture the dart which he carieth in his hand, with fire and flam [...] round about it, and arme it with hel [...] fire, & with fireforks and tongs. But we cōtrariwise garnish him with al mane [...] of ornamēts to make him seeme pleasing vnto our eyes, & set a false coul [...] vpon him, to make him shew more agreeable vnto our liking, we erect au [...] ters vnto him, & neuer make feasts [...] reioycing, but when as we consecrat [...] our soules vnto him. And when is that forsooth euen then, when we bath ou [...] selues in these worldly pleasures, or rather, [Page 31] when we plunge our soules into that infernall riuer of forgerfulnesse, which putteth out that heauenly fier that is in vs, rocketh vs asleepe, & maketh vs become most brutish & beastly. And yet notwithstāding we then say that we liue, not counting any of those dayes any part of our life, which we passe not ouer in pastimes & merimēts, nay rather which we passe not ouer in sins & trāsgressiōs. Surely we are much like vnto those sailers which turn their backs vpō the place where they meane to go ashore. We make a shew as thogh we would eschue this death, & yet according to the course of our liues, we run vnto it with open mouth. Let vs therefore looke wishly vpō this death, and on as many other rocks as we must sayle and flote by in this voyage, that we may feare. And let vs consider, that we are now so wounded and brused, as that if an especiall fauour from heauen saue vs not, we shall be hardly able to auoyd shipwracke. This is the contritiō which should be in our souls, & this is that bitter repentance which shoulde drawe bloudie teares euen frō out of the bottome of our bowels. [Page 32] This is it that should make vs hate euēn our own selues for the recōciling of vs vnto our God, & to renue our life of sin and wickednes, into puritie and cleannesse. This is it that should cause vs to enter into iudgement with our selues, that we might not be reserued vnto the day of that most heauy iudgemēt. For what man is he that is able at that day to iustifie himselfe? Now, it is not enough that we haue had this compunction and repentance in our harts, but we must also lay open our sinnes, and the iustice of God, that we might receiue from him his mercy and comfort. And it is he that must accept of our sorrow and griefe, and he, vnto whome we must make an honorable amends, and simply and plainely confesse our errors. For, seeing it is his pleasure, that his goodnes which he is able to keepe and reserue vnto himselfe, should be poured out vpon all his creatures, and that he hath made all things to manifest his glorie, and bestowed the vse of our life only to glorifie him, neither are we any way able to repare the offence which we commit against him, by the corrupting of the [Page 33] vse of our life, but in manifesting that he hath created vs to do good, & that we our selues haue conuerted our selues only to do ill. And therefore we must of necessitie vndoubtedly declare that he is liberall, & we most vnthankfull, we must say, that he is good, & our selues to be most wicked, we must also pronounce his righteousnesse, and our sinne, we must set forth our own griefs and his mercy, we must protest that all the euill which is in vs, commeth of our selues, and all the good which we hope after, to proceed from him alone. For, if so be we shall be silent, after that we haue once acknowledged our euill, it is to be belieued that we will perseuere with this silēce all the daies of our life past, and so approue by this silēce, that we cannot freely be found fault withall. And Tertullian exhorting vs vnto this confession, telleth vs, that we do not confesse our selues vnto God, as if he knew not our sinnes before hād, but because confession is a counsel vnto satisfaction, and maketh vs apt vnto reconciliation, and reconciliation vnto mercy, and mercy vnto euerlasting life. Now, the satisfaction which we [Page 34] looke for, commeth from his fauour and grace, by which only we must, and may be restored vnto immortalitie, and this grace is not geuen vnto any, but vnto such as acknowledge themselues to be miserable sinners, and not geuen by any, but by him that is chiefe in power. It must needs therefore be, that the word which he hath bestowed vpon vs to glorifie him withall, must be employed to the manifestation of our misery, because the confession of our sinnes, iustifieth the goodnes of God, which we haue as much as in vs lieth vtterly peruerted. We must therefore pray vnto him to forgiue vs, as if we should say, that he may and ought to punish vs, and so thereby testifie his power and righteousnes. For this cause it is why the Prophet Isaiah calleth vs, when as he sayth, Goe your waye [...] with those that are sanctified, and present your Confession vnto God with the liuing, O sayth Ecclesiastes, it is a good thing when as he that is found in a fault will manifest his repentance. And truly it were a great glorie for vs, if we would be once so couragious as openly to confesse our sinnes, and shew that as we haue been [Page 35] the first that haue sinned, so also we are the first that do repent. Howbeit, there remaineth in vs a foolish shame, which abideth with vs as the skarre of sinne, and causeth vs the slowlier and hardlier to do it. This was the cause why the auntient Fathers in fitting them selues vnto this our infirmitie, and vnto the weakenesse of such also which might be offended in the reciting sometimes of very strange sinnes of ours, were contented that we should put downe and poure out the secrets of our consciences into the bosoms of those vnto whome they had geuen power to binde and lose, and apply vnto vs the grace by which we are redeemed. And from this misterie we receiue a maruelous fruite, when as it is worthely administred vnto vs. For first, he that is appointed to the dispensation of this grace, being made vnto vs the father of the spirit, is to bring the same vnto vs for the comfort of the mistery which he findeth in vs by the trial of our life, euen the very selfe same affection which a louing father in the behalfe of his very sick son, vnto whom he bringeth besides help & [Page 36] remedy, the hope of health, wherewith he feedeth him. For he should in the fellow feeling of our misery, and taking vpō him the burden of our sins, help to relieue vs, euē then whē we faint in the middest of our course. This example which God hath set before vs, who (as Isaiah sayth) came himselfe first, and hath layd vpon his owne backe all our miseries, and borne vpon his shoulders all our diseases. After he hath thus imparted vnto vs this comfort, he is to direct vs vnto the way of truth, and with the instrumēt of the word of God, wherin he is exercised, to till the faith which he hath sowed in vs, which, by reason of the barrennesse of the ground wherein it is cast, had always neede to haue the help and care of the husbandman. For we are properly like vnto a small. Boate, which is forcibly rowed with ores against the streame: but if the watermen neuer so litle leaue rowing, she fleeteth back more in an hour, then she did in a whole dayes rowing. The end and consummation of this holy action is this, that when we call vpon the holy Ghost, our grace is pronounced vnto vs, and confirmed as it were by [Page 37] the iudgement of the church, which is a certaine pawne and testimonie, that as we are heere in this world kept fine and cleane by him or them vpon whom such graces are bestowed, so should we also be in the other, by him, vpon whom he hath appointed them. There resteth thē nothing after this, but that we humble our selues in acknowledging the grace which we haue receiued, a thing that we hardly can obtaine at our own hands. Now we will not greatlie stick to admire at this, but we will neuer follow the example of our fathers, which at that time vsed this holy repentance. Yee should haue seene of these men, saith this Tertullian, kneeling at the feete of the Aulters, couered with sackcloth and ashes, bewailing bitterly their sinnes, and wringing the mercie of God from him. But these are remedies which we neuer seeke after but by maine compulsion: for the shame which we haue of dooing these good things, rebateth and strangleth whatsoeuer good thing we are any way forward in. And it is great pittie, that that which neither the voice of the holy Ghost, the counsell of the Prophets, [Page 38] nor the example of the holy Fathers, is able to draw vs vnto, the wrath and vengeance of God will bring vs vnto, manger our heads. In very deed we put on sackcloth, but we do it when we can no longer tarrie: we cast ashes on our heads, but we do it hypocritically, before such time as the wrath of God commeth, which findeth vs out. And we creepe and lowre vnder the Aulters, but it is because we would flie from his hand that pursueth vs. O rebellious and cursed seruants that we are! for we neuer reuerence our maister, but whē as he ho [...]deth his scourge ouer vs to correct vs, and we neuer cry him mercie vntill such time as the sword is readie to cut our throtes. And therfore we must so humble our selues before him, as that we thrust not from vs, by vaine & presumptuous thoughts, the grace, by which we are cleansed and purified. Now, when we shall haue thus gathered as it were into our hands the sinnes, which are the briars and brambles of our soules, and watered the field of our consciences with teares, and softened and made them tender by this manner of dealing, and [Page 39] driuen away the cloudes which did so ouer-shadow vs, and that the Sunne of the grace of God, shall begin to shine vpon vs and warme vs, we must then heerevpon sowe such seed as may in the end bring forth for his fruite, an heauenly and immortall life. And this seed is our will, which as it bloometh either well or ill, euen so bringeth it forth either good or bad deedes. Now this argueth well with the meaning of Theages the Pythagorist: for he saith; That this will was as it were the hand of our soule, wherewith she turneth all things either vnto good or ill: which is the very selfe same that the scripture teacheth vs; That God in the beginning made man, and left him in the hand of his owne counsell, he set fier and water before him, that he might beare them in which hand he would: Which was the thing that might addresse this will vnto good, and this is the sound reason, which is the rule that guideth all things vnto that end wherevnto God hath created them. Because man might the better discerne, that it was easier for him to doo good, then to doo ill, and that [Page 40] he hung not alwaies vpon any doubtfull determination, and besides the naturall light, which he had giuer vnto him, he gaue him also his law to preserue him, if he would keepe it, and to as many of vs as liue in his faith. And besides his law and commandements, he hath giuē vnto vs his grace, which so long as we keepe it, maketh vs to do nothing but that which agreeeth with his commandements, and consequently with all good reason. Now, this rule of well dooing, consisteth not in sharpe witted propositions, full of subtiltie and sophisticall definitions and conclusions: for the resoluing of which, a man had need to haue a whole world. For all this knowledge consisteth in these two points, To loue God with all thine heart, and thy neighbour as thy selfe. And yet neuerthelesse, for the making of the way more plaine, and to lead vs as it were by the hand into our workes, we haue certaine precepts to examine, and put to euery of them, by our actions, and to finde the meanes, wherein the comlinesse of that which we would do consisteth. This goodly seemlinesse, or rather [Page 41] disposition of the minde, being there placed, we call vertue. But because she changeth and taketh her particular name according to euery action wherein she sheweth her selfe, it shall serue to good purpose, as I thinke, for the matter that we haue in hand, to salute by the way as we passe, the especiall sorts, out of which she representeth her selfe oftenest vnto our sight. The Philosophers beganne to teach, that vertue was a perswading to greatnesse of courage, and an emboldening vnto generositie & valure. But my desire is to follow the discipline of those whose liues and conuersations, I would gladly follow. Philo the Iewe, speaking of the religious men dispersed throughout the deserts of Egipt, and who in great perfection of life bestowed their time in contemplation, saith; That they laid vp in their soules Temperance, as a good, firme, and sure foundation, whereon they might afterward settle and establish all manner of vertues: and therefore we must begin at that end. For, if Plato with some reason compareth our soules vnto horses, which must be ridden and broken [Page 42] ken by a skilfull rider, for a cunning horseman, will first of all be sure to haue the Bitte in the horse mouth, before he giue him the spurre, that he might restraine him from going out o [...] his lists, and thereby be able both to manage and turne him euenly, and not suffer him to beat himselfe and fling and leape at all aduentures. We call this temperance, the authoritie and power which reason ought to haue vpon the lusts and violent affections which carrie our will vnto pleasures and delights. This then must be the reine as it were vnto our soules, or rather serue vs as a fit instrument, to scum the boiling desires which arise in our soules, by reason of the heat of bloud, that they might be alwaies ioyned and egalled vnto reason, wher vnto they must be proportionable, not regarding nor yeelding themselues vnto the sensible obiects, which offer themselues vnto them. But contrariwise so to yeeld vnto them, as that they cause those obiects to serue them and reason, whereof, they should be altogether in very deed made. Now, of all the passions ouer which [Page 43] temperance must haue an especiall eye, to arrange these vnto reason, filthie concupiscence, is the most ordinarie, which tieth vs vnto the lust of the flesh, making vs to seeke out, in the coniunction ordeined by God, not the blessing of a long and happie posteritie, to substitute in our steads, seruants vnto our creator, but a beastly pleasure and infamous delight, which blindeth our soules, and maketh our spirites drunke. God hauing heaped in man so many sundrie perfections, meant yet notwithstanding as it were to finish the same, and did communicate with him that, which is the most wonderfull in all the deitie, which was, the making him a creator like vnto himselfe. For as he created the world that his power might be seene & established before him, his wisedom in his works, so also would he, that mā should beget another, one like vnto himselfe, that he might see also himselfe in his owne worke, and loue and cherish that which came of himselfe. And therefore he gaue him a wife, to be a companion with him in this workemanship. Nay, he did more then this, [Page 44] for his meaning was, that man, wh [...] was bond and thrall vnto death, looke [...] that there should one day, one o [...] his posteritie, be borne of a Virgine, who should be the Sauiour and redeemer of the world, stirring him vp as i [...] were religiouslie to vse an holy vnion, which should serue to the ministeri [...] of his redemption. Wherefore, as the vse of this coniunction at this day, is no more necessarie for our saluation, which for vs is fully purchased, neither left vnto vs, but as a lawfull intemperāce, if so be we are not able to passe it, yet let vs vse it at the least as a remedy of infirmity vnder the authority of the law of God, for the cooling and mortifying of the lusts of the flesh, which bud & spring out in vs. And seeing that the desire which casteth vs out of ou [...] selues cannot driue vs to loue God as we should, let vs yet, at the least, keep it within the chaste bosom of her, whom God hath destined for our wife & companion. And let vs take great heed that we make not our members filthy stinking vessels, and so defile the Temple of God (seeing he vouchsafeth to dwell in vs) by the impure dealing with those [Page 45] kind of women, who in violating their bodies, violate also therewith all maner of lawes. For, first they breake the law of God, who commaundeth chastitie: the law of nature, which forbiddeth to make that common, which is borne for one alone: the law of Nations, which hath brought in marriages: and the law of families, vniustly transferring the labour and trauell of another vnto a strange heire. Truly, from this abhominable and vnbrideled concupiscence, come, and are deriued as from a liuely and pleasant Fountaine, all publike and particular calamities as it were. For when this foolish loue is once formed in our soules, which being nourished with belly-cheere and idlenesse, beginneth there to grow and encrease, and hath as heady wine run through our vaines, it by and by bringeth our sences a sleepe, and benummeth our members, bereaueth our reason, and so furiously reigning ouer vs, carrieth vs away violently into most furious purposes and practises. Do we not see at this day the mightiest kingdomes, to be by it digged downe as it were with Pickaxes, and Empires to [Page 46] stumble and fall downe to ruine. And do we not see that it deuoureth in one day the ritches and conquests of infinite worlds? That it openeth the gate to all iniustice? Hath it not brought ielowsie betweene brethren, and quarrels betweene Fathers and their children? But the worst and foulest of all the effects that it hath wrought, is, the vncertaintie that it bringeth into the minds of kinsmen and families. For, in defiling the mariage bed, it taketh frō the children the loue of their father, which cannot be conserued but by the good opinion that the husband hath of the chastitie of his wife, & it breaketh also the pietie of the children towards their fathers, which cānot be founded but vpon the self & same conside ratiō. Now, when these bonds of affection & good will are lost amongst mē, how can they conteine themselues within any ciuill amity and society? how can they ioyne & vnite themselues together, to serue God & obey his cōmandements? This sinne, as an ancient father saith, is the deuils hauen, which floting & flowing in vs through voluptuousnes, continually rebloweth the bellowes of our [Page 47] sences with new hoat desires, which set our soules on fire, & there nourisheth them with smoake, taking from them both sight & iudgement, which should guide them to euery good thing. And therfore how far soeuer we can see this foolish loue, we must hunt it away, and detest it, as the very poison of our souls. Howbeit we, contrariwise, call it vnto vs, and make much of it, how farre soeuer it be from vs. For we inuite it to giue it reward, and the rewards of honor are for none but for his officers, & all the most fine and rare wits take the greatest delight to impe his feathers, that he might the speedelier and more contentedly come flying into the palaces of Princes. Now, a Christian man especially such a one as would attaine vnto this blessed contēplatiō whervnto we prepare him, will bereaue his soule of all these filthy lusts, & vsing himselfe vnto this continuall continēce; wil endeuor himself, if he possibly can, to cō serue this treasure of virginity, wherein lieth a great purity of the mind & perfection of vnderstanding: & they chiefly conserue the same, which cōmunicate themselues with the spirit of God. [Page 48] which gaue S. Ierome occasion to say according to Varro; That the reward of virginity was diuination: because that diuination is nothing els but the knowledge of the truth to come, which we attaine vnto by communicating with God, that, which we neuer can obtaine, except we keepe our selues pure from all earthly and beastly affections. So as (as we haue before said) if that our infirmitie surmounteth our discourse, we may make our intemperance lawfull & excusable, in rightly vsing the remedie which God hath giuen vnto our infirmitie, and so be like vnto those first Christians of whom Tertullian said; That they were not borne men, but for ther wiues. Let vs therefore with reuerence enter into this societie of marriage, and let it be a coniunction both of the spirit and will, a communion both of faith and religion, wherein nothing is proper ne yer particular, no not so much as the very secret thoughts themselues. This is, as Themistius the Platonist said, a full mixture of all together, as wine and water, which being once mingled together, can neuer be seperated againe. [Page 49] Heereby we see wherein the principall effect of this Temperance should rest. To stirre vp men vnto sobrietie, and detest infamous foule gluttonie, or filthy delicacie of meates and drinkes, neither is vertue thereby any whit impeached, but through bond slaues and transgressours; for such lusts very seldome grow in an honest mind. Such lusts are very seldome found in the minds of wisemen. Although the ages heeretofore haue borne and brought foorth monstrous Sardanapales, who made their bellies their God. The common cry of the people themselues detest them, and are sufficiently reprooued by the voice of the multitude, although wisdom should no way deale with them about the matter. It is very true, that when such spirits are choked with great cheere, they can neuer talke of any thing that is either honest or yet godly, which should make them capable of that contemplation, wherevnto we call them. Now, when as Philo describeth out vnto vs the liues of these good religious Egyptians, he therein noteth out vnto vs such a notable sobriety, as that it is impossible [Page 50] for bodies which kept such a diet could any way hinder the beautifull actions of their soule. And therefore let vs vse meates, and such other like transitorie good things, for the strengthening and vpholding of the infirmitie of our bodies, as the necessary instrument of the spirit. But we must not so deale with our bodies as men deale with the garments of the magnificence of Princes, which are so stiffened with embrodery and Goldsmithes worke, and so beset with Pearles & precious stones, as that a man can scarsly stir himselfe when they are on his back: but we must make vs such a garment as must serue for euery day, and take such a fold as pleaseth vs to giue it. There is also another thing which hindreth our soules no lesse thē these passions wherof we haue already spokē. And that is choler, which to speake truly, is the fairest flower of follie: and that is that passion which blindeth vs all at once, when as it hath once taken hold of vs, & maketh things appeare vnto vs, as it were through a clowd, cleane otherwise then in deed they are, & is so much the more dangerous a guest, by how much the more [Page 51] that they that are possessed therewith, are mighty, & of great power & authority: for the choller of princes which is aided by reason of their power, flyeth out like lightning, & breaketh out before such time as a man can see the flash, or heare the crack thereof: & as the thunder and lightning breaketh a sword in the scabard▪ euē so doth choller punish, without knowing any cause, insomuch that they pursue their actions for the most part with most [...]edious and vnprofitable repentance, being able to do no more, as great as they are, but to wish that that which is ill done, were vndone. For as Tyndare saith, God himself hath no other power ouer that that is past, but to forget, and so they are for the most part, driuen to repent them of that at leisure, which in their hast they had committed. Howbeit, for the repressing of this furious hast, we must frame a moderatiō of the spirit, which we call Clemency, by which, our wils being vnaduisedly prickt forward to wish euill to another, and the desire of reuenge are restrained & repressed, when as we shall haue this clemency rightly framed in vs, by the [Page 52] perfect obseruation of our maners, she will temper vs with such a milde and gratious behauiour, as shall defend our reason from such a tedious and strong impression as choller is. She will make vs take leisure to iudge of things by weight and measure, to counsell our friends therunto, and disswade vs from beleeuing and trusting too much to our owne selues. Wherefore she will infinitely serue vs to perswade our selues, that we cannot be offended but with our selues, neither yet once keepe in our brests those iniuries which others haue done vnto vs. For, if our actions be pure and sound, and our life holy and innocent, can our venimous and hatefull tongue change it selfe against our neighbour? And if we at any time propound vnto our selues to liue to the good liking of any one man, whē shall we be able to find the meanes to please all the world, and content both good and bad together? if we iustifie vs before God and our selues, & haue cleane and vndefiled consciences, nothing shall then do vs hurt. Thou wouldest hurt me in my good name, and thinkest by falsly accusing me of [Page 53] my life, greatly to wrong me: and I haue God, men, and mine owne conscience to testifie against thee, to assure and iustifie me. Thou maiest haue a will to hurt me, howbeit I need not feele it without I will. Thou takest and carriest away my goods from me, all this inooueth me not: or the time was that I had none, or I had them when I was so yong, as that I knew not what to do with them: and lastly, although thou haddest left them vnto me, yet carried I not them with me when I dyed: and I must either leaue them, or else they must leaue me. And why should I be more sorie for the one then for the other? Well thou greeuest me in my body, thou beatest and hurtest me, and behold the Souldier which returneth very ioyfully from the skirmish, carrying his arme in a scarfe, maketh more account of his wound, then he doth of his life, if so be he bring from thence a great gash, either in his head or in his face, the more he beholdeth himselfe, the more he wondereth at himselfe: If he come home with the string halt of one of his legges, he goeth not a step, but he reioyceth that he [Page 54] was so gloriously marked. Wherefore they are not our wounds that do so greeue and trouble vs, but the occasions for the which we receiue them, & they bring vs either honor or dishonor, neither is any thing esteemed for the thing it selfe, but for the end why we do it. If we endure all things for the honor of God, and for the saluation which we shall obtaine through ou [...] patience, then that which we call euil [...] shall turne to our good, and that whic [...] once seemed to vs to be bitter, shall i [...] the end be found very sweet. The patience which this moderation of spir [...] shall bring vs, will be a secret testimonie vnto vs, that we are the faithful [...] seruants of our maister, that we spar [...] our selues no whit at all to obey him nor yet refuse any trauell or paine, t [...] put his commandements in execution. There is nothing, surely, so honourable in this world, euen in the iudgement of the very heathen, a [...] to vnderstand how to forgiue and pardon. The lawes permit euer [...] man to pursue the wrong done vnto him: but to pardon and forgiue belongeth vnto a Prince alone. An [...] [Page 55] therefore if thou wilt be a king ouer thy selfe, forgiue thy selfe freely: for the glory of a Christian consisteth chiefly in this loue, by which he bindeth his neighbour to loue him, and to be voide of this worldly desire of reuenge, which as a worme gnaweth the hart of those which are infected therewith, tosseth & turmoileth them all the day, and keepeth them waking all the night. And therefore the spirit will compose it selfe with this equalitie, as that it will not suffer it selfe to be carryed away with hatred and euill will. And from thence will ensue another excellent disposition of the soule, which is modesty & moderation, which bringeth with it a certaine comlinesse vnto all the actions of the body, and is a testimonie by them of gentlenesse & goodwill, & vertue, which can do more then all the rest, to make vs sociable, & to get vs the friendship of those with whom either our nature, good hap, or choise, cōioineth vs. This gratious maner is so agreeable vnto mē as nothing more, for she wringeth out of thē that, which force is no way able to do: for she desireth no superiority ouer the rest, [Page 56] but according to reason, which is a kind of weapon that will cut deeper then either yron or steele. But these proud, frowning and scornefull people, which looke at all the world ouer their shoulders, which are therwith swolne so full as their skinnes can hold, and looke at their tailes like vnto proud Peacocks, do reason great wrong, when as they so do, clothing him with such talke as vtterly disgraceth him, and maketh him odious. And beleeue me, it is a very hard thing for these men to come any thing neere this holy Philosophie or wisedome, which dwelleth amongst the graces that garde and enuiron her on euery side. Tertullian, who is desirous to haue vs learne, how greatly mildnesse and simplicitie serue vs to prepare our selues to receiue the gifts and perfections of the holy Ghost, saith precisely, that he appeareth oftenest in the shape of a Doue, to shew vnto vs that he dwelleth not but in such as are without gall as a Doue is, but are very gratious and gentle. Now, because that for the most part it commeth by reason of our infirmitie, as thinking to fly one sinne, we fall into another, we [Page 57] are to feare, that because we are not well confirmed in vertue, thinking to hold vs in humilitie, we fall to become very cowards, when as in deed we should rather fall to banding & charging. And therefore it shall not be amisse, that we adde vnto that which we haue spoken, of temperance and mildnesse, certaine considerations to raise vs vp to be most couragious, whē as it shall stand vs in hand to be so. Which wil principally serue vs, to keep vs in a straite and an assured course, against all whatsoeuer shall offer it self to amaze and turne vs from obeying the commandements of God. For, first we shall on the one side haue rash presumption to egge vs forward to desire more, then that wherevnto God hath called vs, and oppose our selues vnto his constant and firme purpose. Our happie successes, and prosperous encounters or accidents, will so tickle vs, as that they will make vs laugh, our good hap will promise vs high and great things, and yet for all this, we will not once change our visage nor countenance. We will scornefull behold and looke vpon, and that with a [Page 58] leering eye, the presents of fortune (if I may so say) like vnto the faire & fresh coloured Apples, which grew neere to the lake of Ghomorre, but they were no sooner touched, but that they fel forthwith into powder and ashes. But if reason telleth vs that we must take them, we will then vse them with great equalitie of minde, and facilitie of maners, and make none other estimation of them. On the other side, we shall haue afflictions, dangers, griefes, and pouertie, which in the iudgement of the common people, wrappeth vp all manner of miseries. And it is against these enemies chieflie that this vertue must boisterouslie stretch forth her armes: It is through them that she must make way, if she meane to come to the end of her purpose. Howbeit if we our selues stand in no feare, and she not before such time as we see the enemie, what mischiefe may they do vs? Forsooth, they will spoile vs of all our goods, and so we shall go the lighter: seeing then that the reward is reserued for him that commeth first, and shall the longer while enioy the immortall goddes which soonest [Page 59] commeth thether, shall we then feare to lose the baggage, for the obtaining of such a glorious victorie? And now behold the breach is made, and our Captaine within that calleth vs, and we our selues busie our selues to shoote at him that arresteth vs by the cloake, and put our selues in hazard to remaine prisoners in the hands of the enemie, that will cause vs lose both cloake and honour, and the fruite also of all our trauell. We are threatned with death, and what other thing else is it that we seeke after? We haue not clothed our selues with this transitorie and mortall life, but onely to pay the tribute, and discharge the tolle at the comming in of euerlasting life. These are good newes, seeing we are called vpon to pay, for it is a token that we are come on shore. But what is this death that thus terrifieth vs? What? is he so to be feared, as that he will make vs turne our backs vpon him, & forsake the field of vertue, & lie slily hid in the trenches, or rather in the sand holes of slouthfulnesse and cowardise? If we thinke it an euill thing, it is because we feele it to be so, or else because [Page 60] others thinke so of it. Haue we not heard the plaint of those who haue couragiously died, either for the honor of God, or els for the seruice of their king, or for the defence of their countrey? Was there euer yet any nation so barbarous, so voide of humanitie, or as we commonly say, so farre from the sunne, as that commend not with great praise, the valure and worthinesse of those that haue spent their liues for the common-wealths sake? Hath not the memorie of posteritie, taken them out of their graues, to make them aliue againe in the remembrance of men? And if we should come to number out the parts of the life of man, shall we recken the time which they haue bestowed in eating, drinking, and sleeping, or rather principally bring into a short accoumpt, the dayes wherein they haue most valiantly fought for vertue? And therefore that which we call life, is but a death, because it dyeth without leauing any memory therof: for, that which we call death, is in very deed life, because it is that which maketh vs to be & continue for euer. Neither are we to regard how long we [Page 61] liue, but how wel we liue: neither commeth death too soone if he bring honor with him, neither is it for the only opinion of another, and for the honor which we shall get by well dying, that ought to make vs contemne death, but for the loue of that second life, whereinto we must enter. The Druydes, had some forefeeling of the immortalitie of our soules, which caused them to be more valiant then all the people of the world: for, they made a skorne to saue their liues, saying, that they made no more accoumpt of them, then of the head of a willow tree. And the Philosophers, who made a iest at them, confessed yet, that they held a blessed error. Howbeit, we say, that their wisedome was blessed, by tasting of this opinion, whereby they found groping in the darke, the very resting place of felicitie, and had found out the counterpoyson, which driueth away and slayeth feare, the very poyson of our soules, which drieth vp, and feeb lisheth our hearts and minds. But we, being brought vp and taught in a better Schoole then they were, do not only know, but constantly beleeue, and not [Page 62] only beleeue, but are glad also as a man would say, of this second immortall life. For, we haue a spirit lodging in the inward part of our soule, which sayeth and soundeth continually, if so be we will heare it, nothing else but this life to come. And vnto this voyce it is, that so many millions of Christians haue in the middest of their afflictions and torments, followed the standard or ensigne of their Captaine, spilling and sheading their bloud in all the corners of the earth, as the true and pure seed of faith. This is that Trompet which hath encouraged them to fight this combat, from whēce they haue returned very bloudy, but yet haue bene triumphant, and crowned victorers. If ambitious honor driueth vs vnto most strange hazards of warre, if this affection, to be esteemed and honored of those before whome wee liue, hastneth and kindleth the course of our actions, what greater hope is there of these which haue obtayned this? for they haue not onely bene honored whilst they liued, but wee also reuerence theyr ashes after they are dead, theyr bones are [Page 63] holie vnto vs: the memorie of their liues is yeerely renued with deuout commemorations and prayers: wee honor them in our verie thoughtes, wee humble our cogitations before them, as placed in a great degree of honor in the Church of God, and as hauing found grace before the face of our Lorde and God. And therefore wee must not bee voyde of courage for the effectuall bringing to passe of good and holie things, seeing that the verie wicked them selues, are the better part of theyr dayes so valiant in executing these wicked and most detestable things. For with this patience and strength of courage, must wee enter triumphing into the kingdome of glorie, wee hauing bene told by Toby this goodly and holy Oracle, That hee O Lord which serueth thee with all his heart, if his life be put in hazard, shall bee without doubt crowned. And for this cause it is why the Scripture telleth vs, that this good Father beeing brought into miserable captiuitie & thraldome, did neuer for all that forsake the voyce of the truth. [Page 64] And to say truly, we can no way iustly attribute vnto our selues the name of Christians, if we reiect and forsake the Crosse which is left vnto vs in stead of all other maner of weapons, and is the very sample & paterne that Iesus Christ hath geuen vs, to make vs vnderstand when we shall come vnto him, and the watchword that witnesseth vnto vs that we are his. For, we haue no means that can make vs perceiue that we are instructed in his discipline, but by this patience, the very mother of all the other vertues. And Theodoret also sayth, That the Martyres run vnto torments as vnto the schoole & exercise of vertue. It now followeth that we see how we should behaue and carry our selues in the disposing of the benefits which it pleaseth God to bestow vpon vs. In very deede, the rule which hereof is set before vs, and the habit which we take vpon vs to vse them well, is called Liberalitie. Now, the first precept which we are to learne, is to acknowledge, that all the benefits which we haue, we hold of the goodnes & grace of God: the ordinary exercise whereof, is to do good vnto all the world, and to spread [Page 65] vpon vs his blessings, albeit we no whit deserue them. And the reason why he so bountifully destributeth them amongst vs, is not to the end we should locke them vp, and let the gole and siluer mould, which are no way good nor profitable but when they are well vsed: but to the end that as he hath created vs vnto his owne image, so also we should imitate him, in well doing vnto our neighbour, according to our abilities. And truly we haue farre greater occasion to do it then he. For, that which he geueth is his owne, and he geueth it to such also, as be no way able to do him good. But we, are another mās purse-bearers, we geue the goods of our God, & we geue them to such as are not onely able to pay vs againe, but also to lend vs as much when we stand in need. And although they should be vnable to pay, yet God, by whose commaundement we geue them, answereth vs the same for them, and maketh it his owne debt, and chargeth himselfe also not only to pay the principal, but to geue vsury for it, yea double, treble, and an hundreth fold. And we are besides to consider, that all these [Page 66] benefits should be dealt proportionably, for our necessities, and that by the lawe of nature, they belong not vnto vs, no further then wee haue neede of them for the maintenance of our life. The measure of our benefits are heate, cold, hunger, and thirst: and if the custome of the countrey wherein we liue, and fashions of our countreymen, induce vs to any neatnesse and finenesse, we must not eyther too too austerely refuse it, neyther yet ouercuriously affect the same. Wherein, wee are first to regard in what state and degree of honor God hath placed vs amongst our brethren, and which is sortable vnto the estate whereunto we are borne or called, to the end wee might appropriat our goods vnto our selues, and not our selues vnto our goods. Now, when we haue furnished our selues with asmuch as is needfull for our estate, we must lay the rest by, and be very watchfull in the well bestowing therof. And that which may serue to direct vs thereunto, is to take away the merite and the necessitie of such as we would bestow the same on: for, it is the equall proportion [Page 67] & measure, which chiefly maketh the deede holy and pleasing vnto God, who hath disposed all things by measure, & hath geuen vnto vs reason as a compasse, to make all our actions iust & euen like vnto his. For if I geue my goods vnto him that hath no need, and see a poore man dye at my feet for want of food, this is an indiscreet liberalitie in the rich, & manslaughter vnto the poore man. If I for the helping of a stranger, let my father and mother want, the order of true & naturall affectiō is peruerted, and mine action is disgraced. We are also to obserue the things by which we mean to place our good deeds, and some be more vrgent then othersome: for, we may doubt of some of them, in our geuing, & othersome of thē, may pluck the good deed into our own hāds: howbeit we are principally to take heed, that we geue not away that which is another mans: for, they that take frō one man to geue to another, are abhominable before God, and their almes & off [...]ings stinke in his nostrels, & he turneth his face cleane frō them: and according to the saying of the Wisemā, who saith That he which [Page 68] offereth vnto God the fruite of his iniquitie, that offering is most foule and filthie. We should make a great accoumpt of this vertue, to frame and fashion it very entire and sound in our minds, as being full of all spirituall grace, that might greatly further vs vnto our saluation, when as it shall accustome vs, liberally to distribute our goods to those that haue need of them, and our almes vnto his honor which hath geuē vs them. Saint Augustine was not afeard to say, that almes is another Baptisme: because, that as water putteth out the fier, euen so doth almes kill sinne. This almes (as Chrysostome sayth) is Gods friend, which obtayneth at his hands whatsoeuer she craueth: she setteth prisoners at libertie, calleth home againe those that are banished, and obtayneth pardon for the condemned. For, the hand of the poore, is Gods purse. Haue wee any thing to buy of him? let vs then geue him our money. And the best way for vs to bestow our goods, is to put them into Gods banke, for he will assure it vs not only on the land and the whole continent thereof, which is his, but also in heauen, and in [Page 69] eternall blisse, wherewith he will sease; and inuest vs. Why should we then be so foolish as to suffer our gold and siluer to rust in our chests, and so, alwaies blindfold our minds, with laying vp crowne by crowne, seeing we suffer the time to passe for the doing of our employments, and that all which we gather and scrape together, is nothing but toyle vpon toyle heaped vp together? Surely, all these goods which bring with them nothing else but sorrow and griefe with their only aboundance, and in which are neuer fulnesse nor yet measure, are nothing else but a cage of gold, and a prison of siluer vnto their maisters, to hold them fast bound to the vpper part of the earth, & thereby bereaue them of their libertie for going vnto heauen. This is the water that is powred vpon the Egles wings, because he should not flye vp vnto the Sunne. Euen so must they that will taste of the fruite of contemplation, and attaine vnto perfect felicitie, where the course of our soule must rest, take heed that they hinder not them selues, but as little as they can in the dirty dunghill of riches, [Page 70] which are no better then very clay and earth, what great accompt soeuer they make of thē. And yet notwithstanding it is for this dust that we kill one another, and this is it which we set both our souls & bodies on the teinters for. For this, great and mightie cities band thēselues one against another in arms & battel: this, is the very plague of ciuil societie: this, is the water of seperatiō which parteth brethrē asunder, yea which seperateth the father from the child. And therefore we had need set a fourth & the last bar betwixt vs & our affections, to keepe vs frō desiring that which is another mans, & to teach vs to geue to euery one that which is his owne. And this vertue, we call Iustice, wherof if we cōsider in generall, wrappeth within her self al sorts of vertues: and her office, as Lactantius teacheth vs, is first to ioyne men together with God, secondly, to reconcile one mā to another, which are two things verie neerely knit together. For, if the first keepe vs within that duty wherin God hath created vs, which is, to feare, loue, and serue him, and do good vnto our neighbour, it cannot be but that we [Page 71] must stand in the grace and fauour both of God and men. Or if we will more particularly cōsider of this vertue, and wherein she disposeth vs to liue iustly and lawfully with men, her action may very fitly be deuided into three parts or heads. The first is, to liue honestly, without breaking the lawes either of God, or of our countrey. The other is, not to offend any man, either in word or deed. The third is, to geue vnto euery man that which is his owne. Now, if as much should be spoken of this argument as might be, we should exceed that measue that I haue prescribed and set downe for this small treatise. And therefore it shall suffice that we speake of the principall thing which is recommended vnto vs by Iustice, which is, to keepe our faith in all our doings, to take in hand nothing craftily & cūningly, but to deale plainly & openly in all our affaires. For ouer & besides, that faith is the knot & common band of the amitie & societie of mē, so also is it vnto vs as gage, of the grace of God which he hath vouchsafed vs, to communicate himself with vs. And seeing that by this & the self same [Page 72] word, is signified vnto vs the assurance which we haue of our saluation, and constancy of our promise, we are verily to beleeue, that whosoeuer shall abuse this pawne amongst men, will lightly abuse that gage which God hath geuen him. And in very deede, whosoeuer he is that shall set before his eyes the lawe of God, the iudgement which therein is denounced, and the paines that are prepared for the wicked, is it possible that that man will euer haue the heart to deceiue him, whome the lawe hath commaunded to loue as him selfe? will he, by defrauding of his neighbour, deceiue his owne soule of that euerlasting blessednesse, whereof those men can neuer be partakers, who communicate with the father of lying, and of lyes? For, truth commeth from heauen, & falshood, i [...] of fiction, coulored and counterfeit shewes and all leasings, are the craftie deuises of the deuuill: and he that enterraineth them, and vseth them, couenanteth with the wicked spirits, and maketh himselfe the bondslaue of sin. And therefore all our actions should [Page 73] be sincere and faithfull, but especially their actions who are in authoritie to gouerne the people, and are put in trust to render iustice vnto euery particular man. They must not do as the Egiptian Iudges did, that ware the image of Iustice about their necks, but they must haue it imprinted in the bottome of their hearts, and betweene their lips, for she alone it is that must direct their iudgements, so as neither loue nor hatred, must at any hand make the ballance or scales which they hold in their hands, leane either one way or other, but reason alone must cause the lawe spurne and kick against iniquitie. Surely, no man can haue a better testimonie vnto his conscience of his election, then when as he fee [...]eth himself to take pleasure in dealing iustly and rightuously: for whosoeuer he is that loueth iustice, is a man of God: for, the light shineth on the righteous man, and vpō him that is of an vpright hart. The way and path of the iust, is like vnto the dawning of the day, her light encreaseth by little and little, and becommeth like vnto the noonetide. The wise man could not more properly [Page 74] compare iustice vnto any thing, the [...] vnto the light: for, as the light shinet [...] not for it selfe, but causeth others t [...] see: euen so this most excellent soun [...] vertue of it selfe, looketh nor but vnt [...] the benefit & profit of another, hauing none other end but by a well willing [...] righteous affection, to conioyne & entertaine one another of vs. When th [...] vertue is growne vnto a full perfectiō ▪ she straightwayes beginneth to loue, [...] may very wel take vnto her that name because that she, hauing vnited & conioined vs together, teacheth vs to accompt our selues to be one another flesh, as being the members of one body, or rather, the body of one head, leauing in vs a charitable affection, which is the souldering & sinowing of our bodies together. For, as we see in the constitution of our persons, euery membe [...] to be so framed therein, as that, tha [...] which is fardest off, moueth it self [...] forthwith in affectiō & good liking vnto the rest: so as if we haue any paine i [...] our foor, by & by the eye looketh vnt [...] it, & straightways we put to the hand, [...] in the end bend the whole force of ou [...] body to help to do it good. Euen so [...] reth [Page 75] it with the mistical coniunction of the body, & in the holy cōgregation of the faithfull, whereof we are all members, and the spirit of God which doth rule and gouerne vs, teacheth vs, that for our owne conseruation, we must needs make one of another, and make both our aduersitie and prosperitie common, that we might contribute vnto the necessities of one another. For, our christian righteousnes, restraineth not vs only, to discharge the ciuile and politick bands which may be amongst vs, but also acquiteth this naturall obligation, which bindeth one man to another by mutuall good will and loue. It remayneth now, that this righteousnesse must conioyne vs vnto God, and bring forth her most excellēt effects, which kepeth our soule vpright quiet, & capable of the wil of God▪ and as it were fast tied vnto the loue of euerlasting blisse, which is done by the gifts of faith & hope. For, after we haue purged our selues of the peruerse & filthy affectiōs, whhich our soul hath gottē into her by liuing on erth, & so blinded our wil, as that she cānot returne to ill, yet must she go on to her mark, & guide [Page 76] her self vnto her resting place. Now, as we are cast downe into the darkenesse of this world, into the deserts of sin, & bottomlesse deapths of perdition, we cannot see our end without light, not find our way without a guide, ne yet sustaine our selues & go forward without stay: and our light, guide, and stay is, the reuelation which God hath shewed vnto vs out of his will, the knowledge which he hath geuen vnto vs by his grace, the spirit, by which he communicateth himself with vs, and in the end commeth himselfe vnto vs, because we are so feeble, as that we cannot go vnto him. We call faith the sound and right affection, whereby wee receiue that▪ which he declareth vnto vs, and which we constātly beleeue, and by which, we iudge of him in the goodnes & simplicitie of our harts. This is it with which we humble our senses, and with which we deny our selues to gue credit vnto his truth, in acknowledging our infirmitie, & by which we allow his almightines, reuerēce & admire the effects so often reiterated, for the reconquering of our saluation, & deliuerāce frō eternall death. Now, whē as our soule hath [Page 77] once found her self disposed to belieue this, and receiued this impression frō the word of God, she then cleerly seeth the marke whereat she aimeth, & knowing thereby the benefit which is set before her, she is touched with a certain effectual feeling of pleasure, which eggeth her cōtinually forward to wish & looke for the saluation which is prepared for her. This is that hope by the which she foreseeth the happy hour of her felicitie, by which she is kept for the loking for her blessednes, & vpholden & double strengthened against all the griefes and miseries which might shake the same, and crosse her in the way. Here then wee see how we must prepare our soule to make it capable of this felicitie. We must now then necessarily see & behold by her dealing, how she delighteth her self in this most excellēt pleasure. And it is to be considered two maner of wayes, the one is, that whilst she is clad about with this flesh, and detained here in this vile world, yet she still ioyneth and vniteth her selfe vnto God her creator, by meanes of her pure & holy disposition, and of her good and charitable works. [Page 78] The other is, that whē she is deliuered & despoiled of the earth, & the world, she wholy vniteth her self vnto her first & originall being. In this first estate we shal see her reioice in such happinesse, pleasure, & contentment, as infinitely surpasseth all the other delights which we possibly are able to wish or desire here below. And such in very deed, as are no way comparable vnto those pleasures which we know to be prepared for vs in the life to come, and such in truth, as our thoughts cannot apprehend. For it is very true (which Esdr [...] sayth) That man, that liueth here [...] this world, can comprehend nothing but earthly things. And it is sayd i [...] Ecclesiast. That wee must not search in things aboue our reach, but thinke vpon the which God hath commaunded vs: for it [...] not fit for vs to looke vnto that which G [...] keepeth secret vnto himselfe from vs. Now, the blesseddest and chiefest pleasure of our soule, consisteth in conforming [...] addressing all her doings to that end wherunto she is created, which is don [...] by action, prayer, and meditation. For, God hauing caused vs to be borne to be members here of this vile world, euery [Page 79] part of vs obseruing the duty & motion whereuento he hath ordeined the same, serue for his glory, & testimony of his power. It standeth vs therfore vpon, so long as we liue here, to keepe well our part, and beware that in our particular discording, we breake not the vniuersall right note and harmony, wherein the beauty of his workemanship subsisteth▪ for, he hath called euery of vs vnto a certaine ministery and office, whereof he hath made some Kings, some Princes, some Magistrates, some priuate men, or to say as the Apostle sayth, he hath ordeyned, Some to be Prophets, some Euangelists, some Preachers, and some Doctors. And therefore let vs take heed that we fulfill the ministerie which is layd vpon vs. For if so be we deale lamely and haltingly in the charge which is geuen vnto vs, we fayle not onely in our owne duties, but we also bring a generall confusion vpon the whole people, and so become culpable of the sinnes of all the multitude. Where contrariwise, if so be we deale iustly and truly in our office, we shall be like vnto good and skilfull musitians, who, ouer and besides [Page 80] the great pleasure of the excellē [...] and sweet sonnding of their voices, they feele a maruelous and incredible delight by the euen meeting of one anothers voice, which falleth into theirs, with an agreemēt & accord, full of sweet melodie. And therefore it is surely a great pleasure to do well, neyther is there any pleasure so great, as the contentmēt which we feele in our consciences, when we performe any godly & commendable action. Neither is there any thing that more gladly tickleth the spirit, then the glory which it off [...]eth & promiseth vnto that m [...] or woman, who vertuously be haue the selues in their liues & conuersation [...]. I meane not such glory as is fed either with winde or smoke, which pleaseth men only, but such glory as maketh vs see a far off, the crowne which is prepared for vs. Neither must we stand vpon the outcries and clapping of the hands of the people, which fauour the course that we take in hand, no more then a valiant Champion readie prepared in the lists to fight the combat doth: but let it rather hasten vs to run the swiftlier vnto the goale & garland [Page 81] of prize, which attendeth our victorie, and lift vp our soules with such a cogitation, as that all our actions being referred to this end, may be full of that ioy & contentmēt, wherein consisteth our whole blessednes. Niether may we ne yet can we cōtinually tie our selues vnto the affaires and businesse of this world: for, after labor, ensueth rest, which is in very deed the true operatiō of the soule, and that is Meditation. And in very truth, most blessed are they whose vocation is wonderfully far [...]hest off from the care of these worldly affaires, and whom God hath withdrawn from the tempests and stormes of the world, and placed them as it were in a calme & peaceable hauen, to behold a farre off the ship wrack of others. And this me ditation consisteth only of the knowledge of the truth, and glory of God, which we must seeke after as wel by the contemplation, and exact consideratiō of his works, our of which shineth forth euery where his power & incomparable goodnes, as by the ordinary reading of his word, by which he openeth vnto vs the treasure of his wisedome, and draweth the curtaines [Page 82] of heauen, to make vs see his maiestie [...] face to face, as much as our infirmitie [...] is able to beare. And the works of Go [...] vndoubtedly, are as scaling ladders se [...] vp for vs euery where to climb vp vnto him. For, let vs turne our selues which way soeuer we will, and we shall finde here in the world wonderfull things▪ for if we looke downe into the deph of the bowels of the earth, we shall see there such a number of veines of gold and siluer, such a sort of pertious minerals, and such spring heads of liuely waters, as is wonderfull. Again, if we looke vpon the face of the earth, we shal fin [...] such varietie of hearbs, floures, fruits, trees, beasts of the fields, and in then such vertues, and secret properties, [...] that it would make vs altogether astonished. And are the seas lesse admirable, by reason of their ebbing & flowing? the multitude of fishes, and the diuersitie of monsters, which they fee [...] & bring forth? And will not the ayre [...] replenished with foules, clouds, raine [...] snowes, hayles, lightnings, & thunde [...] make vs wonder? And when as we li [...] vp our eyes far higher, and behold the curtaines of heauen spread vpon the [Page 83] face of the earth, behold the brightnesse of the Sunne, the clearnesse of the Moone, and the ruling of their course, obserue & marke the goodly & beautifull order of the Starres, their course, effects, & influēces, must it not needs altogether amaze vs? And yet al this geare together cōsidered in grosse is nothing in respect of the matters which we haue now in hand, whē as we shall haue examined thē a part and by peecemeale: for, whē as we shall haue seene that the very least things in the world, haue in their constitution such a maruelous prudence & wisedome, we must of necessitie find out the author & creator of them, in heauen. Let man but looke into himself, & consider with himselfe what maner a things he is, and how so litle a moyst humor could make him grow vnto such a fashion, to be framed a body of so many sundry parts, with such proportion. And let him not content himselfe to see himselfe stand vpright vppon his feete, with his face vpward, his eyes open, and remouing all his members, but let him a litle vncouer his skin, and ghesse how the flesh and the bones are so [Page 84] workemanlike set together, and vnderstand how many sinewes and muskle [...] are drawne downe euen from the neck, vnto the most base & outermo [...] parts of the body, to bind, loose, and remoue to all the parts, vnto all sort of mouings: and let him behold ho [...] so many veines are spread throughou [...] the body to carry the bloud and nourishing iuice vnto euery member. Le [...] him also see what a number of arteries are guided from the heart, and deuided to accompanie all the sinewe [...] and veynes, to hold in the vitall spirits in euery part, as the messengers of his will, to the end, to commaund the si [...] newes to moue, or not to moue. Le [...] him then if he will, lay open his stomacke, and see how his life is mainte [...] ned, how the meates sent downe into the stomacke, are transformed by a secret and incomprehensible power how, by laboring and stirring in the stomack, they runne into the paunch how the good iuice floweth through the small vaines into the liuer, whi [...] is the shop of the bloud: how the liue dischargeth her super fluities into the gall, splene, and kidneys, how it distributeth [Page 85] the bloud into the veynes, and how it is sent into the heart to be there made thin and subtilized, euen vnto the confection of the vitall spirites. If he behold the moouing and breathing of the lights, which refresheth and moderateth the heat of the heart, if he see the artificiall [...]urnings and wreathings of the guts, let him not thinke the same, to be fallen out of the clouds, neither yet that he seeth any other things within, then he seeth without. Howbeit, when as he shall come to consider of the head, which is the treasure of the sences, and seat of reason, let him dreame amongst other things, what an especiall wo [...]ke the eye is, and with how many filmes and thin skinnes, this lightsome spirit is garnished and defended, which in very truth is the pleasure of the life, he shall remaine as it were astonished and amazed, but yet not so much, as when he commeth to pierce the braine, where he shall perce [...]ue the manner whereon the portracture and images of things are borne by the sences, as faithfull messengers and interpreters, to be receiued and exercised [Page 86] therein by the common sence: and afterward to be ordered and placed within the custodie of the celles of the memorie. But the thing that most astonisheth vs, is this, when as we desire to vnderstand what our soule is, which manageth & gouerneth all this whole workemanship, what a power it is of, that thus strangely moueth and worketh, which awaketh when we sleepe, comprehendeth so easily all things, reacheth into the deepest matters, and by discourse, findeth out the cause and reason of the most secret things. And we see and feele these effects in our selues, and yet we can neither see not yet conceiue them. Certainly, when we, in the contemplation of these things, are lifted vp by faith, we feele our selues forthwith led vnto the author of these workes. And to say truly, when as we see so many maruelous things dispersed throughout the whole face of the earth, for what other purpose serue they, but to be as a booke left wide open, for vs to read out thereof, the greatnesse and almightie power of God, who is heereby so gloriously expressed? The onely beholding [Page 87] whereof, is able to stay our sences and spirits, and furnish them with an aboundant and sufficient contentment, whereon bangeth our felicitie. This is it, whereon we should studie day and night, and not content our selues with the bare looking of the couer onely, but diligently to way the periodes, yea, euen to pluck out the sillabes and meanest points, which containe excellent and holy secrets. And this was a very good answer in my opinion, which the good Heremite S. Anthonie (as Socrates writeth) made vnto a Philosopher, who asked him how he could possiblie dwell in a solitarie place, without hauing of bookes about him? Surely (quoth he) I lacke not bookes, for the world is my booke, and my studie, is the contemplation of nature, wherein I reade day and night, of the glory of my God: howbeit, I can neuer attaine to the end thereof. O happie life voide of such a number of boiling sorrowes and greefes, which vndermine and consume our yeares, gladding and reioycing in this gratious rest, and hauing good [...]eaue [Page 88] to thrust our hands vp to the elbowes into the treasures of the Deitie, which feedest the desires of the soule, with the knowledge of immortalitie, and swondest and diest within the burning flames of eternall wisdome. These are the delights, and these are the alluring baites which kept Acepsenas, a recluse, within his cell in the wildernesse, full threescore years. These are the allurements which stayed that Simeon all his life long, vpon the top of a piller. What a merueilous desire (thinke you) had those men, who being lifted vp aboue the earth, did swim in the ayre, communicated with the Angels, and beautified themselues before they dyed? Without doubt, our bloud is wonderfully congealed and grosse about our heart, and we very dull, and as it were in a swound, if we admire not their blessednesse, neither haue we compassion of our owne miseries, our spirits are mightely mortified, if so be we comprehend not, that in this life, in this contemplation, and in the knowledge of this eternal verity, our consolation, contentation, & felicitie, lieth, consisteth and resteth. Now God, who [Page 89] loueth vs as his children, meaneth not to leaue vs vnto the darknesse of this world, and to make vs seeke after, gropingly as it were, amongst his workes for this his truth. But hauing left his spirit with vs, he hath also left vnto vs his owrde, as an interpretor of his will, where in we shall be sure to finde sure and faithfull directions▪ to bring vs vnto this veritie, and easily vnderstand his maruelous workes. This is that voice, which is called the burning worde▪ this is that word which is called the light, which, as Euscbius saith, is like vn to fier, because it doth not only heate, lighten, and make ripe, but also melteth, softeneth, and hardeneth. And therefore we should follow those good Egiptian fathers, whose liues Philo describeth, who loosing their eyes to looke farre aboue the workes of God, cast them forthwith into the reading of the Propherts, and of the holy books, as vpon the commentarie and interpretor of their meditations. And these are they that haue most profoundly entred into the diuine wisedome, and who for that occasion, are in the scriptures called Seers: for they are they, by [Page 90] whom we haue had the mysteries of eternities reuealed, and not by any humaine industrie, but by the inspiration of the spirit of God, haue communicated vnto vs the miracles of heauen, and opened the entrie into wisdome with the which when as our soule is mixed, and from thence hath receiued her forme and perfection, she must then bring forth her fruite, according as the same Philo hath taught vs, That that is the propertie of euery perfect thing. The fruite of a meditating soule, or rather the infant thereof, if we will speake as Eusebius doth, is praier, which being conceiued in the inward part of our thought, discloseth it selfe betwixt our lips, euen as the child is conceiued in the mothers wombe. For, the knowledge of God, & the effectuall feeling of his goodnesse, which are imprinted in vs, by an holy cogitation, engendreth also in vs this motion of courage which Mercurie the great caleth, The inward word, which being well fashioned within, and aided by the spirit & the body, thrusteth out it selfe, and vttereth this outward word, which we call praier, we take not this onely [Page 91] for ordinary praye [...], which proceedeth of our infirmity, and should be the beginning of all our workes, & which we are not to keepe to be the last action of the soule, but for that, by which we expresse that affection which is borne in vs, by perceiuing of that which we haue frō the goodnesse of God, which, after that we haue by holy thoughts prepared our tongues for it, ruleth & gouerneth the same, and maketh it the instrumēt of his glory, by which we try whether we conuerse therin ho [...]ily yea or no, which is such a wonderfull contentment, as that there remaineth not in our spirit to receiue any other cogitation at all into it. For be it that we prostrate our selues before him, to beseech him of his fauour & grace, or require his benefits, or to giue him thāks for his fauours daily shewed vnto vs, our spirit is as it were rauished & in a swond, & we feele his hand already cō ming faster vpon vs, then we are in calling vpō him: hauing assured our selues a long time together, that whatsoeuer we should craue at his hand in a liuely faith, he would graunt vs, whether it be that we at al times, as indeed we ought, [Page 92] cause our voices resound his praifes, preaching and setting forth his wonderous works, singing as he hath commanded vs, songs vnto his glorie, and answering one another with hymnes & spirituall songs, our heart rebound and leape in vs, and our spirit lifte [...] vp it selfe aboue the heauens, and ioineth in thought with our creator. And what houre, nay what moment of a [...] houre ought we to cease, turning the eyes of our soules towards him, who continually standeth with his armes wide open, to embrafe vs, bendeth his fauourable eares vnto our praiers, hearkeneth louingly vnto our vowes, and is not iealous of the praises which we sing vnto him? Is it meet then that there should be either businesse or sleepe, to bereaue vs of this pleasure, or rather that we our selues should bereaue our soules, & so bring our selues a sleepe euen then, when the sweete songs, earnest and feruent prayers, should gather our spirits together, & assemble them to striue with the grace of God, which worketh in vs. Is it fit that we should become deafe, euen then, when he toucheth the instrument [Page 95] of our soules, to cause vs agree vnto the tune of his will, and content our selues with the melodie of this sweet and perfect hermonie, which soundeth from the coniunction of our vnderstanding of his deitie? O immortall delights, who shall seperate my soule from thee, who shall pluck me from out of thine armes, to drawe me out of heauē vnto the earth, frō cleare shining bringtnesse, into m [...]serable darknesse, and to lead away my sences frō puritie and cleannesse, into a most filthy dunghil or iakes. and therfore O thou my deare soule, liue, yea liue I say, and settle and resettle thy selfe amidst these heauenly delghts, which as pearles and diamonds, haue banished themselues into the wildernesse and vttermost parts of the earth, and are such an excellent market as can possibly be wished, vnto all such as haue the hearts to go thether to seeke after them, and liue thou this blessed life, which is the way of immortalitie, that pleasantly leadeth vs euen into the entrie of the heauens, following our God, step by step, and holding him by the garment, where being arriued, we [Page 94] shall be bereaued but of that clothing that hindereth vs, and be cast with a lost body into the middest of the depth of his glory: where, being full, not of pleasure, ease, reioycing, delights and voluptuousnesse, but with an vnspeakable and vnbeleeueable contentment, which surpasseth whatsoeuer we are able not to speake of, but to thinke of▪ We shall begin the course of this immortall life, which neuer shall haue end, & enter into this eternall blessednes, out of which we shal neuer come, & be enlightened with that most heauenly glory, which neuer shal be darkened. But because that this last & most perfect felicitie, consisteth in beholding the face of the father of light, wherein we shall see the spring-head and originall beginning of all goodnesse and excellencie, & will not haue vs see him face to face, so long as we are encompassed about with the darknesse of this world, but onely his back part as it were passing by, we might hold our peace, and with silence admire, that which we know to be, but we know not how, neither are we once able to speake thereof, but that we [Page 95] must needes accuse our owne ignorance, and that, whereof we are not able to affirme any thing, saue that we know not any thing thereof by any of our sences, but is a thing which beyond all whatsoeuer, for our sences can no way possibly pierce so farre into it, and the more that our spirit striueth to enter into it, the more it stumbleth therat. What is there then for vs to do? Forsooth a most assured hope, that if we liue heere in this world holily & righttuously, and make our selues worthy of the grace and fauour which our heauenly father offreth vnto vs, one withdraw draw not our affections from him, and giue not the honour which we owe vnto him, vpon and to these earthly and worldly things, we shall one day enter as his children and heyres of his glory, into the treasury of his heauenly ritches, and enioy according to his promises, the brightnesse of his eternitie.
I Haue adioyned this Epistle vnto the end of this treatise, because they are both of like argument, and because also we should not so esteeme of our owne inuentions, as that we should not commend likewise the workes of the auncient fathers, who haue farre exceeded vs, both in age, zeale, and knowledge. And that small diuersitie that may be found in the translation, may be imputed vnto the barenesse of our language, wherein, as in a painting, men are enforced to imitate by shadowes and images the helpe of naturall bodies. And let a man do what soeuer he can, yet is it a rare and strange thing to make the counterfet of any thing, equall vnto the thing it selfe.
The Epistle of S. Basile the Great, vnto S. Gregorie the deuine.
I Haue forthwith reacknowledged your letter, as men reacknowledge their friends children to be like vnto their parents: for there is no man that can or may better mislike of our heremitages, than you your selfe, nor know before hand what our manner of life and ordinarie conuersation is, to vphold and maintaine that the choise of places can any way enlarge and encrease your heart vnto deuotion, and that there is nothing therin at all which may cause you to hope for any such sweet delight and felicity, which we heerein promise vnto our selues. In very deed I should be ashamed to cause you to haue a desire to write hereof that, which I my selfe day [Page 98] and night, do here in this wildernesse. For although I haue left the city, & all those tedious dealings which brought vnto me with them a thousand mischiefes, and a thousand discommodeties, yet can I not possibly leaue my selfe, but am euen properly most like vnto them that being not wonted vnto the sea, grow so sick when they are a ship-borde: & thinking thegreatnesse of the vessell, and rolling thereof, to be the cause of their sicknesse, are desirous to go downe into the cockboate for the easing and bettering of themselues, and when they are there, they grow sicker then they were before, because they carie with them both their stomach and choller also into it. And after that manner fareth it also with me, for I carrying with my selfe, both my priuate and particular passions, am continually in the very selfe same trouble and vnquietnesse that I was before, and so I haue gotten nothing by withdrawing my selfe from the world. Howbeit, whosoeuer he be that would do that that should further his saluation, and follow the way of him which saith; If any man will follow me, let him forsake [Page 99] himself, and take vp his crosse and follow me, the same man without doubt shall finde rest vnto his soule. For as the eye which continually mooueth, and rolleth it selfe hither and thither, sometime high and sometime lowe, can neuer looke straite vpon any thing, and therefore if he will looke well, he must stedfastly cast and fixe his eye altogether vpon one point: euen so, mans vnderstanding being drawne away with a thousand sundrie cares, cannot well bend it selfe aright vnto the knowledge of the truth: for the vnmaried man shall be carried away with foule and beastly desires and lusts, troubled with foolish and furious loue toyes, & other vnbrideled desires. And on the otherside, with how many cares shal the maried mā be thwarted, for if he hath no children, that will be a great corsiue to him: he must also haue an eye ynto his wife, he must prouide for the necessaries of his house, he must be at charges with his seruants, he shalbe at variance with his neighboures, he shall always be at sute in the law, his marchandize shall be in hazard, and the manuring and storing of his grounds will be a great [Page 100] paine and charge vnto him, he shall euery day haue new troubles in his minde, and the night which bringeth with it all the cares of the day forepassed, will tosse vp and downe in his fantasie. And there is but one onely remedie for all this, which is, wholy to forsake the world: neither must he abandon his bodie onely from the world, but he must with a sweet and an assured resolution, separate his minde cleane from the world, yea he must as it were, violently pluck away his very cogitations from it, and make them flie, haue nothing proper vnto himselfe, keepe no company, he must be poore and without substance, and without all worldly dealings, farre from any negociations, ignorant of politike sciences and trades, and onely prepare himselfe to receiue into his soule, the instructions of holy wisdom. And we cannot better prepare our selues herevnto, then to forget wicked conditions, and naughtie dealing, wherein we were heretofore brought vp in and instructed, for it is impossible to write any thing vpon a written paire of tables, except we first wipe [Page 101] that out-which before was written; Euen so likewise it is impossible to engraue in the heart of men, the will and word of God, if ye first of all pluck not out thereof the fore conceiued opinions, which before haue beene therein imprinted by a wicked kinde of life. And hereunto the solitarie life is wonderfull profitable, because that it ouercommeth all our perturbations, and giueth reason, time and leisure, to draw them out of the soule. For as wilde beasts are easily tamed when as they are made much of, and dealt gently withall; euen so our lusts, choller, terrors and sorrowes, which are the very poisons of our soules, are with greater ease ruled and gouerned by reason, when as they begin to quiet themselues, and are not prouoked and made sauage by a continuall cogitation. And therefore such a place must be chosen out as this which we are in, out of all company, to the end our continuall meditation be not interrupted by any resort, for this godly meditation nourisheth the soule with sweet and heauenly cogitations, and what a more blessed thing can there be [Page 102] then to imitate here vpō earth die life and accord of Angels? And to be vp by the sunnering, to pray & sing himnes and songs vnto the creator, and when the sunne is at the highest, to begin his labour againe, and licor and season his trauaile in the salt of deuout praiers and spirituall songs? For there is nothing that so much gladdeth the minde, and maketh it more merie and strong, then the consolation of holy songs: and therefore quiet rest is the very right preparatiue for the purging and clensing of the soule. For, because the tongue is not then impeached for the discouering of the affaires of the world, neither are the eyes yet occupied about the iudging of the brightnesse and diuersity of colours, or of the proportion of bodies, neither doth the hearing spend and waste the forces of the vnderstanding, to heare pleasant songs, which are made to tickle the eares, or yet matter of laughter, foolery and knauery, which serue for none other purpose but to weaken the force and intention of the mind. Now when the soule is not caried away with thinking of outward things, & spred abroad [Page 103] as it were by the sences vpon worldly things, she commeth back vnto her self and returnerh wholy into her selfe, and afterward of her selfe raifeth vp her self euen vnto God. Then all the clearnesse and brightnesse of this diuine most bright shining light, forgerteth all her naturall actions, & careth no more for food and clothing, no she not so much as once thinketh of any earthly thing, but transferreth all her study for the getting of eternall benefits. She addicteth her selfe, and studieth how she may become temperate, how she may frame her actions according to righteousnesse and prudence, how she may become couragious, and generallie, all other vertues which deuout persons learne, to addresse al their actions vnto comlinesse and perfection of life. The plaine beaten high way that must bring vs hereunto, and keepe vs within the compasse of our duty, is the reading and meditating of the holy scriptures, for therein we shall finde the most vertuous and excellent instruction to cause vs to do well, that possiblie may be, and examples and histories of the liues of holy and [Page 104] religious persons, which are so many liuely images, and exemplars of all good manners, and holy conuersation, which are there set before vs to follow. Wherefore, whosoeuer he be that shall feele any infirmitie in him selfe, and staieth himselfe hereon, shall finde therein as in a ritch and well furnished Apothecaries shop, euery necessarie drugge that is fit to recouer his heal, for let him that loueth temperance and modestie, read oner ordinarily the historie of Ioseph, and therein he shall learne actions full of great continencie and chastitie, and finde that he was not onely chaste and a resister of filthie lust, but by reason of long exercise, confirmed also in all sorts of ventues, he shall likewise learne by Iob a rare couragious minde, in seeing the aduersities which he endured, as being become from a great riche man, to be a most miserable poore wretch, and from a father of a noble and great familie; a man alone and without children, standing couragiouslie and coutinually vnto his tackling, his mightie constancie being neuer abated, nor his heart any [Page 105] whit at all lessened. And when his friends which came to comfort him, had prouoked him, and fell a iesting at him for his talke, and stirring his mildnesse, yet could they neuer thereby driue him into choller. But if any man would dreame, with what magnanimitie he could be able to hold himselfe courteous and gentle, and being angrie against sinne, loue and make much of the persons that offēd, he shall finde Dauid, who was a most braue and valiant expert man of warre, to be notwithstanding such a one, as was farre from reuenging himselfe of his enemies. Such a one was also Moses, and yet notwithstanding he would be mightely angrie against those that blasphemed the honour of God: but vnto such as offended and slaundered himselfe, he would be merueilous calme and gentle. And therefore we must do as good Painters and Counterfeiters do, who taking vpon them to draw out the counterfeit of some man or beast, or any other thing else curiously wrought in a table before their faces, looking oftentimes vpon the thing which they [Page 106] are counterfeiting, do draw the liniaments one after another, vntill they haue finished and ended their worke that is to say, looking vpon the liues of holy men, as vpon liuely images, draw out of them the most excellent liniaments of vertue, to make vs perfect, and to make ours by imitation, like vnto them in all goodnesse and excellencie. So we returning from labour vnto praiers, shall by them make our minds and spirits more liuely and merie, as heated and enflamed with a true godly loue. For a good and faithfull praier engendreth in our soules, a manifest knowledge of the goodnesse of God: for that maketh God, as it were, to dwell in vs, as hauing setled him deepely in our remembrances, and so by this means we are made the temples of God, when as the intent of our minde is not interrupted by any earthly cogitations, nor our soule troubled with any suddaine motions, but flying and eschewing all other thing, retireth her selfe towards God as to her friend, and driuing away all peruerse affections which mooue vs vnto intemperance; giueth her selfe [Page 107] wholy vnto the studie of those knowledges which lead her vnto vertue. And first it is very meet we take heed, that we speake nothing impertinently to the purpose, but to finde out things after a gentle manner, and without contention, and to answer vnto that which is demaunded without affectation, and not interrupt him that speaketh to the purpose, of any thing, and to keepe such a moderation in hearing of him, as that it might not seeme that he meant by any vaine ostentation, to thwart the matter at that time set a broche. Neither must any man be ashamed to learne, or yet hide that which hath beene taught him by another: dealing like vnto wicked women, that robbe other women of their children, and make their husbands beleeue that they are theirs. But we must giue vnto him that hath taught vs, all the honour and glory. It is best, as I thinke, that euery man speake moderately and temperatly, so as his wordes be not lost before they come vnto the eare, neither yet must they bee ouer lowde, nor rashlie spoken, nor yet [Page 108] vnaduisedly, for a man must first consider with himselfe, what he will say, and then afterward vtter it, carie himselfe gratiously in reasoning, and to giue a good liking in particular conuersation, not with meriments, but with beneuolence, gratious communication, & naturall courtesie, alwaies flying and auoiding, when there is any need of reproouing, all bitternesse, and eger words. He must first frame himselfe to be of an humble and meeke spirit, that he might like and please him who hath need of his discourses. The manner which the Prophet vsed in reproouing of Dauid, is very many times good and profitable for vs, who would not by and by, and vpon the sudden, accuse him of the soule fact which he had committed, but told him of his fault vnder the title of another, whereby he made him the iudge of his owne sinne, so as hauing condemned himselfe, he could by no means take any occasion to fall out with him that had reproued him. Now he that is humble and cast downe in his cogitations, looketh alwaies downward, weareth his apparell careleslie, [Page 109] his haire long, and his garment not made after the fashion, so as that humilitia that mourners fashion themselues vnto, is naturall in him. His Gowne must be girt vnto him, but not aboue his loynes, for that is somewhat womanish: neither yet too loose, for that bewrayeth his slothfulnesse. His gate must not be slow, because it signifieth a soft spirit, ne yet ouer-hastie, for feare he be noted to be haggar headed. The garments are made but for one thing, which is, to keepe the flesh from heat and cold. He must not hunt after colours, to please the eye, nor exquisit fashions for delicacies sake: for, they that hunt after these sorts of attires, are womanish, who beautify their smooth well coloured cheeks and their haire, with many strange and diuers coloured paintings. The Gowne must be made of such stuffe, as that we shall not need to cast another vpon it, to kepe vs from the cold. His hosing must be of a small price, but yet of such a price, as may suffice the necessitie for which he vseth it. And generally, as in his garments, so must he also in all other things haue regard vnto frugalitie [Page 110] and profit. As for meate, bread will staunch hunger, and water quench the thirst of a sound man. He may vse salads of herbs as farre as is necessarie to strengthen and brawne the bodie, He must not at his meales eate rauenously like an hungerstarued Wolfe, but shew himselfe alwayes like vnto himselfe, sober, and temperate in all his desires: neither must he in the meane while occupie his minde in playing the foole, but dreaming of the nature of things wherewith we are nourished, take occasion to glorifie God, who gouerneth and moderated all things, for so much as he hath deuifed and brought forth so many sundry sorts of meates, which by a singular propertie are applied vnto the vse and maintenance of our bodyes. And therefore before we go to meate, we must gene God thanks for that which he hath bestowed vpon vs, and beseech him to bestowe vppon vs in time to come, that which he hath promised vs. We must haue but one houre in the day for our meales, and that must be also obserued in good order, so as in the xxiiij. houres of the day and night, [Page 111] we must bestow this one houre about our body, and all the rest of the time must be spent in spirituall exercises. We must make but short sleepes, that we may wake quickly, and our sleepe must be after the manner of our life, which is oftentimes interrupted by great and earnest cogitations. For to be tyed to a deepe sleepe, as if all our members were benummed, and by such rest to gene place vnto dreames, and foolish imaginations, is to dye alwayes. Their morning, which make a deuout profession, is midnight, for then do they take their time to prayse God, because that when as the rest of the night turneth away their hearts from whatsoeuer might occupie their eyes & eares, it keepeth their thoughts fixed on God, geueth them the means to amend their consiences by recording of their sinnes, and to set barres vnto their soules to keepe them from euill, and to implore the goodnes of God, that it might worke together in them this perfection of life which they hope to aspire and come vnto.
AN EXHORTATION of a ciuile life, vnto Monsieur de L.
I Am very glad that there is some-thing passed my hand which liketh you: And I neuer thinke my watchings better bestowed, then when as they content such as with their friendship honor me, and vnto whome I haue vowed ray seruice as I haue done to you. Howbeit, if the Epistle of Saint Basile which I haue put forth into French, haue done you any pleasure, it is not to me that you should shew the fauour: not vnto me, I say, who haue rather empared then amended the worke of so great a Clarke, in making it to change the toong, and to speake our french language. Truly, amongst all the Fathers of the Grecians, there is not one amongst them all that I better like of, then I like of him. Euery man hath his liking, and I will [Page 113] leaue other men to the commending of that which they best like of: but as for mine owne part, I will rather vse his man which pleaseth me, for this is the man that I chiefeliest make accoumpt of. Neuerthesse, there is one thing in your letter which you wrote vnto me that misliketh me, and that is this, You write, that the often reading if this Epistle, which you say, you read ouer as it were euery day, hath brought you into a desier to get you into some Monasterie, and there to passe the rest of your dayes, that you might turne away your eyes from beholding the great miseries which this miserable ciuill warre hath hatched and brought foorth, and wholy conuert your mind and thoughts vnto the honor and seruice of God. This purpose of yours, I must needs confesse, proceedeth from a most godly hart, and a very good forecasting meane to bring vnto you in your owne particular cause, some quietnes of mind, and peace of conscience, which I suppose to be one of the greatest benefits which wee can any way looke for. But it would sore grieue me to be bereaued of so sweete and [Page 114] deere companie, and so great hu [...] vnto the common weale. You shoul [...] (beleeue me) in my poore opinion, doo maruellous wrong both vnt [...] your countrey, and to your friends and euery man is to seeke his om [...] benefit, but yet so, as that it be no [...] to the hurt of another. For, wee an [...] not borne heere in this world fo [...] our selues: and besides, we are bu [...] the lesser part of the whole, an [...] therefore binde and tye your self [...] vnto the great and principall part thereof, with most straight bonds, which allow vs not to withdraw [...] our selues in this dangerous se [...] son, without violating and breaking both the bonds of charitie, an [...] also of godlynesse. And yet for al [...] this, I would not haue you thinke, that I will gaynesay, or yet diminish the commendation which Sa [...] Basile, and so many auncient Fathers, and my selfe with them, haue geuen vnto solitarie life: for I greatly commend it, yea, and I loue it, it may be too well. But I wish you did loue it as they doo, and vppon the selfe-same considerations, [Page 115] and not for any discouragement, the rather to auoyde the thwart and tedious dealings of a ciuile life, then for to followe the pleasure that, is in contemplation. Followe (if you please) the examples of the auncient Fathers, but followe them with that wisedome and moderation which they doo. Beleeue mee if you will, it is now no time for their example of life, to call such men as you are, vnto solitarie life. For monasticall life came not in, in a troublesome time, ne yet for such men, as whose wisedome and fidelitie was necessarie vnto the gouernment of the weale publicke. Neyther doo wee see, that in the fyrst beginning of the Christian Church, although it was euerie manner of way, and with all sorts of troubles and afflictions tossed and turmoyled, that the Fathers withdrewe them selues into the deserts and solitarie places, there to serue God quietlie. But their liues beeing full of actions, and those publicke also, hindered them to establish the Churches, to discipline the people, [Page 116] to conserue the peace and vnion [...] cities and prouinces, and to ferue f [...] examples of modestie and tempera [...] vnto the whole world. But when as th [...] Christians had full libertie and a [...] rance, and that the Emperours a [...] chiefe Gouernors had embraced th [...] Religion, and kept the same vnder th [...] couert of their armes and power, an [...] fauored such as made profession therof, the peace then of it being established, and the common weale being able as it were to be maintained of [...] selfe, vpon the good and sure found [...] tions, which so many wise and holi [...] personages had before layd, it wa [...] permitted vnto great learned men to enioy the sweetnesse of solitarie life. But of what age were they when they thus did? Forsooth it was euen the when they had spent the strength of their yong yeares in the gouernment of the ciuile life, and in worldly affaires amongst men. And about this age, and after this manner, did Saint Basile, and Saint Ierome withdrawe them selues. And yet notwithstanding when as the necessitie of the common state required their ayd, some of them were called [Page 117] away, and enforced to enter againe into their former charge for the good of the common weale. And othersome of them remained all their liues long in solitary life, and it was by reason they were not thought competent and necessary men about those affayres which then were eminent. And to say truly, what man is able to abide to see, during the tempest (when as the billowes rowle most hye, the sea fometh most furiously, the winds blow most outragioufly) the most expert pylots leaue the helme vnto passengers, to fall to their sleepe? For, so long as it is calme, euery man may guide the sterne, for then, skill is to small purpose, and ignorance doth no great hurt. But so long as the storme continueth, the direction and wisedome of him that gouerneth is seene, vppon whose direction and wisedome alone hangeth the liues of all those that are embarked with him. Now, your studie, age, and experience, haue brought vnto you great sufficiencie, and ripenesse of cournsell, and your wisedome, and sinceritie, haue made you in such sort affect the cōmon weale of your councountrey, [Page 118] as in deed you ought, so th [...] you haue thereby gotten your self such credit amongst your natura [...] country-men, as the time yee [...] deth and affoordeth for honest me [...] to haue. For, with what pretene can you any way abandon the common good of your countrey? It ma [...] be, you will say, I am not able to abide the outrages which reigne amongst the people, I can not away to see the disorder and confusion where-into all thinges are fallen. Tell me, I beseech you, doth this agree with the words which I haue heard you oftentimes speake, that ou [...] Countrey is in the stead of our Father and Mother, and to this effec [...] it is called Patria, by a name, the deriuation whereof, signifieth a Father, and the feminine termination signifieth a Mother, as conioyning them both in one word, an [...] signifying Patrie, and Matrie, both together. Put the case that a Father should waxe mad, and be out of his wits, vppon whome would you bestowe the care, keeping, and ouersight of him? would you not say [Page 119] vppon the Children? Now, if the Children would excuse them selues, and say, that hee had punished, in [...]uried, and beaten them, and therefore would not take it vppon them, would you not finde fault with them, and with checks and taunts enfore them to doo that dutie which both nature and charitie commandeth them? Peraduenture you will [...]ay, that thee are two whings which withdrawe you, and they seeme to excuse you for putting too your hel [...]ping hand, and medling in and with [...]hese affayres. And the one is, that [...]t is lost labor, that the pleadings of honest men are vtterlie vnprofitable, and serue for none other purpose, but to make them to bee [...]enuyed and hated, without bringing any benefite to the common [...]eale at all. By this, the wound is [...]o whit the more cured, and li [...]ertie hath ouer-much wonne vp [...]on reason. For, honest men are [...]o whit bound to trauell for the [...]roffit and commoditie of the common-weale, but so farre-foorth as [...]heyr trauell may do good, and that [Page 120] there is thereby some hope of well [...] ing. For, men must deale in a State, [...] Phisitions do with their phisicke, f [...] they must not minister phisicke vn [...] diseases that are incurable, whi [...] bringeth nothing else vnto themselu [...] but shame and dishonor. The othe [...] that you tell of, is this, that theres a [...] some things which an honest man m [...] not by any meanes possible suppo [...] nor dissemble. Well, patience is a maruellous great vertue, and greatly b [...] seeming, and necessary for the life [...] men, and yet she hath her bounde [...] and the mischiefe groweth sometim [...] vnto such an head, as that they whi [...] both loue and feare God, are no w [...] able to abide it. For answere vnto th [...] first, this I say, that it is a coward [...] idle, and slothfull excuse, grounded [...] ther vpon our pusillanimitie, then [...] pon wisedome which it so vaunte [...] of. For, who is he that can haue any i [...] occasion to despaire of the good of a [...] Estate or of a Citie, since we see by th [...] course of histories how vncertain [...] both their ruine and preseruation is [...] For, how often haue we seene kingdomes & cities fall, euen in their mo [...] [Page 121] flourishing time, by a suddaine earthquake, and by great winds; and other some, altogether tottering, and almost halfe fallen, maruelously holden vp, raysed, and set vp againe in the middest of their ruines? For, this power of God, which men foresee not, hath caused them to hang betweene feare and hope, neither was there euer any thing so sure, as that the fall of it was not to be feared, nor any thing so staggering, as that there was not some hope of the staying thereof. And this is without all doubt most true, that if our saluation lay wholy in our owne hands, we had alreadie bene damned. Howbeit, God fighteth for vs against our selues, and will saue vs whether we will or no. Now, although we were sure to be ruined, and sawe it neuer so clearely, that it would light vpon vs, as in verie deed we see not so much as one iote thereof, is it not a part of the dutie of good children and good friends, to assist those that are incurably sicke, euen vnto death, and fourd them with faire words, whome wee can not possibly heale? You will perhaps say, that you are not able to abide the vnbridled [Page 122] libertie, which some priuate men take vpon them, as the oppression of Iustice, and the disorder and confusio [...] wherein we liue. What is it then th [...] you would haue? Would you see a [...] things as they should be, as to see goo [...] men in authoritie, ill men supprest b [...] lawes, and Iustice to rule and reigne▪ Surely, these are worthy wishes of you [...] and worthie an honest man; howbeit, the world is not gouerned by wishing and woulding. A man may lawfully desier good things, but let the [...] be as they may, we must needes bear [...] them. There will be vices ynow in th [...] world, so long as there are men in th [...] world. And this is to heale and eas [...] these disorders whereunto the common weale and your dutie call you, neither must you bring with you, you [...] eyes alone, but your hands also, [...] heale your countrey of so grieuou [...] wounds. I right well knowe, that yo [...] shall not therein be able to do as yo [...] would, neither is the mischiefe to b [...] medled withall, but you must do wha [...] you can in it, and as the condition o [...] the mischiefe will suffer you. This is a [...] occupation, out of which we choos [...] [Page 123] not the matter, but is geuen vnto vs: for, a good workman, is oftentimes enforced to worke in a rotten peece of wood, and yet for all that he must not geue it ouer, but make the best he can of such an ilfauoured peece of wood. When Solon was asked whether he had geuen vnto the Athenians the best lawes he could, he answered no, but I haue geuen them the best that they are able to abide. And we must apply remedies according to the strength & nature of the diseased. To be short, we are not warranted in our affaires none otherwise then with our counsels, and hauing done the best we can, because it is to be done, we are thereof discharged both before God & men. And as for the particular iniuries which we receiue therby, where cā we better bestow our charitie & patience? where shall we exercise that which we learne out of the schoole of Christ, if we can not beare the iniuries & slanders of the people with whome wee liue? yea, when shall we hope that by our patience wee shall appease the popular furies, bring agayne the rebellious people into their right wits, [Page 124] displace the wicked from their authoritie, and set good men in their rooms? It is most certaine, that these diseases are sooner cured by winning of time, then by applying of remedies, it is far better to entertaine them by wisedome, that they empaire not, for in the end, it is length of time that must ripen and heale them. For, the people by experience recouer health, and then they seeke after good and honest men, and abhorre those whome before they had made much of. They are like vnto pale-coulored maydes, which eate all the worst things that possibly they can get, but they cast them by and by vp againe. For, so soone as they are stirred and moued, they vse for the seruing of their turne the most desperate and most wicked men: but they are no sooner quieted and in a good moode, and that this inconsiderate boyling heate hath runne ouer, they by and by make no accompt of those villaines, but are the first that will lay hold on them and plague them. And therefore is not the commonweale greatly benefited, when as good men preserue them selues for such a [Page 125] dangerous time, and forsake not, either through anger, or despaire, the ship wherein they see the drunken passengers for a time rage and storme? I confesse in deed, that he must needs in such a case runne into a thousand hazards, and suffer a thousand indignities. But whosoeuer taketh the paine, to him belongeth the merite and reward: and through trauell, glorie encreaseth. But especially amongst vs Christians, who make profession to endure and abide by it, and haue enrolled our selues vnder a Captaine, that layeth before our eyes an hard and tedious warfare, and assigneth vnto vs no crowne, before such time as we haue sustayned many strange afflictions, and innumerable trials and corrections. He braggeth no whit of his victories, ne yet of his souldiers that haue followed him, otherwise then for their patience. By this only vertue haue they conquered so many Prouinces, Kingdomes, and Empires, and were no way glorious, but by the receiuing and bearing of iniuries. How can we then better follow him, then by hazards, opprobries, and iniuries? [Page 126] And in what a more worthie and recommendable occasion can we endure all this, then to serue, for the good and preseruation of our countrey? If loue, which God hath so highly commended vnto vs, may so preuaile with vs, as to hazard our goods and liues for the safetie of our neighbour, what ought we to do for such an innumerable number of men, and such a number of cities and prouinces, vnto which nature hath conioyned and allyed vs by all one lawe, language, manners, and secret affection, which she hath imprinted in vs, from the which, whosoeuer separateth himselfe, is adiudged of all the nations of the world vnworthie to behold the day light, and to liue and be esteemed amongst men as an vnnaturall and cruell Parricide. Now, God came not into the world to dissolue and adnihilate this naturall obligation, but contrarywise, more surely to strayne and tye the knot by this loue, which he hath so greatly recommended vnto vs. Euen so we also see, that when we once begin to cut asunder the bond of the common affection vnto our countrey, that all [Page 127] manner not onely of disorders, but of most abhominable crimes and wickednesses set in foote; and thefts, murders, rapes, extortions, and sacrileges, forthwith rule and reigne. Now, what is it in the whole world, which a man can more mislike, more abhorre, kindle his furie more, and more stirre and prouoke him to ruyne, and confound people? What shall wee then say? whilest so many labour headlongly to ouerthrow both them selues and their countrey, will you, euen you, I say, that haue alwayes had charge, and whose office bindeth you to take paines for the common weale, remayne as it were carelesly in the desert, to see, your selfe being safe, the fire burne your countrey, and reserue your selfe to behold the ashes thereof? What a grief would it be vnto you, not to haue brought the ayde which you might haue done, or at least not to haue made an assay & proofe thereof? Do you not dayly see, that after our friēds are dead, we say euen with sighs, if we had done such a thing, it may he that he had bene aliue? Come therefore, and contribute with vs [Page 128] your wisedome, and resolute counsels, that we may saue that which in this world is most deare vnto vs. Forbeare this purpose of yours to liue a solitarie life, and drawe you vnto your rest, euen then when wee shall all at once haue brought the Ship to the hauen, or else being ouercome with that foolish opinion of such as would willingly cast away them selues, be saued with some boord of the wracke. But if we perish therein, death, which way soeuer he may come, shall haue shewed vs no small fauour, in taking vs away from the beholding of so lamentable a spectacle or sight.
A MEDITATION vpon the Psalmes, of Dauid his repentance.
‘Lord in thy wrath reprooue me not. &c. Psalme. 6.’
TAke away (ô Lord) the arme of thy seueare and heauy vengeance from me, for it will else driue me downe headlong as a violent streame into euerlasting death and Condemnation, and consume mee like fier, and the rest of my bodie shall be turned into ashes. And what eye shall be able to abide, but must needs perish with feare, to behold the onely looke of thine angrie face, when as in casting thine eye vppon vs, thou shalt pierce the [Page 132] verie bottoms of our hearts, and discouer the secrets of our vncleane consciences? For our abhominable sinnes will blowe the bellowes of thy iust anger vpon our heads, and thine hote burning wrath will all at once cast vs downe headlong into that fearefull gulfe of paines, torments, and miseries. And therefore before such time as thy furie doth arise against me, and that thou with iust disdaine commest to ouerthrow and destroy me, I beseech thee to geue eare vnto the humble and grieuous groanes which my fearefull heart powreth out vnto thee.
2 Mercie therefore ô Lord, mercie I craue: Oh my God, what wilt thou do? Shall thy mightie power and strength make tryall of mine infirmities? Thinkest thou my God, that I come before thee to wrastle against thy mightie power? No, no, O Lord, it is vnto thy clemencie that I runne, it is vnder her wing that I place my selfe, that she might arme her selfe against the rigour of the condemnation which I most iustlie haue deserued. Appease therefore somewhat [Page 133] what thy countenance, and seeing that I haue along while called vpon thy goodnesse, helpe and deliuer me from all those euils which do besiege me, for behold I leade my life in most pittifull manner, and me thinketh that all my bones are brused and broken.
3 Howbeit, it is not my poore bodie onely that is thus cruelly afflicted, but my miserable soule also doth sorrow and grieue. This soule of mine, O Lord, yea euen this soule of mine, who is fully and wholy purposed with her voice to glorifie the author of her life, is cast downe and become desolate, without either courage or strength. And as the fearfull Doue hideth her selfe in some small hole or creauie at the noise of thunder, euen so my soule when she beholdeth thine heauie indignation, seeketh the darkest and obscurest places for her retraite. But how long O Lord will thine anger last?
4 Howbeit, come O my Lord, come, and looke vpon me with thy pittifull eyes, with which thou canst not blot out my sinne alone, but all the sinnes of the world also. For, I feele my soule [Page 134] sticke fast in a most filthie and deepe puddle of iniquitie, therein she lieth drowned ouer head and eares, and stretcheth out her hand, O Lord vnto thee: alas, pluck her out of it, O Lord, and set her againe into the way of saluation. Saue her, O Lord, for she coniureth thee therunto, by thine infinite goodnesse, and incredible mercy. True it is, O Lord, that she no whit deserueth the same, neither oughteth she to hope for any helpe at his hand, whom she hath so cowardly forsaken, against whose honour she hath so wickedly conspired: the reward of whose sinne deserueth no fauour, but hell fier and eternall death.
5 But who, O Lord, shall sing thy praises, and sound thy name in the infernall pit, and in the bottomlesse depth of death? For it is the house of sorrow, for there is nothing heard and seene, but howling & torments, where contrariwise, thy praise consisteth onely in setting forth of thine infinit mercy, goodnesse and clemencie.
6 And besides, behold on the one side, how humble repentance maketh intercession for me, and hath sworne [Page 135] that she will neuer depart from me vntill such time as she hath reconciled me vnto thee. And on the other side, consider how humble praier importuneth thee for me, and hath sworne also that she will neuer be frō thine heeles, vntill such time as she hath reconciled me vnto thee. O my God, thou hast often times seene my teares & heard my grones. I daily wash my face with tears, through the remēbrance of my sins, & I cause my bed to swim with the teares that trickle down my eyes: what is that O Lord, which repentance cōmandeth me, that I do not religiously obserue?
7 I cast downe mine eies, & tremble with feare, when I behold thy angry countenance. I patiently beare the rebukes of mine enemies, & take in good part their reproches, as a iust punishmēt for my sinnes, I walke before their faces in sackcloth & ashes, and with the confession of my mouth, I kneele at the feete of thine aulters. I with rods make leane my flesh, which caused my soule to sin, howbeit mine enemies do but laugh at my trouble, which place them selues round about me, with mocks to betray me.
8 But when as thou hast mercie vpon me, I will say vnto them, Away from me yee children of iniquitie, yee shall no longer laugh at my miserie: The Lord hath heard my praier, and my teares haue appeased his anger, and behold I now enioy the fruite of his holy fauour. The light of his goodnesse hath shined vpon me? and behold the stormes that came about my head, are calmed and dasht in a moment.
9 With much a do haue I opened my lips to call vpon him for aide, with much a do could I get mine heart to crie him mercy, and I haue found his grace to be powred vpon me, comfortting and quickening my languishing and sick soule, euen as warme water refresheth a poore surbatted traueller. O incredible clemency! how ready O Lord art thou to pardon and forgiue? I runne to offend thee, and yet thou wilt shew me fauour, I haue bestowed all the daies of my life both by sea and by land, to hunt after ambition, couetousnessc, and filthie lust, and when I haue beene ouer head and eares, and vtterly vndone in my beastly delights, yet hast thou in a moment pierced the [Page 137] uens and the clouds to come downe to deliuer me: so as behold me now triumphing ouer my sinne, which most humbly followed the trophes of my repentance, which hath found grace before thee. And so, the hope, which my sinnes had as it were strangled, is now more liuely then euer it was before, which promiseth me not onely the Empires of the world, that bend themselues which way soeuer the Lord enclineth them, but also openeth vnto me the highest heauens, and assureth me after an happy life here in this world, to enioy the heauenly immortalitie.
10 What will mine enemies then do, when as they shall see me stored with so great felicitie? They will then surely blush with shame, & their soules will be greatly troubled, and returne altogether confounded and amazed: for he, whom they thought to be vtterly ouerthrowne, is now set in an higher degree, then euer before he was. Alas, they all made a scorne at my ashes, they laughed at my fastings, and whilst I with abstinence straue against my flesh, the very enemy vnto my [Page 138] soule, they bathed themselues in the pleasures of the world: but loe the arme of the Lord is ready to thunder & lighten vpon their insolencie. O my God, giue them a long time to acknowledge the extreame danger wherein they are, and to call vnto thee from on high, for the onely remedy of their disease: and as for my selfe, who feele my soule purge her selfe of the filthy matters which are in and about her, who feele my spirit inflamed with the fier of thy loue, teach my lips to set forth thy praises, lift vp my voice to resound thy mercies, and guide mine affections sincerely to loue thee, and to establish in the knowledge of thy truth, my soueraigne happines & chiefest felicitie.
‘Blessed are they vnto whom, &c. Psalme. 31.’
BLessed are they my God, whose sinnes thou hast pardoned, and whose iniquities thou hast buried in the toombe of obliuion Alas, what shall become of him, whose iust punishment thou doost still continue [Page 139] vpon him for his iniquities? An armie of euils encompasse him, pouerty assaulteth him, sicknesse afflicteth him, famine presseth him, and death it self, which he thinketh to be the porte of this tempestuous nauigation, is the bottomlesse pit which must draw him vnto euerlasting torments.
2 And therefore they are three or foure times blessed, whom God calleth not vnto a reckoning for their deedes, but is contented to haue them humble themselues before him, acknowledging their infirmities, & opening vnto him the very bottom of their harts. For we must by true confession, and with a sincere conscience, call vpon him for his mercies: and he that will be heard, must humble himselfe before him, for as he that goeth vnto a riuer or pond, putteth downe the mouth of his vessell to take vp the water: so must he also do that humbleth himselfe before his creator, that will draw and taste of the water of this holy spring, from whence runneth the moisture, which onely purgeth and clenseth our consciences.
3 I haue somtimes thought, O my God, to hide my sinnes away frō thee, [Page 140] and haue said within my selfe: how shall he vnderstand what I haue done or not? And so haue my sinnes putrified within my bones, and as the vlcers and foule sores of a shamefast diseased man, who dareth not shew his disease vnto the Surgion, encrease and waxe worse, euen to the vtter ouerthrow of the body: euen to haue the sinnes which I haue hid from thee mightily infected me.
4 But in the end, thou hast day and night, so heauily laid thy hand vpon me, and made me taste of such a number of sorts of miseries, amongst which my soule taketh no rest, being ouercome with the continuall pricking of my conscience, that pierceth euen through mine heart, that I haue ackowledged my fault, which I presently beare vpon mine hand. Behold and acknowledge this my God, but not in thine anger, for the dropping teares which with much weeping haue almost put out mine eyes, ought also put out thy iustly hoate burning ire. And besides, am not I the worke of thine owne hands? nay, am not I rather the very liuely image of thy Deitie? And [Page 141] what is he that is so angrie, as that he wil bruse or breake the worke, which it pleased him so to polish and make perfect, when as he seeth it to be foule & filthy? In very deed, I must needs confesse, that this image is laden with filthie matter, but is it not better to make it cleane and neate, then to breake it in peeces and tread it vnder feete?
5 Teach me then my God, what satisfaction I shall make, for I haue now laid open vnto thee all the sinnes which before I had concealed. For, the feare wherein I was, when I hid my selfe from thee, is at this present that I haue discouered my selfe vnto thee, changed into hope of grace and pardon. And now I cast my selfe betweene thine armes, as into the most assured defence I haue, euen with such a countenance, as the poore pacient that sheweth his wound to the Barbar, looketh wishly vpon him, and couragiouslie suffereth his searching and lancing, by reason of the desire and hope that he hath to be healed. But that which giueth me a greater hope of health, is, that the sinnes wherein I [Page 132] before tooke pleasure, make me now abhor to see them, euen as the meates wherewith a man in health gorgeth himselfe, are very lothsome vnto his stomack, when he is weake and sickly. And that which made me before bold and male part, I am now ashamed of, when as I consider the hazard of death whereunto my pride had exposed my poore soule. I giue my most hearty thankes for the day wherein I was enlightened to acknowledge my sinne. I do acknowledge my God, that day to be a singular testimonie of thy goodnesse toward me: graunt then that the delight which I haue taken to be displeased with my selfe, may likewise continue as long with me, as I haue had pleasure to dwell in my sins. For, if I can take as great pleasure in my repentance, as I haue taken in my sinne, my felicity shalbe without doubt equal with thine angels, & shall see me in the humiliation of my selfe before thy maiesty to ascend to the highest top of thy grace.
6 Who doubteth, O Lord, that thou wilt not receiue me vnto mercy? whose mercy and benignitie no tongue is able [Page 133] to expresse, nor hart comprehend? I did neuer thinke so soone to returne vnto thee, as thou wast alwayes ready to offer thy selfe vnto me. I did neuer sooner say that I would confesse my sinne, but that thou diddest by and by graunt me thy grace. I haue no sooner acknowledged the punishment which my sinnes deserued, but that thou hast remitted them, I haue taken the rods into my hands to scourge my flesh, & thou hast pluckt them out of my hands. To be short, I thought thou wouldest haue proclaimed open warre against me, and thou offeredst me a most charitable peace and reconciliation. O Lord, how farre readier and more willing art thou to forgiue, then to punish? Can a good father receiue his child more gratiously, that cryeth him mercy, then thou hast receiued me when as I haue humbled my selfe at thy feete? my heart also leapeth with ioy, and boileth with an holy feruentnesse to praise thy name, & reioyceth in the grace that thou hast shewed vnto it, accusing none but it selfe, of that that is past, and cryeth out, saying; It is I that haue willed it, it is I that [Page 144] haue done it, it is I that haue taken pleasure in it, but yet my God hath had mercy vpon me.
7 How could he denie me his mercie, seeing that the Saints which are the holy men and women liuing, haue prayed, do pray, and will continually pray for me? They are they which beseech his maiestie for me, and are a meane of his grace & fauour towards me? What can they O Lord craue at thy hands to greater purpose, and obtaine of thee more easily, then when they pray for me? Alas, it is very meet that they should crie & call vpon thee for me, seeing that the impietie of mine heart, hath so blinded my sences by wicked thoughts, as that my soule cannot any more lift vp her selfe towards heauen, to stretch forth her hand vnto him, who alone is both able and willing to saue. And therfore what more remaineth, but that they whom thou vouchsafest to come neare vnto thee by faith and holinesse of life, may pray for me vnto thee, that thou wouldest haue mercy vpon me? As for my selfe, who am mine owne capitall enemie, I haue neuer had eyther skill or [Page 145] yet will to pray vnto thee for my trespasse. And therefore I do presently comfort my selfe, to see how thou hast opened mine eyes, that I may behold what a foule and black conscience I haue, and hast mollified mine heart, that I might lodge contrition in my soule. And although it hath not beene so soone as it ought to haue beene, yet [...]t neuer came so late, but that thou vouchsafedst to receiue me, as thou [...]rt wonted to do those that haue not ouerslipped the occasion to repent [...]hemselues.
8 For they that hasten themselues [...]o sinne, and willingly neglect to re [...]ent, whē as they might haue acknow [...]edged their sinnes, and haue had the meanes to do it, but haue tarried vnto [...]he very end of their liues to crie thee mercy, and make their eyes burst out [...]nto a deluge of teares, it is very dangerous but that they must deceiue [...]hemselues, and that true repentance can neuer after enter into such hard hearts, and their weeping and wailing [...]o be but the sorrowes of desperate people, and thy mercy to shew it selfe deafe vnto their ouer late repentance.
9 But as for me, I ranne in a b [...] sed time vnto thee, as to my re [...] and to the end of my hopes, and [...] to my comfort in the trouble wh [...] after that manner hath enc ompas [...] me, as the feare of death taketh h [...] on him, who is destined vnto a sha [...] full punishment. And therefore I b [...] seech thy maiestie, make me taste [...] feele that pleasure, which he feele that is deliuered and freed from [...] bonds or chaines, set at libertie [...] of prison, and deliuered from the [...] nishment wherein his enemy had [...] time held him captiue. And co [...] riwise, that the enemy of my so [...] shall blush with shame, when as [...] shall see, that I shall so deuoutly [...] vpon the ayde of my good God, [...] with the very winke of his eye is [...] to deliuer me from the volu [...] bondage which I had vowed [...] damnable voluptuousnesse, [...] then when I dranke the sweet h [...] of the delightfull pleasures, which [...] with a deceitfull hand gaue vnto [...] within this foule and filthie cup of [...] world.
10 Alas, when as I remember [...] [Page 147] time that thou returnedst thy selfe after that sort vnto me, and with this mercifull eye of thine, gauest me a signe of pardon, mercie, and saluation, me thought verely that I then saw the bright sunne rising, vpon the tempests, and fell stormes of the sea, which by little and little, cutting with his beames betweene the clouds, brought againe cleare and pleasant weather, and calmed the raging and billowing surges. And me thinketh I do alwayes heare this sweete and gratious saying, when as thou saiest vnto me; Feare not, for behold my spirit, which shall guide thy foote steppes and wayes: neither shall he lift vp his eye aboue thee: and thou shalt now marche vnder the conduct of him, who bringeth pure and cleane soules into my kingdome of glorie. All so soone as I heard these wordes spoken, I fixed mine eyes vpon my guide and leader, not once looking off, no more then a carefull and diligent maister of a shippe casteth his eye aside from the pole, or bright shining starre, by which he guideth and ordereth the course [Page 148] of his nauigation. O my God, what [...] shall I enioy when as I shall haue walked in the wayes which thou had taught me, to go in, euen I my selfe, say, who haue troade beside the p [...] which leadeth vnto thine holy tab [...] nacle? I was already entred into th [...] thick forrest of the world, where a [...] they easily lose themselues, who, s [...] the enioying of the pleasure of th [...] queachie shadowie places, leaue [...] day light which should shew them [...] way. For euen by and by the dole [...] sight of the night bringeth them together, and putteth them foorth a [...] pray to the wilde beasts, who will plu [...] them in peeces, and cruelly deuou [...] them. And thus was I hindered a [...] staied in this labyrinth, without ho [...] to [...] euer come out of it agai [...] had [...] thou not put into my hand th [...] bottom which I must needs winde [...] to bring me out of this perilous, p [...] son. And now loe, I am at libertie [...] serue my God, who hath so deliuere [...] me, and to present before him his own pure and cleane image, and to vow v [...] to his goodnesse so many fauour [...] wherewith he hath pleased to gra [...] [Page 149] me. And he hath not onely heard me before all the rest of his creatures, granting vnto me the vse of diuine reason, but also hath lifted me vp amongst men, into an honourable and magnificent throne, so as there remaineth nothing vnto my felic it i [...], but to learne to know: and after that I had forgot my selfe, he enlightened me by his holy light, and gaue me time and will to bewaile my sinfull life past, and to amend it also for the time to come.
11 And therefore my good friends, do as I haue done, and recouer his fauour in good time; for he himselfe [...]alleth you vnto the way of saluation; and do not as the melancholike and froward Moyle dooth; who kicketh at him that pricketh him to go eight foorth: because he wanteth both sence, knowledge, and iudgement.
12 And so thereby he hath a bitte [...]ut into his mouth, and is continually spurred about the flankes. After the same sort; The Lord, at the first summons, that he setteth you in his wayes, if yee submit not your [Page 150] selues vnto his will, he will po [...] downe vpon you an huge heape [...] calamities, which will make you [...] wretched and miserable then mise [...] it selfe.
13 Yee right well see how clee [...] lie the starres shine in the heaue [...] and the sand which rolleth on these shore: howbeit, there is not so mu [...] sand in the sea, nor so many starre in the skies, as the obstinate sha [...] endure plagues and punishment. Their cursednesse hangeth ouer their heads, their miseries follow them a [...] their heeles, euen vntill such tim [...] as that they are cast downe headlo [...] into that gulfe, the thinking where [...] dooth terrifie whom soeuer remenbreth it, and whose pleasantest resting places, are full of weeping, crying, howling, and groaning, where the paine is without end, the dolour without remedie, and the repeatance without mercie: where dead is immortall, the body liueth but [...] die, and the soule, but to suffer where the soule feeleth nothing b [...] her sinne, and the body nothing [...] his paine. But contrariwise, they th [...] [Page 151] couer themselues vnder the grace and fauour of the Lord Iesus, which make his mercy their shield and buckler, hope in nothing but in his grarious goodnesse, follow his commaundements and precepts, and are iealious of his will, what felicitie and happinesse is there which they shall not attaine vnto? Nay, what is there in heauen neuer so good and pretious, that is not opened vnto them? They shall sit cheeke by cheeke with their God, and being all encompassed with glory, shall be filled and heaped vp with so many blessings, as that the heart of man can no way possiblie be able to conceiue the least part of them, so farre of is it then, as that my babbling tongue cannot possiblie expresse the wonderfulnesse of them.
14 I will therefore reioyce, my God, in carefully waiting and looking for the manifold benefits which thou reseruest in heauen, to crowne the righteous withall. Vnto this cheerfulnesse do I inuite al those whom thou hast sworne in the word of Sauiour, which louest the law of his righteousnesse: This is it, that attendeth the [Page 152] recompence of your trauels. This is it wherein you shall be placed in honour and glorie: This is it, that shall change the sharpe thornes of the world, into the flourishing and beautifull Lillie of all eternitie. Oh, then shall the dropping and painfull sweating of your afflictions finde most gratious rest. The golde commeth not out of the fierie furnace, more pure nor brighter, to be cast, to make the image of some great Prince, and afterward to be set vp as an ornament in some rich closet, then the heart of him that loueth his God, he will draw him pure and cleane out of the miseries of the world, and compasse him with brightnesse and glorie. What i [...] there now in the world, that I shall like of? What shall staie and let me from entring into the house of the Lord, to liue to serue him? What day of my life shall I cease to bewaile my sinnes, which haue so farre estranged me from his grace? And therefore I humblie beseech thee my God, to reconcile these two contrary passions in me, repentance and ioye: to the end, that as the poore traueller, wandring [Page 153] in the deserts our of his way, is glad when he seeth the dawning of the day peepe, and yet cannot forget the great darkenesse out of which he is but newly gotten, ne yet cast of the feare which he had of so tedious a night. Euen so also haue I a continuuall horror of my sinnes past, and yet a sure and ioyfull hope of enioying that euerlasting blessednesse, which thou hast purchased for vs with the bloud of thy dearely beloued sonne Christ Iesus. O Lorde, what a loue is that, when as a maister dooth not spare the life of his owne onely sonne, to redeeme his slaue? Wherefore, O most louing Sauiour, seeing that I being formed with thine owne hands, bought with thy bloud, and purified by thy mercie, I do here offer my selfe an obedient sacrifice vnto thee my God and Sauiour, and therefore reiect me not.
‘Lord in thy wrath reprooue me not. Psalm. 37.’
I Must, O Lord, returne vnto thee, and beginne againe to call vpon thee, and to beseech thee of thy mercy: For it seemeth to me that thine anger is rekindled against me. Alas my God, wilt thou chastise me in thine anger, and make me feele the violence of thy iust furie, which my sinnes haue prouoked thee to do? The flame being consumed by the fire falleth into ashes, and I being deuoured with the heate of thine anger, do so vanishaway, as that there remaineth not so much as the smoake.
2 For, I see my God, that thou hast discharged the sharpest arrowes of [...]y vengeance against me: thou hast touched me with thine hand, and neuer takest away the same from me. I feele the gnawing and terror of my conscience which astonish and bruse me euē [Page 155] as it were thunder and lightning: my miseries came vpon me one after another, and one mischiefe presseth another: warre is no sooner finished, but that the plague assaulteth me, and in the end, death bereaueth me of the dearest pawnes I haue in this world. Wherein then shall I take comfort my God? shall it be in my selfe?
3 Out alas, my good God, I haue neuer an whole member in me: for my misery is entred euen into the marrow: neither is there any part of me that reprocheth me not with my sinne, and for the which I am not pained. I languish in griefe, and there is none to comfort me, mine eyes serue me for none other purpose, but to looke vpon my miserie; and my soule, for nothing else but to acknowledge my cursednesse.
4 I looke round about me, and so farre as the eyes of my body and eyes of my soule can discerne what is past, I see nothing either aboue me, or below me, or yet on any side of me, but sinne which inuironeth me round about, and mine iniquities which presse and ouer throwe me: They lye [Page 156] heaped vpon my head, as a very heauy burden, and loe how ready they are to throttle and strangle me.
5 How shall I be euer able to resist them? What strength haue I to defend me from them, seeing that my body is ready to fall in peeces? The very filthinesse of them flowe on euery side me: my vlcers and sores are no sooner closed vp, but that they breake out againe, and if my body be ill, can my soule be well? Must not she be altogether ashamed, and tremble with horror and feare?
6 After the same maner that a disease vndermineth my body, & maketh it stoope to death, & sorrow vndermineth my soule, & bereaueth her of her strength, and as great cold congealeth in the bud, the tender blossom, withereth & drieth it vp, euen so dooth the finger of the Lord, which hath touched my soule, cause it to languish and to be out of heart.
7 But alas, my God, what courage can I haue, when as I see my selfe thus couered ouer with wounds, and no part of my body free from paine, and ouer and besides this my miserie, the [Page 157] remembrance of my dissolute pleasures is still before my face, and reproch me with my sinne, & laugh at my vanitie. Then say I thus vnto my selfe, must I season my life with the honie of so many delights, and afterward kneade them with the gall of so bitter anguishes? Where now art thou ô thou deceitfull voluptuousnesse, which drownest my soule in the sweet licour of thy pleasures? Oh, what drinke is that, that thou leauest me?
8 Haue not I, ô Lord, endured enough? hath not mine humilitie sufficiently chastized mine arrogancie? If I haue through fond presumption sinned, alas, I haue sithence that, crept vpon the earth, I haue couered mine head with ashes, and with mine arme haue I preuented my payne. I haue cut through mine heart with crying out, I haue drowned mine eyes in teares, and yet thine anger continueth still.
9 Is it of set purpose, ô Lord, that thou hast not perceiued my teares? Is it thou I say, who with the twinkle of thine eye trauersest both heauen and earth? euen thou I meane, whose [Page 158] sight goeth beyond the depth of our harts. It is thou, ô Lord, that hast read euen my very thoughts, and knowne mine intent. What haue I desired but thy mercie? Wherin haue I trusted but in thy goodnes? Why haue I made open profession of repentance, but to condemne my selfe? If my toong hath not throughly expressed my minde, and caused my desier to be vnderstood, alas, ô Lord, thou knowest what we would haue, before we once thinke of it. It is enough for vs to lift vp our harts vnto thee, and thou forthwith grauntest our petitions.
10 Why stayest thou, ô Lord, so long, before thou geuest me that holie cōsolation which thou hast promised me? I am quite spent, my hart is gone, my senses are troubled, my strēgth faileth, my sight waxeth dim, & my soule is vpō the shore of my lips ready to fly away.
11 All my friends are now about me bewailing my death, they are out of all hope of my health, they dreame of nothing but of my funerall, saying, where is now that help which he looked for to come frō his God? where is his fauour which he so promised to himselfe?
12 The flatterers are gon away from me, they thought to haue parted my goods, they meant to haue preuented my fatall houre, I am noisome to the whole world, in the case that I now stād.
13 They whisper in mine eare, and tell me a thousand tales: They dayly bring me in new acquaintances, and thinke of nothing but to betray me. He lieth, say they, on his death-bed, and will neuer rise vp aliue againe: What? do we feare, that the shadowe of his bones will bite vs?
14 And I, as if I had bin deafe, made shew that I heard them nor, and as if I had bin dumb, spake not one word vnto them: for, my patiēce was my buckler, and my constancy my rampart.
15 And euery man seing me so patiēt, said, surely this man is dumb: for, when he is touched, he saith not a word: would he abide all these indignities, if he had any feeling of his honor and credit, or yet the least .courage in the world? And therefore it may well be said, that he is very guilty: for▪ an innocent man is alwayes bold in his owne defence. And yet all this could neuer [...]oue mee.
16 And why so? verely, because I trusted in my God, and fully assured my selfe that he would assist me. For, although the whole world banded against me, and heauen and earth coniured my ruine and ouerthrow, yet if he be mine ayder and defendor, I am sure alwayes to conquer. For, with the breath of his mouth hee made all things, and in breathing againe vpon them, he will destroy them all if it please him: and therefore I will fight vnder his cloth and liuerie, because I shall be sure to haue the victorie.
17 I haue sayd vnto them many times, Reioyce not at my miserie, and although I be neuer so much tormented and afflicted, yet braue not your selues vpon me, for the hand of the Lord is able euen to reach you: and therefore trust not his patience ouer much, for as his feet are of wooll, so are his armes also of iron. For, if he once lay them vpon your heads, ô ye impotent soules, he will so crush you together, as that a man would thinke that you had neuer bene.
18 And I, haue taken the rods in my hand, and imprinted with them [Page 161] vpon my shoulders, the condemnation of my sinne, I haue appeared before thee ô Lord with weeping teares, with repentance in my mouth, and with a sorrowfull hart, and haue fought with my selfe, that mine enemie might not triumph ouer me.
19 I haue openly confessed my fault, I haue in an happie houre shewed foorth my sinne, and I had great care to runne vnto thy mercy whilst time and season serued.
20 But the more I humble my selfe before thee to drawe the running water out of this founraine of thy grace which floweth from thy goodnes, the more mine enemies glut me, and deale cruelly and butcherlike with me, their troupe dayly encreaseth, and ioyne them selues together on euery side, neuer foreseeing the tempest that will shake them in a thousand pecces. They, through their pride, blow the hote burning coles of thine ire, they despite thy power, which they will too too soone make try all of, to their great destruction. To be short, in setting most confidently their brasen faces against heauen and earth, they wallow [Page 162] and welter them selues in their filthie pleasures, and blot out as much as in them lye the mark of the deitie, which thou hast sealed in their soules, & close vp their eyes against the hope of saluatiō which shineth brightly in thy word.
21 I cease not, ô Lord, to admonish them of it, but they repay me ill for good, and laugh at that which I by my good example do, to please thee. They walke at the corners of the streetes slāderously to accuse me, & burden me with a thousand villanies: I confesse ô Lord that heereby I lose my patience.
22 But I beseech thee, ô Lord, to strengthen my weaknes, and in no wise forsake me, for else I shall stumble as a yong child at the first headlong breakneck which shall offer it selfe vnto me. Increase in me ô Lord strength & courage, equall vnto mine afflictiō, & hold me vnder thy wing, geuing me alwayes that cōstancy & firmnesse which I shal haue need of for that purpose, neither more nor lesse, then a louing mother doth, when as she geueth the teat vnto her sucking child, so soone as she perceiueth it beginneth to cry.
23 Nourish me therfore, ô Lord, with [Page 163] the milke of thy holy loue, to the end that I being some-what able to stand, may day & night walke the trace of thy paths, that I may come vnto saluation, the hope wherof shineth in thy promises, so as if my sin shall go about to cut me off in the way, I may vnclose mine eyes, & neuer shut them againe, vntill such time as I haue drowned & swallowed them vp in my teares.
‘Haue mercy on me ô Lord Psalme. 50.’
Haue pitie on me, ô my God, according to the greatnesse of thy clemencie, and in the multitude of thy mercy, forgeue me the punishment which I haue iustly deserued. For, if thou [...]bokest that my fastings, watchings, and prayers, should make satisfaction for my sinne: Alas, ô Lorde, when would that be? Mine offence exceedeth heauen and earth, and hath surpassed, as farre as it can, the greatnesse of the whole world. [Page 164] Who can then bring it to passe for the vtterly blotting of it out, saue only thine holy mercy, which is somuch the greater, by how much thy righteousnes excedeth ours? It is thy mercy, ô Lord, that enuironeth the vniuersall world, and which vpholdeth all the staggering corners thereof that are readie to fall vpon our heads, to burie in the ruine of it with vs, the remembrance of ou [...] sinnes, to turne away thine eyes from our vnthankfull disloyall, vnmercifull, and stiffenecked race and generation, which disauoweth thee her being, creation, and conseruation. Let this mercifull goodnes of thine therefore, ô Lord, which shineth in thy deitie aboue all the rest of thy vertue [...], spread it selfe now ouer me, not thin [...] and sparingly, but flowingly and bountifully. And as thou diddest once let the waters ouerflowe the tops of the hyest mountaines, to extinguish and swallow vp the wicked, so also make thou a brooke of mercy, ô Lord, to disgorge and poure it selfe forth vpon me, not to drowne, ô Lord, but to wath and cleanse me.
2 Howbeit, thou art not concented [Page 165] to purge me for once, neither doest thou say vnto me, that thou hast regenerated and washed me, in the bloud of the vndefiled & innocent lamb, for how pure and cleane soeuer thou once hast made me, thou shalt now finde me as foule and filthie. For, I am now fallen into so deepe a filthie sinke, and am so bemired and besmeared, as that thou wouldest neuer know me, by reason that I am so disfigured. For I sometimes question with my selfe, and aske my selfe, whether I be he or no whome thy hands creared, but mine heart is so confounded and ashamed, as that it dareth not geue me any answere. O my God, thou createdst me of the clay and slime of the earth, and loe, ô Lord, I am euen the very selfe and same that I was, before thou diddest put thy hand vnto me. I haue quite and cleane marred my shape & countenance, by cloathing my selfe with clay and dirt. But why doest thou not ô Lord, reforme me anew? Is thine hand shortned? Is thy will in doing good to thy creature, abated? Alas, thou art Almightie, thou art altogether good, why then makest thou not [Page 166] haste? O Lord my God, the worke of thine own hand setteth it selfe against thee, and taketh pleasure in disfiguring and deforming of it selfe: but set thou, ô Lord, thy selfe against thy workmanship, and make it glorious & perfect, in despite of it selfe. But I, ô Lord, will no more peruersely deale against thee, take me & hold me, & turne me which way soeuer thou wilt, knead, mould, & make new againe this lump of earth, for it is ready to follow thy will. But whē thou ô Lord, shalt throughly haue renued it, do not then I beseech th [...] forsake it, but put a bridle in the mouth therof, to the end that by abstinence, i [...] may keepe it selfe frō surfetting, which pricketh it forward thereunto, that [...] may by a chaste life, keepe in a good temper vnchaste and hote burning lusts, that by humilitie, it may ab [...] the pride, which biting enuie stirre [...] vp in her, that pitifull charitie, ma [...] chase from her hatred, and greedy couetousnesse, and, that a godly care [...] serue & honor thee, may cōtinually s [...] spur to the flanks of her slothfulnesse and filthie negligence.
3 For I haue already, ô Lord, ma [...] [Page 167] ouer-great a triall of this troupe of sins which enuiron me, so as they will in such sort pull downe and teare in pieces thy workmanship, as that whē thou shalt come, thou shalt finde nothing there but the shreds thereof, shiuered & broken all to fitters. I haue had experiēce enough of them, and these are they that haue brought me into that estate wherein now I am, and neuerthelesse, see yet at the tayle of these, a cōpany placed about me, which cast in my teeth the spels & blemishes wherewith they them-selues haue defiled me, and make me culpable of the iniuries which thē-selues haue done vnto me. For thus they say, It is thou that hast sinned, and it is thou that art so foule and filthy.
4 It is true in very deed that I haue sinned, ô my God, I lay open vnto thee the very bottom of my hart, thou knowest my whole life. I haue sinned in the sight of heauen & earth, & all the world can beare witnes of mine iniquities. But if I had not sinned, vnto whome shouldest thou haue been mercifull? How wouldest thou haue discharged thy selfe of the promises of grace, [Page 168] which thou haddest so long agoe announced by thy Prophets? And when as thou shalt come to sit vpon the eternall Throne of thy Iustice, who is he that would not be afeard of thee, yea although we were euen all right [...] ous? Howbeit, to the end that thy greatnes might be knowne, we must when we shall be assigned a day to come before thee, humbly fall downe vpon our faces before thy maiestie▪ and cry out and say: Most mercifu [...] Lord, we will not stand in defence before thee, because our fault is manifestly knowne: but loe, our grace an [...] pardon is in thy hand, for thou thy self hast graunted it vs, behold a token of thine owne bloud sealed in ou [...] image, which, for our redemption was imprinted in the weakenesse of our flesh.
5 Doest thou thy selfe, my God, attend and looke, that when I shall come before thee, that I wil make a rampa [...] of mine innocency, and that I am so voyd of vnderstanding, as that I would iustifie my selfe in thy presence? Alas, ô Lord, I right; well know, that I was not yet borne, and that I was also nothing [Page 169] but sinne, my mother likewise thought to be deliuered of a childe, [...]nd was brought abed of sinne: But [...]t had beene a great deale better for [...]er, that she had beene deliuered [...]efore her time of such monstrous [...]uite, which shameth the tree that [...]are it, and the earth, that nursed it, [...]nd heauen that ripened it. I was [...]ur [...]ed of sinne within my mothers womb, [...]nd suckt her milke, and behold, it is [...]o growne vp with me, as that it sha [...]oweth my head, and blindeth mine yes.
6 But when I see the eyes of my [...]odie so seeled vp with sinne that is [...]bout me, I then open the eyes of my [...]ule, and begin to see a farre off the cames of thine infallible truth, and [...]cknowledge thy maruellous secret [...]isedome, which thou hast manife [...]ed vnto me: And then my soule for [...]king the impuritie of my bodie, lif [...]eth herselfe vp vnto heauen, and [...]erceth through the incredible bright [...]esse thereof, and casting her eye upon the booke of eternitie, shee [...]erein readeth the draught of the [...]ewe couenant which thou art to [Page 170] make with men: and then returning into her miserable body, she filleth he [...] selfe with hope and ioy, and promise [...] vnto her selfe assured victorie ou [...] her sinne.
7 For, she hath learned in heau [...] that thou wilt take into thine ha [...] the Sprinkle of sweet smelling hysop [...] and sprinkle vpon me cleane and p [...] rified water: Thou shalt wash me, a [...] I shall become whiter then snow [...] and none shall see vpon me no not [...] much as the very trace and steps [...] sinne. But, ô Lord, what lees shall th [...] be that shall be made of the ashes [...] my sinnes consumed with the fire [...] thy loue, with the water of the tea [...] which my repentance shall distill fro [...] mine heart, and in the Sunne of th [...] grace, wipe away teares, and ca [...] a spirituall reioycing to growe in [...] and in the end, make vs white wi [...] the puritie and brightnesse of righ [...] ousnesse, that we may one day shi [...] farre more excellētly then the sta [...] of the firmament.
8 and then shall we heare nothing but the pleasant sound of the Tro [...] [...]et of saluation, which shall deli [...] [Page 171] out grace and mercie vnto all those that will receiue the same. Then shall we see the rotten and consumed bones rise againe, and take theyr fleshie bodie vppon them, to partake that vniuersall ioye, whereunto thou hast called the whole world.
9 Now, to the end I might then appeare so honorably apparelled before thee, as such an honorable magnificence is worthie of, I beseech thee my God, to cast downe all my sinnes vnder thy feete, and burie them all in the middest & centre of the earth, that no eye may be able to pierce through to see them: and seperate me for euer from mine iniquitie, which at this present I repudiate, and do sweare an irreconciliable diuorce betweene me and them.
10 Thou seest heere my Soule, what an offer I make vnto thee, and therefore make thy selfe pure and [...]eate, reneue in mine heart a newe spirit, which will conceiue nothing but holinesse and righteousnesse. O Lord my God, establish therein an house for thine holie spirit, to the [Page 172] end, I neuer hereafter, either thinke, breathe, or vtter foorth any thing, but the prayses of thee my God: and let thy will be alwayes printed in my minde, and. thy glorie, written vppon my lips.
11 When thou hast thus clothed and furnished me with pietie and integritie, I shall be then verie assured that nothing shall keepe me from thy presence: and then, as the Eagle naturally looketh full vpon the Sunne, euen so will I fixe my sight and eyes vppon thine euerlasting face, and so thereby I shall see in thy wonderfull countenance, all the perfectiōs which I at this present am no way able to conceyue: neyther shall thine holie spirit euer dwell out of mine hart, for it is he that vnder the wing of a zealous loue, shall carrie me euen into thine armes, to associate me vnto this heauenly ioy.
12 Make me therefore rightly to taste the sweete pleasures of this immortall life: Saue me speedely from the rocks of this world, which on euerie side threaten my soule with wracke: And as the Marriner when [Page 173] he is come to the hauen, crowneth the maste of his Ship with floures, in token that he is in safetie, euen so, O Lord, crowne thou me with the pretious gifts of thine holie Spirit, as pawnes of thy euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast promised me: With the gifts (I say) of that Spirit of thine which reigneth amongst thy faithfull, which distributeth faith vnto thine elect, loue, vnto thy best beloued, and hope vnto those whome thou hast predestinate to euerlasting life.
13 Now, all the while that my soule resteth thus banished, looking still to be called home agayne vnto thee, I will teach the wicked to walke in the way that may best please thee, and set them also in it, for feare they hurt not them-selues in the darkenesses of this world, against the stumbling blocks which they may suddainely light vppon, lying before them. And so, they will beleeue me, and returne vnto thee, ô Father of lights, and with all their hearts embrace thy faith, and walke in thine obedience.
14 I know, O Lord, that there will be some such found, as will stop their [Page 174] eares at my words, and will obstinatly continue in their sinnes, coniure my death, and defile their barbarous crueltie with my bloud. O my God, deliuer me out of their hands, and reserue me to declare thy righteousnes, and to pronounce their condemnation. I will foretell them their miseries, and they shall feele them, and I shall no sooner hold my peace, but that thy hand shall be vppon them, and thy hand shall no sooner haue stricken them, but that they shall be broken to fitters, and be vtterly destroyed.
15 And then thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall set forth thy victorie: for, the ayre shall be still, the winds shall be calme, and the flouds shall be quiet, to hearken vnto my resounding voyce, which shall sing out the wonders of the eternall God. For, thy prayse, ô Lord, shall be the sacrifice that I will alwayes offer vp vnto thee, and which thou also wilt euer haue good liking of.
16 I would gladly haue embrued their Aulters with the bloud of a great number of cattell, I would gladly haue cut the throats of a thousand oxen, [Page 175] and of a thousand lambs to haue done thee honor, but bloud stinketh in thy nostrels, neither takest thou pleasure in the flesh of beasts: The smoke of such offerings the winds carrie away, so as they neuer ascend vnto thee: But the voyce onely of a iust man passeth aboue the heauens, and the Angelles present the same before thee.
17 O what an acceptable sacrifice before thee, is a broken and contrite heart [...] and an humble heart that acknowledged his sinne, thou wilt neuer reiect: for if it will come vp vnto thee, it must first come downe, and if it will touch the heauen, it must first crawle vppon the: ground, if it will haue thee to heare it, it must fyrst be silent, and if it will be crowned in thy kingdome, it must fyrst be beaten and scourged in the world. These are the Sacrifices, O Lord, wherewith wee must be reconciled vnto thee, and enter into couenant as thou hast set it downe vnto vs.
18 But if it be thy pleasure, ô Lord, that we shall offer bulls and bullocks vnto thee, and perfume thine Aulters with the bloud of beasts, if thou wilt that we by the death of an innocent burnt offering, should represent vnto thee, the death and innocencie of him, whome thou hast destined to redeeme our soules: If the figure of that which should come in the person of the vnspotted lambe doth please thee by the killing of Weathen and Sheepe, looke then with pitie vppon thy poore people, comfort tho [...] desolate Syon, and encourage her poore enhabitants, to the end they may set vp againe the walls of thine holie Citie, and reedifie thy Temple, not according to that equall proportion, O Lord, which thou deseruest, but according to the wealth and industrie that the poore world can possibly affoord.
19 Thither shall come from al [...] parts thy faithfull in great multitudes [...] to offer vp sacrifice vnto thee, and there, shall the expiation and purging of their sinnes be acceptable vnto thee. But it shall neither be the death [Page 177] of beasts, that shall wash away their spots: for, the cleansing of their disobedience, and preuarication, was prepared from all eternitie. This is an inestimable sacrifice, a burnt offering without spot, which shall drawe away the curtayne, disperse and destroy the darkenesses, breake downe the wall or hedge, that we may see the truth of our saluation, face to face, make the beames of his diuine mercie shine vpon vs, and reassociate vs vnto the communion of that euerlasting blisse, which we willingly haue renounced. O most mercifull God, which hast vnseeled the eyes of mine vnderstanding to see the misterie of my saluation, make me, O Lord, to taste the excellent fruite, which flourishing vppon the tree of the Crosse, shall, with the iuice thereof, quicken and gene life vnto our dead souses, preserue and warrant vs for euer, from that ruine and calamitie which hath so miserably brought together the race of mankinde, and ouerflowed them through their, disobedience.
‘Lord heare my Prayer. Psalme. 102.’
I Haue ô Lord, cryed and called vppon thee a long time for thy mercie, and do yet looke for ayd and help from thee. The ayte is filled with my cryes: The winds haue carried the voyce of my dolor and griefe euen vnto the vttermost parts of the world, and thine ea [...]e which heareth and vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is done in the bottomlesse pit of hell, doth not yet heare and vnderstand my prayer, which reacheth and beateth the very heauens. Wilt thou therefore be deafe only vnto me [...] and shall all the world heare me saue thy selfe alone? No, no, my God, thou hast ouer-long stretched out thine armes, now to reiect mee when as I come vnto thee for refuge.
2 And now that I feele a thousand and a thousand sorrowes, and that miseries assayle me on euery side, do not turne thy backe vpon me, ô Lord. Alas, haue I setled my whole power and strength vpon the sweet countenance [Page 179] of thy face? Haue I diuorced my selfe from the world, to the end I might drawe neere vnto thee? and haue I forsaken the children of the world, that I might ioyne my self vnto the master of the heauens, and wouldest thou now forsake me? O Lord, deale not so with me, but assist mine infirmitie all the dayes of my life.
3 Let my voyce no sooner cry and call vnto thee my God, but that I may also soone feele thee: and let thy grace descend as speedely vppon me, as an Eagle hasteth her selfe to ayd her yong ons. For, if thou assist me not, what maner of sight shall I be able to make against the enemies of my soule?
4 My strength and life would dayly vanish away, as the light smoke doth in flying in the ayre: for the eye which seeth it goe out of the fire, seeth it also forthwith consumed, and in a moment accompanied both with his originall, and his end: and if any should aske what is become of it, there is not one that can so much as tell where [...]he trace only of it is to be found. He that hath seene the loppings of wood wither in the sunne, and loose their [Page 180] strength and verdure, hath also seene my poore bones become both drye and consumed, meete for none other thing but for the graue. The graue, yea surely the graue, which is the happiest thing that can betide me, if so be so small a pit may be able to stay the violent course of mine extreame misery.
5 Who soeuer he be that hath seene grasse cut downe, and tanned with the Sunne in the field, and lose the coulor, and wither, and looke vppon my gastly and deadly face, he would thinke that I were able to make death afeard. Mine hart is parched within mine entrailes, and my bloud drieth vp within my vaines, for, I remember not to put bread into my mouth, and do still forget to eate my meales.
6 My mouth serueth me for none other purpose, but to cry out & lament, and the ordinary voice of my griefe is so strong, as that it draweth after it, all the rest of my strength. Now if so be that my body being so extreamely full of heauinesse, consume it selfe by little and little, and my bones horribly sticke through my skinne, what cause haue I to take care for the sustayning [Page 181] of this miserable body of mine, which is the matter and substance of all my miseries? Wherefore should I be watchfull for the conseruing of this life of mine, which wrestleth against so many enemies, and is cast downe with so many afflictions? Were it not much better for me, in ending my life, to make also therewith an end of all miseries?
7 Is the Pellican more full of greefe then I, who liuing in the most solitary deserts of Egipt, tormenteth her selfe for the killing of her yong ones, and washeth them in her owne bloud, to restore them to life, which she had taken from them? Is her sorrow greater than mine? Hath nor my sinne procured the death of the child, whome I more dearly loued then my selfe? And now that I haue dried vp all my teares, the bloud will gush out of mine eyes, for feare I should be voide of teares in so lamentable and cursed a case. But the Pellican hath redeemed with her own bloud, the price of her yong ones, and I most miserable wretch that I am, shall be depriued for euer of the child which I so tenderly loued. And I will [Page 182] also abandon both the day and the light, and confine and limit my selfe within the most darke places that I can finde out, euen as a shritch owle dooth, that commeth not out of his hole, all the while it is day light.
8 I am continually kept waking, still dreaming of my miserie, and seeking to hide my selfe before such time as the in felicitie which runneth vpon me, enforceth me▪ And being altogether mated and out of heart, I seeke after some corner to hide my selfe in, euen as the wilde sparrow that flieth out of the raine and winde, seeketh after some couert or sunne shine place to bathe and drie her selfe in.
9 Mine enemies seeing me in this case, and with such a countenance, stand mocking of me therewith, and cast my miserie in my teeth: and they which were wont to make a great accompt of me, in stead of sorrowing with me in mine afflictiō, haue coniured against me. What reckoning then should any man make of the wealth of this world, and if he were able to get as great richesse and as many friends as were possible, and then to haue his [Page 183] friends so traiterous and so double, as to make little or no accompt of breaking their faith and promise?
10 And surely my strength is decayed, the flower & beauty of my well coloured and smooth ruddy cheekes, is quite & cleane gone, for I haue sowne my bread vpon the ashes, and moisted my drinke with my teares. And shall I for all this become a laughing stock vnto this infidelous generation?
11 It is very true, that I haue bene met withall before thy face, in the day of thy wrath: thou hast laid againe vpon me, the arme of thy vengeance, and am become therewith frushed in peeces. Men haue had me in great estimation and honour, and loe how I am now drest and dealt withall. O vaine presumption, vnto what steepe breakneck hast thou lifted me vp, to make me leape such a leape? Alas, what did I finde in my selfe, why I should conceiue in mine heart such an opinion of my selfe?
12 As we see the shadow of the body by little and little decrease, when as the sunne is risen aboue the same, and reduceth it, as it were vnto [Page 184] a small point, euen so all so soone O Lord, as thine anger is vpon me, my life, my goods, and my greatnesse, is by little and little dispersed, and come to nothing, in such sort, as that loe, I am like vnto the grasse that is tedded abroade without grace and colour, which men cock vp to giue vnto the cattle to feed on, and like vnto a great many goodly sweete smelling flowers, bound vp in a bottle amongst a sort of thistles.
13 But do I for all this lose my hope? No, no, my God: for thy power is infinite, and lasteth for euer, and thy mercie immeasurable, which will spred it selfe ouer all such as shall trust in thee. One age shall passe after another, but the remembrance of thy goodnesse shall neuer haue end: one generation shall succeed another, but it shall be alwaies for the setting forth of thy praise and good dealing.
14 Thou wilt one day, my God, awaken, to haue mercie vpon Sion, for the time of mercie draweth neare. And loe, I see it euen at hand. The flouds and riuers powre not out so much clears water into the deepe sea, [Page 185] as thy goodnesse will spred abroad thy fauour and grace vpon the face of this earth. Open your hearts, yee people, open your hearts, I say, for the liberall hand of my God, will fill them with an holy zeale, which will make thee farre purer and cleaner then the gold in the fining pot.
15 Now the house of Sion, O Lord, is the refuge which all thy seruants looke for, it is it which they so greatly loue, and which they so earnestly desire it is it where they looke to finde mercy; it is the temple, O Lord, which thou wilt destroy in three daies, and raise it vp againe mother three, that it may be the house of euerlasting life, the seat of saluation, the treasure of grace, and temple of eternitie.
16 Then shall all the nations, my God, be afraide, and all the kings of the earth tremble at the brightnesse of thy glorie. What corner of the world shall be so secret, where the noise of thy blessed comming shall not sound and be heard? where shall that people be so farre from the sunne, so confined and limitted in darknesse, as will not vnseele their eyes to behold the cleare [Page 186] burning brightnesse of saluation, which will shine vpon them? Yea heauen it selfe shall encrease his flames, to giue light vnto this thine entrance into the world, and the kings shall run from all places to do homage vnto the king of kings, vnto the gouernor both of heauen and earth.
17 For he hath set vp and aduanced his kingly throne vpon Sion, in great & costly array: there shall he be seene wholy encompassed with glory, darkning the Sunne and Moone with the brightnesse of his face.
18 But why hast thou, O Lord, so highly exalted the throne of thy glory? hast thou done it, because thou wouldest not vouchsafe to heare the praiers of thy faithfull seruants? And because thou wouldest make no reckoning of the whole world, which in deed is nothing, in respect of thy greatnesse? Alas no my God. Thou hast lifted vp thy self vpon an eminent place, that all the inhabitants of the earth might see & acknowledge thee, and so run vnto thy grace and mercy: for thou shouldest be alwaies ready to come at the humble summons of thy seruants, & neuer [Page 187] disdaine their pittifull petitions. And behold them also standing as miserable offenders, condemned vnto bolts & shackles, looking for the comming of some king, that should set them free at the entrance into his kingdome. Euen so, ô Lord, deliuer thou them who haue giuen themselues vp into the bondage of sinne, and with the onely twinke of thine eye, the mainacles shall fall from their wristes.
19 Then shall they be all heard to sing a glorious song vnto the victorious king, their voices shall be heard throughout al the corners of the earth, and the remembrance of thy singular bountie and infinite mercy, shall be engraued within the memory of men, and so passe from age to age, euen vnto the last posteritie. The earth shall then be consumed, all the waters dryed vp, the ayre vanished, and the heauens haue an end, which shall as yet sing the glory of the eternall God.
20 The eternall God, who hath vouchsafed merely and ioyfully, to cast downe his eyes from the highest hauens, into the very deepest place of [Page 188] the bowels of the earth, for the acknowledging of the torments of the miserable detained captiues in hell, & heard their groanes, is himselfe suddenly runne thither, to vnbinde and set at libertie his poore captiue prisoners, and all their posteritie, where death with the weapons of sinne, had ouercome them, and confined them, in his most darke prisons. But the God of life hath ouercome death, and hath freed and cleared them quite from thence.
21 To the end, O Lord, that they might set foorth thy praise in Sion, and preach thy louing kindnesse in Ierusalem. And although euery one of them had an hundreth mouthes, and their voices as lowd as thy thunder, yet should they neuer be able to attaine and reach vnto the greatnesse of thy glory. All the parts of the world conspire not, nor ioyne not themselues together, saue onely to represent in their motions, a part of thine infinite power and goodnesse: howbeit, they neuer looke to come neere thereunto; for they are more then bottomlesse depths, which haue neither bottom [Page 189] nor yet brinke, and therfore they must onely behold them a farre of.
22 And therefore I most humbly beseech thee my God, to be contented that thy people assemble and reunite themselues both in bodies and minds, deuoutly to offer vp vnto thee that holy will which they haue to honour thee, for the effect can in no wise other wise be able to come neare that which thou deseruest. Accept therefore, O Lord, the humble submission of the kings of the earth, which come before thee to yeeld vnto thee their homage and seruice due vnto thee, as vnto their soueraigne & chiefe Lord. They shall cast their scepters vnto the earth, and their crownes at their feete, and present for a sacrifice vnto thy maiesty their humble praiers, and innocent consciences. And I will be the first my God, which will cast downe my selfe before thee, to worship and serue thee with all mine heart, to thee alone will I consecrate my spirit. Quicken it therefore, O Lord, that being purified by the holy zeale of thy loue, it may receiue in it selfe, as it were in a cleare looking Glasse, the image of [Page 100] thine incomprehensible excellency & perfections, & feele in it self the reflexion of thy sincere amitie, aswel as thine infinite goodnesse, accompanied with the number of thine elect, to be an inheritor with them in euerlasting life.
23 Now I haue already felt, my good God, that thou hast enlightened my soule with thy grace, and haue presented the fauour which thou wouldest shew vnto all the children of the earth. Heretofore hath my spirit a far of, takē a note, how thou proceedest for the deliuerance of the world, but it hath beene afraid to die before such time as thou wert come: and that is because thou hast heard it call vpon thee, saying, Tell me, Lard, how long the course of mine age shall be, and when thou wilt end my dayes.
24 Go not about, O Lord, to cut of the thred of my life the first or second winding vp of the spindle, neither stay it ouer short in the middest of the course. Attend, my God, vntill the time be come, when thou must set open the treasure of thy graces, to make an entrance for men vnto the largenesse of saluation: or if thou hast [Page 101] at least appointed mine end, and that my life cannot stretch so farre, yet remember my posteritie, and let him be borne of my race that must sanctifie the world by his comming.
25 I right well know, O Lord, that at the first, thou madest heauen and earth, and whatsoeuer excellent thing we see here in this world, to be the worke of thine owne hands.
26 But all this shall come to an end, euen as an old worne garment; a man shall enquire what is become of it, and there shalbe no mention made thereof at all. It was made, and it shall be vnmade; it had a beginnings, & it must haue an end. But thou alone, O Lord, which hast beene from all eternitie, shalt be alwaies one and the same. For age, & time which consume all things, serue for none other purpose, but to confirme thine euerlastingnesse, and to set foorth thy Deitie, & men see me to remaine heere vpon the earth for none other cause, but to behold round about them, thine incomprehen [...]ble greatnesse, on the one side, and their infirmitie, on the other side.
27 A man changeth not his shire [Page 192] so often, but the earth oftner changeth her inhabitants: one putteth forth another, and all is renued euen in a moment. But thou, my God, art euen the same at this day, that thou wast at the beginning. Euery prouince of the earth hath a great catalogue of kings, who haue there commaunded, one successiuely after another, but the heauens and the earth, continually sing vnto vs, that thou hast alwaies beene alone, euer like vnto thy selfe, and that neither the time past, ne yet the time to come, can any wayes alter nor change thee.
28 Now, my Lord, although we must depart from hence, yet do I not doubt, but that I shall one day taste of that sweet fruite, which shall heale this contagious disease of ours, which our fathers transferred ouer vnto vs, hauing eaten the fruite of death and of sinne. For our children shall come after vs, and therefore, O Lord, shew vs this fauour, as to continue our posteritie from age to age, vntill such time as we altogether shall appeare before thy face, not to receiue sharpe and seuere iudgement, but to enter by [Page 193] the merite and intercession of thy deare beloued sonne, into the enheritance of the eternall blessednesse, which shall be purchased for all thy faithfull, by the adoption of thy sonne in the house of thy seruant Dauid.
‘From the depth of depths. Psalm. 129.’
FRom the depth of depths haue I cryed vnto thee, my God, being lost and buried in the most fearefull caues of the earth, I [...]aue called vpon thy name, hearken [...]nto my voice, and heare my praier. For, all hope of succour is taken from [...]e, and I see nothing about me but [...]orror and trembling, and yet haue I [...]ot beene discouraged, and do waite [...]or at thy hands, that which thou hast [...]romised to all such as shall liue in the [...]eare of thy name, and in the obedi [...]nce of thy commaundements.
2 Giue thou therefore, O Lord, a [Page 194] fauourable eare vnto mine hearti [...] praier. If my sinne stand betweene thee and me, to whet thee again [...] mine iniquitie, and to make thee contrarie vnto the praiers which I ma [...] vnto thee, beate back the same wi [...] the looke of thy mercifull eye, or [...] O Lord, shut vp for a time, the eyes [...] thy iustice, vntill such time as the ea [...] of thy louing kindnesse hath receiue [...] my confession, and the humble reque [...] which I make vnto thee for grace. Fo [...] I come not before thee, to bragge [...] mine owne iustification, but of [...] great louing kindnesse and benigni [...]
3 If thou shouldest keepe a regist [...] of our sinnes, and we come to an [...] dite before thee, who were able, [...] God, to abide thy seuere iudgement [...] For, what day of life is there that ha [...] not deserued a world of torment [...] Thou mightest draw out, O Lord, [...] the paines of hell, and yet the greate [...] part of my sins should go vnpunished.
4 But although we haue might [...] offended, yet for all that thou ceas [...] not to receiue any sinner that comme [...] vnto thee with confessiō of the mou [...] and contrition of the heart. He hath [...] [Page 195] sooner looked towards thy mercy, but that he feeleth it working in him, and breaketh & destroieth the sinne which freeseth his heart with feare & horror. And the punishment which hangeth ouer his head, recoyleth farre away from him, and caryeth with it, this miserable carefulnesse, which tormēteth the consciences defiled with iniquitie. And therefore O Lord, haue I not forsaken thy lawes, but haue alwaies waited to see when it would please thee to graunt me fauour and grace: for the vnwise man that despaireth by reason of his sinne, and giueth ouer his soule as condemned, is like vnto the abhominable vsurer, who hauing susteined some losse in his goods, by and by bereaueth himselfe of his life also.
5 My soule hath not done so, my God: for although she hath felt thine hand lying most heauily vpon me, executing part of the punishment which my sinnes haue deserued, yet hath she alwaies conserued in her selfe that sound hope which she hath had in thy promises. Euen as the blowes light vpon my backe, I crie out and say vnto thee, O Lord my God, thy [Page 196] will be done, and giue me as great strength as thou layest affliction on me. Measure my punishment by my strength, and as my torment encreaseth, euen so augment my courage, and so hast thou done, O Lord.
6 Let Israell therefore looke vp and trust in his God, euen from the day breake vnto the shutting in of the euening, & looke for none other helpe but from him. For, his helpe is ready & sure for him that calleth vpon him with a sincere conscience, and a pure will. And although the miserie hath beene neuer so great and extreame, yet so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the crie of his seruants, they haue all so soone felt also their deliuerance.
7 For he most bountifully powreth out his mercy, and is infinitely helpfull to all those that come vnto him. Insomuch, as that his goodnesse putteth out as it were the sorrow which we haue for our sinnes, & maketh vs as it were reioyce in our fall, as being the cause whereby we haue made triall of his louing kindnesse. For, if our sinnes surpasse all measure, his grace [Page 197] exceedeth all our thoughts. We haue deserued long and hard captiuitie, and loe who it is that freeth vs, and hath brought vs a most sweete libertie. We haue blinded the eyes of our spirite, and loe who commeth to enlighten them.
8 O Israell, thou hast offended the Lord, thou hast scorned his lawes, thou hast made a iest at his commandements; thou hast forgotten the good turnes which he fauourably hath bestowed vpon thee. He hath drawne thee out of most miserable captiuitie, fed thee with the bread of heauen, made purposely streames flow out of hard rocks to make thee drinke; hath chosen for thy dwelling place, the most delitious garden in the world, made a couenant with thee, giuen thee his will to keepe, and thou hast coniured against his honour, gone an whoring vnto strange goddes, troden his lawes vnder thy ferre; To be short, thou hast deserued more punishment then there is to be had in hell. And yet notwithstanding he offereth to graunt thee grace, and with the price of his own bloud would redeeme [Page 198] thee from the bondage of sinne, whervnto thou most voluntarily boundest thy selfe. Behold him, who hath himselfe paide their ransome that betraid him, who tooke vpon him the punishment which we deserued, and satisfied for our transgressions. With what wordes then are we any way able to thanke him for all these mercies? Open my lips therefore my God, my Creator and redeemer, that my voice may be heard, and mine heart enflamed with a boiling affection, to praise and thanke thee, and humble me also in the acknowledging of my self, to the end thou maiest heare me in the knowledge of the holy mysterie, b [...] which we are reincorporate into thee, and renued in thy couenant, that we may enter into that blessed fellowship of glorie, in which, all they shall triumph, which shall be partakers of the merit of the passion of thy best beloued sonne, the true and onely Sauiour of the world.
‘Lord heare my prayer. Psalm. 142.’
O Lord, man in the end is weary of all things: a continuall course bringeth him out of breath, ouermuch staring dimmeth the eies, and a shrill sound deaffeth the eares: but the more my voice cryeth vnto thee, the stronger it is, my courage encreaseth more, and my praier better pleaseth me. And therefore do I begin againe daily to crie vpon thee, Lord heare my praier, giue eare vnto my complaint: for in praying to thee my God, consisteth all mine whole comfort. It is my praier, O Lord, which coniureth thy louing kindnesse to purge my sinnes, not by reason of the seueritie of the punishment, but by the meanes of the effect of the grace which thou hast graunted vnto vs, by which thou doest abolish by thy souereigne and absolute power, the remembrance of our sinnes.
2 And therefore enter not, O Lord, into iudgement with thy seruant, ne yet leaue him vnto the rigour of thy lawes: for, no man liuing that shall appeare before thee at thy iudgement seate, shall be iustified. No man shall escape this fearefull condemnation, the punishment whereof is not onely cruell, but immortally rigorous also. Alas, O Lord, who can be saued before thee? It is thou that art offended, it is thou that wilt accuse vs, It is thou that hast seene our iniquities, and wilt attest them, and it is thou that shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall be witnesse, and the witnesse, Iudge, what shall become of the offendor? What defence can he make to iustifie himselfe? O Lord my God, I will not tarrie vntill this blowe light vpon me, I will defend me with thy fauour and grace, to oppose it vnto thy Iustice. And thy grace is obtained by the acknowleding and confessing of our sinnes, and the humbling and submitting of our mindes. Loe, I here cast downe my selfe prostrate before thee, and lay open my sinnes, and therefore [Page 201] I beseech thee, O Lord, to haue mercy vpon me.
3 My sinnes, my God, the capitall enemie vnto my soule, haue so terrified me, and cast me downe, as that I now lie crawling vpon the ground, daring not once to looke vp vnto heauen. For, so soone as I lift vp mine eyes, I see the light which shineth vpon me, discouer on the day a great many of sinnes, which accuse my conscience. And then I feele forthwith shame take holde on my guiltie face, and to make me cast downe my countenance vnto the ground, a countenance vnworthy to behold the heauens, the maister wherof she hath so grieuously offended, too too cowardly a face to cast the eyes thereof vpon such places which haue so many thunder-bolts prepared to roote out the guiltie.
4 My spirit therefore hath led me into darke places, and buried me as a dead man in the crannies of obscuritie. My soule is made very sad in me, and mine hart stirreth it selfe like vnto one walking with his nose lifted vp into the weather, who through his [Page 202] retchlesnesse falleth into the botrome of a well, hauing forthwith thereby beene amazed, is incontinent void of iudgement, falleth out with himselfe, and tormenteth himselfe, vntill such time as being come againe to his wits, he knoweth both the place wherein he is, and vnderstandeth the maner how he fell in: and then beginneth by little and little to get vp againe vnto the top thereof, and yet is scarslie able to note and marke the place whence he so easily fell.
5 And so hauing called to minde as farre as I possibly could, the memorie of things past, hauing set before me in a deepe meditation, the workes of thine hands, and hauing exactly considered the perfection thereof, yea, and remembring the estate wherein thou hast created vs, and besides, setting before me him, by whome I feele my selfe now, as it were oppressed vnder the destruction of sinne, I cursed in my self the houre wherein my mother conceiued me, I abhorred the day which first opened vnto me mine eye lids, whereby I might see heauen and earth, witnesses of mine infirmitie: and [Page 203] in the end; finding nothing in the world, that in this distresse might comfort and helpe me, I at last, addressed my selfe vnto thy most excellent maiestie.
6 I fell on both my knees before thee, I stretched out mine armes and hands vnto thee, and my soule thirsting for thy grace, waited with a great desire for the same, as the chapping ground through heat, looketh for a gratious and sweet showre in the hoatest daies of sommer.
7 Make hast therefore vnto me, O my God, for I am already out of breath, for loe mine heart fainteth, and I am at the point of swound, wilt thou stay vntill I be dead? I am already so, if thou make not hast, for my sences do by little and little faile me, my soule glideth gentlie out of me, leauing my body without moouing, and I am like vnto him, who letting his foote bleede in the water, looseth his life with his bloud, without feeling the occasion or cause of his death.
8 If thou O Lord holdest thy selfe aloofe from me, and turnest thy face [Page 204] away, I shall become like vnto those that go downe into the bottom of hell, pale death will make my face looke wanne, and my feeling to sleepe: nay a worse thing then this will betide me, my God, for spirituall death will kill my soule, make it horribly a feard, and take from her the acknowledgement of thy singular goodnesse, and the hope of grace which shineth in thy miracles, as a bright shining starre in a duke night.
9 Make me therefore, O Lord, in thy good time, to vnderstand and feele the effect of thy mercy: and when the sunne riseth in the morning vpon the face of the earth, let then thy louing kindnesse rise vpon me, for the enlightening of mine ignorance, and leade me in the way of thy wyll. But let it not deale with me, O Lord, as the sunne dooth, who at his fall plungeth him selfe into the sea, keeping away his light for a time, from poore wretched and distressed men. But let thy fauour and grace continually assist and defend mee, and, neuer depart more from me, then my soule doth from my body: for thy [Page 205] mercy is farre away more, the soule of my soule, then my soule is the life of my bodie.
10 And therefore let thy mercie neuer forsake me: but let her light direct my footsteps alwayes in thy wayes, and leade me continually in the way which must bring me vnto thee. For, my spirit which hath run it self through the strange queaches of this world, and strayed into the broad and thicke bushes thereof, can neuer find out her tract againe, but rusheth out at all aduentures, and loseth both her path, and also her payne, going alwayes back from the abiding place whither she was determined to goe. But, I, my God, do alwayes attend thine ayd, for, it is from aboue that I looke for help.
11 I am a captiue in the hands of the most cruell enemies of my life, and therefore I most humbly beseech thee, ô Lord, to make haste to deliuer me: I flye vnto thee for refuge, receiue mee into thy protection: Teach mee what thou wouldest haue me to do, for thou art my God, whome alone I am resolued now to serue. And now away away from me deceitfull pleasure, [Page 206] which heretofore hast bewitched my poore soule, and poysoned my spirit: thou hast with thy sweet delights fed me, and made me with a little bait of hony to swallow a deadly potion, which running through my members, hath so astonished and mortified me, as that there is no differēce betweene me and a dead man: nay worse then that, for it is not my body that is thus mortified, but it is my soule, wherin cōsisteth the principall matter, both of this present life, and also of the life to come.
12 And therfore thy holy spirit must light vpon me, to rewarme and fetch againe my dying soule, and take it by the hand to quicken, and set it in a safe place, imprinting therein the image of thy righeuousnesse, to serue her as a sauegard against all tentations which besiege her on euery side, and threaten her destruction.
13 Thou shalt come therefore, and at thy comming shalt draw back my soule from tribulation, and in shewing of me mercy, shalt destroy all those that haue coniured against me. And then shall my sorrow haue an end, and theirs shall begin, and the beginning of their sorrow, [Page 207] shall neuer cease: But as the streames comming out of the spring heads, do still growe larger and larger, vntill such time as they enter into the deepe Seas, where is neyther brinke nor bottome, euen so shall theyr miserie, day by day encrease, and in the end will heape vppon them extreame dolour, and infinite distresse.
14 And so shall all they perish which shall vexe my soule: for I, ô God, am thy faithfull seruant whome thou hast remembred, and wilt remember all those, who in disdayne of my Lord, haue thus shamelesly troubled mee. They laughed at my miseries, but now behold the season wherein they shall bewayle theirs. Thy vengeance beginneth to waxe hoat against them, and a man shall see them fall like vnto the leaues of trees in the beginning of winter. O God, what glorie shall I render vnto thy name? and at what end shall I begin to set foorth thy prayse? Shall I publish thy goodnesse, in creating so many wonderfull works which are vnder the Sunne? Thy wisdome in the conseruing of them? Shall I preach abroad [Page 208] thy iustice in the condemnation and vengeance of the pride of the Angels, & the disobedience of men? Shall I sing foorth thy mercy in the redeeming of those who by transgressing thy lawes, haue cast them-selues downe headlong into the bondage of eternall death? vnto what part of thy prayses, may the sound & tune of my voyce attaine & reach? Yea, & put the case that my voyce were sufficient thus to do, where are the eares that are able to receiue them? I want all things, ô Lord, for the taking in hād of this enterprise, sauing courage & will, which being full of feruent affection, cry out as much as is possible, vnto thee. And therefore I humbly beseech thee to ayd their weak indeuours, and seeing that the teares of my repentance haue washed away the filthines of my sinne, wherwith my spirit was greatly charged & burdened: geue vnto it now the wings of faith & hope, that may swiftly carry the same into thine armes, to reunite it selfe vnto her first originall being, without hauing any other thought, but such as may tend to the honor of thy seruice, and aduancement of thy glory.
A MEDITATION vpon the seauen Psalmes, of the Consolation of Dauid.
‘The Lord is my light &c. PSALME. 26.’
1AFter I had layed in soake mine hart in my tears, & sighed a thousand times with sorrowe in the reckning vp of my sinnes, I thought, ô Lord, that I had appaised thy wrath, and thereby forthwith to haue ended my miseries. But alas, as I looke vnto the world, and thinke with an innocent life, to conuerse amongst men, I see their enuie turned vpon me, and all their purposes & drifts directed to do me hurt. So as I [Page 212] stand in doubt whether I be reconciled vnto thee or no, and whether thou be satisfied with this my repentance. But in turning mine eyes euery way, I perceiue that this affliction is common to me, and to all honest and good men, by the parts that I see playd them on euery side, and how their constancie is alwayes in danger: and contrarywise, to see how the wicked easily regorge pleasure, and all maner of benefits, maketh me confounded and astonied. For, on the one side, I call to mind that thou art the great and mightie God of Iustice, whose eye seeing all things, knoweth the deepest & secretest corners, and whose almightie hand reacheth vnto the farthest parts of the world. And on the other side, I see those that lift vp their heads against thee, and oppresse thy poore and innocent seruants, prosper in thy sight, and dayly pride vp them-selues in the happie successe of their vngodlynes. I confesse, ô Lord, that I stand like a block, and as one being blindfolded with this sight, am not able to pierce through these thick mists, which thus enuiron the eyes of mine vnderstanding. But [Page 213] in the end, ô Father of lights, thou vnseeledst mine eye-lids, and enlightning me with the beames of thy wisedome, hast made me vnderstand why thou so vsest them, and deliuering me from the payne and care wherein I was, hast filled me with the assurance of my saluation, and geuen me a most certaine consolation & comfort. So as I do not only at this present care for the thretnings of threatners, and disdaine their insolencie, but being rampard with wonderfull constancie, and great courage, I offer my selfe vnto the combat, and cry with a loud voyce, Come who so euer will and dare, for, I now feare nothing. For, although God for a while exerciseth his faithfull seruants, yet forsaketh he them not whē they stand in need, but in such sort compasseth their aduersitie with their forces, as that they become alwayes conquerors in this fight. And to say truly, so long as I am assured of his mercie, what occasion can I haue, euer to feare?
2 He hath now taken my life into his protection, and couered me all ouer with the wings of his power, who can enforce him to set me ashore? [Page 214] What shall I need to feare, seeing that all the world feare and dread him which defendeth me? his forces are not the armies of men, but legions of Angels: his ministers are not Princes and Captaines, but thundring, lightning, and stormes: his wrath is not blowes and hurts, but earthquakes, swallowing vp of Cities, and drowning of whole Countreys. Thou hast alreadie, ô Lord, all these armyes and hosts in thine hand, and art readie to thunder them against the proude boldnesse of the wicked, that haue coniured the ruyne of good men. But because my God thou holdest back for a time the arme of thy diuine vengeance, comfort mee in the meane while with a sure hope, that thou wilt neuer forsake mee: And mee thinketh, that thou sayest continuallie vnto mee, tarrie a little, for, the time is not yet come which I haue appointed, and in the meane while, trust thou assuredly vnto my promise, and looke whatsoeuer affliction thou shalt endure, be thou assured that I will geue thee strength to ouercome it. My courage, ô Lord, encreaseth, [Page 215] whē as I feele thee thus to second me: and this thine exhortatiō emboldneth me more vnto patience, then all the applause of the people doth him that fighteth a combat, whē he is most strōg and lusty in his fight. There is nothing now that I am afeard of: for, all these conspiracies, all these slanderous reports against mine head & honor, seme to me like vnto the soming raging billowes of the sea, who roring far off, suriously breake them-selues against the foot of a rock, and scatter them-selues abroad at the first stroke, and the blow is but a vaine sound, which is the end of all these great threats. Certainely, the conscience of an innocent man, founded and grounded vpō thy grace, is more stable & sure, then all the greatest rocks, & cannot be shaken nor moued by any iniurious brags.
3 What shall I now feare any more? Shall I feare a rout of the wicked, that goe about to beset me round, and cluster about me, to see if they could take me? They geue out sometime one signe, sometime another, to assay if they can lay hold on me. Behold, and see diligently how they [Page 216] note and marke me, and how they bend theyr browes, and grind theyr teeth at me: I verely beleeue, that the greatest thing which they desire, is to eate me with their teeth, to teare me in pieces, to fill them-selues with my flesh, to gnawe my bones, and to drinke my bloud. O cruell and sauage beasts, how can you thus despise your owne flesh, how can you thus abiure all humanitie? Do you think that although you haue forgotten God, that God hath forgotten his seruants? Do you thinke that his seruants are so far from his hand, as yours is farre from iustice?
4 Well go too, yee haue like mad Tygres fomed out vpon me your poyson, yee haue cried out, and houled at me, fastned your teeth & clutches vpō me: howbeit, all your blowes slip ouer me, as it were ouer a most cleare chrystall, they cannot hurt me, mine innocencie is not to be wounded with all that ye can deuise, but are in the end enforced to retire all wearied, and gasping for breath, lying vpon the belly, ye bay, grin & mutine with very anger, but it is without power: and there is [Page 217] but one weapon amongst all the rest [...]e [...]t you, and that is, a will to do ill. But neuerthelesse, because your voyce is abhominable before God, and that with your threats ye blaspheme him vnto his face, he will vtterly roote ye out, and throw vpon you the mountaines which your ambition and couetousnesse haue heaped vp so hye, thinking thereby to scale his Throne, and to rob him of his glory.
5 O Lord, what a spectacle hast thou made for mine eyes to behold? nay, I am now so assured of thy mercie, so comforted by reason of the care which I see thou hast of thy faithfull seruants, as that although I should see the greatest armye that possibly could be, yet would I not be afeard of it. Let there an armye be brought against me, composed of all the nations of the world, and let there be placed in the vauntgard on the right hand, a battell of Scythians, and on the left hand a battell of Ethiopians, and in the reregard the East India, and America, and all the rest of the world in the middest to serue for a battell, and adde thereunto whatsoeuer Arte [Page 218] and skill for the killing of men, was [...] uer able to finde out or deuise, a [...] yet, if my God be my conductor a [...] leader, I will passe through them [...] without any feare. Agayne, if he bee angry with the world, and sha [...] like him to serue him-selfe with [...] hands, to be aduenged of them f [...] theyr vngodlynesse, I my selfe [...] cut them all in peeces, not leauing so much as a tayle of any [...] them.
6 Nay, I do now reioyce when [...] I heare saye that the wicked ba [...] them-selues against mee, and doo assure my selfe, that it is God which [...] lend me matter wherein to glorie. For, be thou, O Lord, onely nee [...] mee, blesse my weapons, and mine enemies are confounded. But what weapons? verely do thou but blowe onely vppon this people, and tho [...] shalt scatter them all, as a great winde driueth the dust too and fro: neuerthelesse, O Lord, I beseech thee blo [...] not vppon them the wind and blast [...] thy curse, but tarrie a little while [...] thou please, to see if thy patience will bring them backe to do their duties. [Page 219] And as for my selfe, although I [...]e couered ouer with their wounds, and defamed with their iniurious dea [...]ings, yet had I rather haue them sub [...]ect vnto thy mercie, then vnto thy [...]ustice: and desire, if thou thinke it good, that their iniustice might rather [...]erue to try me withall, then for their condemnation.
7 Thou knowest, O Lord, my desires, thou readest them in mine hart, neither haue I euer called vppon thee [...]or vengeance: my vowes coniure nothing but thy mercie, and my thoughts [...]re addressed vnto nothing but vnto [...]eace. Wouldest thou vnderstand the [...]umme of my desires, and the end of [...]ll my prayers, it is, O Lord, that I [...]ay passe my dayes in seruing thee faithfully, and that, thou wouldest graunt me thine holie house to dwell [...]n, and that all the while that I am [...]eperated from thee, and a great [...]ay off from thine heauenly Taber [...]acle, tyed vnto the earth by reason of the counterpoise of my bo [...]ye, I might vnite and tye all my [...]houghtes vnto thee, and conforme [...]nd frame my selfe wholy vnto thy [Page 220] will. O blessed habitation, that is able to couer vs from all worthly passions, from all the lusts of the flesh, and to be short, from all the assaults of the Deuill. For, there ô Lord, thou art present with vs, and comm [...] downe from the heauens to keepe companie with vs, and fillest vs with thy selfe, that we might be voyd o [...] sinne, and conuertest our carnall [...] into a liuing and quickning spirit, that we might effectually feele thy maruellous works, comprehend thy mercies, and conceiue of thy power and almightinesse.
8 Suffer therefore, my God, tha [...] I being incorporate into thee, [...] farre-forth as mine infirmitie, a [...] thine infinitenesse will permit, I may be enlightened with the beames of thy wisedome, to the end that mine vnderstanding being enlightened, [...] may learne mee to knowe thy wi [...]. For this is the thread; ô Lord, which may assuredly guide me through the windings and turnings of the laberinth of this world, and this is the passeport which must bring vs vnto that euerlasting life, which we so incessantly [Page 221] gape and sigh for. Reueale vnto me therefore this thy will, and lay it vp in my soule, that I may there keepe it most dearely, and in the middest of thy Church, I may set vp an Aulter in my mouth, presenting the same dayly vnto thee for an offering, vnder the holie vayle of thy most holie word.
9 For, seeing ô Lord, thou hast mor [...]ized mee within thy holie Tabernacle, shewing me the holie mysteries of thy diuinitie, that in the hardest time of mine aduersitie, thou hast gathered, hid, and drawne me vnder thine Aulter, yet not content with that, hast made me to enter into [...]e holie of holiest, and bottomes of [...]y Sanctuarie, where thou wast wont [...]o reueale the greatest secrets of thy will, graunt that I may so well co [...] [...]eiue them, as that I may cause thy faithfull seruants faithfully to vnderstand them.
10 For, sith thou hast aduaunced mee into so eminent and high [...] place, as one set vpon an hye rocke, [...]o be seene of the whole world, and [...]onored aboue all mine enemies, [Page 222] let the foundation of my faith be a [...] firme as any stone, and the gr [...] which thou shalt bestow vpon me, [...] be a testimonie of thy righteousne [...] making me worthie and capable of [...] benefits which it shall please thee [...] vouchsafe me.
11 As for my selfe, O Lord, I [...] take paines reue [...]entlie to vse t [...] ministerie which thou hast comm [...] ted vnto mee. Thou knowest how [...] haue carried my selfe therein. I ha [...] turned my selfe euery way rekno [...] ledge that which might best like th [...] I haue most willingly offred vnto th [...] calues and sheepe in sacrifice: I ha [...] willingly bathed thine Aulter wi [...] bloud, but that was too too small an [...] fring for thee. I haue, ô Lord, sacri [...] ced mine hart, consecrated mine affe [...] tion, vowed my thoughts, and hauing pluckt them from the verie bottom [...] mine heart, I haue offered them v [...] thee with my voyce, whereby thou h [...] vnderstood whatsoeuer my soule ha [...] desired, which was nothing else but [...] please thee in all mine actions. My crying out then hath bene my offring which thou diddest gratiously accep [...] [Page 223] opening the heauens to gather them together, and to receiue them. And therefore, ô Lord, I will all the dayes of my life, sing thy prayse, and recite an Hymne of thy glorie.
12 Heare, ô mercifull God, my songs, and receiue in good part the voyce which testifieth thy goodnesse, and publisheth thy mercies. Encrease my strength and courage, that I may strayne my cryes and spirits to thee. And sith thy mercie is neuer deafe vnto those which sincerely call vppon thee, encline the same to me: for, all sorts of felicities follow her continually. Incline the same, I say, ô Lord, for thou hast promised it vnto all those that call vpon thee.
13 How often hast thou heard mine heart, I say mine heart, and [...]ot my mouth: for, I speake not vn [...]o thee but with mine heart, which [...]ryeth our, saying vnto thee: O Lord, why haue I sought thee so carefully [...]ay and night, both in peace, and warre, in quietnesse, and in trouble. [...] haue desired nothing in the world, [...]ut to see thy face, I meane nor, O Lord, thy diuine face, wherein is [Page 224] imprinted that fearefull Maiestie, which shineth as the lightning, which no mans eye is able to abide to behold, but that face at the least, which is couered and courtayned with thy workes, which, although no man is able to see but the verie hinder parts thereof, and that verie hardly also yet me thinketh it to be most wonderfull, and maketh me beside my selfe as it were. Sith then, O Lord, [...] thou be that increated word which hath created al things which doth pa [...] of thy will, and thy will, a part of thy selfe, doth it not represent it selfe vnto me, as thy face, for me to note & ma [...] therein, such a great number of bea [...] tifull and excellent lineaments of Diuinitie, which shine most brightly in euery part thereof? O Lord, I am in loue with this rare beautie, neyther haue I any other care & thought, but that I may enioy this thy presence, which offreth it selfe vnto [...] in thy word, as in a looking glasse of thy Deitie.
14 Seeing then that thou see [...] mine holie and sincere loue, depriue me not then of this holie obiect, which [Page 225] sanctifieth and blesseth my cogitations and thoughts. And although my sinnes which are most foule and filthie make thee to be displeased with me, yet I most humbly beseech thee, not to be angry with me, neither turne thou away this thy faire and wonderfull face from me. For, thou O Lord, art angry with none, but with such as glorie in their sinnes, and stubburnely persist in their iniquities. But I, thy seruant, my God, humble my selfe before thee, and do acknowledge, most vnworthie sinner that I am, not once to dare appeare in thy presence, if thy louing kindnesse did not bring me in vnto thee. And therfore thou art not to reiect me: for, if thou shouldest, thou must also therewith reiect thy mercie whereunto I am coupled, and so fast linked, as that as it cannot be seperated from thee, so is it also now fast linked vnto my repentance.
15 And therefore thou shouldest, if it might so please thee, dwell and remayne with me, and seeing it hath liked thee to allow me for thy seruant, and to thrust me into this combat, thou art not to leaue and forsake me [Page 226] in it, for if thou shouldest, my destruction would turne to thy shame, where on the other side, my victorie will turne to thy glorie. And therefore, O Lord, I beseech thee to help me euermore. For, as mine infirmitie striueth commonly against me, so also haue I need to haue continuall help on euery side of me. For, if thou keepe thy selfe neuer so little awhile from me, my soule will euen vanish away, and so will also my bodie, if my soule be once gone. For thou, O Lord, art farre away more, the soule of my soule, then my soule, is the soule of my bodie. I right well knowe that thy Diuine Maiestie hath a most vnworthie dwelling place in mee, but yet I humblie beseech thee, disdaine nor to come into it: for, where thou once entrest, all magnificence aboundeth, and there is alwayes honor sufficient where thou art. And besides, O Lord, thou receyuest no honor by comming to visit me, but I thy poore seruant am honored by thy presence. Why shouldest thou leaue the glorious bright Heauens, and bright shining Starres, and to [Page 227] come downe heere belowe, to seeke for nothing that can bee sayd to bee honorable? But it is, as I thinke, because thou wouldest haue thine Angelles knowe and vnderstand, that they ought not to pride vp themselues in theyr magnificence, seeing they are thy creatures, and that thou canst make the most vile enhabitant on the earth, as honorable as any one of them. This is it why thou commest downe from the heauen of heauens, to haue mercie vppon vs, and hauing the like feeling of our miseries, thou commest to reestablish vs in our auncient perfection. And because that wee, as much as in vs lyeth, haue defaced the image of the Deitie, which thou haddest imprinted in vs, thou commest to recharge and recouer the liniaments of our first nature halfe defaced. It is thou then, who as thou wast our Creator, so also wilt be our Redeemer, and, as thou hast beene our Father, so also wilt be our protector and defender. And it is thou, O Lord, who, although the whole world hath reiected vs, yet hast stretched out thine armes, and [Page 228] gathered vs together vnder the wing of thy louing kindnesse.
16 And so is it most meet, for I knowe not whither else to goe. My Father and my Mother haue forsaken mee, I meane, the Father that begot mee, and my Mother that tenderly nursed me, and brought me vp, did abhorre mee, when as they sawe mee set my whole hart vpon thee, and leaue the vanities of this world. They neuer looked on me, but with griefe, and held me but for a castaway. My brethrens making much of me, turned into disdaine: the kinde and sweet amitie of my sisters chaunged into contempt, and the gratious meetings of my deerest friends, were turned into mockerie. Whither then must I flye? If my dearest friends entreate me after this sort, what will mine enemies doo vnto me, whose mouthes are full of gall, and their tongs full of deadly poyson, whose ordinarie actions and exercises are nothing else but doing of wrong, and speaking contumeliously? But euen then, when I am most geuen ouer, then art thou neerest vnto me, embrasest me most [Page 229] fauourably, and powrest vpon my head the treasures of thy mercie, most largely.
17 Now, seeing it hath pleased thee, thus to enlarge thy grace towards me, that I might be conserued, teach me, I beseech thee, how I may serue thee: Learne me what thy law is, and how I must direct my steps, that I may continually walke a right in that narrow and thornie path, which must conduct me vnto the port of saluation. For, it is long sit hence, O Lord, that I left that broad and easie way, sowed with the pleasures of this world, and which bringeth all those that follow the same, vnto destruction & damnation. Shew me therefore, my God, thy way, for vnder such a guide, I can neuer stray, shew it me, O Lord I say, for if I go neuer so little out of it, I am vtterly vndone, mine enemies lie in waite to surprise me, and to make me subiect, to dishonour me, and so consequently, thy selfe, O Lord, because they know that I serue thee faithfully.
18 Deliuer me not therefore into their hands, that they may deale with me according to their hearts desire. [Page 230] For then were mine honour at an end. They haue already made strong their part, suggested a thousand accusations, and framed a world of witnesses, but their leasings haue returned vpon their owne heads, and borne witnesse against themselues, for lying cannot be hid, she is full of crackes on euery side, & truth pierceth it on euery part. For she is made of many odde peeces, which fall away one from another, assoone as they are touched, and in opposing her selfe vnto innocencie, she melteth away as snowe against the Sunne.
19 But although they had me euen as themselues would wish, oppressed with slaunders, quelled vnder the burthen of their iniuries, yet would I not for all that be discouraged. I haue not, O Lord, put my trust in the benefits and honours of this world, for that is almost alwaies the portion of the wicked, and are as it were, the rewards of their vnfaithfulnesse, dissimulations, and wicked dealings: this is the marchandise which most commonly, is not bought but with this money. My hope, O Lord, is altogether in [Page 231] thee, the world is not capable to be able to containe it, the fruite of my labours groweth not in the land of the dying, but that which I looke to gather together, O Lord, is in the land of the liuing, there is that I hope to see my felicitie, nay rather thine, my God. Others looke for the fruite after the budding and blooming time, but I O Lord, looke for it, after the fall of the leafe. For, after the leafe of the body shalbe fallen, I hope and trust that my soule shall bud in new fruit, & be clothed againe with the euerlasting verdure of immortalitie for euer.
20 And therefore, my soule, haue patience, and carry thy selfe man-like, redouble thy courage valiantly, and attend vntill my God commeth vnto thee. Be not astonied or affeard, to see the prosperitie of the wicked, neither be thou amazed to see them oppresse the godly, but stand to it to the end. And when thou seest O Lord, that I am not of my self strong inough, assist me, and lend me thy shoulders, for feare the afflictions of the wicked cause mee to depart from my stand [Page 232] where thou hast placed me, second my feruentnesse and zeale, that hauing couragiously fought at the place where mine enemies assaulted me, I may be found at the gate when thou openest it, to enter with thee in triumph, sitting at thy feet, when as thou shalt iudge both the quick & the dead. Then shall we see what a great change there is betweene our life and theirs, and what paiment tarrieth for them: they haue had their felicitie in this world, therefore then shall it be said vnto them; Stand aside (for yee owe the rest, and consider that yee shall render an accoumpt of those benefits which were giuen you to keepe, and be amerced for your abusing of them. Your habitation prepared for you as you deserue, depart into euerlasting paines and torments: yee haue beene many times told of the rigour thereof, yet haue you not so much as a very little turned away from your cursed liues, & therfore shall ye now feele it, seeing you would not as then any whit feare it. And as for those, ô Lord, which haue bene pacient for thy names sake, and suffered for thine honor, the rage [Page 233] of the wicked, thou shalt say vnto thē; Come yee blessed children of my father, enter into the Tabernacle of glorie, that yee may iudge with him both the quick and the dead. Comfort thy selfe now therefore my soule, with this expectation and hope & trust in God, euen in the almightie and most merciful God, who neuer forsooke the iust in aduersitie, nor stopped his eare against the oppressed innocent.
‘I will at all times blesse the Lord, &c. Psalme. 34.’
1 BLessed be thy name, ô Lord, which hast cō forted me in misery, & blessed be he for euer, that hath holpen me in mine affliction. All things haue their time, and all mens actions are distributed by times and seasons, change serueth for rest, and rest, for the refreshing [Page 234] of the ordinary labour of the liuing: neither can any thing continue without rest in any occupation and trade. Neuerthelesse, here in this rule faileth, that is, I do blesse, and for euer will blesse, thy name, O Lord: at the sunne rising, I wil praise thy name, and at his going downe, I will praise the same, at that, will I begin both moneths and yeares, and at that also will I end them. O eternitie, I haue no feeling of thee in this world, but in this my will, to praise and glorifie my God for euer. My body melteth away with age, and my forces vanish and decay, but my soule which stoutly standeth against humaine corruption, dooth not onely continue, but also dayly encreaseth in this holy affection. For if I thinke to take my rest, mine heart stirreth my thought. And if I thinke to stop my mouth, my soule is ready to breake out betweene my lippes, and forceably frameth my voice to set foorth the glorie and praise of my God. My soule, who maketh thee so eager to praise thy God? Thou knowest right well, and I also see it very well, that thou hast [Page 235] had thy being from him, and lookest by him to be glorified: what vsurie makest thou with him? Thou giuest vnto him a parcell of his praises, and by this meanes thou lookest that he should associate thee with the riches of his glory. For from him alone, thou must hope to haue some honor. The heauens shall passe, and weare away like an old garment, and be changed as men change a couering. But God shall continue still triumphing ouer the destruction of the world. The peaceable and meeke people shall sit by him, and heare the triumphant hymnes which shall be song in his victorie and conquests, and all full of melodie and reioicing, shall ioyne their voices vnto the trumpets of the angels.
2 Let vs begin therefore betime, to learne to sing the praises of his glorie, magnifie him, and exalt his name, as high as our voices will serue vs, let vs straine out our cries, to the end they may ascend as high, at the least, as we are able to see, so as the ayre being filled with our songs, it may cary them vpon the wings of the winds vnto the [Page 236] vttermost parts of the earth, to the end that euery one may be awakened with the sound of our notes, and reioyce in hearing the name of the Lord of heauen and earth, thus sounded out, who is the most faithfull and most assured helper of all those which call vpon him.
3 I haue fought after him, and he forthwith hath vnderstood me. I knew not my selfe whither to go, and after I had turned mine eyes on euery side, and being forsaken of the world, could see nothing which was able to helpe me, I returned into my selfe, and pitifully beheld my selfe, bewailing my calamitie: and all at once, he gaue me courage and strength, & making mine heart to leape our of the gulfe of heauinesse and tribulation, which had swallowed me vp, said vnto me; trust in me, for loe here I am. Then cried I out and said, O Lord, where art thou, make hast to helpe me quickly. And I had no sooner spoken, but that his spirit descended into me, and as a strong and mighty winde driueth the cloudes before it, euen so did it driue from round about me, all manner of griefes [Page 237] and afflictions.
4 Come therefore and runne vnto him: come then, for the way is easie and open on euery side, he sheweth himself in all places, and in what place soeuer we are, he calleth vs vnto him. He is so afeard of vs, that we would go astray, as that he commeth downe from heauen to carry a lampe before vs, to giue light vnto our feet, he is also the father of lights, which more cleerly and purely lighteth our soules then our bodies. For the light which lighteth our eyes, is to cause vs to see that which we are either to follow or to eschew, but this light of all goodnesse and bountie, enlighteneth our soules, and of it selfe, putteth farre from vs, and driueth away whatsoeuer may hurt and offend vs. Come therefore, and draw neere therevnto, for so long as it shineth vpon vs, you shall be sure to go vpright, and nothing shall be able to do you hurt, your strength shall renew in you, and nothing shall confound you: for if your sinnes shall appeare, it shal disperse them, and if your enemies come thither it will send them back and ouerthrow them.
5 Will you see a most excellent proofe of his aide and singular mercy? Behold then this poore and miserable caitife, who is held to be an especiall vnhappy man, yea such a one as is thought to be a man without all hope of recouerie, the onely comfort of all miseries, who hath but a very little cried out vnto God, and he forthwith heard him, and deliuered him out of the misery wherein he was, he hath brought him to the port, and setled him in a place of safety.
6 He sendeth his angels to helpe his seruants, who compasse them about as a most sure guarde, and will not suffer them to stirre a foote from them, before such time as they haue rid them out of danger. For, as he himselfe is great, so hath he also mighty & strong ministers, and although he of himselfe is able to do all things, and yet notwithstanding all his greatnesse, he executeth his will, by his creatures, gouerning the lesser by the meaner, the meaner, by he higher, and the higher by himselfe.
7 Taste thou and consider a little, how kinde and fauourable his goodnesse [Page 239] and mercy is, and how blessed he is that putteth his trust in him. The Swallow is very carefull of her yong ones, and yet she oftentimes leaueth thē to cry by reason of hunger, & somtimes she giueth them the sower with the sweet, but our God commeth at the first call, nay, at the first signe we make, yea at our first wish, & so soone as he seeth vs thirst for his helpe, he putteth his most sweet & delicate dugs and breasts of his bounty, vnto our mouthes, & streameth the sweet milke of his grace into our lips, which stancheth & cooleth the thirstinesse of our infirmity, & quencheth the heat which our sin, as foule & filthy vlcers & sores, haue engendred in our consciences.
8 And therfore, seeing he is so good & gratious vnto vs, and denieth vs nothing that we aske, looke somwhat vnto your selues I beseech you, I speake vnto you, vpon whom he hath bestowed so many benefits, whom he hath sanctified with his holy blessings, and whome he hath set a part to be his elect, and partakers of his loue. And beware yee offend him not with your vnthankfulnesse, & thereby make you [Page 240] vnwortthie of his benefites, through distrust and incredulitie of his beneficence▪ For, they that feare him wa [...] nothing, in fearing him, they trut i [...] him, and they feare him with a feare that proceedeth of loue, not with a feare that he will do them some ill, but with a feare, not to offend him, but rather with a fatherly reuerence, who is farre readier to do vs good, then we are carefull to demaund of him. For, he knoweth of himselfe what is most necessary for vs, and preuenteth forthwith our desires, if they be agreeable vnto his will, and enricheth vs when we are most poore, and maketh vs valiant when we are most weake.
9 And contrariwise, the richmen [...] of the world, whose goods he hath not blessed, they I say, are not worthy of their riches, but starue with their aboundance, their goods melt into pouerty, their great magnificences vanish away into smoake, and become like vnto a streame, whose spring-hea [...] is dammed vp, his bed becommeth parched with drinesse, the skirts of his garments lose their beauty, and his trees which he hath planted on a row, [Page 241] wither, and drive vp. But such as haue recourse vnto God, and forsake him not, and referre all vnto his honour, shall neuer want any good thing, because the spring head of all goodnesse which is the loue of God, floweth ouer their soules, and spreddeth it selfe throughout all the parts of their bodies.
10 Now, sith that you see, that the feare of the Lord bringeth so great profit, and that his feare is it, which reconcileth vs vnto him, his conciliation getteth vs grace, enlargeth our felicity; come ye vnto me, that I may learne yee how yee shall feare him as a most good & merciful father, who neuer denieth mercy vnto him which acknowledgeth his sinnes, and giueth himselfe to walke in the way of well doing.
11 Desire ye to please him, and by that meanes to liue in his grace, that is to say, to liue blessedly, and passe your dayes with a quiet minde, and aboundance of whatsoeuer is necessary for this life, and yet to go forward on the way of this immortall life, which attendeth vs after we shall be departed from hence. To be short; desire ye his [Page 242] blessing, that is to say, firme and assired prosperitie, which engendreth i [...] you spirituall reioycing, which lai [...] your heart continually open to brea [...] out his honor, & cōtentedly to vse t [...] benefits which he lendeth vnto yo [...] here in this world? I will deliuer [...] vnto you in few words, how yee sha [...] attaine vnto this meanes. For I know wherewith he is pleased, and what a [...]ons of ours they are, that are agreeable vnto his liking.
12 The first thing that ye shall do, [...] this; Keepe your tongue that it speak [...] nothing to the dishonor of God, no [...] [...] ter any bitter & angry talke. Mark wh [...] a small and little thin member this i [...] & yet it is the sterne of our life, which turneth and windeth our spirit which way soeuer it pleaseth. For when it i [...] once filled with corrupt & filthy spee [...] it carrieth the passions of our hear [...] from whence they are conceiued, eu [...] into the bottom of our vnderstanding▪ and in such sort watereth them, as tha [...] they are like vnto an earthen potou [...] much soaked in water, & so loseth the [...]by the forme and shape of the reas [...] which God had breathed into it. S [...]ty [Page 243] not that one sparke of fire setteth an whole house on a burning flame? Euen so the tongue, as the baite of sinne, giueth it an entrance into vs, bringeth it deafly in, & setting by that means our soules on fire, wasteth and consumeth whatsoeuer good thing is within vs. Let vs then commaund our lips to receiue nothing but the bare and simple truth, and banish lying & deceit for euer from them. For, if we keepe in fast shut, the wicked thoughts which may arise in our hearts, without giuing thē vent, they will in the end choke themselues, euen as fire that hath no ayre.
13 And therefore, let vs first of all, put all lying & deceit farre away from vs, for the true praise which God looketh for at our hands, is, that we should imitate him as much as our nature will permit. Now, he is the God of truth and of iustice, who can neither loue nor make much of vs, so long as lying which is contrary to him, shall dwell in vs. Secondarily, we must estrāge our selues frō all sin whatsoeuer: for, to eschue ill, is the beginning to do well: and alwaies prouided, that if God findeth vs void of wicked intents, [Page 244] he will fill vs with good ones, and teach vs that which we ought to wish and procure, and the thing which we ought principallest to desire, he teacheth vs. And that is peace, which he would haue vs desire with all our hearts. First, peace with him, which is the storehouse of all goodnesse, which we can neuer haue, except we yeeld him that obedience which we owe him. And then, peace amongst our selues, without the which we can neuer haue his For, he hath commanded vs to loue our neighbours as our selues, so as, if in stead of this, we breath out nothing but bloud & spoiles, what peace would we haue with him, whose lawes and commaundements we infringe and breake? And withall, that warre is no better then the blossome of iniustice, which is, abhominable before God.
14 His eye, which is this well framed and louing eye, beholdeth none but the inst and righteous: his light, enlighteneth none but them, neither are his miracles shewed but in fauour of them, and his eares are not open but vnto their praiers: and we may properly say, that his iustice is on his [Page 245] side, that examineth the life of those which offer themselues vnto him, and to him recommendeth their praiers which are of an vpright heart.
15 And as for those that take pleasure in ill dooing, he looketh vpon them indeed, but it is with a furious burning eye, whose beames are like the arrowes of paines and miserie, wherewith he woundeth their soules, filling them with feare and astonishment, besides a thousand other miseries, which he laieth on them, as earnests of torments which attend them. He dreameth not of them otherwise then of the rooting out of their memorie from the face of the earth, and by iustice to wash the arrowes of their polution, which are left: for he sufficiently knoweth their impenitent hearts, which haue insolently neglected his holy mercy.
16 Now, the righteous haue not so done, for they haue in good time returned vnto God, and calling vpon his clemencie, haue in the end obtained it, they reioyced therein, and it remained with them, as it were their portion, he hath deliuered them our [Page 246] of all their troubles wherein they were plunged, and receiued them vnder his grace, as vnder a brasen wall, so as no violent mischiefe what soeuer, can be able to make them false hearted.
17 Vndoubtedly, God is maruelous good & fauourable, thou mightest say, that he is alwaies fauourable vnto the afflicted which call vpon him, and forsaketh him not day nor night. For no sooner hath our griefe & sorrow humbled vs, and made vs know what need we haue of him, but that he is by and by ready at hand to saue vs.
18 In very deed the righteous are afflicted with strange calamities, and a man might properly say, that they are the very subiect and matter of miseries to worke on, there are so many mischiefes come tumbling in, one in anothers necke, to oppresse them. But this is not to any other end, saue to make the mercy of God shine more gloriously in them. For the greater that the tribulation is, the more doth the pitty and compassion shine in the preseruing of them.
19 For he keepeth euen the very [Page 247] least bone they haue, nay there shall not one haire of their heads fall, nor be pluckt in sunder, but by his expresse will, neither should that euer once come to passe, but for their onely good and benefit. And yet more then that, for he hath all their goods, and al their trade & traffick in his protection, and when it pleaseth him, he will multiply their store, cause his blessings flourish in their houses, and make their riches and possessions encrease, according to their owne hearts desire.
20 But contrariwise, the liues of the wicked shall be most miserable. And although for the prouing and inuiting of them to turne vnto him, he lend vnto them the goods and commodities of this life, yet shall their deaths be most lamentable, yea such a death as shall deliuer them vnto eternall torments, and plunge them in the bottomlesse depths of inextinguishable fiers, there to be deuoured, and neuer consumed, and there continualy languishing, without euer dying. This shall be the end of the wicked, and of those that make warre against the iust.
21 And in the meane while, thy poore seruants, whome thou hast so dearely redeemed from the hands of death and of sinne, shal enioy the blessed saluation, which thou hast purchased for them, and holding death and sinne enchained vnder their feete, within the chaines of thy mercy, will trust in thee so long as they shall be in this exile of the world, and after they shall haue departed hence, shall enioy that euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast promised them, beholding in thy face, this fountaine of brightnesse, bountie, and beauty, wherewith thou framedst heauen and earth, and all in them contained.
‘Grudge not to see, &c. Psalm. 37.’
1 SEeing that the prouidence of God, president of the gouernement of the world, is to reward euery man [Page 249] according to his desert, I am somtimes astonied to see, how those men who bend their whole study to do il, receiue so many fauours in this life, & exceed and abound in so many sorts of benefits. But as mine heart began to breath our despightful words, and to be angry within it selfe, me thought I felt the spirit of God comming to me to touch me, and very gently pulling me by the eare, said vnto me; Alas gentle poore wretch, thou vndoest thy selfe with wading to farre in this so deepe and dangerous discourse: comfort thy selfe in me, and enuy not the prosperity of the wicked, neither be thou iealious ouer those that worke iniquity.
2 For, that which thou takest to be their chiefest felicity, is but a very shadow, a false & counterfet image, which will lose it self whē it is between their hands, and flie away from them when as they thinke to haue it most sure. As grasse which hath bin cut downe with the sithe, withereth in a moment, euen so in a moment, shall the magnificēce of the wicked lose that glorious shew, & wax pale & wan, as if they were tainted. The herbs & flowers in the gardēs [Page 250] are not so quickly withered, as thou shalt see the ritches of the wicked decay and come to naught: hast thou not considered the Emerocall, a very beautifull flower truly for one day, which in the morning hath a fresh ruddy colour, and keepeth his fine ruddinesse all day long, and at euening becommeth so drie & withered, as that a man would thinke, it had beene tainted by the Isie teeth of the winter? Euen so, the prosperitie of the wicked, if their prosperitie may be so called, is but a laughing or smiling deceiuer of an outward apparant felicity, and may be most properly likened vnto this flowre, for it withereth so suddenly, altereth in so short a time, & is transformed into such a fashiō, as is wonderful to behold.
3 Put thy trust therefore in God, & beleeue verily, that the insolencie of the wicked shal neuer be firme, so long as the iustice of God shal rule & reign, and beleeue also that the iust shall neuer be forsaken, in what affliction so euer they be. And therefore be not discouraged, but continue in well doing, for he that shal perseuer, shalbe saued. Dwell in the land which the Lord [Page 251] hath giuen thee, and content thy selfe with the graces which he hath bestowed vpon thee, neither enter thou into iudgment with him, for thou shalt find in th'end, that the riches of the wicked are but in ye keeping of their own hāds.
4 But reioice thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God, & put away the greeuous care which possesseth thine heart, & which as rust consumeth the same. For when thou shalt haue once powred out thy spirit, and lifted vp thy thoughts vnto the Lord, he wil accomplish all thy desires, and make thee enioy whatsoeuer thou wouldest wish.
5 Neither come thou before him as it were waueringly nor mistrustingly, ne hide thou thy thoughts from him, but lay open vnto him the very bottom of thine heart, and discouer vnto him all thy waies and cogitations. For it is impossible for thee to deceiue him, and a dangerous thing to trie him. For he seeth and marketh all things, especially, a double and vnbeleeuing heart, which he abhorreth of all the rest, but receiueth and embraceth the poore and humble spirited man, heareth his praiers, and graunteth him [Page 252] before hand that, which he is determined to craue.
6 For he that standeth in his grace and fauour, shall neuer want either wealth or honour, if thou please him once, he will make the glory of thy righteousnesse shine as a cleare light, and cause the equitie of thy iudgements, shine as bright as the sunne at noone daies. For euery man shall see in each place, the people following thee, blessing thine house as a temple of iustice, commending thy speech as an oracle, and reuerencing thee, as the very cause of their tranquillitie and libertie. All men shall exalt thine integrity, as the Tutrix of all good men, & sure defence of the afflicted. And yet thou shalt haue more than all this, for thou shalt receiue both honor and glorie, and therefore humble thy selfe the more vnder the hand of thy God, and acknowledge this benefit to come from him, & so yeeld him homage. Now ye homage which he requireth of thee, is nothing else but thy mouth & hands; Thy mouth, to offer him praise and thanks, and thy hands to serue him according to his commaundements.
Heere yee see what the spirit of God, as me thought, sayd vnto me by word of mouth, which I will communicate with you my friends, and make ye partakers of these holie aduertisemēts, to the end, that if ye shall see any man hereafter prosper in his affayres, and blaspheme in his life, ye be not offended threat, neyther be ye angrie and grieued in your selues, if ye see a man that dealeth vniustly, abound in all kind of wealth.
8 Be still therefore, and qualifie that bitter humor which pricketh and hammereth so in your heads, and then no doubt, ye will neuer haue the hart to do him any hurt for all this. For, the requitall of good men, is not only to do good for good, but to require also good for euill.
9 And all such as are carried away with an impatient heat, to the procuring of anothers hurt, and all they, who in stead of leauing vnto God the reuenge which he reserueth vnto himselfe, will vsurp the same, shall be rooted out for euer: and as insolent and saucie seruants, which take vpon them the authoritie of their maister, shall be [Page 254] shamefully and hardly punished. But hee that possesseth his soule in patience, and constantly attendeth the iudgement of God, he will commend and blesse his obedience, and after that he hath punished the wicked for their vnmercifulnesse, he will also confiske their goods and possessions, and make himselfe maister and possessor of them all.
10 Wait but awhile, and yee shall see the time come, that hee whome yee haue seene to be so mightie and great, and benefited himselfe so greatly by his sinnes, and by his wicked and crafrie deuises, stored vp an infinite number of goods, and as hee him-selfe thought, was in the hye way to heauen, shall passe away like a running brooke, where the water fleeteth away in great billowes, where nothing shall bee seene saue mire and dirt, and there shall not remayne onely so much, as any marke of the place where hee had beene, nor no more remembrance of him, then of the winde that blew the sommer past.
11 But contrarywise, humble and mercifull men, shall enioy his place, be the successors of his wealth, and reigne most assuredly in the land, leauing his goods in succession to his children, and peace shall be with his as an inheritance. A ritch peace, and a plentifull inheritance, which [...]auoureth all the rest of the goods, without the which all the remaynde [...] is naught else but torment and affliction. A peace that is sweeter then oyle, and the honie that is most sweet, which hatcheth in thy bosome all maner of pleasures and delightes, which maketh vertue sprout out flower, and nourisheth and ripeneth his holie fruites.
12 Now this peace is the gift of God, and none can geue it vs, but his goodnesse, and nothing can moue his goodnes to do it, saue the reformation of our wicked liues. For, so long as there is warre within vs, and sinne, which is the seed of discord, shall lodge with vs, we can not hope, or yet looke for either peace or rest. But cōtrariwise, if we can be at peace with God, we shall be sure to be forthwith [Page 256] at peace with men, and be in firme, and most assured rest.
13 I right well know, that there will be alwayes some wicked men, whose abhominable wills will go euen to the graue with them: And I right well know, that they wil euer haue a watchfull eye, to surprise good men, and to take part against them: they will gnash their teeth at them, and grin like roring Lions, for their hatred is so extreame against the good and godly, as that when they behold them, they cast downe their countenance, and are more like beasts then men.
14 But the Almightie God, who hath ordeyned that which hath bene, shall be, and must be, and whose ordinances are vnchangeable, laugheth to scorne these their deuises, and smileth at the vaine deuises of these miserable false wretches, which rush into the ayre, and flourish with their swords against the winde: he seeth their end draw neere by degrees, which will carrie them away as a great whirle winde.
15 For, when as they shall thinke them-selues to be maisters, and make a reckning to haue all in their owne [Page 257] then shall they be in greatest danger. Ye shall see these miserable sinners with their naked swords in their hands, bending their bowes, and taking their ayme to ouerthrow the innocent: They will make their part strong, dispose of their people, lay their ambushes, haue their watchword, and in a iollitie and meriment will say in their harts, Tush, wee haue him now in hold, he shall neuer escape.
16 They will massacre the poore, the needy, and innocent, and take vppon them to roote out all such as are of an vpright soule and heart. For, it is they, with whom they meane to deale, it is they, whome they bid warre vnto, because they stop the execution of their purposes, and whose innocencie is a perpetuall reproch vnto them.
17 They haue already put their kniues to the throats of the poore innocents, their blowes were numbred, they had shot their arrowes, and the traine had already takē fire, and loe, by a wonderfull accident, the points of their swords are turned vppon theyr owne breasts, their owne arrowes stab in them, their bullets rebounded, and [Page 258] lighted vpon them-selues, their bowes brake all to shiuers in their hands, and in the end they were slayne with their owne weapons. Thou hast sayd ô Lord, alwayes right well, that wicked counsels light vpon the authors of them, to their owne destruction. Thou hast rightly foretold, that the wicked are takē in their own snares, and thou hast rightly fore-iudged, that the wicked in the end abide the same punishment which they had prepared for others.
18 It is not therefore, ô Lord, the worldly power, greatnesse, & authority which make men happy, neither yet the troupes, nor the armies which do assure them, & make thē conquerors. For, that little that the iust man hath, who by his sinceritie hath obtained thy grace, standeth him in better stead, then the aboundance of all sorts of goods which the wicked do any way get, stand them in stead. The litle that a iust man hath, swelleth & riseth as a peece of dough, & his force redoubleth against the charge, euen as the arme of a Palme tree doth: for his strength taketh roote in thee, who art the foundation [Page 259] of all force and power.
19 But, as for the arme of the sinner, how stiffe and stout soeuer it be, yet shall it be shiuered in peeces, and his strength shall be troad vnder feet, for, it is but a vaine outward shewe, which swelleth and puffeth it selfe vp as a glasse in the furnace, for it is puffed vp by the blowing of the workeman, groweth and looketh very cleare, but the more it groweth and waxeth bright, the tenderer and britler it is, so as it breaketh in peeces with the first knocke it hath, and after the noyse of the breaking and fall, there is no more seene of it but the small peeces. But as for the iust man, he is compared vnto a Diamond, for the more it is rubbed, the cleerer it is. And that, which affliction taketh away from an innocent man, is nothing else but his beastlinesse, his ordure, and his excrements: for, the nakedder that he is, the more beautifull he is.
20 Lastly, whatsoeuer it is that God layeth vpon the godly, it is altogether for their saluation. For, he knoweth both the dayes & the life of those [Page 260] that are pure and cleane, and geueth vnto them that which is needfull for them. Their blessednes is prepared for them from all eternitie, and shall possesse it vnto all eternitie. Not as an earthly inheritance, but as an heauenly inheritance, whose ritches are infinite and eternal, and inheritance, which being deuided amongst all his children, will continue sound and whole, for euer and euer, whose parts shall be as great as the very whole enheritāce. For, this is that glorious enheritance, which enriching so many people, filleth all with eternall blessednes, and remayneth alwayes one, and alwayes infinite.
21 Now, although the hope of the seruāts of God be not tied to the earth, yet neuerthelesse, so long as they shall be here in this world, yet will not God let them want that which is necessarie for their liues. For, whensoeuer the ill time shall come, and that vengeance shall rise vp against men, and that the waters ouer flow, stormes reigne, and heauen poure downe fire like rayne, yet shall the righteous be then at rest and peace in the middest of the tempests, [Page 261] dry amongst the shipwracks, and safe and sound in the hotest of the flames. And againe, whensoeuer any hideous famine shall come to deuoure the people, yet shall they haue Manna rayne downe from heauen to satisfie them. For, the wrath of God is but against the wicked, and his anger is not kindled but against them. But as for the godly, the neerer that they thinke them-selues vnto danger, the neerer are they vnto saluation and health.
22 It fareth not with them, as it doth with the enemies of God, who are mightely exalted and honored on hye, that their fall might be the greater, and the more shamefull, because no man can leape a great leape, but such a one as standeth very hye. The falls of hye Towres shutter all to pieces, and are brought as it were vnto dust. Howbeit, it is farre worse with the wicked: for when they haue once had their blow, they fall not only vnto dust, but vanish into smoke, nay they become nothing at all. Behold how the cloudes come foorth as if it were the thunder out of the mouth of a great Cannon, they grow into heapes, increase, [Page 262] and lye out so broad and thick, as that a man would say, they would fill the emptinesse of the ayre, and roll vp the Sunne: But after they haue by little and little gotten higher vp, ye see them by and by to waxe thin, and in the end scatter, and consume, so as a man shall not see so much as any signe or token that euer they had bin▪ And such is the mightinesse of the wicked, whose substance is nothing else but sinne, and whose mouing is nothing but vanitie, it groweth suddainly, and it is gone as suddainly, and what soeuer they are able to do, for to think to conserue the same, they can by no meanes any way further it.
23 They borrow and neuer pay againe, all is fish that commeth to net, and all is theirs that they may gayne by, neither leaue they any thing behinde, which they are able to carry away, and yet notwithstanding, all this profiteth them nothing, for, as the aboundance of meates fatteth not him that is in a consumption, because the radycall humor of his life is dried vp, euen so is the blessing of God, which is the roote of all prosperitie, withholden [Page 263] from the wicked. But contrarywse, the iust, which is mercifull, and full of compassion, geueth his goods, and dealeth liberally, distributeth his money, and is as the course an running of a liuely water, which neuer dryeth vp.
24 This is a blessing which is promised vnto all those that blesse the name of God, that they shall enherit the land, that is to say, they shall haue a good title vnto the land, as it were by enheritance. And although they are striuen agaynst for it, yet shall they neuer lose it. For they are as Gods deere children, whome hee hath created, and therefore they are of a good and sure ground, that they shall hold the same. But they which blaspheme agaynst his name, are disinherited of his grace, and as vnthankefull children, depriued of theyr fathers inheritance, so as they hauing his curse, can not choose but perish.
25 For, there is no saluation in this world, but by trusting in God, and by committing our selues vnto his tuition. For, he so directeth the wayes of a [Page 264] good man, and so guideth all his actions, as that it is impossible to be amended. He aymeth his will at godlinesse, and turneth away his eyes from the baytes of sinne, he bringeth back the windings and crosse wayes of voluptuousnes, into the broad beaten hye wayes of vertue, and setteth it in the way of his commaundements.
26 For, this is a faire and smooth way, wherein are no stones, ne yet lets, for it is altogether playne and smooth. So as although the wicked one, or the father of lyes casteth his leg before the iust man to make him trip & stumble, or yet set a snare for him, thou thy selfe O Lord, standest hard by him to life him vp againe, and wilt not suffer him to be frushed and crushed. And with thy mercifull hand, yea euen with a most gentle and euen hand, thou shorest him vp, and redressest him.
27 I haue bene yong and now an old, and yet as far as I can remember, I can not call to minde that euer I sa [...]e God forsake the righteous man, nor his children driuen to beg their bread▪ Well may he haue sometimes a little trouble come vpon him, to proue his [Page 265] constancie, and to try his strength, but [...]t passeth and tottereth on without a [...]y fearing of him.
28 I haue seene a man that hath [...]one nothing all day long but geue, [...]d lend, so as a man would haue sayd [...]hat he had taken great pleasure in [...]cattering abroad his goods, and yet [...]e more abounded in wealth them e [...]er he did before. He resembled pro [...]erly the pipe of a pumpe, which dra [...]eth water by casting of it out: for the [...]ulnesse thereof can not abide that a [...]y emptinesse should be in it. And so, [...]he rightuous man geueth, and God [...]orthwith filleth him againe, his poste [...]itie feeleth no want of his largenesse, [...]or, the blessing of God, causeth his [...]one to bud forth, euen as the Sunne maketh the fruits of the earth, and [...]ultiplieth an hundred for one.
29 Seeing then that God is so good [...]d so liberall, if thou louest to haue [...]is fauour, bethinke thee how thou [...]ayest please him, for, it is the verie meane to turne him from doing hurt, [...]nd to do good. For God, loueth such a one, as imitateth him: for, loue commeth of resemblance, and his actions [Page 266] are to do good, for, he busieth h [...] selfe about nothing else, and he [...] gan this worke euen from the first b [...] ginning of the world, and was [...] wearyed therewith. And therfore let [...] do like vnto him, and so long as [...] shall dwell here in this world, wh [...] he hath graunted vs meanes to se [...] for his glorie, and for the profi [...] of our neighbors, let vs neglect no [...] casion at all to discharge both the [...] and the other, and in so doing, we sh [...] be sure to obteyne his fauour, which [...] the richest treasure that we poss [...] can recouer.
30 For, there is nothing that ple [...] seth him so much, as to deale vprigh [...] and iustly: for thereby, we conse [...] his workemanship, as much as in [...] lyeth, and allow of his wise counsell, [...] rendring vnto euery man that whi [...] is appoynted him, and distributed [...] the vniuersall law of the world, wh [...] we call Nature, and to thinke th [...] when we iudge others, we admini [...] his power, and looke what iudgeme [...] we geue against others, the like will [...] also geue against vs, whē as he shal [...] ter into his Throne to iudge the [...] [Page 267] world. Not that he can iudge corruptly as we do, but will make vs feele by his iudgement, the corrupt dealing which we haue made others feele, by our owne. For, he will neuer forsake his holy ones, he will gather them together at the end, and couer them from the vniust dealing of men, and will expressely enter into his iudgement seate, to iudge all those that oppressed them.
31 And there will he pronounce heauie iudgemēt against the vniust, & make the wicked perish. They shall be fast bound in infernall paines, where they shall be heard houle amiddest their torments, and the paine shall exceed & abound ouer their heads, euen vnto their posteritie, and their childrē shal draw their fathers sins after them, and beare part of their miseries.
32 And at that time shall the grace of God spread it self aboundantly vppon the righteous, because their prosperitie might be a second paine vnto the wicked, filling their harts with enny, which shal cōtinually gnaw the, for they shal see the good & godly me possesse their lād in peace, their generatiō [Page 268] reigne in most assured rest, and flourish as the tree planted fast alonge [...] hard by the pleasant riuers side, which casteth our his branches at length, an [...] spreadeth forth his boughes into the ayre, flourish beautifully, bring forth leaues aboundantly, and fructifie mo [...] excellently.
33 But what shall be the fruites o [...] the rightuous man? shall they be his goods which he hath scraped and scratched together, or the castles and goodly houses which hee hath built? Nay, nay, they are fruites most vnworthy o [...] such a tree, which will wither away a [...] the very first feeling of any frost, yea, fruites that will fall at the first blast: No, no, they are those good and sweet sauouring fruites which growe within the beautifull and fat greene soyle of the diuine wisedome. They shall be holie and religious thoughts, meditations, full of zeale and deuotion, by the which hee shall ioyne his spirit vnto God, and withall opening his soule, shall receyue the beames of the holie Ghost, which shall animate in him a thousand gratious and vertuous actions, as the fruit of life: and holynesse [Page 269] passing from his hart into his lips, shall make his talke to be both righteous, and full of equitie.
34 For he shall haue the law of God alwayes imprinted in his soule, as a most iust and sure rule, wherewith he shall encompasse his talke, neyther shall hee need to feare for euer going out of the right way, or yet to haue his foote at any time to slip, for, the foundation thereof is ouer-strongly layd, and the scituation therof too too sure, and the path thereof most excellently directed: for, the law of God, is sounder and surer, then either steele or iron, it is an inflexible rule, and an vnchangeable light: this is such a place of assurance, where a man is not onely rightly guided, but also in as great safetie, as if he were betweene two brasen walles.
35 For, marke and behold awhile the wicked, what ado he maketh to lye in ambush to surprise the innocent, and consider also what preparation he maketh to take from him both his honor and his life, and marke, if he hath forgotten any thing for his purpose.
36 And yet God neuer leaueth a [Page 270] good man into what danger soeuer he falleth, he neuer geueth him ouer into the sacrilegious hands of these cruell murderers, neither yet into their bloudie craftie doings, nor shamelesse sclanders: for, he is Iudge, and full of all power, he his also a witnesse, and the knowledge of all truth is in him, and thereforee, sith he knoweth the truth, and both can and will iudge the innocent, shall not he be iustified by his sentence geuing?
37 Wait vpon him therefore allye righteous, for his help is sure, neither let it grieue ye to attend vppon him: for, he knoweth what ye haue need of better then ye your selues. For, he maketh slow haste many times, because hee would prooue your patience▪ and sometimes because hee would glorifye you. Walke therefore in his wayes, and see that ye carefully keepe yee in them: set yee strong hedges about his wayes, and edder the [...] with the thornes of your paynes, with the briers of your tribulations, for feare that voluptuousnesse enter no [...] in at them, and that pleasure trayne yee not vp in them, and so bre [...]ke [Page 271] [...]d spoyle your way. Perseuere still in your course, euen vntill you sweate both bloud and water, to the end yee may come vnto the aboad of your rest, where God will exalt ye far aboue this [...]isible world, yea, far aboue his glorified Angells: for, he will cause you leade sinners in triumph, and make you see the land purged of their iniquitie, assigned out for the portion of good and godly men.
38 I am many times astonyed to see the wicked & naughty man aduanced [...]o all honor & dignitie, and holding al the whole land as it were subiect vnder his feet. The Cedar tree of Lybanon hath not an hier nor an vprighter head, ne yet seemeth to be more glorious, euen then when he is clothed with his greene & tender boughs, and putteth forth his new buds and branches, as is the wicked mā in the strēgth & power of his pomp & magnificence.
39 But as I passed by whereas I had left him, I was abashed that I could see him no more, for I saw the place of his greatnesse, & it was become like vnto a wildernesse. I demaunded what was b [...]ome of him that was so lustie and [Page 272] braue, and that was so redoubted an [...] feared, and loe, there was not a ma [...] that could tell me what was become of him. I sought after him in euery place, to see and if I could haue met with him, and I could neither hea [...]e either tale or tidings of him, all was melted away with him, so as there was not so much as any note or marke of him, it seemed that the fire had runne ouer him and consumed him.
40 We must therefore learne b [...] the example of their miserie, to es [...]h [...] their sinnes, and in following another kinde of life, we may come to [...]abe [...] end. Be innocent therefore, and [...] die to be vpright, and loue equitie and righteousnesse: for the peaceable and reasonable man leaueth rest to his familie, and is renued in his posteritie.
41 It fareth not with him as it doth with the reprobate, who is forgotten in a moment, and none commeth after that once vouchsafeth to name him, without it be to curse him. Their race is gone at once, and swallowed vp as it were in a bottomlesse depth, for the first blow he geueth them, turneth them cleane ouer, for they haue no [Page 273] help but from them-selues, and God hath long sithence geuen them ouer.
42 For, he helpeth only the righteous which put their trust in him. For on him they attend, and therefore it is reason that they should find comfort at his hands. They gather them-selues together vnder his wing, as poore chickens, whome the kite pursueth, there shall they finde couert, defence, and consolation.
43 He will help them out of the strongest part of the battell, yea, and although they were enuironed on euery side, yet will he come and de [...]iuer them as it were by his miraculous power and might: he will runne through the prease, to pluck the righteous out of the hands of the wicked. Why doest thou, ô Lord, after this manner, so affectionately support the righteous? Forsooth, it is because that they haue put their whole trust and confidence in thee, and not put their hope in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world, but in thy infinit goodnesse and clemencie, which is neuer voyd of help vnto all those that call vpon thy holy name. Seeing then, ô most righteous [Page 274] and mercifull Father, it hath pleased thee for a time to endure the wicked to enioy the wealth and honor of this world, and to set theyr feet vppon the throats of good and godly men, and sufferest them by theyr cursed threats, and craftie deuises, to torment thy good and innocent seruants. Frame we beseech thee our affections so, as that we be not offended at their prosperitie, and not enuie theyr deceytfull ritches, but couragiously to beare whatsoeuer affliction thou shalt lay vppon vs, paciently attending till thou shalt come to iudge theyr consciences, and search out the bottoms of their counsels, and with the seueritie of thy iustice, imprint vppon theyr foreheads the shame which they haue iustly deserued, abolishing their infamous memorie from aboue the earth, destined vnto the seruice of thy glorie: and in the meane while so to keepe out harts, as that we trust in none but in thee, and make no reckning of whatsoeuer is here in this world, to set our loue thereon, but on thy grace and blessing.
‘Iudge me O Lord. &c. Psalme. 33.’
1 LOrd, be my Iudge, take knowledge of my cause, and bee thou iudge of all the sclanders wherof the wicked accuse mee. Deliuer mee, O Lord, from the hands of the vnrighteous, and from deceiptfull lips. For they haue assembled themselues together to imagine mischiefe against mee, and haue set vp themselues against mee to oppresse and ouerthrowe mee. They will hang vp a cloake of righteousnesse before theyr theeuish purposes, and vnder pretence of lawe, vndoe and defame mee. But, ô thou diuine Iustice, who with an all-seeing eye, scatterest the clowdes of sclaunders abroad, and grauntest day vnto the innocent, shine vpō me a little, & make them vnderstand that truth pierceth through, and beholdeth all their crafty iugling, [Page 276] and maketh way to appeare before thee, ô thou seueare and vncorrupt Iudge, the only comfort of the afflicted.
2 Thou art my strength and my defence, and vppon thee alone resteth mine innocencie. I made readie my selfe to fight against the craftie deuises of these deceiuers which assayle me, and haue dreamed of a thousand arguments to conuince them withall, and do make an accompt rightly to deduct my reasons. But when as I had throughly considered that thou keepest in minde the knowledge of my cause, as my God, my gardian, and protector. I haue sayd alone to my selfe for what purpose serue all these good [...] syllogismes? for, my Iudge knoweth the truth of the fact, and vnderstandeth the equitie of my cause. What can be hid from him who is present at all things? and what can any man declare and shew vnto him that is righteousnesse him-selfe,? who hath established lawes, and vnto whome it belongeth to interpret them? I therefore put my selfe into thy armes, my God, my strength, and refuge. Iudge [Page 277] my cause, and rid me from the sclaunders of the wicked. But why reiectest thou me, my God? I haue a long while called vppon thee, and yet thou hast not come vnto me. In the meane while mine enemies oppresse me, and I am no more able to abide. But now thou my sweet, yea my most sweet soule, why art thou so heauie and sad? and God be some-what slacke in comming to help thee, all the while the wicked are afflicting of thee, why losest thou thy courage thus, and geuest thy selfe ouer vnto sorrow and griefe? That that is deferred, is not altogether lost, for he will come, seeing he hath promised it.
3 Come therefore, my Lord my God, and spread out the beames of thy diuine light vppon me, and seeing thou art the father of truth, leaue not this thy poore captiued daughter in the wicked and vniust hands of her ac [...]sers. If thou louest innocencie, deliuer her then from the bonds of these false accusations. For now, O Lord, mal [...]ce lieth hidden in the darke, and if thou let her haue day light, she is ouercome, and if she be acknowledged, [Page 278] she is vndone. I beseech thee therefore, O my God, let thy light and truth assist my righteousnesse: for, I haue loued them all my life long, and from my youth, haue I made much of them. They haue bene they, my Lord, which first led and guided me before thee, and presented me vnto thee vppon thine holie mountaine, set me in the middest of thy Tabernacle, brought me into thy Church, and gaue me an honorable place in thine house.
4 There it is ô Lord, where I haue chosen my mansion, and mine aboad is with thee. My rest, ô Lord, is onely in thee, and all my glory is to serue thee. Assuring my selfe then vpon thy support & stay, and trusting in thy grace, I will present my selfe vnto thee, who knowest my conscience, and in knowing it, iudgest it, in iudging it, esteemest it, and in esteeming of it, thou confoundest the common enemies of mine honor, and of thy seruice. I will goe vnto thine Aulter which I haue se [...] vp to blesse & sanctifie thy name, and call vppon thee my God, which fillest my youth with gladnesse, and inspiring in minde heart the holie flame of thine [Page 279] holie loue, doest heape vpon me pleasure, delight, and ioy.
5 And therefore will I sound out vpon mine harp in mine hand, the confessing of thy magnificence, and tune with my voyce the sweet notes of thy prayse, one while I wil sing thy immeasurable power, one while thy exceeding goodnesse, and another while thy infinite clemency, and in the end, I wil f [...]nish with this wonderful iustice which hath saued me frō the oppressiō of the vngodly, and made the shame of their wicked purposes, rebound & leape vpō their owne faces. Why wilt thou then be sad my soule, why vexest thou mee thus? and takest in ill part the opprobries and sclanders of the wicked, as if their venemous tongs could any way hurt an innocent conscience? No, no, a burning torch thrust into the water can no sooner be extinquished, then the sclanderous reports of a man that leadeth an innocent life.
6 Trust therfore in God, ô my soule, & reioyce in his fauour, for I right well knowe, that he is well pleased with his prayses by my lips. All my life long [...]ill I prayse him, and declare and [Page 280] confesse him to be the God of truth, the God of iustice, God, the tutor of the innocent, God, the father of saluation, and God, mine only defence. I will haue mine eye alwayes fixed on him, and my face continually turned towards him: for, I haue found no saluation but in him. O my God, who from the beginning of the world reachest out thine armes vnto the afflicted, which hast alwayes receyued into thy protection, the oppressed, and comfortest the iust vniustly tormented, graunt me, O Lord, both comfort and courage, to the end that I taking my spirits vnto me againe, which were halfe in a dead sleepe through affliction, may glorifie thee with all my force, and strangle by the strength of my voyce, the blasphemies of the wicked, which goe about to defame thine honor, and not being able to reach thee, rush and runne vppon the good and godly men tha [...] faithfully serue thee.
‘All people harken and geue &c. Psalme. 46.’
1 COme vnto mee all yee stronge nations, d [...]awe neere yee people that are farthest off, & come ye [...] from all coasts to heare that which ye shall neuer heare else-where. Passe ye the seas & mountaines, and let not any hardnesse of tho way stop ye, for, the prize of your nauigation shall be greater, then he [...]hat sayleth from the East to the West, l [...]den with pearles and diamonds. And the reward of your sweatings shall be more pretious, then the Trophees of those that conquer the nations of the earth. Shore vp your eares therefore, & harken attentiuely vnto that which I shall now say vnto you. O I would to God that ye were all eares, and that all the rest of your benummed senses might strengthen your hearing, to conceiue that which I will deliuer vnto you.
2 Come, come, all ye that call your [Page 282] selues the children of the earth, which thinke to attribute your originall being vnto nothing but vnto the earth, and your being borne, vnto none but vnto your fathers, and suppose nothing to be more auncient here in this world then they, and nothing greater then your selues. In very deed, yee are the right children of the earth, for, ye are as insensible as it is, and of no more vnderstanding, then images made of clay, and annealed in the fornace. Come and open your eares, that I may open the spirit, close vp the eyes of your bodies, that I may make your soules so clearely forsake this stepmother of earth, that I may make you know your heauenly father. Come ye therefore together both poore & rich, for ye are vnworthy of the goods that I meane largely to bestow vpon you.
3 Come, for I go about to discouer & lay wide opē vnto you, the treasures of eternal wisdom. And in opening my mouth being inspired with the grace of Almighty God, I meane to vnfold vnto you in my words his wonderfull wisedome. I haue long held my soule in a deep thought, and after I had a great [Page 283] while dreamed, I conceiued in the end of a strange discourse of Gods wisedome, by which I vnderstood his goodnesse and mercie in all things, and the folly, misery, & infirmitie of mankinde.
4 Whereupon, I being as it were beside my selfe, about the wondring at his greatnes, & the feeling of our own infirmitie, I was forthwith desirous to geue eare vnto that which my spirit taught me, and began carefully to consider of those things which it couertly shewed me, & vnder a disguised maner the knowledge & the truth. And after I had carefully vnderstood & examined the same, I tooke my harp in my hand, & according my voyce vnto the sweet tune of my harp, I was ready to put abroad my conceits, and to make my meditations to be heard, vnto all those that would heare them, that they might be acceptable vnto God, the author of so holie thoughts, and wholesome instruction vnto the fauourable hearer of my discourses.
5 If thou wilt then know what I sayd within my selfe, this I sayd, what shall I feare in the hardest time of my life? Why should I feare when death shall [Page 284] come to lay hold on me, and to cause me to get me out of this world? Alas, deat is a strange busibody, I know not who should not feare him, seeing no man can keepe him-selfe from him. How shall I be able to defend my selfe from his arrowes? What armour shall I put on against his pick-axe, which ouerthroweth and razeth Castels, Cities, Kingdomes, and Empires: yea, which threatneth to bring the world to an end, and who at last shall make an end of him-selfe? I shall need no kinde of weapons but innocencie, that is able to be a steely, & an assured buckler for me: for, if I take not good heed vnto it, that traytor sinne, whome death hath appoynted, will neuer be from my heeles, will lodge in my concupiscēce, and deliuer me presently at an assault into the hands of damnation.
6 O deare and wholesome innocencie, in thee alone resteth all our assurance, vnder thy faith we constantly abide whatsoeuer shall come vppon vs, and we beleeue that thou art strong inough to defende vs from death. O foolish and mad men, who leauing this faithfull protection, [Page 285] assure them-selues in their greatnesse and mightinesse, make an accompt of their ritches and magnificences. They accompt the Nations which are vnder their gouernments, and recken vp the treasure which they keepe vnder lock and key, and to what purpose serueth all this against death?
7 If one brother can not redeeme the life of another for money, nay, and if one would dye for another, yet inexorable death will not receyue him, what then shall man geue vnto death for his owne ransome? Shall he geue the goods that are none of his, or his dominions which he loseth as soone as he is dead? No, no, there is nothing which hee hath left vnto him-selfe wherewith God is appaised, and pacified when his iudgement is once pronounced against mortall men. He [...]ill not compound with him for any thing whatsoeuer. This is his creature, this is the slime of the earth, out of [...]hich hee will take when it pleaseth him, the spirit of life whcih he breathed into him, and therefore man can no way gaynsay, nor yet reply against him.
8 Let vs I beseech thee a little, value the soule of man, and let vs see what he will offer vnto God for his ransoming of him, let him trauell a little all his life long, let him go and trauell awhile all the dayes of his life, let him goe and ferrit out all the corners of the earth, let him go and dra [...] out the bowels of the mines, let him draw dry the golden dugs of both the Indies, let him dispeople the Easterne parts of the world of all her pearles, and when he hath heaped vp all this geare, let him then come and bargain with God for the prolonging of his life, and wee shall heare his reasons▪ What other thing shall he be, but like vnto a prisoner, which offreth to cast off his bolts and shackles, if he might haue libertie geuen him? O miserable man that thou art: for, that thing which thou thinkest should serue thee for thy safegard, is the very window whereat death must enter. For, death commeth by reason of sin, & [...] by reason of concupiscence, and th [...] concupiscence is nourished, encreased, and kindled by all these. For, God will speake all naked vnto thee euen a [...] [Page 287] [...]e placed thee here in the world, and will, before he begin to capitulate with thee, haue thee deliuer vnto him that which thou hast robbed him of, I meane those graces and benefits whcih thou hast misused, & then shalt thou thinke with thy self whether thou hast of thine owne to pay him double, yea quadruple, for the punishment due vnto thee for thine ill life.
9 Alasse poore senselesse thing, if thou once commest to that, what shalt thou be able to say against death, seeing that the wisest and valiantest men are enforced to be courbed vnder his yoke? Shalt thou who hast made no accompt but of corruptible and perishing ritches, shalt thou, I say, be preserued from corruption, and the wise man, who sought by all the meanes possible he could, to immortalize himselfe here in this life, & conuersed with the Angels, cannot warrant himselfe from him? Thou thy selfe seest him come to an end, and hopest thou to be immortall? No, no, for both wise men & fooles dye, but after a diuerse & sundry manner: for, the death of the wise man shalbe but a passage, & he shal f [...]nd [Page 288] at his returne his talent infinitely multiplied and encreased, and the glorie which he hath sowne, shal encrease aboundantly, and ouershadow the generation of his children.
10 Howbeit, all these poore wretched blind soules, who continually hold down their heads vnto the earth, and whose spirits are shut vp in their purses, who haue none other vnderstanding, but to loue those things which are not to be beloued, who neglect and contemne both Sunne and Moone, the verie principall works of nature, to admire stones, and marble, gold, and siluer, which vainely scatter and disperse the vertues of intelligēce and vnderstanding, for the getting together, and heaping vp of the excrements of the earth, shall forgoe the ritches which they haue so greatly loued, and for which, they hated all the rest. Ye shall see them hale and pull against death, and draw their ritches with them euen vnto the graues but death will set them vpon their fingers ends, and cause them to leaue them euen when they haue gotten them. They that are halfe dead, shall goe about [Page 289] to lift vp a little their eye lids, to [...]ee & if they can find their treasure at [...]he wykes of their eyes, but in the end [...]hey must be packing, they must leaue [...]his worldly pomp, because a mightie power hath pluckt them away. But [...]nto whome shall they leaue this preparation & furniture? forsooth it may [...]e vnto a stranger whome they neuer [...]ew, or euer yet once dreamed of, [...]ho shall bath and blesse him selfe in [...]he sweate of this miserable ritch cay [...]ife & churle, who shall haue no more [...]eft him for his portion, but a graue of [...]teene or twentie soot long at the [...]ost, and this shall be his house for e [...]er, wherein let him keepe him selfe if [...]e will.
11 What is become then of these [...]raue waynscotted palaces, these guilt [...]autes, these beautifull ranks of choyse [...]illers, these so faire curled marbles, [...]hese emblemes & sentences engrauen [...] brasse, and all the rest of these won [...]ers of vanitie? What? is nothing of [...]ll this left for him? he had established [...]is lands and possessions from race to [...]e, from generation to generation, [...]d called his houses by his owne [Page 290] name: surely, this must needs be [...] great man.
12 Alasse poore man, for, when h [...] was in honor, he knew not himselfe neither had he any knowledge, & he s [...] caried himself, as that he is brought t [...] be of the number of the bruite beas [...] & made like vnto Asses & horses, wh [...] haue neither wit nor iudgement. For what greater honor could he desire [...] wish to haue, then to be made and formed vnto the fashion of the Deity, a [...] to be placed amōgst the works of Go [...] there to command as his lieutenant he was not as it were lesse then A [...]gels, & had a spirit to comprehend th [...] greatest wonders of the Deity: but b [...] flying from the day and light of kno [...]ledge, he hid himselfe in the dens a [...] caues of ignorance & blockishnes, a [...] remained therein all his life long, ha [...]ching there I know not what mis [...]rable ritches, & was found in the e [...] to become like vnto the bruite beast [...] for, as they neuer neigh & bray but [...]ter otes, and neuer trauell but for p [...]sture, euen so this man neuer bestir [...] him selfe, but about the getting of n [...]cessarie things for the bodie: nay, [...] [Page 291] did worse then so, for he could not prouide, and vse, for the entertayning of him selfe, the goods which he so eagerly coueted, but became therein farre worse, then all the rest of the beasts of the field, whose vnruly appetites were satisfied with the vse of those things which they desired.
13 O, what an infamie and offence are the liues of such kinde of men, who are so shamelesly brutished? What remayneth then more for them both here in this world, and in the world to come, but shame in this, and payne and torment in the other? And besides, let them runne on in delighting them selues in their vayne discourses, and priding of themselues in their ritches. Let them now a little remember the speeches which they haue, whereby they seeme to esteeme of none but of them selues, and their money, making no better accompt of all other men, then of the rushes vnder their feet.
14 Thus we see how they draw them selues vnto hell, euē as sheep led to the Shambles, death is come who hath deuoured [Page 292] them, and nothing left of them but their pitifull bare bones, which canker and are worme-eaten in the graue.
15 And loe, the iust man who patiently endured their insolencie, his time is now come to reigne, and is at ease, he is vp by the breake of the day, and after hee hath geuen thanks to God, he goeth to see if he can finde the place where one of these miserable caytifs dwelt, and where he is placed, for insulting, brauing, and tyrannizing of the whole world, and sayth a part vnto him selfe, Thanked be God, for cleansing the earth of such off-scouring, and placing such as blesse his name. For, this wicked churle with all his glorie is become rotten and puttified. He is now in torment, and there is not one to help him, and so let him remayne there hardly: for, death is a passage for him, neuer to returne.
16 And as for me, ô Lord, I right well know that I must dye, for, the sin of our first parent hath bound vs to pay that debt, it is the reward for his disobedience, we must go againe into the earth, and returne from whence [Page 293] we came. Neuerthelesse, ô Lord, thou shalt redeeme me from death, and deliuer me from the hand of hell, when it would lay hold on me. Thou wilt not suffer me to go downe all below, but wilt deliuer me euē at the very mouth thereof, and be contented that I acknowledge it, without suffering the punishment of my deserued thraldome and captiuitie. But what shall be the price of my redemption? shall it be the goods and possessions of the earth, and the aboundance of gold and siluer? No, ô Lord, for hell is full thereof, it maketh no reckning of this gea [...]e: for thou thy selfe shalt be the price of my redemption, thou shalt deliuer thine owne body to death, that my soule might be deliuered from hell, Thou shalt put vpon thee and cloth thee with the dolors of the dead, that I might be clothed with the ioyes of immortalitie. And therefore I will not from henceforth my God, haue any other ritches but thee, and in possessing thee, I shall possesse the whole world, and in louing thee, I shall be in thee, & thou in mee, and thou being there, shalt bring thither all the goods, [Page 294] strength, and glorie of the world, and fill me full with other manner of ritches, then the ritches of these miserable carles which will not acknowledge thee: for, their ritches, are but the fruite of their sinne, which shall perish with their sinne.
17 No mā ought to be abashed to see them all at once suddainly enriched, ne yet to esteeme thē to be any whit the happier therby: for, although the false honor which they so greedily hunt after, exceedeth & excelleth, and are filled with this vaine and vanishing glorie, which carieth with it but a glorious glittering outward shew, yet must we not be in an admiration thereat, much lesse enuie the same.
18 For, although they shall at any time haue kissed the earth, and put on the round compasse thereof, yet shall they carry away nothing of it with thē saue their winding sheet, nothing shall follow them but their shadow, and yet I beleeue, that it will also leaue them, for the very selfe-same day which maketh the shadow, will forsake them, and they shall want the ordinary light, and in stead of these magnificēces, pomps, [Page 295] and swelling ostentations, wherewith they make little children afeard, shall wrap them vp in sorrow, griefe, dolor, anguish, pouertie, and miserie, and cast them into Mercuries heape.
19 And is it not great reason that it should be thus? for, they haue taken their pleasures here in this life, and haue had their felicitie in this world, and whatsoeuer they haue desired, hath falne vnto them, goods haue come rolling in by heapes vnto them, the felicitie of their greatnesse was a burden vnto them, they esteemed of none, but of such as did help to enrich them, neither loued they any but such as gaue them, and made much of none, saue of those that encreased their reuenues. They are like to those mē, who because they would haue a great stock, sell the proprietie of their goods vnto others, they dye, leauing nothing behinde for the world to come, hauing made no prouision for any goods that are there in request, but content them selues with the goods that serue for this earthlie life, which being ended, they are left verie poore. They haue desired honor, but a vaine [Page 296] and slipperie honor, which hangeth and resteth but vpon the opinion of fooles; they had it, but they could not tell well how to keep it. They would gladly haue sit vppon the top of the wheel, & that being turned about, they are now downe in the bottome therof, but blessed and happy are they which can keepe them sure and immoueable vpon the scaffold, and see them selues safe both aboue and below.
20 But these miserable caytifes haue done nothing so, for they haue made the leape them selues, they haue voluntarily climbed vp to the steepest place, from whence they haue bene cast downe backward euen vnto hell, they are at this day in the number of their forefathers, there haue they found their Auncesters, from whome they receyued their birth and conditions, they were imitators of theyr sinnes, and when they are dead, they shall be also partakers of their punishment: for, when repentance commeth too late, they then learne but out of season, what it is to lift them selues vp against God, and oppose them selues vnto his glorie: then they learne what [Page 297] it is to afflict the iust, to oppresse the poore, and to scorne the afflicted. They are confined in the darke, and the light geueth no more s [...]ght vnto their eyes. They hare nothing but horror, and gnashing of teeth, they breath out nothing but sighes and groanes, and they neuer stirre, but with trembling and fretting.
21 When these poore senselesse people were in honor, they could not vnderstand it, but became like vnto brute beasts, which haue neyther sense nor iudgement. But yet alasse they are farre vnlike, for death, in bereauing the beasts of their liues, taketh from them aswell the feeling of their paine, as of their pleasure: but as for these poore fooles, who would neuer vnderstand wherein their chiefe blessednes consisted, but closed vp their eyes against the eternall light, and stopped their eares against the spirituall word, shall haue their sense as an argument or subiect of torments, and their spirit shall liue, continually to conceiue, and eternally to languish their miseries.
‘O how good is God. &c. Psalme. 73.’
O How great is the goodnes of our God, and how assured is his helpe vnto all those that wait vpon him? Vnto those, I say, who haue neuer turned away their thoughts from his iustice and mercie, and who hauing the eyes of their soules alwayes fixed vpon his prouidence, neuer gaue ouer the hope which they should haue in his grace. And how greatly blessed are they, whome the sundry ill haps of this world could neuer shake that constant assurance which they ought to haue of Gods righteousnesse: O, how greatly, I say, is the constancie of such men to be commended!
2 For, to say truly, my foot oftentimes began to slip in the way, and I glided oftentimes as it were euen readie to fall to the ground. Much like vnto them that climbe vp a steepe thornie hill, who, so soone as they feele the briers and brambles begin to [Page 299] prick and raunch them, or rub off the skinne against any flint stone, lay hold with theyr hands for verie griefe vpon the crampons and rests which help them to climbe vp, and then forthwith tumble quite & cleane downe, if they be not the sooner stayed: Euen so my God, whilst I would vnderstād the iudgemēts of thy works, & behold how thou dispensest thy graces, as one pricked & wounded to see the wicked prosper, I make many false steps & strides, and am ready to fal into this steep breakeneck of not belieuing thy wisedome and righteousnesse.
3 What, say I, shall become of the people which know not God otherwise then to blaspheme him, who think that they haue taken a pawne to serue their lusts and peruerse affectiōs, who wil none of him but to haue him serue thē as a moment, to serue their wicked doings, & for a maske to serue their iniquities, & for a lure to serue their deceits, & yet get together the fruit of his grace, and possesse in peace & rest the chreame of his benefits? I confesse my God, that I am iealous of their prosperitie, and do enuie this their case, [Page 300] and me thinketh it to be altogether against all reason.
4 For, who is he that seeth them, that would say they should dye? Who would not thinke but that they had bought of thee for a certaine summe the right of immortalitie here in this world? Who would not say but that they were partakers with thee of euerlasting and constant felicitie? Moreouer, we see that all things alter and change here in this world, which sheweth, that in successe of time all these things must come to an end, but we see their prosperitie to be so firme, and of so great equalitie, as that a man would thinke that if they continually encrease in such sort as they do, they will grow at last to be as infinite as thy selfe, and place them selues in thy heauenly Throne: for, there is no likelyhood that any thing can do them hurt, neither yet that any the least and only mishap is able to rest vpon the skirt of this so glorious magnificence. It is incredible, that any thing can be able to hurt their pretious bodies, enuironed with such aboundance of so excellent ritches.
5 As for other men, they are made crooked with labor, and trauell is their ordinarie course of life: they are borne with groanes, they grow vp with s [...]ghs, they waxe old with lamenting: the Sea is oftner without wind, then their liues are without torments, a man shal not see so many shot about a white, as he shall see miseries and afflictions fast tyed round about all other men. But these men alone are shielded and exempt from all these, and in an equall and constant course of life, they swimme at pleasure in the delights of this world, and make the calamities of good men, and such as feare God, their pastimes and sports. Hast not thou seene a Tyrant vpon the top of a Theatre, looking vpon poore slaues fighting against Lions and Tygres, feeding his eyes and cruell hart, with seeing a poore man pluckt quite & cleane in pieces, and dismembred? After the same manner do the wicked feed their desires, in beholding the troubles which scourge the innocents.
6 O, how prowd and arrogant doth this make them? for they thinke that the earth was made for them alone, [Page 302] nay, they suppose, that it is not great enough to hold them. As for other men, they looke ouer their shoulders at them, and it should seeme that they enuie them because they liue, and disdainfully say in murmuring wise, Shall we alwayes see this raskall before vs? Shall this bundle of miserable wretches be euer still in our eyes? And besides, when they are alone, they say, What begger is this? What beast is it? Thus we see how they are louers of them-selues, without companion, and they know no good thing here in this world, but them selues, none worthie desert but them selues, and taking them selues as Gods, they adore themselues, seruing nothing but their owne lusts, and reuerencing nothing but their owne passions, so as they are couered ouer from top to toe, with pride, iniustice, and impietie.
7 They are fat with nothing but with wickednes, and their bodies are not fatter with grease, then their soules are with sinnes & iniquities. All manner of villanies and abhominations rumble & tosse vp and downe in their cōsciences, all their desires & thoughts [Page 303] tend to nothing but vnto some fi [...]thinesse, or malignitie, at this their eyes leere and gleere, at this it is, that their hands itch, hereon is all their heart set, other affection haue they none, they are moued with nothing but with malice, a man would say, that this were it, which stirreth and emboldneth their bodies.
8 Thou shalt see, that after they haue along while forethought themselues of their sinnes, after they haue chawed down their wicked purposes, & executed any cursed enterprise, how they glory therin, braue all the world, speake of Authority, they haue law to do what so euer they do, there can nothing be so stoutly or yet so proudly imagined as they do, but if they had any shame at the least, & that being contented licē tiously to outrage men, yet might they cōteine thēselues frō most villanously blaspheming the holy name of God.
9 But what shall I say my God? they haue lifted vp their heads against heauen, & disdainfully looked vpō the seat of thy mightines, as if they would haue sayd, who is like vnto vs? which do here in this, world what we lust: yea euen we, [Page 304] vnto whose bowes all men bend themselues, and vnto whome nature her selfe serueth for a walking staffe. And as for the earth, they will not so much as once vouchsafe as it were to looke on it: but in the end, casting their eyes vpward, by way of commiseration, say, what is all this that we see, but that, whose abundance is noysome to vs, and whose fertilitie troubleth vs?
10 This is in very deed, the cause ô Lord, why all the people, being astonied, assemble them selues together to behold this monstrous sight, men run euery where vnto this spectacle, and know not what to say, when they looke vpon this wonderfull shew: for they are there fast tyed, gaping and looking on it.
11 And in the end, they lose their patience, and begin to murmure, and why? doth God which seeth all things say they, perceiue this? Is not this he which hath that great seeing eye, which sawe all things before they were made, seeth them in their being, and foreseeth them to bring them to their end? Is this he, whose prouidence is sayd to be as great in the gouernment [Page 305] of the world, as his goodnes was great in the creation of the same? If he [...]ath disposed all things by compasse, and created all things by measure: If his iustice be presidēt, and hath the chiefe place in the gouernment of this world, what doth he at this present, how is it, that he is now asleepe?
12 Behold how the wicked spoyle his goods, and possesse the ritches of the world: a man would say, that all things are cre [...]ted for them, goods rayne downe vpon them as they would desire, honors roll in by heapes [...]nto their houses, felicitie holdeth them whether they will or no, they desire, and haue, they wish, and it commeth vpon them.
13 And in the end I my selfe thus sayd also, what now, my God, what a thing is this? for the iustifying of mine hart, and the ruling of mine actions according to thy commandements are all in vaine? I gaue ouer all mine owne affection, because I would loue none but thee, I haue circumcised mine hart of all his wicked desires, and fettered my will with the shackles of thy loue, because it should serue nothing else [Page 306] but thy glory: and in eschuing both sinnes and sinners, I haue kept companie with the innocents, and washed mine hands amongst them, and not the hands of my body only, my God, but the hands of my soule, that are mine affections, which I haue washed and purified with the brookes of my teares.
14 I haue embraced repentance, & scourged my selfe all day long, beating mine hart with cōtinuall sorrows, pricking it with sharp and piercing contritions, and driue from it with many sorrowfull sobs all that ill and cursed humor which hath engalled my will. Euery morning when I rose I cryed thee mercy for my sinnes, and detested mine iniquitie, and thinking to amend my life, I continually watched ouer this purpose, and thereupon I began my dayes worke.
15 I sayd within my selfe whē I was alone, loe, as for my selfe, all that I am able to say, is this, that in the end, they which feare God, and serue him, are afflicted, and they that blaspheme his name, liue at all ease & pleasure. And therupon, I began ô Lord, to detest the [Page 307] condition of all those who glorifyed them selues in being thy children and chosen people, and began to say, Are these they that are called the children of the Almightie God? verely, these are the children of reprobation, for loe, the other sort, possesse the inheritance of their Fathers, and these men liue in extreame pouertie. But the others are they that abound in all wealth, and vnto whome God is so fauourable and indulgent, which are his children; it is they vnto whome this name belongeth, seeing they enioy his benefits, and are masters next vnto him selfe, of his works.
16 As I my selfe, ô Lord, verely thought, that I knew it to be so, and to say truly, I was told that it was so indeed. I could not hold me from vexing & tormenting my selfe, saying, Ah my God, how doth this fall out? Is it possible that it should be thus? considering how thou hast threatned the wicked, and how thou hast also prepared punishment for them? To be short, I became strangely and wonderfully perplexed, when I considered of this geat [...].
17 But I at last perceyued thy mind and purpose, and hauing entred into the depth of thy sanctuary, me thought I was come into thy holie consistorie, and vnderstood thy councell therein. For, after I had resolued with my selfe to see the end whereunto thou haddest prepared those peoples, I forthwith saw that thy iustice is most true, and that although it sometimes maketh slow haste, yet it payeth home at the last with seueare punishment, and therefore I verie stedfastly waited and looked what should become of them.
18 And truly, in the end, thou payedst them thorough stitch, and rewardedst them according to their craftie and wicked dealing. For, when they thought them selues at the highest degree of honor, behold, thou ouerthrewst them, and castedst them down headlong in a bottomlesse depth of miserie. For, all their pomps, magnificences, and ritches, were nothing vnto them in the end, but an high and eminent scaffold, to bring them vp vnto that steepe and high breake-necke, from whence they were most shamefully rolled downe ouer and ouer.
19 O most true God, what a desolation & discomfort is this? There is nothing but weeping about them: for, all they of their guards, and all their pentioners, do nothing else but beate their brests, holding down their heads as the Lilly holdeth downe his when it is sore rayne-beaten, and hauing compassion of those whome they were wont to enuy. They most lamentably looke vpon the ruine of their idoll, and consider with them selues how foolish they were to make a mortall and miserable man their God, who was no better then wind or smoke. For, if a man considereth and marketh their end, he shall see them dispatcht and gone in a moment, neyther is there any thing that commeth more speedily to an end, then the way of their greatnesse bringeth them thereunto, and they haue bene so suddainely changed, as that there could be nothing possibly to be seene of them. Behold and looke on them, for once they were, and now they are not, hardly can a man see their footsteps, and marke, whither their sinnes haue brought them, it was a great while before the snare or grin [Page 310] could be made fit for them, but loe in the end, they lighted into it. For, during the time that the foundation of the house was in vndermining, they climbed the higher, that their fall might be the greater. They continually clambered vp higher and higher, and thought, that whatsoeuer was below them, was theirs only, but in the end they clambered vp so high, as that they lost them selues in the ayre, before they could get againe to the earth, so as they were caried away with the wind.
And loe, they became as dreames when men awake: for, as a man sayth when he awaketh, I dreamed well to thinke of such a thing, euen so shall it fare with you, for, when such men as ye are shall vanish away and come to naught, the people will then say, surely the greatnes of these men, was but as a dreame, and a very meere, vaine, and inconstant folly. For, thou wilt make them of so little worth, as that they shall be neuer once thought of, but as in a mockerie, and in discommending and condemning their pride and insolencie, will say, See how their houses [Page 311] are ruined, behold the place where these outragious Sirs dwelt, who cared neither for God nor men, which delighted in nothing but in filthinesse & wickednes, who haue built so many, and so many houses with the boanes of the poore, and cimented their palaces with the bloud of the needy, and loe, there remaineth nothing of all that they had, but the markes and notes of their ignominie, for, the tempest hath passed ouer them, and there is not so much as any one tittle or iote remayning of them.
21 Thus we see, ô Lord, that we must not rashly iudge of thy prouidence, and therefore who so euer will iudge therof, must patiently wait vnto the end, and suffer himself to be led by thy spirit, & must call vpō thee also for the comforting & addressing of him: for, notwithstanding that I fret, fume, chafe, sigh, & grone, and haue set euery part of my body in a sweat with sore labor, and brought my selfe as it were euen to deaths dore, yet am I neuer awhit the better for it: and after I had tormented my selfe, I found my selfe as resolute as I was before.
22 I was so vexed and grieued I say, as that I knew not whether I was a man or a beast, nay, I was in very deed like a beast, and could no more comprehend the same, then if I had vtterly lost mine vnderstanding. Howbeit, I still stand to that hope which I haue in thee, and the more I see my sense and iudgement fayle me, the speedelier runne I vnto thee, and humbly beseech thee to open my spirit, that I may know and vnderstand what thy will is.
23 Thou hast taken and held me fast by the hand, and set me gently againe in the way of thy will, and madest me vnderstand the purpose and mind, nay, thou hast done more then that, for me thinketh, thou hast opened both mine eyes, and the heauens all at once, that I might see the mightinesse of thy glorie: Thou hast I say, ô Lord, made me to see it, for, this is a thing, whereunto no mortall man without thee, is able to reach.
24 For alasse, should I, poore weake thing that I am, go to seeke for that in heauen, which I cannot very well see at my feet, who cannot perceiue, but [Page 313] [...]ith much ado, that which is here o [...] [...]th before me? The eyes of my bo [...]e are very duskish and mistie, and [...]e eyes of my soule farre worse, and [...]ens though [...]s are maruellous vncer [...]ine and weake, for the earthly and [...]rruptible body, dulleth and maketh [...]le our spirits, and [...]yeth and bindeth [...] senses fast vnto the earth, in so [...]ch as that without thee, I can not [...]ope for any thing here below in the [...]orld, nor yet promise vnto my selfe [...]y certaine knowledge of what thing [...]uer. What am I able, being here [...]on the earth, to iudge and discerne [...]hout thy ayd, and without it plea [...]h thee to enlighten my spirit with [...]se things which thou hast ordey [...]d in heauen, in the seate of thine e [...]itie? But thou also, ô Lord, hast [...]plyed my want, and led me by the [...]d, to make me see the counsels of [...]e eternall wisedome, thou hast as [...] [...]ere made me in loue with thee, [...]d hast heaued and thrust my spirit [...] of my body, to make it capable of [...] heauenly light, and of thy wise [...]poses.
25 Surely, when I consider of these [Page 314] wondrous things, I am cleane gone, my hart is taken from me, and I am fallen into a swound, ô God. What is this my God, which thou hast made me see? O thou the God of my hart, of my thoughts, & of my hope, and thou, ô God, whome I esteeme to be my only felicitie, and whome to loue, I haue from henceforth destined all my affections. I now know, ô Lord, what thou art, how iust, and how puissant, I will now neuer be abashed more, ne yet astonyed, to see the strange and wonderfull things of the world, whereof I am not able to comprehend the reason. For, thy counsels are maruellous high, and thy wisedome terrible profound. But in the end, ô Lord, whatsoeuer thou disposest off here in this world, is finished by Iustice.
26 For, as many as withdraw them selues from thy obedience, and estraunge them selues from thy grace, shall perish most miserably: and all they which breake the faith of the couenant which they haue sworne, to serue theyr concupiscences and filthie lustes, and goe an whoring [Page 315] [...]ith the earth, and with their carnall [...]ffectiōs, all they that defile their consciences, and prostitute their soules [...]nto wicked and impio [...]s cogirations, hall be rooted out, and passe through the fury of thy reuenging hands.
27 But as for me, ô Lord, I will neuer depart from thee, neither hope for any other felicitie, but so to cleare & stick fast to thy sides, as that I will neuer depart thence. I will so stedfastly looke [...]pon thee, as that I may obserue the twinklings of thine eyes, and so confirme my selfe vnto whatsoeuer thou desirest of me, & follow ranke by ranke whatsoeuer thou commandest me: I intend to put my whole trust in thee, and seeing I know thee to be altogether good and almightie, and as I assuredly beleeue that thou louest me, so also will I constantly beleeue that thou wilt assist me, and geue me all things that are necessary for me. O, how excellēt & most assured is that hope, that is built vpon the promise of the most good & almighty God, who hath geuen me such a number of earnest pence of his beneficence, so many pawnes of his liberalitie, that he might make [Page 316] me beleeue, that I shall be assured of the reward which he hath promised me, if I serue him faithfully. Why doest thou, my God, most liberally bestow vpon me so many benefits, why doest thou promise me such infinitenesse, seeing there is in me nothing but sinne and infirmitie?
28 I right well see, ô Lord, that it is to the end that I may be the man to declare abroad euery where, thine immensurable mercy, and vnspeakeable goodnes, and publish thy prayse throughout all the gates, places of resort, and secret corners of Syon, thine holy Citie. To the end that I, going vp into thine holy hill amongst those whome thou hast assembled in thy Chu [...]ch, for the receyuing of thy blessings, and seruing of thy glory, might make them vnderstand the secrets of thy wisedome which thou hast vouchsafed to reueale vnto me. And that in addressing my voyce with that stile which thine holy spirit hath framed in the same, I might vnfold the holy mystreries of thine incomprehēsible wisedome, to the end, that euery one hearing me discourse of the knowledge [Page 317] wherein thou hast instructed mee, might be had in admiration, not of me, who am but an hoarse instrument of thy glory, but of the maruellous effects of thy quickning spirit, who shall embolden me vnto this glocious, h [...]y, and solemne worke. But ô Lord, after thou hast for a while, entertained vs here in this estate, vpō this terrestriall Syon, lift vp our eyes vnto that heauenly Syon, embolden and encourage vs vnto the attayning of that blessed aboad, and teach vs, which are they vnto whome thou hast promised the same. And teach vs also, how we must carry our selues to be made worthy of so excellent, holy, and glorious a dwelling place.
‘O Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle, &c. Psalme. 15.’
1 THE world, ô Lor [...], sith it hath so pleased thee, is vnto vs a tedious pilgrimage, wee dayly walke therein, and [Page 318] cannot finde any nights rest for our wearyed members. For, if we thinke to lay downe our heads vpon the pillow or bolster to geue our eyes sleepe, our afflictions importune vs like flyes, yea, and the very passions which are bred within our flesh, do swell & puffe vs vp, and venome vs like dangerous scorpions, and kill vs, if we presently kill not them. What are we like to hope after, seeing that as we lack strength, so must the miseries also needs grow vpon vs? seeing that which way so euer wee turne, or are any way able to turne vs, we shall finde our selues altogether in the middest of the world: and this world, find it how and where we will, is onely full of misery. Where then shall we finde rest? we shall neuer find it in this miserable life, where-into we are put as chief wrestlers, to striue against all manner of aduersities, but rather, ô Lord, in thy Tabernacle, in the holy dwelling place of thy Godhead, where our labors shal be crowned. O blessed, yea thrise blessed is he, for whom thou hast prepared this so goodly and pleasant a withdrawing place, for the mitigating and comforting of his paines [Page 319] and griefes past, within the bosome of thy grace, and resteth himselfe betweene the armes of thy mercy. But, who are they that shall one day dwell with the companions of thy blessednes & glory? for, to heare that which is said of it, this is not a place for all the world to come vnto, for this is a place of a monstrous height, and of an infinite largenesse, and compassed & adorned with incredible magnificence. I know not what else to say vnto thee, but that this is a very high hill, vppon the top whereof, is a maruellous beautifull Garden, beset and furnished with all sorts of delicat & fine flowres, wherein also are plāted many rowes of trees, of infinit sorts of fruites, and moystned & bedeawed with most liuely and cleare running waters. Certainly, this is a ve [...]y hye hil in deed, for who soeuer commeth there, must on euery side runne through grieuous and hard tribulations, yea, an hundreth times harder then either the flint or rocky stone. And he that will come there, must be alwayes farre from the center of the earth, that is to say, hee must no be too too farre in loue with [Page 320] himselfe, but must tread vnder his feet all sensuall and earthly affections. This is in truth like a most flourishing Garden, for in it are resident, the seeds and causes of all things, which dayly bring forth most infinit goodly effects, and most noble and excellent works: for, the partitions and deuisions thereof, there is a goodly disposing of the par [...] of the world, so iustly and euenly measured, as possibly can be deuised. The frutes thereof, are the pleasant and sweet sauouring contemplations of wisedome, wherewith it nourisheth and satisfieth the soules there dwelling. The running waters thereof, are the spring heads, issuing from the eternall bountie, which spreadeth it selfe from an high ouer all the parts of the world, and cōtinually batheth and refresheth them. O most beautifull & holy hill, who shal ascend vnto thy top, and who shal rest in the bosome of this so glorious and delightfull an abiding place?
2 Euen he that is purified within the sacred flames of an holy and deuout zeale: that hath so eased his soule of the dregs of the world, that there [Page 321] is nothing left to hinder his course from going that way. For, when the desire of our soule is left naked and bare, it draweth right on vnto the [...]nd of her wishes, euen towards the seate of her felicitie. And it is euen then, when being out of loue with [...] selfe, which is the verie seducer of our vnderstanding, it iudgeth altogether vprightly, and rendereth to every thing that duety which nature commandeth, conseruing peace by iustice, maintaining all things as they were in their creation, and directing them vnto that end for the which they were brought forth. And to say truly, the iust man is nothing else, but the [...]or of nature, who defendeth her l [...]wes, and fighteth for her owne conseruation, maintaining in rest & peace that, which was by wisedome created. And therefore, ô thou Iustice, the mother of peace, thou art, next vnto innocencie, in the first degree, to ascend vnto the hill of eternall blessednesse.
3 Next after, Truth followeth thee, clearely shining on euery side, which [...] a most firme and durable rock, against [Page 322] the which the cloudes of sclanders kick in vayne, and at the first encounter which they spurre in her flankes, they are all cleane scattered and gone. And Veritie, who presenteth her selfe second, marcheth to get into that blessed harbrough. For, ô beautifull and holy Truth, whensoeuer any one loueth thee, and hath set his hart on thee, thou thy selfe art by and by in his hart, and after goest into his lips; [...] there adornest thou him with most singular beauty. And to say truly, that beauty is nothing else but the eternall truth, which shineth in the works of the word of God, which made al things frō the beginning. He then which hath embraced this pure truth, shall ascend to that top, he hath ioyned in thought with her, set vp an Aulter in his lips, driuen frō him deceit & lying, & rooted them cleane out of his hart & mouth. For, lying is the very mortall poyson of the soule: it is a slymy & cleauing humor, which ouerslowing the eye of vnderstanding, engendreth therein as it were a filme, which taketh away both sight and iudgement.
4 No, no, he that will ascend into [Page 323] that hill, must cast from him all vanitie and lying, for these ragges will catch hold on euery nayle: he must also be purged of this venemous malignitie, which is alwayes busie and readie to do ill vnto his neighbour, the very poyson of humane societie. For, seeing it hath pleased thee, ô Lord, that men which liue together, should serue, as all the rest of [...] works do, the ministerie of thy glory, he that cutteth off good will, which as a firme band ioyneth thē together, doth not he break thy law, & offend thine honor? what shal become of him then, who not contēt to suffer the [...]re of charitie to was dead in his hart, but enforceth himselfe besides to defame his good name?
5 And therefore, ô Lord, he that will ascend vnto thee, and stretcheth out his hand to enter into this blessed habitation, must alwayes abhorre these pestilences, which being full of bloudy malice, thinke of nothing but of the infelicitie of their neighbours, & take pleasure in nothing but in displeasing and grieuing of them, as by their very countenāces may be seen [...] [Page 324] for, when they weepe, then are their neighbours in good estate, and when they laugh, then goeth it ill with them. No, no, their imaginarie greatnesse, their pride setled vpon their extortions and deceits, will not suffer them to abide an honest man, for, they are but white painted sepulchres, whose filthinesse and infection, will one day discouer it selfe, when it shall please thee, my God. But knowest thou who they are that will make accompt of an honest man? Euen they that feare and serue thee in holinesse of life, and simplicitie of hart.
6 They, I say, ô Lord, who thinke thee to be alwayes present, not only at their actions, but in their most secret thoughts, they that inuiolably keepe their faith, whose word is a sure pawne of truth, vpon whose promise his friend assureth him selfe, and accompteth it alreade done which he hath promised: for, such a man, ô Lord, beleeueth verely that his saluation dependeth of the promise which thou of thy meere fauour and grace, hast made vnto him, and that he shall not be worthie to receiue the effect of thy holie [Page 325] promise, if hee render not vnto his neighbour, the sure effect of his owne. He will not heare Vsury once named, but abhorreth that wicked theeuery, which putteth another mans necessity to ransome, putteth the help which he oweth vnto his neighbour to sale, and selleth time, dayes, moneths, & yeares. But much lesse will he be corrupred, to condemne the innocent, to sell the goods of another man wrongfully, and defile the sanctuary of Iustice for filthy gayne: but holding his eyes alwayes open, that he may vnderstand the poynt of reason, and leaneth but vnto that side where the law iudgeth rightly. Neither doth auarice make his hand shake, nor fauour to hold vp his hand to take, but keepeth him selfe alwayes equall and vpright, and faithfull and iust vnto all others, geuing by his wisedome, authoritie vnto his iudgements.
7 He that shall thus liue, shall wi [...]h [...]t doubt, ascend vnto the height of this happy hill. The Angels shall carry him vp in their armes, guide his feet for feare of stumbling, and in the end, place him before the face of the eternall [Page 326] truth, where he shall for euer enioy the pleasant abiding place of this most excellent hill, lifted vp aboue the heauens, to be the habitation of glorified innocencie, and be reunited vnto the principall of his being, which is that euerlasting Deitie, and diuine eternitie. All things here below, alter and change, haue an end, and are consumed: but he, whose vertue shall haue lifted him vp vnto this heauenly blessednes, shall continue in most glorious estate, and vanquish all times and ages. Strengthen therefore, ô Lord, our courages, and comfort vs in these worldly afflictions. And seeing it is thy good will and pleasure, that good men shall goe this way, through the insolencies and iniuries of the wicked, susteine thou their hope which is shaken by their afflictions, and by the prosperitie of the wicked, and graunt them constancie to continue vnto the end, that they may see the repayment both of the good and of the bad.
A MEDITATION of the Lords Prayer.
I Come vnto thee, my God, as vnto the common Father of the whole world: I come vnto thee, I say, who in the creation and conseruation of all thy works, hast witnessed thy selfe to be a most affectioned & louing Father. To thee I come, as to my right Father, who hast not contented thy selfe with the geuing me of my being, life and feeling, as thou hast done vnto the rest of thy liuing creatures, but hast sent downe on me thine holy spirit, & filled my soule with an heauenly light and beame of thy Diuinitie. I come vnto thee, my God, regenerated & reincorporated into thy familie by a new grace: I come, by reason I haue appeased the [Page 330] wrath of my Father, through the satisfaction of my Redeemer. I come, because thou thy selfe hast called me vnto thee, and holdest forth thine armes. Receyue me therefore, my God, not after the austeritie of a iust Iudge, but according to the compassion of a pitifull father, and accept this mine earnest prayer, which being conceyued in the bottome of mine hart, hath disclosed it selfe by my lips, and flyeth with my voyce vnto the fauourable care of mine heauenly Father, seeing it hath pleased thee, ô Lord, to suffer me so to call thee. Cause it, ô Lord my God, to pierce the heauens where thou thy selfe art. I know right well that thy Throne is aboue, and that thou keepest vnder thy feet both the Sunne and the Starres, and the earth to be but a very tittle, and my selfe being the least part thereof, am a great deale lesse then nothing. Who then shall dare to make me so saucy as to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee? It is euen thou, my God, who sittest on hye, to behold at once all the works of thine hands, the better to vnderstand our wants, and dayly to [Page 331] poure vpon vs thy grace, as a most [...]eet showre. Euen thou, who hast thy selfe sayd, Aske, and yee shall be heard. But thou wilt be prayed vnto with a constant faith: cause it therefore to be borne and growe in my soule, for it is a gift, that cannot come but from the Treasu [...]e of thy grace: and as at other times thou hast addressed the lips of infants to glorifye thee, gouerne now the infancie and infirmitie of mine hart, that it may deliuer vnto my mouth [...]ch a prayer as may very well like and please thee. And because thou [...]ayest know, my God, that my prayer is sooner conceyued in my soule [...]en in my lips, and that although the burden of my flesh greeueth and [...]e [...]eth my spirit, yet breatheth it our as much as it can, thine honor and prayse. And the first petition that I [...]ake vnto thee, is this:
Hallowed be thy name, or rather, let thy [...]me hallow and sanctifie me, that I may [...]e after able to blesse & glorifie thee. [...]ut which of thy names shall I blesse? [...]at, wherwith thou hast confoūded & [...]ast down the enemies of thy people, or [Page 332] else that, wherewith thou hast blesse [...] all the nations of the earth. Wilt tho [...] be praysed as the God of hosts, ô Lor [...] God of all battailes, or, as the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world? Shal [...] I tell abroad, how thou hast made a [...] things of nothing, how thou hast sowe [...] the heauens with starres, couered th [...] earth with flowres, fruites, riuers, and with all liuing creatures, and Man like vnto thy selfe? Or, shall I speake but of that incredible loue, by which thou hast deliuered thine owne only Sonne vnto death, to purchase for vs life euerlasting? I haue not breath inough ô Lord for such an enterprise, but let it content thee, that I sanctifie thy name with an humble and cha [...] thought, and that my meditation be alwayes fixed vppon all the benefits wherwith it pleaseth thee continually to fauour me, so as both my selfe, and as many as thou hast placed here in this world, as in the middest of a ritch Temple, for the beholding and admiring on euery side the excellency of thy Deitie, we neuer turne our vnderstandings vnto any other thing, but to the comprehending and learning o [...] [Page 333] [...] will, to the end that we being re [...]ed in one and the selfe same de [...]e [...]o serue thee, Thy kingdome may [...], and that after we shall haue cast [...] the yoke of sinne, which so long [...]e hath thralled and captiued vs, [...] loue alone may reigne in our con [...]ences. A most blessed and prospe [...]s reigne: for, to obey thee, is to [...]maund our vnruly appetites, and [...] command them, is, for a man to be [...]aster of his owne selfe, and for a man [...] be master of his selfe, is the most [...]ereigne principalitie. It is an easy [...]tter, my God, to obey thee, thy yo [...]e [...]gratious, and the tribute which thou, [...]ctest on vs, is nothing else, but to [...]ue vs to be blessed. Confirme vs [...]erefore, ô Lord, in this thy will, and [...]ist the zeale of thy good seruan [...]s, [...]pressing the insolencie of all such as [...]spheme against thy Maiestie, be [...]se that thy lawe, and thy truth, do [...]gne throughout the world. O King [...] kings, which hast the dominion of [...] hearts, who by our humilitie and [...]edience, hast established thine Em [...]e, bend our wills vnder thy law, [...]o [...]end that we looking all to one end, [Page 334] aspire not but to the aduancing of thy glory, and that our good actions may testifie the good discipline of the King of heauen, vnto whome we do homage, and who alloweth vs for his subiects, of whome we hold so many benefits and graces, as that we can not possibly come any thing neere the number of them. Now, what obedience is it that we should yeeld vnto thee? how should we ghesse to do that which might please thee? who is able to sound the bottome of thy thoughts? and who shall be able to vnderstand that which thou wouldest haue? I therefore beseech thee only, that thy will be done. For, sith thou art altogether good, thou willest nothing but good things: and for thee, both to do and to will, is all one, and in making this prayer vnto thee, we wholy submit our selues vnto thee, who neuer faylest to will vs well, and to performe the same also. For, whatsoeuer, ô Lord, thou hast willed, was done, and from this thy will, as from a liuely and pleasant spring head, are deriued all the benefits, wherewith the whole face of the earth is couered, and wherewith all [Page 335] [...]he heauens are beautified. Continue thou the same towards vs, and seeing [...] loue is as a fire that encreaseth, ac [...]ding as it findeth matter to burne, [...] it encrease and enlarge it selfe in [...]ing good vnto vs, vnto vs, I say, [...]oore miserable wretches, in whose [...]eakenesse, miserie, and infirmitie, [...] shall finde it selfe matter enough [...]o exercise and worke vpon. When [...] pray thee, ô Lord, That thy will be [...], my meaning is to beseech thee, that thou wouldest eft soones root out [...]f mine heart all these worldly desires and willes, which being borne [...] the corruption of the flesh, cannot [...]aue any fellow-feeling and agree [...]ent with the law of the spirit: neyther geue thou me the bridle to liue as I lust, and seeing that I am thy child, [...]d honorest me with this title, let me [...]euer be bondslaue vnto my affectiōs, but keepe me vnder the rod of thy law, [...] [...]nder the tuto [...]ship of thy commandemēts, to the end that my self, and as [...]any as haue sworne to thy word, be [...]g framed to serue and obey thee [...]o [...]thely, may also be ready & cheer [...]ll in the ministerie of thy seruice, [Page 336] so long as we shall abide here below in this mortall world, as thine Angels, and other most blessed soules, are in that heauenly habitation: and so, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heauen. And seeing it is thy will that our frayle and mortall bodies do dayly decay, and had need to be repared and strengthned by some new nourishment, that wee might haue continually recourse vnto thee, Geue vs, my God, our dayly bread, and geue vs therewith, the grace so to vse it, and all other thy benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon vs, that we in some measure nourishing and maintaining our bodies, grieue not, not vexe not our soules, making them thereby lesse able to come vnto the knowledge of thy truth: And in vsing thy liberall dealing with thanksgeuing, we tye not for all that, our affections vnto earthly and worldly things, but make vs so to passe through these temporall benefits, as we lose not, for the getting of them, the eternall blessings. Let not the taste of earthly bread, wherewith we feed our bodies, make vs forget our heauenly bread, that bread of life, that eternall bread, which [Page 337] [...]ourisheth & strengthneth our soules, [...]eepeth them from death, filleth our [...]outhes with the Deitie, and maketh [...] the temples of our God, to receiue [...] into our bodies, and to be made [...]embers of his members. Graunt vs, [...]y God, that by this bread, or rather [...] this flesh, we may be incorporated [...]o our Redeemer: and as he, in ta [...]ing and putting on of our flesh, was [...]rtaker of our death, euen so we ta [...]ing and putting on of his flesh, may [...]e partakers of his immortalitie. And seeing we haue, my God, bene made [...]essels and receptacles of his Deitie, [...]ash vs, and make vs cleane, to the [...]nd that he comming to dwell in vs, [...]ou mayest finde nothing there to geue thee occasion to depart from vs, and to make vs voyd of thy grace, and of our saluation. Now, it is impossible [...]r vs to be made cleane, without thou [...]orgeue vs our sinnes, and remit our [...]ebts. For, we haue bene bondslaues [...]oth vnto sinne, and vnto death, and [...]hatsoeuer we clayme to be ours, it belongeth vnto him: neither haue we any thing either to pay our raunsome, [...] yet to discharge our debt, and therfore, [Page 338] ô Lord, it is thou that must do Thou hast once for all redeemed and set vs at libertie: but yet notwi [...] standing, we dayly fall into the h [...] of the enemy, we daily commit a th [...] sand sinnes, which make vs bond [...] sinne: cease not for all this, my G [...] to opē vnto vs this treasure, frō wh [...] we may take the price of our liber [...] Be thou, ô Lord, more strong & [...] in pardoning of vs, then we are in [...] sending of thee. Let thy merciful h [...] stretch it selfe our continually vnto for sin cleaueth fast vnto the matt [...] of our benes, and groweth and waxe old in vs, which maketh vs whē we a [...] old, to be after a sort more filthy & [...] fectious, were it not that thou co [...] nually applyest vnto our miserie, [...] merit and worthinesse of thy holy p [...] sion, to the end that we in some me [...] sure launching & wounding our co [...] sciences, thou mayest strengthen a heale our wounds, and rub out wi [...] the oyle of thy mercy, the skarres th [...] may of them remayne. Otherwise, Lord, I should be afeard, that thou casting thine eyes ordinarily vpon [...] wouldest in the end be so angry a [...] [Page 339] [...]ieued, as that thou wouldest come [...]ry fast vpon vs, to be reuenged of the [...]ckednes which we our selues haue [...]mined. Forgeue vs therfore our of [...]ces, that is to say our sins which we [...]ōmit all the time of our life: And for [...]rs, ô heauenly. Father, as we from our [...] harts forgeue thē that trespasse against [...] Cause vs cōtinually to set before vs [...] loue, by which thou hast not only [...] vpō thee to pay our debts, but the [...]nishment for our sins: that we may [...]dge what an vnreasonable thing it [...]ould be for vs to looke to haue any [...]our at thy hands, who wil not agree [...]it [...] our neighbors, considering there [...]o comparison betweene the offer [...] which we commit against thee, and [...] offences wherwith they offend vs. [...]ck cleane out of our harts, all pride [...] malice for their sakes, for whose ayd [...]d succour thou causedst vs to be [...]rne. Geue vs gentle and meeke spi [...] which may keepe vs in vnitie and [...]berly loue, by patiently & meekly [...]aring the infirmities one of an [...] [...]r. For, we right well know my God, [...] easily we slip, yea, how easily [...] stumble and fall in the way of [Page 340] this slippery and irkesome life. W [...] haue too too little force and strength continually to keepe our feet, and i [...] resist the winds which driue vs forward into the steepe breake necks [...] all wickednes and iniquitie. And therfore we pray most earnestly vnto thee▪ Not to leade vs into tentation, and [...] keepe farre frō vs all occasions which may any way cause vs to offend thee and to arme vs with thy holy spirit against all those obiects which of them selues offer them vnto vs; without th [...] which we shall be alwayes ouercome and by the which we shall continuall [...] be vāquishers in this wrestling again [...] sinne: for this prize, and garland [...] victory, is for none but for such a [...] as thou doest second in this figh [...] Graunt vs therefore such grace, [...] that when any extraordinary desire [...] getting worldly ritches assayle vs, tha [...] thou wilt strengthen vs with a minde obtaine heauenly ritches, and valiantly contemne and despise the goods [...] this world, and the vncertaine as frayle knowledge of them. And let [...] remember that they passe away as th [...] cloudes in the ayre from one countre [...] [Page 341] [...]to another, and in the end melt and [...]sume away to nothing, and that for [...] most part, the gold and siluer which [...] so greedely gather and heape vs [...]gether with so great toyling & moy [...]g, serue vs to none other end, but to [...]ng condemnation on our heads. [...] if so he that thou of thine owne [...]es departest with more vnto vs [...] we any way deserue, graunt vs [...]nes a will to vse them well, and [...]aritably communicate them vnto [...]ose that haue greater need of them [...] we haue. For the earth is thine, [...] we are but the gardiens and far [...]s thereof: our goods are thine, [...] we are but, the dispensers and [...]rd of them. And therefore, if we: [...]e to geue them vnto those which [...]e them of vs in thy name, thou wilt [...] only take them from vs, but wilt [...]so, for our vnthankfulnes and infide [...] make vs pay double vsury for thē. [...] graunt vs also this grace, that the [...]riousnes of the honors of this world [...]nd not vs and draw vs on, to desire [...]e then is expedient for out salua [...]on. And let it alwayes be imprinted [...] our thoughts, that there is no true [Page 342] honor in this world, but to serue the [...] worthely, and that for the seruing [...] thee, the place of honor is too to [...] ba [...] & that the greatnes therof cōsisteth [...] humilitie. As for the rest which we s [...] wonder at & admire, it is but a deceitful light, after which we hunt with to mouth, & is like vnto those little fi [...] which appeare in the night about the riuers. They shine and cast light but [...] the dark, and carry them which foll [...] them euen to their drowning, if they take not very great heed of them. F [...] our worldly pomps & secular dignitie [...] neuer appeare be [...] this darke world & whē we haue winkingly cast our [...] vpon the heauenly light, they seeme [...] vs to shine as bright as the fire, th [...] clearenesse is like vnto a basen of go [...] finely polished [...] but in following [...] them, we fall into the running brook [...] where we are incontinently lost a [...] vndone. We vncertainely flore amiddest the wills of Princes, and the opinions of the common people, so long as that we stumble at last at some scandale or offence, which mighte [...] shaketh and shiuereth vs. And therefore, my God, geue me cōstancie, tha [...] [Page 343] [...]e not shaken with beholding the, [...] [...]ties: but make me only ambitious thy glory, and cause that my spirit, [...] lifting vp it selfe towards immorta [...]ie, feed not it selfe with the smokes [...] this world. Neyther let me enuy [...]ose which possesse all these frayle [...]d transitorie goods and honors: [...]t let my desire be, to approach as [...]ere as I possibly can, the example [...] good life, which thou hast pic [...]ed out vnto vs with most liuely [...]lors, in the table of thine owne [...]. And this being done, let all the vi [...]ent passions of ire, wrath, and ran [...] be banished from my soule: and [...] my desires be to do good vnto [...] the world, and hurt to none, and [...] my body and soule be euer wa [...]ng, and employed about good and [...]ommendable works, without euer [...]o be englutted with pale and ill fa [...]oured slouthfulnesse. And let this [...]hie and infamous gluttonie, which [...]useth thy gifts, and which is drow [...]d in wine, and buried in superfluous [...]ting and drinking, be far away from [...]e. Quench also, ô my heauenly Fa [...]er, all these shamelesse prickings of [Page 344] the flesh, which allure vs to breake the chastitie of our bodies, and puritie of our minds. Beate backe from vs all obiects, which may stirre vp in our soules any slippery and shamelesse affections. And to be short, Deliuer vs from all euill, namely, from all euill Angels, not giuing them any power ouer vs. And if thou knowest that we are about to cast our selues headlong into euill, make speed to pluck vs back, and stretch our that fatherly hād of thine, which is alwayes more ready to shew mercy then iustice. Saue vs, ô Lord, maugre our selues: neither let our relaps and peruersenesse so sharpen and quicken thee against vs, as that thou remember not thy selfe, that thou art not only our God, but our Father also.
MEDITATIONS VPON THE Lamentations of IEREMIAH.
Translated out of French into English, by Tho. Sto. Gent.
1594.
Vnto the Kingdome of France.
SEing, most miserable and wretched Prouince, that thy ouer great exceeding in thine auncient and wonted delights & pleasures, hath brought thee into this outragious fury, and that thine ill hap hath caused thee to put to these thy ren [...] and torne hands, to plucke out thine owne bowels withall, and to disfigure thine own f [...]ce: yet if there be any intermission of this hote broyling mischiefe, see thou employ the same about the beholding and looking vpon thy miserie. But if so be thou be too too fearefull of the miseries which thou hast brought vpō thy selfe, or canst not abide the sight of them, behold and looke vpō the ruine & destrunction of these miserable Hebrewes, because it is the truest glasse that thou canst looke in. But whē [...] thine eyes shall haue borrowed their image [Page] and face to behold and see thy miseries therein, let them also borrow teares of thee [...] mayle and mourne for them. For the chiefe [...] remedy to ease thy sorrow and griefe, is for thee to acknowledge the same, and then to haue compassion thereof. And when will that be? forsooth euen then, when God, who loueth thee more then thou louest thy selfe, shall by his owne loue ouercome that desire of thine which thou hast to destroy thy selfe. And in waiting for this good, and praying for the same, I do here prepare and make ready for thee holy teares, that thou mightest thereby mollifie thine hard hart, and extinguish therein the wrath of God enflamed against thee. It may be that they will well like thee, as a charitable remedy ought to do, and it may be that they will mislike thee, and then wilt thou do as men do, who vtterly reiect whatsoeuer is offred them for their good. And whether they please or displease thee, yet will I neuer cease both to loue and serue thee. For, what is it that I should more readily and willingly loue and serue, then my deare and best beloued Countrey, my dear [...] Countrey, I say; that maketh some accompt of me? The Lord my God saue and preserue thee my poore countrey of France, and graunt me grace to be able as blessedly to procure thy welfare, as I haue an earnest desire to do it.
MEDITATIONS vpon the Lamentations of Ieremiah.
THE PREFACE,
A Good Father hath alwayes a great regard vnto the welfare of his childrē, and seeketh by all meanes possible to preserue & keepe them, But when they, through their rashnesse and wilfulnesse shall despise his wisedome, and go about vtterly to vndoe them selues, and in the end cast them selues headlong into those calamities which he foretold them, he by and by is reuenged of his eyes, filleth his face with teares, and his soule with griefe. But if so be he haue leysure to poure out his sighes, and that sorrow geueth his tongue leaue to vtter any words, they are nothing else but so [Page 350] many lamentable passions, turned into gall and bitternesse. Such a one do we, both heare, and see at this day, this Prophet to be, who hauing long before forescene the tempest which should ouerthrow his countrey, denounced and cryed out with open mouth, that the time of her destruction was at hand, and should see their houses burnt, and their City sackt before their faces, if so be the inhabitants therof did not speedily with running streames of teares, and with sackcloth and ashes, meet with the enflamed wrath of God, for their sinnes and transgressions. But they rather harkned vnto the deceitfull words of their enemies, then vnto the voyce of their friends, and harkned rather vnto those that brought them tidings of their destruction, then vnto them which denounced the same vnto thē. And so it fell out, that this beautifull and mightie Citie, the very eye of the East, and myracle of the whole world, after so many, and so many threats, fell in the end into extreame calamitie. And after that she had bene spoyled and sacked, she saw her [Page 351] inhabitants chayned and led into miserable bondage, whole households taken away, and led into captiuitie, [...]omen and maydes dishonored, and afterward deuided & parted amongst the Souldiers. And then Ieremiah beholding the vncomfortable face of this Citie, acknowledging therein, nothing more then the sorrowfull effects of his old prophesies, began to lament them after this manner, saying:
CHAPTER I.
OVr alasse, in what estate doo I see thee, thou great and proud City? O, the pride of thy magnificent Palaces is now abated. Now, all thy sumptuous and r [...]ch shewes of thy costly buildings are come downe, and brought to rubbish. I looked on euery side of [...]ce, to see what was become of all the braue men, which were woont to furnish thy houses, but I sawe all lye lyke a waste wildernesse.
[Page 352]I sought in euery place, and could finde nothing, there was no bodie to answer me, and yet I called all the towne ouer. I saw nothing come out of thy Castles but iack dawes & owles. And now ô poore Citie, which sometime wert the stately dwelling place of Kings, and the Princesse of Prouinces, and the seate of the kingdome, thine honor is dead, and thou art become a most miserable widow. Sorow is now thy liuery and badge, sorrow, without end, sorrow, full of all horror, yea and sorrow, full of all despaire. For, alasse, thou sawest not only thy goods and childrē lost, but being lost, thou sawest them also put vnto most cruell paine and torment. With what eyes shall they be euer able to looke towards thee, and with what thoughts be able to remember thee, when as groaning vnder the burden of a most insupportable slauery, they shall represent vnto thee, thine auncient magnificence, and their pristinate libertie? will they not all say weeping, that the Princesse of the nations is now become a most wretched slaue, and she that was wonted to commaund others, is become [Page 353] her selfe now to be taxed? O poore and miserable Citie, thou hast now maruellously altered thine estate and condition. Weepe therefore, and sigh hardly, for, neither thy weeping, nor, yet thy sighing, will these many dayes be able to match thy miseries.
She wept and wept againe, and her eyes neuer ceased. And when the Sunne arose to take his course, he began to mourne, and when he went downe, yet had she neuer made an end. All liuing creatures withdrew them selues into dolefull and darke places, and all things were silent and [...] rest euery where: but her plaints [...]creased in the darke, and the nights rest was troubled with her cryes. Her broken and trembling voyce sounded euery where, and all the whole world that heard this complayning voyce, were moued with horror and feare. Her cheekes were neuer dry, and her teares neuer ceased running. Her face was euer wer, and her eyes distilled continually. And alasse, how could her plaints end, when as there was no end of her miserie? She had not one onely to comfort her, no not so much [Page 354] as one to wipe away her teares. All her friends forsooke her, and the neerest neighbours she had, quite and cleane left her. They that sometimes honored her good hap, do now vtterly contemne her, and they that once reuerenced her prosperitie, do now scorne and mocke her: for, some of them fled from her when she fell into miserie, and they that tarried behinde, did nothing else but dishonor her.
Thus was poore Ierusalem and the poore Hebrewes entreated and handled in their captiuitie. And after losse, followed shame, and after domage reproch. They went this way and that way, thinking to find some that would comfort them, but all the world pursued them. And what, the very dens of the wilde beasts were their safetie, when any went about to set vppon them, and the poore people could neyther finde caue, nor any place of repaire, safely to go into. The nature of miserie is to haue compassion on others, but the miserie of this people, encreased the hatred that was borne them. In so much as that nature it selfe is here [Page 355] altered, to the end to augment the torment of these poore people.
Alasse, what a fatall ruyne is this, that can not be auoyded? For, thus they might haue sayd: If so be ye will haue our goods, ye shall haue them: if so be it be for our lands & houses that ye afflict vs, why, take them to you, and if yee persecute vs for hatred that yee beare vnto the name of our Countrey, why, wee will banish our selues thence. What would our miserie haue more of vs? Why persecuteth it vs when as wee are readie to flye? Doth it afflict vs that are poore wretches? And pursue vs who are banished? Wee are scattered abroade through out all the nations of the world, and stray and fleete about, like wracks and vagabonds, we haue all the miseries that any can possibly beate, and yet haue not so much as one of the least of their comforts. And they that see vs, are voyde of commiseration, neyther do they looke only vncompassionately vppon vs, but scornefully also. And this was not our entertaynemēt in one place alone, but euery where: and the onely benefit [Page 356] which we haue, is this, that all things are alike vnto vs in our miserie. For, persecution passeth as lightly away as we, and is present euery where with vs. For, if we thinke to escape by any vnknowne and secret place, we shall finde some thing to bewray vs, and deliuer vs vnto our enemies. Ha, what a thing is this? must we who are chased into all the corners of the earth, thinke to returne and hide our selues vnder the ruynes of our houses, there to renue continually our griefes, in beholding the hideous desolation of our Citie?
O poore Syon, wee should then be enforced to behold thee againe with far more teares & grones, we should looke vpon the great beaten hye wayes, and say vnto our selues, What is become of all those companies that were wont to couer all these hye wayes, and where are they that were wont to come by heapes, to honor our Citie? For, all the nations both whole and some, haue come running vnto our feasts, and to the solemnities of our great sacrifices: but now, we see not so much as a man once come neere [Page 357] into this holy Citie. There is not so much as an hermitage about it. All the wayes are couered ouer with grasse, and there is a pretie forest of briers & thistles about it. Neither can one finde and pick out the footstep of any man. These beautifull and great gates so ritchly & cunningly wrought, which in the solemne dayes were belong with garlands and nosegayes, are now layd all wide open vpon the ground, and broken in fitters. The Centres that layd open the wayes, are now filled and stopped vp with their ruynes: Alasse, what a change is this? And the garmēts of our Priests which went in their pontificalibus, singing with great maiestie & reuerence the prayses of our God, are torne and rent in pieces as well as other mens, and do nothing else but weepe and groane. They looke vp pitifully with their eyes vnto heauen, to see whether the rigour of his wrath would fall vpon them yea or no. The tender Virgines who were wont with their beauty to adorne the face of our City, as the Starres do a most glorious and cleare night, are all withered and besmeared, and [Page 358] nothing but horror and astonishment in their countenances. For, extreame famine hath dried vp their flesh, cold hath bereaued them their ruddy and smooth checkes, sorrow and griefe hath wrinkeled their faces, and the flower of their chastitie by the souldier insolently defaced, hath couered all their faces with shame and dishonor. And these are now no more, but euen so many dead, liuing. For, they liue altogether in sorrow and griefe. Neither is there any thing that encourageth them more to liue; then the same dolor, which killeth them with very heauinesse, and awakeneth them out of their bitternesse.
A dolor truly, too too bitter, and in very deede more bitter then soote, to see them-selues carried in triumph by their greatest enemies, to see them braue by our spoyles, ritch, by our great pouertie, and mightie by our ouerthrow. Thou hast, ô Lord, poured out thy heauie wrath vppon vs, and madest vs feele how heauie thy reuengefull hand is. Thou hast, I beleeue; gathered together all our faults into a bundell once for all, because [Page 359] that when thou sawest them to be so infinite, and worthie the like payne and punishment, thou awakenedst thy selfe, and hast discharged the arrowes of thy seuere iustice against vs. But, ô Lord, oughtest not thou to stay the course of our punishment in our owne persons, and consume all thy torments vpon vs? but must we also be tormented in the persons of our children, and for the making of our miserie the greater, to cause vs also to see theirs? For, wee were spoyled of our goods, put out of our houses, and led away captiue. Wee thought that there was nothing, as it were, to bee feared more then death, and yet now wee feare it not, for, it is sweet to those that are in miserie. But our speedie and quicke calamitie, to our great payne and griefe, hath now ouertaken vs with newe miseries. For, wee haue seene goe before vs whole bands of our children fettered, and carried captiue into Babylon, there to serue our enemyes as bond-slaues.
Euen so hath Syon lost the flower of her youth, and all the honor of her City is cleane gone: She hath bene miserably torne all to rags, and there is no whole thing left in her, but sorrow & griefe. For, the greatest and ritchest of her inhabitants were caried away by troupes, and led into strange Prouinces, as flocks of sheepe are driuen by dayes iourneys from market to market, without geuing them any leaue to feed as they go. They go with their heads and their eyes looking downe to the ground, sighing most piteously. And the conqueror followeth them scourging them with rods, and they which dwell by the hye wayes sides, as they passe, laugh at their affliction, and most iniuriously cry out vpon them.
And as a fresh wound openeth againe the old ones, euen so were their harts throughly pierced, whereby they remembred their old sinnes, and the punishment which their fathers suffered, because they had forsaken the true seruice of God, and geuen them selues ouer vnto their foolish passions. They called also to mind, how often [Page 361] they were fallen into their enemies [...]ands when as God had left them. O, [...]hou too too ouer late remembrance, [...]hou shouldest haue come a great deale sooner, to haue turned them from their wicked and abhominable [...]ayes, and if they would not haue done it for Gods sake, yet they should [...]aue done it at least for feare of his fury which they had so often felt. O late repentance, which commeth after punishment suffred. They were very poreblind that could not foresee this great trayne of miseries which followed their offences. But alasse, ô blind sinne, thou doest thus bleare the eyes of thy friends, and wilt not put them in mind of their repentance but [...]hen it is all past time. For, Ierusalem hath turned her back vpon God, and followed her owne concupiscences, she hath made her a God of her owne pleasure, and worshipped her owne delights. She neuer once turned her eyes towards heauen, vntill such time as she sawe her magnificence cleane vnder foote, the whole world laughing at her shame, making a scorne of her Sabboths, and translating and altering of [Page 362] her sacrifices, wherein she had so great confidence, which could in very dee [...] serue her to no purpose, because they were done with such polluted hands.
For, to say truly, Ierusalem wa [...] nothing else but a sinke of sinne and filthinesse: for, from the highest vnto the lowest, they were all most abhominable: for, she began to forget her God that was so fauourable vnto her, and thereupon, as one that was blinde; she stumbled & fell into all maner of wickednesse. And after that she had groped about here and there at all aduentures, she fell into this strange calamitie: and then, as many as heretofore were wont to reuerence & honor her, began forthwith to disdaine and looke sourely vpō her. For, her shame lay opē vnto the eyes of al the world, & was se [...] before euery man as a laughing stocke, some asking her, what was become of all her wealth, some, what was become of all her honor, and there was neuer an honest womās child, which had not a gird at her. In so much that she could do nothing else but weepe, and being all ashamed and comfortlesse, she was driuen to goe hide her selfe.
And whē she saw her self alone, and in what estate she stood, she found her self from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot, to be most filthie, and her garmēts to be most beastly be [...]rayed, with bloud and mire. And as the Peacock, when he hath spread abroad his tayle, in looking at his feet, letteth it fall downe agayne, abating thereby his pride, euen so hath she plucked downe her heart, sorrowed within her selfe, and cared no whit for death, by reason that all things misliked her, but chiefly and aboue all, her poore and miserable life. She was giuen to be altogether sad, without hauing any bodie to comfort her. For, her friends had forsaken her, or if they were neere about her, it was to none other end but to afflict her. Wherefore, when as she found no help here vpon earth, she lamentably lifted to her head vnto heauen, & with deep figh [...]s frō the bottome of her hart, addressed her selfe vnto God, and sayd: O Lord, hast thou not compassion vpon me, in this my great affliction? Seest thou not mine extreame misetie? Surely, there is none can saue me [Page 364] so well as thy selfe. Come therefore if thou be the God of mercy, and forsake not thine humble and old seruant: for, mine enemy setteth his foote vpon my throate, and causeth me most shamefully to belch. Come therefore, ô Lord: for, my continuall iniury is thy shame, and the outrage that is done vnto a seruant, redoundeth to the mayster. And therefore, come ô Lord, for, mine enemy outrageth me beyond all measure, and without all pitie.
He hath layd his bloudy hand vpon that which I accompted most deere, and spared no whit of that, which I made reckning off to be most holy. Thou hast seene him enter into thy Sanctuary, and into that place which ought to haue receyued none but sanctified persons: no, none but pure and cleane soules, and such as are worthie to be partakers of the beholding of thy diuine maiestie, hath seene receyued and touched, euen pollution and impietie it selfe, and seene his sacrilegious hands steale away the ornaments of thy Temple, destroyed the habitation of thy deitie, and the abiding place of thy grace, as if thy lawes, [Page 365] and prohibitions forbidding them not to abide and tarry in that place, no nor once to enter thereinto, had bene but as it were a very song. Where wert thou then, ô Lord, and although thou carest not for the iniuries which we haue receyued, why art thou not yet reuenged of the wrongs done vnto thy selfe?
Thou hast bene, ô Lord, very angry against poore Ierusalem, and hast sayd, that thou haddest no will to come to help it, by reason of the great and manifold offences thereof. It is now time, ô Lord, or else neuer, for all her miserable inhabitants goe shamefully a begging for their liuing, and haue geuen what so euer good thing they haue, for a mouth full of bread, and bought full dearely the water which they haue dronke. Forsake not, ô Lord, this our earnest prayer, and turne alittle thine eyes of mercy vpon vs, for, if our pride hath heretofore estranged vs fom thee, our humilitie shall now reconcile vs vnto thee. There can be now nothing, ô Lord, to be seene so humble, vile, and abiect as we are, nor there is nothing that hath more need [Page 366] of thee then we haue, neyther can there be any thing found to be more pitifull then thy selfe.
Tell me, I beseech ye, you that passe by and see my ruines, and do consider the remayne of my greatnesse, and then tell me if there be any thing in the whole world so miserable as it is, and that euer sithence you haue had eyes, that euer you sawe any dolor like vnto mine? Tell me I pray you if euer ye were able to keepe your eyes from shedding of teares, whensoeuer ye beheld my desolation? I speake vnto you, I say, which haue heretofore seene this Citie so wonderfully furnished with welth & ritches, her greatnes & magnificēce, & do now behold her mōstrous spoile, do ye not thinke that you see a vineyard laid wide open, where into all sorts of beasts are entred, who haue not only spoiled the vintage of the grape, but haue also broken downe the hedges, & pluckt in sunder the very armes of the vines. And this ye see is the pleasure of God, he is iustly angry with me, & hath determined to visit me in his fury.
His vengeance is come downe [Page 367] from heauen like lightning, it is come to thunder and lighten vpon me, and is entred into the very marrow of my bones, nothing can be seene to be done more suddainely, more earnestly, or more powerfully. For, in a moment it is come, ouerthrowne all in a moment, and all in a minute shaken into fitters & pieces. For, my Temples and my Castles which reached vnto the clowdes, lye now euen with the groūd. Our Cities are like vnto plaine heathes, wheron you may driue Carts. God hath made me right well know, to my cost, his power and might. He hath made me heare an horrible lesson. We thought by our wisedomes to haue bene able to withstand the blow of his iustice, howbeit, there is neither wisedome nor councell against God. We haue bene entrapped on euery side. For whē we thought to come out, and to be in safetie, we were fast intangled in his nets, and the more haste we made to get out, the faster were we masshed, & in the end were cast downe headlong into that punishment which he had prepared for vs: like vnto the mariner, who thinking to escape a shelf [Page 368] or flat, falleth into a gulfe which swalloweth him vp. For, our misery, is in deed a very gulfe, where our sight is taken away, and we brought back into an inaccessible wildernes, where there is none to comfort vs, in so much as that our eyes, neuer geuing ouer weeping, are able inough to drowne vs in our owne teares.
I neuer ô Lord, looked to escape it, for thou hast too too long had an eye vnto my sinnes, and hast determined of the punishment which I should suffer, it is ouer long ago since thou didst couple my sinnes together, and holdest them fast linked within the hand of thy iustice. In the end, I found my selfe all at once oppressed, and felt my sinnes as an hard and insupportable yoke, tye me fast to be tormented. I yelded my neck vnto the punishment, as an oxe vnto the yoke, vnder the hand of an vnmercifull master. My misery gaue me no rest nor intermission so long as there was any strength in me. I might haue sayd that I was with my last master, and that God had put me into the hands of an enemy, of whome I could neuer haue [Page 36] bene rid, but by departing out of this life.
What reliefe or comfort, ô Lord, may I haue in my miseries? In what place may I lodge the rest of my hope? Thou hast vtterly extirped and rooted out the race of I ehuda, the very stalke of Kings & Prophets. And as if by laying open mine entrayles, thou mightest pluck out mine heart, euen so hast thou taken from me my braue and valiant children, by rooting out some, and sending captiue othersome. Thou hast chosen out a very good time for thy selfe, to ruyne and sack me, and to geue me for a pray vnto my greatest enemies, and thou hast taken a very good order in all things for the ouerthrowing of that which I hold most deare, which I haue made chiefe choyse of, to loue, and wherein I haue setled all mine whole affection. But alasse, with what crueltie, if I may dare say so, hath Ierusalem seene all her streetes paued with the torne members of the bodies of her poore children. They haue bene layd vpon the rack, their bones haue bene broken in pieces, and their bloud hath run downe [Page 370] the chanels like streames. There might you see the poore Virgins vtterly discomforted, there is no more maydenly shamefastnesse left to coulor their faces withall, that is to say, no more of their fathers bloud to leape vp into their visages, to mixe with their teares.
Alasse, what is there left for me to do in such a strange an affliction as this, but incessantly to weepe? And therefore I will weepe, and weepe my fill. I will conuert mine eyes into fountaynes, and fill mine heart with sorrow and griefe. Ha, is it not possible, to kill my selfe with weeping? Ha, when shall I sigh so much, as that I may sigh my soule out of my body? For, seeing I haue none other consolation, and that God alone who is able to ease my misery, is farre away from me, I can hope of none other end vnto my dolor, but to suffer it consume it selfe, to the end that as the flaming fire when it burneth bright [...]st, soonest consumeth the matter which it taketh hold on, euen so the more my dolor encreaseth, the sooner it may make an end of the matter wherein it remayneth. And what other thing [Page 371] should I looke to be? For, I haue lost my children, mine enemy hath gotten them into his clouches, made him self master both of me and of my goods, should I then desire to liue, to behold any longer a more continuall misery?
Poore miserable distressed Syon, hath cast open her armes, and lifted vp her hands vnto heauen, but hath not as yet found either in heauen or in earth any ayd or comfort. All the world hath runne to heare her cry, but none otherwise then as flyes do swarme about a sore, to suck and sting it. Euery one of her very neere neighbours haue encompassed her, to fleese her, and to deuide her spoyles, and all her auncient friends haue forsaken her, and fled frō her, as mē would flye frō a loathsome diseased woman.
I feele, ô Lord, much misery, mine hart is ready to burst with very sorrow and anger, in so much as that I am enforced to cōfesse that my miserie is nothing else but thy iustice, and that my sinfull hāds haue wrought me all my tormēt. I haue prouoked thine anger against me, & forced thy goodnes by mine obstinate wickednes, to take [Page 372] the rods into thine own hand, to make me feele, that thou art iust, to let me vnderstand, that thou knowest my life, to make me learne, that there is nothing hid from thee, that thou apparantly seest, what is in mine hart, and that my most secret thoughts, are visible vnto thy prouidence. I thought once to haue hidden my sinne, and therefore I must needs now confesse the punishment, and that the very strength of my sorrow, draweth out the truth from my mouth. But alasse, seeing my misery is such, and that all my comfort resteth in complayning, heare ye at the least, ô my neighbour people, my dolefull & sorrowfull voyce, and behold a little my miserie, and marke if euer ye saw any griefe comparable vnto mine. And seeing ye will not set to your hands to ayd me, lend me yet your eyes at the least, to haue compassion on me: and if ye be not altogether stonie harted, weepe with me, to see my poore daughters thus led captiue into a strange countrey.
What thing is more weake, deceitfull, and vncertaine, then the force of men, and especially whē God [Page 373] is against vs. I haue besought the ayd of all my friends, and haue looked to haue had all Egipt to come to help me, because that for to hold friendship with her, I set my selfe against the Babylonians. But alasse, I remayne alone, and am left vnto this cruell Caldean race, and therefore, all that I am now able to do, is, to detest the false faith of my false and trayterous friends, and hauing vnderstood that the succours which they promised me were to none other end but to vndoe me, and to be partakers of my spoyles, euen to coniure heauen and earth to be aduenged of their villanies. And yet for all this, I feele my miserie no whit lessened, neyther haue I found for all this, any whit the more succour, that my Priests and sacrificers promised me, nor seene any of those hopes wherewith they filled me, nor yet any of the vayne promises, wherewith they puffed vp mine heart, it seemed to them, that they could haue ouerthrowne mine enemies with bare words. They were all astonyed whē as they had felt the danger, and had in the end seene the common miserie of the whole City light [Page 374] vpon their owne heads. They dyed of extreame famine, theyr Philacteries or Rochets, ne yet their long, side, and wide vestiments, were able to saue them, one might haue seene hunger bring them to their end, and with a dying voyce crauing a mouth full of bread to relieue their wretched bodyes, could find none to geue it them.
In so much, that when I had turned my selfe on euery side, and found no helpe any where, I was enforced my GOD, and my Lord, to runne to thee, and in bowing my knees, and lifting vp my hands, to crye out all to be blubbered with teares, saying: O Lord, if thou be a God of mercy, behold me now, for, I am so afflicted, as that my very enemyes them selues haue compassion on me. I am from the crowne of the head vnto the soale of the foote full of sorrow, and there is no part of me that is not grieuously touched. Me thinketh my bowels to be pluckt in pieces within me, and am of the opinion, that mine hart will riue in sunder. My mouth is as bitter as soote or gall, and I am eftsoones nothing else [Page 375] but bitternes it selfe. For, all my words' thoughts, & deeds, are bitter, & which way so euer I turne me, I see nothing but horror and trembling: for without, the sword cutteth downe whatsoeuer stādeth before it, & the iron pardoneth nothing. My land is not knowne, it is so thicke sowne with dead bodies, and within, the estate and condition is not much more pleasant: for I see there my children afflicted with famine, and dye most pitifully, I behold them lying gastly and thinly with goggle eyes, and wide open gaping mouthes, breathing out the last gasps of death.
O what a fatall & horrible spectacle is this, and yet men haue no compassion on them! They haue seene me in this estate, and yet could there not be found one that had a fellow feeling of my misery, or that euer gaue me any comfortable word to mitigate my griefe. And as for mine enemies, the extremitie of my miserie made thē no more to melt▪ then if they had had stony hearts in their bodies, and frosen bloud in their vaines. For, all their talke was, Marke how God hath [...]astized, and drest her, and beate [...] [Page 376] downe her pride. But thou knowest not ô thou tygerlike & inhumane race, how God keepeth thee. Thou thy selfe reioycest at my miserie, and I wil comfort my selfe by thine. For thou wilt shew vnto them, ô Lord God, that thou art iust all the world ouer, and that with thee, there is no acceptation of persons, that euery man hath his turne through thine hands, and that the longer thou deferrest thy vengeance, the more grieuous and terrible it is when it commeth, recompencing the forbearing thereof, with rigour and seueritie.
Enter therefore, ô Lord, into iudgemēt with mine enemies, lay open a little their doings, shew vnto them their liues, and after that thou hast caused them to know, that their consciences are full of blasphemie & pollution, and hast taken from them the curtain of hipocrisie which so mightely ouershadowed theyr robberies and thefts, be reuenged a little of theyr turnes, lay them vpon the rack, that they may, be hard a little to cry vnder the presse of tribulations, to the end they may vnderstand, that seeing that [Page 377] I haue suffered for my sinnes, that the rigour of my punishment is but as it were a summons and denunciation of theirs, and that my teares and grones, haue put out thy heauie wrath, which I kindled and lighted against my selfe, and that they haue lighted againe the same, against those which reioyced and laughed at my misery.
CHAPTER II.
MArke and behold here a strange and lamētable alteration of things. For, Syon, the dearely beloued daughter of God, who held vp her head aboue all the Cities of the world, as a Cypres tree doth, aboue all the bushes in the wood, who caried in her forehead an honorable and magnificall maiestie, and shining most gloriously, is now brought downe to the ground, and so disfigured, obscured, besmeared, and blemished, as that no man will euer know her, and this, ô Lord, is come to passe by reason of thine irefull blowes which thou hast [Page 378] layd vpō her, who, as thou hast with an infinit power created all things in perfection, destroyest also with a most infinit power all things in the heat of thy iust anger. Thou hast lifted vp euen vnto heauen thy dearely beloued Syon, and afterward threwest her downe roundly from heauen to earth, because she contemned thy amitie and friendship. Her mightinesse serued her for none other purpose, but to make her fall the greater, and the noyse thereof the more terrible. For, as thou art extreame in louing, so also art thou as extreame in punishing: and whē through long impenitencie, the people enforce thee to put to thy reuēging hand, then is thine anger like thunder and lightning, which spareth nothing that it meeteth withall. Now, it is a strange thing to see how God hath dealt with Syon in his fury, to see how he hath bene auenged of his very Temple, to see how he hath destroyed & shaken to fitters the place of the world which best liked him, & wherupon a mā might say, he rested his feet, making his deitie to be seene and knowne in that place, as much as possible might.
And what hath he pardoned? Hath any thing escaped his hands vntouched? Looke vpon all the houses of Iacob, and vpon what so euer exquisite thing that is in Iudah, and [...]ell me if there be any whit of any of all these things standing? Tell me I beseech thee, if there be so much as a corner of any of all those so braue and proud fortresses remayning? Is it possible for all Palestine to be noted for one, whose feasts are not brought downe also as low as the foundations? Hath the Kings Throne bene polluted & ouerthrowne? Haue the Princes and noble mē of the countrey bene beaten with cudgels, and drest like poore and miserable slaues? Surely, they were the very Buts of the iniuries.
To be short, since the time that God began to be aduenged of vs, he hath not left either great or mighty in our land, whom he hath not shaken & shiuered. For, what so euer was eminent & high, hath met with the finger of his wrath. He hath brought vpō our heads great armies of enemies, assembled strange nations, and brought them home euen vnto our faces, [Page 380] and left vs vnto their furious cruelty. We haue called and cryed vpon him, and coniured him to ayd his people, but he hath beheld vs with a threatfull and disdainefull eye, and turned his back vpon vs, without geuing vs answere. And incontinētly, he lightened a fire of dissention in the middest of our prouince, which winning from place to place, and compassing all the whole countrey, hath burnt downe euen to the very least houill or shed, and deuoured all the whole nation.
It is the Lords hand which hath done this, It is he that is our principall enemy, and he that hath fought against vs. We haue seene his bowe bent against vs, & his arme stretched ouer our heads. And with this blowe, haue all our Citizens bene cast to the ground. With this blow, haue our most proud palaces fallen to pieces. Belieue me, it is with his owne hand that he hath spred vpon our land the fire of his indignation, which hath thus miserably consumed vs. Vnto him alone must we impute our ruine. For, all the forces of mē were neuer able to bring this matter thus about, and to passe.
Nay, he hath of set purpose put to his hand, hath denounced warre vnto Israel, and meaneth to proue his forces against him. O, what an hard and dangerous tryall is this! He hath cast downe headlong from the highest, vnto the lowest, the most pompous and great feast, euen vnto the bottomlesse deapths of pouertie & miserie, he hath shaken with thunder and lightning all [...]er fortresses, and dismanteled all her Castles. He hath humbled, and that with great shame, both men and women, and changed their pomp & magnificence into mourning and groning.
But wilt thou know how we haue bene handled? Imagin then with thy selfe that thou seest a flocke of Goats in a faire Garden set full of yong graffes and impes, bordered and knotted with beautifull floures, and sowen with most excellent seeds of most dayntie herbs, and in a moment they are all rauened, broused on, bittē to the stumps, and rooted cleane vp. Or else, imagine thou seest before thee a small houill or shed as we call it, built vp with dirt and spittle, and Thatched with strawe, and as soone as [Page 383] any storme ariseth, it carrieth away with it an handfull of it this way, and another handfull that way: and the place where it stood, is that, where the least part of the substance thereof remayned. Euen so hath Syon bene dealt withall, for, of all the great Temples, and braue buildings thereof, can hardly be found the place whereon they stood, that a man might say, Here they were once. For now, there is no more speech of them, then if they had neuer bene. The feasts and Sabboths, which were there celebrated with so great ceremonie and reuerence, are vtterly abolished. Yea, both Kings and Bishops were touched with the finger of God, as well as the rest.
It was a strange thing to see God grow to be thus angrie, that he abhorred his Aulters, had his sacrifices in abhomination, to curse that which he him self had once sanctified, to leaue his holy Temple, his very deere and pretious Sanctuary, in the impure and polluted hands of infidels. To lodge this vncleane nation, within this braue, magnificall, and religious accent or Tenor as it were, within the [Page 382] tents of a Camp. To heare the crying and howling of their barbarous voyces in that place where his seruice was wont to be solemnly celebrated, and Hymnes song vnto his glory.
It may be very well sayd, that God thought long before to destroy this City, to see how all things met so iump, for seruing to the ouerthrow thereof all at once. Thou mightest say that he had taken measure and order of and for all things for it, to the end they might ioyne together in this beholfe. In so much as there was nothing wanting, as if it had bene fatall, & that whatsoeuer we had bene able to haue done, could no way haue turned the hand of God frō vs, neither yet deferre our misery: for, all felt it, yea, fore felt it, & we also saw before the cōming of our mishap the very walls of our City as it were weepe, and all the face of the City fall away and looke sadly, and beare on her forehead a cloudy and darke wildernesse: for, after she had once receyued a strange shock, she was straightwayes ouerturned, and there was not left one stone vpon another.
O ye braue & honorable Gates [Page 384] of Syon, ye haue bene cast downe wide open, your hooks and hengils puld out, your locks broken vp, and your iron barres beaten in pieces, and in verie deed there was not a gate left, for the Citie lay wide open in euery place, and men might go in and out at the breaches where they pleased. But for thy last vnhappie farewell, before thou wert razed, thou sawest thy Princes and worshipfull Citizens passe ouer thy thresholds led captiues into a strange land. Thou sawest thy law abolished, yea euen that law which the Lord thy God had geuen thee as a guage and earnest pennie of his couenant: so as thou mightest haue iudged, that thou haddest lost his friendship, whē as he tooke from thee these his pawnes. And besides, he neuer reuealed him selfe vnto thee, for his spirit was neuer in thy Prophets, they that came frō him, had no mo visions, by which, he made them vnderstand his will, he hath left vs without both counsell, and conduct, like strayed sheepe that goe bleating ouer the fields, without Shepheard or guide.
And therefore the poore gray [Page 385] haired old men which could no way escape, finding no more help in their God, and seeing him deafe vnto their prayers, being altogether out of heart, layd them selues downe on the groūd, and leaning vpon their elbowes, pitifully lamented their miserie, and taking ashes in their hands, cast them [...]pō their heads, praying from the bottome of their hearts, that their poore and miserable bodies might eftsoones be there changed. They also were so trussed vp in sackcloth, as that there could be nothing seene of them but their feet, & the place of their graue. They carried also their haires on their backs, that they might be either familiarly acquainted with the custome of their miserie, or else make them not to feele it all. And after this manner bewailed they their calamitie. The poore and delicate maydens, and desolate fatherlesse children followed them, casting downe their eyes, bedeawing their checkes, & holding downe their heads, euen as the Lilly doth when it is fore beaten with rayne and wind.
And in very truth, when I saw this so lamentable a Tragedy, mine [Page 386] eyes melted into teares, and I had almost lost my sight as it were with extreame weeping, and mine heart heaued vp my body, as if one had rent my bowel [...]out of my belly, when as I saw, I say, the poore children of Syon in this pitifull estate, when I saw them lament so bitterly, when I saw the greatest of them fall into swounds with very sorrow and griefe, and the sucking children forsaken of their mothers, pine away most miserably.
Some crying vnto their mothers for the teat, and others calling vppon them for bread. But they had neyther milke nor bread to geue them, and this was the greatest comfort that the poore mothers had, euen to go as farre as they could from theyr poore children, and turne away theyr faces from them, vntill such time as the famine had consumed them, and they themselues lay screeking out in other places, dying of very faintnes, as if they had bin wounded to death. And some of them were of that stomacke, as that they could abide to see their children dye between their armes, and by little and little prolong [Page 387] their owne poore life, dying soone after with very sorrow and griefe. O, what wounds felt these poore harts! and how deepe did these blows pierse! verely euen into the place of motherly pitie, which is euen the very bottome of the heart. And it is no maruell that they died so suddainly, whē as they were at once so piersed throughout all the vitall parts, yea, to the very wounding of the soule, and the casting of it perforce out of the body.
O poore and miserable Ierusalem, how shall I depaint and set foorth this thy so great misery? what tearmes shall I deuise, liuely to expresse so strange and suddaine a calamitie? Whereunto shal I compare the greatnes of thine affliction? The earth is not able to comprehend it, and therfore the sea must: for, it is as large and infinit as the sea is, a tormentrous field like to the sea, a bottomlesse gulfe, and a receptacle for great & hidious monsters, as the sea is: one mischiefe driueth on another, as the waus of the sea do. But alasse, the sea hath sometimes calme winds, and thou ô Syon, hast in thine affliction, nothing but stormes [Page 388] and tempests, the sea hath ports and hauens to come into, and thou billowest continually in trauell and payne. O poore Ierusalem, who shall then be able to saue thee, seeing thy misery is greater then either heauen, or earth, from whence then shalt thou finde remedy?
Shall thy Prophets do it, which haue so long troubled thine head, which haue deliuered vnto thee their dreames and old wiues tales, and entertayned thee with vanities and leasings, whereas they should haue boldly told thee of thy sinnes, and so thereby haue called thee backe vnto repentance? But they imagined and thought vpon Anticks, and being sotted, and in loue with their owne shadowes & presumptuous opiniōs, vndid them selues in all their discourses and enterprises.
Behold in what a case thou now standest, ô poore & desolate Syon, for thou receyuest herein, both losse and shame together: for now, all they that go by, clap their hands, and shake their heads at thee, saying, Is this that so braue and honorable Citie, that was so full of all magnificence, and more [Page 389] full of all delights and pleasures, then [...] the Cities of the earth beside?
There is not one that passeth [...] thee, which hath not a cast at thee [...] bite and sting thee: and who will [...], after their groining manner, thus say, we wil now haue it, we wil deuoure [...], and nothing shall keepe vs from it, this is the day which we haue so long [...]oked for, and now is the houre which [...]e haue dayly hoped after.
Behold Ierusalem, the reason why God preserued thee so long, is, because thou wert worthie of it. Thou thoughtest, that his threats had bene [...]ayne and friuolous, and now thou [...]eest [...]hether he be a lyer or not, and whether he be able to performe that which he promiseth yea or no. For, he foretold thee, that if thou obeyedst not his lawe, that he would destroy thee, & make thee an heape of stones, [...]nd see now if he hath mist it. Yea, he hath ruined thee without remission, and made thee a scorne vnto thine e [...]emies, and geuen them all power and [...]thoritie ouer thee.
But God in the end began to waxe weary of their insolency, because [Page 390] they carryed thēselues too too proudly of their conquest, for after they had troden vnder feet the greatnes of Ierusalem, they meant againe to deale with his maiestie, and blaspheme his name, and hauing ouerthrowne the walles of this holy Citie, they bragged that they would make warre against God him selfe, and triumph ouer the spoyles of his Temple. Let their example, ô Ierusalem, serue thy turne, and take occasion to appease God by thy repentance, that he may turne the punishment which he hath prepared for thee, vpon thine enemies. Let thine eyes forthwith burst into bloudy teares, and weepe continually day and night, geue no rest to thy sighes, let thy pitifull eyes speake for thee, and looking vp still vnto heauen, attend thou thine ayde from thence. Coniure by thine humble lookes, this diuine mercy, that it may ease thy weakenes, and conuert his iustice, vnto the chastising of the insolency of thine enemies.
Lift vp, lift vp, I say, both thy body and soule all at once, and before it be day, so soone as thou shalt awake, [Page 391] put thy selfe in a readinesse to pray into God, to prayse and thanke him for that he, by the torments which he hath caused vs to abide, hath brought thee back into the right way, as men do oxen with the goade, vnto the knowledge of his name, and the acknowledging of thine iniquities. And before his face, that is to say, when thou hast obtayned fauour at his hand to looke vpon thee, and seest him to haue compassion on thee, distill thine heart through thine eyes, and melt it all into teares, by thine earnest repentance, euen as the Sunne would melt the snow newly fallen, into water. But if so that thy teares will not touch him, and bring him to haue compassion of thy miserie, lift vp thy hands yet at the least vnto him, and beseech him to be contented with thy miseries, and not extend them vnto thy poore innocent childrē, who are there dispersed, dying of hunger and weakenesse, in corners, saying vnto him,
O Lord, if thou haue any eyes, behold this pitifull spectacle, and if thou haue any eares, harken vnto out prayers, and consider how great [Page 392] our miserie is. Behold how thou hast bene auenged of vs, and see what a spoyle thou hast made of vs. And in very deed, I must needs confesse that we haue deserued it, and I do protest, that we are vnworthie of thy mercy, and do also vow, that we our selues are the causes of our owne miserie. But what haue these poore and wayling children done, whom thou seest screaking out them selues, faintly drawing their breath? Why should the child, whom hunger & torment had drawne out, before the time of the mothers womb was ready to deliuer it, which is not as it were so great as a mans hand, be rent in pieces by her, which should bring it forth, and so be eaten by her, and the same to go downe by peece-meale into the body, out of which it came whole and sound? Surely happy, and twise happy, are the Tygres and Lyons whelps in comparison of these, whose dammes will aduenture their own liues against whatsoeuer violence shall be offred their yong ones, rather then they would suffer them to take any hurt at all. O Lord, how canst thou abide this horrible dealing? Is it possible [Page 393] that thou, which are altogether good & gratious, wouldest abide such great impietie to be wrought? that thou, which art so wise, wouldest allow of such a cruell acte? and that thou, which art Almightie, wouldest suffer such a strange outrage? Shew thy selfe ô Lord, shew thy selfe as thou art: and although for a time thou art determined to exercise thy seueritie and iustice, yet thinke vpon this also, that thy mercy must reigne & haue her course, Content thy selfe that so much bloud is spilt, for the appeasing of thine heauie wrath. Thou hast not bene pleased with the bloud of our sheepe and oxen alone, but wilt needs also haue thine Aulters couered with the bloud of thine owne Priests, for they haue sacrificed their owne liues, and thy Prophets likewise haue bene offred vp in oblation, and yet thou art no whit appeased.
What more wouldest thou haue at our hands? Thou hast scene abroad in the fields, the gray haired and [...]ecreped old men and women lye vpon the ground, crying out, groaning, and [...]eeping: thou hast seene lying with [...] [Page 394] our walles the slaughter of our youths: our streetes strawed all ouer with legs and ames: our riuers running ouer with bloud, and neyther sexe or yet age spared. Thou hast seene amongst the dead, the yong and tender maydens with their haires sheueled about their heads, hauing their breasts lying open with great wounds, out of which gushed streames of bloud, and thou hast seene them lying on their backs with their eyes vp vnto heauen, beseeching thine ayde. And thou, ô Lord, hast notwithstanding all this, turned away thine eyes from them, and as if thou haddest bene a God not to be intreated, hast without either pitie or mercy, run through them all with the sword of thy fury.
Thou hast inuited all my neighbour nations round about me to come to my discomfiture, as it were vnto a mariage, and to take part of my spoiles. Thou hast brought them in such great multitudes, to take possession of me, and to compasse me, as that I can not deuise which way to escape thē. Thou thy selfe hast sounded to the assault, & animated them to my destruction, and [Page 395] stopped vp the passages, for feare that any of vs should be saued. And truly, thy will hath bene done vpon all the children which I haue brought vp, nay there is not one of them saued, mine enemies haue made a shambles of thē, they haue murdered and massacred them till they cryed hoe withall: and lo, seest thou them weary with killing, & yet carest thou not to see them do it, to let them to do it, and to cause them do it? Hath the remembrance of our sins made thee forget the remembrāce of thy clemency? Hast thou created vs in thy mercy, to destroy vs in thy fury? Be thou then no more Almightie, if thou wilt not become both all curteous, & all kind. To be short, be thou no more God, without thou wilt be likewise pitifull. Ha ô Lord, why hast thou called vs thy people, if thou wilt be no more our protector? Why hast thou called vs thy childrē, if thou wilt not deale with vs as a father? Haue therefore, ô Lord, compassion vpon vs, and feeing thy mercy, is infinite, euer since before the world was, cause that thine ire, which was neuer vntill our sins were, may take end and dye [Page 396] with them; and that as our repētance hath set vs againe into the especiall way of obedience & godlinesse, so also it may bring vs againe into thy fauour.
CHAPTER III.
IT is I, euen I my selfe, that hath so many times foreseene and foretold of the afflictions that should light vpon poore Ierusalem. It is euen I, that so often haue announced her misery, and stirred her vp therewith, vnto repentance: but as my spirit of prophesie hath done her no good in her obstinacie, no more hath it also done me. For, I my selfe am ouertaken with the common destruction as well as the rest. For, when the wrath of the liuing God commeth vppon a people, it ordinarily cutteth downe the corne with the tares and darnell, and bindeth vp, as it were in one sheafe, both the good and the bad. For he hath suffred me, sith it is so his pleasure, to be led into a darke place of abode, and hath bereaued me both of [Page 397] day and light. I was confined and limited into a fearefull and darke prison, where I saw neither sunne nor moone. I may very well say, that he hath borne an hard hand vpon me, and that his grace was turned into an implacable indignation, which had neither ease nor end.
He made me waxe old before my time, my skinne wrinkled with sorrow and griefe, my flesh fell away, and my bones payned me, as if they had bene broken in pieces. Now the long continuance in prison, made me thus feeble, for I saw my selfe closed vp as I had bene walled in round about, geuing me nothing but gall to feed on, and torment to exercise my selfe withall. But vnderstandest thou where they shut me vp? verely euen in more obscure and darke places, then those wherein the damned soules are.
What? Must I haue such wide walles to keepe me in? and must I haue such bolts and shackles at my heeles, for feare of running away? But alasse, God was not pleased only thus to confine and limit me in such an hidious prison, but after that the gates and [Page 398] windowes were shut, he also closed vp his cares when I called vpon him. In so much, as that my soule was captiued as well as my body, and was depriued of that sweet comfort which she was wonted to haue with God her comforter. And this in very deed was the thing that astonyed me, when as I sawe all my hope cut off at once. For, all my hope and trust was in God, for when I had lost his fauour, I then right well felt that I was in very deed a prisoner, and that I had vtterly lost all my directions, and that I was shut vp within a wall, farre stronger then any stone or brasen wall, for all the prisons in the world are nothing so cruell vnto a man, as to be without the grace and fauour of God.
For, he that should meete with an hungry Beare in the middest of a wildernesse, could nor be in greater danger then my selfe: nor he that should meete a roaring Lyon hunting after his pray, could not be more afrayd then I. For, I sawe my selfe vtterly vndone, not knowing what way to take. For, the wrath of God cut off the way from me in euery place, it went [Page 399] out more speedily then any Lyon, and layd on farre more stoutly then any Beare, and then what resistance was I able to make? and what else remayned for me, but vtterly to despaire▪ Thou wouldest verely and properly haue sayd, that God had bound and set me vp as a Butt, for him to shoote all the arrowes of his fury at me.
He drew out of the Treasure of his wrath, as out of▪ a well furnished Quiuer, his arrowes of affliction and torment, where-with he shot mee through and through, brake in sunder my loynes, euen as a man would breake a dogs backe with a great leauer▪ O poore miserable broken backt wretch that I am, I am pulled & strayned ioyn [...] by ioynt, and am left a laughing stocke vnto the whole world. They made songs of me, which they song euery day in the open streetes. God gaue me most bitter drinke, and made me very dronke with wormewood wine.
Alasse, what a kinde of entertainement call ye this? he made me eate bread that was halfe flintie, and my poore teeth were brokē with these dayntie morsels. And me thought I [Page 400] was very well, when as my bread was halfe [...]noden with ashes, and in the end I grew very impatiēt, for my soule could neither abide the present miserie wherein I was, nor yet hope for any better hereafter to come, and so descryed she her selfe: so that, the ayd which I looked for at Gods hand was lost in very deed, all my hope was cut off that side, I must no more make accompt of his grace, for hee hath brought me, sith it so liketh him, vnto the end both of my miseries, and also of my dayes.
Neuerthelesse, I straightway tooke my selfe with the manner, & said. Our alasse poore Ieremiah, canst thou tell what thou doest? Is this all the benefit which thou hast reaped by thine afflictions? haue not thy teares, and bitternesse of thy sorrow, otherwise mollified thine heart? canst thou benefit thy selfe no whit by the remembrance of thy miseries past, that thou mightest be humbled, so as thy humilitie might entreat the iustice of God, and con [...]ure his goodnes? In the end, I came to this, and in reuoluing all these discourses in my brayne, I began [Page 401] to rayse vp againe mine hope, which the greatnesse of my sinne had vtterly benummed.
And thus I sayd within my selfe, the Lord hath yet shewed me great fauour and grace, in that he hath not vtterly cast me off, but hath geuen me my voyce to call vpon him for mercy. For, a man shall at last, finde alwayes pitie and compassion in him, if so be he will patiently attend his good pleasure and leysure. The Sunne neither riseth nor falleth, but it seeth his mercy. His goodnes spreddeth it selfe ouer all the earth, neyther is there any corner thereof which beareth not his marke. And furthermore, I say, that the Sunne shineth not but to be seene, and to cause to see. O Lord our God, how great is thy goodnes, how assured is thine ayd, how certaine is thy word, and how infallible, thy promise? As for my selfe, I wil trust in none but in thee, and if so be I may haue thy grace and fauour for my portion, I care for none of the rest. My soule is fully resolued hereof, and do feele it say vnto my conscience, that she putteth all her trust in thee, and layeth vp her saluation [Page 402] in thy hands.
How can she do better? For, God neuer halted with them which put their trust in him, for at one time or another, either early or late he hath shewed them, that his goodnes is infallible, and that the hart which seeketh it, findeth it farre or neere, and that the soule which desireth it, obtaineth it either soone or late. We must therefore wayt for it patiently, and not murmure if God come not vnto vs at the first call, let vs hold our peace, and let him do it, and he will in the end do that which she shall see to be most for his glory, & most necessary, for our saluation. For, great things are not brought to passe, nor made perfect but with patience and long suffering. And let vs not despaire, if so be things fall not out as we would wish at the first chop. For, he doth nothing but for our good, for, as he is Almightie, so is he also only good, and as he is only good, so i [...] he also only wise: and that, which we thinke many times to be most against vs, is most profitable for vs, and the wholesomest medecines, are commonly most bitter. Beleeue me, it is a [Page 403] good thing for a man a little to be are the yoke in his youth, that is to say; to haue afflictions which may somewhat bow and bend his neck, and abate his pride.
Let a wise man therefore which seeth him selfe fallen into any great calamine, be quiet and say nothing, but patiently beare his yoke, and the more that his miserie encreaseth, let him be the more couragious, and yet neuerthelesse, let him lift vp his eyes vnto heauen, and cry God mercy, and imagine thus with him selfe, that it can not be but that he hath done amisse, seeing that the hand of God doth so visit him. Let him prostrate him selfe vpon the ground, and clothe him selfe with sacke, and cast ashes on his head, to see if he can any way appease the wrath of God, and although he hath no hope thereof, yet let him quiet him selfe, and let him patiently beare the iniuries that are done him, offer his cheeke to him that will strike him, and satisfie him selfe as well with reproch, as another man would fill him selfe with bread.
And why so? forsooth because [Page 404] he right well knoweth, that God will in the end appease his wrath, and that after that men shall haue driuen him to the ground, that God will take him vp in his lap, and although he let him alone for once, yet will he in the end haue compassion vpon him, according to the greatnes and multitude of his mercies. For, God taketh no pleasure in seeing men afflicted, and it is much against his heart to torment them, yea euen when his iustice enforceth and strayneth him thereto. And he doth it for the benefit of men, because he feareth that, his ouer-great indulgence, will cast them downe so headlong into sinne, as that they shall neuer be able to recouer them selues any more. For, he correcteth them as a good father doth, who in chastising his sonne, weepeth with griefe that he driueth him thereunto, not meaning thereby to do him any hurt, but rather good.
It is not, beleeue me, the purpose of God, to tread men vnder his feet, and to triumph ouer them in their afflictions, much lesse to hold them fast bound and posternd as the trophees of his power. Neither is it his [Page 405] meaning to throw them into miscrie & pouertie, and there to leaue them, for he knoweth best what they haue need of, and iudgeth aright what is most profitable for them. He is nothing like vnto those wicked Iudges, which take pleasure in nothing but in cuffing and boxing of men, and to haue occasion to hang and torture them vpon the wheele. He neuer beholdeth our sinnes but with sorrow of heart, neither hateth he any thing so much, as to punish. And so, all the calamities which he layeth vpon vs, are but as threatning words to aduertise vs to runne vnto his grace, before he enter into iudgement with vs, to the end that whē he would cōdemne vs, we might plead the pardon and remission of our sins which he shall haue graunted vs.
It may be ye will say vnto me, what is it then that so tormēteth men, seeing ye say that it commeth not frō God, who is altogether good, and that it is not hee which commanded it? Commeth not both good and ill from the most high? Doth not he distribute the same vnto vs in such manner and measure as pleaseth him selfe? O wretched [Page 406] poore man, why murmurest thou against God? Is it not enough that he hath geuen thee life? and that without him thou shouldest be nothing? Thou wilt contest against him, euen thou a creature, against thy creator, thou, a vile sinner, against him that is altogether iust, thou, that art altogether weake, against him that is Almightie.
Our miseries come not from God, but from our selues, let vs examine our liues, and lay open our actions, and if we search well, we shall finde the cause of them to proceede from our selues. For, the roote of them is in our owne hearts, which being infected, corrupt and marre what so euer commeth out of them. Let vs therefore cut off sinne by the stumps, let vs teare and pull in pieces the hart strings of iniquitie, and in stead of this concupiscence, which buddeth and bringeth forth naught else but sinne and damnation, replant therein the liuely and pure loue of God, which flourisheth and fructifieth vnder the husbandrie of his discipline. Let our hearts lift vp them [Page 407] selues straight vnto heauen, as noble and vpright plants, and put foorth their thoughts, as the branches, and lift vp their motions thither, as the slowres or blossoms, and place their words as leaues, let them bring foorth their good workes, as their fruites, and in looking vp alwayes vnto heauen, make thern selues worthie thereof, and from thence, looke for the growing and ripening of them. And as yong plants in the hoatest time of sommer (when as the yawning earth chappeth through drinesse) looke for rayne from aboue, to be refreshed, euen so let vs also in the extremitie of our necessitie, looke and call for the sweet milke of the grace of God, to be deaw our lips, and sustayne our selues. Now, to the end that we might obtaine this grace, let vs lift vp our hearts & hands vnto him, bowe our knees, and prostrate our selues before his face, in cōfessing our sins? & beseeching him of mercy. And let vs say vnto him, It is true ô Lord, that we haue sinned, and do protest, that we haue kindled thy wrath against vs, and this is the iust occasion for which thou [Page 408] hast vnto this day, made thy selfe inexorable vnto our prayers.
But how inexorable? Forsooth euen thus farre, that when we haue thought to haue lifted vp our eyes vnto thee, thy fury hath bleared them like thunder & lightning. Thou hast beaten and broken vs without all pitie or mercy. All the world hath miserably forsaken vs: we are like vnto the loppings and shreddings of trees, and vnto the beesoms of an house, which serue for none other purpose, but to be cast into the fire. To be short, we haue bene thrust out amongst all the nations of the earth, as a matter of opprobie and wrong.
Which of our enemies, ô Lord, is there, that haue not had their mouths open to rayle against vs? and looke which way soeuer we haue turned our selues, we haue alwaves found that which we most eschued. Our ruine and desolation lyeth wayting for vs like traps and snares, set in the wayes where we might haue escaped, and as one, being in an ineuitable mischiefe, I had none other recourse but vnto mine eyes. My teares haue trickled [Page 409] downe aboundantly, and haue bitterly bewayled my mishap, and the misery of my fellow citizens, and of thee my best beloued Ierusalem.
And as our miseries neuer ceased, no more also did mine eyes, so as a man would haue verely sayd, that through affliction, mine heart was in the presse to squeeze teares out of it, as men squeeze water out of a spunge. Thus did I leade my life continually, vntill such time as I had enforced thee ô Lord, to haue pitie on me, and had with my teares quenched the heat of thine anger. What other thing should I haue done, when as I sawe before mine eyes so many Cities destroyed, so many houses burnt, so many Templs cast downe, so many men slayne, and so many mayds forced and defloured? And surely, I had had a very steely hart, if I could haue held my self from weeping, and although it had bene of steele, yet had my dolor bene strong and able inough to haue molten it into weeping.
Ha, what a thing is this? they draue vs before them, as men driue cattle. We fled from our enemies, and [Page 410] yet they pursued vs, we yelded our selues vnto them, and yet they massacred vs, and all this they did, not geuing them any occasion of offence. They led me into the bottome of the arse of a ditch, and tyed a stone about my necke, as they do about a dogs necke when they meane to drowne him. And verely, I had like to haue bene drowned: for, mine afflictions had aboundantly runne ouer the very crowne of mine head, and had almost choked me▪ and all the help that I had, was to cry out and say, O Lord, I dye, haue mercy vpon me.
I was as it were in a bottomlesse depth, in the hole of a prison, I knew not but by my memorie, whether there had bene eyther Stye or Sunne in the world, so monstrous darke was the place wherein I was. And yet ceased I not to call vpon thee my Lord my God, and sent vp my faith, whither my senses could by no meanes reach. And thou neuer reiectedst me, but receiuedst my prayer, for my sobs in the end moued thee, and made thee turne againe vnto thy first resolution, I felt thee forthwith to assist [Page 411] and help me, yea euen at the very first instant, I say, that I began to pray vnto thee: And still me thought, I heard thee say vnto my soule, be of good courage, feare not.
And so, ô Lord, thou canst tell, that as great a sinner as I am, that thou wilt help and succour me euen for thy Christ his sake, and for thy mercy, promise, and truth sake. For, thou that vnderstandest the very bottoms of our harts, canst truly iudge that my soule hath bene carryed away vnto sinne, by her senses and concupiscence: but as soone as she felt thy rods, she conuerted vnto thee her creator and redeemer, from whom alone, as she hath had life, so also aduoweth she the restauration thereof, after sinne. For, the question, ô Lord, is of the iudging betweene mine enemies and me, whether it be reasonable that my misery should serue them for a sport, or whether it be hye time that they should beare part of the punishmēt. Iudge it, ô Lord, thou that knowest the righteousnes of my cause. For, thou knowest their thoughts, their cruell purposes, & the plagues which they haue prepared [Page 412] for me. I haue mine health by reason of their inhabilitie, for if they had as great power as they haue will, I had abidden as much as they had bene able to haue layd vpon me.
Thou hast sufficiently seene, ô Lord, that they haue dealt with me, as farre as they might: and thou knowest also that there is no iniury which they haue not committed and spoken against me. And I do be short, thou hast very well knowne their counsels and thoughts. And I do verely thinke that there was neuer word came out of their lips, wherwith they purposed not to hurt me: and beleeue me, their minds were neuer vnoccupied in finding out some cunning deuise or other to hurt me. And cōsider I beseech thee, whether euer they arose or lay downe, that their talke was not on me: neyther had they euer any other matter to sing on, but to speake euil of me.
Go to then, ô Lord, seeing they haue ouer come thy patience, wilt thou not daunt their malice? and sith nothing can driue them to repentance, wilt thou not punish them? And seeing they take so great pleasure in ill [Page 413] doing, shall they not feele and abide thy displeasure by course? For, once I am sure, that thou art iust, and sith thou art so, thou must needs pay them home according to the works of their owne hands. And seeing that through their pride and arrogancie, they haue forsaken thee, to follow their own presumption, thou must needs leaue them in their error, and they, must needs perseuere in their sinne: and this hard scale of impenitencie must of force couer ouer their whole hearts: and a greater curse canst thou not lay vpon them then this, then to blinde their minds, and take away from them their senses. For, when thou shalt come at once, in the day of vengeance, with a rod of iron in thine hand, and breake them all in shards like a potters vessell, there shall be nothing vnder the heauens, by many thousands of degrees, so miserable as they, for they shall find no mercy at all, because they themselues were mercylesse: they shall be poore, and there shall be none to helpe them: and they shall be afflicted, and none shall comfort them. In the meane while, ô Lord, haue thou an [Page 414] eye vnto vs, and second our patience, with thine holy mercy: to the end, that as long as thou shalt please to exercise vs with the iniuries and opprobries of the wicked, our hearts fayle vs not, and that our soules may alwayes be able to lift them selues vp vnto thee, and looke for thine ayde, taking the miseries which it pleaseth thee to send vs, for a tryall of our faith, hoping that after our long patiēce, thou wilt crowne vs as victorious wrastlers, and cause vs triumphantly leade the wicked, against whome we continually wrastle here in this life.
CHAPTER IIII.
I Knowe, O Lord, right well, that we must yeeld vnto thy will, and that we do but kicke against the pricke in complayning of thee. Neuerthelesse, I can not keepe in my griefes, much lesse my sighs, when as I behold this strange desolation. And although my soule biddeth me hold my peace, yet can not mine heart [Page 415] keepe it selfe from sighing. For, who, ô Lord, would not haue pitie of this, to see all the beawtifull golden walls of thy temple bescrabled, and scraped, all the goodly golden vessels so finely wought, now melted, and clipt in pieces, & all the ritch Iasper & Porphirie of thy sanctuary, brokē, layd in gobbets, & cast about all the corners of the Citie; in so much, that that place which shone as bright as the Sunne, is now become like a ruinous darke dungeon.
Besides, who would not grone, to see the children of the best houses, who were so much made of, and so beloued, as that they were accompted as pretious as any gold, to be now cast vpon the leystalles like the shards of a broken pot? Ha, ô Lord our God, this was not mens worke, but thine owne: Yea, why forsookest thou after this sort thine owne most deare and most excellent workemanship? createdst thou there, to destroy them?
O, I would thou haddest shewed as great fauour at our at the least vnto the childrē of Ierusalem, thou diddest vnto the most vile & abiest creatures on the earth, for the very yong [Page 416] serpents them selues finde their dams teats, who bring them vp vntill such time as they are able to shift for them selues. Alasse, thou hast made the women of Ierusalem to become more cruell then serpents, more sauage then the women of Lamia, which haue no womanlike shape nor condition but the very face, for, their hearts, and the rest of the members of their bodies are most hidious and fearefull. Nay, there is not so little amitie amongst the very Ostridges, who, amongst the foules of the ayre, are the most wilde and vntameable, as there is in the women of Ierusalem, by reason of their continuall affliction which hath so degenerated them.
Wee haue seene the yong children, that there lay streaking out them selues, yawning and gaping, with lips as dry as sticks, their tongs cleeuing vnto the rooffes of their mouthes with very drought, and sucking winde in stead of milke: for, their mothers at the first offered them their breasts, but they were so dry, as that they yelded nothing but bloud. In so much that the poore wretches hauing nothing to [Page 417] breede any iuice or moysture in them, dryed vp, whereby they fell into a consumption, and so most pitifully languishing and wearing away, forthwith dyed. And they that were somewhat bigger, ranne after their fathers, and hanging about their heeles, cryed so lamentably vpon them for bread, as that it would haue made the stones in the streete to haue rent in sunder with compassion. But what shall I say? verely, they had nothing to geue their, for, all that their fathers could do for thē, was to wish them dead, and curse the day that euer they begot them, to see them now in so miserable an estate.
O Lord our God, what an alteration of life was this? Yea, what an inexorable crueltie? This is a miserie which scourgeth the whole world, and whippeth both hye and lowe. For, they that were wont to liue most delicately, and pamper their bodies, begged in the hye wayes, and dyed of honger, yea, and they that were wonted to lye on their downe beds, and had their couerings of veluet and silke, and troad vppon nothing but vppon Tap [...]stry, thought them selues now to be in very [Page 418] good case, if so be they could get a dunghill to lye vpon.
In so much, that for any thing that I can see, ô Lord, thou iudgest our sinnes to be more haynous, then the sinnes of Sodome. For, thou hast punished vs more cruelly, then euer thou diddest them. For, they were ouerthrowne in a moment, and fire from heauen deuoured them presently. And besides, there was none but thy selfe that dealt in this, for, she was not committed vnto the mercy of men, left vnto the discretion of her enemies, nor yet vnto the iniuries that follow the taking of Cities.
It is a common saying, that there is no right iudging of misery but by way of comparison, and then beginneth it to touch the quicke, when as a man compareth his estate wherein he presently standeth, with that wherein he sometime was. As when I bethinke me of the magnificence of those of Nazareth, and see what miserable caytifes they now are, For, it was a maruellous glorious thing to see them come vnto Ierusalem to the feast, m their robes as white as the driuen snow, so neate and [Page 419] white were their clothes, their faces were smoothly paynted, and glistered like yuorie, and their cheekes as ruddie as any rose, or rather as ruddie as any rubie.
But they that had seene them now might haue sayd, that they had blowne the cole all their life long at a smythes forge, or had bene begrimed for the nonce, and would haue rather taken them for the Lazars of a spittle house then otherwise, for, their bones beare out their skins, and a man would haue sayd that their skins had bin like parchmēt wrapt about a dead carrion, and I verely beleeue that there is as much moysture in a dry slough or ditch, as was in any of their bodies.
Yea, and they which past the edge of the sword, came to a far better market then they, for their misery was not long, & they were acquitted once for all. But to dye of cruell famine, and to see and feele one so long a dying, is a most miserable thing, they felt them selues continually wither away, and knew not how their strength went frō them, without a man would, haue savd, the earth, had consumed it. For they [Page 420] were like vnto a plant, whose roote was cleane dried vp, which in the beginning waxeth yellow in the neither parts, and so by little and little the boughes and armes thereof, dye, and in the end the whole body dryeth vp, and is good for nothing else, but to be cast into the fire.
Ye may thinke, that I haue very much spoken of things, and yet they are but flowres, in respect of the rest of the miseries which necessitie hath suggested vnto vs, and which, if I had an hundreth tongs, I were neuer able to expresse. Shall I tell them, ô Lord? Alasse, I will not, for then I should accuse thine ouergreat seueritie, in deliuering out the excessiue miseries, wherein thou hast plunged vs. Notwithstanding I will do it, I will tell them, ô Lord, to the end thou mightest at the last haue compassion of vs, and somewhat hold backe thy reuengefull arme. For, thou hast layd it ouer heauely vp vs, we haue seene it, and must we needs see it ô Lord? and shall our eyes be our owne still, after we haue seene it? We haue seene the mothers, I say, through famine and [Page 421] want, so degenerate from their kind, as that they haue dismembred their owne children, puld them in pieces, boyled them on the fire, and deuoured them with their teeth, to satisfie that cruell famine, wherewith they were afflicted.
Ha, ô Lord our God, what thoughtest thou to haue done with vs? meantest thou to shew thy selfe to be almightie, as well in thy fury, as in thy mercy, to shew, all thine actions to be infinite, to shew, that when thou goest about to set thy selfe to be cruell, that thou art out of all measure cruell, and to shew thy self wheresoeuer thou passest when thou art in choller, to be a deuouring fire, which setteth on fire, raueneth, & consumeth, and to be such a one, as thou hast shewed thy self to be in visiting poore Syon, euen vnto the cōsuming the very foundatiōs thereof.
O most strange, and most incredible thing, these newes haue bene told vnto other Kings and Princes of the earth, & to all other strange people, but they could neuer beleeue any iote of it. For thus they haue sayd, What? is it possible, that this holy City [Page 422] which God hath chosen for his dwelling place, where he hath set vp his throne on the earth, where he will be worshipped, whither all nations haue carried their offrings, where he hath appeared and answered vnto the cryes of those that haue prayed vnto him; the same onely, to be taken, and to fall into the hands of her enemies? Surely, we will neuer beleeue it, nay, we do not beleeue, that if they found the gates therof stand wide open, that they durst once enter into it.
And yet for all this, ô Lord, it is euen so, the poore cittie is vtterly vndone and razed, but after what sort? and wherfore? Forsooth, for the sinnes ô Lord, of our prophets, and for the sinnes of our priests, who haue shed the bloud of the righteous, euen in the middest of Ierusalem.
They haue run vp and downe in the streats like mad men, and reeled too and fro, as men drunken with the bloud of innocents. They are so polluted and defiled, as that all the world is a feard to touch them, for feare of being imbrued with them. Yea and they themselues are ashamed to go into the [Page 423] temple, for feare of violating it with the bloud which commeth frō their cloths.
I do assure ye, that the very heathen themselues haue bene afeard of them, I say, euen they that know not God, but by the light of nature, and haue cried out against them, saying; O ye wicked and cruell caitiues, hence and away, and defile not the place which is dedicated vnto your God, and they with great indignity despitefully againe haue said, no, no. Beleeue verily, that God dwelleth not amongst such kinde of people.
For, a man may easily see, that their God hath forsaken them, hath dabd them in the necks, and set them at diuision and discord. They haue tasted of nothing so little as of godlines, and therfore they must looke no more for any helpe from heauen. What? the very ancient seruants of God, appointed to serue at his aulter, haue not so much as once blushed, in committing most horrible and great wickednesses, & the elder sort which should haue bin the most modest, haue bin most mad? and had no compassion of their equals: neither could the age of their afflicted [Page 424] companions driue them to any compassion? And seeing that all humanitie is rooted out of their harts, how is it possible for God to dwell in them? Beleeue me, these are no men, but counterfet Tygres. And therfore God will deale with them as he dealeth with brute beasts, and make one of them praye vpon another.
Ha, ô Lord, these people haue sayd rightly, Thou hast made vs to feele it in deed: for, after all these our furious pranks, the time of punishment came vpon vs: for, our enemies enuironed vs on euery side, and whilst we were gaping and looking for ayd from men, and looked so wishlie for them, as that we were weery of looking, & could see none at all come, wee were very foolish in looking for helpe from men, to defend vs from thee, ô Lorde, which makest warre against vs. Alasse, what are mens forces able to do against thee? What rampart in all the whole world is able to defend vs against thy wrath?
We haue bene taken as Partriges in the cod of a net, thou hast driuen vs together on a Couie, and [Page 425] afterward coueredst vs: wee thought to haue escaped, and our feete slid, we are fallen, and are snared in the net: we haue assaied to fleet from one place to another, and we haue bene alwaies staied. And why so? forsooth, because the day was come. We haue hastened the punishment by our perseuering in euill doing, and haue in the end enforced God to pronounce the ineuitable iudgement of our condemnation against vs.
When God hath resolued to do a thing, all things both in heauen and earth, are ready to execute his will, euery thing maketh it selfe ready to serue his purpose, our enemies are more swift to pursue vs, then are the Eagles, the Stock doues. For, they haue followed vs euen to the tops of the mountaines, and met with vs in the deserts. I do verely beleeue, that if we were in the deepest dungeons that euer were, that they would there finde vs out.
And what shall I say? where found they out our good Iosias, euen him, whom thou haddest annointed to raigne ouer vs, and whom we esteemed [Page 426] and made more of, then of our owne liues, who was alwaies in our hearts, and euer in our mouthes? him they tooke, & led captiue aswell as the rest, Nothing could keepe him from their hands. I do verily beleeue, that our sinnes are the cause of his taking, and for our sinnes, did he suffer and abide the same, and therefore we haue said thus vnto him for his comfort, We beseech thee, ô King, patiently to beare the affliction which the Lorde thy God hath sent thee, which is the shadowe and figure of the passion of him, who by his death shall establish againe our former felicity, make vs raigne ouer the Gentiles, and subiect all the nations of the world vnto our law.
But in the meane while he is bound and shackled, ô most heauy and lamentable aduenture. Laugh thou, yea laugh thou thereat, ô thou daughter of Edome, which dwellest in the plaines of Arabia, there is enough thereof left for thee, yea, thou shalt drinke of the cuppe when thy turne commeth about, and be made drunke with the bitter wine aswell as wee. [Page 427] They shall make thee hazarde thy throate, and thou shalt beleeue it, make a good reckoning of our spoiles. There is small ioy and comfort in beholding anothers misery, and that ioy and comfort shall we haue, for, we shall see them lament and be sory for their owne punishment, euen to see themselues to be sory for their owne, that laughed at ours.
And therefore I beseech thee ô poore desolate Syon, begin to take heart vnto thee, for God hath eftsoones made an end of that which he had ordained for thy punishment, he will adde no more affliction vnto thy dolours past, for he hath done that which he had a desire and minde to do. He will now suffer thee by little and little to restore thy selfe, to build againe thine houses, to rere vp againe thine aulters, and to reedifie thy temples. Feare now no more any new banishment. For he will come vnto thee himselfe, to reassure thee, comfort, and strengthen thee. And as for thee ô thou daughter of Edome, he will now come and visit thy turne, and teach thee that hee right well [Page 428] knoweth thy life and conuersation, that he maketh a good accompt of thy sinnes, and art no more exempt from his iustice then any of the rest: and will make thee haue compassion of thy selfe, seeing thou wilt haue none of another, and bewaile, thine owne miseries, because thou hast laughed at the miseries of others.
CHAPTER. V. The prayer of Ieremiah.
IF so be it be true, ô Lord, that we are thy people, and thou our God, behold vs a little, & consider the miserable estate wherein we stand. Consider I say, if there be any opprobrie in the world, wherewith we haue not bene vtterly ouerwhelmed. Looke not for it within the houses which our fathers built for vs, neither yet in the prouinces which thou hast destined for vs: For, we our selues are banished, and strange men enioy our goods. We haue vnknowne heires, which haue driuen vs out of our auncesters [Page 429] houses, and sent vs away starke naked.
2 We are like poore orphans, whose fathers are dead, and haue none to direct and guide vs.
3 We are like vnto mourning widowes that haue lost their husbands, and although they are not dead, yet are they in their widowhood, and haue double occasion to weepe and bewaile the imprisonment & captiuitie of their husbands. A seruitude, alas most rigorous, yea such a one as is not to be named, nay more then is able to be imagined. For we are driuē to die of thirst, to buy with our money, the water of our owne fountaines, and to moisten our poore dry toungs with cruel thirst. We are enforced to buy againe our wood, stick by stick, and that very dearly, to warme our selues withal, although our poore members bee almost dead with colde.
5 We haue borne the collar on our necks, and haue bene yoked together like Oxen, we haue drawne the waine, & laboured like beasts. And although the cattle trauell all day, yet take they their rest at night, but there is no end [Page 430] of our paines taking, neither do we finde any rest in our labours.
6 As for vs, we are sold for bread, and yet must we runne vnto the furthermost parts of Egipt, to finde those that must set vs a worke. The Assirians thought to shew vs great fauour, in making vs trauell day and night for a morsell of bread. O Lord, what an hard and pittifull slauery is this? how is it possible that we should thus greeuously prouoke thee?
7 I beleeue that thou hast put in a catalogue all the sinnes of our forefathers, and heaped their sinnes on our heads. What ô Lord? doth this rigour become thy bounty? Shall our forefathers begone hence, and shall their punishment remaine behind them? Shall they be dead, & their sinnes liue? And shall we beare them & know not why?
8 And if so be that they haue offended thee, why hast thou giuen them the land of promise to possesse? why hast thou subiected the strange nations vnto them? Is it because that it is our turne, to be the slaues vnto the slaues of our auncestors, and that the world might see vs to be captiues to those [Page 431] that heretofore serued vs.
9 That we should be enforced with strokes to labour for our bread, and to teke paines for others in our own land, hauing our throates alwaies in danger of cutting, and dwelling in the wildernesse, in stead of our goodly houses?
10 Behold, ô Lord, if thou haue any eyes, how they haue drest vs, behold how our skins are cut and torne with beating, they are us full of holes as a siue, and there is not an white and free place in them. Famine hath made vs as leane as rakes, and they haue all to hacked and hewed vs.
11 If so be amongst all these their insolent dealings, they had spared either age, sexe, or noble and wothy persons, it had bene somwhat. But their cruelty was alike, both vnto male, and female, vnto young and old, and vnto mighty and base. Was there euer a wife, in Sion, whome they dishonoured not, or euer a maid, whom they forced not? This weake sexe, ô Lord, powred out before thee teares and sighes, their imbecillity, implored thine Almightinesse, their inhumane iniurie, thy diuine iustice.
12 How handled they thy princes? They hung them vp with their owne hands, and the gray haired old men, in whom old age had imprinted a kinde of reuerence and maiesty, were drawne through the dirt by them, and pluckt and torne, as if they had bene amongst cruell Tygers.
13" And [...]h [...]t di [...] [...]hey with the yong children thi [...]ke you? Verily they abused them with most extreame vnsham-fastnesse, and afterward knockt them in the heads, thinking to extinguish thereby, the remembrance of their abhomination, and choke vp one fault with another.
14 Alas, O Lord, what a strange alteration is this? For, when as we thinke vpon the flourishing estate of our countrey and set before vs that venerable assembly of our Senators, placed as Gods on the earth, to deliuer oracles vnto men, and by their mouthes to forme the voice of iustice, and call to mind the magnificence of our iusts and turnies, and draw o [...] as it were, by line and by leuell, our fine and pleasant dances, where all the youth shined and glistered like the starres in a cleare [Page 433] and bright night.
15 O good God, what a griefe and sorrow is this? Can we take any pleasure and delight after all this? Must not wee sweare a perpetuall mourning? and condemne our eyes vnto euerlasting teares?
16 Is it possible that we should be able to liue after all this? Is our griefe so small, as that it is not sufficient to make vs dye? Is our miserie so cruell, as that it hath left vs eyes so long time to behold it? and condemned vs to be so long while afflicted with so strange a miserie▪ Must wee see at our feete, the pieces of the Crowne which fell from our heads, and tread vppon the shiuers of the Scepter which wee were wont to carrie in our hands? and see our kingly ornaments puld in pieces before our faces? Cursed bee wee, who haue caused by our sinnes, this desolation, who haue enforced the iustice of God to visite vs in his furie, and to poure vpon vs the fire of his wrath and anger.
17 This is it that we must bewayle, [Page 434] this must be heere the spring head of our teares, for this is the fountaine of all our miseries. These are, yea, these are our iniquities, which haue changed the face of what soeuer we see to be before vs, which haue made our champion grounds deserts, wildernesses of our Cities, rubbish of our houses, and left nothing vnto our selues, but an obiect of sadnesse and dolor, to bleare our eyes with so monstrous a spectacle, and to kill our hearts with so pirifull thoughts.
18 For who is he that would not put out his eyes with much weeping▪ and what is he whose spirit would not be dulled with very dotage, when as he shall see this beautifull Syon, the Garden of the world, and the eye o [...] all Palestine, to be made now a Warren of Foxes, where nothing vse and haunt but wilde beasts?
19 But these, ô Lord, are the blowes of thine owne hand, who makest great things that thou mighte [...] pull them downe, which settest vp Cities and Kingdomes vpon the face of the earth, as a ladder, to shew that [Page 435] they are nothing but the execrement of thy other more excellent workes, and wouldest haue the ouerthrowe of all earthly things, beare witnesse of thine eternitie and infinitenesse. Thou art, ô Lord, only eternall, exempt from all course and change, for no times are able to measure thy greatnesse, for they serue thee, and are but as Stewards and dispensers of thy will. Thy Throne is farre aboue all corruptible things, and there thou sittest, making all generations to passe before thee, one after another, changing when it pleaseth thee, the enhabitants of the earth, euen as men do their garments.
20 But seeing, ô Lord, that thou art thus altogether good, iust, and Almightie, wilt thou wholie forget thy goodnesse and louing kindnesse towards vs, thou that canst forget nothing? Wilt thou which euer keepest thy word and promise, forget the righteousnesse of thy promises which thou hast euer made vnto thy chosen people? Wilt thou let slip the occasion which offereth it [Page 436] selfe vnto thee to haue pitie on vs, and helpe vs, who art not Almightie, but for to do good, and ayd the afflicted? and as soone shouldest thou forget to be God, as to forget to pardon and forgeue. Very well thou hast for a time dealt seuearely with vs, and sent vs calamities, to make vs feele that we haue offended thee, and we haue perceyued it right well, and wee haue returned vnto thee with broken hearts, and dolorously groaned before thee, and therefore what more wouldest thou haue of vs? What other sacrifice may we offer vp vnto thee, then our teares? All the rest is thine, and there is nothing in our disposition but our wills, and the same we present vnto thee washed in our teares, pressed and squeezed by the sorrowe of our repentance, and purged and cleansed with the zeale of thy liuely loue, and therefore why reiectest thou vs? Why causest thou vs to waxe old in our miseries?
21 No no, ô Lord, thou art too good and fauourable, for so long as [Page 437] wee shall call vppon thee with sound hearts, thou wilt neuer forsake vs. But because, ô Lord, there is no more force nor strength in vs, and that our miserie hath knockt our spirits in the head, quicken thou them in vs, and let all our affections be set vppon thee. And to the end wee may continually cleaue vnto thee, and not haue thy grace disdayne to dwell in vs, renue our spirits and liues, and reestablish vs againe in our first integritie and purenesse wherein thou createdst vs.
22 Thou hast heretofore reproued vs, and in reprouing vs, hast reiected vs, and to say truly, thou haddest reason so to doo, for our too too intollerable iniquities, had most strongly prouoked thee. But sith that wee haue now humbled our selues before thee, and haue done what so euer we might bethinke vs of, to appease thee with all, receiue vs to thy grace, poure vppon vs thy benefits, embrace vs louingly as lost children, which come agayne with weeping teares, to cast them selues into the [Page 438] armes of their father, and mercifully receyue our prayers and vowes, for they come not now, ô Lord from our lips alone, but euen from the very bottomes of our harts.
The song of Ezechias, taken out of the Prophesie of Isaiah. Chap. 38.
I Am dryed vp with very sorrowe and griefe, and I breath out the very last sighes of my life, and when m [...] spirit launched out with dolor, me thought it began to cry out after this manner; What? must I in the middest of my dayes descend into the pit? Is the flower of my youth no sooner hatched, but that death must by and by come to gather me vp? And shall my brightest and most cleare shining dayes be conuerted into darkenesse? O, farewell then, farewell, I say, most sweet light, which hidest thee from mine eyes: for loe, the night trayneth me into darke and vnknowne caues and dens, [Page 440] and sendeth me a great way vpon the earth, euen vnto hell gates.
2 But tell me, I beseech thee, what shall become of the rest of my life? Whither shall the rest of my yeares flye? O, vayne and deceytfull hope, which nourishest our minds and purposes, and afterward leauest them in the middest of their course. I hoped to haue had a faire and white old age, and disposed of mine houshold, to mitigate the discommodities thereof. I builded palaces, deuised garden plots, & got riches together, to pleasure my childrē withall, & to make merry with my friends, and so faire and easily to spend the rest of mine age in seruing of God, and doing good vnto men. But I must now change my note, and sing another song, and am enforced, ô God, to say now vnto thee, I shall see thee no more in the land of the liuing.
3 I shall neuer more, I say, lift vp mine eyes vnto thee amongst the liuing, & in turning my face towards the corners of this world, behold & admire the works of thine hāds. Farewell most beautifull and glorious Sunne, which hast so often risen farre aboue the waters, [Page 441] to geue vnto mine eyes the shining brightnesse of thy beames. Farewell pale siluery Moone, which by degrees slakest the shadowy sayles of the night, & by degrees markest the measures of our time, put thy self out when euer thou wilt, for my sight is put out for euer seeing of thee. And ye glistering starres of light, which couer by pace measures all alongst this azured playne skyes, and which spred ouer our weake bodies your heauenly powers, stay your selues when you will, for, ye haue not any power ouer the dead, and ô ye ritch meadowes, wither when ye will your excellent enameled floures, and ô yee christall spring heads, dry vp when yee will the beds of running streames, for death commeth [...]o seele vp mine eyes, & to bereaue me of your pleasant sights: farewell ô world: farewell ô men, and farewell what so euer pleasure I haue had in this place. And ye my deare friends, lo heere my last farewell, for, here is broken the knot of our sweet friendship. And ye my children, heere endeth the holy affection wherewith I haue made mery a mongst you, and now I am possessed with another [Page 442] care: for, death seperateth me from you, and you from me.
4 My posteritie is carried farre away from mee, euen as the Shepheards Tents of Scythia, to day here, and to morrow there. O most bitter and grieuous separation, which pluckest the children out of the armes of their father, and from the sweet bosome of their mother.
5 But why is this so quickly done, and against all hope? I came no sooner to be set vpon the frame, and scarsly was there a bait or stale layd for my life, but that the workeman was ready to put his fleame, or lancing knife into me. What a kind of alteration, ô Lord, is this? In how short a time changeth the face of the world? And truly, are not the euening and morning all alike? For, I was this morning aliue, and lo, I am now amongst the dead. I looke but for the houre, wherein I meane to tread the fields, that I might trusse vp bag and baggage, and away.
6 Why? I was this morning a very gallant, and I was tickled with new and strange hopes, I proued mine [Page 443] owne strength, and me thought I was sound, and like to liue long, and I had a world of deuises in mine head, and euery minute my courage encreased, and anon death commeth vpon me like an hungrie Lyon, sucketh my bloud, shaketh my flesh, breaketh in sunder my bones, and loe, I am stretched out, and readie to yeeld vp the last gaspe of my life. Alasse, I was this morning some body, and now at night I shal be no body. O God, what a small distance is there betweene a mans being, and his not being? And from morning to night euery man goeth this broad beaten hye way: yea yea, ô Lord, in a moment, if thou please, a man passeth from the one to the other, and goeth from life vnto death. The first course of the heauens is verie suddaine and swift, and yet is the cutting sythe of death, more suddaine, and far nimbler, for thou geuest vs life in breathing on vs, an whē thou ceasest we dye. Thou lookest vpon vs, & we are borne, & thou turnest away thine eye frō vs, and by and by we are dead. We are the bubble of the water which apeareth with the least mouing, [Page 444] and is puffed out with the smallest winde. We are the haruest leafe hanging now vpon the tree, and eftsoone lying flat on the ground; or to speake more properly, we are the shadow of a dreame, which is quire gone so soone as we awaken. But although, ô Lord, death hath laid fast hold on me, and that one of my feete is already in the graue, yet will I crie out vnto thee, and coniure thee by thine infinite power, and pittifully g [...]one vnto thee, in acknowledging my misery, and thy clemency, wilt thou not then haue compassion vpō me? wouldst thou not somwhat lengthen the thred of my life?
7 The terror, ô Lord, of thy great maiesty maketh me afeard to speake: & although I feele my misery to presse me and pursue me, & that I know my helpe is in thee, yet dare I not addresse my praier vnto thee. But I am like vnto the young new hatched swallow, who being naked and without feathers, is left alone in the nest, pittifully chirping and looking for her dam. Nay, I am rather like vnto the fearefull Doue alone in her nest, who seeing the Gerfalcon soaring ouer her head, hideth her selfe [Page 445] poore miserable Doue, & sitteth close and amazed, by reason of the danger she seeth her self in. O my God, I know my misery, & do right well vnderstand mine infirmity. But although ô Lord, that with a submisse voice & trembling words, I implore thy maiesty, yet forsake me not I humbly beseech thee.
8 Is it so long sithence, ô Lord, that I turned mine eies vnto thee, to call vpon thy goodnesse▪ I am alwaies wonted to lift vp mine eyes on hie. O Lord, I am at a non plus, I am forced, and my misery is gone ouer mine head▪ and therfore I beseech thee to helpe me, if it may so please thee.
9 But alas, dare I speake vnto God, and shew my selfe vnto him? Euen I, whom he hath created with his owne hands, and fashioned by his grace, who in stead of seruing and honouring of him, haue giuen my selfe vnto the pleasures of this world, and turned the honor which I owe vnto him, vnto earthly and corruptible things? what answer will he make me? for if he grow once to be angry, and shew himselfe vnto me in his fury, with that countenance that he shall iudge the guilty, were it not an [Page 446] hundreth times better for me, to haue held my peace, then to speake? But it were better, I say, to be dead and buried, then to haue eyes to see him, and eares to heare him? what then shall I either do or say?
10 I will endeuour my selfe to appease him before, in presenting him for an offring, the contrition of mine heart, and bitternesse of my soule, and in my greeuous anguish, will call to minde all my yeares past, lay abroade the moments of life, runne ouer the number of my sinnes, that I might cleanse and purge the sinnes and transgressions, which defile my conscience, and stirre vp Gods wrath against me.
11 And therfore thou shalt, ô Lord, most assuredly, seeing that I returne vnto thee, and bitterly weepe for mine offences, receiue my repentance, and through the heartinesse of my continuall prayers which I so effectuously powre out vnto thee, appease thy sharpe and heauy wrath. Thou shalt stay the hand of thy iustice, which would swallow me vp. Thou shalt turne away the dart of death, whose point [Page 447] hath pierced me euen to the very hart. Thou shalt lengthen the course of my yeares, which my sinne hath already shortened. And thou shalt bee contented that thou hast reprooued me without vtterly vndoing me, and made me to acknowledge and confesse my sinnes, with punishing me for the same.
12 And although I thinke my selfe blessed, and as it were, in most excelcellent peace, yet do I vse, nay rather abuse the blessings and riches, which thou hast lent and vouchsafed mee: yea, and although, I say, I should be drunken with the hony sweet pleasures of this world, yet loe a slote of affliction and misery is betide me, which as a most bitter brooke, is come vpon me to drowne me and swallow me vp. But as I was about to giue vp the ghost, I felt thee taking me by the hand, and by a wonderfull helpe, drewest me by little and little out of that fearefull gulfe. O Lorde, the weight that sunke me to the bottome, was the waight of my sinnes. They lay so thick and heauie on my head, and held me so to the ground, as that I knew not how [Page 448] to lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen, much lesse was I able to hold vp my head, and open my mouth, to vtter and shew forth thy holy grace and mercy. Thou hast broken the chaines of the wicked affections, which held me bound vnto these cursed sinnes. And neuerthelesse, because they are euer before thine eyes, and that my repentance in some measure coniureth thy goodnesse, and mine iniquity sharpeneth thy iustice, yet hast thou cast all mine offences behinde thy back, and turned them all away from thy presence, to the end, there might be nothing betweene me and thy mercy, to hinder me from being enuironed by the same, as mine only and assured defence. But how can this be ô Lord, that thou, who seest all things both present & to come, which seest through the earth, and piercest the bottomes of our hearts, that in regard of me alone, ô Lord, thou becommest blinde, and seest not my sinnes which enuiron me round about? O how wonderfull great is thy mercy, which blindfoldeth the eyes of thy Deitie, which hideth from thee that euery one seeth, and maketh thee forget [Page 449] that which thou knewest, before such time as it was done.
13 From whence, ô Lord, commeth this great change and alteration in thee? whence commeth it, that to do me fauour, thou puttest so farre from thee, thy iustice which is naturally in thee? I wonder, but yet cannot I tell from whence this thy so great clemency and louing kindnesse proceedeth. It is, yea it is, ô Lord, because thou wilt saue vs whether we wil or no, and to draw vs as it were by force, out of that condemnation which we most iustly haue deserued. For, thou art the God of glory, iealous of honour and praise, for thou art alone worthy therof. Thou knowest right well that very hell shall praise thee, and thou knowest also, ô Lord, that death it selfe shall set forth thy praise. Seeing that thou hast created all things, to testifie thine infinite goodnesse and power, shall death which is one of thy works, make an end of thy praise? Yea, and seeing thou hast here placed man, to lift vp his eyes vnto heauen, and to behold thy glory, and to sing both with the heart and mouth, a continually hymne therof, and if thou [Page 450] take away his life, is not that a breache of one of the organes of thine honour? And if thou send him to hell, is not that to defame thy workmanship? Thou hast, ô Lord, sowne by the mouthes of thy Prophets, the truth of thy promises. Shall they that are pent vp in the earth gather together the fruite thereof: shall they whome the death of the body hath closed vp the eye liddes, and whome the death of the soule, engendred through their impenitence, hath sealed vp the eyes of the spirit, making them go groping to hell, wandring and stumbling from paine to paine, and from torment to torment? No, no, it shall be the liuing man that shall publish and set forth thy praise, the man, I say, that liueth, and that liuing life which is maintained by those blessings which thou bestowest vpon vs here on the earth, and that life which is nourished by the beholding of thy Deitie, and by the blessings which thou hast laide vppe in heauen. Euen so, O Lorde, do I at this day with them, seeing it hath pleased thee to conuert my miseries into grace and blessing, and [Page 451] to turne away from me death and dolors which brought them vnto mee. Mine infirmitie is at this day, seeing it so pleaseth thee, an argument of thy glory, & thou workest such miracles in me as are able to astonish an whole world. To the end, ô Lord, that the fathers may tell vnto their children, what the effects of thy mercies are, how sure the effect of thy promises, and how vndoubted, the truth of thy word. And so w [...]soeuer the las [...] and hindermost posteritie, shall vnderstand what hath be fallen vnto my person, it will praise and blesse thy holy name.
15 Seeing then my God, that [...]hou hast assured me this life, I meane this earthly and corporall life, graunt me also assurance of this heauenly and diuine life, to the end that I being most full of all hope and strength, may passe the rest of my daies, in praising and seruing of thee continually. Mine aboade, ô Lorde, shall be alwaies at the feete of thine aul [...]e [...]s, mine action shall [...]ee a song of thy praise and goodnesse▪ and so will goe day and night into thy church, lif [...]ing [Page 452] vp mine eyes vnto thee, and hauing my thoughts fixed on thee, I will openmine heart, and thou shalt fill it with thy grace, that it may sanctifie all mine affections, and so I thereby may set forth nothing more, then thy glory.