cleane ouer for they haue no help but from them-selues and God hath long sithence geuen them ouer 42 For he helpeth only the righteous which put their trust in him For on him they attend and therefore it is reason that they should find comfort at his hands They gather them-selues together vnder his wing as poore chickens whome the kite pursueth there shall they finde couert defence and consolation 43 He will help them out of the strongest part of the battell yea and although they were enuironed on euery side yet will he come and deliuer them as it were by his miraculous power and might he will runne through the prease to pluck the righteous ouâ— of the hands of the wicked Why doest thou ô Lord after this manner so affectionately support the righteous Forsooth it is because that they haue put their whole trust and confidence in thee and not put their hope in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world but in thy infinit goodnesse and clemencie which is neuer voyd of help vnto all those that call vpon thy holy name Seeing then ô most righteous and mercifull Father it hath pleased thee for a time to endure the wicked to enioy the wealth and honor of this world and to set theyr feet vppon the throats of good and godly men and sufferest them by theyr cursed threats and craftie deuises to torment thy good and innocent seruants Frame we beseech thee our affections so as that we be not offended at their prosperitie and not enuie theyr deceytfull ritches but couragiously to beare whatsoeuer affliction thou shalt lay vppon vs paciently attending till thou shalt come to iudge theyr consciences and search out the bottoms of their counsels and with the seueritie of thy iustice imprint vppon theyr foreheads the shame which they haue iustly deserâ—ed abolishing their infamous meâ—… from aboue the earth destined 〈◊〉 the seruice of they glorie and in the â—…eaâ—e while so to keepe our 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 deceâ—…tfull lips For they haue assembled themselues together to imagine mischiefe against mee and haue set vp 〈◊〉 selues against mee to oppâ—… 〈◊〉 ouerthrowe mee They will 〈…〉 vp a cloake of righteousnesse befoâ—… theyr theeuish purposes and 〈◊〉 pretence of lawe vndoe 〈…〉 mee But ô thou diuine 〈…〉 with an all-seeing eye 〈…〉 clowdes of sclaunders 〈…〉 gâ—auntest day vnto the 〈…〉 shine vpoÌ„ me a little make 〈…〉 â—…derstand that truth pierce 〈…〉 and beholdeth all their craâ—ty 〈…〉 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 goodly 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 therefoâ—… pâ—t my selfe into thy armes my God my strength and refuge Iudge my cause and rid me from the sclaunders of the wicked But why reiectest thou me my God I haue a long while called vppon thee and yet thou hast not come vnto me In the meane while mine enemies oppresse me and I am no more able to abide But now thou my sweet yea my most sweet soule why art thou so heauie and sad and God be some-what slacke in comming to help thee all the while the wicked are afflicting of thee why losest thou thy courage thus and geuest thy selfe ouer vnto sorrow and griefe That thaâ— is deferred is not altogether lost for he will come seeing he hath promised it 3 Come therefore my Lord my God and spread our 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 accusers If thou louest innocencie deliuer her then from the bonds of these false accusations For now O Lord malice lieth hidden in the darke and if thou let her haue day lighâ— she 〈◊〉 ouercome and if she be acknowledge 〈◊〉 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 iâ—to 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 〈◊〉 vnto thine Aulter which I haue set vp to blesse sanctifie thy name and 〈◊〉 vppon thee my God which fillest 〈◊〉 youth with gladnesse and inspiring 〈…〉 heart the holie flame of thine holie loue doest heape vpon me pleasure delight and ioy 5 And therefore will I found out vpon mine harp in mine hand the confessing of thy magnificence and rune 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 finish with this wonderful iustice which hath saued me froÌ„ the oppressioÌ„ of the vngodly and made the shame of their wicked purposes rebound leape vpoÌ„ their owne faces Why wilt thou then be sad my soule why vexest thou mee thus and takest in ill part the opprobries and sclanders of the wicked as if their venomous tong 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
his image is pictured out to be so feareful in all the corners of our life let it be a bridle to restraine our filthy lusts and let vs step backe when we see such a bottomlesse deapth lye wide open before vs. But if we haue so engaged and bound our selues before hand as that we cannot goe backe yet he at least forewarneth vs of the danger and let vs forsake this vile and heauie burden of baggage that we may the lightlier leape and lustelier skip ouer this dangerous breake-necke and leape into that goodly and flourishing playne which we see to be on the other side which is that euerlasting life that we all waite for Howbeit if the remembrance of this temporall and corporall death cannot possibly wither and dry vp our thoughts who is he amongst vs 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 flame round about it and arme it with hell fire with fireforks and tongs But we cōtrariwise garnish him with al maner of ornamēts to make him seeme pleasing vnto our eyes set a false couler vpon him to make him shew more agreeable vnto our liking we erect aulters vnto him neuer make feasts of reioycing but when as we consecrate our soules vnto him And when is that forsooth euen then when we bath our selues in these worldly pleasures or rather when we plunge our soules into that infernall riuer of forgetfulnesse 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 This is it that should make vs hate euen our own selues for the recōciling of vs vnto our God to renue our life of sin and wickednes into puritie and cleannesse This is it that should cause vs to enter into iudgement with our selues that we might not be reserued vnto the day of that most heauy iudgemēt For what man is he that is able at that day to iustifie himselfe Now it is not enough that we haue had this compunction and repentance in our harts but we must also lay open our sinnes and the iustice of God that we might receiue from him his mercy and comfort And it is he that must accept of our sorrow and griefe and he vnto whome we must make an honorable amends and simply and plainely confesse our errors For seeing it is his pleasure that his goodnes which he is able to keepe and reserue vnto himselfe should be poured out vpon all his creatures and that he hath made all things to manifest his glorie and bestowed the vse of our life only to glorifie him neither are we any way able to repare the offence which we commit against him by the corrupting of the vse of our life but in manifesting that he hath created vs to do good that we our selues haue conuerted our selues only to do ill And therefore we must of necessitie vndoubtedly declare that he is liberall we most vnthankfull we must say that he is good our selues to be most wicked we must also pronounce his righteousnesse and our sinne we must set forth our own griefs and his mercy we must protest that all the euill which is in vs commeth of ourselues and all the good which we hope after to proceed from him alone For if so be we shall be silent after that we haue once acknowledged our euill it is to be belieued that we will perseuere with this silēce all the daies of our life past and so approue by this silēce that we cannot freely be found fault withall And Tertullian exhorting vs vnto this confession telleth vs that we do not confesse our selues vnto God as if he knew not our sinnes before hād but because confession is a counsel vnto satisfaction and maketh vs apt vnto reconciliation and reconciliation vnto mercy and mercy vnto euerlasting life Now the satisfaction which we looke for commeth from his fauour and grace by which only we must and may be restored vnto immortalitie and this grace is not geuen vnto any but vnto such as acknowledge themselues to be miserable sinners and not geuen by any but by him that is chiefe in power It must needs therefore be that the word which he hath bestowed vpon vs to glorifie him withall must be employed to the manifestation of our misery because the confession of our sinnes iustifieth the goodnes of God which we haue as much as in vs lieth vtterly peruerted We must therefore pray vnto him to forgiue vs as if we should say that he may and ought to punish vs and so thereby testifie his power and righteousnes For this cause it is why the Prophet Isaiah calleth vs when as he sayth Goe your wayes 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 sound in a fault will manifest his repentance And truly it were a great glorie for vs if we would be once so couragious as openly to confesse our sinnes and shew that as we haue been the first that haue sinned so also we are the first that do repent Howbeit there remaineth in vs a foolish shame which abideth with vs as the skarre of sinne and causeth vs the slowlier and hardlier to do it This was the cause why the auntient Fathers in fitting themselues vnto this our infirmitie and vnto the weakenesse of such also which might be offended
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 the trace only of it is to be found He that hath seene the loppings of wood wither in the sunne and loose their strength and verdure hath also seene my poore bones become both drye and consumed meeâ—e 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 gâ—stly and deadly face he would thinke that I were able to make death afeard Mine hart is parched within mine entrailes and my bloud drieth vp within my vaines for I remember not to put bread into my mouth and do still forget to eate my meales 6 My mouth serueth me for none other purpose but to cry out lament and the ordinary voice of my griefe is so strong as that it draweth after it all the rest of my strength Now if so be that my body being so extreamely full of heauinesse consume it selfe by little and little and my bones horribly sticke through my skinne what cause haue I to take care for the sustayning of this miserable body of mine which is the matter and substance of all my miseries Wherefore should I be watchfull for the conseruing of this life of mine which wrestleth against so many enemies and is cast downe with so many afflictions Were it not much better for me in ending my life to make also therewith an end of all miseries 7 Is the Pellican more full of greefe then I who liuing in the most solitary deserts of Egipt tormenteth her selfe for the killing of her yong ones and washeth them in her owne bloud to restore them to life which she had taken from them Is her sorrow greater than mine Hath nor my sinne procured the death of the child whome I more dearly loued then my selfe And now that I haue dried vp all my teares the bloud will gush out of mine eyes for feare I should be voide of teares in so lamentable and cursed a case But the Pellican hath redeemed with her own bloud the price of her yong ones and I most miserable wretch that I am shall be depriued for euer of the child which I so tenderly loued And I will 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 infelicitie 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 instead of sorrowing with me in mine afflictioÌ„ 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 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 checkes 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 break-neck 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 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 cleare water into the deepe sea 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 in other 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
Creator so also wilt be our Redeemer and as thou hast beene our Father so also wilt be our protector and defender And it is thou O Lord who although the whole world hath reiected vs yet hast stretched out thine armes and gathered vs together vnder the wing of thy louing kindnesse 16 And so is it most meet for I knowe not whither else to goe My Father and my Mother haue forsaken mee I meane the Father that begot mee and my Mother that tenderly nursed me and brought me vp did abhorre mee when as they sawe mee set my whole hart vpon thee and leaue the vanities of this world They neuer looked on me but with griefe and held me but for a castaway My brethrens making much of me turned into disdaine the kinde and sweet amitie of my sisters chaunged into contempt and the gratious meetings of my deerest friends were turned into mockerie Whither then must I flye If my dearest friends entreate me after this sort what will mine enemies doo vnto me whose mouthes are full of gall and their tongs full of deadly poyson whose ordinarie actions and exercises are nothing else but doing of wrong and speaking contumeliously But euen then when I am most geuen ouer then art thou neerest vnto me embrasest me most fauourably and powrest vpon my head the treasures of thy mercie most largely 17 Now seeing it hath pleased thee thus to enlarge thy grace towards me that I might be conserued teach me I beseech thee how I may serue thee Learne me what thy law is and how I must direct my steps that I may continually walke a right in that narrow and thornie path which must conduct me vnto the port of saluation For it is long sithence O Lord that I left that broad and easie way sowed with the pleasures of this world and which bringeth all those that follow the same vnto destruction damnation Shew me therefore my God thy way for vnder such a guide I can neuer stray shew it me O Lord I say for if I go neuer so little out of it I am vtterly vndone mine enemies lie in waite to surprise me and to make me subiect to dishonour me and so consequently thy selfe O Lord because they know that I serue thee faithfully 18 Deliuer me not therefore into their hands that they may deale with me according to their hearts desire For then were mine honour at an end They haue already made strong their part suggested a thousand accusations and framed a world of witnesses but their leasings haue returned vpon their owne heads and borne witnesse against themselues for lying cannot be hid she is full of crackes on euery side truth pierceth it on euery part For she is made of many odde peeces which fall away one from another assoone as they are touched and in opposing her selfe vnto innocencie she melteth away as snowe against the Sunne 19 But although they had me euen as themselues would wish oppressed with slaunders quelled vnder the burthen of their iniuries yet would I not for all that be discouraged I haue not O Lord put my trust in the benefits and honours of this world for that is almost alwaies the portion of the wicked and are as it were the rewards of their vnfaithfulnesse dissimulations and wicked dealings this is the marchandise which most commonly is not bought but with this money My hope O Lord is altogether in thee the world is not capable to be able to containe it the fruite of my labours groweth not in the land of the dying but that which I looke to gather together O Lord is in the land of the liuing there it is that I hope to see my felicitie nay rather thine my God Others looke for the fruite after the budding and blooming time but I O Lord looke for it after the fall of the leafe For after the leafe of the body shal be fallen I hope and trust that my soule shall bud in new fruit be clothed againe with the euerlasting verdure of immortalitie for euer 20 And therefore my soule haue patience and carry thy selfe man-like redouble thy courage valiantly and attend vntill my God commeth vnto thee Be not astonied or affeard to see the prosperitie of the wicked neither be thou amazed to see them oppresse the godly but stand to it to the end And when thou seest O Lord that I am not of my self strong inough assist me and lend me thy shoulders for feare the afflictions of the wicked cause mee to depart from my stand where thou hast placed me second my feruentnesse and zeale that hauing couragiously sought at the place where 〈◊〉 enemies assaulted me I 〈…〉 fouâ—d at the gate when thou 〈…〉 it to enter with thee in triumph 〈◊〉 at thy feet when as thou shalâ— iudge bâ—th the quick the dead Then shall we see what a great change there is betweene our life and theirs and what paiment tarrieth for them they haue had their felicitie in this world therefore then shall it be said vnto them Stand aside for yee owe the rest and consider that yee shall render an accoumpt of those benefits which were giuen you to keepe and be amerced for your abusing of them Your habitation is prepared for you as you deserue depart into euerlasting paines and torments yee haue beene many times told of the rigour thereof yet haue you not so much as a very little turned away from your cursed liues therfore shall ye now feele it seeing you would not as then any whit feare it And as for those ô Lord which haue bene pacient for thy names sake and suffered for thine honor the rage of the wicked thou shalt say vnto the 〈◊〉 Come yee blessed children of my father enter into the Tabernacle of glorie that yee may iudge with him both the quick and the dead Comfort thy selfe now therefore my soule with this expectation and hope trust in God euen in the almightie and most merciful God who neuer forsooke the iust in aduersitie nor stopped his care against the oppressed innocent I will at all times blesse the Lord c. Psalme 34. 1 BLessed be thy name ô Lord which hast coÌ„forted me in misery blessed be he for euer that hath holpen me 〈◊〉 mine affliction All things haue their time and all mens actions are distributed by times and seasons change serueth for rest and rest for the refreshing of the ordinary labour of the liuing neither can any thing continue without rest in any occupation and trade Neuerthelesse herein this rule faileth that is I do blesse and for euer will blesse thy name O Lord at the sunne rising I wil praise thy name and at his going downe I will praise the same at that will I begin both moneths and yeares and at that also will I end them O eternitie I haue no feeling of thee in this world but in this my will to praise and glorifie my God for euer My body melteth away with