geuen them all power and â—…thoritie ouer thee Sade But God in the end began to waxe weary of their insolency because they carryed theÌ„selues too too proudly of their conquest for after they had troden vnder feet the greatnes of Ierusalem they meant againe to deale with his maiestie and blaspheme his name and hauing ouerthrowne the walles of this holy Citie they bragged that they would make warre against God him selfe and triumph ouer the spoyles of his Temple Let their example ô Ierusalem serue thy turne and take occasion to appease God by thy repentance that he may turne the punishment which he hath prepared for thee vpon thine enemies Let thine eyes forthwith burst into bloudy teares and weepe continually day and night geue no rest to thy sighes let thy pitifull eyes speake for thee and looking vp still vnto heauen attend thou thine ayde from thence Coniure by thine humble lookes this diuine mercy that it may ease thy weakenes and conuert his iustice vnto the chastising of the insolency of thine enemies Coph Lift vp lift vp I say both thy body and soule all at once and before it be day so soone as thou shalt awake put thy selfe in a readinesse to pray into God to prayse and thanke him for that he by the torments which he hath caused vs to abide hath brought thee back into the right way as men do oxen with the goade vnto the knowledge of his name and the acknowledging of thine iniquities And before his face that is to say when thou hast obtayned fauour at his hand to looke vpon thee and seest him to haue compassion on thee distill thine heart through thine eyes and melt it all into teares by thine earnest repentance euen as the Sunne would melt the snow newly fallen into water But if so that thy teares will not touch him and bring him to haue compassion of thy miserie lift vp thy hands yet at the least vnto him and beseech him to be contented with thy miseries and not extend them vnto thy poore innocent childreÌ„ who are there dispersed dying of hunger and weakenesse in corners saying vnto him Resch O Lord if thou haue any eyes behold this pitifull spectacle and if thou haue any eares harken vnto out prayers and consider how great our miserie is Behold how thou hast bene auenged of vs and see what a spoyle thou hast made of vs. And in very deed I must needs confesse that we haue deserued it and I do protest that we are vnworthie of thy mercy and do also vow that we our selues are the causes of our owne miserie But what haue these poore and wayling children done whom thou seest screaking out them selues faintly drawing their breath Why should the child whom hunger torment had drawne out before the time of the mothers womb was ready to deliuer it which is not as it were so great as a mans hand be rent in pieces by her which should bring it forth and so be eaten by her and the same to go downe by peece-meale into the body out of which it came whole and sound Surely happy and twise happy are the Tygres and Lyons whelps in comparison of these whose dammes will aduenture their own liues against whatsoeuer violence shall be offred their yong ones rather then they would suffer them to take any hurt at all O Lord how canst thou abide this horrible dealing Is it possible that thou which are altogether good gratious wouldest abide such great impietie to be wrought that thou which art so wise wouldest allow of such a cruell acte and that thou which art Almightie wouldest suffer such a strange outrage Shew thy selfe ô Lord shew thy selfe as thou art and although for a time thou art determined to exercise thy seueritie and iustice yet thinke vpon this also that thy mercy must reigne haue her course Content thy selfe that so much bloud is spilt for the appeasing of thine heauie wrath Thou hast not bene pleased with the bloud of our sheepe and oxen alone but wilt needs also haue thine Aulters couered with the bloud of thine owne Priests for they haue sacrificed their owne liues and thy Prophets likewise haue bene offred vp in oblation and yet thou art no whit appeased Syn. What more wouldest thou haue at our hands Thou hast scene abroad in the fields the gray haired and â—ecreped old men and women lye vpon the ground crying out groaning and â—eeping thou hast seene lying with 〈◊〉 our walles the slaughter of our youths our streetes strawed all ouer with legs and ames our riuers running ouer with bloud and neyther sexe or yet age spared Thou hast seene amongst the dead the yong and tender maydens with their haires sheueled about their heads hauing their breasts lying open with great wounds out of which gushed streames of bloud and thou hast seene them lying on their backs with their eyes vp vnto heauen beseeching thine ayde And thou ô Lord hast notwithstanding all this turned away thine eyes from them and as if thou haddest bene a God not to be intreated hast without either pitie or mercy run through them all with the sword of thy fury Tau Thou hast inuited all my neighbour nations round about me to come to my discomfiture as it were vnto a mariage and to take part of my spoiles Thou hast brought them in such great multitudes to take possession of me and to compasse me as that I can not deuise which way to escape theÌ„ Thou thy selfe hast sounded to the assault animated them to my destruction and stopped vp the passages for feare that any of vs should be saued And truly thy will hath bene done vpon all the children which I haue brought vp nay there is not one of them saued mine enemies haue made a shambles of theÌ„ they haue murdered and massacred them till they cryed hoe withall and lo seest thou them weary with killing yet carest thou not to see them do it to let them to do it and to cause them do it Hath the remembrance of our sins made thee forget the remembraÌ„ce of thy clemency Hast thou created vs in thy mercy to destroy vs in thy fury Be thou then no more Almightie if thou wilt not become both all curteous all kind To be short be thou no more God without thou wilt be likewise pitifull Ha ô Lord why hast thou called vs thy people if thou wilt be no more our protector Why hast thou called vs thy childreÌ„ if thou wilt not deale with vs as a father Haue therefore ô Lord compassion vpon vs and feeing thy mercy is infinite euer since before the world was cause that thine ire which was neuer vntill our sins were may take end and dye with them and that as our repeÌ„tance hath set vs againe into the especiall way of obedience godlinesse so also it may bring vs againe into thy fauour CHAPTER III. Aleph IT is I euen I my selfe that hath so many times foreseene and
other rocks as we must sayle and flote by in this voyage that we may feare And let vs consider that we are now so wounded and brused as that if an especiall fauour from heauen saue vs not we shall be hardly able to auoyd shipwracke This is the contritiō which should be in our souls this is that bitter repentance which shoulde drawe bloudie teares euen frō out of the bottome of our bowels This is it that should make vs hate euēn our own selues for the recōciling of vs vnto our God to renue our life of sin and wickednes into puritie and cleannesse This is it that should cause vs to enter into iudgement with our selues that we might not be reserued vnto the day of that most heauy iudgemēt For what man is he that is able at that day to iustifie himselfe Now it is not enough that we haue had this compunction and repentance in our harts but we must also lay open our sinnes and the iustice of God that we might receiue from him his mercy and comfort And it is he that must accept of our sorrow and griefe and he vnto whome we must make an honorable amends and simply and plainely confesse our errors For seeing it is his pleasure that his goodnes which he is able to keepe and reserue vnto himselfe should be poured out vpon all his creatures and that he hath made all things to manifest his glorie and bestowed the vse of our life only to glorifie him neither are we any way able to repare the offence which we commit against him by the corrupting of the vse of our life but in manifesting that he hath created vs to do good that we our selues haue conuerted our selues only to do ill And therefore we must of necessitie vndoubtedly declare that he is liberall we most vnthankfull we must say that he is good our selues to be most wicked we must also pronounce his righteousnesse and our sinne we must set forth our own griefs and his mercy we must protest that all the euill which is in vs commeth of our selues and all the good which we hope after to proceed from him alone For if so be we shall be silent after that we haue once acknowledged our euill it is to be belieued that we will perseuere with this silēce all the daies of our life past and so approue by this silēce that we cannot freely be found fault withall And Tertullian exhorting vs vnto this confession telleth vs that we do not confesse our selues vnto God as if he knew not our sinnes before hād but because confession is a counsel vnto satisfaction and maketh vs apt vnto reconciliation and reconciliation vnto mercy and mercy vnto euerlasting life Now the satisfaction which we looke for commeth from his fauour and grace by which only we must and may be restored vnto immortalitie and this grace is not geuen vnto any but vnto such as acknowledge themselues to be miserable sinners and not geuen by any but by him that is chiefe in power It must needs therefore be that the word which he hath bestowed vpon vs to glorifie him withall must be employed to the manifestation of our misery because the confession of our sinnes iustifieth the goodnes of God which we haue as much as in vs lieth vtterly peruerted We must therefore pray vnto him to forgiue vs as if we should say that he may and ought to punish vs and so thereby testifie his power and righteousnes For this cause it is why the Prophet Isaiah calleth vs when as he sayth Goe your waye◠with those that are sanctified and present your Confession vnto God with the liuing O sayth Ecclesiastes it is a good thing when as he that is found in a fault will manifest his repentance And truly it were a great glorie for vs if we would be once so couragious as openly to confesse our sinnes and shew that as we haue been the first that haue sinned so also we are the first that do repent Howbeit there remaineth in vs a foolish shame which abideth with vs as the skarre of sinne and causeth vs the slowlier and hardlier to do it This was the cause why the auntient Fathers in fitting them selues vnto this our infirmitie and vnto the weakenesse of such also which might be offended in the reciting sometimes of very strange sinnes of ours were contented that we should put downe and poure out the secrets of our consciences into the bosoms of those vnto whome they had geuen power to binde and lose and apply vnto vs the grace by which we are redeemed And from this misterie we receiue a maruelous fruite when as it is worthely administred vnto vs. For first he that is appointed to the dispensation of this grace being made vnto vs the father of the spirit is to bring the same vnto vs for the comfort of the mistery which he findeth in vs by the trial of our life euen the very selfe same affection which a louing father in the behalfe of his very sick son vnto whom he bringeth besides help remedy the hope of health wherewith he feedeth him For he should in the fellow feeling of our misery and taking vpō him the burden of our sins help to relieue vs euē then whē we faint in the middest of our course This example which God hath set before vs who as Isaiah sayth came himselfe first and hath layd vpon his owne backe all our miseries and borne vpon his shoulders all our diseases After he hath thus imparted vnto vs this comfort he is to direct vs vnto the way of truth and with the instrumēt of the word of God wherin he is exercised to till the faith which he hath sowed in vs which by reason of the barrennesse of the ground wherein it is cast had always neede to haue the help and care of the husbandman For we are properly like vnto a small Boate which is forcibly rowed with ores against the streame but if the watermen neuer so litle leaue rowing she fleeteth back more in an hour then she did in a whole dayes rowing The end and consummation of this holy action is this that when we call vpon the holy Ghost our grace is pronounced vnto vs and confirmed as it were by the iudgement of the church which is a certaine pawne and testimonie that as we are heere in this world kept fine and cleane by him or them vpon whom such graces are bestowed so should we also be in the other by him vpon whom he hath appointed them There resteth thē nothing after this but that we humble our selues in acknowledging the grace which we haue receiued a thing that we hardly can obtaine at our own hands Now we will not greatlie stick to admire at this but we will neuer follow the example of our fathers which at that time vsed this holy repentance Yee should haue seene of these men saith this Tertullian kneeling at the feete of the Aulters
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 wheÌ„ce 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 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 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 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 maÌ„s 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 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 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 affectioÌ„ 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 theÌ„ may pluck the good deed into our own haÌ„ds howbeit we are principally to take heed that we geue not away that which is another mans for they that take froÌ„ one man to geue to another are abhominable before God and their almes offâ—ings stinke in his nostrels he turneth his face cleane froÌ„ them and according to the saying of the WisemaÌ„ who saith That he which 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 geueÌ„ 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
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 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 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 takeÌ„ 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 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 shal be 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 incomprehenâ—…ble greatnesse on the one side and their infirmitie on the other side 27 A man changeth not his shire 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 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 â—aue called vpon thy name hearken â—nto my voice and heare my praier For all hope of succour is taken from â—e and I see nothing about me but â—orror and trembling and yet haue I â—ot beene discouraged and do waite â—or at thy hands that which thou hast â—romised to all such as shall liue in the â—eare of thy name and in the obediâ—nce of thy commaundements 2 Giue thou therefore O Lord a fauourable eare vnto mine heartiâ— praier If my sinne stand betweene thee and me to whet thee againâ—… mine iniquitie and to make thee contrarie vnto the praiers which I maâ—… vnto thee beate back the same wiâ—… the looke of thy mercifull eye or 〈◊〉 O Lord shut vp for a time the eyes 〈◊〉 thy iustice vntill such time as the eaâ—… of thy louing kindnesse hath receiueâ— my confession and the humble requeâ—… which I make vnto thee for grace Foâ— I come not before thee to braggeâ— mine owne iustification but of 〈◊〉 great louing kindnesse and benigniâ—… 3 If thou shouldest keepe a registâ—… of our sinnes and we come to an â—…dite before thee who were able 〈◊〉 God to abide thy seuere iudgementâ— For what day of life is there that haâ— not deserued a world of tormentâ—… Thou mightest draw out O Lord 〈◊〉 the paines of hell and yet the greateâ— part of my sins should go vnpunished 4 But although we haue mightâ— offended yet for all that thou ceasâ— not to receiue any sinner that commeâ— vnto
thee with confessioÌ„ of the mouâ—… and contrition of the heart He hath 〈◊〉 sooner looked towards thy mercy but that he feeleth it working in him and breaketh destroieth the sinne which freeseth his heart with feare horror And the punishment which hangeth ouer his head recoyleth farre away from him and caryeth with it this miserable carefulnesse which tormeÌ„teth the consciences defiled with iniquitie And therefore O Lord haue I not forsaken thy lawes but haue alwaies waited to see when it would please thee to graunt me fauour and grace for the vnwise man that despaireth by reason of his sinne and giueth ouer his soule as condemned is like vnto the abhominable vsurer who hauing susteined some losse in his goods by and by bereaueth himselfe of his life also 5 My soule hath not done so my God for although she hath felt thine hand lying most heauily vpon me executing part of the punishment which my sinnes haue deserued yet hath she alwaies conserued in her selfe that sound hope which she hath had in thy promises Euen as the blowes light vpon my backe I crie out and say vnto thee O Lord my God thy will be done and giue me as great strength as thou layest affliction on me Measure my punishment by my strength and as my torment encreaseth euen so augment my courage and so hast thou done O Lord. 6 Let Israell therefore looke vp and trust in his God euen from the day breake vnto the shutting in of the euening looke for none other helpe but from him For his helpe is ready sure for him that calleth vpon him with a sincere conscience and a pure will And although the miserie hath beene neuer so great and extreame yet so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the crie of his seruants they haue all so soone felt also their deliuerance 7 For he most bountifully powreth out his mercy and is infinitely helpfull to all those that come vnto him Insomuch as that his goodnesse putteth out as it were the sorrow which we haue for our sinnes maketh vs as it were reioyce in our fall as being the cause whereby we haue made triall of his louing kindnesse For if our sinnes surpasse all measure his grace exceedeth all our thoughts We haue deserued long and hard captiuitie and loe who it is that freeth vs and hath brought vs a most sweete libertie We haue blinded the eyes of our spirite and loe who commeth to enlighten them 8 O Israell thou hast offended the Lord thou hast scorned his lawes thou hast made a iest at his commandements thou hast forgotten the good turnes which he fauourably hath bestowed vpon thee He hath drawne thee out of most miserable captiuitie fed thee with the bread of heauen made purposely streames flow out of hard rocks to make thee drinke hath chosen for thy dwelling place the most delitious garden in the world made a couenant with thee giuen thee his will to keepe and thou hast coniured against his honour gone an whoring vnto strange goddes troden his lawes vnder thy ferre To be short thou hast deserued more punishment then there is to be had in hell And yet notwithstanding he offereth to graunt thee grace and with the price of his own bloud would redeeme thee from the bondage of sinne whervnto thou most voluntarily boundest thy selfe Behold him who hath himselfe paide their ransome that betraid him who tooke vpon him the punishment which we deserued and satisfied for our transgressions With what wordes then are we any way able to thanke him for all these mercies Open my lips therefore my God my Creator and redeemer that my voice may be heard and mine heart enflamed with a boiling affection to praise and thanke thee and humble me also in the acknowledging of my self to the end thou maiest heare me in the knowledge of the holy mysterie bâ— which we are reincorporate into thee and renued in thy couenant that we may enter into that blessed fellowship of glorie in which all they shall triumph which shall be partakers of the merit of the passion of thy best beloued sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Lord heare my prayer Psalm 142. O Lord man in the end is weary of all things a continuall course bringeth him out of breath ouermuch staring dimmeth the eies and a shrill sound deaffeth the eares but the more my voice cryeth vnto thee the stronger it is my courage encreaseth more and my praier better pleaseth me And therefore do I begin againe daily to crie vpon thee Lord heare my praier giue eare vnto my complaint for in praying to thee my God consisteth all mine whole comfort It is my praier O Lord which coniureth thy louing kindnesse to purge my sinnes not by reason of the seueritie of the punishment but by the meanes of the effect of the grace which thou hast graunted vnto vs by which thou doest abolish by thy souereigne and absolute power the remembrance of our sinnes 2 And therefore enter not O Lord into iudgement with thy seruant ne yet leaue him vnto the rigour of thy lawes for no man liuing that shall appeare before thee at thy iudgement seate shall be iustified No man shall escape this fearefull condemnation the punishment whereof is not onely cruell but immortally rigorous also Alas O Lord who can be saued before thee It is thou that art offended it is thou that wilt accuse vs It is thou that hast seene our iniquities and wilt attest them and it is thou that shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall be witnesse and the witnesse Iudge what shall become of the offendor What defence can he make to iustifie himselfe O Lord my God I will not tarrie vntill this blowe light vpon me I will defend me with thy fauour and grace to oppose it vnto thy Iustice And thy grace is obtained by the acknowleding and confessing of our sinnes and the humbling and submitting of our mindes Loe I here cast downe my selfe prostrate before thee and lay open my sinnes and therefore I beseech thee O Lord to haue mercy vpon me 3 My sinnes my God the capitall enemie vnto my soule haue so terrified me and cast me downe as that I now lie crawling vpon the ground daring not once to looke vp vnto heauen For so soone as I lift vp mine eyes I see the light which shineth vpon me discouer on the day a great many of sinnes which accuse my conscience And then I feele forthwith shame take holde on my guiltie face and to make me cast downe my countenance vnto the ground a countenance vnworthy to behold the heauens the maister wherof she hath so grieuously offended too too cowardly a face to cast the eyes thereof vpon such places which haue so many thunder-bolts prepared to roote out the guiltie 4 My spirit therefore hath led me into darke places and buried me as a dead man in the crannies of obscuritie My soule is made very sad in me and mine
against themselues for lying cannot be hid she is full of crackes on euery side truth pierceth it on euery part For she is made of many odde peeces which fall away one from another assoone as they are touched and in opposing her selfe vnto innocencie she melteth away as snowe against the Sunne 19 But although they had me euen as themselues would wish oppressed with slaunders quelled vnder the burthen of their iniuries yet would I not for all that be discouraged I haue not O Lord put my trust in the benefits and honours of this world for that is almost alwaies the portion of the wicked and are as it were the rewards of their vnfaithfulnesse dissimulations and wicked dealings this is the marchandise which most commonly is not bought but with this money My hope O Lord is altogether in thee the world is not capable to be able to containe it the fruite of my labours groweth not in the land of the dying but that which I looke to gather together O Lord is in the land of the liuing there is that I hope to see my felicitie nay rather thine my God Others looke for the fruite after the budding and blooming time but I O Lord looke for it after the fall of the leafe For after the leafe of the body shal be fallen I hope and trust that my soule shall bud in new fruit be clothed againe with the euerlasting verdure of immortalitie for euer 20 And therefore my soule haue patience and carry thy selfe man-like redouble thy courage valiantly and attend vntill my God commeth vnto thee Be not astonied or affeard to see the prosperitie of the wicked neither be thou amazed to see them oppresse the godly but stand to it to the end And when thou seest O Lord that I am not of my self strong inough assist me and lend me thy shoulders for feare the afflictions of the wicked cause mee to depart from my stand where thou hast placed me second my feruentnesse and zeale that hauing couragiously fought at the place where mine enemies assaulted me I may be found at the gate when thou openest it to enter with thee in triumph sitting at thy feet when as thou shalt iudge both the quick the dead Then shall we see what a great change there is betweene our life and theirs and what paiment tarrieth for them they haue had their felicitie in this world therefore then shall it be said vnto them Stand aside for yee owe the rest and consider that yee shall render an accoumpt of those benefits which were giuen you to keepe and be amerced for your abusing of them Your habitation prepared for you as you deserue depart into euerlasting paines and torments yee haue beene many times told of the rigour thereof yet haue you not so much as a very little turned away from your cursed liues therfore shall ye now feele it seeing you would not as then any whit feare it And as for those ô Lord which haue bene pacient for thy names sake and suffered for thine honor the rage of the wicked thou shalt say vnto thē Come yee blessed children of my father enter into the Tabernacle of glorie that yee may iudge with him both the quick and the dead Comfort thy selfe now therefore my soule with this expectation and hope trust in God euen in the almightie and most merciful God who neuer forsooke the iust in aduersitie nor stopped his eare against the oppressed innocent I will at all times blesse the Lord c. Psalme 34. 1 BLessed be thy name ô Lord which hast cōforted me in misery blessed be he for euer that hath holpen me in mine affliction All things haue their time and all mens actions are distributed by times and seasons change serueth for rest and rest for the refreshing of the ordinary labour of the liuing neither can any thing continue without rest in any occupation and trade Neuerthelesse here in this rule faileth that is I do blesse and for euer will blesse thy name O Lord at the sunne rising I wil praise thy name and at his going downe I will praise the same at that will I begin both moneths and yeares and at that also will I end them O eternitie I haue no feeling of thee in this world but in this my will to praise and glorifie my God for euer My body melteth away with age and my forces vanish and decay but my soule which stoutly standeth against humaine corruption dooth not onely continue but also dayly encreaseth in this holy affection For if I thinke to take my rest mine heart stirreth my thought And if I thinke to stop my mouth my soule is ready to breake out betweene my lippes and forceably frameth my voice to set foorth the glorie and praise of my God My soule who maketh thee so eager to praise thy God Thou knowest right well and I also see it very well that thou hast had thy being from him and lookest by him to be glorified what vsurie makest thou with him Thou giuest vnto him a parcell of his praises and by this meanes thou lookest that he should associate thee with the riches of his glory For from him alone thou must hope to haue some honor The heauens shall passe and weare away like an old garment and be changed as men change a couering But God shall continue still triumphing ouer the destruction of the world The peaceable and meeke people shall sit by him and heare the triumphant hymnes which shall be song in his victorie and conquests and all full of melodie and reioicing shall ioyne their voices vnto the trumpets of the angels 2 Let vs begin therefore betime to learne to sing the praises of his glorie magnifie him and exalt his name as high as our voices will serue vs let vs straine out our cries to the end they may ascend as high at the least as we are able to see so as the ayre being filled with our songs it may cary them vpon the wings of the winds vnto the vttermost parts of the earth to the end that euery one may be awakened with the sound of our notes and reioyce in hearing the name of the Lord of heauen and earth thus sounded out who is the most faithfull and most assured helper of all those which call vpon him 3 I haue fought after him and he forthwith hath vnderstood me I knew not my selfe whither to go and after I had turned mine eyes on euery side and being forsaken of the world could see nothing which was able to helpe me I returned into my selfe and pitifully beheld my selfe bewailing my calamitie and all at once he gaue me courage and strength making mine heart to leape our of the gulfe of heauinesse and tribulation which had swallowed me vp said vnto me trust in me for loe here I am Then cried I out and said O Lord where art thou make hast to helpe me quickly And I had no sooner spoken but
fruit of life and holynesse passing from his hart into his lips shall make his talke to be both righteous and full of equitie 34 For he shall haue the law of God alwayes imprinted in his soule as a most iust and sure rule wherewith he shall encompasse his talke neyther shall hee need to feare for euer going out of the right way or yet to haue his foote at any time to slip for the foundation thereof is ouer-strongly layd and the scituation therof too too sure and the path thereof most excellently directed for the law of God is sounder and surer then either steele or iron it is an inflexible rule and an vnchangeable light this is such a place of assurance where a man is not onely rightly guided but also in as great safetie as if he were betweene two brasen walles 35 For marke and behold awhile the wicked what ado he maketh to lye in ambush to surprise the innocent and consider also what preparation he maketh to take from him both his honor and his life and marke if he hath forgotten any thing for his purpose 36 And yet God neuer leaueth a good man into what danger soeuer he falleth he neuer geueth him ouer into the sacrilegious hands of these cruell murderers neither yet into their bloudie craftie doings nor shamelesse sclanders for he is Iudge and full of all power he his also a witnesse and the knowledge of all truth is in him and thereforee sith he knoweth the truth and both can and will iudge the innocent shall not he be iustified by his sentence geuing 37 Wait vpon him therefore allye righteous for his help is sure neither let it grieue ye to attend vppon him for he knoweth what ye haue need of better then ye your selues For he maketh slow haste many times because hee would prooue your patience and sometimes because hee would glorifye you Walke therefore in his wayes and see that ye carefully keepe yee in them set yee strong hedges about his wayes and edder theâ— with the thornes of your paynes with the briers of your tribulations for feare that voluptuousnesse enter noâ— in at them and that pleasure trayne yee not vp in them and so breâ—ke â—…d spoyle your way Perseuere still in your course euen vntill you sweate both bloud and water to the end yee may come vnto the aboad of your rest where God will exalt ye far aboue this â—isible world yea far aboue his glorified Angells for he will cause you leade sinners in triumph and make you see the land purged of their iniquitie assigned out for the portion of good and godly men 38 I am many times astonyed to see the wicked naughty man aduanced â—…o all honor dignitie and holding al the whole land as it were subiect vnder his feet The Cedar tree of Lybanon hath not an hier nor an vprighter head ne yet seemeth to be more glorious euen then when he is clothed with his greene tender boughs and putteth forth his new buds and branches as is the wicked maÌ„ in the streÌ„gth power of his pomp magnificence 39 But as I passed by whereas I had left him I was abashed that I could see him no more for I saw the place of his greatnesse it was become like vnto a wildernesse I demaunded what was bâ—…ome of him that was so lustie and braue and that was so redoubted anâ— feared and loe there was not a maâ— that could tell me what was become of him I sought after him in euery place to see and if I could haue met with him and I could neither heaâ—e either tale or tidings of him all was melted away with him so as there was not so much as any note or marke of him it seemed that the fire had runne ouer him and consumed him 40 We must therefore learne bâ— the example of their miserie to esâ—hâ—… their sinnes and in following another kinde of life we may come toâ—abeâ—… end Be innocent therefore and 〈◊〉 die to be vpright and loue equitie and righteousnesse for the peaceable and reasonable man leaueth rest to his familie and is renued in his posteritie 41 It fareth not with him as it doth with the reprobate who is forgotten in a moment and none commeth after that once vouchsafeth to name him without it be to curse him Their race is gone at once and swallowed vp as it were in a bottomlesse depth for the first blow he geueth them turneth them cleane ouer for they haue no help but from them-selues and God hath long sithence geuen them ouer 42 For he helpeth only the righteous which put their trust in him For on him they attend and therefore it is reason that they should find comfort at his hands They gather them-selues together vnder his wing as poore chickens whome the kite pursueth there shall they finde couert defence and consolation 43 He will help them out of the strongest part of the battell yea and although they were enuironed on euery side yet will he come and deâ—iuer them as it were by his miraculous power and might he will runne through the prease to pluck the righteous out of the hands of the wicked Why doest thou ô Lord after this manner so affectionately support the righteous Forsooth it is because that they haue put their whole trust and confidence in thee and not put their hope in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world but in thy infinit goodnesse and clemencie which is neuer voyd of help vnto all those that call vpon thy holy name Seeing then ô most righteous and mercifull Father it hath pleased thee for a time to endure the wicked to enioy the wealth and honor of this world and to set theyr feet vppon the throats of good and godly men and sufferest them by theyr cursed threats and craftie deuises to torment thy good and innocent seruants Frame we beseech thee our affections so as that we be not offended at their prosperitie and not enuie theyr deceytfull ritches but couragiously to beare whatsoeuer affliction thou shalt lay vppon vs paciently attending till thou shalt come to iudge theyr consciences and search out the bottoms of their counsels and with the seueritie of thy iustice imprint vppon theyr foreheads the shame which they haue iustly deserued abolishing their infamous memorie from aboue the earth destined vnto the seruice of thy glorie and in the meane while so to keepe out harts as that we trust in none but in thee and make no reckning of whatsoeuer is here in this world to set our loue thereon but on thy grace and blessing Iudge me O Lord. c. Psalme 33. 1 LOrd be my Iudge take knowledge of my cause and bee thou iudge of all the sclanders wherof the wicked accuse mee Deliuer mee O Lord from the hands of the vnrighteous and from deceiptfull lips For they haue assembled themselues together to imagine mischiefe against mee and haue set vp themselues against mee to oppresse and
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 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 Iod. 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 Coph And why so forsooth because 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 Lamed 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 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. Mem. 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 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 Nun. 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 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 hast vnto this day made thy selfe inexorable vnto our prayers Samech 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 Phe. 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 downe aboundantly and haue bitterly bewayled my mishap and the misery of my fellow citizens and of thee my best beloued Ierusalem Ain And as our miseries neuer ceased no more also did mine eyes so as a man would haue verely sayd that through affliction mine heart was in the presse to squeeze teares out of it as men squeeze water out of a spunge Thus did I leade my life continually vntill such time as I had enforced thee ô Lord to haue pitie on me and had with my teares quenched the heat of thine anger What other thing should I haue done when as I sawe before mine eyes so many Cities destroyed so many houses burnt so many Templs cast downe so many men slayne and so many mayds forced and defloured And surely I had had a very steely hart if I could haue held my self from weeping and although it had bene of steele yet had my dolor bene strong and able inough to haue molten it into weeping Sade Ha what a thing is this they draue vs before them as men driue cattle We fled from our enemies and yet they pursued vs we yelded our selues vnto them and yet they massacred vs and all this they did not geuing them any occasion of offence They led me into the bottome of the arse of a ditch and tyed a stone about my necke as they do about a dogs necke when they meane to drowne him And verely I had like to haue bene drowned for mine afflictions had aboundantly runne ouer the very crowne of mine head and had almost choked me and all the help that I had was to cry out and say O Lord I dye haue mercy vpon me Coph I was as it were in a bottomlesse depth in the hole of a prison I knew not but by my memorie whether there had bene eyther Stye or Sunne in the world so monstrous darke was the place wherein I was And yet ceased I not to call vpon thee my Lord my God and sent vp my faith whither my senses could by no meanes reach And thou neuer reiectedst me but receiuedst my prayer for my sobs in the end moued thee and made thee turne againe vnto thy first resolution I felt thee forthwith to assist and help me yea euen at the very first instant I say that I began to pray vnto thee And still me thought I heard thee say vnto my soule be of good courage feare not Resch And so ô Lord thou canst tell that as great a sinner as I am that thou wilt help and succour me euen for thy Christ his sake and for thy mercy promise and truth sake For thou that vnderstandest the very bottoms of our harts canst truly iudge that my soule hath bene carryed away vnto sinne by her senses and concupiscence but as soone as she felt thy rods she conuerted vnto thee her creator and redeemer from whom alone as she hath had life so also aduoweth she the restauration thereof after sinne For the question ô Lord is of the iudging betweene mine enemies and me whether it be reasonable that my misery should serue them for a sport or whether it be hye time that they should beare part of the punishmēt Iudge it ô Lord thou that knowest the righteousnes of my cause For thou knowest their thoughts their cruell purposes the plagues which they haue prepared for me I haue mine health by reason of their inhabilitie for if they had as great power as they haue will I had abidden as much as they had bene able to haue layd vpon me Syn. Thou hast sufficiently seene ô Lord that they haue dealt with me as farre as they might and thou knowest also that there is no iniury which they haue not committed and spoken against me And I do be short thou hast very well knowne their counsels and thoughts And I do verely thinke that there was neuer word came out of their lips wherwith they purposed not to hurt me and beleeue me their minds were neuer vnoccupied in finding out some cunning deuise or other to hurt me And cōsider I beseech thee whether euer they arose or lay downe that their talke was not on me neyther had they euer any other matter to sing on but to speake euil of me Tau Go to then ô Lord seeing they haue ouer come thy patience wilt thou not daunt their malice and sith nothing can driue them to repentance wilt thou not punish them And seeing they take so great pleasure in ill doing shall they not feele and abide thy displeasure by course For once I am sure that thou art iust and sith thou art so thou must needs pay them home according to the works of their owne hands And seeing that through their pride and arrogancie they haue forsaken thee to follow their own presumption thou must needs leaue them in their error and they must needs perseuere in their sinne and this hard scale of impenitencie must of force couer ouer their whole hearts and a greater curse canst thou not lay vpon them then this then to blinde their minds and take away from them their senses For when thou shalt come at once in the day of vengeance with a rod of iron in thine hand and breake them all in shards like a potters vessell there shall be nothing vnder the heauens by many thousands of degrees so miserable as they for they shall find no mercy at all because they themselues were mercylesse they shall be poore and there shall be none to helpe them and they shall be afflicted and none shall comfort them In the meane while ô Lord haue thou an eye vnto vs and second our patience with thine holy mercy to the end that as long as thou shalt please to exercise vs with the iniuries and opprobries of the wicked our hearts fayle vs not and that our soules may alwayes be able to lift them selues vp vnto thee and looke for thine ayde taking the miseries which it pleaseth thee to send vs for a tryall of our faith hoping that after our long patiēce thou wilt crowne vs as victorious wrastlers and cause vs triumphantly leade the wicked against whome we continually wrastle here in this life CHAPTER IIII. Aleph I Knowe O Lord right well that we must yeeld vnto thy will and that we do but kicke against the pricke in complayning of thee Neuerthelesse I can not keepe in my griefes much lesse my sighs when as I behold this strange desolation And although my soule biddeth me hold my peace yet can not mine heart keepe it selfe from sighing For who ô Lord would not haue pitie of this to see all the beawtifull golden walls of thy temple bescrabled and scraped all the goodly golden vessels so finely wought now melted and clipt in pieces all the ritch Iasper Porphirie of thy sanctuary brokē layd in gobbets cast about all the corners of the Citie in so
a one as thou hast shewed thy self to be in visiting poore Syon euen vnto the cōsuming the very foundatiōs thereof Lamed 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 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 Mem. 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 Nun. 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 temple for feare of violating it with the bloud which commeth frō their cloths Samech 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 Phe. 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 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 Ain 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 Sade We haue bene taken as Partriges in the cod of a net thou hast driuen vs together on a Couie and 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. Coph 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 Resch 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 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 Sin 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 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 Tau 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 knoweth thy life and conuersation that he