tyme is here but shorte continue thy grace lord toward me who endurest past al tyme that is for euer and euer thy remembrauÌ„ce through al generatioÌ„s Tu autem domine in â— ternum permanes et memoriale tuum in generatione generationem Thou the art eternal must saue me that am but temporal But what is thy remeÌ„brauÌ„ce through al generations It is nothinge els but thy natural propertie to be merciful which thou hast euer put in execution in all tymes from one generatioÌ„ to another Thou art more ernest in the remembrauÌ„ce therof then is the natural louyng mother of her owne natural chylde borne of her body as recordeth thy prophet Esay Esay xlix Tu exurgens domine miseteberis Sion Aryse therfore merciful God and haue mercy vpon Sion that is thy church or faythful congregation for it is tyme to haue mercy vpon her yea the tyme is come Quia tempus miseren di eius quoniam venit tempus she hath long suffered payne and persecution Nowe geue her ioye and consolatioÌ„ But what is this tyme was there euer anye tyme in whych thou diddest not shewe mercy to thy seruauntes no truely For from the fall of angelles vnto the ende of the world thy mercy hath euer bene and shal be abundaunt to al mankind But chiefly it was shewed when thy holy sonne was sent into this world to suffre death and thereby to enter the glory of his father Wherby the gates of heauen wer opened which before were fast shut that no man myght entre This tyme was the begynnynge of grace and called the tyme of grace and was certenly appoynted when the fulnes of tyme was come Galothas â–ª iiii which was before sene by the inscrutable wisdome of thi deitie wherby thou dost al thynges in most perfect ordre This tyme of grace we trust shal coÌ„tinue euer to those that are penitent for the time of penitence requireth a tyme of mercy Wherfore we pray without seasing vnto the to haue mercy on Sion the faithfull congregation Qâ—â—oniam placitos feceruÌ„t serui tui lapides cius which was made of liuely stones gathered together both of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles The faythful christians were derelye beloued of thy seruauntes the Apostles Who buylded them vpon a sure rocke Thy soÌ„ne Iesus Chryst was the foundatioÌ„ Thei buylded not vpon maÌ„ nether yet vpon angel These faire stones were hewed square and set by their preaching and were alowed and acceptable not onely to them but also to the Lorde For thy Prophete zachary witnesseth of the that thou wylte haue the stones of thy Sanctuary set vp in thy lande and wylt deliuer theÌ„ in the stormy day of thy iudgement zachari ix as the flocke of thy people whych shal be prosperous and goodlye But the earth or the dust of SioÌ„ that is the wicked worldly sort of people that haue receiued the name of thy sonne onely Et puluerem eius nuscrabilâ—m yet in liuyng are the chyldreÌ„ of Pharao that is of the Deuyl to whom they haue builded a temple such shall by the preachyng of thy seruauntes not be amended but shall remayne more wicked and myserable they sauour onely of the erth wherof thy come as dust shal be blowne away from the face of the and thy blessed sonne at the general iudgement But as the Heathen Lord and all the rulers of the earth shall tremble for feare of thy name and the iustice of thy maiestie in iudgemeÌ„t EttimebuÌ„t gentes nomen tuum domine et omnes rages terre gloriam tuam i Corh iii. so shal Sion thy faythful church or congregation buyilded by thy seruauntes in the name of the and thy sonne Chryst be glad ioyful for to them thou shalt appere in thy glory Thi noble sonne shal then shewe him selfe Quia edificauit dominus Sion et videbitur in gloria sua Esai .xxxiii. Esaie liii to them as a king of power to their great reioysing He came fyrst into this world poore and dispised hauyng no beautie in hym Then shal he appere glorious and triumphing Wherfor most louing father Resperit in orationem humilium et non spreuit precem eorum tourne the vnto the praier of vs that are pore and destitute of any helpe but only through thy mercy dispise not I beseche the our humble desyre Beholde our peticions with thy merciful eyes Gen. iiii wherwyth thou beheldest the oblasion of Abell and diddest receiue it thankfully and where with thou beheldest the prayer of the Israelites beyng in bytter bondage in Egypte and diddest deliuer them Also with whiche thou sawest the prayer of Iudith to the destruction of Holofernes and to the sauegarde of thy people Iudi vi With those same mercifull eyes vouchsafe to loke vpon vs and our praiers wherby the noble fame and prayse of thi mercies shal be written for those that come after Seribatur hoc in generatione altera et populus qui câ—cabitur laudabit dominum that the people which shal be borne in fayth by Baptisme penaunce may prayse the Lord and thy holy name sence more honour it is to the to saue those that are in bondage of synnne and in death through thy mercye takyng theyr hertie penytence in satisfaction of theyr offences then vtterly to leaue theim destitute of thy grace and straghtly to condemne theÌ„ This mercy is annexed to thy deuyne nature it is also thi wonted custome Quia resperit de ercelso sanctuario suo dominus de eclo terram contemplatus est Vt audiret gemitus compeditorum et solue ret filios mortis Hebreos .ii. for when al mankind was lost and deade in synne Then diddest thou sittyng in thy celestiall throne looke doune to the earth vpon our miserable estate theÌ„ diddest thou heare the mournyng of such as were in captiuitie thraldome of the Deuyl sendest doune thine only begotten sonne that by his death he might deliuer froÌ„ death such as worthely were the childreÌ„ of death i. Corhin xv He therby put doune him that had the lordshyp ouer death that is the Deuyl For death was coÌ„sumed into victory His venemous styng which was sinne was plucked awaye All this diddest thou Lord to geue occasion to al meÌ„ to haue remembraunce of the Vt narretur in Sion nomen domini et laudatio eius in Hierusalem thy great goodnes and to declare the glory of thy name in Sion and to set furth thy praise in IerusaleÌ„ That is in thy church wheÌ„ the people are gathered to gether in the vnitie of one faith the kingdomes also to serue the Lord Cum congregati fuerint populi et regna vt seruiant domino with one accord that arte one in substaunce .iii. in persons geuing thankes to the and thy blessed sonne for the benefite of our redemptioÌ„ Thou hast oftimes called the fyrst earthly IerusaleÌ„ and her chyldren
is within me prayse his holye name Enforce the with al thi strength to deuyse and to set furth hys noble praises Thou hast within the many goodly gyftes of nature and of grace which geue the occasion neuer to cease from geuyng thankes and speakyng of prayses Benedic anima mea dominum et noli oblinisci omnes retributiones eius Forget not these benificial gyftes which he hath geuē the. For of forgetfulnes commeth vntankfulnes whyche vnkyndnes maketh the not worthy to enioye that is frely geuen the. Consider my soule first the bare and miserable estate wherein thou wast broughte by synne Thou wast the enemy of God Qui propiciatur omnibus iniquitatibus tui◠the bondseruaunt of the deuyl and subiect to death euerlastyng From these hath thy mercifull brother Iesus Chryst beyng both God and man deliuered the satisfiyng for thy synne through his vile death and paynfull passion What more loue coulde he shew to the then to dye for the wherby he driueth away thyne offences as the wynde doth the cloudes and thy synnes as the mystes Esaye xliiii If thou set before thyne eyes the multitude and abhomination of thine owne sinnes then shalt thou also behold the benefites and the goodnes of thy redemer Euery synne hath death annexed as stipend Rmans vt wherfore so oft as thou offēdest remembre no lesse but that so oft he geueth the a newe life vpō thine hūble and hertie penaunce Gyue hym therefore the sacrifice of praises and glorifye him for therin he deliteth not for his profyte but for thyne not for that he is anye thynge thereby auaunced But that doing thi dutie by faith thou mayst be made partaker of ioye euerlastyng with hym Agayne after that he hath forgeuen the thy synnes yet remayne there in thy weke fleshe many perturbations manye redye inclinations to synne and no powre to do good Many perilles through violēt temptations and pleasaunt suggestions yea and many concupiscences which drawe toward eternal death But al these sores and infirmities the good Samaritane Christ expelleth through the preparaciō of his grace and geueth health by the vertue of his passion with the medicine of Baptisme and penaunce Et sanar omnes infirmitates tuas No soore is vncurable but when thou refusest to shewe thy gryfe and to receiue his salue Sometyme thy festred olde sore requireth sharpe incision or a bytyng corsyfe that is thyne accustomed synne wyl not be refrayned onles he violentlye scourge the wyth syckenesses losse of goodes losse of wyfe chyldren faythful seruauntes or by many other tribulations and persecutiōs Yet I say refuse not hys hand though it seme heauye to the at the fyrst for all is for thy health and welth Thynk that if he loued not the he would not chasten the but leaue the to syncke in thyne owne synne to thyne vtter losse both of bodye and soule But he hath saued thy lyfe from euerlasting destructiō Hui redimit de interitu vitam tuam Roman .iiii. He hath redemed the with his precious bloude He dyed for thy synnes and rose agayn for thy iustification Loue hym therefore my soule and magnifie him all the dayes of thy lyfe Put thyne hole affiance in him and feare no violence of enemies For although thei assault the yet can they not vanquyshe the. For he that throughe his greate mercy and louyng kyndnes hath geuen the powre by hym to vanquish thine enemyes Qui coronat te in misericordia et miserationibus wyl not fayle after thy fyght and victory to rewarde the with a crowne of ioye and immortalitie i Corhin xv When death thy last and fierse enemy shal be ouercome then shalte thou as a ruler or prince receiue thy sayde croune or garlande Thē shal al thy desires be satisfied with good thynges thou shalt be admitted to the ioyfull company of saintes in the heauenli Hierusalem Qui replet in bonis de sidetium tuum there to haue more ioye and comforte then thy herte can wishe When the glory of the Lorde shall appeare then shalt thou be fully satisfied to thyne assured contentation His countenaunce shall replenysh the with all ioye Wherfore my soule Psal xvii Psalm .xvi. while thou art in this present lyfe ioyned with the frayle and heuy carkas geue thankes louinglye to thy gentle redemer for his vnspeakable kyndnes His grace is redy at hande at thy call Fyght therfore mightely agaynst al synful concupiscences and vices Put of the olde man and leaue all the workes of darkenes Rom. xiii Ephesians .iiii. Put on the a newe man and arme the with the armour of light begin a new life Learne of the Eagle whose propertie is to restore hymself to youth and strength agayn after he hath liued a great age Renouabitur vt aquile iuuentus tua The meane of his recouerye is thys His ouer beeke through age is growne so longe that it letteth his fedyng So that what for age and for lacke of foode he is become leane and feble and almost vnable to flye Then of nature beyng also driuen thereto by necessitie he flyeth to the rocke of stone and theron knocketh his sayd long beke and wheteth it styll tyl it be broken made handsome to fede wyth Then falleth he earnestly to feding Wherbi in short space he recouereth hys strēgth hath poure to flye as high sa euer he did waxeth lusty and in apperaūce semeth yonge againe So thou my soule that art olde and withered in synne flye vp to Christ the strong and sure rocke Leaue al worldly pleasures and vanities yea leaue the trust of thyne owne selfe and thy powre cal for hys grace And therby on him stryke of thyne olde beke thyne owne cancred liuyng not doubtyng but he wyl make the able to lyue a newe spiritual lyfe renuynge thy mouthe whych was stopped for age i. Corhi iiii He wyl open it again making the able to eate the liuely food of Goddes worde yea through fayth thou shalte eate hym who sayde Iohn vi I am the liuely breade that discended from heauen Who shal so comfort the that thou shall not onelye in lyfe be endued with the grace of the holy gost to thy strength and comfort and power to resyst all thyne enemyes but also when thou shalt put from the the burthen of this miserable body which before was heauy and oppressed the thou shalte flye to that sure rocke Chryst by whose resurrection thou shalt obteine immortalitie bothe of soule and bodye in heauen euerlastyngly Sapien. ix Beholdyng continuallye the pleasaunte face of God to the fulnes of all thy ioye and contentacion of all thy desyres and to the intente thou shouldest stande fast in hope of that I haue sayde and not mystrust the mercyes of God that are ineffable call to thy remembraunce the auncient goodnes of the father of heauen Faciens misericordias donimus Whych is all one with the mercye of his sonne and
A godly meditacion vpon .xx. select and chosen Psalmes of the Prophet Dauid as wel necessary to al them that are desirous to haue the darke wordes of the Prophet declared and made playn as also fruitfull to suche as delyte in the contemplatioÌ„ of the spiritual meanyng of them Compiled and setfurth by Sâ— Anthony Cope knight ¶ Imprinted at London in Sepulchres paryshe a lytle aboue Holborne Conduit at the sygne of the Resurrection by Ihon Daye ¶ Anno. M.d.xlvii Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The preface ¶ To the mooste vertuous Ladie and gratious princes Katherine Quene of EnglaÌ„de FrauÌ„ce and Irelande her humble seruaunte Sir Anthonie Cope Knyght desyreth longe lyfe wyth health and muche honour to the pleasure of God THe vse of gyuyng gyftes by men to theyr frendes the fyrst day of the newe yere mooste noble Ladie and vertuous Quene hath of longe time continewed within thys Realme of Englande wyth an opinion that the luckie beginning is a good token of lyke prosperous successe duryng the rest of the yere Which maner of presentyng gyftes as I do ryghte well alowe if they be gyuen as a declaration of mutuall loue and hertie beneuolence so the opinion therto annexed I thynke not so commendable whiche is that the gyft should be a token or presage of good fortune to come no more then mondayes handsel of a peny gyuen to a poore begger shoulde be so esteamed that the happy begynnyng of the weke muste drawe to it also a fortunate ende therof The good intent of the gyuer of the peny is to releue the poore mans necessitie not to be an augurie of thinges that shal folowe So in likewyse ought the newe yeres gyftes to be deliuered onely as a testimony of the hertie seruice or louynge myndes of the gyuers And for so muche as the mooste numbre of the giuers do search to present suche thynges as they iudge shoulde be moste acceptable to the receyuers therof I longe imagined wyth my selfe what thynge I myght best offre vnto your grace at thys present wherein I myght in some parte declare my loyall and obedient herte towarde you of whose heaped goodnes I haue so muche tasted that I can neuer be able to deserue the thousande parte but onely wyth my prayer and hertie seruice At the laste when I consydered your gracious entent and godly purpose in the readynge and studie of holy scripture and the auauncement of the trewe worde of God I thought I coulde in no thynge do your grace a more pleasaunt seruice then to make an exposition of certeyne psalmes of the noble prophete Dauid whose harmonie is so swete pleasaunt that the eares of the faythfull maye scantly therwith be fully satisfied The poetes faine that Orpheus made so pleasaunt harmonie on his harpe that he caused the beastes and stones dauncing to folow hym Theyr meanynge was that his language was so plesauÌ„t and his entent so reasonable that he brought the people to good ciuilitie whiche before were rude and beastly But our celestial Orpheus the prophete Dauid hath so sette forth his songes that they haue strength and force to cause men which be carnall and beastly to become spiritual and heauenly Who so wyll learne to geue to God dewe honoure and prayses maye in them take a perfecte patron Agayne to gyue thankes for the benefites receyued to cal for grace to pray for the deliueraunce from all enemies spirituall and temporall to lyue in the heauenly meditation of goddes lawes to dispise the vanities of this worlde to become mere spirituall maye men in them abundauntly be instructed In conclusion there is nothynge necessarie for any christian to do thynke or saye but in them as in a myrroure he maye beholde the perfecte image therof bisyde the playne prophecienge of Christes coÌ„myng our very Messias his natiuitie passion death resurrection and ascention as lyuely as they were in colours set forth before oure eyes wyth so many tropes figures and allegories that there is almoste no worde whiche lacketh na hidde misterie as the Apostle Paule sayeth all thynges happed to them in figure and were darke and obscure But nowe that the thynges are come whereof it was spoken the vayle is taken awaye from the face of Moyses Now are fewe thinges leaft vndiscussed by good holy fathers who hauynge a good zeale to bestowe theyr talent of knowledge gyuen them by God to the profite of his people haue earnestly trauayled in the manifestation of suche secrete and hidde thynges beinge holpen by the holy spirite of God to thachiuing of their gostly purposes whom I hauing very smal learning but onely to gratifie your mynde and to auoyed idlenes haue folowed settyng forth a rude exposition in our maternal tonge vpon twentie psalmes whiche I haue chosen forth reducynge the same to the kynde or fashion of prayers and contemplatife meditations whiche I turste your grace of your accustomed and naturall goodnes wyl take in good part sinse there wanteth in me not wyll but knowledge to do better Neuertheles I trust conferring the paraphrase to the text ye shal haue greate lyghte of the meanyng of the Prophete and therby fynde his diffuse darke wordes made open and playne To moue your grace and al other of the flocke of Christ to the reading of psalmes maye it please you to reade the Chapter of the boke of Kynges where Dauid by playinge on his harpe and syngynge therto expelled from Kynge Saule his father in lawe for the season whyle he played the wycked spirite which was entred into hym and sore tourmented hym And thys thynge I truste none wyl iudge to be done by the vertue of the sounde of his harpe but through the power of the noble Psalmes that he sange playinge theron whiche Psalmes he vndoubtedly being inspired with the spirite of God had before made Muche more maye we thynke and assurdly iudge that for our owne deliuerauÌ„ce from the power of oure spiritual enemies God wyl not fayle to sende his holy spirite to assist vs and comforte vs expellynge vtterly the temptations of the wycked serpent if we in fayeth ernestly and hertely prayinge and trustyng to hym reade or vtter the sayed Psalmes And I shal praye to God who is the authoure and geuer oâ— all good gyftes so to illuminate the eyes of youâ— graces herte that ye maye proceade in the path oâ— his lawes wherin you are al readye entred accoâ—dyng to the ardent desyre which ye haue hithertâ— had to atteyne to the knowledge of them so thaâ— wheÌ„ ye shall leaue thys transitorie worlde whose pleasures in al your time ye neuer esteamed ye maye ascende to the place prepared for Goddes electe there to receyue ioyes perdurable worlde wythout ende DIEV · ET · MON · Dâ—OVT An exposicion vpon the fyrst Psalme ¶ This Psalme of Dauid is fyrst set in the booke Beaâ—us vir as a Prologue to all the rest In whiche he exhorteth al men to the study folowyng and teachyng of