Peacocks do reason great wrong when as they so do clothing him with such talke as vtterly disgraceth him and maketh him odious And beleeue me it is a very hard thing for these men to come any thing neere this holy Philosophie or wisedome which dwelleth amongst the graces that garde and enuiron her on euery side Tertullian who is desirous to haue vs learne how greatly mildnesse and simplicitie serue vs to prepare our selues to receiue the gifts and perfections of the holy Ghost saith precisely that he appeareth oftenest in the shape of a Doue to shew vnto vs that he dwelleth not but in such as are without gall as a Doue is but are very gratious and gentle Now because that for the most part it commeth by reason of our infirmitie as thinking to fly one sinne we fall into another we are to feare that because we are not well confirmed in vertue thinking to hold vs in humilitie we fall to become very cowards when as in deed we should rather fall to banding charging And therefore it shall not be amisse that we adde vnto that which we haue spoken of temperance and mildnesse certaine considerations to raise vs vp to be most couragious whē as it shall stand vs in hand to be so Which wil principally serue vs to keep vs in a straite and an assured course against all whatsoeuer shall offer it self to amaze and turne vs from obeying the commandements of God For first we shall on the one side haue rash presumption to egge vs forward to desire more then that wherevnto God hath called vs and oppose our selues vnto his constant and firme purpose Our happie successes and prosperous encounters or accidents will so tickle vs as that they will make vs laugh our good hap will promise vs high and great things and yet for all this we will not once change our visage nor countenance We will scornefull behold and looke vpon and that with a leering eye the presents of fortune if I may so say like vnto the faire fresh coloured Apples which grew neere to the lake of Ghomorre but they were no sooner touched but that they fel forthwith into powder and ashes But if reason telleth vs that we must take them we will then vse them with great equalitie of minde and facilitie of maners and make none other estimation of them On the other side we shall haue afflictions dangers griefes and pouertie which in the iudgement of the common people wrappeth vp all manner of miseries And it is against these enemies chieflie that this vertue must boisterouslie stretch forth her armes It is through them that she must make way if she meane to come to the end of her purpose Howbeit if we our selues stand in no feare and she not before such time as we see the enemie what mischiefe may they do vs Forsooth they will spoile vs of all our goods and so we shall go the lighter seeing then that the reward is reserued for him that commeth first and shall the longer while enioy the immortall goddes which soonest commeth thether shall we then feare to lose the baggage for the obtaining of such a glorious victorie And now behold the breach is made and our Captaine within that calleth vs and we our selues busie our selues to shoote at him that arresteth vs by the cloake and put our selues in hazard to remaine prisoners in the hands of the enemie that will cause vs lose both cloake and honour and the fruite also of all our trauell We are threatned with death and what other thing else is it that we seeke after We haue not clothed our selues with this transitorie and mortall life but onely to pay the tribute and discharge the tolle at the comming in of euerlasting life These are good newes seeing we are called vpon to pay for it is a token that we are come on shore But what is this death that thus terrifieth vs What is he so to be feared as that he will make vs turne our backs vpon him forsake the field of vertue lie slily hid in the trenches or rather in the sand holes of slouthfulnesse and cowardise If we thinke it an euill thing it is because we feele it to be so or else because others thinke so of it Haue we not heard the plaint of those who haue couragiously died either for the honor of God or els for the seruice of their king or for the defence of their countrey Was there euer yet any nation so barbarous so voide of humanitie or as we commonly say so farre from the sunne as that commend not with great praise the valure and worthinesse of those that haue spent their liues for the common-wealths sake Hath not the memorie of posteritie taken them out of their graues to make them aliue againe in the remembrance of men And if we should come to number out the parts of the life of man shall we recken the time which they haue bestowed in eating drinking and sleeping or rather principally bring into a short accoumpt the dayes wherein they haue most valiantly fought for vertue And therefore that which we call life is but a death because it dyeth without leauing any memory therof for that which we call death is in very deed life because it is that which maketh vs to be continue for euer Neither are we to regard how long we liue but how wel we liue neither commeth death too soone if he bring honor with him neither is it for the only opinion of another and for the honor which we shall get by well dying that ought to make vs contemne death but for the loue of that second life whereinto we must enter The Druydes had some forefeeling of the immortalitie of our soules which caused them to be more valiant then all the people of the world for they made a skorne to saue their liues saying that they made no more accoumpt of them then of the head of a willow tree And the Philosophers who made a iest at them confessed yet that they held a blessed error Howbeit we say that their wisedome was blessed by tasting of this opinion whereby they found groping in the darke the very resting place of felicitie and had found out the counterpoyson which driueth away and slayeth feare the very poyson of our soules which drieth vp and feeb lisheth our hearts and minds But we being brought vp and taught in a better Schoole then they were do not only know but constantly beleeue and not only beleeue but are glad also as a man would say of this second immortall life For we haue a spirit lodging in the inward part of our soule which sayeth and soundeth continually if so be we will heare it nothing else but this life to come And vnto this voyce it is that so many millions of Christians haue in the middest of their afflictions and torments followed the standard or ensigne of their Captaine spilling and sheading their bloud in
to haue done could no way haue turned the hand of God froÌ„ vs neither yet deferre our misery for all felt it yea fore felt it we also saw before the coÌ„ming of our mishap the very walls of our City as it were weepe and all the face of the City fall away and looke sadly and beare on her forehead a cloudy and darke wildernesse for after she had once receyued a strange shock she was straightwayes ouerturned and there was not left one stone vpon another Thet. O ye braue honorable Gates of Syon ye haue bene cast downe wide open your hooks and hengils puld out your locks broken vp and your iron barres beaten in pieces and in verie deed there was not a gate left for the Citie lay wide open in euery place and men might go in and out at the breaches where they pleased But for thy last vnhappie farewell before thou wert razed thou sawest thy Princes and worshipfull Citizens passe ouer thy thresholds led captiues into a strange land Thou sawest thy law abolished yea euen that law which the Lord thy God had geuen thee as a guage and earnest pennie of his couenant so as thou mightest haue iudged that thou haddest lost his friendship wheÌ„ as he tooke from thee these his pawnes And besides he neuer reuealed him selfe vnto thee for his spirit was neuer in thy Prophets they that came froÌ„ him had no mo visions by which he made them vnderstand his will he hath left vs without both counsell and conduct like strayed sheepe that goe bleating ouer the fields without Shepheard or guide Iod. And therefore the poore gray haired old men which could no way escape finding no more help in their God and seeing him deafe vnto their prayers being altogether out of heart layd them selues downe on the grouÌ„d and leaning vpon their elbowes pitifully lamented their miserie and taking ashes in their hands cast them â—poÌ„ their heads praying from the bottome of their hearts that their poore and miserable bodies might eftsoones be there changed They also were so trussed vp in sackcloth as that there could be nothing seene of them but their feet the place of their graue They carried also their haires on their backs that they might be either familiarly acquainted with the custome of their miserie or else make them not to feele it all And after this manner bewailed they their calamitie The poore and delicate maydens and desolate fatherlesse children followed them casting downe their eyes bedeawing their checkes holding downe their heads euen as the Lilly doth when it is fore beaten with rayne and wind Caph. And in very truth when I saw this so lamentable a Tragedy mine eyes melted into teares and I had almost lost my sight as it were with extreame weeping and mine heart heaued vp my body as if one had rent my bowel â—out of my belly when as I saw I say the poore children of Syon in this pitifull estate when I saw them lament so bitterly when I saw the greatest of them fall into swounds with very sorrow and griefe and the sucking children forsaken of their mothers pine away most miserably Lamed Some crying vnto their mothers for the teat and others calling vppon them for bread But they had neyther milke nor bread to geue them and this was the greatest comfort that the poore mothers had euen to go as farre as they could from theyr poore children and turne away theyr faces from them vntill such time as the famine had consumed them and they themselues lay screeking out in other places dying of very faintnes as if they had bin wounded to death And some of them were of that stomacke as that they could abide to see their children dye between their armes and by little and little prolong their owne poore life dying soone after with very sorrow and griefe O what wounds felt these poore harts and how deepe did these blows pierse verely euen into the place of motherly pitie which is euen the very bottome of the heart And it is no maruell that they died so suddainly wheÌ„ as they were at once so piersed throughout all the vitall parts yea to the very wounding of the soule and the casting of it perforce out of the body Mem. O poore and miserable Ierusalem how shall I depaint and set foorth this thy so great misery what tearmes shall I deuise liuely to expresse so strange and suddaine a calamitie Whereunto shal I compare the greatnes of thine affliction The earth is not able to comprehend it and therfore the sea must for it is as large and infinit as the sea is a tormentrous field like to the sea a bottomlesse gulfe and a receptacle for great hidious monsters as the sea is one mischiefe driueth on another as the waus of the sea do But alasse the sea hath sometimes calme winds and thou ô Syon hast in thine affliction nothing but stormes and tempests the sea hath ports and hauens to come into and thou billowest continually in trauell and payne O poore Ierusalem who shall then be able to saue thee seeing thy misery is greater then either heauen or earth from whence then shalt thou finde remedy Nun. Shall thy Prophets do it which haue so long troubled thine head which haue deliuered vnto thee their dreames and old wiues tales and entertayned thee with vanities and leasings whereas they should haue boldly told thee of thy sinnes and so thereby haue called thee backe vnto repentance But they imagined and thought vpon Anticks and being sotted and in loue with their owne shadowes presumptuous opinioÌ„s vndid them selues in all their discourses and enterprises Samech Behold in what a case thou now standest ô poore desolate Syon for thou receyuest herein both losse and shame together for now all they that go by clap their hands and shake their heads at thee saying Is this that so braue and honorable Citie that was so full of all magnificence and more full of all delights and pleasures then 〈◊〉 the Cities of the earth beside Phe. There is not one that passeth 〈◊〉 thee which hath not a cast at thee 〈◊〉 bite and sting thee and who will 〈◊〉 after their groining manner thus say we wil now haue it we wil deuoure 〈◊〉 and nothing shall keepe vs from it this is the day which we haue so long â—oked for and now is the houre which â—e haue dayly hoped after Ain Behold Ierusalem the reason why God preserued thee so long is because thou wert worthie of it Thou thoughtest that his threats had bene â—ayne and friuolous and now thou â—eest â—hether he be a lyer or not and whether he be able to performe that which he promiseth yea or no. For he foretold thee that if thou obeyedst not his lawe that he would destroy thee make thee an heape of stones â—nd see now if he hath mist it Yea he hath ruined thee without remission and made thee a scorne vnto thine eâ—emies and
thee 17 O what an acceptable sacrifice before thee is a broken and contrite heartâ— and an humble heart that acknowledged his sinne thou wilt neuer reiect for if it will come vp vnto thee it must first come downe and if it will touch the heauen it must first crawle vppon the ground if it will haue thee to heare it it must fyrst be silent and if it will be crowned in thy kingdome it must fyrst be beaten and scourged in the world These are the Sacrifices O Lord wherewith wee must be reconciled vnto thee and enter into couenant as thou hast set it downe vnto vs. 18 But if it be thy pleasure ô Lord that we shall offer bulls and bullocks vnto thee and perfume thine Aulters with the bloud of beasts if thou wilt that we by the death of an innocent burnt offering should represent vnto thee the death and innocencie of him whome thou hast destined to redeeme our soules If the figure of that which should come in the person of the vnspotted lambe doth please thee by the killing of Weathen and Sheepe looke then with pitie vppon thy poore people comfort thoâ— desolate Syon and encourage her poore enhabitants to the end they may set vp againe the walls of thine holie Citie and reedifie thy Temple not according to that equall proportion O Lord which thou deseruest but according to the wealth and industrie that the poore world can possibly affoord 19 Thither shall come from alâ— parts thy faithfull in great multitudesâ— to offer vp sacrifice vnto thee and there shall the expiation and purging of their sinnes be acceptable vnto thee But it shall neither be the death of beasts that shall wash away their spots for the cleansing of their disobedience and preuarication was prepared from all eternitie This is an inestimable sacrifice a burnt offering without spot which shall drawe away the curtayne disperse and destroy the darkenesses breake downe the wall or hedge that we may see the truth of our saluation face to face make the beames of his diuine mercie shine vpon vs and reassociate vs vnto the communion of that euerlasting blisse which we willingly haue renounced O most mercifull God which hast vnseeled the eyes of mine vnderstanding to see the misterie of my saluation make me O Lord to taste the excellent fruite which flourishing vppon the tree of the Crosse shall with the iuice thereof quicken and gene life vnto our dead souses preserue and warrant vs for euer from that ruine and calamitie which hath so miserably brought together the race of mankinde and ouerflowed them through their disobedience Lord heare my Prayer Psalme 102. I Haue ô Lord cryed and called vppon thee a long time for thy mercie and do yet looke for ayd and help from thee The ayte is filled with my cryes The winds haue carried the voyce of my dolor and griefe euen vnto the vttermost parts of the world and thine eaâ—e which heareth and vnderstandeth whatsoeuer is done in the bottomlesse pit of hell doth not yet heare and vnderstand my prayer which reacheth and beateth the very heauens Wilt thou therefore be deafe only vnto meâ— and shall all the world heare me saue thy selfe alone No no my God thou hast ouer-long stretched out thine armes now to reiect mee when as I come vnto thee for refuge 2 And now that I feele a thousand and a thousand sorrowes and that miseries assayle me on euery side do not turne thy backe vpon me ô Lord. Alas haue I setled my whole power and strength vpon the sweet countenance of thy face Haue I diuorced my selfe from the world to the end I might drawe neere vnto thee and haue I forsaken the children of the world that I might ioyne my self vnto the master of the heauens and wouldest thou now forsake me O Lord deale not so with me but assist mine infirmitie all the dayes of my life 3 Let my voyce no sooner cry and call vnto thee my God but that I may also soone feele thee and let thy grace descend as speedely vppon me as an Eagle hasteth her selfe to ayd her yong on s For if thou assist me not what maner of sight shall I be able to make against the enemies of my soule 4 My strength and life would dayly vanish away as the light smoke doth in flying in the ayre for the eye which seeth it goe out of the fire seeth it also forthwith consumed and in a moment accompanied both with his originall and his end and if any should aske what is become of it there is not one that can so much as tell where â—he 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 meete for none other thing but for the graue The graue yea surely the graue which is the happiest thing that can betide me if so be so small a pit may be able to stay the violent course of mine extreame misery 5 Who soeuer he be that hath seene grasse cut downe and tanned with the Sunne in the field and lose the coulor and wither and looke vppon my gastly and deadly face he would thinke that I were able to make death afeard Mine hart is parched within mine entrailes and my bloud drieth vp within my vaines for I remember not to put bread into my mouth and do still forget to eate my meales 6 My mouth serueth me for none other purpose but to cry out lament and the ordinary voice of my griefe is so strong as that it draweth after it all the rest of my strength Now if so be that my body being so extreamely full of heauinesse consume it selfe by little and little and my bones horribly sticke through my skinne what cause haue I to take care for the sustayning 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
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
vnderstood thy councell therein For after I had resolued with my selfe to see the end whereunto thou haddest prepared those peoples I forthwith saw that thy iustice is most true and that although it sometimes maketh slow haste yet it payeth home at the last with seueare punishment and therefore I verie stedfastly waited and looked what should become of them 18 And truly in the end thou payedst them thorough stitch and rewardedst them according to their craftie and wicked dealing For when they thought them selues at the highest degree of honor behold thou ouerthrewst them and castedst them down headlong in a bottomlesse depth of miserie For all their pomps magnificences and ritches were nothing vnto them in the end but an high and eminent scaffold to bring them vp vnto that steepe and high breake-necke from whence they were most shamefully rolled downe ouer and ouer 19 O most true God what a desolation discomfort is this There is nothing but weeping about them for all they of their guards and all their pentioners do nothing else but beate their brests holding down their heads as the Lilly holdeth downe his when it is sore rayne-beaten and hauing compassion of those whome they were wont to enuy They most lamentably looke vpon the ruine of their idoll and consider with them selues how foolish they were to make a mortall and miserable man their God who was no better then wind or smoke For if a man considereth and marketh their end he shall see them dispatcht and gone in a moment neyther is there any thing that commeth more speedily to an end then the way of their greatnesse bringeth them thereunto and they haue bene so suddainely changed as that there could be nothing possibly to be seene of them Behold and looke on them for once they were and now they are not hardly can a man see their footsteps and marke whither their sinnes haue brought them it was a great while before the snare or grin could be made fit for them but loe in the end they lighted into it For during the time that the foundation of the house was in vndermining they climbed the higher that their fall might be the greater They continually clambered vp higher and higher and thought that whatsoeuer was below them was theirs only but in the end they clambered vp so high as that they lost them selues in the ayre before they could get againe to the earth so as they were caried away with the wind And loe they became as dreames when men awake for as a man sayth when he awaketh I dreamed well to thinke of such a thing euen so shall it fare with you for when such men as ye are shall vanish away and come to naught the people will then say surely the greatnes of these men was but as a dreame and a very meere vaine and inconstant folly For thou wilt make them of so little worth as that they shall be neuer once thought of but as in a mockerie and in discommending and condemning their pride and insolencie will say See how their houses are ruined behold the place where these outragious Sirs dwelt who cared neither for God nor men which delighted in nothing but in filthinesse wickednes who haue built so many and so many houses with the boanes of the poore and cimented their palaces with the bloud of the needy and loe there remaineth nothing of all that they had but the markes and notes of their ignominie for the tempest hath passed ouer them and there is not so much as any one tittle or iote remayning of them 21 Thus we see ô Lord that we must not rashly iudge of thy prouidence and therefore who so euer will iudge therof must patiently wait vnto the end and suffer himself to be led by thy spirit must call vpoÌ„ thee also for the comforting addressing of him for notwithstanding that I fret fume chafe sigh grone and haue set euery part of my body in a sweat with sore labor and brought my selfe as it were euen to deaths dore yet am I neuer awhit the better for it and after I had tormented my selfe I found my selfe as resolute as I was before 22 I was so vexed and grieued I say as that I knew not whether I was a man or a beast nay I was in very deed like a beast and could no more comprehend the same then if I had vtterly lost mine vnderstanding Howbeit I still stand to that hope which I haue in thee and the more I see my sense and iudgement fayle me the speedelier runne I vnto thee and humbly beseech thee to open my spirit that I may know and vnderstand what thy will is 23 Thou hast taken and held me fast by the hand and set me gently againe in the way of thy will and madest me vnderstand the purpose and mind nay thou hast done more then that for me thinketh thou hast opened both mine eyes and the heauens all at once that I might see the mightinesse of thy glorie Thou hast I say ô Lord made me to see it for this is a thing whereunto no mortall man without thee is able to reach 24 For alasse should I poore weake thing that I am go to seeke for that in heauen which I cannot very well see at my feet who cannot perceiue but â—ith much ado that which is here oâ—…â—…th before me The eyes of my boâ—e are very duskish and mistie and â—…e eyes of my soule farre worse and â—ens thoughâ—s are maruellous vncerâ—ine and weake for the earthly and â—…rruptible body dulleth and maketh â—…le our spirits and â—yeth and bindeth 〈◊〉 senses fast vnto the earth in so â—…ch as that without thee I can not â—ope for any thing here below in the â—orld nor yet promise vnto my selfe â—y certaine knowledge of what thing â—…uer What am I able being here â—…on the earth to iudge and discerne â—hout thy ayd and without it pleaâ—…h thee to enlighten my spirit with â—…se things which thou hast ordeyâ—…d in heauen in the seate of thine eâ—…itie But thou also ô Lord hast â—…plyed my want and led me by the â—…d to make me see the counsels of â—e eternall wisedome thou hast as 〈◊〉 â—ere made me in loue with thee â—…d hast heaued and thrust my spirit 〈◊〉 of my body to make it capable of 〈◊〉 heauenly light and of thy wise â—poses 25 Surely when I consider of these wondrous things I am cleane gone my hart is taken from me and I am fallen into a swound ô God What is this my God which thou hast made me see O thou the God of my hart of my thoughts of my hope and thou ô God whome I esteeme to be my only felicitie and whome to loue I haue from henceforth destined all my affections I now know ô Lord what thou art how iust and how puissant I will now neuer be abashed more ne yet astonyed to see the strange and wonderfull things of the world whereof I am
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 in felicitie which runneth vpon me enforceth me And being altogether mated and out of heart I seeke after some corner to hide my selfe in euen as the wilde sparrow that flieth out of the raine and winde seeketh after some couert or sunne shine place to bathe and drie her selfe in 9 Mine enemies seeing me in this case and with such a countenance stand mocking of me therewith and cast my miserie in my teeth and they which were wont to make a great accompt of me in stead of sorrowing with me in mine afflictiō haue coniured against me What reckoning then should any man make of the wealth of this world and if he were able to get as great richesse and as many friends as were possible and then to haue his friends so traiterous and so double as to make little or no accompt of breaking their faith and promise 10 And surely my strength is decayed the flower beauty of my well coloured and smooth ruddy cheekes is quite cleane gone for I haue sowne my bread vpon the ashes and moisted my drinke with my teares And shall I for all this become a laughing stock vnto this infidelous generation 11 It is very true that I haue bene met withall before thy face in the day of thy wrath thou hast laid againe vpon me the arme of thy vengeance and am become therewith frushed in peeces Men haue had me in great estimation and honour and loe how I am now drest and dealt withall O vaine presumption vnto what steepe 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 clears 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 mother three that it may be the house of euerlasting life the seat of saluation the treasure of grace and temple of eternitie 16 Then shall all the nations my God be afraide and all the kings of the earth tremble at the brightnesse of thy glorie What corner of the world shall be so secret where the noise of thy blessed comming shall not sound and be heard where shall that people be so farre from the sunne so confined and limitted in darknesse as will not vnseele their eyes to behold the cleare burning brightnesse of saluation which will shine vpon them Yea heauen it selfe shall encrease his flames to giue light vnto this thine entrance into the world and the kings shall run from all places to do homage vnto the king of kings vnto the gouernor both of heauen and earth 17 For he hath set vp and aduanced his kingly throne vpon Sion in great costly array there shall he be seene wholy encompassed with glory darkning the Sunne and Moone with the brightnesse of his face 18 But why hast thou O Lord so highly exalted the throne of thy glory hast thou done it because thou wouldest not vouchsafe to heare the praiers of thy faithfull seruants And because thou wouldest make no reckoning of the whole world which in deed is nothing in respect of thy greatnesse Alas no my God Thou hast lifted vp thy self vpon an eminent place that all the inhabitants of the earth might see acknowledge thee and so run vnto thy grace and mercy for thou shouldest be alwaies ready to come at the humble summons of thy seruants neuer disdaine their pittifull petitions And behold them also standing as miserable offenders condemned vnto bolts shackles looking for the comming of some king that should set them free at the entrance into his kingdome Euen so ô Lord deliuer thou them who haue giuen themselues vp into the bondage of sinne and with the onely twinke of thine eye the mainacles shall fall from their wristes 19 Then shall they be all heard to sing a glorious song vnto the victorious king their voices shall be heard throughout al the corners of the earth and the remembrance of thy singular bountie and infinite mercy shall be engraued within the memory of men and so passe from age to age euen vnto the last posteritie The earth shall then be consumed all the waters dryed vp the ayre vanished and the heauens haue an end which shall as yet sing the glory of the eternall God 20 The eternall God who hath vouchsafed merely and ioyfully to cast downe his eyes from the highest hauens into the very deepest place of the bowels of the earth for the acknowledging of the torments of the miserable detained captiues in hell heard their groanes is himselfe suddenly runne thither to vnbinde and set at libertie his poore captiue prisoners and all their posteritie where death with the weapons of sinne had ouercome them and confined them in his most darke prisons But the God of