Selected quad for the lemma: fire_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
fire_n	world_n	worm_n	worst_a	14	3	8.0496	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06448	Granados spirituall and heauenlie exercises Deuided into seauen pithie and briefe meditations, for euery day in the vveeke one. Written in Spanish, by the learned and reuerend diuine, F. Lewes of Granado. Since translated into the Latine, Italian French, and the Germaine tongue. And now englished by Francis Meres, Maister of Artes of both Vniuersities, and student in Diuinitie.; Meditaciones para todos los días de la semana. English	Luis, de Granada, 1504-1588.; Meres, Francis, 1565-1647.	1598 (1598)	STC 16920; ESTC S107751	68,524	280

enter in with Iesus Christ and enioy all the blessings of his glory Chastice novve thy body vvith repentance that thou mayst then finde most firme assurance O howe happy prudent is that man who laboureth nowe to be such an one as hee will desire to be in that doubtfull and dreadful houre of death Therfore now contend with all thy might to bee such an one for thou knowest not when thou shalt die neither what wil happen vnto thee after death Doe not relie eyther vppon thy friendes or thy children for they will forgette thee sooner then thou thinkest and vnlesse now thou disposest of all thinges who can or will heereafter dispose of them for thee Be carefull and prouident for it is better to foresee and preuent that day with good preparation then to looke for helpe and ayde of another Therfore gather now immortall goods giue almes in thys life make those holy and blessed ones thy friends that when thou departest hence they may receaue thee into their euerlasting habitations For that glorious Doctour of the Church Saint Gregory saith that those things are with great diligence to be considered of and those works with many teares to bee meditated vppon which the Iudge of the world shall exact of vs when that houre of death shall come And Saint Bernard sayth O my soule what feare shal there be when all are sent away whose presence was pleasant vnto thee whose sight acceptable and whose neighbourhood so familiar and thou altogether alone enterest into that vnknowne region shalt see those vgly horible monsters flocking to meete thee Who wil succour thee in a day of so great necessitie Who shall defende thee from those roaring Lyons greedy of theyr pray who shal comfort thee who shal helpe thee who shal conduct thee But happie is that soule which confidentlie and boldly shall speake to her enemies in the gate vvhy standest thou heere thou cruel and bloody beast Thou shalt find nothing deadly in me which shal be entertayned of Angels defended from the rage violence of deuils and shal bee carried into the bosome of Abraham Of death and the way of sinners in an other place also thus speaketh S. Bernard The death of sinners is exceeding euil And heare why it is exceeding euil It is euil in the losse of the worlde vvorse in the seperation of the flesh but worst of al in the double torment of the vvorme and of fire But of al it is exceeding euil because the soule shal bee seperated from the Diuine aspect and with great confusion shal bee for euer depriued of the sight of God Consider my deare brother and marke that no man can eschew death neyther know the houre nor change the time appoynted of God But the death of the righteous is good for they rest from their labours better for the nouelty of the life but best of all for the assurance and security of eternity The seauenth Meditation for Sonday of the ioyes of the blessed in heauen and of the paynes of the damned in hell O Sinfull soule if these earthly thinges seeme vile vnto thee and of no price lift vp thine eyes and beholde heauenlie things consider with great diligence what thinges they be and how great which GOD hath prepared for the Elect. For they be such and so great that as Saint Paul sayth neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard neyther hath entred into the hart of man Therefore wee must knowe that the delightes of a blessed lyfe are so many and so great that no Arithmetitian can number them no Geomater can measure thē neyther can any Grammarian Logitian or Rhetoritian expresse them eyther by wordes or reasons Seeing neither eye hath seene theyr greatnes nor eare hath heard of them neyther at any time haue they entered into mans heart There the Saints shall ioy beeing circled and compassed with glorie beholding the Diuine essence aboue them seeing the beauty of the heauens and of all creatures beneath them viewing in thēselues the dignity of their soules and glory of their bodies and to bee briefe hauing about them the societie and fellowshippe of all the Angells and blessed Spyrites Hence it is that Anselmus sayth that there are fourteene partes of that felicity vvhich all the Elect shall perfectlie haue vvhen that generall session is ended seauen of the body and as many of the soule the first of vvhich is beautie for in that lyfe the beautie of the righteous shall bee equall to the beautie of the Sunne vvhich shall bee seauen folde brighter then it novve is VVhere-vppon it is written That the iust shall shyne as the Sunne in the Kingdome of God The second shall bee theyr agilitie which shall bee like vnto that of Angells for they shall bee mooued from heauen to the earth and from the earth to heauen sooner then we can mooue one of our fingers vp and downe VVe may beholde an example of this velocitie in the beames of the Sunne vvhich at the Sunne rysing in the East are in a moment carryed to the VVest that thereby we may consider that it is not impossible which wee speake of this our future swiftnesse and celerity especially seeing that greater velocitie is wont to bee in all thinges liuing thē in those things that are liuelesse The third part of their beatitude is fortitude for whosoeuer shall be accounted woorthy to be numbred vvith the celestiall Cittizens shal excell in strength so that no man shal be able to resist them For theyr fortitude shall be as great as that of Angells with whom they liue in ioy for as theyr glory shall be a like so theyr other gyfts shall bee a like The fourth shall bee free and secure liberty for as nothing can hinder Angels so nothing shall hinder the Saints neyther shal any element whatsoeuer bee able to resist them The fift part of theyr beatitude is health which shall bee vvithout infirmitie Of thys health of the righteous vvhat can bee sayd better then that which the sweete Singer of Israel speaketh saying The health of the righteous is of the Lord. And to whom this sound and true health is giuen of the Lorde what infirmitie can any way touch them or come neere them The sixt gift of beatitude is an ineffable delight which shal make drunke the righteous shal fill them full and wholy replenish them with an vnspeakeable aboundance of inestimable ioy What said I shal fil them ful and wholy repleanish them yea theyr eyes nostrils ears mouth hands throat lunges marrow and theyr very entrailes and all and euey part and member of them shal be filled with such wonderfull sence and feeling of such exceeding incomparable pleasure delight that the whole man shal quaffe of the riuer of Gods pleasure and shall bee made drunke with the plentie of his house so that hee shall stande amazed and bee altogether astonished and those

company and euil society For a man becomes such a one as the company he keepeth The Wolfe dooth neuer dwel with the lamb a chast man doth flie the company of the luxurious I think it impossible that a man shoulde long cōtinue honest who daily vseth the societie of wicked mē With the holy thou shalt be holy sayth the Psalmist with the innocent thou shalt be innocent and with the frowarde thou shalt learne frowardnes For as euill companie hurteth so good company profiteth Nothing can bee compared to thys treasure He that findeth good society findeth life and aboundeth with wealth I speake truly and confidently a man is made verie sildome eyther good or euill but through company society The hart of a chyld is said to bee as a Table in which nothing is paynted Therefore that he receiueth from company hee keepeth till his old age whether it bee good or euill These things spake S. Ierome beeing ready to yeelde vp the ghost Therfore seeing that the worlde is so euill wee ought to eschewe and auoyde it as an ill neighbour who can worke vs great mischiefe by hys neighbourhoode and vicinitie and hurte vs very much by sinnes and sinners of vvhich it is full The second cause vvhy the worlde is to be eschewed is because vvise and considerate men doe auoyde those places in which they feare the intrappings and snares of theyr enemies least they fall into theyr hands and thys is the revvard that the world rendereth vnto her louers that shee at the length deliuereth thē into the hands of the deuils theyr deadly enemies The wordes of the the traytour Iudas are to be referred hether saying to them to whom hee sold and betrayed the Sonne of God Whomsoeuer I shall kisse and say peace be vnto thee that is he lay hold on him VVhich vvordes the world saith also to the deuils to vvhomsoeuer I shall gyue the kisse of peace of riches of pleasures and honors lay holde on him binde him hand foote and cast him into hell Wherfore S. Gregory saith not without good cause It is a manifest signe of perdition whē the effect and euent dooth fauour affected iniquitie and no contrarietie dooth hinder what the peruerse minde hath cōceiued And Saint Ierome sayth It is a manifest token of damnation to bee loued of the vvorld to enioy prosperity to haue all things what the vvill desireth Certaine therefore it is that they are exceedingly deceiued in finding out the way to felicitie who thinke that they may enter into glory and into the kingdome of heauen by riches and pleasures The third cause why vvee ought to eschew the worlde is this because wise wary men doe flie auoyde dangerous places such as the sea is wherin we saile with feare Whervpon the Wise-man saith They that saile ouer the sea doe tell of the dangers of it Dauid certifieth vs that thys world is a great spacious sea in which the greater parte of the marriners perrish Thys is manifest because as Bernard saith many do miscarry in it and fewe are saued The worlde is as an Ocean in which of foure shyps scarcelie one is saued as the Deluge in vvhich so many thousand men were drowned and so fewe escaped and as the Fornace of Babylon kindled with hell fire in which a man is sette on a light flame with one word of the fire of vvrath in vvhich luxury dooth burne and couetousnes is inflamed by the onely looke and aspect The fourth cause vvhy we ought to forsake the world is because euery man that is wise beeing admonished ought to eschew that place in which his mortal deadly enemy dwelleth Thys place is the vvorld which the deuill our capitall enemie inhabiteth hee hath his signory and dominion in thys world who alwayes threatneth destruction vnto vs and thyrsteth for our deathes Therfore let vs flye from the worlde as from the deuill according to the counsell of the VViseman Keep thee far from the man that hath power to slay These reasons thus beeing sette before our eyes let vs bee wise for we see manifestly by these things which haue beene spoken that the world cannot be better ouercome by any other way then by flying from it VVee haue an example of thys in the life 's of the Fathers of Achrimus who being Emperour standing in his pallace prayed thus vnto GOD. Lord I desire thee shewe vnto me the way of saluation And behold hee heard a voyce saying vnto him Achrimus auoyde the concourse and solemnities of the worlde entangle not thy selfe in the snares of humaine vanities thou shalt be safe At the hearing of which voyce hee betooke himselfe foorth-with to a strict solitarie course of lyfe And saying an other time the same prayer he hearde a voyce saying Fly ouercome bee silent at rest And surely these be the rootes and the grounds not to sinne For by flying the cōcupiscence of the flesh is ouercome by being silent the pride of lyfe and by beeing of a peaceable and quiet mind couetousnesse greedines of gaine are subdued and ouerthrowne Saint Isidore admonishing vs that wee shoulde contemne the world sayth If thou desirest to lyue quietly couet nothing that is in this world cast frō thee what-soeuer may hinder thy holy purpose Be dead to the world and therefore being deade doe not thyrst after glory and thou shalt lyue in tranquilitie and rest being cōtent with thine owne Despise that in thy life which thou canst not keepe in thy death S. Augustine speaketh thus of this deceitfull world This life is a miserable life a fraile life an vncertaine life a painefull life an impure lyfe a lyfe Lady of enormities Queen of pride ful of miseries errors which is not to be called a life but a death in which wee die dailie through sundry defections of mutability and by manifolde kinds of death A brickle lyfe an incōstant life which the faster it goeth on the nerer it approcheth to death a deceitfull and vnsteady life full of the snares of death Although it be replenished with these and other greeuances sorrowes and inconueniences yet ô greefe howe many dooth it ensnare with vanities and howe many are deceiued with false and deceitfull promises And albeit of it selfe it is so false and bitter that it cannot cōceale these incōueniences from her blinde louers yet it maketh drunk an infinite multitude of fooles with the golden cup which she beareth in her hand As they are happy so are they rare that refuse her familiarity that despise her perfunctory ioyes that contemne her society least with this perishing deceiuer they bee also forced to perrish This sayth he Beholde sayth Bernard the worlde cryeth I shall fayle thee and the flesh crieth I shal infect thee which then ô miserable sinner vvilt thou follow the failing world or the infecting flesh Both of them are euill therefore followe Christ who

pompe in the night of this world to weak dimme eyes vvhich cannot iudge but by outward appearances But when that cleare and bright day of iudgement shall come wherein God shall reueale the darkest and obscurest thinges of our soules and shall manifest the secret counsailes of our harts then those that seemed happy and glorious shall be knowne to be filthy vile and without any hope of saluation Wherefore these mighty mē are like vnto Owls which flying in the darke doe seeme to cast some light from them but when the day ariseth they show blacke as they are If these gloriosoes had eyes to looke into theyr most vile riches and to behold the stinch and corruption of their owne flesh which shall be turned into ashes they that are nowe swelled and puffed vp and doe despise others through the noblenes of their birth theyr power and dignity should well perceaue hovve abiect base blacke and corrupt they are Wherefore I cannot be induced to thinke otherwise but that if they would deeply consider and weigh these thinges they would presently cast out of their harts al the earthly glory of this world knowing as Hierome saith that it is impossible that any one should be happy in both worlds and appeare glorious both in heauen and in earth Secondly the glory of thys world as we sayde is to be eschewed because it is fraile and without any cōstancy or foundation therfore it is like vnto a smoke or a vapour which the higher that it is lifted the lesse it is seene and to a flower of a good sent and fairenes which a little Sun-shyne dooth dry vp in a short time is vvithered with a little blast of wind and dooth loose all the beauty and fragrancy Such is the glory of the vvorld of vvhich Esaias sayde All flesh is grasse and all the grace and glory thereof is as the flower of the field The grasse withereth the flower fadeth and the glorie thereof passeth away Such are the louers of thys temporall momentany glory vvorthily compared to grasse vvhich grovveth on the topps of houses to day greene and to morrow not seene VVherefore the Wiseman sayth All power is of short continuance and hee that is a King to day to morrow is dead Tell me where is the povver and glory of King Assuerus vvho gouerned an hundred and tvventy prouinces VVhere is the glorie of great Alexander at whose presence the vvhole earth vvas husht to vvhom all Kings and Tyrants payed tribute as it is in the first Booke of the Macchabees VVhere is the glorie of that great Empyre by vvhich he conquered and subdued vnder him almost all the Kingdomes of the vvorlde Where are all the Princes and Potentates of the vvorld vvho raigned ouer both man and beast They are passed and gone avvay as a straunger or a Soiournour that tarryeth but for one day Trulie not one of them remaineth all their dayes vvere spente in vanitie and theyr yeares svviftly posted avvay Death feareth no man it swepeth all avvay without any difference or partiality it is a fierce cruell beast that spareth not any body it taketh avvay both the king and the begger and maketh all equal alike Thirdly the glory of thys world is to be auoided because it is deceitfull and dooth performe none of those thinges it promiseth but deceaueth all men in this life Which of the Princes and Emperours hath it not deluded promising vnto them long life peaceable honours a quiet empire when as it cannot prolong mans lyfe one houre VVho in earthly glory was lyke vnto Alexander who was neuer subdued in any warre who alwayes triumphed ouer his enemies vvho ouerthrew huge hoasts with a litle army who neuer besieged Citty but he tooke it neyther was there any prouince which did not obey his Empire But now when he seemed an absolute conquerour and purposed to passe the rest of his time in peace and tranquillity hee vvas on a suddaine poysoned Tell mee why doest thou follow and hunt after the glory of the world which cannot succour thee in death Fourthly as I said humaine glory and applause is to be auoyded and eschewed because it is a very euill and naughty pay-mayster for it promiseth glory and payeth euerlasting perdition and eternall confusion Wherfore the Lord saith by the Prophet I will turne their glory into shame So theyr strength shall bee turned into weakenes their wisedome into foolishnes and their pleasures into punishments For according to the quantity of the falt shall be the quantity of the punishment vvhich they shall be tormented vvith Heereupon Saint Hierome speaketh thus to the louers of this fleeting and deceitfull vvorld Woe bee vnto you miserable vvretches vvho endeuour to goe to heauen by the vvay of riches and pleasures and vnderstand not vvhat our Sauiour sayth That it is easier for a cammell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen Remember that this is a Diuine sentence and the words of him who sayth Heauen and earth shall passe but my words shall not passe O miserable vvretches and more inconstant then any wind howle mourne who are onely great and noble by the benefit of fortune but in deed are base abiect and blind vvith the smoake of vanitie with deceaueable honours and false dignities of this vvorlde Doe yee not see the shortnes of time howe death perhaps this might shal cut off the thred of your liues and that yee shall be tormented for euer in hell vvhere yee shall alwayes liue dying without end yea more dying then all the men that die in the world vvhere no rest shall be giuen but torments shall alwayes liue to reuenge Where yee shall not onely be tortured with men but also with deuils For so much the greater shall thy punishment be there as thy glory was greater here as thou hast liued in greater delicacies and delights See how our Sauiour that vnchāgable truth al whose deeds words are one instruction amōg his twelue apostles whō he choose would haue but one Bartholomew a noble man one Matthew a rich man hee chose all the other poore men and fishers that he might signifie that the noble and rich men of this world can hardly be saued and be made worthy of heauen For if by one onely sinne man became guilty of hell fire how shall a rich man be saued desirous and greedy of populer applause hunting after the fraile and mortall glory of this life which is none other thing then a filthy impure vessell and receite for all sinne full of pride and luxury full of couetousnes in the rich mighty and noble men of this world These are theeues that robbe the poore of that they should liue by vvho eate vp their labours killing and treading them vnder theyr feete vvhen notvvithstanding God hath blessed them vvith great aboundance of vvealth that they therby might nourish

much more copiouslie In this blessednes as S. Augustine sayth God shal fil and satisfie al the sences of the elect with inestimable ioy and pleasure for hee himselfe shall bee the obiect of them all he shal bee a glasse vnto their eyes honny vnto theyr mouthes musick vnto theyr eares sweet Balsamum vnto theyr noses a most delicate flower vnto their hands for to this purpose God became man that euery man might receiue by him internal blessednes for his soule in the contemplation of his diuinitie and external for his body in beholding his humanitie Briefely according to the saying both of Saint Augustine and Gregorie there shal be so great beautie of righteousnesse and glory of euerlasting light that if wee should suffer torments euery day if wee shoulde abide for a long tyme the paynes and tortures of hel that wee might bee admitted to see Christ in his glorie if it were but one day and haue felowship with his Saints certainely it were worth the suffering that wee might bee made partakers of so great blessednesse and glory Therefore it is sayde not without reason of the Psalmographer nor with a small desire A day ô Lord in thy Courts is better then a thousand other where And of Saint Bernard Who can cōprehend in thys lyfe hovve great the glory of the Saints of GOD shal be in the life euerlasting who shal see God and shal alwaies be with him who is al in al who is the cheefest good in whom is exceeding blessednesse and vnmeasurable ioy There is truth libertie loue perfect charitie there shal bee eternal societie constant amitie and perpetual securitie Rightly therefore sayth that reuerend Doctor Saint Augustine O ioy aboue all ioy for a man to see the face of God who hath created redeemed and glorified him certainely thys is the ioy of the Angels of the Saints For as Saint Gregory saith GOD is of so admirable beautie that the Angels who sitte vpon the Sun doe stil desire to see him There as Saint Augustine sayth is neyther vvicked men nor any kinde of wickednesse there is no aduersary nor any to resist there is no manner of enticement vnto sinne there is no want no reproching no rayling no nicknaming no accusation no dissembling no feare no disquietnes no payne no doubting no violence no discord but there dwelleth aboundance of peace fulnes of charitie eternall praise and thanks giuen vnto God secure rest without end and alvvayes ioy in the holy Ghost Hast thou heard ô my soule howe surpassing bee the ioyes how infinite the mirth how incomparable and incomprehensible is the light of that heauenlie Cittie O happy ioy ô true reioycing of the Saints who doe continuallie beholde the face and alvvayes possesse the company of God himselfe Therfore ô my soule let vs willingly relinquish the desire of these earthly thinges let vs banish out of our hearts the ioy of euill thoughts and beeing inflamed with the loue of that celestial and euerlasting ioy let vs returne and trauaile towards the heauenly Cittie in which wee are written and appoynted Cittizens as of the houshold of GOD heyres of his kingdome of glorie and fellow heires with his beloued Sonne Christ Iesus If thou demaundest howe this may be or by what means and helpe Heare what I shal say vnto thee The matter is put in the power of the willer and dooer The kingdome of heauen suffereth violence the kingdome of heauen ô man demaundeth none other price but thy selfe for it is worth so much as thou art giue thy selfe and thou shalt haue it VVhy art thou troubled about the price Remember that Christ hath giuen himselfe that hee might purchase of GOD his Father a kingdome for thee so in like manner giue thou thy selfe that thou mayst enioy this kingdome and let not sinne raigne in thy mortall body but the spirite for the obtaining of life O sinful soule ô soule ful of miserie if these thinges doe not yet mooue thee which I haue spoken of the excellencie and immensitie of that heauenly ioy which the elect of God doe for euer enioy that thou maist purchase it for thy selfe both by repentance and by diuine grace Consider I pray thee with great dread feare the most miserable estate the intollerable paynes and the vnspeakeable torments of hel that obscure and diabolical cittie that by the horror and terror of this consideration thou mayst bee conuerted vvyth all thine hart vnto the Lord. Therefore wee must first know that according to the diuersity of sinnes shal be the varietie of punishments For as Saint Gregory sayth VVee must knowe that there is but one fire in Hel but al sinners are not tormented in it after the same manner for euery one shal feele so much punishment there as he hath sinned heere And as in this vvorlde vvee are al vnder one Sunne yet we do not feele the heate al alike because one is more hote and another lesse hote so there in that fire there is not one manner of burning because heere what the diuersitie of bodies dooth for after one manner the fire doth burne chaff after another woode and after another yron that there dooth the diuersity of sinnes they haue the same fire and yet it dooth not burne al the damned that be therein alike That fire shal be kindled with the wrath of the Iudge shal burne euerlastingly neither shal it neede to bee kindled the second time as Iob witnesseth who sayth The fire that is not blowne or as Pagnine translateth it the vnquenchable fire shal deuour him Of the crueltie and torment of thys fire Sebastian sayth That there is as great a difference betweene materiall fire and the fire of hell as there is between painted fire on a wal and naturall fire Thys fire shall some-vvhat shine but it shal be no comfort vnto the damned but rather a greater punishment Wherevppon Saint Isidore sayth In hell there shal be a certaine obscure shyning by which the miserable damned shal be seen not that they may reioyce in it but that they may be more tormented whilst one seeth another For then the vvicked shal see those tormented with thē whom they haue inordinatelie loued in this worlde that they may nowe suffer punishment according to the qualitie of the fault and that that carnall loue which was preferred before the diuine loue may bee punishment with like vengeance in theyr sight Thus also is a doubt resolued by which it was wont to bee demaunded whether the damned do see the glory of the Saints To which question Saint Gregory aunswereth after this maner That sinners may be the more punished and tormented they shall both see their glory whō they haue despised and shal be tormented with theyr paine whō they haue vnprofitably loued For it is to be supposed that till the last iudgement the wicked doe see the righteous in glory and rest that they

the hearing of thy name not onely men but also the Sea and the elements trembled And so long as thy fury was not pacified by thy onelie begotten Sonne the gates of heauen were so shutte vp that the iustest man aliue might not passe thorough them Neyther durst sinners considering theyr vnwoorthynesse and theyr greeuous sinnes and seeing no other gates open in all thys vvorlde besides those of iustice and vengeance venter to come neere thee for by custome they had learned that comming vnto thee for remedy they found damnation approching for saluation they tasted death because thou wast called a consuming fire Many ô Lord beeing daunted with this feare did wander vp and downe sinking vnder the burthen of desperation hauing no hope to find any mercie Others beeing seperated from thee by ignorance did goe astray as sheepe without a sheepeheard bleating vp and downe in this world Therefore sayd Dauid Say vnto my soule I am thy saluation as if he should say My eares are ful of terrible names and feareful tytles let the time come in which by a new name thou thy selfe mayst promise saluation to my soule And this shal be when thou shalt be called Iesus that is a Sauior This in tymes past sayde Dauid in the person of all men But after that thou didst remember thy mercie and the promises made vnto the Fathers that is that the tyme should come that thou thy selfe wouldest put on our humanity and misery when I say thou wentest out of the hal of thy power and iustice comming vnto vs didst enter into the Pallace of thy mercy and benignity thou didst aboundantly fulfil to all whatsoeuer thou hadst promised to anie But that greate follovver and Apostle of thy Sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde first began to call thee the Father of mercy and the GOD of all consolation A Father that hee might signifie that lyke a Father thou wouldest helpe vs A God because thou canst help whom thou pleasest So that sinners seeing thee to haue gone out of the hall of thy seueritie and to haue come into the Pallace of thy mercies and consolations seeing thee cloathed on euery side with theyr vestiments made one of theyr housholde they vvould no more vvander and vage vp and downe but beeing vnited to thy most holie Church they come to thy throane with sincere faith and firme hope desiring remission of their sinnes Thou hast done ô Lorde as hunters vse to doe who that they may not feare the vvilde beast doe cloathe themselues after the colour of the mountayne so also thou tookest vppon thee an earthen vesture like vs that thou mightest take whom thou wouldest For as thou didst show thine omnipotencie in times past by power and reuengement so thou now wouldest shew thy mercy by pardoning and forgyuing For to remitte an offered iniurie is no lesser glory then to reuenge it yea it is greater glory to forgiue it Therefore there is not neyther can there bee a sinne so great which thou doest not forgiue to him that is penitent If a sinner had beene so vnhappy that considering the greatnes of his sins he had not seene thy power and goodnes he had dispaired of pardon had sayde that which in times past our first brother Cain said and after him Iudas that is My sin is greater then can be pardoned and had layd violent hands vpon himselfe Therefore let him nowe reioyce and lyft vp his eyes to heauen whence commeth ayd and helpe to all them that are found in the tribulations and miseries of this world Let him open the eyes of his soule by fayth let him behold round about him ensignes and banners displayed not banners of warre of vengeance or of iustice but of pitty of mercie of pardon of friendship and of reconciliation to all them that desire it in truth Let him behold those honoured and graced in this Pallace who were wont to be his aduersaries and enemies There he shall see that great and famous sinner Magdalen receaued into fauour There hee shall see those humbled and brought low who supposed themselues wise and holie men and them exalted who confessed themselues sinners and of no merrit There hee shall see that sinner S. Peter who was a periured denier of his Maister to bee made a piller of the Church There hee shall see Saint Paule that wolfe and persecuter of the flock to be made a vessell of election Therfore let all sinners com let thē come I say to thys pallace of mercie and let them constantly and assuredly beleeue that no man in the world dooth heereafter so sinne or can sinne that hee cannot or may not obtaine remission at Gods handes for all his misdeedes neyther that any enmities or quarrels can arise to that height and passe vvhich can vtterly shutte vp the gates of frindship and reconciliation Wherefore I feeling my selfe burdened with the weight of my sinnes swallowed vp in the gulfe of misery desiring especially the sight of the eyes of my soule which errors and foule enormous sinnes haue shut vp and blinded and with greater desire and thyrst desiring thirsting for thy grace and fauour then the Hart or the Hunter dooth the vvater brookes I come to the throne of thy grace entreating beseeching thee ô Lord with that humility vvhich the greatest sinner can come withal knowing his vnvvorthines and his enormities done and committed before his eyes vvho once gaue him both being and life and after hee had lost it by sin and returned againe by repentance eftsoones restored it before his Maiestie who with his onely VVorde that is with his VVisedome created made all thinges of nothing before him in whose power it is not only to create a thousand other vvorlds but also to doe those things which can neyther enter into the thought of Angel or any other creature Before him I say I come and say Haue mercy vpon me ô Lord. And because ô my Lorde I haue no merrits by vvhich I may boldly presume to come vnto thee for I am not onelie vnwoorthy of this thy great mercy but haue also iustly deserued damnation destruction in hell I desire this According to thy great goodnes According to which if we wel consider howe thou hast alwaies vsed it towards sinners I beleeue and am verily perswaded that thou art more easie to be intreated and readier to forgiue then I through my weakenesse and infirmitie am prone vnto sin And because my sinnes haue so increased risen to that height that they are come into the presence of thy diuine Maiestie behold it was in my power to fall and through mine owne fault haue I gone astray but to rise againe and come home is not in my power except thou succourest and releeuest mee with thy singuler especial grace therfore I humblie desire thee to haue mercie on me According to the multitude of thy mercies Thee I say I most humbly do beseeche vvho hast beene so pittifull