had their wealth in this world it shall bee said vnto them Depart hence for you stand indebted in a great summe thinke vppon yeelding an account of the goods which were committed to your keeping and pay the arrerage for the mis-spending of them Your dwelling is prepared for you where you deserue among eternall paines and torments the rigor whereof hath beene often denounced vnto you and yet it could neuer drawe you from your vngodly life yee shall now feele it because then yee did not feare it But as for those ô LORD which haue beene patient in thy name and suffered in thine honour the furie of the wicked thou wilt say vnto them Come yee blessed children of my Father enter into the Tabernacle of glory to iudge with him the quick and the dead Comfort thy selfe then my soule waite for this time hope in GOD GOD almighty and most mercifull who hath neuer forsaken the iust man in his aduersitie nor neuer stopt his eare against the innocent which was oppressed Benedicam Domino in omni tempore Psalme 34. BLessed be thy name o Lord which hast comforted mee in my sorrow blessed bee it for euer which hast succoured mee in mine affliction All things haue their appointed houre and all the actions of men are disposed by times and seasons change serueth for rest and rest refresheth the ordinary labour of liuing creatures nothing can continue at one staye without relaxation yet for all that heerein this rule faileth for I ô my God doe and will continually blesse thy name the sunne rising shall finde mee praysing thy name the sunne setting shall leaue mee praysing thy name I will thereby beginne the moneths and the yeares and thereby I will finish them ô eternitie I haue no feeling of thee in this world but onely in this will of mine which is euer ready perpetually to praise and glorifie thy name ô my God My body consumeth with age and my strength fades away but my soule obstinate against eorruptible humanity dooth not onely last but encreaseth dayly in this holy affection If I thinke to take my rest my heart giueth spurres to my thoughts If I thinke to bee silent my soule breakes forth betwixt my lips and by maine force formeth a voyce which prononnceth the glory of my LORD What makes thee ô my soule so feruent in the praises of my God I see wel that thou knowest that thou hast drawne thine essence from him and waitest by him to be glorified what vsury doest thou offer him Thou presentest him with a parcell of his praises and thou in the meane time expectest to be made partaker of the ritches of his glory For from him only thou art to hope for al honour The heauens shall passe away shall weare like an old garment it shall be changed but God shal remain to triumph ouer the ruines of the world Peaceable and meeke people shal be on euery side about him they shall heare the triumphant hymnes which shall be sung to his victory and filled with ioy they shal accord their voices to the trumpets of the Angells 2. Let vs beginne then betimes to learne the songes of his glory let vs magnifie him and exalt his name as high as our voyces will stretch let vs re-enforce our cries to the end they may ascend as high at the least as we can discerne them that the ayre filled with our songes may carry them on the winges of the winde to the very farthermost partes of the earth to the end that all people may be wakened with the sound of our tunes and reioyce when they shall in this manner heare the name of the Lord of heauen and earth to be exalted the lord who is the trusty assured refuge of all those which call vpon him 3. I sought him and he forthwith heard me I no more knew whether to goe and after that I had cast mine eyes on euery fide finding nothing able to succor me the whole world forsaking me I returned towards my selfe and bewayling my calmity beheld my selfe And on a sodaine he at once filled me with strength and courage and causing my soule to rebound out of the gulfe of sorrow and tribulation which had swallowed me vp he said vnto me trust in me for I am here then I cryed out ô Lord where art thou make hast and quickly help me and forthwith his spirit came downe vpon me and as a strong wind driueth away the cloudes euen so did it driue from me all manner of griefe and aflictions 4. Come then and runne vnto him come the way is easie it is open on ouery side he shewes himselfe euery where in what place so euer we be he calls vs vnto him He is so much affraid least we should goe astray as he comes downe from heauen to carry the torch before vs to giue light vnto our feet For hee is the Father of light and giues a purer light to our soules then to our bodies it dissipates and scatters of it selfe all that which may hurt and offend vs. Come then and draw neere vnto it for so long as it shall shine vppon you you shall walke with an erected browe and nothing shall be able to offend you your strength shall be renued within you and nothing shall bee able to confound you if your sinne offers to shew it selfe it will driue it away if your enemies come towards you it will ouer-throw them 5. Will yee behold an excellent proofe of his helpe and singular mercy Looke vppon this poore miserable wretch who was accounted the maister-peece of misfortune who was supposed to haue lost al that he had yea very hope it selfe the onely comfort of the miserable yet he no sooner cryed vnto God but he foorthwith heard him and deliuered him from the misery wherein hee was hee hath brought him to the hauen and set him in a place of safety 6. He sends his Angels to the ayde of his seruants who compasse them about like a strong guard and stir not from them till they haue deliuered thē out of al danger For as he is great so are his ministers mighty and albeit of himselfe he is able to doe all thinges yet in regard of his greatnesse he executeth his wil pleasure by the means of his creatures gouerning the small ones by the meane the meane ones by the highest and the highest by himselfe 7. Taste then a little how sweet his mercy and goodnesse is how happy is he which putteth his trust in him The swallow is very carefull of her young ones yet she often lets thē cry out for hunger mixing their sweet with bitternesse but our God comes at the first cry at the first signe at our first wish and so soone as he perceaues that we thirst after his succour he puts into our mouthes the fertill dugges of his goodnes and sheds betwixt our lippes the sweet milke of his grace which quencheth the thirst of our infirmity and the
dares make mee none answer O my God thou hast created mee of dirt and clay and loe I am now such an one as I was before thou tookest me in hand I haue put off my beauty and comlinesse and put on dirt and filthinesse But my God wherefore doost thou not new make me is thine arme waxed short doost thou want will to doe good to thy creature alas thou art Almighty all good wherefore then dooest thou tarry Thy workemanship ô Lord grew obstinate against thee and tooke pleasure in diffiguring and deforming it selfe bee thou obstinate against thine handy-worke and make it faire and perfect yea euen in despight of it but my God I will bee no more stubborne hold mee take mee in hand turne mee as thou pleasest repayre this dirte renew it refresh it with new coullours it is ready to obey thy will But ô Lord when as thou shalt haue wholy renewed it forsake it not for all that put a bridle in his mouth which by abstinence may keepe it from gluttony wherevnto it is proane by chastitie it may quench the impudent heates of voluptuousnesse which warmeth it by humility it may beat downe pride which biting enuie raiseth vp in her let pittifull charity driue hatred and the hunger of couetousnesse farre from it let the care to serue and honor thee be a continuall spurre in the sides of her slothfull and blockish negligence 3. For otherwise my God I haue made too great proofe of these vices which enuiron mee they will in such sorte teare and dismember thy workmanship as at thy comming thou shalt find nothing but the fragments thereof all bruzed and broken I haue had such experience of them it is they who haue brought mee into the state wherein now I am and I now perceiue them standing round about mee to reproach mee with those blottes where with they themselues did defile me and to make me guilty of the wrongs which they haue done to mee How hast thou sinned say they how foule and deformed art thou become 4. Indeed I haue sinned I confesse it my God behold I offer the bottom of my heart vnto thee take notice of my whole life I haue sinned before heauen and earth and the whole world is witnesse of my misdeeds But if I had not sinned vnto whome wouldest thou shew mercy how wouldst thou discharge thy selfe of the promises of grace which thou hast so long declared by thy Prophets when thou shalt come to sit vpon the eternall throne of thy Iustice if wee were all iust who would stand in feare of thee But to the end thy greatnesse may bee knowne it behooueth vs when wee shall bee summoned before thee humbly to fall downe vpon our faces and to cry out Bee midle ô Lord for wee come not to excuse our selues before thee our fault is notorious but loe our pardon stands ready thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs behold it signed with thy bloud sealed with thine image which for our redemption was imprinted in the weakenesse of the flesh 5. Diddest thou expect O my God that when I should present my selfe before thee I would make a rampier of mine innocencie or that I was so blinde of vnderstanding to go about to iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas ô Lord I know that I was nothing but sinne before I was borne my mother thought to bring forth a childe and shee was deliuered of sinne it had been much better for her if so prodigious a burthen had prooued abortiue which shameth the tree which bare it the earth which nourished and heauen which ripened it I was fedde with sinne in my mothers wombe I suckt it with her milke and loe it grew vppe in such sort with mee as it ouer-shaddoweth mine head and blindeth mine eyes 6. But when I perceiue the eyes of my body to be dazeled I then open the eyes of my minde and begin to discerne a farre off the beame of thine infallible truth and to acknowledge the wonderfull secrets of thy wisedome which thou hast reuealed vnto mee Then my soule abandoning the impurity of my body liftteth her selfe vppe vnto heauen and pearceth thorowe his incredible light and lookking vpon the booke of Eternity shee therein readeth the treatye of the new allyance which thou wilt make with mankinde then returning into her wretched body shee filleth it with hope and ioy and promiseth it an assured victorie ouer his sinne 7. For shee learned in heauen how thou wouldest take the branch of odoriferous Hisope in hand and sprincle vpon mee the water of purification thou wilt wash mee and I shall become whiter then snowe there shall no one spotte of sinne bee seene on mee What manner of washing-lye will that bee ô LORD which shal be made with the ashes of my sinnes consumed by the fire of thy charity with the water of teares which my repentance shall distill from my hart and in the sun-shine of thy grace our laments shal be dried vp which shall cause new spirituall ioy to grow vp in vs and at the last will make vs so white in the purity of righteousnesse as we shall one day shine brighter then the starres in the firmament 8. We shall then heare the delectable sound of the trumpet of saluation which wil proclaime grace and mercy vnto all those who will receaue it Wee shall then see rotten and consumed bones to rise vp out of their graues to be partaker of this vniuersall ioye wherevnto thou hast inuited the whole world 9. Now to the end I may at that time appeare before thee in such honorable equipage as so noble a magnificence doth deserue put all my offences ô my God vnder thy feete bury them in the center of the earth to the end that noe eye may behold them seperate mee for euer from mine iniquitie from hence-forth I renounce it and sweare an irreconcileable diuorcement from her 10 Behold my soule which I offer vnto thee make it pure and cleane powre a new spirit into mine heart which may conceiue nothing but holinesse and righteousnesse Establish therein ô Lord God the mansion house of thy holy spirit to the end that hence-forth I may thinke wish nor breath any thing but thy praises let thy will bee alwayes imprinted in my minde and thy glory written in my lips 11. When thou shalt haue thus clothed decked me with pietie and integrity I shall then be assured that nothing shal be able to seperate mee from thy presence and then as the true bred Eagle looketh directly vpon the Sunne euen so will I fixe mine eye vppon the face of thine Eternitie and will beholde in thy wonderfull countenance all those perfections which now I can not conceaue thine holy spirit shall neuer more depart out of mine heart it shall carry me on the winges of zealous charity into thy bosome there to make mee an associate of that celestiall ioy 12. Let me then quickly tast the sweetnes of this immortall life saue me sodainly
graue A graue in deed too happy for mee if so small a pitte may bee able to stay the violent course of mine extreame misery 5. Hee that hath seene the mowed grasse to turne coulor and wither in the field let him looke vpon my pale and leane visage which seemeth to make death it selfe afraid Mine heart waxeth drie in the midest of my intrailes my bloud withereth within my veines for I no more remember to giue bread to my mouth and euery day I forget to eate meate 6. My mouth serueth me for none other vse but to crie out and lament and the vsuall voice of my sorrow is of such force as it carries away with it all the remainder of my strength so as my sorrowfull body doth by little and little consume it selfe and my boanes doe already pierce my skinne why then should I bee carefull to pamper this wretched body which is the subiect of my miseries wherefore should I study to preserue this life which wrestleth with so many discontents and is tormented with so many afflictions were it not better for mee by ending my life to giue an end to my miseries 7. The Pellican which in the most solitarie deserts of Aegipt torments her selfe for killing her yong ones and bathes them with her bloud to restore them to life which shee berest them of is shee more sorrowfull then I dooth shee feele more griese then my selfe hath not my sinne procured the death of that child whom I loued better then my selfe and now that all my teares are drawne dry bloud will gush foorth of mine eyes for feare that weeping should faile mee in such a lamentable misfortune But the Pellican with the price of her bloud redeemes the life of her yong ones and my wretched self shal for euer bee depriued of that child whom I so deerely loued Therefore will I abandon the light of the day and will confine my selfe in the thick darknesse like vnto the fatall Owle which stirreth not foorth of some hollow place vntill the night hath spred his obscure mantle ouer the earth 8. I am continually awake alwayes rauing vpon my mishap and seeking to hide my selfe from the miserie which followes me apace I seeke nothing so much as some corner to bestow my selfe in like to the wilde Sparrow who beaten with the winde and raine searcheth out some place of couert to keepe her from the storme 9. Mine enemies seeing me in this plight haue derided mee they haue reproched mee with my misery and those which were wont highly to esteeme mee in steed of bewailing mine afflictiō haue conspired against mee Of what worth then are the goods of this world if friends bee the most pretious richesse that a man can purchase and if they prooue treacherous and disloyall and make so small account of violating their faith 10. My strength is indeed diminished the floure of my complexion is withered for I haue strewed my bread with ashes I haue tempered my drinke with teares but therfore shal this vnbeleeuing race make mee the argument of their laughter 11. It is true that I met with thine angrie countenance in the day of thy wrath thou hast laide on mee the arme of thy vengeance it hath crusht mee to peeces I was glorious among men and behold I am now cast downe to the ground O vaine presumption vnto what height hast thou raised mee to giue mee so terrible a downefall Alas what matter could I finde in my selfe that might beget such a selfe-conceit in mee 12. Euen as wee see the shaddow of a body to decrease by little and little when as the sunne stands right ouer it and at last becometh a small point in like manner so soone as thy wrath did ascend ouer mee ô Lord my life my wealth and my greatnesse did consume away by little and little in such sort as I seeme like to the withered haye without sap and beauty it is gathered for the fodder of cattell and so many faire sweet and odoriferous flowers are made vp in bottels among weedes and thistles 13. But shall I therefore despaire not so my God for thy power is infinite and lasteth for euer thy mercy is immense which spreds it selfe ouer all those which trust in thee Ages shall passe away one after an other but the memory of thy goodnesse shall neuer haue end for euer one generation shall succeed an other and they shall continually set forth thy praise and louing kindnesse 14. Thou wilt one day awake ô my God and shew fauor vnto Sion for the time of mercy is at hand It is already come behold I see it The riuers send not so many cleere waters into the large bozome of the Ocean as thy goodnesse shall shed foorth fauours and mercies vppon the earth Open your hearts oh yee people open your hearts for the liberall hand of my GOD will fill them with an holy heate which shall cleanse and purifie them more then gold is in the furnace 15. Now the building of Sion is ô Lord the refuge which thy seruants waite for that it may become the dwelling place of eternall life the seate of saluation the treasury of grace and the temple of eternitie 16. Then my God shall the nations bee astonished and all the Kings of the earth shall tremble at the brightnesse of thy glory What remotest corner is there in the world but shall resound thy happy comming what people are there vnder the sunne so confined in darkenesse but will open their eyes to behold the glistering brightnesse of saluation which shall shine vpon them Heauen it selfe shall encrease the number of his torches to giue light to this thine entrie into the world and Kings shall runne from all parts to doe homage to the King of Kings and to the Lord of Heauen and Earth 17. For in Syon hath hee erected his royall throne in magnificent and sumptuous manner there shall men behold him all enuironed with glory darkning the Sunne and Moone with the brightnesse of his countenance 18. But what is the cause ô Lord that thou hast so highly exalted the throne of thy glorie Is it because thou wilt contemne the humble prayers of thy faithfull seruants and neglect the whole world which is nothing in comparison of this thy greatnesse Alas not so my God Thou hast lifted vp thy selfe in an eminent place to the end that all the inhabitants of the earth may see and acknowledge thee to haue recourse to thy grace mercy for thou wilt be alwayes ready to come at the humble summons of thy seruants and thou wilt neuer scorne their pittifull requests Behold they are all set in order like poore galley slaues condemned to the chaine which waite for the arriuall of some King to set them at liberty on the day of his coronation In this manner ó Lord dooest thou deliuer those which haue giuen them-selues ouer to the bondage of sinne at the onely twinckling of thine eye their Irons shall fall from
off theyr hands 19. Then shall they all bee heard to sing a song of glory to the victorious King their voice shall bee heard in all the parts of the earth and the memory of thy singular goodnesse and infinite mercy shall bee engraued in mens mindes to passe from age to age euen to their last posteritie when the earth shall bee consumed the waters dryed vppe the firmament vanished away and the heauens come to an end euen then shall men sing forth the glory of the eternall God 20. The eternall GOD who hath vouchsafed from the highest heauens to cast his eyes downe to the depths of the earth to take notice of the torments of poore captiues deteined in the prisons of hell who hath heard their gronings and made haste to vnbinde and deliuer these poore wretched prisoners and their whole posterity Death had ouercome them with the weapons of sinne and confined them in his darke prisons but the God of life hath vanquished death and set them all at liberty 21. To the end ô Lord that they may declare thy praise in Sion and preach thy mercy in Ierusalem But though euery one of them had an hundered mouthes and a voyce as strong as thy thunder they should neuer bee able to attaine to the greatnesse of thy glorie All the parts of the world doe conspire together but to represent in their motion some part of thy power and infinite goodnesse and yet they shall misse the marke for they are bottomlesse pitts and more then bottomlesse pitts which haue neither banke nor bottome and which must onely bee look't vpon a farre off 22. Bee pleased then ô my God that thy people assembled together and revnited in body and minde doe deuoutly offer vnto thee the holy desire and will which they haue to honor thee for the effect it selfe can in no sort draw neer to thy desert Take it in good worth ô Lord that the Kings of the earth doe come and humble themselues before thee to pay the homage and seruice which is due vnto thee as to their souerain Lord. They shall lay their scepters on the ground and their crownes at their feete and shall present thee with a sacrifice of humble deuotion and an innocent conscience I will be the first ô my God that will prostrate my selfe before thee to adore and serue thee with my whole heart I will settle my thoughts on thee onely vnto thee alone will I consecrate my spiritte Quicken it ô Lord to the end that it beeing purified by the holy heat of thy charity it may receaue into it selfe like a well-pollished looking-glasse the Image of thine incomprehensible beauty and perfection and that it may feele the reflection of thy sincere affection so as thine infinite goodnes may make it one of the number of thine elect to bee a coheire with them of eternall life 23. I doe now already feele ô my God that thou hast enlightned my soule by thy grace and hast shewed me the mercy which thou wilt offer to all the children of the earth my spirit hath already seene from a farre off how readily thou walkest to deliuer the world which was in danger of death before thine arriuall that was the cause why thou heardest it cry out vnto thee saying tell me ô Lord the number of my yeares and what time thou wilt giue an end to my daies 24. Cut not of the thred of my life ô Lord at the first or second turne of the wheele shorten it not in the middest of his course stay my God til the time be come when as thou wilt open the treasures of thy graces to giue a largesse of saluation vnto men or if at the least thou hast determined of mine end and that my life cannot bee so farre stretched out yet remember my posterity and cause him to bee borne of my stocke who by his comming shall sanctifie the world 25. In very deed ô Lord I know that in the beginning thou diddest make heauen and earth and all that excellence which wee see in this world is the worke-man-shippe of thy hands 26. But all that shall weare away like an ouer-worne garment men shall seeke after and enquire what is become of it but it shall bee no more found it hath beene made and it shal be vndone it had a beginning and must needs haue an end but thou alone ô Lord which art from all eternity shalt remayne for euer at one stay Age and time which consumes all things doe but confirme thine essence and publish thy diuinity and it seemeth vnto me that men are borne vpon the earth to none other end but to behold on the one side thine incomprehensible greatnes and their owne weakenes on the other 27. Men shift not shirts so often as one selfe-same land doth oftentimes change hir inhabitants the one pusheth on another and all is renued in a moment But thou art yet my God to day the same that thou wert at the beginning Euery Prouince of the earth makes mention of a great number of Kings which haue commaunded therein one after another but heauen and earth doe continually sing vnto vs that thou hast alway beene alone euer like thy selfe and that neither the time past nor that which is to come can in any sort change thee 28. Yet notwithstanding ô Lord that we must part hence I doe not lose my hope to taste one day of the sweet fruite which will heale vs of this contagious disease which our first parents haue communicated to vs by eating of the fruite of sinne and death For our children shall succeed vs and thou wilt doe vs this fauour ô Lord to continue our posterity from age to age vntill that all of vs together doe appeare in thy presence not to receaue a rigorous iudgement but to enter by the merrits and intercession of thy welbeloued Sonne our Sauiour into the inheritance of eternall blessednesse which shal be purchaced for all thy faithfull ones by the adoption of thy sonne in the house of thy seruant Dauid De profundis Psalme 129. FRom the bottome of the deepes I haue cried vnto thee oh my God being buried and lost in the most fearefull cauernes of the earth I haue called vpon thy name listen to my voyce and giue eare vnto my praier for all hope of aide was taken from mee I saw nothing round about me but feare and trembling and yet notwithstanding I was not discourraged but haue expected from thee that which thou hast promised to all those which shall liue in the feare of thy name and in the obedience of thy commandements 2. Lend then a fauourable eare ô Lord vnto my prayer if sinne haue set it selfe betwixt thee and mee to whet thee on against mine iniquitie and to make thee an enemy to my request chace it away from the aspect of thine eye of mercy or else ô Lord shut for a while the eye of thy iustice vntill that thine eare of clemencie hath receiued
me like a dead man in the caue of obscurity My soule is highly greeued within mee and mine heart is astonished like vnto his who walking with an erected countenance is by misfortune fallen into the bottome of some pit his sences are forth-with troubled he forthwith loseth his reason and torments himselfe hee knowes not what to will or do till calling his wits together he takes notice of the place where he is and the maner how he fell downe for then hee begins by little and little to get vp againe and to climbe with great labour from the place whereinto hee easily fell 5. Euen so I hauing called to memory from farre the remembrance of things past and representing to my selfe in a deepe meditation the workes of thine hands and considering exactly the things which thou hast wrought namely remembring the state wherein thou diddest create vs and then calling to minde that wherein I finde my selfe now as it were crusht downe in the ruines of sinne I curse the houre wherein my mother conceiued mee I detest the daye which first opened mine eye-liddes to cause mee to looke vppon heauen and earth the witnesses of my weaknesse and at last finding nothing in this world which can comfort mee in this distresse I come againe vnto thee 6. I fall downe on my knees before thee I lift vppe vnto thee mine armes and hands and my soule thirsteth after thy grace with as great a desire as the earth gaping with heate waiteth for a pleasing shower of raine in the hottest time of summer 7. Runne then hastily vnto me ô my God for I am already out of breath my courage faileth and loe I fall fainting downe wilt thou tarry till I am dead I am so already if thou make not the more hast for my sences faile by little and little my soule slideth sweetly out of my body leauing it without motion and I am like vnto him who is let bloud in his foote in hot water whose life runnes out with his bloud not feeling the cause of his death 8. Now ô Lord if thou keepest thy selfe farre from me turning thy countenance away I shall become like vnto those who goe downe into the bottome of the graue pale death will discolour my visage and benum my sences and that which is worsse spirituall death ô my God will kill my soule will fill it with feare and horror and bereaue it of the knowledge of thy singular goodnesse and the hope of grace which shineth in thy wonders like a glistering star in an obscure night 9. Cause me then betimes to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy and in the morning when the sunne shall arise vpon the earth let thy clemency rise vpon me to enlighten mine ignorance and to direct mee in the way of thy commandements But let it not doe ô Lord like thy Sunne who at the end of his race plungeth it selfe in the sea hiding his light for a time from poore mortalls but let it perpetually assist me let it bee no more seperated from mee then my soule from my body for thy mercy is far more the soule of my soule then my soule is the life of my body 10. Let it not then leaue me let the brightnesse thereof still direct my pathes in thy waies let it still guide mee in the way which I must walke to come vnto thee For my spirit which hath throwne it selfe into the middest of the briers of this world which hath gonne astray amongest her thickest bushes can no more finde out her right way but walking at all aduentures loseth both her way and her labour going still back-wards from the place whether shee thought to arriue But my GOD I still waite for thy helpe I hope for succour from an high 11. I am prisoner in the hands of the cruellest enemies of my life make hast ô Lord to deliuer mee thou art my refuge receiue mee into thy protection teach mee what thou wouldest haue mee to doe for thou art my God vnto whome onely I now resolue my selfe to doe seruice Away far far from mee deceitfull pleasure which hereto fore diddest bewitch my soule and poyson my mind thou hast by thy lickorish delights inueigled me and with a little honney thou hast made me swallow a most bitter and deadly pill which spredding it selfe thorow my members hath in such sort mortified and made me giddy as there is small difference betwixt mee and a dead person and my body is not only thus mortified but my soule likewise wherein consisteth the originall of my life present and to come 12. It behooueth then thine holy spirit to come vnto me to warme againe my dying soule to take it by the hand to leade it into safety and to quicken it imprinting in it the image of thy righteousnesse which may defend it against the temptation which on eueryside doth beseege it and threaten her ruine 13. Thou wilt come then and at thine arriuall thou shalt draw my soule out of trouble and in shewing mercy vnto me thou shalt destroy all those which haue conspired against me Then shall my greefe haue an end and theirs beginne it shal be a beginning of their forrow which shall neuer end but as riuers rising out of their springs run on stil bigger bigger vntill they fall into the bosome of the sea which hath no bottome euen so shall their miseries encrease and at the last shall heape vpon them extreame torments and infinite distresse In this manner shall all those perish which vex my soule for ô GOD I am thy faithfull seruant whome thou hast remembred and thou wilt not forget those who in disdaine of my Lord haue so shamefully abused me they laughed at my misery but the time drawes on when they shall bewayle their owne Thy vengeance begins to bee kind bee against them and they shall wither like leaues vpon the trees at the approach of winter O GOD what glory shall I giue vnto thy name and how shall I beginne to declare thy praise shall I publish thy goodnesse in the creation of so many wonderfull workes which are vnderneath the sun thy wisedome in thy preseruation of them shall I preach thy Iustice in the condemnation and punishment of the pride of the Angels and disobedience of men Shall I sing of thy mercy in the redemption of those who offending thy lawe had throwne themselues head-long into the bondage of eternall death to what part of thy prayses may the humble sound of my voyce attaine and though my voyce were able what eares are capable to receiue it All things faile mee ô Lord in this businesse except courage and will which full of feruent affection doe crye out vnto thee Ayde with thy grace their weake strength and seeing the teares of my penitence haue washed away the filth of sinne wherewith my soule was heauily loden giue it now the winges of faith and hope which may carry it with a swift flight into thine armes to reunite
without feare passe thorow the middest of them And if hee beeing angry with the world please to vse my hands to reuenge him on their impiety I will cut them all in peeces so as not one of them shall remaine aliue 6. No I doe now reioyce when I heare tell that the wicked bend them-selues against mee and assure my selfe that it is GOD who prepares matter for my glory for ô my Lord bee thou onely neere vnto me and the victory is mine one blesse my weapons and mine enemies are confounded But what weapons breath onely vpon them and they shal bee scattered abroad like the dust driuen by a great wind yet for all that ô Lord I beseech thee blow not yet vpon them the breath of thy vengeance let it please thee to tarry a while to see if thy long suffering will amend them As for my selfe albeit I am couered with their wounds and defamed by their wrongs yet I had rather haue them to bee the subiect of thy mercy then of thy iustice and I desire if thou so please that their vnrighteousnesse may rather serue for my confirmation then for their owne damnation 7. Thou knowest ô Lord my wishes thou readest in my hart how I neuer requested vengeance at thy hands my vowes do cōiure thy mercy my thoughts tend onely vnto peace wilt thou vnderstand the summe of my desires and the end of all my prayers it is ô LORD that I may spend my daies in thy faythfull seruice that thou wilt make thine holy house my dwelling place and that so long as I shall bee seperated from thee and from thyne Heauenly Tabernacle beeing staked downe to the earth by the counterpoise of my flesh all my thoughts may bee vnited vnto thee and my selfe made wholy conformable to thy will O blessed dwelling place which art able to couer vs from worldly passions from concupiscence of the flesh and in a word from the assaults of the Diuell For there ô Lord thou art present with vs and as much as thou canst thou drawest thy selfe downe from Heauen to remayne amongest vs thou fillest vs with thy selfe to clense vs from sinne and changest our carnall will into a quickning spirit to make vs to feele thy wonders to comprehend thy mercies and to conceiue thy power 8. Grant then ô my God that being incorporated into thee as much as mine infirmity and thine infinitenesse will permit I may bee illuminated with the beames of thy wisdome to the end that shining in mine vnderstanding it may cause mee to know thy will For it is the thred ô Lord which is able to guid mee safely thorow the by-waies of this worldly labyrinth it is the passeport whereby wee attaine to his eternall life the which we daily sigh for Reueale then vnto mee this thy will and lay it vp in my soule to the end I may carefully keepe it and that in the middest of thy Church I may build an Altar for it with my mouth in offering it vp daily vnto thee vnder the sacred vaile of thy holy word 9. For ô Lord seeing that thou hast shut me into thine holy tabernacle shewing mee the sacred misteries of thy diuinity and that in the hardest time of mine aduersity thou hast receaued hidden and retired me vnder thine Altar and not content there-with hast caused me to enter into the holy of holies and into the secretest place of thy Tabernacle where thou art wont to reueale thy most secret commandements cause mee to conceiue them so directly as I may bee able faithfully to deliuer them to thy faithfull seruants 10. For seeing thou hast lifted mee vp on so eminent a place and sette me on an high piller for all the world to looke on hast honoured me aboue myne enimies graunt that the foundation of my faith may bee as firme and solid as a rock that the fauour which thou shewest vnto me may be a testimony of thy righteousnesse making me worthy and capable of those good things which it pleaseth thee to bestow vpon me 11. As for my selfe ô Lord I will indeuor reuerently to handle the ministery which thou hast committed to my charge thou knowest how I haue carried my selfe therein I haue turned on all sides to know what might please thee I would willingly haue sacrifized sheepe and calues vnto thee I would willingly haue bathed thine altars with bloud but such an oblation is to smal for thee I haue ó Lord slaine my heart dedicated mine affection and vowed my thoughts vnto thee and drawing them from the bottom of my stomach I haue presented them vnto thee in my voyce whereby thou hast vnderstood all that which my soule desireth which is only to please thee in all mine actions My cry then was mine offering the which thou diddest accept opening the Heauens to entertaine and receiue it I will then ô LORD all the daies of my life sing thy praise and rehearse the hymne of thy glory 12. Giue eare ô pittifull God vnto my songs and take in good part the voyce which witnesseth thy goodnesse and publisheth thy mercy Encrease in mee both strength and courrage to lift vp my cries and spirits vnto thee And seeing that thy mercy is neuer deafe to those that call vpō thee sincerely send it downe vpon mee for all manner of felicity attends it send it downe ô Lord for thou hast promised it to all such as shall inuoke it 13. How often hast thou heard my heart I say my heart I speake not of my mouth for I onely vnto thee with my heart crying out vnto thee saying what ô Lord I haue sought thee with so much carefullnes day and night in peace and warre in rest and torment I haue desired nothing so much in this world as to beehold thy face not ô Lord the face of thy diuinity wherein that fearefull maiesty is imprinted which shineth like lightning and which humaine eyes are not able to beare but at the least wise that face couered and vailed with thy workes the which albeit wee can behold it but behind and that very obscurely doth seeme most admirable vnto me and doth wholy rauish and draw me forth of my selfe If then ô Lord thou art this vncreated word which hath created all things thy word which is a part of thy will and thy will a part of the whole doth it not represent thy countenance vnto me wherein I behold many excellent markes of diuinity which brightly shine on euery side ô Lord I am amorous of this rare beauty I haue none other care or thoght but how to inioy this thy presence which shews it self in thy word as in the mirror of thy diuinity 14. Seing that thou perceiuest the sanctity and sincerity of my loue depriue me not of this sacred obiect which blesseth and sanctifieth my thoughts if thou doest abhorre my sinne and if the deformity therof doe displease thee enter not into fury against me neither turne away from mee this faire and
to the afflicted which call vppon him hee forsakes him not neither day nor night so soone as sorrow hath humbled vs and caused vs to know what neede wee haue of him behold hee is at hand to saue vs. 18. The righteous indeede are afflicted with strange calamities and wee may in a maner say that they are the subiect of misery so many euills doe at once seeme to ouer-whelme them But it is onely to make the mercy of God the more illustrious notable in their behalfe For the greater that their tribulation is the brighter doth Gods pitty and compassion shine in their conseruation 19. Hee preserueth the least of their bones yea namely not an haire of their heads shall perish or be pluckt off but by his expresse will and he neuer wils it but for their good and saluation More-ouer a their wealth and store is vnder his protection and when hee pleaseth hee will multiply their riches hee will make his blessings to florish in their houses and hee will encrease their wealth and possessions aboue all enuy 20. On the contrary the life of the wicked shal be miserable If at the least-wise for to try theÌ„ to inuite them to returne vnto him he doth lend theÌ„ some wealth in this life hard and lamentable shall bee their death Death which shall turne them ouer to eternall torments Death which shall plung them in the botomlesse pitte of fires vnquencheable there to bee deuoured and neuer consumed there to bee euer languishing and neuer dead such shall bee the end of the wicked and of him which persecuteth the iust man 21. And thy poore seruants in the meane time whom thou hast so deerely redeemed out of the hands of death and sinne shall enioy in all happinesse the saluation which thou hast purchased for them and holding death and sinne in bands vnder their feete in the chaines of thy mercy they shal trust in thee so long as they shall remain in this worldly exile after that they are come forth of it they shall enioy that eternall blessednesse which thou hast promised them beholding in thy countenance that fountaine of brightnes goodnes and beauty wherwith thou diddest create heauen earth and al therein contained Noli Aeâ—ulari Psalme 36. IN regard that Gods prouidence which gouerneth the world oweth a recompence to euery man according as hee hath deserued I am sometimes amazed to see how those whose onely study is to do euill do receiue so many fauours in this life and doe bath them-selues in so many kindes of pleasures But as my heart begins to swell and to bee despited in it selfe I feele as it seemeth vnto me the spirit of God which comes and toucheth me and plucking me by the eare it saith vnto me soft and faire soft and faire thou poore wretch thou losest thy selfe in this ouer-deepe and dangerous discourse comfort thou thy selfe in mee and enuie not the good of the wicked bee not iealous of those which worke iniquity 2. For that which thou thinkest to bee their felicity is but a vaine shaddow a false and deceitfull image which will bee lost betwixt their hands will flie away when they shall thinke to hold it fast As the hay which is mowen downe fades withers in a moment euen so in a moment shal the magnificence of the wicked lose his colour brightnesse The herbes in a garden are not so soone withered as thou shalt perceiue the riches of the wicked to fal away and perish Hast thou not beheld the flower Emerocall true beauty of a day which flourisheth with a crimson dye in the morning keepeth his coulour all day long and in the euening becomes so pale and withered as though it had bin bitten with the frozen teeth of winter The happinesse of the wicked if a deceitfull smile of an apparent felicity may be termed a happinesse doth properly resemble that flower for it is withered so sodainly is changed in so short a time and is transformed in such diuerse manner as it is a wonder to behold it 3. Put then thy trust in God and beleeue it the insolence of the wicked shall neuer continue so long as the diuine iustice shall beare rule and bee likwise assured that the iust man shall neuer bee forsaken what affliction so euer he be in Discourage not thy selfe but continue in wel doing for he which perseuers vnto the end shall be saued Dwell in the land which thy God hath giuen thee content thy selfe with the graces which he hath giuen thee and enter not into iudgment with him For thou shalt find in the end that the riches of the wicked are but giuen them to keepe 4. Reioyce thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God lay aside the melancholy which thou hatchest in thy soule which like rust eats consumes thy heart For when thy minde shall bee once purified and thy thoughts lifted vp to thy Lord he will accomplish all thy wishes will cause thee to enioy all that which y u art able to desire 5. But do not present thy selfe before him with wauering goe not vnto him with diffidence do not hide thy thoughts opeÌ„ the very bottom of thy heart before him discouer thy thoughts For it is impossible to deceiue him and it is dangerous to goe about it He seeth and noteth all things chiefly a double and vnbeleeuing heart the which aboue all things else hee detesteth but hee receiueth and embraceth the poore man that is humbled hee harkeneth to his prayer and giues him before hand that which he ment to ask 6. Nothing is wanting neither wealth nor honour vnto him which hath his fauour if thou please him once hee will cause the glory of thy righteousnesse to shine brighter then the day light and the equity of thy iudgments to glister like the mid-daies sunne For people on all sides shall be seene to come from thee blessing thy house for a temple of iustice praysing thy word for an oracle and reuerencing thee as the cause of their rest and liberty Euery one shall exalt thine integrity as the protector of good men and sure defence of the afflicted But the more honour and glory that thou receiuest humble thy selfe so much the more vnder the hand of thy GOD and acknowledge this good to come from him and yeeld him homage The homage which hee demandes of thee besides thy heart is but thy mouth and hands thy mouth to set foorth his praise thy hands to serue him according to his commandements 7. Loe this is that which the spirit of God told mee I communicate it to you my friends and make yeepertakers of these holy aduertisements to the end that if here-after you see any one to prosper in his affaires and yet to blaspheme in his life yee should not bee offended thereat nor be angry in your selues though hee which worketh iniquity do abound in all manner of wealth 8. Be quiet then in your minds
throw theyr deceits and makes way to appeare before thee who art a seuere and vncorrupted iudge and the only comforter of the afflicted 2. Thou art my strength and defence on thee alone doeth mine innocency repose I was prepared to encounter the impostures of those which assailed me I had deuised a thousand arguments to conuince them made acoūt to gaine the cause But when I did consider that thou tookest vppon thee the knowledge of my cause like my God my keeper my protector I said vnto my selfe to what purpose are all these goodly syllogismes for my Iudge knowes the truth of the matter and is acquainted with the equity of my cause What can be hidden from him before whom all things are present what can bee shewed vnto him which is iustice it selfe who hath established lawes and vnto whom the interpretation of them doth belong I throw my selfe then into thine armes my God my strength and refuge Iudge my cause and deliuer me from the slanders of the wicked But wherefore dost thou reiect mee ô my God I haue a long time called vppon thee and yet thou commest not Mine enemies in the mean time oppresse mee and I am able to hold out no longer ô Lord I am almost in despaire why dost thou forsake mee But soft and faire my soule why art thou so desolate although God doth for a while deferre to come to thine ayde whilest the wicked doe afflict thee why art thou thus discouraged and giuest thy selfe ouer to griefe and sorrow That which is deferred is not lost hee will come seeing he hath promised it 3. Come then ô my God my Lord and display the beames of thy diuine light vppon mee and seeing thou art the father of truth leaue not this thy poore daughter captiue to the iniquity and iniustice of these accusers If thou louest innocency deliuer it frō the bandes of these false accusations now ô Lord mallice lies hid in the middest of darknes if thou putst it to the light of the day shee is ouercome If it bee knowne it is vndone Let then thy light thy truth ô my God assist mee in my iustice For all my life time I haue loued them from my youth I haue made much of them and sought them out They are they ô Lord which first of all brought mee before thee and presented mee vnto thee vppon thine holy hill seated in the middest of thy Tabernacle they brought mee into thy Church and gaue mee a place of honour in thy house 4. It is there ô Lord where I haue chosen my dwelling place mine habitation is with thee in thee ô Lord is my rest al my glory hath beene to serue thee Beeing then assured of thine aide hoping in thy grace I will present my selfe before thee which knowest my conscience and knowing iudgest it in iudging thou esteemest it in esteeming it confound the common enemies of mine honor thy seruice I will cōe vnto the Altar that I haue built vnto thee to blesse and sanctifie thy name I wil cal on thee ô my God which fillest my youth with ioy warmest my hart with the sacred flames of thy holy will and heapest pleasure and gladnesse vpon me 5. Taking my Harpe in hand I will play the confession of thy magnificence and with my voyce I will tune the sweete accents of thy praise I will now sing of thy mighty power by by of thine immense goodnesse then thine infinite clemency but I will end with this admirable iustice which hath defended me from the oppression of the wicked and hath caused the shame of their naughty practises to light vpon themselues wherefore then my soule art thou thus sorrowfull why dooest thou thus trouble mee and fret thy selfe at the indignities of the wicked as though theyr venemous tongues were able to preuaile against an innocent conscience no no a burning torch thrust into the water is not so quickly put out as is slander which is throwne vpon an innocent life 6. Hope in God then ô my soule and reioyce in his fauor for I perceiue that he is pleased with his praises in my mouth All my life long I will praise and confesse my selfe vnto the God of truth the God of Iustice God the defender of the innocent the father of saluation God mine only defence I will alway fixe mine eyes and countenance on him for I haue found no saluation but in him onely O God who from the beginning of the world doost stretch forth thine armes to the afflicted protectest the oppressed and comfortest the iust man vniustly tormented giue mee ô Lord comfort and courage to the end that recollecting my spirits halfe dulled with affliction I may glorifie thee with my whole strength and drowne with the vigor of my voyce the blasphemies of the wicked who defame thine honor who beeing not able to reach vnto thy selfe doe furiously assaile good men that serue thee faithfully Audite haec omnes gentes Psalme 48. COme vnto me ô yee strangest nations draw neere vnto mee ô yee people the most remote come from all parts to heare that which no where else yee can heare crosse the seas and mountaines ouer-come boldly all difficulty of the long way For the reward of your nauigation shall bee greater then his which sayleth from the East to the West laden with Pearles and Diamonds The recompence of your trauailes shall bee more pretious then the trophees of those which subdue the nations of the earth Bend then your ear and listen attentiuely to that which I will now declare vnto you Oh! how gladly would I wish that all the rest of your sences were turned into hearing to the end yee might purely conceiue that which I will pronounce vnto you 2. Come come all yee which call your selues children of the earth and thinke that yee owe your originall and beeing to the earth and your birth onely to your parents and acknowledge in this world nothing older then they nor nothing greater then your selues In deed yee may bee rightly called the children of the earth yee are insensible like it and yee haue no more vnderstanding then Images made of claye which art bakte in the furnace Come and open your eares to the end that I may open your mindes shut the eyes of your body that I may cause your soules to see cleerely forsake the earth this goodly mother-in-law to the end I may make you to know your heauenly father come then euery one both rich and poore for yee are all alike vnworthy of the benefits which I will liberally bestow vpon you 3. Come for I will open vnto you the treasures of eternall wisedome And opening my mouth inspired with the grace of God Almighty I will declare in my words the wonders of his wisdome I haue a long time held my soule in a profound meditation and after much deliberation I did at last conceiue a strange discourse of the diuine wisdome whereby I haue in all
holy and deuout heate hath purged his soule from the filth of the world and hath nothing to hinder him in his course nor to hold him backe in his iourney For when the desire of our soule is starke naked it aymeth directly towards the marke of her wishes towards the seate of her felicity It is then when despoyling it selfe of the loue of her selfe the true seducer of our vnderstanding she iudgeth rightly of all things and yeeldeth the due to euery on which nature commandeth preseruing peace by iustice maintayning all things in the state of their creation and directing them to the end why they were produced And to speake truely the iust man is none other then natures defender which maintaineth her rights and fighteth for her conseruation which keepes in rest that which was created by wisdome ô iustice mother of peace thou art then next to innocency the first step whereby wee ascend this hill to eternall blessednesse 3. Next followeth Truth hich is carried vppe and downe euery where in a strong and lasting chariotte against which the cloude of slaunder and detraction doe strike themselues though to no purpose for they are dispersed at the first shocke Truth which shewes it selfe as the second station thorow which wee enter into this blessed lodging For ô faire and holy truth when any man loues thee and sets his mind on thee thou dwellest in his heart from thence passest to his lippes and deckest him with singular beauty And to speake truly beauty is none other thing then eternall truth which shineth in the workmanship of the deuine word which hath created all things from the beginning He then shall ascend the top of this hill which hath embraced this pure truth is vnited to hir in thought hath builded it an Altar on his lippes hath driuen deceit and lies far from him and hath rooted them out of his hart mouth For lying is none other thing then the mortall poyson of the soule it is a clammie and viscuous humor which distilling into the eye of the understanding doth there ingender a filme which bereaues it of sight and iudgement 4. It behooueth him that will ascend this hill to be voyde of all vanity and lies he must also be purged from this venomous malice which is euer ready to hurt his neighbour the true poison of humane society For seeing it pleaseth thee ô Lord that men liuing together should like thy other workes be instruments in the ministry of thy glory that man which cutteth good-will asunder which like a strong band knitteth them altogether doth he not violate thy law and offend thine honor what shall become then of him who not content to haue smothered the fier of charity in his heart doth by all means striue to dishonor his neigh-bour and to take away his good name 5. He ô Lord that will goe vp vnto thee and giue thee his hand to take him into this blessed habitation will euer abhorre such monsters who full of bloudy malice thinkes on nothing but other mēs harms takes no pleasure but in displeasing others behold their countenance if they weep their neighbours are happy if they laugh they are aflicted no no their immaginary greatnesse their pride builded on their rapine and deceit wil not get them estimation amongst good men for they are but painted sepulchers whose filthinesse and infection will be laid open when it shall please thee ô my God But would yee know who they are whom a good man makes account of those ô LORD which feare and serue thee in meekenesse of manners and simplicity of heart 6. Of him I say who thinking thee alwaies present not only at his actions but in his most secret thoughtes doth inuiolably keepe his faith whose word is a most certaine pledge of truth on whose promise his frend relies and holds for already done that which he hath promised him For such a man ô Lord beleeueth that his saluation depends on the promise which thou hast made him of thy grace and fauour and that he should not be worthy to reeeaue the effect of thy holy promise vnles he gaue his neighbour an assured effect of his owne He will not heare vsurie spoken of and abhorreth that cursed theft which ransometh another mans necessity setts a price on the aide which a man owes to his neighbours selleth times dayes monethes and yeares And much lesse doth he suffer himselfe to be corrupted to condemne the innocent to sell an other mans goods by vniust iudgment and to pollute the sanctuary of iustice by filthy sale but keeping his eyes euer open to discerne the truth doth not encline to any side but to that Whither right bendeth him Couetousnes shakes not his hand nor fauour liftes vp his armes but remaines euer like himselfe in all thinges giuing by his wisdome authority to his iudgement 7. He that shall liue in this manner shall certainly ascend the toppe of that holy hill the Angells shal carry him in their armes keepe his feete from stumbling and at the least shal sett him before the eternall truth where he shal perpetually enioy the sweet dwelling of this blessed mountaine lifted aboue the heauens to be the mansion house of glorified innocency and shall be re-united to the beginning of his essence with this eternall diuinity this diuine eternity All things heere below haue an end and shall bee consumed but he whose vertue shall haue aduanced him to his celestiall happinesse shall continue in the state of glory conqueror of times and ages Strenghen then ô Lord our courage and comfort our worldly aflictions And because it pleaseth thee that good men should passe through this way in the midest of the iniuries of the wicked strenghen their hope shaken by their aflictions and by the prosperity of the wicked and giue them constancy to waite for the end where they shall behold the reward of the elect and the reprobate FINIS