svvelling burst as we read in the bookes of numbers And good reason because besides the offence committed against God and the vvrong done to her Husband this sinne maketh issues and successions to inheritance vncertaine and disturbeth families And therefore Dauid fearing least this sinne of blood should also crye vengeance against him he desireth to be deliured froÌ„ it saying in the plurall number Deliuer me from bloods that is not onelie from the bloodie murder of Vrias and his soldiours but also froÌ„ the adulterie vvith Bersabee this sinne also proceeding originallie from the heate of blood And saith Dauid Jf thou vvilt ô Lord deliuer me from these bloods as I hope thou vvilt thou being the God of my saluatioÌ„ my toÌ„gue shall exalte thy iustice that is shall reioice in this iustice and praise thee for it For although the remissioÌ„ of my sinne in respect of my vnworthines be mercie yet it is iustice in respect of CHRISTS passion vvhich I foresee behold because that did merit in rigour of iustice this remission and this iustice I shall praise for euer 6. Say thou also vvith Dauid ô penitent sinner I ô Lord am also guiltie of bloods and therefore I desire thee to deliuer me from bloods for if I be not guiltie of murder adulterie at least I am guiltie of many other sinnes vvhich all may be called bloods or sinnes proceeding from flesh and blood vvhich nourish and pamper coÌ„cupiscence the fountaine of all our sinnes for as S. Iohn telleth vs 1. Ioan. 2. all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes the pride of life These be the sources rootes and fountaines from vvhich all our sinnes doe proceede and so all our sinnes are bloods because they flow from concupiscence vvhich is inflamed by the heate of bloud Deliuer me therefore froÌ„ these rootes and I shall be free froÌ„ the braÌ„ches deliuer me from the fountaines and I shall be free froÌ„ the riuers deliuer me froÌ„ concupiscence of the flesh make that chast 1. Cor. 9. or giue me grace to chastise it with S. Paul that it may be chast take froÌ„ me concupisceÌ„ce of eyes huddwincke theÌ„ vvith thy grace that by them no sinne enter into my soule as a glance onelie of the eye caused Dauids adulterie Take from me pride of life giue me an humble heart represse aspiring thoughtes so shall I be free from pride ambition enuye and all other spirituall sinnes vvhich are bloods because they proceede from concupiscence vvhich is kindled by the heate of blood 2. Cor. 2 are the vvorkes of a sensuall man who perceiueth not the thinges which are of the Spirit of God Deliuer me then froÌ„ bloods that is from all sinnes O God the God of saluation because it is beseeming the God of saluation to saue and to haue mercie on sinners Which if thou doest ô Lord I promise with Dauid that my tongue shall exult in the praise of thy iustice for although in respect of vs sinners it be a great grace mercie to deliuer vs from sinne vve hauing nothing to deserue it yet in respect of CHRIST IESVS our God of saluation and Sauiour it is great iustice because he by his death and passion did merit this for vs and if for this his sacred death and passion the more then iust price of our Redemption thou please to deliuer me from bloods and sinnes I shall praise and exalt this thy iustice for euer and my tongue shall neuer be silent in the commeÌ„dation of it Domine labia mea aperies os meum annunciabit laudem tuam Lord thou wilt open my lippes and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse 1. SInne ô Lord saith Dauid say so vvith him ô penitent sinner had stopped my mouth and made me dumme in thy prayses for vvhâ—lst I vvas in sinne I praised this vvorld but cared not for Heauen I praised the beautie of thy creatures but cared not for the beautie of thee their Creatour who art the fountaine of all beautie and beautie by essence they onelie by participatioÌ„ I coÌ„mended the pleasures of the bodie as the onelie pleasure as though there had beene no pleasure but in eating drinking and such like but cared not for the pleasures which the godlie take in contemplating thy goodnes in louing and seruing thee I praysed the Kinges Princes and Potentats of the earth and I admired their greatnes power spleÌ„dour and riches but in thy praises I vvas altogether mute though thou beest the King of Kinges and Lord of Lords Apoâ—â— 19. to vvhom the greatest Monarches are but Vice-Royes Lieutenantes and tenantes at vvill And so Psal 11 â— I who before my sinne did singe praise to thee seuen times a day vvas by sinne become dumme mute and tongue-tyed in thy praises But if thou deliuer me froÌ„ bloods that is froÌ„ sinne theÌ„ sinne the couer of my mouth and tye of my tongue being taken avvay thou wilt open my lippes and loose my tongue by thy grace my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 33 Then I will blesse thee our Lord at all times thy praise shall be alwayes in my mouth 2. And thou ô penitent sinner desire God as Dauid did to open thy lippes which now are shutt by sinne and confessing the truth say thus vnto him Sinne ô Lord hath made me like an Infant in a spirituall life not able to forme any vvords in thy praise So that I may say vvith Hieremie Hier. c. 1. A a a ô Lord behold I can not speake because I am a child Wherefore ô Lord doe me the like fauour thou didst to this Prophet though I much lesse deserue it then he did Hier. c. 1. put forth thy hand touch my mouth and thereby put the vvords into my mouth vvhich I shall speake for then assuredlie my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Nay coÌ„fesse vnto thy God and say vnto him Sinne ô Lord hath not onelie stopped my mouth but hath also so polluted my lippes Isa c. 6. that I may saie vvith the Prophet Isaie I am a man of polluted lippes And greater cause haue I to saie so then he had for he esteemed his lippes polluted because he vvas silent vvhen he should haue spoken and therefore cryed Woe is me Isa c. â— because I haue held my peace But I haue spoken in detracting lying callumniating swearing the like vvheÌ„ I should haue beene silent and so I haue offended not onelie in omission as he did but also in commission and so haue much more polluted my lippes Send therefore ô Lord vnto me as thou didst to thy Prophet Isaie pardon me sweet Lord if I farr vnworthier then he presume to begge the same fauour at thy handes vvhich he did because it is not any myne owne merit but thy onelie mercie vvhich thus imboldeneth me one of thy Seraphins so called because as he is
inflamed with charitie so he inflameth that he with an hot cole taken from the Altar may touch my mouth Isa c. 6 and purge my lippes from all filth of sinne See S. Thom. Lyra. Hector Pintus and SaÌ„ctius on the sixt chap. of Isaiâ— that is that he vvith the burning cole of charitie taken from the Altar of the crosse or CHRIST his passion endured on the crosse for that is the source of all grace and charitie may purge my hart and lippes as gold in the fornace from all drosse of sinne that my hart may thinke nothing my mouth and lippes may speake nothing which is not pure chast and holie For then my mouth vvill be apt to shew forth thy praise Or else send ô Lord one of thy Priestes who by office is a Seraphin instituted and ordained to illuminate and inflame the heartes of the people by preaching and administration of the Sacramentes And let him either by the burning cole of thy word for thy word is fired exceedinglie or by that sacred burning cole of CHRISTS holie bodie in the Eucharist burning continuallie vvith the Diuinitie Ps 118. yet not consumed taken from the holie Altar vvhere it is offered daylie in the Church of God may inflame my heart purge first it and then my lippes vvhich are the interpreters of the heart from all filth of sinne Or else ô my svveet God send vnto me one of thy Seraphins one of thy Priests vvho ministeriallie by meanes of the SacrameÌ„ts vvhich he ministreth giueth the Holie Ghost that he by the hot cole of this holie Spirit proceeding as ardent loue from God the father and God the sonne coequall and consubstantiall vnto them vvho in the day of Pentecoste descending fom heauen in the forme of fierie tongues inflamed purged th' Apostles and first Christians may inflame purge my heart lippes from all filth of sinne and so may make me fitt to shew forth thy praise for vntill I be purged from sinne Ps 49. I am a sinner to the sinner thou sayst why doest thou declare my iustices and takst my Testament by thy mouth And Ecclesiasticus telleth me Eccleisastici 15. that praise is not comelie in the mouth of a sinner 3. But open my mouth ô Lord stopped by sinne and purge my lippes polluted by sinne and then not onelie my mouth shall be the trumpet to sound forth thy prayses vvhich thou ô penitent sinner must say after him but my soule shall say to her selfe Ps 102. My soule blesse thou our Lord and all the thinges that are within me my vnderstanding my vvill my memorie my heart and all that is in me shall blesse and prayse God yea my body and all the senses and partes of it as myne eyes myne eares the rest of my senses my heade my haÌ„des my feete in imploying theÌ„selues in thy seruice shall be so many trumpets to sound forth thy praise 4. And not onelie vvith bodie and soule I vvill praise thee but I vvill coniure all people and natioÌ„s to ioyne vvith me in thy praise for I vvill crye vnto them Ps 1â—6 Praise our Lord all the Gentiles praise him all the peoples yea I vvill coniure all thy creatures asvvell reasonable as vnreasonable sensible as vnsensible to praise thee and confesse thee to be their Creatour and to say as they doe say euerie day to those that haue intelligence He made vs Psa 99. and not we our selues I vvil vvith Sidrach Dan. 3. Misach Abdenago call vpon all creatures to praise thee I will sing daylie their Canticle and Benedicite All workes of our Lord blesse our Lord ye Angels of our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer ye Heauens blesse our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer All waters that are aboue the heauens blesse ye our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer Sunne and Moone blesse ye our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer In the like manner I vvill inuite the starres planets the showers and dewes the vvindes and tempests fire heate frost and cold yce and snovv and the rest vvhich are inuited to the praise of God in this Canticle for that all those creatures though many of them be deuoide of reason many also of sense doe praise God in exciting men by consideration and contemplation of these admirable vvorkes of God to the praise of him 5. For as vvhen vve see a picture vvell dravvne or a statue cunninglie carued we by and by commend not onelie the picture statue but also and especiallie the painter and Caruer so vvhen vve looke vpon the Heauens and those euer shining lights vvhich may be ouershadovved but neuer are put out and the goodlie order and disposition of the Heauens elemeÌ„tes and creatures in theÌ„ vve praise not onelie them but much more the Creatour And in this fence the HeaueÌ„s though they haue neither reason nor sence are sayd to shew forth the glorie of God Ps 18. vvherefore hence forth with thy grace ô Lord all my actions shall be directed to thy honour glorie euerie morning so soone as I rise or awake both they and all I am haue shall be offered designed for thy honour and so by vvord and worke I will euer shew forth thy praise and I vvill neuer cease froÌ„ singing praises vnto thee till I come to sing Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Holie Holie Holie vvith the quire of thy Heauenlie musicians thy Saintes and Angels Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium dedissem vtique Holocaustis non delectaberis Because if thou wouldest haue had sacrifice I had verilie giuen it with holocaustes thou wilt not be pleased 1. I Promised thee ô Lord saith Dauid that my mouth should shew forth thy praise Ps 4â— because I take the sacrifice of praise to be more pleasing vnto thee otherwise if thou wouldst haue had sacrifice to vvit the materiall corporall sacrifice of brute beastes I would verilie haue giuen it And thou knovvest ô Lord that in such sacrifices I haue not beene vvanting but I know they are not pleasing to thee nay vvith Holocaustes vvhich were the best kind of externall sacrifices as being wholie burnt and consumed to thy honour thou art not delighted as they are taken in themselues vvithout the internall sacrifice of the minde Salomon in the dedication of the Temple 3. Reg. 2. offered of oxen tvvo tvventie thousand of sheepe an hundred tvventie thousand and yet all these sacrifices taken nakedlie in theÌ„selues without the inward sacrifices of the minde were not pleasing to God Mich. 6. For as Micheas sayth Nunquid placaripotest Dominus in millibus arietum can our Lord be pacified with thousaÌ„ds of Rammes Or as thou ô Lord thy selfe sayst will I eate the flesh of oxeÌ„ Ps 49. ibid. or will I drinke the blood of buckgoats Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vovve to the highest 2. And vvhat
before a mercifull father doe neither deny nor excuse nor extenuat my fault thy prophet Nathan 2. Reg. 12. thy vnder Iudge hauing condemned me as guiltie of no lesse then adulterie and murder myne owne conscience hauing pronounced sentence against me crying in my name peccaui but stāding before thee as a cōdēned person I bring in no witnesse to defēd me no slightes nor excuses to hide my faultes as who can hide any thing frō thee whose eyes doe penetrate the most secret corners of our hartes onelie I pleade begge and clayme thy mercie crying Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God Psal 119. for if thou shalt obserue iniquities ô Lord Lord who shall susteine it And therfore Psal 142. enter not into Iudgement with thy once seruāt Dauid examine not his case and cause according to the order of iustice but according to thy mercie I confesse all I haue nothing to say for my selfe but Miserere Haue mercie I hide not my fault nor can I it is too well known vnto thee onely I can saye Miserere Haue mercie 4. Deale not with me ô Lord sayth Dauid according to thy Iustice that would cast me in all lawe but according to thy mercie by that onelie I can be saued Thou art it is true soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth to whom euen Kings and potentates are but vassals but Lords also doe pardon their seruantes vvhen with teares of eyes sorrow of harte they demaund pardon I demaund it in the same manner Apoc. 5. Thou art a a Lion a Lion of the Tribe of Iuda but Lions also will spare them who prostrate themselues before them I prostrat both body soule vnto thee 5. I confesse that by sinne I am become Psal 31 Sicut equus mulas in quibus non est intellectus as a horse and mule which haue noe vnderstanding And my brutish appetites to which I haue been a slaue haue metamorphized me made me so brutish that I am in life and conuersation rather a brute beast then a reasonable creature Psal 35 but yet Men and beasts thou wilt saue ô Lord and in the law deliuered by Moyses though it be a lawe of terrour thou hadst pitie euen of brute beasts and therefore woldst not permit the Iew to plough with an oxe and an asse Deut. 22. Exod. 23. Deut. 14. least the asse should be ouer laboured nor to seethe the kidde in the milke of his damme that seeming crueltie nor in a nest to kill or take the old bird with the younge ones Deut. 22. nor to moosel the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Haue mercie then on me though by sinne more a beast then they 6. If I were the onelie sinner ô Lord thou shouldst haue lesse reason to pardō mee but seeing all haue sinned and transgressed Psal 13 seeing that all haue declined and that there is not that doth good noe not one if thou shouldst exercise iustice onelie on sinners thou shoulest finde none on whom thou couldst exercise thy mercie If thou shouldst punish all sinners thou shouldst haue none to pardon and so thy most gratefull attribute mercie should neuer showe it selfe And yet none of thy diuine attributes is so gratefull as thy clemencie none doe make thee so popular as thy mercie neither hath thy diuine nature any thing greater then that thou canst remitte sinnes nor more pleasing to men Angelles then that thou wilt If no sinner ô mercifull Lord had euer obtained mercie and pardon at thy handes then might it seeme arrogancie in me to demaund mercie but if many and verie grieuous sinners haue found mercie at thy hands then doe thou vouch safe to pardon me whom by pardoning others thou hast caused to hope for pardō and be not displeased if the burden of my dolefull sonnet be still the same Miserere mei Deus haue mercie on me ô God ô most mercifull God And thou ô Christian soule who hast sinned with Dauid cry peccaui I haue sinned with him cry miserere mei Deus haue mercie on me o God 7. Rue the day and hower yea the many dayes and howers in which thou hast offended God and acknowledge therein thy to too greate ingratitude because in offending him thou hast offended thy creatour by whom thou hast thy naturall being by whom thou liuest and breathest thou hast offēded thy Redeemer who to rāsome thee from death the deuill and sinne became man for thee and suffred the most shamefull and most painfull death of the crosse to giue to thee here in this life a spirituall life and being by grace and in the next life an eternall life and being by glorie Saye vnto him I ought my selfe wholie vnto thee for my creation and I ought my selfe again wholie vnto thee for my redemption and so I but one am twise thine and twyse due vnto thee And if I owe my selfe and consequentlie my all for my creation what shall I giue thee for my redemption What shall I render to our Lord Psal 115. for all thinges that he hath rendred to mee I ame lesse ô Lord then ether of these benefits of creation and redemption yea then the least of thy graces and fauours How vngratefull then was I to offend thee and thereby as much as lay in mee to take from thee who can neuer giue thee sufficient to iniure thee disgrace dishonour thee who can neuer render thee sufficiēt for the least of thy benefitts though I giue all I ame and haue yea though I could giue ten thousand tymes more then I am and haue But seeing I owe more then I am and haue and yet haue also beē so vngratefull as to offēd thee what wilt thou expect of me Thou knowest ô Lord that of an ill vnable debter thou canst expecte nothing but an acknowledgement of the debte an humble demaund of pardon for the offēce and remission of the debte as I doe in Dauids dolefull crye Which I repeate after him Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God 8. And ô my not onlie ingratitude but impudencie who being not so much as a vile worme compared vnto thee ô Lord durst offend thyne infinite Maiestie and was not ashamed to commit those my heinous offences not onlie before thee but also against thee which I wold haue shamed to commit before my seruaunt or in presence of the poorest begger as though I had thought there had been no God or that thou vvho madst the eye didst not see or that thou who art euery where hadst not been present I sayd then in effect as the fornicatour or adulterer did in Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiastici 23. Who seeth me darknes compasseth me and the walles couer me and no man beholdeth me whom doe I feare The Highest will not be mindfull of my sinnes O Good God where was then my vnderstanding that I could thinke that I could hide
ô Lord and to be serued in at that table in Heauen where the Angels are vvaiters and the blessed are commensalls and thy diuinitie is the viande on vvhich they feede by cleare vision and fruition for all eternitie 5. And thou ô penitent Christian confesse vvith Dauid that by sinne thou art slurredd and defiled more then the sovve vvashed in volutabro luti 2 Pet. 2. in the wallowing of mire so as thou needest to cry with Dauid to be sprinkled vvith the blood of the immaculate lambe Christ Iesus by the meanes of the humble and contemptible hyssope of the crosse The blood of Goates and oxen and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled sanctifyeth the polluted to the cleansing of the fleshe hovv much more hath the blood of Christ Heb. 9. vvho by the Holy Ghost offered himselfe vnspotted vnto God cleansed our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God This lauer of this bloud I desire because it cleÌ„aseth the soule from dead workes that is deadlie sinnes vvhich bring death to the soule Sprinkle then and vvash me ô Lord vvith this bloud Apoc. 7. that I maybe on of those happy ones who haue washed their robes and made them vvhite in the bloud of the lambe For vvhereas my soule by sinne is vglie in thy sight and therefore forsaken of thee and diuorced from thee and betrothed to the Diuell after she shall be vvashed in this lauer and restored to her former beautie vvhich she receaued by baptisme she may breake vvith the Diuell and vvith all that is contrarie to thy vvill and pleasure and may be made againe a gratefull spouse vnto thee vvorthie thy loue in this life and thy eternall imbracementes in the next Auditui meo dabis gaudium latitiam exultabunt ossa humiliata To my hearing thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes and the bones humbled shall reioice 1. ANd vvhen thou hast forgiueÌ„ me my sinnes and cleansed my soule from the fylth of them then shall the remorse and worme of conscience the brood of sinne be killed and my conscience no more gnawed vvith it but insteed of it a great calmenes quietnes yea a gladnes of harte shall followe vvhich shall be a coÌ„tinuall banquet to my soule because as the wiseman saith A secure mind Prou. 15. is as it vvere a continuall feaste and the eares of my soule shall alvvayes heare those comfortable wordes vvhich by thy Prophet NathaÌ„ thou vtterdst vnto me â— Reg. 12. And our Lord hath taken avvay thy sinne then to the eares of my vnderstanding thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes then to them nothing shall souÌ„d not melodious nothing not gratefull nothing not coÌ„fortable vvhich shall so comfort my soule that my bones humbled that is the forces and powers of my soule vvhich vvere debilitated and deiected and which were euen faynte vvith feare of thy iudgements shall reioyce and shall recouer their spirituall forces and strength againe by vvhich I shall be made constant couragious to resiste all tentations and to persiste for euer hereafter in thy seruice and so euer enioy the ioye and gladnes of harte vvith which thou feedest and refreshest all thy deuoted freinds and seruantes 2. Demaund thou also ô penitent sinner vvith Dauid the ioye and gladnes of harte and conscience in lieu of the remorse gnawing vvorme bredde by sinne vvhich continually tormenteth the conscience For if euer thou possesse this calme of conscience ioy of harte vvhich God his Spirit imparteth vvhen it giueth testimonie that is a morall certitude to our spirit and conscience that vve are the sonnes of God if sonnes heyres also Rom. 8. heyres trulie of God and coheyâ—es of Christ then the yoke of CHRIST vvill seeme sweete and the burden of his lawe easie and his seruice honour and pleasure then fasting vvill seeme feasting prayer vvill neuer seeme long In almes-deeds we shall seeme rather to receiue then to giue at least it vvill seeme beatius â—are quam accipere a more blessed thinge to giue Act. 20 then to take Then vertue vvill appeare in its owne lustre amiable and vice though seasoned vvith neuer so much corporall pleasure vvill seeme brutish vglie beastlie O Lord let me neuer loose this ioy and gladnes by vertue of vvhich my bones spirituall forces of my soule humbled and vveakned by sinne may reioyce and receaue their forces againe and I thereby may vvalke cherfullie in the vvaies of thy commandements and so vvalking may carrie this ioy and gladnes of harte grounded in grace and the obseruations of thy commandements vvith me to Heauen and euen to those eternall ioyes vvhich there are layde vp in store for all those that departe heÌ„ce with Ioy and gladnes of conscience deuoid of all sinne Auerte faciem tuam à peccatis meis omnes iniquitates meas dele Turne away thy face from my sinnes and wipe away all myne iniquities 1. ANd after my conscience shall haue enioyed this calme quietnes after the storme of sinne shall be appeased vvhich made debate betwixt thee and me and incensed me against thee by malice and prouoked thee against me by anger I beseech thee ô Lord saith Dauid to turne away for hereafter thy face froÌ„ my sinnes There is no child that hath committed a fault but feareth the eyes and face of his Father there is no scholler that hath played the trewant vvho dreadeth not the sight of his Master no theefe that quaketh not at the sight of the Iudge no marueill then if Dauid feared the sterne countenance of God he being his Father vvhom he disobeyed his Master vvhom he had neglected his Iudge vvhom he had slighted and therefore he had reason to desire God to turne avvay his face from his sinnes 2. I know saith Dauid my sinnes can not be hidden from thy all-seeing eyes vvhich reach to the sight of all thinges past present future But yet I desire thee to turne away thy frowning angrie couÌ„tenance from them and not to be displeased any more vvith me for them and to laye aside all cogitation of punishing me for them Thou still remembrest the moste penitent sinners sinnes and offences but yet since they were washed avvay by the teares of contrition and remitted and pardoned by thy grace mercie thou doest not remember theÌ„ so as to be displeased with the penitent sinner for theÌ„ or so as to haue the thought of punishing him at least eternallie Thou seest still the peniteÌ„t sinners sinnes though longe since remitted but thou art no more displeased vvith him for theÌ„ nor doest thou think of punishing him at least eternally for theÌ„ Thou lookest on him still his sinnes past but thou lookest not on him with an angrie but with an amiable looke And in this sence saith Dauid I desire thee after my sinnes are forgiueÌ„ after the ioye of coÌ„science which followeth their forgiuenesse to turne away thyne angrie countenance froÌ„ me
me did crooken my soule made it looke dovvne to the earthlie pleasurs not vpward to thee and to the blisse of Heauen Giue me therefore ô Lord the former seuen Spirites and guiftes of the Holie Ghost vvhich are right Spirites and vvhich doe put my soule in a right posture tovvards thee Heauen and doe make my soule in all her actions to ayme principallie at thee and thy honour and doe eleuate her to Heauen by contemplation by which shee conuerseth in Heauen with thee and thy-Angelles and Saints Engraft this Spirit in me ô Lord and then as the graft of a peare tree grafted on a thorne tree beareth not thornes but peares so this spirit grafted on the thorne of my carnall and corrupte nature vvill make me henceforth to beare not the fruites of the flesh but of the spirit This is the right spirit I desire to haue for my guide and conductour and directour in all my actions In this thy spirit now is all my delight not in the spirit of the vvord or flesh and how good and sweete is this thy spirit Sap. 12. ô Lord in all 10. And I beseech thee sweet Lord to renew and innouate this spirit this right spirit in my bowels Permit not the spirit of Hypocrisie to dominere in me because that spirit doth all to the outward shewe and hath a faire outside but a fowle and filthie inside That spirit mooueth to fast to seeme holy to pray to seeme deuout to giue almes to seeme charitable but I desire a spirit which may worke inwardlie vvhat it sheweth outwardlie and therefore I desire it maybe innouated in my entralls in my heart that vvhen I pray it may not be with lippes onelie but vvith heart also vvhē I giue almes it may not be out of a desire to please men but out of charitie and compassion to please God O Lord giue me this right heart this right and invvard spirit for if the spirit of my heart be right all my actions vvill be vpright not crooked nor bēding to the world If my heart be cleane all my cogitations purposes and euen my outvvard actiōs will be cleane but if the hearte be crooked or vncleane all my actions vvill be crooked and vncleane because if the fountayne be muddie the riuer can not runne cleare if the roote be poysoned the bowes and fruites vvill be infected will infect If my heart be dead all my actions euen the best vvill be dead and not meritorious of life euerlasting but if my heart be liuing by the life of grace all my good vvorkes vvill be liuing and meritorious And seeing my former heart ô Lord was vncleane by sinne crooked by a crooked spirit tending to earthlie thinges yea vvas dead by mortall sinne which depriued it of the life of grace giue me a cleane heart fit for thee to dvvell in giue me a right heart vvhich may allvvaies ayme at thy glorie giue me a liuing heart vvhich liuing here by grace may liue in Heauen by glorie the fruite and haruest of the seed of grace Ne proijcias me à facie tua Spiritum Sanctum tuum ne auferas à me Cast me not avvay from thy face and thy holy Spirit take not from me Aug. l. 1. de libero ar cap. 16. lib. 2. c. 19. lib. contra Socundinum Manich c. 15. 1. SInne if it be mortall is an auersion of our vvill from God the Creatour and an inordnate conuersion of the same to the Creature it is a scornefull turning of the backe to God and a loving turning of the face to the creature it is a disdainfull farewell to the creatour a freindlie vvellcome to the creature And this vvere enough to cause God to turne his face from vs because vve by sinne doe turne our faces from him and our backes to him I ô Lord saith Dauid in a former verse desired thee to turne thy face from my sinnes that is so as not to be displeased with them novv I desire thee not to turne thy face from my selfe my person My sinnes are no creatures of thine but vglie monsters of my peruerse vvill and therefore thou hast cause to turne thy face from them and not to daine these viperous broods thy good looke or fauorable countenance but I my selfe though I be a sinner by myne owne malice yet I am thy creature by thy goodnes and seeing Thou louest all thinges that are Sap. 11. hatest nothing of those thinges which thou hast made yea thou sparest all because they are thine And especially thou louest soules reasonable creatures I hope thou vvilt not turne thy face from me but looke on me vvith a louinge aspect Thou hatest not the Diuell but for his sinne and vvere it not for that thou vvouldst loue him Hate then ô Lord my sinnes for I also doe hate and detest them with thee auert thy fauorable countenāce from them for I also through thy grace can not afford them a good looke But hate not me I am thy handworke and thy master-peece after the Angells hate not me I beare thy liuelie image which thou canst not hate it so liuelie representing thy selfe Hate then my creature my sinne but not thy creature auert thy face from my sinnes but cast me not from thy face conuert thy selfe to me that I may be conuerted to thee I could of my selfe auert my selfe from thee but I can not conuert my selfe to thee vnlesse thou by thy grace conuert me 2. Heretofore it vvas a pleasure to me but ô the novv displeasing pleasure to be auerted from thee and conuerted to thy creatures vvhich I loued in ordinatlie because aboue thee aboue thee because against thy commaundements but novv thy grace hath made a great mutatiō in me Psa 76 this is mutatio dexterae excelsi the change of the right hand of the Highest novv it is the greatest corrosiue to my heart to be auerted from thy face in vvhich the Angells take delight and it will be my greatest comfort if thou vouchsafe to turne thy benigne countenance to me and not to cast me away from thy face The aspect of thy countenance the verie turning and cōuersion of thy glorious face to me is a torch and light vvhich illuminateth my way and keepeth me from stumbling and falling it is the sea starre which directeth my nauigation it is the piller of fire vvhich leadeth me by night the cloud vvhich guideth me by day through the desertes of this life Gen. 13 to Heauen the land of promise 3. I heretofore vvhich now I rue tooke a fall by sinne from thee ô God from thy grace fauour frō Heauen into the depth of sinne and if thy mercifull hand had not holden me into the pit of Hell but now that by thy grace the effect of thy benigne coūtenance I am risen let me not fall againe now that by the light of thy face which is thy grace I am directed
te Thou hast made vs ô Lord to thee and our heart is neuer quiet till it rest in thee Seeke then ô my soule for true riches true beautie true pleasure true contentement but seeke for them in God where they are not in creatures where they are not seeke for vvhat thou seekest but not where thou seekest If thou seeke still for thē in the creatures thou shalt alvvaies seeke and neuer finde if thou seeke for thē in God there thou shalt finde them for that there they are in their prime cause and fountaine there they are in their prime perfection 7. Returne then ô my soule to thy Lord God and remember vvhat ioye and solide consolation thou enioyedst when thou louedst and seruedst him Thē thou spakest not but of him thoughtst not but of him dreamedst not but of him louedst nothing but him or for him reioicedst in nothing but in him or for him this brought thee such ioy and consolation that thou enioyedst a kind of Heauen in earth and hadst a tast feeling of the ioyes of Heauen vvhich there are laid vp in store for them that feare God loue him and serue him 8. This a wordling vvill not easelie conceaue for he hauing or esteeming no other Heauen but this vvorld and proposing to him selfe no beautie but corporall beautie no riches but vvordlie riches no pleasure but carnall pleasure is a sensuall man 1. Cor. 2. which perceaueth not those thinges that are of the spirit of God But a spirituall man vnderstandeth vvhat I saye knoweth by experience that it is true For if the bodie as it is animated by the sensuall parte of the soule hath its delights if corporall beautie please the eyes of the body if musicke of mens voices or instrumēts please thr eares if worldlie riches content in some sorte for a tyme vvhat delight hath the soule according to her reasonable and superiour parte vvhich is more noble and hath more pure noble obiectes what delight taketh the deuoute soule in the contemplation of Heauenlie thinges in the exercise of morall and supernaturall vertues If vertue could be seene sayth one as to the spirituall mans eye it is seene mirabiles excitaret amores it would straūglie enamour vs If a beautifull creature draweth and as it vvere enchanteth our affections vvhat delight taketh the deuout and contemplatiue man in the loue and cōtemplation of God the creatour fountaine of all beautie riches pleasure perfection if the good vve find in creatures though finit and imperfect not pure but mixt with something that is displeasing in it doth so allure vs hovv doth the goodnes of God in vvhom God and good is all one vvhose goodnes is the fountaine of all that is good in creatures rauish and transport the deuout and spirituall man 9. O sweet Lord render me this ioy of thy saluation so called because it is the effect of iustifying grace caused by the merite of thy sacred passion our redemption and saluation If thou now render it to me againe it vvill be after my disgust discontentement taken in sinne and in the seruice of the vvorld as a greate benefite so far more gratefull and pleasing then it vvas before my sinne For euen as the good cheare the Prodigall sonne made after his returne to his Father and after the huskes he had eaten Lucae 15. seemed more delicious then euer it did before Or as peace is more vvellcome after vvarre sweet more pleasing after sower and heate after cold light after darkenes sight after blindnes health after sicknes libertie after seruitude rest after labour is more gratlull so the manna of spirituall consolations vvherewith novv I shall be feasted vvill seeme more delicious after my hoggish fare in sinne and the peace of conscience after vvarre vvaged against God by sinne the sweetnes of vertue after the sower tast of sinne the heate of grace charitie after the nipping cold of sinne the light of grace after the darkenes and blindnes I endured in sinne my spirituall health receaued by grace after the mortall sicknes of sinne my libertie of spirit and grace after the slauerie of sinne the rest and quietnes of minde after my drudgerie in sinne will be more pleasing gratefull and delightfull then euer they vvere before my sinne 10. Render me then ô Lord this ioy of thy saluation and doe not onelie render it but conserue it to my dying daye that I may carrie it vvith me to the eternall ioyes of Heauen and that it may be thus conserued in me I beseech thee to confirme me with thy principall Spirit the holie Ghost the principall Spirit and fountaine from vvhich all create spirits of grace doe flowe let this Spirit conserue this ioy of my saluation so constantly that I may neuer loose it so pure that it may neuer be mixed vvith any ioy of thy creatures which is not pleasing to thee let this Spirit be my guide my directour my conductour my protectour in all my vvayes actiōs and proceedinges that I may neuer loose againe by sinne thy iustifying grace purchassed by penance and consequently may euer conserue this ioy of thy saluation this ioy of conscience the effect of this grace 11. The Apostles and Martyrs by this principall Spirit and the spirit of grace vvhich it giueth vvere so confirmed and hartned that all the tormentes vvhich they suffered of the cruell Tyrants and persecutors could not daunt them but they so ioyed in their persecutions and tormentes that either they felt them not or they ioyed in feeling them for thy sake Their persecutions were of themselues the bitter vvaters of Mara Exod. 15 but by the vvood of the Crosse dipped in them that is by consideration of thy passion suffered on it they became sweet They vvere of themselues bitter pills but being wrapped in the sugar of this ioie of saluation they seemed not bitter but pleasing to the taste of the soule this thy principall Spirit did so fill their heartes with ioye that there was no place for greefe or sorrow but vvhen they vvere scourged persecuted they wēt frō the sight of the Councell reioicing because they were accounted worthie to suffer reproch for the name of IESVS Act. 5. And if thou vouchsafe ô Lord to confirme me vvith this principall Spirit by the grace it giueth I shall neuer be separated againe from thee by sinne I shall neuer forsake so good a God as thou hast beene vnto me either for feare of persecutiō or death it selfe or for loue of whatsoeuer the world cā afford but rather shall so ioy in all temporall sufferances and losses for thee here on earth that I shall be made worthie to ioy and reioice vvith thy Angells and saintes by thy cleare vision and fruition for all eternitie Docebo iniquos vias tuas impij ad te conuertentur I will teach the vniust thy wayes and the impious shall be conuerted 1. A Scarr spott or blott in the
need ô Lord hast thou of these externall sacrifices of brute beastes All the vvilde beastes of the vvorld be thyne the cattell in the mountaines oxen Ps 49. the fovvles of the ayre and the beautie of the field is vvith thee And therefore thou ô Lord exprobatest vnto mē saying that if thou beest hūgrie that is if thou couldest be hungrie I vvill not tell thee I vvill not aske an almes or a peace of bread of thee ibid. for the round earth is myne and the fulnes thereof So that thou ô Lord standest not in neede of any thing vve can offer vnto thee if we offer an Hecatōbe of oxen vnto thee thou art neuer the richer if vve offer thee nothing thou art not a iott the poorer Before thou createdst the vvorld there vvas nothing but thy selfe and yet thou wast then as rich as now for euen then thou containedst in thee most compendiouslie all thinges which novv are in heauen and earth or vvhich hereafter shall be or which are possible to be for thou ô Lord art the first and generall cause of all thinges and so containest in thy selfe all thinges euen as the cause containeth its effectes before it causeth thē And so all things are in thee in a more eminent manner in thee then in themselues for in themselues some be liuing some not liuing but in thee all thinges are liuing yea as S. Iohn saith Ioan. 1. Vide Augu. Tract 1. in Ioā l. 11. de ciui Dei c. 29. S. Tho. 1. parte q. 4. a. 1. life it selfe In thēselues some be corruptible some incorruptible in thee they are all incorruptible In themselues some be great some litle in thee all great yea infinit as thou art because in thee they are thy selfe In thēselues some be perfect some imperfect in thee they are all perfect In themselues they are all created in thee they are increated in thēselues they are all diuerse distinct one frō an other in thee they are all one because they are all one vvith thee In thēselues they are creatures in thee they are the Creatour yea in thee they are God because vvhatsoeuer is in God is God For as the sunne vvith other second causes is cause of all thinges in this sublunarie vvorld and so all thinges are in the sunne as in their cause vvithout diuision and as the peece of worke be it a statue or Image is cast or dravvne in the Artificers mentall platforme before it be fashioned in it selfe and in the Artificers minde idea or cōceite hath a more noble beeing then in it selfe for in it selfe it is corporall massie materiall in his idea it is intellectuall spirituall So all creatures which are Gods vvorkes are contained in God and in his diuine essence as in their first cause and Idea or mentall platforme and in him they haue a more eminēt beeing that is Diuine vvithout all diuision and imperfection as is alreadie sayd 3. What then ô Lord can we contribute to thee by sacrifices of oxen sheepe and the like If vve should offer vnto thee all the Angels of Heauen all the Heauēs starres planets all the fowre elements to vvit fire ayre vvater and earth and all the mettals of gold siluer c. vvithin the earth all the trees plantes and beasts vpon it and all creatures liuing and not liuing in one sacrifice thou shouldest be neuer the better or richer because all these thinges are thine alreadie by Title right of creatiō thou didst possesse thē all in thy Diuine essence and in a more noble māner then they are in themselues from all eternitie So that as vve can take nothing from thee so vve can giue thee nothing Thou mast saye Quis dedit mihi ve reddam ei Iob. 41. omnia quae sub Coelo sunt mea sunt Who hath giuen me before that I may render vnto him all thinges that are vnder the Heauē yea in Heauen are myne And therefore saith Dauid if thou ô Lord wouldst haue had sacrifice of bruit beastes I vvould verilie haue giuen it but euen vvith holocaustes the principall sacrifices thou wilt not be delighted because by them thou art not the richer they being already thyne by title of creation and possessed by thee in that thou art their prime generall cause Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus cor contritum humiliatum Deus non despicies A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contrit and humbled heart ô Lord thou wilt not despise 1. ALthough it be true that the externall sacrifice of oxen sheepe and the like are not profitable to God as in the explication of the former verse is shewed yet before the comming of CHRIST and before they vvith the old lawe by CHRIST were abrogated they vvere not absolutlie displeasing to God they beeing commaunded by God and the manner of offering them beeing by God prescribed in the booke of Leuiticus Yea if they proceeded from the internall sacrifice of faith submission of the minde to God and deuotion they vvere holie actes of Religion by which God was highlie honoured pleased yea and pacified towards sinners Why then did Dauid say in the former verse that God vvould not haue sacrifice and would not be delighted in holocaustes the best kind of sacrifice Why did Micheas question the matter saying Mich. 6 Why can our Lord be pacified with thousands of rammes Why did God himselfe say To what purpose doe you offer me the multitude of your victimes Isa 1. I am full c. And againe saith he Offer sacrifice no more in vaine Incence is abomination to me 2. To this answer may be made first that some Iewes thought that the onelie externall sacrifice without the internall of the minde did please and pacifie God And such sacrifice God reiecteth as not pleasing Isa 29. So God sayd this people approcheth with their mouth and with their lippes glorifieth me but their heart is farre frō me Secondlie these sacrifices as they proceeded frō wicked persōs or were procured by wicked mē whose heartes were full of malice and whose handes were full of blood and iniustice were not pleasing but displeasing to God not for the sacrifices themselues but for the sinnes of them that offered them Isa 1. And so God sayd that incense though by him commaunded was abomination to him Thirdlie Scripture diuers times when it seemeth to reiect externall sacrifice reiecteth them not absolutlie because God did institute them but comparatiuelie that is in comparison of the in world sacrifice of the minde which it preferreth In this sense God saith by the Prophet Osee Oseae 6. I would mercie and not sacrifice That is I preferre mercie and charitie towards your neighbour before sacrifice to me Aug. lib. 10. de Ciuit Dei cap. 5. 1. Reg. 15. so Augustin saith Sacrificium sacrificio praefertur one sacrifice is preferred before an other In the same sense Samuel saith to
Saul who had disobeyed God and yet had offered an holocaust of the first of the preyes which he had brought from Amalec Why will our Lord haue holocaustes and victimes and not rather that the voice of our Lord be obeyed for better is obedience then victimes and to harken rather then to offer the fatt of rammes So that the externall sacrifice taken nakedlie by it selfe or as it proceedeth froÌ„ sinfull men is not pleasing to God The inward sacrifice is pleasing to God by it selfe without the externall sacrifice but this without that is not pleasing 3. The sacrifices then vvhich especiallie please God are the inward sacrifices of the minde such a sacrifice is the praise of God vvhich is called the sacrifice of praise in diuers places of Scripture Tob. 2. Psal 4.49.115 vvhich Dauid in his 49. Psalme preferreth before the sacrifice of oxen and other beastes for hauing reiected those sacrifices he saith Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise By this sacrifice of praise we humble our selues and make a kinde of sacrifice of our selues to God in acknowledging our selues to be nothing to haue nothing which we haue not from him and so taking away all matter motiue of praise froÌ„ our selues vve giue all thankes and praise to God onelie for all his benefites graces and vve say with Dauid not to vs ô Lord Psalm 113. 1. Tim. 1. not to vs but to thy name giue the glorie And with S. Paul To the King of the worldes immortall inuisible onelie God honour glorie for euer and euer of vvhich sacrifice S. Paul speaking saith Heb. 13. by him therefore let vs offer this hoste of praise alwayes to God that is to say the fruite of lippes confessing to his name 4. Such a sacrifice is obedieÌ„ce by vvhich vve sacrifice not the bodies of brute beastes but our ovvne willes affections and iudgements which are the thinges most deare vnto vs. Gen. 22 Such a sacrifice Abraham offered to God when after God had commaunded him to immolate sacrifice his onelie and dearely beloued Isaac he tooke the vvood and layd it on Isaac his sonnes shoulders to prefigurat thereby CHRIST IESVS vvho carried the vvood of the crosse on which he vvas sacrificed for our Redemption and Abraham himselfe carried the fire vvith vvhich he thought to haue burned Isaac into an holocauste he built an Altar he bound Isaac and layd him on the pile of wood which was on the Altar and taking his sword stretching forth his hand he vvas readie to kill his owne sonne Isaac O obedience better then an holocauste or hecatoÌ„be of all the oxen sheepe in the vvorld O noble sacrifice by which he sacrificed his paternall affection to so deare a sonne But God almightie was so pleased with this inward sacrifice of his obedieÌ„ce by which he sacrificed his vvill and all naturall affectioÌ„ towards his onely sonne that he sent an Angell to coÌ„maund him to hold his handes saying by this ô AbrahaÌ„ I see thou fearest God by this I haue tried thy loue obedieÌ„ce towards me who wast readie to kill thy onelie thy so deare soÌ„ne to obey me Enough Abraham enough this internall sacrifice so pleaseth me that now I care not for the externall hold thy hands Oratio de diuinitate Filij Spiritus S. kill not thy sonne S. Gregorie Nissen affirmeth of himselfe that when on a time he sawe the picture of Abraham readie to sacrifice his owne sonne he could not passe by the picture vvithout shedding teares as indeed the picture the example would mooue any tender or generous heart 5. Such a sacrifice is Beneficence or Almesgiuing which S. Paul biddeth vs not to forget Heb. 13. because with such hostes God is promerited this sacrifice is on Almes which proceeding from the loue of God coÌ„passioÌ„ towards our neighbour is first offered to God because it is giuen principallie for his sake then is giuen to our neighbour or the poore and so is a sacrifice resembling those sacrifices of the old lawe of which not onelie the Priest but the people also vvas partaker 5. Such a sacrifice is prayer made to God with feruencie deuotioÌ„ the Priest who offereth this sacrifice is the deuout Christian his Altar is his soule or heart his sacrifice is his prayer the fire which burneth this sacrifice is Charitie out of vvhich prayer ascending mounteth vp to Heauen yea penetrateth it as a sweet perfume and sauoureth sweetlie to the diuine senses and perfumeth all the court of Heauen like a most sweete incense Psalm 140. according to that of Dauid Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight And as by sacrifice vve acknovvledge our ovvne basenes and vilitie God his souuerainitie maiestie our selues his creatures him our Creatour and Lord of our liues who could destroy and annihilat vs as by sacrifice beastes were vvont to be killed and consumed that vve hold out beeing of him as teÌ„nants at vvill are of our selues nothing so by the spirituall sacrifices of prayer we acknowledge our selues beggers God the rich King of Heauen and earth our selues so poore that vve haue nothing and are nothing of our selues him so rich that he is the fountaine and source of all goodnes perfection yea and beeing on vvhom vve depend more then the riuer of the fountaine or the sunne beames of the sunne and so by prayer vve saccrifice all vve haue and are to God acknovvledging that of our selues we haue nothing are nothing but haue all of God and so doe liue precario by begging and at his vvill 6. Such a sacrifice is a contrit heart and this is the principall of all spirituall and invvard sacrifices and is of all the most pleasing to God because as Dauid saith in this verse a sacrifice to God that more pleasing then holocaustes in which he vvill not be delighted is an afflicted spirit and a contrit and humbled heart which God will not despise The externall and corporall sacrifices taken alone are neither profitable to God nor pleasing as in the former verse is declared the inward sacrifices alone are not profitable to God but yet they are pleasing to him They are not profitable for what is he the better for our praise vvhat the vvorse for our dispraise vvhat is he the better if vve honour him vvhat the vvorse is vve dishonour him vvhat the better is he for our good workes prayers and deuotion vvhat the vvorse for all the sinnes vve committ For as Eliphaz Themanites sayd to Iob. Iob. 22. What doth it profit God if thou be iust or what doest thou aduantage him if thy way be vnspotted And as Eliu sayd to the same Iob Iob. 35. If thou sinne what shalt thou hurt him if thy iniquitie be multiplied what shalt thou doe against him More ouer if thou doe iustlie what shalt thou giue him or what shall he reâ—eaue of thy hande yet