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
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
admirable face of thine Thy warth ô Lord is onely vpon such as glory in their sinne and wax stubborne in their iniquity But I thy seruant doe humble my selfe before thee and doe acknowledge that being an vnworthy sinner as I am I durst not appeare in thy presence but that thy clemēcy brings me before thee Thou shalt not then reiect me for thou must forthwith then reiect thy mercy wherevnto I am so strictly bound and tied that as it is not to be seperated from thee euen so can it not bee seauered from my penitence 15. If it please thee then thou shalt dwell with me and seeing it hath pleased thee to aduouch mee for thy seruant and to put mee to this combat thou shalt not forsake mee therein otherwise my destruction would turne to thy shame whereas my victorie will redound to thy glory Now ô Lord cause this ayde to be continually with me For as mine owne infirmity doth ordinarily fight against mee euen so is it needfull that my succour should euer bee at hand If thou estrange thy selfe from mee neuer so little my soule will vanish away in the same maner as would my body by the losse of my soule For thou ô Lord art more the soule of my soule then my soule is the life of my body I do very well know that in mee thou shalt finde a dwelling place in no sort worthy thy diuine Maiestie yet for all that disdaine not to enter into mee where thou commest all magnificence abounds and where thou art there is alwaies honor enough Thou doest not ô Lord honor thy selfe by visiting me but thou thereby doest honor vnto mee thy poore seruant wherefore shouldest thou leaue the brightnesse of the heauens and the glistering of the starres to come downe here on earth to so dishonorable a subiect But as I thinke thou dooest it to giue warning to thine Angels not to growe proud in their magnificence in regarde they are thy creatures and that thou art able to make the basest dweller vpon earth as glorious as they That is the reason why thou descendest from heauen to shew mercy vpon vs and bearing a part in our misery thou commest to re-establish vs in our ancient perfection And because we as much as in vs was haue defaced the image of the diuinity which thou hadst imprinted in vs thou of thine especiall grace commest to renew those beauties and sparkes of our first nature It is thou then which art not onely content to bee our Creator but our redeemer likewise and as thou art our father in like manner it pleaseth thee to bee our protector and defender When all the world forsooke vs thou stretchedst out thine armes vnto vs and diddest receiue vs vnder the wings of thy clemencie 16. I stood in great neede thereof for I knew no more whether to goe My father and mother had forsaken mee that father I say who had tenderly fed and brought mee vp did abhorre mee when hee perceiued that I delighted wholy in thee and that I had left the vanities of this world They beheld mee with sorrow and accounted mee for a lost child The kinde embraces of my bretheren were conuerted into disdaine the sweet friendship of my sisters changed to contempt and the louing welcomes of my friends turned into derision Whether now should I make retreate If my deerest friends vse mee in this manner what will mine enemies doe whose mouth is all bitternesse and tongue poyson whose actions and ordinary exercises are wrongs and reproches But when I am most of all forsaken then art thou neerest vnto mee then doest thou most fauourably embrace mee and most liberally powrest vpon mine head the treasures of thy mercy 17. Now seeing it pleaseth thee in this aboundant manner to bestow thy grace vpon mee to the end I may be able to keep it teach mee how I ought to serue thee Learne mee thy law and how to direct my paths to walke alwayes aright in this narrow thornie way which should conduct mee to the hauen of health For ô Lord I haue left long since that easie beaten way strewed with earthly pleasures and which leadeth those that follow it to destruction and damnation Shew mee then my God thy way for vnder such a guide I shall neuer goe astray shew it I say vnto me ô Lord for if I stray neuer so little I am vndone mine enemies watch to surprise mee and to finde matter to dishonor mee and thy selfe likewise because they know I serue thee truely and faithfully 18. Giue mee not ouer then into their hands to do with me after their hearts desire for they would soone depriue mee both of life and honour They haue already laide their plotte inuented a thousand accusations practised a world of witnesses but their lyes returne vppon themselues and beare witnesse against them Falsehood cannot bee hidden shee lyeth open and truth pierceth it thorow on all sides It is compounded of peeces ill ioyned together which fall a sunder at the first blowe they receiue and beeing opposed against innocencie it melts away like Snowe before the sunne 19. But if as they desir they should heape slanders vpon me and smother me vnder the burthen of their wrongs I would not for all that be discouraged I haue not put my trust ó Lord in the richesse and honours of this world they are commonly the portion of the wicked they are for the most part the rewardes of their perfidious wickednesse and deceits this marchandize is commonly bought with none other money All my trust and hope ô Lord is in thee the world is not able to containe it the fruit of my labours dooth not grow in the land of the dead it is in the land of the liuing that I waite to gather them there doe I hope to see my wealth nay rather thine ó my GOD. Other men looke for the fruite after the blossome but I expect it after the fall of the leafe After that the leafe of my body shall bee fallen I hope that my soule shall flourish with new fruite and shall bee cloathed with the eternall verdure of immortallity 20. Bee patient then my soule and beare thy selfe valiantly redouble thy courage and waite till my GOD come towards thee Bee not astonisht at the prosperitie of the wicked feare thou not though they doe oppresse good men And because thou seest ó Lord that I am not strong enough of my selfe assist and vnderproppe mee least that the affections of the wicked cause mee to remooue foorth of the place where thou diddest set mee second my feruent zeale to the end that hauing fought valiantly in the assault which the wicked make vppon mee I may stand ready when thou shalt open the gate and beeing entred in triumph with thee I may sitte at thy feete at such time when thou shalt iudge the quick and the dead Then wee shall see the great difference betwixt their liues and ours and what reward attends them they haue
thee to inlighten my mind of those things which thou hast ordaided in heauen in the seate of thine eternity Yet ô Lord thou hast supplied that defect and hast led me by the hand to see the secrets of thine eternal wisedome thou hast in a manner rauished me and taken my soule out of my body to make it capable of the diuine light of thy wise purposes 25. In very deed when I enter into the consideration of these wonders my heart fainted and I fell into a swoune what is this ô my God my God what hast thou made mee to see God of my heart God of my thoughts God of my hope God whome I account all my wealth to loue whome I haue hence-forward destined all my affections I know now ô Lord what thou art how iust how mighty and I will neuer more be astonisht to see strange matters in this world the reason whereof I am not able to comprehend For thy councells are wondrous high this wisdome is merueilous deepe But in the ende ô LORD whatsoeuer thou disposest in this world endeth in iustice 26. For all those who forsake thine obedience and leaue thy fauour shall most miserably perrish all those which violate the faith of the alliance which they haue sworne vnto and yet serue their owne concupiscences and commit whoredome with the earth and their fleshly affections all those which polute their consciences and prostitute their soules to wickednesse and impious cogitations shal be rooted out and passe through the fury of thy reuenging hands 27 But as for me ô my God I will neuer depart from thee I will neuer hope for any other good but to be first ioyned to thy sides I will fixe mine eyes vppon thee to the end to obserue thy becke and to conforme my selfe to whatsoeuer thou desirest of me and I will follow steppe by steppe all that which thou shalt commaund me I meane to put all my trust in thee and seeing that I know thee to be al good and almighty as I steedfastly beleeue that thou louest mee I will likewise firmely beleeue that thou wilt ayde mee and giue me whatsoeuer shal be necessary for me ô how goodly and certaine is the hope which is builded on the promise of almighty God who hath giuen mee so many earnest pence of his bounty so many pawnes of his liberallitie and all to make me beleeue that the recompence which he hath promised me for seruing him faithfully is most certaine and sure Wherefore ô my GOD doest thou thus prodigally lode mee with blessings why doest thou promise mee such aboundance of them seeing there is in mee nothing but sinne and infirmitie 28. I know very well ô Lord that it is because I shall haue matter enough to spred abroad euery where of thine immense mercy and vnspeakable goodnesse to the end I may publish thy praise in all the gates in all the streetes of thy holy Sion that going vp into thine holy hill in the middest of those whom thou hast gathered together in thy Church to receiue thy blessings and to serue to thy glory I may acquaint them with the secrets of thy wisdome which thou hast pleased to reueale vnto mee And that directing my voyce by the stile which thy holy spirit hath framed I may bee able to vnfold the sacred mysteries of thine incomprehensible wisedome to the ende that as many as shall heare mee to discourse of the knowledge wherein thou hast instructed mee may admire not mee which am but an hoarce instrument of thy glory but the wonderfull effects of thy quickning spirit which shall animate mee to this godly holy and worthy worke And after ô Lord that thou hast a while kept vs at this stay in this earthly Sion lift vp our eies towards the holy Sion encourage vs to aspire to this blessed dwelling place and teach vs who they are vnto whom thou hast promised it and how wee ought to carry our selues to become worthy of so faire so holy and so glorious an habitation Domine quis habitabit in Tabernaculo Psalme 15. IT is thy pleasure then ô Lord thar this world to vs should be a wearisome Pilgrimage Al day long we walk vp downe in it and at night we can find no rest for our tired members If we thinke to lay downe our heads on our pillowes to giue slumber to our eye-liddes afflictions like so many flies disquiet vs and the very passions which are ingendred in our flesh like dangerous scorpions do waken and poison vs and at the last kill vs vnles we kil them on the wound What may we hope for seeing that as strength decreaseth our euills doe encrease seeing that on what side so euer wee turne our selues wee walke in the middest of this world and this world is euery where full of miseries Where shall wee then expect rest not in this miserable life where wee are sent like champions to the game to encounter with all manner of aduersities but onely ô Lord in thy Tabernacle in the sacred dwelling place of thy diuinity where our trauailes are to bee crowned O happy yea thrice happy hee for whom thou hast prepared this goodly and delectable place of retreate which will sweeten and comfort our passed griefes in the bosome of thy grace and refresh vs in the armes of thy mercy But who are they who shall one day dwell with thee as beholders of thy felicity and glorie for to heare so much as is spoken thereof that place is not accessible to all the world it is a place of fearefull heigth of infinite largenesse decked with incredible magnificence I can no otherwayes describe it then that it is a very high hill on the toppe whereof a maruailous goodly garden is to bee seene set with all sortes of flowers hedged in with an infinite number of fruit-trees watered with cleere and running fountaines it is verely an hill for to mount it it behooues vs to climbe vpon all sides on tribulations a hundred times harder then flint or rocks And in ascending it we must goe still farther and farther from the center of the earth that is to say from the loue thereof and to put all sensuall and earthly affections vnder foot It is indeed like a flourishing garden for there groweth seedes and causes of all thinges which do daily flourish with infinite faire effects and excellent workmanship it hath for compartiments the goodly disposing of the worlds parts so iustly measured as nothing more the fruits are the sweete and sauory contemplations of wisedome wherewith it nourisheth and filleth those soules that dwell there it hath for fountaines the springs gushing foorrh of the eternall goodnes which poures it selfe from on high into all the parts of the world doth continnually bath and refresh them O faire and holy hill who shall ascend thy toppe who shall rest in the very bosome of so goodly and so delectable a mansion 2. He who purified in the sacred flames of an