the sea do But alasse the sea hath sometimes calme winds and thou ô Syon hast in thine affliction nothing but stormes and tempests the sea hath ports and hauens to come into and thou billowest continually in trauell and payne O poore Ierusalem who shall then be able to saue thee seeing thy misery is greater then either heauen or earth from whence then shalt thou finde remedy Nun. Shall thy Prophets do it which haue so long troubled thine head which haue deliuered vnto thee their dreames and old wiues tales and entertayned thee with vanities and leasings whereas they should haue boldly told thee of thy sinnes and so thereby haue called thee backe vnto repentance But they imagined and thought vpon Anticks and being sotted and in loue with their owne shadowe◠presumptuous opiniōs vndid them selues in all their discourses and enterprises Samech Behold in what a case thou now standest ô poore desolate Syon for thou receyuest herein both losse and shame together for now all they that go by clap their hands and shake their heads at thee saying Is this that so braue and honorable Citie that was so full of all magnificence and more full of all delights and pleasures then all the Cities of the earth beside Phe. There is not one that passeth by thee which hath not a cast at thee to bite and sting thee and who will not after their groining manner thus say we wil now haue it we wil deuoure it and nothing shall keepe vs from it this is the day which we haue so long looked for and now is the houre which we haue dayly hoped after Ain Behold Ierusalem the reason why God preserued thee so long is because thou wert worthie of it Thou thoughtest that his threats had bene vayne and friuolous and now thou seest whether he be a lyer or not and whether he be able to performe that which he promiseth yea or no. For he foretold thee that if thou obeyedst not his lawe that he would destroy thee make thee an heape of stones and see now if he hath mist it Yea he hath ruined thee without remission and made thee a scorne vnto thine enemies and geuen them all power and authoritie ouer thee Sade But God in the end began to waxe weary of their insolency because they carryed thē selues too too proudly of their conquest for after they had troden vnder feet the greatnes of Ierusalem they meant againe to deale with his maiestie and blaspheme his name and hauing ouerthrowne the walles of this holy Citie they bragged that they would make warre against God him selfe and triumph ouer the spoyles of his Temple Let their example ô Ierusalem serue thy turne and take occasion to appease God by thy repentance that he may turne the punishment which he hath prepared for thee vpon thine enemies Let thine eyes forthwith burst into bloudy teares and weepe continually day and night geue no rest to thy sighes let thy pitifull eyes speake for thee and looking vp still vnto heauen attend thou thine ayde from thence Coniure by thine humble lookes this diuine mercy that it may ease thy weakenes and conuert his iustice vnto the chastising of the insolency of thine enemies Coph Lift vp lift vp I say both thy body and soule all at once and before it be day so soone as thou shalt awake put thy selfe in a readinesse to pray vnto God to prayse and thanke him for that he by the torments which he hath caused vs to abide hath brought thee back into the right way as men do oxen with the goade vnto the knowledge of his name and the acknowledging of thine iniquities And before his face that is to say when thou hast obtayned fauour at his hand to looke vpon thee and seest him to haue compassion on thee distill thine heart through thine eyes and melt it all into teares by thine earnest repentance euen as the Sunne would melt the snow newly fallen into water But if so be that thy teares will not touch him and bring him to haue compassion of thy miserie lift vp thy hands yet at the least vnto him and beseech him to be contented with thy miseries and not extend them vnto thy poore innocent childrē who are there dispersed dying of hunger and weakenesse in corners saying vnto him Resch O Lord if thou haue any eyes behold this pitifull spectacle and if thou haue any cares harken vnto our prayers and consider how great our miserie is Behold how thou hast bene auenged of vs and see what a spoyle thou hast made of vs. And in very deed I must needs confesse that we haue deserued it and I do protest that we are vnworthie of thy mercy and do also vow that we our selues are the causes of our owne miserie But what haue these poore and wayling children done whom thou seest screaking out them selues faintly drawing their breath Why should the child whom hunger torment had drawne out before the time of the mothers womb was ready to deliuer it which is not as it were so great as a mans hand be rent in pieces by her which should bring it forth and so be eaten by her and the same to go downe by peece-meale into the body out of which it came whole and sound Surely happy and twise happy are the Tygres and Lyons whelps in comparison of these whose dammes will aduenture their own liues against whatsoeuer violence shall be offred their yong ones rather then they would suffer them to take any hurt at all O Lord how canst thou abide this horrible dealing Is it possible that thou which art altogether good gratious wouldest abide such great impietie to be wrought that thou which art so wise wouldest allow of such a cruell acte and that thou which art Almightie wouldest suffer such a strange outrage Shew thy selfe ô Lord shew thy selfe as thou art and although for a time thou art determined to exercise thy seueritie and iustice yet thinke vpon this also that thy mercy must reigne haue her course Content thy selfe that so much bloud is spilt for the appeasing of thine heauie wrath Thou hast not bene pleased with the bloud of our sheepe and oxen alone but wilt needs also haue thine Aulters couered with the bloud of thine owne Priests for they haue sacrificed their owen liues and thy Prophets likewise haue bene offred vp in oblation and yet thou art no whit appeased Syn. What more wouldest thou haue at out hands Thou hast seene abroad in the fields the gray haired and decreped old men and women lye vpon the ground crying out groaning and weeping thou hast seene lying within our walles the slaughter of our youths our streetes strawed all ouer with legs and armes our riuers running ouer with bloud and neyther sexe or yet age spared Thou hast seene amongst the dead the yong and tender maydens with their haires sheueled about their heads hauing their breasts lying open with great wounds out of which gushed
heard where shall that people be so farre from the sunne so confined and limitted in darknesse as will not vnseele their eyes to behold the cleare burning brightnesse of saluation which will shine vpon them Yea heauen it selfe shall encrease his flames to giue light vnto this thine entrance into the world and the kings shall run from all places to do homage vnto the king of kings vnto the gouernor both of heauen and earth 17 For he hath set vp and aduanced his kingly throne vpon Sion in great costly array there shall he be seene wholy encompassed with glory darkning the Sunne and Moone with the brightnesse of his face 18 But why hast thou O Lord so highly exalted the throne of thy glory hast thou done it because thou wouldest not vouchsafe to heare the praiers of thy faithfull seruants And because thou wouldest make no reckoning of the whole world which in deed is nothing in respect of thy greatnesse Alas no my God Thou hast lifted vp the self vpon an eminent place that all the inhabitants of the earth might see acknowledge thee and so run vnto thy grace and mercy for thou shouldest be alwaies ready to come at the humble summons of thy seruants neuer disdaine their pittifull petitions And behold them also standing as miserable offenders condemned vnto bolts shackles looking for the comming of some king that should set them free at the entrance into his kingdome Euen so ô Lord deliuer thou them who haue giuen themselues vp into the bondage of sinne and with the onely twinke of thine eye the mainacles shall fall from their wristes 19 Then shall they be all heard to sing a glorious song vnto the victorious king their voices shall be heard throughout al the corners of the earth and the remembrance of thy singular bountie and infinite mercy shall be engraued within the memory of men and so passe from age to age euen vnto the last posteritie The earth shall then be consumed all the waters dryed vp the ayre vanished and the heauens haue an end which shall as yet sing the glory of the eternall God 20 The eternall God who hath vouchsafed merely and ioyfully to cast downe his eyes from the highest heauens into the very deepest place of the bowels of the earth for the acknowledging of the torments of the miserable detained captiues in hell heard their groanes is himselfe suddenly runne thither to vnbinde and set at libertie his poore captiue prisoners and all their posteritie where death with the weapons of sinne had ouercome them and confined them in his most darke prisons But the God of life hath ouercome death and hath freed and cleared them quite from thence 21 To the end O Lord that they might set foorth thy praise in Sion and preach thy louing kindnesse in Ierusalem And although euery one of them had an hundreth mouthes and their voices as lowd as thy thunder yet should they neuer be able to attaine and reach vnto the greatnesse of thy glory All the parts of the world conspire not nor ioyne not themselues together saue onely to represent in their motions a part of thine infinite power and goodnesse howbeit they neuer looke to come neere thereunto for they are more then bottomlesse depths which haue neither bottom nor yet brinke and therfore they must onely behold them a farre of 22 And therefore I most humbly beseech thee my God to be contented that thy people assemble and reunite themselues both in bodies and minds deuoutly to offer vp vnto thee that holy will which they haue to honour thee for the effect can in no wise otherwise be able to come neare that which thou deseruest Accept therefore O Lord the humble submission of the kings of the earth which come before thee to yeeld vnto thee their homage and seruice due vnto thee as vnto their soueraigne chiefe Lord. They shall cast their scepters vnto the earth and their crownes at their feete and present for a sacrifice vnto thy maiesty their humble praiers and innocent consciences And I will be the first my God which will cast downe my selfe before thee to worship and serue thee with all mine heart to thee alone will I consecrate my spirit Quicken it therefore O Lord that being purified by the holy zeale of thy loue it may receiue in it selfe as it were in a cleare looking Glasse the image of thine incomprehensible excellency perfection feele in it self the reflexion of thy sincere amitie aswel as thine infinite goodnesse accompanied with the number of thine elect to be an inheritor with them in euerlasting life 23 Now I haue already felt my good God that thou hast enlightened my soule with thy grace and haue presented the fauour which thou wouldest shew vnto all the children of the earth Heretofore hath my spirit a far of takeÌ„ a note how thou proceedest for the deliuerance of the world but it hath beene afraid to die before such time as thou wert come and that is because thou hast heard it call vpon thee saying Tell me O Lord how long the course of mine age shall bâ— and when thou wilt end my dayes 24 Go not about O Lord to cut of the thred of my life at the first or second winding vp of the spindle neither stay it ouer short in the middest of the course Attend my God vntill the time be come when thou must set open the treasure of thy graces to make an entrance for men vnto the largenesse of saluation or if thou hast at least appointed mine end and that my life cannot stretch so farre yet remember my posteritie and let him be borne of my race that must sanctifie the world by his comming 25 I right well know O Lord that at the first thou madest heauen and earth and whatsoeuer excellent thing we see here in this world to be the worke of thine owne hands 26 But all this shall come to an end euen as an old worne garment a man shall enquire what is become of it and there shal be no mention made thereof at all It was made and it shall be vnmade it had a beginning it must haue an end But thou alone O Lord which hast beene from all eternitie shalt be alwaies one and the same For age time which consume all things serue for none other purpose but to confirme thine euerlastingnesse and to set foorth thy Deitie men seeme to remaine heere vpon the earth for none other cause but to behold round about them thine incomprehensâ—ble greatnesse on the one side and their infirmitie on the other side 27 A man changeth not his shirt so often but the earth oftner changeth her inhabitants one putteth forth another and all is renued euen in a moment But thou my God art euen the same at this day that thou wast at the beginning Euery prouince of the earth hath a great catalogue of kings who haue there commaunded one successiuely after
another but the heauens and the earth continually sing vnto vs that thou hast alwaies beene alone euer like vnto thy selfe and that neither the time past ne yet the time to come can any wayes alter not change thee 28 Now my Lord although we must depart from hence yet do I not doubt but that I shall one day taste of that sweet fruite which shall heale 〈◊〉 contagious disease of ours which 〈◊〉 fathers transferred ouer vnto vs â—…uing eaten the fruite of death and of sinne For our children shall come after vs and therefore O Lord shew vs this fauour as to continue our posteritie from age to age vntill such time as we altogether shall appeare before thy face not to receiue sharpe â—…d seuere iudgement but to enter by the merite and intercession of thy deare beloued sonne into the enheritance of the eternall blessednesse which shall be purchased for all thy faithfull by the adoption of thy sonne in the house of thy seruant Dauid From the depth of depths Psalm 129. FRom the depth of depths haue I cryed vnto thee my God being lost and buried in the most fearefull caues of the earth I 〈◊〉 called vpon thy name hearken 〈◊〉 my voice and heare my praier 〈◊〉 all hope of succour is taken from 〈◊〉 and I see nothing about me but horror and trembling and yet haue I not beene discouraged and do waite for at thy hands that which thou hast promised to all such as shall liue in the feare of thy name and in the obedience of thy commaundements 2 Giue thou therefore O Lord a fauourable eare vnto mine heartie praier If my sinne stand betweene thee and me to whet thee against mine iniquitie and to make thee contrarie vnto the praiers which I make vnto thee beate back the same with the looke of thy mercifull eye or els O Lord shut vp for a time the eyes of thy iustice vntill such time as the eare of thy louing kindnesse hath receiued my confession and the humble request which I make vnto thee for grace For I come not before thee to bragge of mine owne iustification but of thy great louing kindnesse and benignity 3 If thou shouldest keepe a regiser of our sinnes and we come to an â—…dite before thee who were able 〈◊〉 God to abide thy seuere iudgemeâ—… For what day of life is there that 〈…〉 not deserued a world of tormenâ— Thou mightest draw out O Lord 〈◊〉 the paines of hell and yet the greatest part of my sins should go vnpunished 4 But although we haue mightily offended yet for all that thou ceasest not to reciue any sinner that commeth vnto thee with confessioÌ„ of the mouth and contrition of the heart He hath 〈◊〉 sooner looked towards thy mercy but that he feeleth it working in him and breaketh destroieth the sinne which freeseth his heart with feare horror And the punishment which hangeth ouer his head recoyleth farre away from him and caryeth with it this miserable carefulnesse which tormeÌ„teth the consciences defiled with iniquitie And therefore O Lord haue I not forsaken thy lawes but haue alwaies waited to see when it would please thee to graunt me fauour and grace for the vnwise man that despaireth by reason of his sinne and giueth ouer his soule 〈◊〉 â—…emned is like vnto the abhoâ—…â—…ole vsurer who hauing susteined 〈…〉 in his goods by and by beâ—… himselfe of his life also 〈◊〉 soule hath not done so my 〈◊〉 although she hath felt thine haâ—… lying most heauily vpon me executing part of the punishment which my sinnes haue deserued yet hath she alwaies conserued in her selfe that sound hope which she hath had in thy promises Euen as the blowes light vpon my backe I crie out and say vnto thee O Lord my God thy will be done and giue me as great strength as thou layest affliction on me Measure my punishment by my strength and as my torment encreaseth euen so augment my courage and so hast thou done O Lord. 6 Let Israell therefore looke vp and trust in his God euen from the day breake vnto the shutting in of the euening looke for none other helpe but from him For his helpe is ready sure for him that calleth vpon him with a sincere conscience and a pure will And although the miserie hath beene neuer so great and extreame yet so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the crie of his seruants they haue all so soone felt also their deliâ—…rance 7 For he most bountifully 〈…〉 out his mercy and is infinitely â—…full to all those that come vnto him Insomuch as that his goodnesse putteth out as it were the sorrow which we haue for our sinnes maketh vs as it were reioyce in our fall as being the cause whereby we haue made triall of his louing kindnesse For if our sinnes surpasse all measure his gâ—…ce exceedeth all our thoughts We haue deserued long and hard captiuitie and loe who it is that freeth vs and hath brought vs a most sweete libertie We haue blinded the eyes of our spirite and loe who commeth to enlighten them 8 O Israell thou hast offended the Lord thou hast scorned his lawes thou hast made a iest at his commandements thou hast forgotten the good turnes which he fauourably hath bestowed vpon thee He hath drawne thee out of most miserable captiuitie fed thee with the bread of heauen â—…de purposely streames flow out of hard rocks to make thee drinke hath chosen for thy dwelling place the most delitious garden in the world made a couenant with thee giuen thee his will to keepe and thou hast coâ—…red against his honour gone an whoring vnto strange goddes troden his lawes vnder thy feâ—…e To be short thou hast deserued more punishment then there is to be had in hell And yet notwithstanding he offereth to graunt thee grace and with the price of his own bloud would redeeme thee from the bondage of sinne whervnto thou most voluntarily boundest thy selfe Behold him who hath himselfe paide their ransome that betraid him who tooke vpon him the punishment which we deserued and satisfied for our transgressions With what wordes then are we any way able to thanke him for all these mercies Open my lips therefore my God my Creator and redeemer that my voice may be heard and mine heart enflamed with a boiling affection to praise and thanke thee and humble me also in the acknowledging of my selfe to the end thou â—…st heare me in the knowledge of the holy mysterie by which we are â—…incorporate into thee and renued in thy couenant that we may enter into that blessed fellowship of glorie in which all they shall triumph which shall be partakers of the merit of the passion of thy best beloued sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Lord heare my prayer Psalm 142. O Lord man in the end is weary of all things a continuall course bringeth him out of breath ouermuch starinâ— dimmeth the eies and a shrill sound deaffeth the eares but
an impatient heat to the procuring of anothers hurt and all they who in stead of leauing vnto God the reuenge which he reserueth vnto himselfe will vsurp the same shall be rooted out for euer and as insolent and saucie seruants which take vpon them the authoritie of their maister shall be shamefully and hardly punished But hee that possesseth his soule in patience and constantly attendeth the iudgement of God he will commend and blesse his obedience and after that he hath punished the wicked for their vnmercifulnesse he will also confiske their goods and possessions and make him selfe maister and possessor of them all 10 Wait but awhile and yee shall see the time come that hee whome yee haue seene to be so mightie and great and benefited himselfe so greatly by his sinnes and by his wicked and craftie deuises stored vp an infinite number of goods and as hee him-selfe thought was in the hye way to heauen shall passe away like a running brooke where the water fleeteth away in great billowes where nothing shall be seene saue mire and dirt and there shall not remayne onely so much as any marke of the place where hee had beene nor no more remembrance of him then of the winde that blew the sommer past 11 But contrarywise humble and mercifull men shall enioy his place be the successors of his wealth and reigne most assuredly in the land leauing his goods in succession to his children and peace shall be with his as an inheritance A ritch peace and a plentifull inheritance which sauoureth all the rest of the goods without the which all the remaynde is naught else but torment and affliction A peace that is sweeter then oyle and the honie that is most sweet which hatcheth in thy bosome all maner of pleasures and delightes which maketh vertue sprout ouâ— flower and nourisheth and ripeneth his holie fruites Now this peace is the gift of God and none can geue it vs but his goodnesse and nothing can moue his goodnes to do it saue the reformation of our wicked liues For so long as there is warre within vs and sinne which is the seed of discord shall lodge with vs we can not hope or yet looke for either peace or rest But coÌ„trariwise if we can be at peace with God we shall be sure to be forthwith at peace with men and be in firme and most assured rest 13 I right well know that there will be alwayes some wicked men whose abhominable wills will go euen to the graue with them And I right well know that they wil euer haue a watchfull eye to surprise good men and to take part against them they will gnash their teeth at them and grin like roring Lions for their hatred is so extreame against the good and godly as that when they behold them they cast downe their countenance and are more like beasts then men 14 But the Almightie God who hath ordeyned that which hath bene shall be and must be and whose ordinances are vnchangeable laugheth to scoâ—ne these their deuises and smileth at the vaine deuises of these miserable false wretches which rush into the ayre and flourish with their swords against the winde he seeth their end draw neere by degrees which will câ—…rie them away as a great whirlewinde 15 For when as they shall thinke them-selues to be maisters and make a reckning to haue all in thier owne hands then shall they be in greatest danger Ye shall see these miserable sinners with their naked swords in their hands bending their bowes and taking their ayme to ouerthrow the innocent They will make their part strong dispose of their people lay their ambushes haue their watch-word and in a iollitie and meriment will fay in their harts Tush wee haue him now in hold he shall neuer escape 16 They will massacre the poore the needy and innocent and take vppon them to roote out all such as are of an vpright soule and heart For it is they with whom they meane to deale it is they whome they bid warre vnto because they stop the execution of their purposes and whose innocencie is a perpetuall reproch vnto them They haue already put their kniues to the throats of the poore innocents their blowes were numbred they had shot their arrowes and the traine had already takeÌ„ fire and loâ— by a wonderfull accident the points of their swords are turned vppon theyr owne breasts their owne arrowes stab in them their bullets rebounded and lighted vpon them-selues their bowes brake all to shiuers in their hands and in the end they were slayne with their owne weapons Thou hast sayd ô Lord alwayes right well that wicked counsels light vpon the authors of them to their owne destruction Thou hast rightly foretold that the wicked are takeÌ„ in their own snares and thou hast rightly fore-iudged that the wicked in the end abide the same punishment which they had prepared for others 18 It is not therefore ô Lord the worldly power greatnesse authority which make men happy neither yet the troupes nor the armies which do assure them make theÌ„ conquerors For that little that the iust man hath who by his sinceritie hath obtained thy grace standeth him in better stead then the aboundance of all sorts of goods which the wicked do any way get stand them in stead The litle that a iust man hath swelleth riseth as a peece of dough his force redoubleth against the charge euen as the arme of a Palme tree doth for his strength taketh roote in thee who art the foundation of all force and power 19 But as for the arme of the sinner how stiffe and stout soeuer it be yet shall it be shiuered in peeces and his strength shall be troad vnder feet for it is but a vaine outward shewe which swelleth and puffeth it selfe vp as a glasse in the furnace for it is puffed vp by the blowing of the workeman groweth and looketh very cleare but the more it groweth and waxeth bright the tenderer and britler it is so as it breaketh in peeces with the first knocke it hath and after the noyse of the breaking and fall there is no more seene of it but the small peeces But as for he iust man he is compared vnto a Diamond for the more it is rubbed the cleerer it is And that which affliction taketh away from an innocent man is nothing else but his beastlinesse his ordure and his excrements for the nakedder that he is the more beautifull he is 20 Lastly whatsoeuer it is that God layeth vpon the godly it is altogether for their saluation For he knoweth both the dayes the life of those that are pure and cleane and geueth vnto them that which is needfull for them Their blessednes is prepared for them from all eternitie and shall possesse it vnto all eternitie Not as 〈◊〉 earthly inheritance but as an heauenly inheritance whose ritches are infinite and eternal an inheritance which being deuided amongst all his
and iudgement fayle me the speedelier runne I vnto thee and humbly beseech thee to open my spirit that I may know and vnderstand what thy will is 23 Thou hast taken and held me fast by the hand and set me gently againe in the way of thy will and madest me vnderstand thy purpose and mind nay thou hast done more then that for me thinketh thou hast opened both mine eyes and the heauens all at once that I might see the mightinesse of thy glorie Thou hast I say ô Lord made me to see it for this is a thing whereunto no mortall man without thee is able to reach 24 For alasse should I poore weake thing that I am go to seeke for that in heauen which I cannot very well see at my feet who cannot perceiue but with much ado that which is here oâ— earth before me The eyes of my bodie are very duskish and mistie and the eyes of my soule faâ—re worse and mens thoughts are marâ—ellous vncertaine and weakâ— for the earthly and corruptible body dâ—lleth and maketh idle our spirits and tyeth and bindeth our senses fast vnto the earth in so much as that without thee I can not hope for any thing here below in the world nor yet promise vnto my selfe any certaine knowledge of what thing soeuer What am I able being â—ere vpon the earth to iudge and discerne without thy ayd and without it pleaseth thee to enlighten my spirit with those things which thou hast ordeyned in heauen in the sâ—ate of thine eternitie But thou also ô Lord hast supplyed my want and lâ—d me by the hand to make me see the couâ—sâ—… of thine eternall wisedome thou haâ—… 〈◊〉 it were made me in loue with 〈◊〉 and hast heaued and thrust my 〈◊〉 out of my body to maâ—e 〈◊〉 capable of the heauenly light and of thy wise purposes 25 Surely when I consider of these 〈…〉 things I am cleane gone 〈…〉 is tâ—…en from me and I am 〈…〉 ô God What is 〈◊〉 my God which thou hast made 〈…〉 the God of any hart of 〈…〉 of my hope and thou 〈◊〉 God â—hoâ—e I esteeme to be my onlâ— felicitie and whome to loue I haue from henceforth destined all my affections I now know ô Lord what thou aâ— how iust and how puissant I will now neuer be abashed more ne yet astonyed to see the strange and wonderfull things of the world whereof I am not able to comprehend the reason For thy counsels are maruellous â—…gh and thy wisedome â—eâ—iâ—ble profound But in the end ô Lord whatsoeuer thou disposest oâ—… here in this world is finished 〈◊〉 Iâ—stice 26 For as many as withdraw them 〈◊〉 from â—y obedience and estrâ—… them selues from thy grace â—…aâ— perish most miserably and â—ll they which breake the faiâ—h of the 〈◊〉 which they haue sworâ—… to â—eruâ— theyr concupiscences and 〈…〉 and goe â—n whoring with 〈…〉 â—arth and 〈…〉 all they thâ—… 〈…〉 sciâ—… and proâ—… 〈…〉 vnto 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 shall be rooted 〈…〉 the â—…y of thy reueâ—ging 〈◊〉 27 〈◊〉 as for me 〈…〉 depart from thee neither hope for 〈◊〉 other felicitie but 〈…〉 stick faâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…y â—…des as 〈◊〉 I â—…ll â—…uer dâ—pâ—rt â—hence I will so stedfastly lookâ— vpon tâ—eâ— as that I 〈◊〉 obserue 〈◊〉 tâ—…nâ—ling of thine â—yes and so confirme my selfe vnto whatsoeuer thou desirest of me follâ—… ranke by ranke whatsoeuer thou coâ—…andest 〈…〉 iâ—…eâ—d 〈◊〉 pâ—… 〈…〉 aâ—d seeing I 〈◊〉 thee to be altogether good and almightie and 〈…〉 â—…redly beleeue that 〈…〉 also will I constan◠〈…〉 wilâ— assist me and gâ—u◠〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 that are necessary for 〈◊〉 O how 〈◊〉 câ—…lâ—Ì„t most assured iâ— tâ—…t 〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 vpon the 〈…〉 good almighty God 〈…〉 mâ— such 〈◊〉 â—…mbâ—… 〈…〉 of hiâ— beneâ—… 〈◊〉 so 〈…〉 hiâ— liberalitie◠〈…〉 me beleeue that I shall be assured of the reward which he hath promised me if I serue him faithfully Why doest thou my God most liberally bestow vpon me so many benefits why doest thou promise me such infinitenesse seeing there is in me nothing but sinne and infirmitie 28 I right well see ô Lord that it is to the end that I may be the man to declare abroad euery where thine immensurable mercy and vnspeakâ—able goodnes and publish thy prayse throughout all the gates places of resort and secret corners of Syon thine holy Citie To the end that I going vp into thine holy hill amongst those whome thou hast assembled in thy Church for the receyuing of thy blessings and seruing of thy glory might make them vnderstand the secrets of thy wisedome which thou hast vouchsafed to reueale vnto me And that in addressing my voyce with that stile which thine holy spirit hath framed in the same I might vnfold the holy mysteries of thine incompreheÌ„sible wisedome to the end that euery one heaâ—ing me discourse of the knowledge wherein thou hast instructed mee might be had in admiration not of me who am but an hoarse instrument of thy glory but of the maruellous effects of thy quickning spirit who shall embolden me vnto this glorious holy and solemne worke But ô Lord after thou hast for a while entertained vs here in this estate vpoÌ„ this terrestriall Syon lift vp our eyes vnto that heauenly Syon embolden and encourage vs vnto the attayning of that blessed aboad and teach vs which are they vnto whome thou hast promised the same And teach vs also how we must carry our selues to be made worthy of so excellent holy and glorious a dwelling place O Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle c. Psalme 15. 1 THE world ô Lord sith it hath so pleased thee is vnto vs a tedious pilgrimage wee dayly walke therein and cannot finde any nights rest for our wearyed members For if we thinke to lay downe our heads vpon the pillow or bolster to geue our eyes sleepe our afflictions importune vs like flyes yea and the very passions which are bred within our flesh do swell puffe vs vp and venome vs like dangerous scorpions and kill vs if we presently kill not them What are we like to hope after seeing that as we lack strength so must the miseries also needs grow vpon vs seeing that which way so euer wee turne or are any way able to turne vs we shall finde our selues altogether in the middest of the world and this world find it how and where we will is onely full of misery Where then shall we finde rest we shall neuer find it in this miserable life where-into we are put as chief wrestlers to striue against all manner of aduersities but rather ô Lord in thy Tabernacle in the holy dwelling place of thy Godhead where our labors shal be crowned O blessed yea thrise blessed is he for whom thou hast prepared this so goodly and pleasant a withdrawing place for the mitigating and comforting of his paines and griefes past within the bosome of thy grace and resteth himselfe betweene the armes of thy mercy But who
honor her began forthwith to disdaine and looke sourely vpoÌ„ her For her shame lay opeÌ„ vnto the eyes of al the world was set before euery man as a laughing stocke some asking her what was become of all her wealth some what was become of all her honor and there was neuer an honest womaÌ„s child which had not a gird at her In so much that she could do nothing else but weepe and being all ashamed and comfortlesse she was driuen to goe hide her selfe Thet. And wheÌ„ she saw her self alone and in what estate she stood she found her self from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot to be most filthie and her garmeÌ„ts to be most beastly berayed with bloud and mire And as the Peacock when he hath spread abroad his tayle in looking at his feet letteth it fall downe agayne abating thereby his pride euen so hath she plucked downe 〈◊〉 heart sorrowed within her selfe and cared no whit for death by reason that all things misliked her but chiefly and aboue all her poore and miserable life She was giuen to be altogether sad without hauing any bodie to comfort her For her friends had forsaken her or if they were neere about her it was to none other end but to afflict her Wherefore when as she found no help here vpon earth she lamentably lifted vp her head vnto heauen with deep sighes froÌ„ the bottome of her hart addressed herselfe vnto God and sayd O Lord hast thou not compassion vppon me in this my great affliction Seest thou not mine extreame miserie Surely there is none can saue me so well as thy selfe Come therefore if thou be the God of mercy and forsake not thine humble and old seruant for mine enemy setteth his foote vpon my throate and causeth me most shamefully to belch Come therefore ô Lord for my continuall iniury is thy shame and the outrage that is done vnto a seruant redoundeth to the mayster And therefore come ô Lord for mine enemy â—…geth me beyond all measure and without all pitie Iod. He hath layd his bloudy hand vpon that which I accompted most deere and spared no whit of that which I made reckning off to be most holy Thou hast seene him enter into thy Sanctuary and into that place which ought to haue receyued none but sanctified persons no none but pure and cleane soules and such as are worthie to be partakers of the beholding of thy diuine maiestie hath seene receyued and touched euen pollution and impietie it selfe and seene his sacrilegious hands steale away the ornaments of thy Temple destroyed the habitation of thy deitie and the abiding place of thy grace as if thy lawes and prohibitions forbidding them not to abide and carry in that place no nor once to enter thereinto had bene but as it were a very song Where wert thou then ô Lord and although thou carest not for the iniuries which we haue receyued why art thou not yet reuenged of the wrongs done vnto thy selfe Caph. Thou hast bene ô Lord very angry against poore Ierusalem and hast sayd that thou haddest no will to come to help it by reason of the great and manifold offences thereof It is now time ô Lord or else neuer for all her miserable inhabitants goe shamefully a begging for their liuing and haue geuen whatsoeuer good thing they haue for a mouth full of bread and bought full dearely the water which they haue dronke Forsake not ô Lord this our earnest prayer and turne a-little thine eyes of mercy vpon vs for if our pride hath heretofore estranged vs fom thee our humilitie shall now reconcile vs vnto thee There can be now nothing ô Lord to be seene so humble vile and abiect as we are nor there is nothing that hath more need of thee then we haue neyther can there be any thing found to be more pitifull then thy selfe Lamed Tell me I beseech ye you that passe by and see my ruines and do consider the remayne of my greatnesse and then tell me if there be any thing in the whole world so miserable as it is and that euer sithence you haue had eyes that euer you sawe any dolor like vnto mine Tell me I pray you if euer ye were able to keepe your eyes from shedding of teares whensoeuer ye beheld my desolation I speake vnto you I say which haue heretofore seene this Citie so wonderfully furnished with welth ritches her greatnes magnificeÌ„ce do now behold her moÌ„strous spoile do ye not thinke that you see a vineyard laid wide open whereinto all sorts of beasts are entred who haue not only spoiled the vintage of the grape but haue also broken downe the hedges pluckt in sunder the very armes of the vines And this ye see is the pleasure of God he is iustly angry with me hath determined to visit me in his fury Mem. His vengeance is come downe from heauen like lightning it is come to thunder and lighten vpon me and is entred into the very marrow of my bones nothing can be seene to be done more suddainely more earnestly or more powerfully For in a moment it is come ouerthrowne all in a moment and all in a minute shaken into fitters pieces For my Temples and my Castles which reached vnto the clowdes lye now euen with the grouÌ„d Our Cities are like vnto plaine heathes wheron you may driue Carts God hath made me right well know to my cost his power and might He hath made me heare an horrible lesson We thought by our wisedomes to haue bene able to withstand the blow of his iustice howbeit there is neither wisedome nor councell against God We haue bene entrapped on euery side For wheÌ„ we thought to come out and to be in safetie we were fast intangled in his nets and the more haste we made to get out the faster were we masshed in the end were cast downe headlong into that punishment which he had prepared for vs like vnto the mariner who thinking to escape a shelf or flat falleth into a gulfe which swalloweth him vp For our misery is in deed a very gulfe where our fight is taken away and we brought back into an inaccessible wildernes where there is none to comfort vs in so much as that our eyes neuer geuing ouer weeping are able inough to drowne vs in our owne teares Nun. I neuer ô Lord looked to escape it for thou hast too too long had an eye vnto my sinnes and hast determined of the punishment which I should suffer it is ouer long ago since thou didst couple my sinnes together and holdest them fast linked within the hand of thy iustice In the end I found my selfe all at once oppressed and felt my sinnes as an hard and insupportable yoke tye me fast to be tormented I yelded my neck vnto the punishment as an oxe vnto the yoke vnder the hand of an vnmercifull master My misery gaue me no rest nor intermission so long
God which flourisheth and fructifieth vnder the husbandrie of his discipline Let our hearts lift vp them selues straight vnto heauen as noble and vpright plants and put foorth their thoughts as the branches and lift vp their motions thither as the flowres or blossoms and place their words as leaues let them bring foorth their good workes as their fruites and in looking vp alwayes vnto heauen make them selues worthie thereof and from thence looke for the growing and ripening of them And as yong plants in the hoatest time of sommer when as the yawning earth chappeth through drinesse looke for rayne from aboue to be refreshed euen so let vs also in the extremitie of our necessitie looke and call for the sweet milke of the grace of God to bedeaw our lips and sustayne our selues Now to the end that we might obtaine this grace let vs lift vp our hearts hands vnto him bowe our knees and prostrate our selues before his face in coÌ„fessing our sins beseeching him of mercy And let vs say vnto him It is true ô Lord that we haue sinned and do protest that we haue kindled thy wrath against vs and this is the iust occasion for which thou hast vnto this day made thy selfe inexorable vnto our prayers Samech But how inexorable Forsooth euen thus farre that when we haue thought to haue lifted vp our eyes vnto thee thy fury hath bleared them like thunder lightning Thou hast beaten and broken vs without all pitie or mercy All the world hath miserably forsaken vs we are like vnto the loppings and shreddings of trees and vnto the beesoms of an house which serue for none other purpose but to be cast into the fire To be short we haue bene thrust out amongst all the nations of the earth as a matter of opprobie and wrong Phe. Which of our enemies ô Lord is there that haue not had their mouths open to rayle against vs and looke which way soeuer we haue turned our selues we haue alwayes found that which we most eschued Our ruine and desolation lyeth wayting for vs like traps and snares set in the wayes where we might haue escaped and as one being in an ineuitable mischiefe I had none other recourse but vnto mine eyes My teares haue trickled downe aboundantly and haue bitterly bewayled my mishap and the misery of my fellow citizens and of thee my best beloued Ierusalem Ain And as our miseries neuer ceased no more also did mine eyes so as a man would haue verely sayd that through affliction mine heart was in the presse to squeeze teares out of it as men squeeze water out of a spunge Thus did I leade my life continually vntill such time as I had enforced thee ô Lord to haue pitie on me and had with my teares quenched the heat of thine anger What other things should I haue done when as I sawe before mine eyes so many Cities destroyed so many houses burnt so many Templs cast downe so many men slayne and so many mayds forced and defloured And surely I had had a very steely hart if I could haue held my selfe from weeping and although it had bene of steele yet had my dolor bene strong and able inough to haue molten it into weeping Sade Ha what a thing is this they draue vs before them as men driue cattle We fled from our enemies and yet they pursued vs we yelded our selues vnto them and yet they massacred vs and all this they did not geuing them any occasion of offence They led me into the bottome of the arse of a ditch and tyed a stone about my necke as they do about a dogs necke when they meane to drowne him And verely I had like to haue bene drowned for mine afflictions had aboundantly runne ouer the very crowne of mine head and had almost choked me and all the help that I had was to cry out and say O Lord I dye haue mercy vpon me Coph I was as it were in a bottomlesse depth in the hole of a prison I knew not but by my memorie whether there had bene eyther Skye or Sunne in the world so monstrous darke was the place wherein I was And yet ceased I not to call vpon thee my Lord my God and sent vp my faith wither my senses could by no meanes reach And thou neuer reiectedst me but receiuedst my prayer for my sobs in the end moued thee and made thee turne againe vnto thy first resolution I felt thee forthwith to assist and help me yea euen at the very first instant I say that I began to pray vnto thee And still me thought I heard thee say vnto my soule be of good courage feare not Resch And so ô Lord thou canst tell that as great a sinner as I am that thou wilt help and succour me euen for thy Christ his sake and for thy mercy promise and truth sake For thou that vnderstandest the very bottoms of our harts canst truly iudge that my soule hath bene carryed away vnto sinne by her senses and concupiscence but as soone as she felt thy rods she conuerted vnto thee her creator and redeemer for whom alone as she hath had life so also aduoweth she the restauration thereof after sinne For the question ô Lord is of the iudging betweene mine enemies and me whether it be reasonable that my misery should serue them for a sport or whether it be hye time that they should beare part of the punishmeÌ„t Iudge it ô Lord thou that knowest the righteousnes of my cause For thou knowest their thoughts their cruell purposes the plagues which they haue prepared for me I haue mine health by reason of their inhabilitie for if they had as great power as they haue will I had abidden as much as they had bene able to haue layd vpon me Syn. Thou hast sufficiently seene ô Lord that they haue dealt with me as farre as they might and thou knowest also that there is no iniury which they haue not committed and spoken against me And to be sâ—ort thou hast very well knowne their counsels and thoughts And I do verely thinke that there as neuer word came out of their lips wherwith they purposed not to hurt me and beleeue me their minds were neuer vnoccupied in finding out some cunning deuise or other to hurt me And coÌ„sider I beseech thee whether euer they arose or lay downe that their talke was not on me neyther had they euer any other matter to sing on but to speake euil of me Tau Go to then ô Lord seeing they haue ouer come thy patience wilt thou not daunt their malice and sith nothing can driue them to repentance wilt thou not punish them And seeing they take so great pleasure in ill doing shall they not feele and abide thy displeasure by course For once I am sure that thou art iust and sith thou art so thou must needs pay them home according to the works of their owne hands And seeing that through their pride
who was alwaies in our hearts and euer in our mouthes him they tooke led captiue aswell as the rest Nothing could keepe him from their hands I do verily beleeue that our sinnes are the cause of his taking and for our sinnes did he suffer and abide the same and therefore we haue said thus vnto him for his comfort We beseech thee ô King patiently to beare the affliction which the Lorde thy God hath sent thee which is the shadowe and figure of the passion of him who by his death shall establish againe our former felicity make vs raigne ouer the Gentiles and subiect all the nations of the world vnto our law Sin But in the meane while he is bound and shackled ô most heauy and lamentable aduenture Laugh thou yea laugh thou thereat ô thou daughter of Edome which dwellest in the plaines of Arabia there is enough thereof left for thee yea thou shalt drinke of the cuppe when thy turne commeth about and be made drunke with the bitter wine aswell as wee They shall make thee hazarde thy throate and thou shalt beleeue it make a good reckoning of our spoiles There is small ioy and comfort in beholding anothers misery and that ioy and comfort shall we haue for we shall see them lament and be sory for their owne punishment euen to see themselues to be sory for their owne that laughed at ours Tau And therefore I beseech thee ô poore desolate Syon begin to take heart vnto thee for God hath eftsoones made an end of that which he had ordained for thy punishment he will adde no more affliction vnto thy dolours past for he hath done that which he had a desire and minde to do He will now suffer thee by little and little to restore thy selfe to build againe thine houses to rere vp againe thine aulters and to reedifie thy temples Feare now no more any new banishment For he will come vnto thee himselfe to reassure thee comfort and strengthen thee And as for thee ô thou daughter of Edome he will now come and visit thy turne and teach thee that hee right well knoweth thy life and conuersation that he maketh a good accompt of thy sinnes and art no more exempt from his iustice then any of the rest and will make thee haue compassion of thy selfe seeing thou wilt haue none of another and bewaile thine owne miseries because thou hast laughed at the miseries of others CHAPTER V. The prayer of Ieremiah IF so be it be true ô Lord that we are thy people and thou our God behold vs a little consider the miserable estate wherein we stand Consider I say if there be any opprobrie in the world wherewith we haue not bene vtterly ouerwhelmed Looke not for it within the houses which our fathers built for vs neither yet in the prouinces which thou hast destined for vs For we our selues are banished and strange men enioy our goods We haue vnknowne heires which haue driuen vs out of our auncesters houses and sent vs away starke naked 2 We are like poore orphans whose fathers are dead and haue none to direct and guide vs. 3 We are like vnto mourning widowes that haue lost their husbands and although they are not dead yet are they in their widowhood and haue double occasion to weepe and bewaile the imprisonment captiuitie of their husbands A seruitude alas most rigorous yea such a one as is not to be named nay more then is able to be imagined For we are driuē to die of thirst to buy with our money the water of our owne fountaines and to moisten our poore dry toungs with cruel thirst We are enforced to buy againe our wood stick by stick and that very dearly to warme our selues withal although our poore members bee almost dead with colde 5 We haue borne the collar on our necks and haue bene yoked together like Oxen we haue drawne the waine laboured like beasts And although the cattle trauell all day yet take they their rest at night but there is no end of our paines taking neither do we finde any rest in our labours 6 As for vs we are fold for bread and yet must we runne vnto the furthermost parts of Egipt to finde thos◠that must set vs a worke The Assirians thought to shew vs great fauour in making vs trauell day and night for a morsell of bread O Lord what an hard and pittifull slauery is this how is it possible that we should thus greeuously prouoke thee 7 I beleeue that thou hast put in a catalogue all the sinnes of our forefathers and heaped their sinnes on our heads What ô Lord doth this rigour become thy bounty Shall our forefathers begone hence and shall their punishment remaine behind them Shall they be dead their sinnes liue And shall we beare them know not why 8 And if so be that they haue offended thee why hast thou giuen them the land of promise to possesse why hast thou subiected the strange nations vnto them Is it because that it is our turne to be the slaues vnto the slaues of our auncestors and that the world might see vs to be captiues to those that heretofore serued vs. 9 That we should be enforced with strokes to labour for our bread and to take paines for others in our own land hauing our throates alwaies in danger of cutting and dwelling in the wildernesse in stead of our goodly houses 10 Behold ô Lord if thou haue any eyes how they haue drest vs behold how our skins are cut and torne with bearing they are as full of holes as a siue and there is not an white and free place in them Famine hath made vs as leane as rakes and they haue all to backed and hewed vs. 11 If so be amongst all these their insolent dealings they had spared either age sexe or noble and wothy persons it had bene somwhat But their cruelty was alike both vnto male and female vnto young and old and vnto mighty and base Was there euer a wife in Sion whome they dishonoured not or euer a maid whom they forced not This weake sexe ô Lord powred our before thee teares and sighes their imbecillity implored thine Almightinesse their inhumane iniurie thy diuine iustice 12 How handled they thy princes They hung them vp with their owne hands and the gray haired old men in whom old age had imprinted a kinde of reuerence and maiesty were drawne through the dirt by them and pluckt and torne as if they had bene amongst cruell Tygers 13 And what did they with the yong children thinke you Verily they abused them with most extreame vnshamfastnesse and afterward knockt them in the heads thinking to extinguish thereby the remembrance of their abhomination and choke vp one fault with another 14 Alas O Lord what a strange alteration is this For when as we thinke vpon the flourishing estate of our countrey and set before vs that venerable assembly of our Senators placed as Gods