true reall and naturall holy body of Christ is offered to all giuen to the true beleuers receiued of them by a true and liuely faith with praise and thanksgiuing as before hath beene remembred Of which true real natural holy body the wicked and vnbeleeuers are not nor cannot bee partakers either worthily or vnworthily as thâ— church of Rome imagineth by their doctrine of Transubstantiation or as the Lutherans imagine by their doctrine of CoÌ„substantiation but comming to this holy Sacrament without true faith they receiue the same sacrament vnworthily whereby they eate and drinke their owne damnation as the Apostle saith in the 11. to the Corin. ver 29. He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his own damnation because he discerneth not the Lords body but reiecteth despiseth the same by receiuing the holy SacrameÌ„t vnworthily without true faith For wheÌ„ they presume to receiue the holy SacrameÌ„t without a true faith to be thereby made partakers of the true natural holy body and bloud of Christ they receiue as Augustine saith by their vnworthy receiuing the holy Sacrament without true faith the bread of the Lord but not together by and with the same the bread the Lord that is they receiue the Sacrament but not that which is signified declared offered vnto all and giuen through the worke of the holy Ghost by and with the Sacrament vnto all the true beleeuers and seeing the wicked vnbeleeuers haue wilfully put from them reiected and despised that which they might haue receiued if they had come with true faith they doe worthily eate drinke iudgement to themselues as the Apostle saith for not discerning the body of the Lord. Wherby it doth also most euideÌ„tly appeare that there is neither consubstantiation nor transubstantiation in the Sacrament for seing the wicked eate drinke iudgement to themselues by their vnworthy receiuing the holy Sacrament it must therefore needs follow that they are thereby no partakers of the true naturall bodie bloud of Christ of which whosoeuer eateth or drinketh receiue life and not death for the true natural body of Christ is not iudgemeÌ„t to any but life vnto all that receiue it therefore that which the wicked eate and drinke is not the body of Christ neither by transubstantiation nor consubstantiation but the Sacrament of his body as Augustine saith by receiuing wherof vnworthily they eate drinke iudgement for the reasons and causes before remembred For the auoyding of which fearefull and intolerable punishment it is necessarie to shew somewhat of the preparation requisite to be made by euery Christian man both before and at his presenting himselfe to this holy table of the Lord. Before the receiuing then of the blessed Sacrament euery true Christian man ought thus to consider with himselfe First by a sound knowledge and good discretion to meditate and imprint deeply in his heart what hee doth either refuse or receiue when he presenteth himselfe at the Communion and holy table of the Lord what he himselfe is that doth receiue The thing hee doth refuse or receiue in by and with this holy Sacrament if hee come with a true and right faith or refuse if he come not so is Iesus Christ perfect God that made all things of nought and perfect man that died for man-kind on the Crosse Hee that receiues must remember and know himselfe to bee a man and not a beast and therefore must present himselfe to this Sacrament like a man in whom the image of God is renued through the worke grace of the holy Ghost all malice and beastlines of sin being subdued and not suffered to raigne and in stead thereof true faith and godlinesse though not perfect which is reserued to the life to come being firmely grounded and planted lest if he come like a beast in vnfaithfulnes and vnholines hee be found an vnworthy partaker of this blessed Sacrament by which meanes he doth not receiue but refuse and put from him the precious body and bloud of the sonne of God to his owne iust and eternall damnation Secondly he must not presume to come but with great deuotion dread and reuerence of heart for seing Iesus Christ who offereth himselfe to bee receiued is holy and all holines he must labour diligenly to receiue him in as much deuotion holines as hee may earnestly confessing and bewailing his former sinnes and wickednes and making earnest and heartie prayers vnto God for pardon and forgiuenes of the same It behoueth him therfore in all humblenes and lowlines of heart before hee receiue this blessed Sacrament to examine search diligently his owne heart and conscience confessing before God in the secret of his heart the miseries of all his sinnes and offences hauing displeasure and greefe at himselfe with deepe sighings sorrowings for all the vncleanes of his body soule lamenting and bewailing that hee is yet so carnall so worldly so wilfull vnmortified in all his passions so full of motions of concupiscences of his sinfull flesh so vnwary ill ordered in all his words and deeds and so encumbred with vaine fancies so much enclined to outward worldly things so negligent and careles to the attainement of spirituall and heaueÌ„ly things so readie to laughing and wantounesse so busie in things easie and pleasing to the flesh so slow and hardly drawne to hartie sorrow and earnest repentance for his sinnes and offences or to any care of his soules health being so quick and curious to heare and see the vanities and pleasures of this world so niggardly and scarce to giue so greedie and couetous to scrape together hold and keepe so rude and vnmannured so prodigal rioâ—ous and gâ—â—ttenous in â—aiment meate and drinke without all hunger desire or thirst to the word of God the precious clothing and foode of the soule so attentiue to toyes and fables so sleepie to all holy exercise so lightly displeased and rigorous to reproue other mens faults so deafe blind froward to heare see or amend his owne faults so glad in prosperitie so feeble in aduersitie so oft purposing many good things so seldome bringing any of theÌ„ to effect all which defaults and manie other which he seeth and beholdeth in himselfe when hee hath with great sorrow and displeasure at himselfe for his owne frailenes in his secret heart confessed and bewailed vnto God let him theÌ„ in a full purpose through the grace of God set himselfe to amend his sinfull life past and to profit alway from better to better and with great reuerence of heart let him bee afraid as of himselfe knowing his owne wretchednes and vnworthines to approach and come neere so worthy a Lord as Christ is For if a man defiled with filthines stinke be vnworthy to stand in the presence of a king how much more vnworthie is any man as of himselfe to receiue Christ in the precious Sacrament For why all our good deeds are but as vncleannes in his
one by his neighbour The children shall presume against the ancient and the vile against the honorable The triall of their countenance testifieth against them yea they declare their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not Woe be vnto their soules for they haue rewarded euill vnto themselues Woe be vnto the wicked it shall bee euill with him for the reward of his hands shall bee giuen him Woe be vnto them that ioyne house to house and lay field to field till there be no place that ye may be placed by your selues in the middest of the earth This is in mine eares saith the Lord of hostes surely many houses shall bee desolate euen great and faire without inhabitaÌ„ts woe bee vnto them that rise vp early to follow drunkennes and to them that continue vntill night till the wine doe inflame them woe vnto them that are mightie to drinke wine and to them that are strong to powre in strong drinke and the harpe and violl timbrel and pipe and wine are in their feastes bâ—â— they regard not the worke of the Lord nor consider the worke of his handes Woe vnto them that speake good of euill and euill of good which put darkenes for light and light for darknes that put bitter for sweete and sweete for sower Woe vnto them that draw iniquitie with the cords of vanitie and sinne as with cart ropes Therefore hell hath enlarged it selfe and opened his mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and their pompe and hee that reioyceth amongst them shal discend into it Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie and shut their eyes lest they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and hee heale them Then said I Lord how long and hee answered vntill the cities bee wasted without inhabitants and the houses without man and the land bee vtterly desolate for the people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither doe they seek the Lord of hosts Therfore will the Lord cut off both head and taile in one day The ancient and the honorable man hee is the head and the Prophet that teacheth lies hee is the taile For the leaders of the people cause them to erre and they that are led by them are deuoured Therefore shall the Lord haue no pleasure in their yong men neither will hee haue compassion of their fatherles of their widowes For euery one is an hypocrite wicked and euery mouth speaketh follie Therefore by the wrath of the Lord of hostes shall the land bee darkned and the people shall bee as the meate of the fire No man shall spare his brother for wickednes burneth as a fire it deuoureth the briars and the thornes and will kindle in the thick places of the forrest and they shall mount vp like the lifting vp of smoke and when he shall looke to the earth behould troble and darkenes vexation and anguish yet for all this his wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out stil Woe vnto them that decree wicked decrees and write greeuous things to keepe backe the poore from iudgement and to take away the iudgement of the poore that widowes may bee their pray and that they may spoyle the fatherles What will you doe in the day of visitation distruction which shall come from far to whom will you flie for helpe and where will you leaue your glory without mee euery one shall fall amongst them that are bound and they shall fall downe amongst the slaine yet for all this his wrath is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still And in that day did the Lord of host call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnes and girding with sackcloth and behold ioy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for to morrow we shall die And it was declared in the eares of the Lord of hosts surely this iniquitie shal not be purged from you till you die saith the Lord God of hostes Behold the Lord maketh the earth emptie and hee maketh it wast hee turneth it vpside downe and scattereth abroad the inhabitants therof and there shall be like people like priest like seruant like master like maide like mistris like buier like seller like â—ender like borrower like giuer like taker to vsurie The Earth shall be cleane emptied and vtterly spoyled for the Lord hath spoken this word The earth lamenteth and fadeth away the world is feebled and decaied the proud people of the earth are weakened The earth also decaieth because of the inhabitants thereof For they transgresse the lawes they changed the ordinances and brake the euerlasting couenant Therefore hath the curse deuoured the earth and the inhabitants thereof are desolate the inhabitants of the land are burned vp and few men are left and hee that flieth from the noyse of the feare shall fall into the pit and he that coÌ„meth out of the pit shall be taken in the snare for the windowes from an high are open and the foundations of the earth doe shake the earth is vtterly broken downe The earth is clean dissolued the earth is moued exceedingly the earth shall reele to and fro like a drunken man and shall be remoued like a tent and the iniquitie thereof shall be heauy vpon it so that it shall fall and rise no more No man calleth for iâ—stice no man contendeth for the truth they trust in vanity and speake vaine things they conceiue mischiefe and bring forth iniquity for their haÌ„ds are defiled with bloud and their fingers with iniquitie their lips haue spoken lies and their tongue hath murmured iniquitie they runne to euill and they make haste to shed innoeÌ„ct bloud their thoughts are wicked thoughts desolation and destruction is in their paths the way of peace they know not and there is no equitie in their goings they haue made them croked pathes whosoeuer goeth therein shall not know peace therefore iudgement turneth backward and iustice standeth farre off for truth is fallen in the streets and equitie cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that refraineth from euill maketh himselfe a pray And when the Lord saw it it displeased him that there was no iudgement Therfore will hee tread downe the people in his wrath and make them drunke in his indignation will bring downe their streÌ„gth to the earth and they shall go forth looke vppon the carkases of the men that haue transgressed for their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched and they shal be an abhorring to all flesh O yea heauens be astonied at this be afraid and vtterly confounded saith the Ier. against impenitent sinners chap. Lord for my people haue committed two euils they haue forsaken mee the fountaine of liuing waters to dig them pits euen broken pits that can hold no water The Priests said not where is the Lord and they that should minister the law
the lord the remnaÌ„t of Israel shall doe none iniquitie nor speake lies neither shall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth for they shal be feed lie downe none shall make them afraid Now therefore saith the Lord of Haggai against impenitent sinners cap. 1. hostes consider your owne waies in your hearts ye haue sowen much and bring in little you eate but you haue not enough you drinke but you are not filled you claoth you but you are not warme and hee that earneth wages putteth the wages into a brokeÌ„ bagge you looked for much and loe it came to little when you brought it home I did blow vpon it and I called for a drought vpon the land and vpon the mountaines and vpon the corne and vpon the wine and vpon the oyle vpon all that the ground bringeth forth both vpon men and vpon cattle and vpoÌ„ all the labour of the hands I smote you with blasting with mildew and with haile in all the labours of your handes yet you turned not to mee saith the Lord. Thus speaketh the Lord of hostes Zacharie against impenitent sinners Cap. 7. 8. saying these are the things that yee shall doe speake euery man the truth vnto his neighbour execute true iudgment and shew mercy and compassion euery man to his brother and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherles the stranger nor the poore and let none of you imagine euill against his brother in your heart and loue no false othe for all these things are the things that I hate saith the Lord but they refused to hearken and puled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone lest they should heare the law and the wordes of the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministrie of the former Prophets therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hostes I haue loued you saith the Lord yet Malac. against impenitent sinners Cap. 1. you say wherein hast thou loued vs A sonne honoreth his father and a seruant his master if then I bee a father where is mine honour and if bee a master where is my feare saith the Lord of hostes vnto you O ye Priests that despise my name ye say wherin haue we dispised thy name my couenant was with Leuie of life peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name the law of truth was in his mouth there was no iniquitie found in his lippes he walked with me in peace and equitie and did turne many away from iniquitie For the Priests lippes should preserue knowledge they should seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes but yee are gone out of the way yee haue caused many to fall by the law yee haue broken the couenant of Leuy saith the Lord of hostes therefore haue I made you also to be despised and vile before all the people because you kept not my waies but haue beene partiall in the law from the dayes of your fathers haue you gone away from mine ordinances and haue not kept them returne vnto mee and I will returne vnto you saith the Lord of hostes but ye said wherein shall wee returne your words haue beene stout against mee saith the Lord yet ye say what haue we spoken against thee ye haue said it is in vaine to serue God and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and that we haue walked humbly before the Lord of hosts Therfore we count the proud blessed euen they that worke wickednes are set vp and they that tempt God yea they are deliuered Then spake they that feared the lord euery one to his neighbour and the lord hearkened and heard it and a booke of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the lord and thought vpon his name and they shall be to me saith the lord of hosts in that day that I shall do this for a flocke and will I spare them as a man that spareth his owne sonne that serueth him Then shall you returne and discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked betweene him that serueth God him that serueth him not For behold the day commeth that shal burne as an ouen and all the proud yea and al that do wickedly shal be stubble and the day that commeth shall burne them vp saith the lord of hostes and shall leaue theÌ„ neither roote nor braÌ„ch But vnto you that feare my name shalâ— the sun of righteousnes arise health shall be vnder his wings and you shall go forth and grow vp as fat calues and ye shall tread downe the wicked for they shall be dust vnder the soules of your feete in the day that I shall do this saith the lord Cum fueris felix quae suut aduersa caueto Rursus in aduersis melius sperare memento Prospice qui veniunt hos casus esse ferendos Nam leuius laedit quicquid prâ—uideris ante Nec multum time as venturi tempora fati Non timet is mortè qui scit conteÌ„nere vitaÌ„ Passibus ambiguis fortuna volubilis errat Et maneâ— in nullo certa tenaxque loco Sed modò laeta manet vultus modò sumit accrbos Et tantum constans in leuitate sua est Omnia sunt homini tenni pendentia filo Et subito casu quae valuere ruunt Tutior in terris locus est quam sedibus altis Nam fortuna leuat infima summa premit Et quodqunque libet tibi dat fortuna rapitque Irus est subito qui modò Croesus erat Singula quid repetam nil non mortale tenemus Pectoris exceptis ingenâ—que bonis Ludit in humanis diuina potentia rebus Et certam praesens non habet hora fidem Vt probet vt purget vt puniat vt mereatur Vt manifestetur gloria poena datur Itaque fac timeas et quae tibi laeta videntur Dum loqueris fieri tristia posse puta De optimo correctionis modo carmina composita ex diuersis auctoribus Moribus ingenuis cultus si charus amicus Esse nolit perfer post modò mitis erit Cumque mones aliquem nec se velit ipse moneri Si tibi sit charus nolâ— desistere coeptis Ferreus assiduo consumitur annulus vsu Interit assidua vomer aduncus humo Quid magis est aurum saxo quid mollius vnda Dura tamen molli saxa cauantur aqua Gutta cauat lapidem non vi sed saepe cadendo Corripe sic charos non vi sed saepe monendo Flectitur obsequio curuatus ab arbore ramus Franges si vires experiere tuas Obsequio tranantur aquae nec vincere postis Flumina si contra qua rapit vnda nates Obsequium tigresque domat tumidosque leones Rustica paulatim taurus aratra sumit Tempore difficiles veniunt ad aratra iuuencae Tempore
euerlasting life through the merits of thy percious death and passion And thus must wee that are sicke in sinne receiue this healthfull medicine of the holy Sacrament the body and bloud of Christ and when we feele through it any comfort to our soules let vs ascribe that comfort not to our selues but to the goodnes of God which so comforteth and refresheth our soules by feeding vs with his own flesh and bloud of his own great mercy grace let vs thus thinke with our selues loe thus doth our Lord vnto vs to shew vs our wretchednes and miseries wherein we lie intaÌ„gled vnles we be loosed by him and to ouercome our wickednes with the plentie of his goodnes for he maketh vs that are dead in sinne to feele life and being rotten and stincking wormes to tast heauenly sweetnes O Lord God sith thou art so mercifull to vs that now liue in sinne as to feed vs with the heauenly bread of thy owne flesh and bloud in this holy sacrament by which foode through the working of the holy Ghost wee are nourished and cherished in body and soule vnto life euerlasting let our hearts from henceforth in this most cherefully reioyce that our God our spouse and our loue is made vnto vs our spirituall meate and drinke to strengthen our bodies and soules that wee may grow vp to life euerlasting the blisle of Saints the ioy of Angels the sonne of the highest father maketh himselfe our spirituall nourishing the light of the world the sonne of righteousnes the wisedome of God is made the foode of our soule the redeemer of man the brightnes of heauen the matter of all mirth and the Lord of ioy vouchsafeth for to feed vs with himselfe what kindnes what courtesie what tokeÌ„ of loue might bee more Wherefore since wee haue him let vs not from henceforth suffer our hearts to delight in any creature for it were a great vnkindnes and vile wretchednes of vs after the receiuing of so worthy a meate so precious and sweete as it is to sâ—ttle our selues to the liking and iust againe of the world and of the flesh Keepe vs therefore sweet Iesus from such wretchednes and vnkindnes and be thou our meate and our foode our lust and our liking and make vs continually to hunger after thee and to feede on thee with greedie desire for thy sweetnes sufficeth vnto all the world why vouchsafest thou merciful Lord to feed vs with this heauenly bread and with this so precious foode of thine owne flesh and bloud what seest thou in vs or what findest thou in vs or what profit shalt thou haue of vs surely none but thy great loue constraineth thee to doe thus vnto vs since therefore thou which art the soueraigne goodnes the whitenesse of endles light and mirror without spot vouchsafest thus louingly to come to vs to dwell in vs and to feede vs how is it that wee stincking wretches desire not most earnestly to welcome thee deuoutly to receiue thee it is great shame to vs but Lord we beseech thee to take away our shame and to make vs to ameÌ„d Giue vs daily this heaueÌ„ly bread make vs daily to receiue the precious body bloud of thy son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ either ghostly or both ghostly and sacramentally through a true liuely vnfained faith so that thou maist continually be with vs and we with thee for thou hast so limed vs with thy loue and so glewed vs with thy grace that we may not depart from thee grant therefore thy grace that Christ in vs and wee in Christ may dwell perpetually and that we may worthily beare this name sith of Christ wee are called Christen By this which hath been shewed it appeareth how Christs reall naturall holy flesh and bloud is receiued in by and with the SacrameÌ„t wherin as hath beene also shewed there is not any consubstantiation nor transubstantiation It hath beene shewed also what preparation must bee vsed that wee receiue not this holy Sacrament vnworthily whereby Christ is refused and cleane shut out from vs and wee refused and cleane shut out from him to the eternal damnation of our owne soules From which danger God of his great mercy deliuer vs and giue vs grace that wee may at all times be made thankfull and worthy receiuers to the praise of his name and the attainement of euerlasting life through his onely sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour glory and praise now and for euer Amen LAMENTATIONS mournings and woes pronounced by the Prophet Isaiah against impenitent sinners HEare O heauens and harken Esay against impenitent sinners cap. 1. O earth for the Lord hath said I haue nourished and brought vp childreÌ„ but they haue rebelled against me A sinfull nation a people laden with iniquitie a seede of the wicked corrupt children They haue forsaken the Lord and prouoked the holy one of Israel to anger They are gone backward for they fall away more and more The whole head is sicke and the whole heart is heauie from the soule of the foote vnto the head there is nothing sound therin but woundes and swellings and sores full of corruption When you come to appeare before the Lord who requireth this at your handes to tread in my Courts and when you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to do euill learne to do well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherles defend the widow If you consent and obey you shall eate the good things of the land but if you refuse and be rebellious you shall be deuoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it How is the faithfull citie become an haâ—lot it was full of iudgement and iustice lodged therein but now they are murtherers thy Princes are rebellious and companions with theeues euery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards they iudge not the fatherles neither doth the widdowes cause come before them Therefore saith the Lord God of hosts the mightie one of Israel ah I will case me of mine aduersaries and auenge me of mine enemies and the strong shall be as tow and the maker thereof as a sparke and they shall both burne together and none shall quench them Enter into the rocks and hide thee in the dust from before the feare of the Lord and from the glory of his maiestie The high looke of a man shal be humbled and the loftines of men shall be abased and the Lord onely shall be exalted in that day For the day of the Lord of hosts is vpon all the proud and haughtie and vpon all that is exalted and it shall be made low The people shall bee oppressed one of another and euery
knew me not the Pastors also offended against me went after things that did not profit Thine owne wickednes shall correct thee and thy turning back shall reproue thee know therefore and behold it is an euil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my feare is not in thee saith the Lord God of Hostes though thou wash thee with â—â—tre and take thee much sope yet thine iniquitie is marked before me saith the Lord thou disobedient Israel returne saith the lord I will not let my wrath fall vpon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not alwaie keep mine anger O yea disobedient children turne againe saith the Lord for I am your Lord and I will giue you pastors according to my hart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnderstanding Thou shalt call me saying my father and shalt not turne from me and thenceforth they shall followe no more the hardnes of their wicked hearts A voice was heard vpon the high places weepings supplications of the children of Israel for they haue peruerted their way and forgotten the Lord their God O ye disobedient children returne and I will heale your rebellions Behold wee come vnto thee for thou art the Lord our GGD O Ierusalem wash thy hart froÌ„ wickednes that thou maist be saued how long shall thy wicked thoughts remaine within thee in that day saith the Lord the heart of the King shall perish and the heart of the Princes and of the Priests shall be astonished the prophets shall wonder destruction vppon destruction is cried for the whole land is wasted Wherefore gird you with sackcloth lament and houle for the fierce wrath of the Lord is not turned back from vs. I beheld and lo the fruitful place was as a wildernesse and all the cities thereof were broken downe at the presence of the Lorde and by his fierce wrath For thus hath the lord said the whole land shal be desolate yet will I not make a full end and when thou shalt be destroied what wilt thou doe Thy waies and thine inuentions haue procured thee these things such is thy wickednesse Therefore it shal be bitter therfore it shall pierce vnto thine heart for my people is foolish they haue not knowen me they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to doe euil but to doe well they haue no knowledge Then said I ah Lord GOD surely thou hast deceiued this people saying ye shall haue peace and the sword pierceth vnto the heart They haue denied the Lord and said it is not hee neither shall the plague come vppon vs neither shall wee see sword nor famine O Lord are not thy eies vpon the trueth Thou hast stricken them but they haue not sorrowed thou hast coÌ„sumed them but they haue refused to receiue correction They haue made their faces harder then a stone and haue refused to returne How should I spare thee for this Thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them that are no gods though I fed them to the full yet they committed adulterie assembled themselues by companies in the harlots houses They rose vp in the morning like fed horses for euerie man neighed after his neighbours wife shall I not visite for these things saith the Lord Lo I will bring a nation vpon you from farre O house of Israel saith the lord which is a mightie nation and an ancient nation a nation whose language thou knowest not neither vnderstandest what they say whose quiuer is an open sepulcher they are all very strong and they shall eate thine haruest and thy bread they shall deuoure thy sonnes thy daughters they shall eate vp thy sheepe and thy bullocks they shall eate thy vines and thy fig-trees they shal destroy with the sword thy fenced citties wherein thou diddest trust For amongst my people are sound wicked persons that laieth waite as hee that setteth snares they haue made a pit to catch men As a cage is full of birds so are their houses full of deceit thereby they are become great and waxen rich they are waxen fatte and shining they do ouerpasse the deedes of the wicked they execute no iudgement no not the iudgement of the fatherles yet they prosper though they execute no iudgment for the poore An horrible and filthy thing is committed in the land the Prophets prophecie lies and the Priests receiue giftes in their hands my people delight therein Shall not I visit for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Trust not in lying words saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord this is the temple of the Lord behold you trust in lying words that cannot profit But this thing commanded I them obey my voice I will be your God and ye shall be my people and walke you in all my waies which I haue commanded you that it may bee well vnto you But they would not obey nor encline their eare but went after the couÌ„sels and stubbornnesse of their wicked heart and went backward and not forward Therefore shalt thou speake all these wordes vnto them but they will not heare thee Thou shalt also cry vnto them but they will not answer thee but thou shalt say vnto them this is a nation that heareth not the voice of the Lord their GOD nor receiueth discipline truth is perished cleane gone out of their mouth Therfore thus saith the Lord behold mine anger and my wrath shall be powred out vppon this place vpon man and vpon beast and vpon the tree of the field and vppon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched and the carkases of this people shall bee meate for the fowles of the heauen and for the beasts of the earth and none shall fray them away and death shall be desired rather then life of al the residue that remaineth of this wicked familie which remaine in all the places where I haue scattered them saith the lord of Hostes How doe you say we are wise and the lawe of the lord is with vs lo certainly in vaine made he it the penne of the scribes is in vaine the wise men are ashamed they are affraid and taken lo they haue reiected the word of the lord and what wisedome is in them Therefore will I giue their wiues vnto others and their fields vnto theÌ„ that shall possesse them for euerie one from the least to the greatest is giuen vnto couetousnesse and from the Prophet euen to the Priest euerie one dealeth falslly for they haue healed the hurt of the daughter of my people with sweete words saying peace peace wheÌ„there is no peace for behold I will send serpents and cockatrices amongst you which will not be charmed and they shall sting you saith the lord Oh that my head were full of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares that I might weepe day and
thou hast defrauded thy neighbour by extortion and hast forgotten mee saith the Lord God There is a conspiracie of her Prophets in the middest thereof like a roaring lyon rauening the pray they haue deuoured soules they haue taken the riches and precious things they haue made her many widowes in the middest therof her priests haue broken my law and haue defiled my holy things they haue put no difference betweene the holy and prophane neither discerned betweene the vncleane and the cleane and haue hid their eyes from my sabbaths and I am prophaned amongst them her Princes in the middest thereof are like wolues rauening the pray to shed bloud and to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre The people of the land haue violently oppressed by spoyling and robbing and haue vexed the poore and the needy yea they haue oppressed the stranger Ezechiel against right I sought for a man amongst them that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none Behold therefore I haue smitten my hand vpon the couetousnes that thou hast vsed and vpon the bloud which hath beene shed in the middest of thee Can their hart endure or can their hands bee strong in the dayes that I shall haue to doe with thee I the Lord haue spoken it and I will doe it as they gather siluer and brasse and iron and lead and tinne into the middest of the furnace to blow the fire vpon it to melt it so wil I gather you in mine anger and in my wrath and will put you there and melt you and you shal know that I the Lord haue powred out my wrath vpon you Say vnto them as I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die When the righteous turneth from his righteousnes and committeth Cap. 33. iniquitie hee shall euen die thereby But if the wicked returne from his wickednes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shal liue therby Yee leane vpon your swords yee worke abomination and yee defile euery one his neighbours wife should yee then possesse the land Also thou sonne of man the children of thy people that talke of thee by the walles and in the doores of houses and speake one to another euery one to his brother saying Come I pray you and heare what is the word that commeth from the Lord for they come vnto thee as the people vseth to come and my people sit before thee heare thy words but they wil not do them for with their mouths they make iestes and their heart goeth after their couetousnes loe thou art vnto them as a iesting song of one that hath a pleasant voice and cansing well for they heare thy wordes but doe them not Say thus vnto them thus saith the LORD GOD as I liue so surely they that are in the desolate places shall fall by the sworde and him that is in the open field will I giue vnto the beasts to be deuoured and they that be in the courts and in the caues shall die of the pestilence thē shall they know that I am the Lord when I haue laid the land desolate and waste because of their abominations which they haue committed Wo vnto the shepheards of Israel that feede Cap. 34. themselues should not the shepheards feede the flocks yee eate the fatte and ye cloath you with the wooll yee kill them that are fedde but you feede not the sheepe The weake haue you not strengthned and the sick haue you not healed neither haue you bound vp the broken nor brought again that which was driuen away neither haue you sought that which was lost but with cruelty and with rigour haue you ruled them and they were scattred without a shepheard and when they were dispersed they were deuoured of all the beasts of the field Therefore ye shepheards heare the word of the Lord As I liue saith the lord God surely because my flock was spoiled and my sheepe were deuoured of all the beasts of the field hauing no shepheard neither did my shepheards seeke my sheepe but my shepheards fedde themselues and fed not my sheepe Behold I come against the shepheards and will require my sheepe at their hands and cause thē to cease from feeding the sheepe neither shall the shepheards feede themselues any more for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouths they shall no more deuoure them For thus saith the lord God behold I will search my sheepe and seeke them out I will seeke that which was lost and bring againe that which was driuen away and will binde vp that which was broken wil strengthen the weake but I wil destroy the fatte and the strong and feede thē with iudgement because ye haue thrust with side and with shoulder and pusht all the weake with your hornes till ye haue scattered them abroad therefore will I helpe my sheepe and they shall no more be spoiled I will iudge betweene sheepe and sheepe And ye my sheepe the sheepe of my pasture are mine and I am your GOD saith the Lord God A new heart also wil I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I wil take away the stony heart out of your bodie and will giue you an heart of flesh and I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes ye shall keepe my iudgements and do them and ye shall dwell in the land that I gaue to your fathers and ye shal be my people and I wil bee your God I will also deliuer you from al your filthines Thē shall you remember your owne wicked waies and your deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroied for your iniquities and for your abominations Be it knowne vnto you that I doe not this for your sakes but for my holy names sake saith the Lord God Therefore be ashamed and confounded O house of Israel for your owne waies Wee haue sinned and committed Daniel against impenitent sinners cap. 9. iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgements for we haue not obeied the voice of the Lord our God to walke in his waies which he hath laid before vs by the ministry of his seruants the Prophets Therfore hath the Lord made ready the plague and brought it vpon vs for the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth for we would not heare his voice Many shall be purified made white and tried but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall haue vnderstanding but the wise shall vnderstand Heare the word of the Lord ye children Osea against ◠impenitent sinners Cap. 4. of Israel for the
Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land By swearing and lying and killing stealing and whoring they break out bloud toucheth bloud yet let none rebuke nor reproue another for thy people are as they that rebuke the priests my people are destroied for â—ack of knowledge because thou hast refused knowledge I will also refuse thee that thou shalt be no Priest to me and seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God I will also forget thy childreÌ„ as they were encreased so they sinned against me they eate vp the sinnes of my people and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie And as theeues waite for a man so the coÌ„pany of the Priests murther in the way by consent for they worke mischiefe Therefore wil I chaÌ„ge their glorie into shame and there shall be like people like Priest for I will visit their waies vpon them and reward them their deedes Their drunkennes stincketh they haue committed whordome their rulers loue to say with shame bring ye whordome and wine and new wine take away their hearts Therefore shall the Land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off The Prophet shall fall with thee in the night and I will destroy thy mother They wil not giue their mindes to turne vnto their God for the spirit of fornication is in the middest of them they haue not knowen the Lord. The Princes of Iudah were like them that remoue their bounds therefore will I powre out my wrath vpon them like water I euen I wil spoile and go away I wil take away and none shall rescue it Wo vnto them for they fled away froÌ„ me destruction shal be vnto them because they haue transgressed against me though I haue redeemed them yet haue they spoken lies against me I haue written to them the great things of my lawe but they were counted as a straÌ„ge thing and they consider not in their heart that I remember all their wickednes Now their owne inuentions haue beset them about they are in my sight for the wickednes of their inuentions I wil cast them out of mine house I will loue them no more all their Princes are rebels my GOD will cast them away because they did not obey and they shall wander amongst the nations They turne iudgement to woormewood Amoâ— against impeniteÌ„t sinners cap. 5. and leaue off righteousnes in the earth they haue hated him that rebuked in the gate and they abhorred him that speaketh vprightly therefore the prudent shaâ—l keep silence in that time for it is an euill time for I know your manifold transgressions your mighty sinnes they afflict the iust they take rewards and they oppresse the poore in the gate Therefore the Lord God of Hostes the Lord saith thus mourning shall be in all the streetes they shall say in all the high waies alas alas and they shall call the husbandmen to lamentation and such as can mourn to mourning Behold the daies come saith Cap. 8. the Lord God that I wil send a famine in the land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord they shall wander from sea to sea and from the north euen to the east shall they runne to and fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shall not finde it Behold the eies of the lord Gap 9. are vpon the sinfull kingdome and I will destroy it cleane out of the earth and I will slay the last of them with the sword he that flieth of them shall not fly away and he that escapeth of them shall not be deliuered though they dig into hell thence shall mine hand take them though they climbe vp to heauen thence will I bring them downe and though they hide themselues in the top of Carmell I wil search and take them out thence and though they be hid froÌ„ my sight in the bottom of the Sea there will I command the serpent and hee shall bite them and though they go into captiuity before their enemies theÌ„ce will I command the sworde and it shall slay them and I will set mine eies vpon them for euill and not for good For behold the Lord commeth out of his place and will come downe and Micheas against impenitent sinners cap. 1. tread vpon the high places of the earth and the mountaines shall melt vnder him So shall the valleies cleaue as wax before the fire and as the waters that are powred downeward Woe vnto theÌ„ Cap. 2. that imagine iniquitie and worke wickednes vpon their beds when the morning is light they practise it because their hand hath power and they couet fields and take them by violence and houses and take them away so they oppresse a man and his house euen man and his heritage the women of my people haue you cast out from their pleasant houses and from their children haue you taken away my glory continually They that prophecied prophecie you not they shall not prophecie vnto theÌ„ neither shall they take shame if a man walke in the spirit and would lie falsely saying I will prophecie vnto thee of wine strong drinke he shall euen bee the Prophet of this people Therefore thus saith the Lord behold against this family haue I deuised a plague whereout ye shall not pluck your necks and ye shall not go so proudly for this time is euill Thus saith the Lord coÌ„cerning the Prophets that deceiue my people and bite them with their teeth and cry peace if a man put not in their mouthes they prepare warre against him the heads thereof iudge for rewardes and the Priests therof teach for hire the Prophets thereof prophecie for money yet will they leane vpon the Lord and say is not the LORD amongst vs no euill can can come vpon vs. They hate the good and loue the euill they pluck the skins from them and their flesh from their bones and they eate also the flesh of my people and fley off the skinne from them and they breake their bones and chop them in pieces as for the pot and as the flesh within the caldron For the Cap. 6. rich men thereof are full of cruelty and the inhabitants thereof haue spokn lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouthes Shal I iustifie the wicked ballances the bag of deceitfull waights therefore also wil I make thee sicke in in smiting thee and in making thee desolate because of thy sinnes thou shalt eate and not be satisfied and thy casting downe shal be in the middest of thee and thou shalt take hold but shalt not deliuer and that which thou deliuerest will I giue vp vnto the sworde Will the Lord bee pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousaÌ„d riuers of oile shall I giue my first borne for my transgression euen the fruit of my bodie for the sinne
reioicings of peace and grant me the blessings of forgiuenes and do away the wickednesse that I haue done that I may appeare cleane vnto thee as thou madest me and receiue mee againe into fauour and if thou answere vnto my Soule thou hast deserued damnation Lord I confesse that I haue sinned aboue the number of the sand of the sea and my transgressions are exceeding many I did not thy will neither kept I thy commandements â— am not worthy to behold and see the height of the heauens for the multitude of mine vnrighteousnes but I lay before thee betweene mine euill deserts and thine vnsearchable and terrible iudgement the death and sufferings of my sauiour and redeemer which hath giuen his most precious body to be broken and his blessed bloud to be shed as a iust recompence for all mine offences in whom only thou art pleased through whom thou canst not be offended with me receiue O Lord the merits of his precious death and passion for those merits which I ought to haue had and alas haue not now Lord I say againe I put the most cleare shining and glorious bodie of thy beloued Sonne my Lord and sauiour betweene me thy wrath betweene my sinfull soule and thy feareful and terrible iudgements in the triumphant victorious merits of his most precious death and passion I commend my soule LORD into thine handes for in that that I liue now in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me giuen himselfe for mee through whom and for whose sake I am assured that thou wilt saue me that am vnworthy according to thy great mercie Therefore will I praise thee for euer all the daies of my life for all the powers of the heauens praise thee thine is the glorie for euer and euer Amen Finis Oratio pro salute Christianorum Laus Deo Pro salute omnium Christianorum in hac vita peregrinantium breuis hymnus oratio REx tremendae maiestatis Qui saluandos saluas gratis Salua nos fons pietatis Circum Christe nos agnosce Libro vitae nos deposce Cum electis inseri Vt consortes tuae sortis Et a poenis a portis Erâ—amur inferi Tuspes certa miserorum Verus pater orphanorum Te leuamen oppressorum Medicamen infirmorum Solus semper Christus es Te laâ—damus voce pari Lanâ—e dignus singulari Vt errantes in hoc mari Nos in portu salutari Sistaâ— tua gratia Supplicamus nos emenda Emendatos nos commenda Tuo patri ad habenda Sempiterna gaudia Amen De salutifera mortis memoria carmina composita ex diuersis authoribus TEmpora longa tihi noli promittere vitae Quocuuque ingrederis sequitur mors corpus vt vmbra Vita quid â—st hominis nisi vallis plena malorum Principio medio fine dolenda suo Curalabor morbus tui mentem membra dolorem Multa frequens varians occupat angit alit Nunquam bellaborus nunquam discrimina desunt Et cum quo certet mens pia semper habet Cum bene pugnaris cuncta subacta putaris Quae magis in testat vincenâ—a superbia restat Vnde super bit homo cuius conceptio culta Vita labor nasci poena necesse mori Vitalabor nostra est releuas 〈◊〉 Christe laborem In te fit noster vita beata labor Expectanda dies homini est dicique beatus Ante obitum nemo supremaque funera debet Dulce mori miseris sed mors optata recedit Et cum tristis erit praecipitata venit Vermis adhuc spiras moriturus forte sub horam Mors etenim certa est funeris hora later Qui modo sanus erat nunc lecto aegrotus adharet Estque cinis subito qui modo ciuis erat Vâ—na saâ—us hominis vanus decor omnia vana Inter vana nihil vaniuâ— est homine Post hominem vermis post vermem foetor horror Sic in non hominem vertitur omnis homo Omnia terrena per vices sunt aliena Nunc mea nunc huius post mortem nescio cuius Omnia mors tollit quam nulla potentia mollit Et redit ad nihilum quod fuit ante nihil Omnia peribunt sic ibimus ibit is ibunt Omnia mors delet omnia morte cadunt Quod potes instanter operare bonum quiae mundus Transit incaâ—tos mors inopina rapit Tendimus huc omnes haec est domus vltima cunctis Panditur ad nullus ianua nigra preces Nudus vt in mundum veni sic nudus abibo Ereptis opibus spes mea Christus erit Qui moritur Christo vinit qui viuus in illo est Non moritur non est mors vbi Christus adest Mors tua Christe mihi vita est victoria regnum Labe mea morior sanguine viuo tuo Vt viuas morior nulla est dilectio maior Mortem morte demo ne moriariis homo Itaque peruigili cura meditare futura Semper habens memorimente necesse mori De dulcissimo nomine Iesu hymnus Dulcissimus Sancti Bernardi IEsus dulcis memoria Dans vera cordis gaudiaâ— Sed super mel omnia Dulcis eius praesentia Nil canitur suauius Auditur nil iucundius Nil cogitatur dulcius Quam Iesu Dei filius Iesus spes poenitentibus Quam pius es petentihus Quam bonus te quaerentibus Sed quid inuenientibus Iesus dulcedo cordium Fons vitae lumen mentium Excedit omne gaudium Et omne desiderium Nec lingua potest dicere Nec lingua exprimere Expertus nouit tenere Quid sit Iesum diligerâ— Iesum quaeram diluculo Clause cordis cubiculo Priuatim in populo Quaeram amore sedulo Iesus rex amabilis Triumphator nobilis Dulcedo ineffabilis Et totus defiderabilis Mane nobiscum domine Nos replens tuo lumine Mentis pulsa caligine Tuapasce dulcedine Cum cor nostrum visit as Tunc lucet ei veritas Mundi vilescit vanitas Et intus feruet charitas Amor Iesu dulcissimus Est vere suâ—uissimus Plus millies graâ—issimus Quam dicere sufficimus Hoc probat eius passio Hoc sanguinis effusio Per quam nobis redemptio Datur Dei visio Sic amantem diligite Amoris vicem reddite In hoc amore currite Et vota votis addite Ista saepe reuoluite Amorâ—m pium pascite Iesum ardenter quaeriâ—e Quaerendo inardescite Iesus auctor clementiae Totius spes laetitiae Dulcoris fons gratiae Et verae cordis dilitiae Iesu benigne sentiam Dulcoris tui copiam Trâ—he me fac vt sitiam Tuam videre gloriam Cum digne loqui nequeam De te tamen non sileam Amor facit vt audeam Cum solum de te gaeudeâ—m Tuâ— Iesu dilectio Grata mentis refectio Replet siâ—e fastidio Dans famem desiderio Quite gustant esuriunt Qui bibunt ad huc sitiunt Desiderare