cure her leprosie and to remedy her loathsomenesse She is proued a bastard vine and degenerated to a soure grape A froward bowe which will rather flie in peeces then come to the bent A fruitlesse and barren soile not answerable to the sowers hope Against thee her God she hath lifted vp her hand against the omnipotent she hath vaunted her feathers With a proude gate and lofty countenance she hath stalked against thee as though she would checke thee to thy face She saith I am safe in the midest of waters my shippes are my brasen wall Yet is she flesh and not a spirit a worme and not a God Be it that she soareth as high as an Eagle shee should be reached with thy arrowe but spare her O Lord. Be it she were as stronge as steele shee should bee dashed in peeces by thy fury but mittigate thy wrath She extolleth her selfe in conceipt of prosperity and vannteth her proceedinges in iniquity In a moment canst thou crush her bones and lay her pride in the dust but oh remember thy mercy VVhat-soeuer this people thinketh is meere iniquity all their communication is conspiracy against heauen and treason against thee They haue all made a league with death and concluded a couenant with hell Their feete are svvifte to euill and their handes stronge to doe mischiefe The earth it selfe is infected with wickednesse of the inhabitants and cryeth vnto thee for vengeance And possibly vvould svvallovve them as it did Chore and his company vvere it not for thy elect sake Reuenging fire of Sodome and Gomorrha might be justly feared if the faithfull stayed not thy rodde If any forsake iniquity he is made a pray our chanels flow with bloud Who did euer heare such horrible thinges as this people commit against thee their maker Degenerated is thy vineyarde and turned wilde yealding verjuce for wine Thy darling and vowed Virgin hath giuen ouer her selfe common to all adulteries To Luther and Caluin she hath opened her bosome and to whome so-euer else that would dishonour her She hath sought her louers farre and neere and hired teachers for her itching eares She careth not whome she admit so she admit not thee her first spouse nor whither she runne so she flie from thy face As a woman contemneth her husband so hath she contemned thee and with disdaine turned her backe Defending her iniquity vnder pretext of thy glory she dareth to say I am no adulteresse I am no Apostatrice Her brasen face cannot blush her impudent minde can conceiue no repentance But if she harden her face not to repent harden the face of thy messengers to reprehend If she harden her face to persecute harden thou their face to withstand Confirme the hartes of those thy labourers endue them with strength from aboue and giue successe vnto their endeauours Whose only presence representeth in some sort the state of former times And maintayneth thy holy fire that it goe not out Diminish not their number because of our sinnes and vnworthynesse but encrease it for our better comfort That the daylie foode of our soules we may receiue at their hands and not want their assistance in our extreamities Protect them night and day from their enemies wheresoeuer thy busines detayneth them Embolden our harts with courage from heauen to concurre with them freely in furthering thy seruice Fully thereby to discharge our Christian duty and be partaker of their reward and Crowne So may they build apace the wales of thy Hierusalem and winne innumerable soules to thy Kingdome So may they speedily bring to passe that auncient happinesse may returne So may thy Temples be clensed of their abhominations returning to the vse whereunto they were builded No longer be dennes of Diuels and instruments of thy dishonour Be it so O mighty Patron of thy afflicted be it so And all that loue their Country let this be their daylie teares A CONTEMPLATION OF THE BLESsed state of a Catholike THE FIPT PSALME COME and consider vvith me the sweetnesse of our Lord O all yee that be of his holy congregation Come and consider with me the glory of his Spouse O all yee that dwell in her Tabernacle Come and consider with me the happinesse of your owne soules yee which haue entred into the sanctuary of our God Meditate his goodnes in the night in the day time lift vp your handes vnto his holy Seate Great is he and vvorthy of all prayse thy workes beare witnesse of thee O Lord. Thou hast erected thy Church as thy Kingdome vpon earth her glory shall not depart from the lippes of thy Saintes In thy only Sonne it was founded from the beginning and to the end of the world it shall endure For faithfull art thou in all thy wordes and holy in all thy workes Iust righteous in all thy wayes and perfect in thy determinations As in the sunne-beames thou hast placed this thy Tabernacle that the vertue thereof might comfort the world Vpon an hill thou hast situated thy City whither all people should repaire for lawes and doctrine This is the Queene standing at thy right hand glittering in gold and rich attire Thy Spouse vvhome thou canst not but loue thy turtle which can not but be chast and true The piller of truth whereupon thy faith is builded The rocke against vvhich hell gates shall not preuaile The ship which thou permittest to be tossed but neuer sufferest to be ouerwhelmed The arke ordayned to saue the elect out of which who so is found perisheth euerlastingly The sanctuary of refuge whither to flie from the anger to come The mount of thy sanctification which the right hand hath cōquered The inheritance which thou hast purchased with thy Sonnes bloud A pauilion immoueable vvhose pinnes can neuer bee pulled out whose cordes can neuer be broaken A high and strong Castle vvhose vvalles are Adamant against which no strength can preuaile A massy hard stone vpō whome it lighteth it crusheth him in peeces All benediction thou hast bestowed vpon thy Church vvho hath not her for Mother shall not haue thee for Father In her only thou hast established thy true worship and confirmed it neuer to faile As other people haue Gods none the true God but Christians So may factions adore the also none truly and fruitfully but thy Catholike Church alone Among all trees thou hast chosen one Palme amōg al birds one Doue Among all flowres thou hast preferred one Lilly among all hilles one Sion All nations are thy subjectes and creatures but we thine inheritance Rejoyce and be glad yee inhabitants of Hierusalem among whome is the great and holy one of Israell Yee are all like Gods the true children of the Highest Happy are the eyes vvhich see that yee see and enjoy the presence of him whome yee adore Happy are the eares that heare what yee heare and the harts which are partakers of your instructions No nation vnder heauen hath a God so potent so louing so neere to them which
SEAVEN SPARKES OF THE ENKINDLED SOVLE WITH FOVRE LAMENTATIONS WHICH COMPOSED in the hard times of Queene Elizabeth may be vsed at all times when the Church hapneth to be extreamely persecuted Drawne out of the holy Scriptures after the forme of Psalmes By R. B. P. In my meditation breaketh out fire Psal 38. Is any of you sadde let him pray Is he of a calme minde let him Psalme Iac. 5. v. 13. IHS Printed with licence TO THE VERY WORSHIPFVLL MY EVER-HONOVRED Mother B.B. encrease of all good in him who is the only good TO many wee owe much to sundry their certayne dueties to friends kindred clyents neighbours to instructors gouernors but vnto our parentes we owe all we owe our selues Of which eminent prerogatiue although Christians can not be ignorant through the frequent commendation thereof in the word of God as which beganne in the a Exod. 20 ten Commaundementes was by our b Math 15. Sauiours blessed mouth recommended by c Ephes 6. S. Paul noted to be the first Commaundement hauing a promise thereunto annexed so neither were the Heathens so destitute of natures light but that they alwayes held this as a high principle The great reuerence of d 3. Reg. 3. King Salomon towarde his mother is to be read in the booke of Kings and no lesse rare example had the Gentiles of e Plut. Cleobis Biton who submitted their owne shoulders to the drawing of their Mothers Chariot f 1. Tim. 5. And the Apostle expresly commaunded children to yeald requitall vnto their aged parents saying that it was acceptable commendable in the sight of God so to doe That same by way of Prouerbe drawne from the Storke committed they to an eternall care and memory gladly also at all times reciting that memorable nature of this bird which is Antipelargein that the younger fostreth againe the elder of whome before he was fed and bred vp Let this litle labour of mine be in some sort to play the Storke although in a contrary yet most equiualent sort of foode such surely as in this time of my long absence from you wil be as acceptable I doubt not to receiue as it was gratefull to minister it shal prooue as cordiall in the vse as it was paynefull in the composition Liue you to God who also preserue you Your Sonne with all loue and duty R. B. TO THE DEVOVTLY AFFECTED AND enduring Catholikes THANKES ought vve alvvayes to rēder vnto God for you DEARE BRETHREN as worthy and meete it is 2 The. 1.3 for that your faith highly encreaseth the charity of each of you towardes other aboundeth so that other nations glory in the Church of God for your patience and faith in all the persecutions and tribulations vvhich you sustayne to an example of GODS just judgment that yee may be accounted vvorthy of the Kingdome of GOD for which yee also suffer Persist yee that our joy may be full a Phil. 2.27 And be not in any thing terrified by the aduersaries what to them is cause of perdition is to you of saluation and this from God for asmuch as to you it is giuen for Christ that not only yee beleeue in him but that yee also suffer for his sake b Ephes 12. Yee were in times past without Christ alienated from the conuersatiō of Israel strangers to the testamēt hauing no hope of the promise without a God in this world But nowe are yee who earst were far off in Christ IESVS become neere in the bloud of Christ for he is our peace c Collos 2.13 Dead when yee vvere in sinnes God reuiued you together with him imparting cōdonation of all your offences d Phil. 1.26 Walke yee therfore worthy of the gospel of Christ e Phil. 2 15. without reprehension in the middest of a wicked peruerse people among whome yee shine as lights in the world f 1. Thes 5.11 Be mutually comfortable and edifie one another as also yee doe g 1. Cor. 2.12 Yee haue not receiued the spirit of this world h 1. Thes 5.2.4 The day of our Lord shal come as a theefe in the night But yee BRETHREN are not in darknes whereby that day might as a theefe catch yee vnwarres for all yee are Sonnes of light Sonnes of God We are not of the night neither of darknes therefore let not vs sleep as doe others but let vs watch and be sober Be instant in prayer watchfull therein in thanksegiuing a Ephes ◠18. Be not inebriate with wine wherein is luxury but be filled with spirit speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes spiritual songs singing and Psalming in your hartes vnto our Lord yealding alwayes thankes for all thinges to God the Father in the name of our LORD IESVS CHRIST b Ioh. 14.13 15.16 16.23 Whatsoeuer is asked in his name it is obtayned Yet c Iac. 4.3 some receiue not because they euilly aske And commonly d Rom. 8.26 vve doe not knowe what we pray as behooueth vs. But e 1. Ioh. 5.14 this is the comfort which we haue to Godward in that whatsoeuer we shall request according to his will he heareth vs. Not the Author but sacred Authority AN INVOCATION OF GODS AIDE FOR CEASSING THE AFFLICTION OF his Church THE FIRST PSALME O MY LORD O my God how long wilt thou deferre the deliuery of thy people Arise and free vs O Lord arise O Lord and saue vs. Helpe vs thou in our tribulations for vaine is the aide of man Accomplish gratiously what thou mercifully seemest to beginne shewe forth the amiable light of thy countenance By the hand of thy great seruant IAMES shake off our yoake that we may finde him an honourable comforter Beautifie him with a name more pretious then his Crowne by the true name of a good King Deserue he the resemblance of thy owne Title Prince of peace Least they which vexe vs exalt their hartes for euer and magnifie themselues in their iniquities Thou hast tried vs as the Diamond is tried by hammers or gold in the fornace Thou hast chastised vs throughly for our offences nowe spare vs for thy mercy To thee lift we vp our eyes who dwellest in the heauens and sittest vpon the Cherubins As slaues in their Masters fury or handmaides at their Mistris feete Attend from thy heauenly throne vnto our cry for exceedingly haue we beene oppressed Howe many are the dayes of our afflictions when wilt thou doe vs fauour and bowe our Persecutors vnto pittie Thine we are thy children and thy seruants the scattered and oppressed sheepe of thy pasture Preserue vs for we haue embraced thy wayes and diligently searched thy commaundementes For which cause we sustayne the note of folly and madnes and are a daylie laughing stock to each wicked person Reputed also as vnworthy to liue and enemies to our deare country Our acquaintance haue vvithdrawne themselues from
the counsaile of the sage He buildeth breaketh scepters and bringeth wisardes to their wittes end Pharao was by his plagues compelled to let the children of Israell Sacrifice in liberty Cyrus by his aide conquered the Oppressor dissolued by his instinct the long captiuity of Iuda A second Cyrus hath he stirred vp confirming his scepter for the good of his people He shal likewise bring the Infants of Sion from all quarters of their banishment joyfully shall they returne from forraigne landes And those Countries where now they harbour shall finde succour in this Isle to their ovvne necessities Thrise happy are yee who shall see those dayes your hartes shall be replenished with joy There shal not be any more grief misery and tribulation But persecution shal be recoumpted with mirth as persons arriued discourse of shipwracke The arme of the malignant being broaken our LORD shall raigne in mens hartes for euer and euer The tempestuous night being passed a perpetuall day shall be our comfort Which if we liue to see to haue suffered for Christ shall be a joy during life If we die before we rest in assured confidence of a happy resurrection And alwayes an immaculate conscience shall bee a svveete odour to the Almighty and a banquet to our selues By affliction our soules are purged of their drosse and their imperfections consumed By persecution we are tried as by the fanne whether we will be carried away with euery wind They which nowe stand shall be planted afresh as a glorious generation and be as principall stones in restauration of the Temple Aboundantly shall Gods mercies recompence their losses gladnesse shal exceede their sorrowes an hundred-fold All that shall see them shall know and say these are they which would not bowe to Baall Constant Confessors of Christ Iesus the only glory of our nation Iust is God in his judgementes and hath ordayned a time wherein to remember vs. His comming shall be as a sweete showre to the parched ground and as a labourers vvages at the vveekes end Cease shall our bondage and he shall blesse vs vvith an eternall liberty His truth his justice his Priestes his Sacrifice shal no more be taken away For a moment he afflicted vs but for euer shall his consolation endure Nowe therefore shew your selues men yee that endure for justifying your faith Runne forward without wearines atchieue vvithout fainting a happy course A Crowne hangeth ouer your heades vnspeakeable blisse is prepared for you God himselfe shall be your great reward your hope is full of immortality A DEEPE RECOGITATION OF THE FIRST conuersion of the English nation to the faith of Christ and the continuance thereof THE THIRD PSALME MY hart melteth and my bowels tremble while I conferre the times O my God The times of this our miserable age with the golden dayes of our forefathers We haue heard with our eares and thy Scribes haue commended to eternall memory The worke that thou wroughtest one thousand yeares past in conuerting our Auncestors to the faith To a people that sate in darknesse and shadowe of death it pleased thee to shew the light of thy countenance That the reliques of an Heathen nation should be saued that no people should be exempt from knowledge of thy lawe and title to thy glory Thou preparedst thine elect seruant Gregory to gouerne the Apostolike Sea A Pastor like Dauid according to thine owne hart Who vvith great care executing his charge fulfilled perfectly the name and office of a watchman Thou stirredst vp his hart to enterprise the conuersion of the English And enflamedst his minde with zeale of dilating thy name vnto the endes of the world While he was yet priuate thou hadst sent of our youth to be sold at Rome Intending thereby the accomplishment of thy purposed mercy They were brought to the Market-place to be cheapned as beastes price was set vpon them as slaues Endevved yet vvith reasonable soules and such visages as commended the excellency of thy beautifull workmanship Iust neuerthelesse was their present condition vvho vvere bruite beastes by sinne and slaues of the Diuell by infidelity Thy holy seruant sawe them and his hart yearned at their calamity But thou inspiredst him that their saluation was neare and that himselfe should be the instrumēt thereof Thou placedst thy wordes in his lips and hearing that they were called Angles he said To Angels this nation must be vnited whome in countenance they so resemble Vnderstāding their Prouince was called Deira and their King Aëlle He inferred that deliuered from Gods ire indignation they shortly should sing Alleluia After this O Lord thou diddest raise vp Gregory to be supreame Pastor of thy vniuersall flocke Thou gauest him both ability and will to compasse that which he had before thirsted And to finish the worke which thou secretly hadst in hand He sent Augustine thy approoued Priest with a chosen company fit for so great and holy an enterprise A long and weary some way they passed but thou easedst their trauaile with daylie consolation In the midst of their journey their courage languished but thou confirmedst them afresh Through straunge landes and vncouth wayes they passed but thy hand euermore protected them They crossed the Seas and came to an Island whose tongue they vnderstood not Thou didest alwayes assist them and wert a present aide to their necessities Thou art Lord of the Isles no lesse then of the continent neither doth distance of places abridge thy power Thus thou broughtest Monkes from beyond the high insuperable Alpes to kindle in Infidels hartes the fire of thy loue At their entrance they bare before them the triumphant signe of the Crosse the badge of Christians the memory of our Redemption A token that they preached the Sonne of Man crucified a protestation of their faith and profession They sange the sacred Litanies with loude voice inuocating Saints and Angels to their assistance Grace thou gauest them in the sight of Princes and our Country beganne to yeald her fruits The seede vvhich they sovved tooke roote and yealded encrease apace Through many tempestes and stormes it preuailed through contradictions it augmented the more They conquered this land to thy CHRIST and subdued all mens hartes to thy Gospell Possessing the Prouinces not by the sword but in thy word not in their arme but in thy spirit They established the function of thy holy Altar wherein thy Sonne is both Priest and Sacrifice They administred the seauen SACRAMENTES and planted the vvhole Doctrine of the Catholike Church They laide a firme foundation of their forefathers faith with the honourable rites thereunto appertayning And once more this Island flourished afresh recouering her auncient glory Which many yeares before shee had attayned by embracing the Christian faith Vaunting her selfe to be the first Christian Prouince of the world the eldest child of the Church The faithful throughout the earth rejoyced at her Religious example Singing her happy choice and celebrating her with Titles some of
safe on the land see others suffer shipwracke Had we stolne ordinary fauour might be found appeached of murder we might be succoured But now for our conscience vvee finde no mercy neither can supplication finde grace To prison we are drawne laid vp close Rods are made ready for vs racks and other engins of torture are prepared He that escapeth best lieth long forgotten enduring the designments of his Keepers fury Thus are we become like outcasts of this world like vile ragges which are throwne out of dores Euery day bringeth his load of affliction no place can recline our heades in safety Comfort we haue none but only this thou art on high and in thy handes lieth the lotte of our fortune We are brought exceeding lowe as lowe as wormes of the earth Vpon which passengers treade and bigger creatures make their pray Neyther haue wee at any time rest neyther finde we in any place security If for a space our Persecutors relent it is to reenforce their cruelty If a calme arise in one place the sword rageth in many others vvith double seuerity If they pretend any fauourable remission it is only in regard of farther policy Who is yet free can not warrant himselfe any little vvhile from their fingers And who thinketh himself secure is often times in most daunger The day layeth vs open the night can giue vs no assurance At home we are caught by searches in the wayes we are apprehended by watches False brethren are mingled among vs and by fayned friendes we are oft betrayed No wit is equall to the malice of our foes hardly can any fore-sight frustrate their diligence No not their sinfull subtilty who seldome seeke thy gratious Sacramentes more trusting their ovvne policy then thy diuine prouidence In this wise while prisons are filled with thy seruants or that otherwise they are had in pursuit Families runne to ruine and children want necessary education Of this fathers feele in their harts the griefe and mothers doe often complayne But better is thy grace then great wealth and a cleane soule then exquisite learning To this and all other tribulations giue an end O blessed Father of heauen Ioyfully that we may serue thee in holynesse and piety in peace and security The second Lamentation WHY number we our temporall detrimeÌ„ts O most bounfull Lord which are the least part of our present calamity And lament not rather our spirituall losses the diminishing of thy glory Not our priuate damages not our earthly discommodities so much vexe and torment vs. But the zeale of thy faith consumeth vs thy dishonour is the great corasiue Reproches against thy Religion wee repute as our owne daylie they light vpon vs as a tempest of stones We pine away to see thy lawe forgotten and die for griefe that thy ordinances are despised Mourning to consider the kingdome of darknesse so enlarged and impiety so deepely rooted In our captiuity we weep amaine calling to minde the calamity of thy Church For neither can we sing thy notes hauing lost our Temple Nor with worthy magnificence celebrate thy Mysteries being so impouerished and spoyled Nor haue any harty gladnesse being abridged of thy most honourable Seruice Because of this our VIRGINE mourne our young-men lament our aged wring their handes Our Priests girt with haire offer Sacrifice as in the dayes of Iudith For why our lightes are fewe in number our solemne Seruice is impared Organs musicke are laid aside the melody of Sion is out of vse Our glory is in captiuity our ornaments are in the enemies hand Susteinance of our soules is barred from the conduits of saluation we are excluded Pretious and rare in these dayes is thy worde thy holies are seldome seene No otherwise liue thy Priests with the rest of thy seruants then as in the time of Elias when they were hidden in caues They are put to silence who would raise vp Iacob to remorse and conuert Israell from her Apostasie Few are left to instruct people in the way of justice and teach wreatches to shunne sinne With grones people seeke the supersubstantiall foode Neither without danger of death search they spirituall refection The pathes are beset with enuious eyes in passage to thy holy rites our steps are watched Little ones craue the bread which came from heauen and there is none to giue it them They which had sometime the celestiall Manna at wil die in the streets for hunger He which feedeth thereon liueth for euer and hee which doth not can haue in him no life yet is it taken from vs. Abolished are Confirmation and holy Chrisme principall armour vnto Christian constancie The reuerent rites of Baptisme are quite rejected as vnprofitable The Diuell rejoyceth that hee is not adjured but may dwell in infants from their first natiuity Matrimony is concluded to be a prophane bargaine neither blessing nor grace belonging thereunto Orders are none at all where thy Priestes sate enstalled raigne those whose persons are not sacred Blinde guides vnfaithfull watchmen dogges dumbe to the theefe barking at the houshold Hirelinges they peele the woole suffering the sheepe to perish They runne and were not sent take charge of soules without vocation In at the windowe they came and not at the dore they cry The Lord the Lord he spake not vnto them Worne out in prison are al thy true Bishops no one is aliue to sustayne thy flocke Prophecies miracles and visions are taken away rarely reuealest thou the secrets of thy Kingdome No publike Altar incense or oblation either resembled or verified is the time of Antichrist Ah howe are golden times turned to drosse our plate to pewter To adore thee in spirit and truth is heynous to be present at thy Altar is a grieuous penalty To vnburden conscience at feete of a spiritual father is a matter of life At the houre of death it selfe absolution is denied the extreamity auaileth not to pardon The holy Vnction ordayned for our better passage is not permitted So that without just preparation vvee must enter combate vvith our deadly enemy Bookes for edification and prayer are committed to the flame whatsoeuer serueth vs to deuotion is destroyed If they finde thy holy Mysteries they tread them vnder feete the furniture of thy glory is their pray Ornaments and vesselles consecrated to thy seruice are prophaned to priuate vses as in the captiuity of Babylon At monuments of thy Sonnes passion or representation of thy Saints they vpbraid vs with Gods and Idolatry Defacing thy memories they pretend thy honour and blaspheming thy friends they alleadge thine owne Commaundement Lighting vpon reliques they reuile them if they finde the memoriall of thy death about vs they pronounce vs Traytors If they catch a Priest a hundred Dâ—â—egs are at hand vvhich dare lay violent hand vpon thine anointed Who concealeth the guide of his soule is not Caesars friend Abdias is not innocent If any deuout Sunamite harbour Elias her offence is vnpardonable Who reuerenceth the highest
the riuers of the valleys nor al the showres of heauen are able to wash away the stayne and shame No sope nor scowring can clense the crime no darknesse nor death it selfe can hide it No continuance of time nor the age of the world shall make it forgotten Other nations heare of it hardly beleeue it because such cruelty hath scarse seemed possible Posterity shall read of it and wonder all generations to come shall detest the fact Our Persecutors owne issue shall blush to heare the outragious actes of their auncestors Barbarous death of innocentes is much yet to misreporte the cause augmenteth the despite Refusall to commit an act against conscience call they rebellion not to deny the Catholike faith they tearme felony and treason Traytors indeed such as were thy chosen Apostles when forbidden to preach the truth Such as the Primitiue Christians when by Heathen statutes impugned was Religion Manifest is our guilt and great is our offence vvhen by going to Church all is pardoned All this we endure for thy sake O thou fountayne of grace not reuolting from thy beliefe We haue not forsaken thee least we should be forsaken of thee at the last howre Not denied thee before men least we should be denied of thee before thine Angels Turne therefore vnto vs thy gratious countenance wherewith thou cheerest the world Giue eare to our prayers consider of our complaint Heare the voyce of thy Martirs bloud or at least wise heare their supplication and intercession Whome spoyled of their garment of flesh thou hast clad with robes of immortality The fourth Lamentation THE garland of glory is fallen from our head the beauty of thy City is defaced O God the beholder of our combatte be mindfull of our abasement vnder the heauy hand of those which hate vs. We hope in thee because we haue knowne thee professed thy name Thou exaltest the humble and regardest a contrite hart Streatch out thy hand to our aide for thou art the buckler and defence of Israell Father of orphans Husband of widowes piller of the poore Teach men not to lift vp themselues vpon earth against thee and thy Saints Let not the memory of thy afflicted be laid aside forget not his patience for euer Cheere vp his just desire ease the mourning of his hart Chastise vs no longer in thy rage nor correct vs with indignation Heale vs for we are bruised haue mercy vpon vs for we are brought exceeding lowe In silence we expect thy long-desired consolation True it is that we deserue more of thy rodde then we feele and before thine anger we sinned If we sinne are our foes righteous if Iacob offend is Esau innocent If Hierusalem please thee not shall Babilon delight thee Wilt thou euermore be angry O Supreame Iudge or canst thou forget mercy Wilt thou serue this Realme as thou hast serued Afrike and Syria To let misbeliefe prepare the way to Infidelity suffering to enter an eternall Apostasie Let not the name of thy Christ Church be exiled let not a faithlesse generation roote vs out Not so O Lord for thy tender kindnesse and mercy pull vs violently out of cruell handes Rouse vp thy selfe like a Giant reuenge the bloud of thy Saints Let not the scourge of the vngodly be alwayes vpon the backs of the just Least they presume saying thou maintaynest their cause and that saluation is on their side Chastise vs with thine owne rod as children and not with the rodde of the vncircumcised Pull the speare out of the enemies rest knappe his launce in sunder and breake his sword Thou dwellest still vvhere thou didst thou art the same God and glory of Israell To thee our forefathers called oppressed by Heathen and thou redeemedst them To thee Catholikes made their moane vnder the yoke of Arrian heretikes and thou didst redresse their bondage So vtterly annihilating the aduerse sect that scant their name remayned vpon earth Euils innumerable compasse vs about howe long wilt thou turne away thy face Not for euer O Lord not for euer we beseech thee Shall so many ignorants yet zealous neuer haue thy light reuealed So many which for want of instruction perish shall they neuer haue true teachers Because diuers which liued in the flourish of thy Church haue set it at naught shall those neuer see it who if they sawe it would neuer forsake it Because many by yealding deserue such a yoke shall they which are constant be alwaies vnder it Shall the few sparkles which thou hast left in the lande be extinguished for lacke of cherishing What if the fathers did eate a soure grape shall the teeth of their children for euer be on edge The wicked wil not worship thee aright shall they therefore be alwayes vexed which worship thee in spirit and truth If thou haue decreed O wisdome incomprehensible concerning that generation which enjoyed the highest glory of thy sanctuary And forsaking their Pastors stood not stedfastly for their Religion in the time of contradiction That they shal pine away by fourty yeares trauaile in the desert neuer enter into the land of promise Nor see the glory of thy second Temple in all Royall magnificence If this be thy holy pleasure the secret counsaile of thy long delayes Or if the number of thy designed Martirs be not yet accomplished to whome by these times thou furnishest a Crowne Or if thou wilt needes haue the secrets of all harts to be opened and rippe vp all dissemblers by long probation That the vvhole vvorld vvorld may behold vvho serued thee from their hart and who followe thee with corrupt intention Or whatsoeuer else the depth of thy designments intendeth by this so long persecution Yet hasten the times for thy deare mercy sake O liuing Lord. Calme the tempest alay the raging wanes Saue vs vvho are daungerously tossed vnite vs who are dispersed and commaunded a-sunder That as one in hart so with one voice in free assemblies we may laude thy holy name extoll thy praises all the day long Giue vs in the meane space patience in our afflictions and ghostly profit by these our temptations Let them neither vvinne vs by vvordes nor vveary vs by cruell deedes O thou which art the saluation of thy people Aide vs O Sauiour glorifie thy selfe in our deliuerance Thou art the God of our forefathers thee only we will magnifie Thou art a zealous God we will not partake in thy dishonour Prepare the feete of thy forerunners let vs heare the noise of their steps approching Reueale the treasures of thy kingdome vvhich haue beene so long suppressed Graunt vs to reape at length with joy who haue a great space sowed in teares In expectation whereof our life vanisheth in griefe our yeares consume in sobs While we powre forth our soules before thee crauing at thy handes saluation Arise O Lord visit thy flocke raise vp the rased walles of Hierusalem Neglect not the vvasting of thy heritage Renewe thy truth vvhich hath beene so long a time without fruit let faith flourish againe like an oliue Then shall all nations feare thy name the Kings of the earth shall haue thy mercy in admiration We shall all vvith one harmony sing glory in thy Temple and sanctifie thy Altars with Sacrifice All generations to come shall prayse thee and make honourable mention of thy great goodnesse Thy Angels of heauen shall magnifie thee the Saints and blessed Spirits shall fall at thy feete and giue thankes Euery soule pray that this may soone come to passe and euery tongue say Amen Come O sweete IESV come FINIS