power I plucked vp my selfe and stode vpon my feete lyftynge vp myn iyes to heuen from whens I hoped for helpe And lo hope with a cherefull countenaunce furnyshed with diuine beames desceÌ„dyng from aboue sayde who is that that enuolueth sentences with vnlerned wordê which setteth bouÌ„des to infinite mercy whiche folyshe persone thinkest to beare the waters of the see in her handê Hast thou not herde the lorde sayeng In what houre soeuer the sinner bewayleth his sinnes none of all his inquities I wyll recorde what man is he that synneth not who can saye my herte is clene The Pater noster belongeth to all in whiche all men are coÌ„pelled to say Dimitte nobis debita nostra Forgyue vs our sinnes Our lorde taught the apostles thus to praye Dothe not than this prayer beloÌ„ge to other Thapostles receyued fyrste the holy ghoste And why taughte he them thus to praye yf they had no synne and yf they had who can glorifie that he is no synner Heare the beloued disciple of the lord Yf we say ê™ he that we haue no sinnes we begyle our selues trouth is not in vs. Iames the apostle In many thiÌ„gê ê™ he we all offende wherfore all haue synned and nede the mercy of god yea the holy men of god For it is writen Seuen tymes a day fall the iuste man and he shal ryse agayne wherfore mercy hath no limittes nor bouÌ„des But so ofte as the synner lameÌ„teth his gylte so ofte he obteyneth mercye Nor it skillethe not whether we speake of greate or of lytle offences Thou hast fallen aryse and mercye shall take the vp Thou shrynkest calle and mercy shall come vnto the. Agayne thou falleste agayne thou shrynkeste turne the to the lorde and the bowelles of his pitie shall open to the. Thou falleste the thyrde tyme and the fourthe Knocke crye and mercye wyll not forsake the. As ofte as thou synnest so ofte ryse agayne mercy shall haue none ende why dost thou vpbrayde the benefites that thou haste taken o thou wretched woman heuynes Dyd not Dauid the greate prophete receyue many greate benefites Of whom the lorde sayde I haue founde a man accordynge to my herte and yet he synned that greuously as well in aduoutrie as in the murderyng of a good and innocent persone and yet the lorde ended not his mercy in hym what bryngest thou the synne of pryde Dyd not Dauid lyfte vp his herte caused to nuÌ„bre the people of Israel For he gloried as though he had ben a greate kynge and a myghtye in his owne strengthe and puissauÌ„ce and yet he was not reiecte for this why For he dyd not hyde his syn he dyd not bost it as Sodoma dyd but he sayd I wyll coÌ„fesse agayÌ„st my selfe myn iniustice to the lorde wherfore mercye hath set no limites nor boundes vnto her selfe but the wicked dampned ê‘sones do set endes to them selues that they may not passe vnto it for she coÌ„meth to them but they dryue her away wherfore it is writen Thy perdition Israel is of thy selfe of me only is thy helpe Open thy mouthe saythe mercy and I wyll fylle it Holde out thy bosome I wyll gyue the a good measure and heaped full and flowynge ouer Continue in prayers and wepynge For he that hath begon to loue the and prouoke the with benefites and graces to his loue wyl not leaue the but gyue the encreast and perfourme rather his worke what naturall cause begynneth a worke leaueth in the myd way The vertue of sede ceasseth not vntyll it hath broughte the frute to perfection what byrde leaueth her yonge before they be able to rule them selues why do they this what profite coÌ„meth vnto them of this None truelye but onely labour Loue than coÌ„pelleth the natural causes to brynge theyr effectes to ê‘fection goodnes coÌ„pelleth them whiche they couet to poure out for goodnes alwayes diffundeth it selfe If than the creatures do this what shall the creator do for he is the selfe loue he is infinite goodnes Shall not he make ê‘fecte his worke Heare the lorde Iesus It is my worke ê™ he to do the wyll of hym the sente me that I shulde make perfecte his worke He than that began to loue the with his giftes and free benefites to allure the vnto hym to â—â—ense the and also to pourge the from synne without doubte he wyll make perfecte his worke for these be the preparations of euerlastynge lyfe why therfore nowe whan thou fellest werte thou not broused was it not bicause the lorde dyd put vnder his hande And why dyd he put vnder his hande why dyd he turne to the thy herte why dyd he prouoke the to repentauÌ„ce why dyd he conforte the was it not bicause he wolde make the cleaue sticke vnto hym and make the worthy his grace brynge the to euerlastyng lyfe These be not illusions and thy imaginations but diuine inspirations But be it let them be imaginatioÌ„s be they not good Do they not come from the vertue of fayth wherfore syth all good issueth from god vndoubtedly these imaginations are diuine illuminations Reioyse therfore in these wordes At these wordes my herte was so coÌ„forted that for ioye I began to syng sayeng Dominus illuminatio mea et salus mea quem timebo DnÌ„s protector vite mee a quo trepidabo ¶ That is to say The lorde is myn enlyghtnyng and my helthe whom shall I feare ¶ The lorde is the ê“tectour of my lyfe of whom shall I be abashed ¶ At the feete of the lorde prostrate with wepynge I sayd Lorde though a felde be pytched agaynst me my herte shall not feare for my fortitude my refuge arte thou and for thy names sake thou shalte bryng me out and nouryshe me ¶ An ende of the exsposition of Hierome of Ferrarie vpon the psalme of In te domine speraui whiche preuented by deathe he coulde not fynyshe Mens cujusque is est Quisque SP
the lorde thou hast synned be sory for it be content that thrugh his grace thy synnes is forgyuen the. My sonne despise not the correction of the lorde neyther faynt thou whan thou arte checked of hym for whom the lorde loueth he chastiseth he scourgeth euery chylde that he receyueth Continue than in affliction god shewethe hym selfe to the as vnto his sonne And though there be fewe chosen chyldren of god hauynge regarde to the disalowed yet there be innumerable that shal be saued Nor there is not only one Mary Magdalen one thefe one Peter one Paule for innumerable haue folowed theyr steppes doinge penauÌ„ce and are receyued of the lorde rewarded with many and great gyftes of grace nor mercye is no lesse in her workes than iustice For mercy gyueth so great good thyngê to rightwyse men that her workes do farre excede the workes of iustice Knowest not that the earthe is ful of the mercy of god what creature can glorie that he hath receiued any thyÌ„g whiche hath not taken it of the mercy of god And yf thou haste greuouslye offended god yet his mercye is greater than all the sinnes of the worlde Trouble not thy selfe for the multitude greuousnes of thy sinnes Hath not mercy now come reÌ„nyng met the Hath she not taken the vp and kyssed the Lo thou dydest falle and thou werte not hurte And why so Arte thou not afrayle vessell whiche yf it fall muste nedes be broused onles some body put vnder his hande why than whan thou fellest werte thou not hurte who dyd put vnder his hande who but the lorde This is a great signe that thou arte electe for the electe whan he falleth shall not be broused for the lorde wyll put vnder his hande Dothe not the apostle write that to them that loue god all thynges worke to good In so moche that the very synne worketh them to good Dothe not that falle worke them to good wherby they be made bothe humbler and warer Doth not the lorde receiue hym whiche is receyued of humilitie Thou hast loued the lorde many yeres for his loue thou haste laboured After thou dydest lyfte vp thy herte and walke in the vanite of thy wytte the lorde withdrewe his hande and thou fell and in to the depnes of the see thou dydest desceÌ„de Howe be it the goodnes of the lorde forthwith put vnder his haÌ„de and thou werte not broused Say than whan I was violently shoued forthe I was ouerturned that I mought fall and the lorde toke me vp Not so the wycked not so whom god hath reiected whan they falle they ryse not agayne but eyther with greate shame they excuse theyr synnes or elles they haue the boldenes of an harlot and after they neyther feare god nor man Aryse than be of a stronge herte be myghttie and valiaunt abyde the lorde and do manfully and let thy herte be enstreÌ„gthed and suffre the lorde Thou hast proued thyn owne prowesse howe it is of no force Than humble nowe thy selfe vnder the puissauÌ„t hande of god and henseforth be more ware Pacience is necessarie to the wtout ceassynge pray and the lorde shall heare the in due tyme. Aryse than and lay away al heuines from thy selfe embrace the feete of the lorde and he shall saue and delyuer the. These wordes sayd she was rauyshed in to heuen leauynge me enstrengthed and wonderfully conforted whom forthwith with all my herte ensuenge I stode before god fallyng downe before my sauiours feete I sayd with a bolde confidence ¶ â—to mihi in deum ê“tectorem in domuni retugii vt saluum me facias ¶ That is to say Be vnto me a god protectour and an house of refuge that thou mayst saue me ¶ For thou god arte of all the greatest and the strongest thou the redemer sauiour of all thou the ê“tectour of the faythfull to the I flee boldely Hope hath brought me in hope whiche thou so dearely doste loue whom thou haste alwayes coÌ„mended vnto vs with her haue I not feared to come before thy face I graunte I am vnworthy but she drew me I feared to approche nere for my manyfolde sinnes but she hath encouraged me Lo she standethe before the she beareth wytnesse I speake to my lorde being my selfe flesshe and a synner hope taughte me and sayd to me that boldely I shuld open my mouthe Swete and gentle ê™ she is the lord he wyll not dryue the away he wyll not be angrye he wyl gladly heare what soeuer thou desirest he wyl gyue I beleued for whiche cause I spake But coÌ„syderyng thy maiestie I was greately humbled and I sayd in my traunce euery man is a lyar I wyll neuer more truste in man but in the onely thou onely arte faythefull in all thy wordes and euery man is a lyar what shall I yelde the oh lorde for all that thou hast gyuen vnto me The cuppe of saluatioÌ„ I wyll take for from henseforthe I wyll lyue not vnto me but vnto the doinge good for thy loue I wyll suffre all euyls I wyll not do this thrugh myn owne myghte but I wyll call on the name of the lorde My vowes I wyll yelde to all thy people For in the syght of god the deathe of his sayntes is precious Be than vnto me a god ê“tectour defende me from myn enemies Myn enemies are my synnes whiche ê“uoke thy ryghtwysenes agaynst me I shall not be able to stande agaynst them yf thou dost not protecte me Let thy mercy be my shylde lorde with the shylde of thy good wyll crowne me I haue nothing to offre vnto him wherw t I may teÌ„pre his furour al that I bryng with me accuse me wherfore I wyl offre thy passion lorde Be not displeased lord god but rather be vnto me god ê“tectour vnder thy wyngê ê“tecte me with thy shulders shadow me vnder thy fethers I wyl trust what shal iustice do to me if thou kepest me vnder thy protection She wyll holde her peace lorde and put vp the swerde of her furie she shall be made tame and gentle seinge the goodnes of thy incarnation beholdyng the woundes of thy passion consyderyng the bloude of thy charitie she wyll departe fro me say Be mery sonne thou haste founde me eate in peace slepe reste together with me Be therfore lorde to me a god protectour an house of refuge that in the tyme of rayne and storme in tyme of teÌ„ptations I may flee vnto the for in the onely is my helth be thou vnto me a house of refuge open vnto me thy syde persed with the speare that I may entre the breste of so tender loue in whiche I may be safe from the feblenes of spirite from teÌ„pest hyde me in thy tabernacle in the day of euyls protecte me in an angle of thy tabernacle let it be the house of my refuge that thou mayste make me safe for I can not be but safe in the house of thy refuge for thou hast put thy
repentauÌ„ce Plucke me out lorde from the hande of the maliciouse delyuer me from the bondes of sunne take me from the snare of death leade me out of the depnes of helle saue me from oppression and the harde bondage of heuynes that my mynde may ryse vp and ioye in the and that I may blysse the all the days of my lyfe I thanke the lorde in Iesu my sauiour for accordyng to the multitude of my sorowes in my herte thy coÌ„fortes haue reioysed my soule wherfore I wyll alwayes truste in the and I wyll for my parte adde vnto all thy prayse Thou lord bowe thin eare vnto me hasten that to plucke me out Alas wretche that I am lo agayne heuynes coÌ„meth instructed with terrible armours The banner of iustice goeth before her an innumerable hooste foloweth her feete eche hath a spere in his hande I beholde on euery syde instrumentes of deathe wo be to me I am vndone with an hyghe and horrible voyce she cryeth O wretche that same thy hope hath deceyued the. Lo thou haste laboured in vayne for thou saydest Bowe thyn eare to me hasten the to plucke me out Hath god bowed his eare vnto the Is thy prayer herde where is the delyueraunce where is the conforte Hath god hastened to plucke the out Yet arte thou bounde and a prisoner nothynge is altered If thou beleuest faythe to be trewe why doest onely enbrace hope Knoweste thou not that god is iuste Knowest not his iustice He spared not his angels he pitied not them nor wyll pitie them but for one only synne they be condempned for euermore Adam synned and the iustice of god punyshed the whole mankynde with deathe Thynkest that god doth not as wel loue rightwisenes as mercy Chyldren deê‘tynge in original synne shall neuer se the face of god so rygorous is the iustice of god that for the synne whiche they dyd not but receyued by nature they shall be punyshed with euerlastynge payne For in helle is no redeÌ„ption Knowest not that god spareth not the offender Dyd he not destroy in the tyme of Noe almoste all mankynde Dyd he not consume with fyre Sodoma and the other cities adioynynge vnto it Nor the diuine iustice hath not so moche as taken compassion of infauntes and innocentes Howe ofte punyshed he the Iewes offendynge was not Hierusalem vtterly destroyed by the handes of Nabugodonosor Neyther spared he his owne temple for it was also destroyed of Titus themperour of Rome where the Iues were so cruellye punyshed that there is no man that heareth of it but quaketh for feare But se how sharpe the iustice of god is the children for the fathers are punyshed euyn to this day Beholde the Iues be slaues and captiues in euery place and dyenge in theyr blyndnes are punyshed with euerlastynge paynes Troweste thou the mercye of god is greatter than his iustice Truely in god it is neyther greater nor lesse For what soeuer is in god is his substaunce But let vs consydre the workes of iustice mercy and we shall euidently espie that the workes of iustice do excede the workes of mercy God hym selfe is witnesse sayenge Many be called fewe elected Marke howe many infidels be dampned how many euyl christen men there be howe fewe lyue christianly and thou shalte perceyue anone that there be farre more vessels of iustice thaÌ„ of mercy The electe are the vessels of mercy the refuse the vessels of iustice Let not Mary Magdalen make the truste nor the thefe nor Peter nor Paule for there was but one Mary one thefe one Peter one Paule Trowest thou to be accompted amongest so fewe whiche haste coÌ„mitted so many and so hughe synnes whiche haste ben a sclaunder in the churche whiche haste offended heuen and erthe Lo thyn iyes hath wepte thy herte hath besought mercy and as yet thou haste obteyned none So many prayers of them that loued the be they herde no and why so Surely bicause thou arte reputed amonge the vessels of yre Thy hope hath made the to labour in vayne Folowe my couÌ„sell heuen hath caste the vp the earth receyue the not who can suffre this greate confusion Better it is for the to dye than to lyue chose deathe whiche yf no man wyll brynge vpon the lay handes vpon thy selfe sley thy selfe These wordê she with wonderfull importunitie layde on and all the whole hooste with loude voyces dyd reherse the same sayenge Deathe onely is thy refuge But I hearynge this was sore afrayde and sodeynly felle downe vpon my face cryenge out and sayenge Lorde helpe me lorde forsake me not come my hope come my hope Lo sodeynly hope glysterynge from heuen came downe and touched my syde and lifted me vp and dyd set me on my feete and sayde Howe longe yet shalte thou be a babe Howe longe wylte thou be anouice and a yonge souldier So ofte thou hast ben in batayle and haste walked in the myddes of the darkenes of deathe and hast not yet lerned to fyght Be thou not dismayed of the greate iustice of god be thou conforted thou fayntherted felowe Let them feare whiche be not coÌ„uerted to the lorde whiche walke in theyr owne ways whiche folowe vanities whiche knowe not the way of peace Let the wycked tremble whiche do greuously synne and saye what haue I done whiche be not conuerted to the herte whiche be called and refuse to come they knowe not god and wyll not vnderstaÌ„de that they may do well Let these feare what saythe the apostle It is a dredefull thynge to falle in to the handê of the lyuynge god Suche doubtles the iustice of god punysheth suche men ê‘teyne to her But synners whiche returnynge agayne to them selues do ryse agayne and runne to the father of mercies sayenge Father Luc. xv I haue synned agaynst heuen towardes the but be thou mercyfull vnto me synner Let suche haue truste in the lorde for he that hath drawen them vndoubtedly wyll receyue them iustifie them Let heuynes brynge forthe yf she can one synner were he neuer so greate whiche conuerted to the lorde was not receyued of hym iustified For although it be writen of Esau that he founde no place of repentauÌ„ce though he soughte it with teares This maketh nothynge agaynst vs for Esau dyd not wepe for his synnes that he had coÌ„mitted but for his temporall goodes that he had loste whiche he coulde not recouer Nor thynke not that iustice doth so pertayne to the wycked that it is clene seperate from mercy Nor agayne that mercy doth so belonge to ryghtwyse men that it is clene seuered from iustice For all the ways of the lorde is mercy and veritie For he sheweth mercy also to sinners in gyuynge them for the good dedes that they do teÌ„porally temporall rewardes and after this lyfe in punyshyng them not so moche as they deserued Lyke wyse his electe he pursueth with his iustice in punyshyng them temporally for theyr synnes that they be not punyshed euerlastyngly Thou therfore suffre pacieÌ„tly