without feare passe thorow the middest of them And if hee beeing angry with the world please to vse my hands to reuenge him on their impiety I will cut them all in peeces so as not one of them shall remaine aliue 6. No I doe now reioyce when I heare tell that the wicked bend them-selues against mee and assure my selfe that it is GOD who prepares matter for my glory for ô my Lord bee thou onely neere vnto me and the victory is mine one blesse my weapons and mine enemies are confounded But what weapons breath onely vpon them and they shal bee scattered abroad like the dust driuen by a great wind yet for all that ô Lord I beseech thee blow not yet vpon them the breath of thy vengeance let it please thee to tarry a while to see if thy long suffering will amend them As for my selfe albeit I am couered with their wounds and defamed by their wrongs yet I had rather haue them to bee the subiect of thy mercy then of thy iustice and I desire if thou so please that their vnrighteousnesse may rather serue for my confirmation then for their owne damnation 7. Thou knowest ô Lord my wishes thou readest in my hart how I neuer requested vengeance at thy hands my vowes do cōiure thy mercy my thoughts tend onely vnto peace wilt thou vnderstand the summe of my desires and the end of all my prayers it is ô LORD that I may spend my daies in thy faythfull seruice that thou wilt make thine holy house my dwelling place and that so long as I shall bee seperated from thee and from thyne Heauenly Tabernacle beeing staked downe to the earth by the counterpoise of my flesh all my thoughts may bee vnited vnto thee and my selfe made wholy conformable to thy will O blessed dwelling place which art able to couer vs from worldly passions from concupiscence of the flesh and in a word from the assaults of the Diuell For there ô Lord thou art present with vs and as much as thou canst thou drawest thy selfe downe from Heauen to remayne amongest vs thou fillest vs with thy selfe to clense vs from sinne and changest our carnall will into a quickning spirit to make vs to feele thy wonders to comprehend thy mercies and to conceiue thy power 8. Grant then ô my God that being incorporated into thee as much as mine infirmity and thine infinitenesse will permit I may bee illuminated with the beames of thy wisdome to the end that shining in mine vnderstanding it may cause mee to know thy will For it is the thred ô Lord which is able to guid mee safely thorow the by-waies of this worldly labyrinth it is the passeport whereby wee attaine to his eternall life the which we daily sigh for Reueale then vnto mee this thy will and lay it vp in my soule to the end I may carefully keepe it and that in the middest of thy Church I may build an Altar for it with my mouth in offering it vp daily vnto thee vnder the sacred vaile of thy holy word 9. For ô Lord seeing that thou hast shut me into thine holy tabernacle shewing mee the sacred misteries of thy diuinity and that in the hardest time of mine aduersity thou hast receaued hidden and retired me vnder thine Altar and not content there-with hast caused me to enter into the holy of holies and into the secretest place of thy Tabernacle where thou art wont to reueale thy most secret commandements cause mee to conceiue them so directly as I may bee able faithfully to deliuer them to thy faithfull seruants 10. For seeing thou hast lifted mee vp on so eminent a place and sette me on an high piller for all the world to looke on hast honoured me aboue myne enimies graunt that the foundation of my faith may bee as firme and solid as a rock that the fauour which thou shewest vnto me may be a testimony of thy righteousnesse making me worthy and capable of those good things which it pleaseth thee to bestow vpon me 11. As for my selfe ô Lord I will indeuor reuerently to handle the ministery which thou hast committed to my charge thou knowest how I haue carried my selfe therein I haue turned on all sides to know what might please thee I would willingly haue sacrifized sheepe and calues vnto thee I would willingly haue bathed thine altars with bloud but such an oblation is to smal for thee I haue ó Lord slaine my heart dedicated mine affection and vowed my thoughts vnto thee and drawing them from the bottom of my stomach I haue presented them vnto thee in my voyce whereby thou hast vnderstood all that which my soule desireth which is only to please thee in all mine actions My cry then was mine offering the which thou diddest accept opening the Heauens to entertaine and receiue it I will then ô LORD all the daies of my life sing thy praise and rehearse the hymne of thy glory 12. Giue eare ô pittifull God vnto my songs and take in good part the voyce which witnesseth thy goodnesse and publisheth thy mercy Encrease in mee both strength and courrage to lift vp my cries and spirits vnto thee And seeing that thy mercy is neuer deafe to those that call vpō thee sincerely send it downe vpon mee for all manner of felicity attends it send it downe ô Lord for thou hast promised it to all such as shall inuoke it 13. How often hast thou heard my heart I say my heart I speake not of my mouth for I onely vnto thee with my heart crying out vnto thee saying what ô Lord I haue sought thee with so much carefullnes day and night in peace and warre in rest and torment I haue desired nothing so much in this world as to beehold thy face not ô Lord the face of thy diuinity wherein that fearefull maiesty is imprinted which shineth like lightning and which humaine eyes are not able to beare but at the least wise that face couered and vailed with thy workes the which albeit wee can behold it but behind and that very obscurely doth seeme most admirable vnto me and doth wholy rauish and draw me forth of my selfe If then ô Lord thou art this vncreated word which hath created all things thy word which is a part of thy will and thy will a part of the whole doth it not represent thy countenance vnto me wherein I behold many excellent markes of diuinity which brightly shine on euery side ô Lord I am amorous of this rare beauty I haue none other care or thoght but how to inioy this thy presence which shews it self in thy word as in the mirror of thy diuinity 14. Seing that thou perceiuest the sanctity and sincerity of my loue depriue me not of this sacred obiect which blesseth and sanctifieth my thoughts if thou doest abhorre my sinne and if the deformity therof doe displease thee enter not into fury against me neither turne away from mee this faire and
HOLY MEDITATIONS Vpon Seauen Penitentiall and seauen Consolatory Psalmes of the Kingly Prophet Dauid Written by the noble and learned G. D. V. Imprinted at London for Thomas Thorp 1612. TO SIR PETER Manwood Knight of the Honourable order of the Bath SIR NEITHER Seas nor Mountaines are so impassable a diuision in humain society as diuersity of language they seperate our bodies onely these our mindes making vs absent euen in presence while though our bodies meet together yet wee I meane our diuiner parts cannot If any one could open the backe doore of the Indies and let vs in a neerer way how would fame dwell on his memory and posterity gratifie his labour A sinceere cleere Translator dooth more for hee conducts our vnderstandings the next safest way to the ritchest intellectuall mines that are How many after a long trauaile bring forth onely some forraine deformitie their example making deeper impressions then their precepts where as these Bees bring vs home the honey leauing the poyson in the weede saue vs the labour of trauaile by transporting other countryes to vs and not exiling vs to them making remotest kingdomes as domestick and cheape as mapps greatest Princes as familiar as bookes and our farthest iourney but to Paules Church-yard For they reconcile and new tune iarring man-kind bringing back the harmony of speech from discord to vnisone For as originall writers are the spring-heads of knowledge so are these the conduit pipes bringing vs home what wee haue not strength or leysure to fetch abroad The vnhappy difference is that all waters are cleerd and purified by long conueyance writings corrupted and thickned How so nyce and delicate an apprehension will relish these euent will tell mee The Author can protect him-selfe who is yet liuing and famous for his singular learning and eloquence and you mee not by patronizing mine errors but in correcting them Some houres of melancholy I haue bestowed on these Holy Meditations with much satisfaction to my selfe if so to you I will thinke it a very fortunate idlenesse and striue hereafter to present you with matter of some other subiect Thus wishing you whatsoeuer may become your owne vertues or my desires I submit my selfe to your fauourable censure and rest Yours euer to be commanded W. SHVTE Meditations on the Penitentiall Psalmes of Dauid Domine ne in furore Psalme vi LAie not vpon me ô Lord the arme of thy seuere iudgement It wold throw me like a torrent into the depth of death and eternall damnation It would deuour mee like fier and the remander of my body would fly away into ashes what eye is able to endure without perrishing for feare the onely looke of thine angry countenance when casting thine eye vpon us thou percest the very bottome of our hearts and discouerest the secrets of our impure consciences our abhominable sinnes will draw downe thy iust anger vpon our heads and thy inkindeled wrath will throw vs head-long at once into the gulphe of paine torments and misery Before then that thy fury doth arise against mee and that thou commest with a iust disdaine to ouerthrow destroy me harken vnto the humble groning which my heart possessed with feare doth present vnto thee and receaue this weake and panting voyce which with tears cryeth thus vnto thee 2. Mercy mercy ô Lord alas my God what dost thou wilt thou make proofe of thy strength on my weakenesse dost thou thinke that I present my selfe before thee to wrastle against thy power it is thy clemency ô Lord which I run vnto I place my selfe vnder thy wing to the end it may defend mee from the rigor of the cōdemnatiō which I haue to much deserued Looke then vpon me with a milder countenance and seeing that I haue in a time conuenient called vpon thy goodnes helpe me deliuer me from so many euills which beseege me for behold my body doth languish it seemeth vnto me that all my bones are bruzed and broken 3. And my poore body is not onely thus cruelly aflicted but likewise my miserable soule is wholy dipped in sorrow this soule ô Lord which did determine with her voyce to glorifie the author of her life is beaten downe and desolate without strength and courage and as the fearefull Doue hideth her selfe at the voyce of thunder in some little hollow place euen so she perceauing thy fearefull indignation doth seeke out the most obscure darkenesse for retreat But vntill when my God shall thine anger last 4 Come come ô my God and turne vpon mee that looke of pitty where-with thou canst blot out not onely my sinnes but those of the whole world I feele my soule to sticke fast in a foule and deepe bogge of iniquity she sinketh she stretcheth out her hand vnto thee ô Lord alasse draw her forth of it bring her into the way of saluation Saue her ô Lord for she coniures thee by thine infinite goodnesse and vnspeakeable mercy It is most true that she deserues it not and ought not to hope for helpe from him whome shee hath so carelesly forsaken against whose honor she hath so wickedly conspired The reward of her offence ought not to be mercy but torment and eternall death 5. But ô Lord who is it that in the middest of hell in the bottomlese pit of death shall sing thy praises and sound forth thy name there is the dwelling place of sorrow there is nothing heard but howlings there is nothing seene but torments and thy prayse on the contrarie consisteth in the publication of thy infinite meekenesse goodnesse and mercy 6. And thenbehold on the one side humble penitence which intercedeth for me and which hath sworne not to leaue mee vntill it hath reconciled me vnto thee And on the other humble praier which importunes thee for me and hath sworne not to let thee rest till it hath reconciled me vnto thee Alas ô Lord thou hast so oftentimes seene my teares and heard my lamentations That I doe daily at the remembrance of mine offences wash my face with my teares I cause my bed to swim in the water with streameth from mine eyes what is it which commandeth mee to doe so is it not ô Lord penitence which I religiously obserue 7. I looke downe-ward and tremble with feare at the aspect of thine angry countenance I doe patiently endure the rebukes of mine enemies and take their reproches in good worth as the iust punishment of their offences I walke in their sight with sackcloth with ashes on my head and confession in my mouth I prostrate my selfe at the feete of thine Altars I make leane with scourges of affliction the flesh which deliuered ouer my body vnto sinne but my torments serue for matter of laughter vnto those that hate mee who swarme about mee to traduce me by scoffes and derision 8. But now that thou doost shew mercy vnto me I will bid them stand backe stand backe ô yee children of iniquity yee shall no more laugh at my misery
the Lord hath heard my prayer my teares haue ouercome his wrath and loe I enioy the frute of his holy fauor The brightnesse of his goodnesse hath shined vpon me and behold the mists wherin my head was wrapped are on a sodaine scattered and vanished away 9. I had skarce opened my lips to inuoke his ayde my heart did skarcely dispose it selfe to craue his pardon when as I felt his grace to bee shed vpon me to comfort and quicken my languishing soule euen as an hot bath doth the members of a poore Pilgrime tired with trauell oh incredible clemency how comes it to passe O Lord that thou art so ready to forgiue I ranne on to offend thee and thou came'st flying to giue me pardon I haue employed all the dayes of my life to seeeke both by sea and land matter for my ambition auarice and licentiousnes and after that I had engulphed and lost my selfe in mine owne pleasures thou pearced'st in a momēt the heauens and clowdes and cam'st to deliuer me So as now I triumphe ouer my sinne which followes the tropheis of my penitency the which hath found fauour in thy fight And in this manner my hope which mine offences had almost smothered is reuiued more then before doth promise me not onely the Empires of the world which houer where the Lord enclineth them but openeth the highest heauens vnto me and assureth mee after an happie life in this world the enioying of diuine immortallity What shall then mine enemies doe now when they shall see such felicity heaped vpon me They shall blush for shame and shall by greatly troubled in their mindes they shall retire themselues all confounded and astonished For he whome they thought to destroy is raised higher then euer he was Alas they mocked mine ashes they iested at my fasts they flouted my teares and whilest by abstinence I tamed my flesh the true enemy to my soule they did swimme in worldly delights but loe the arme of God was ready to thunder on their insolency ô my God giue them leasure to perceaue the extreame danger wherein they are and to begge from an high the onely remedy for their disease and as for me who feele my selfe purified from those filthinesses which compassed mee about which feele my soule enflamed with the fire of thy charity teach my lippes to set forth thy prayses adresse my voyce to resound thy mercy and direct mine affection to loue thee sincerely and to establish her cheefe happinesse and highest felicity in the knowledge of thy truth Beati quorum Psalme 31. HOw happy my God are those whose offences thou hast pardoned and whose sinns thou hast buried in a tombe of forgetfulnesse For alas what can become of him whom thou causest to endure the iust punishment for his sinnes an armie of miseries enuirons him pouerty assailes him sicknesse afflicts him famine oppresseth him and death it selfe which he thinketh to bee the hauen of this tempestuous nauigation is the bottomlesse pit to draw him into eternall torments 2. Thrice and foure times happy then are they of whom God demandeth none account of their actions but is satisfied so that they humble themselues before him acknowledging their infirmity and opening vnto him the depths of their hearts For his mercy is to bee called vpon by true confession and sincerity of conscience hee that will be heard must humble himselfe before him As hee which goeth to a fountaine puts downe the mouth of his vessell before hee can fill it with liqour in like manner it behooueth him to cast himselfe down before his creator which will draw and taste of the water of this sacred fountaine from whence distilleth the humour which alone can cleanse and purge our consciences 3. I did thinke sometimes oh my God to hide my faults from thee haue said vnto my selfe How can hee tell or not what I haue done In this manner my sinne waxed old in my bones and like the sores of a sick man who is ashamed and dares not shew his disease to the surgeon they doe increase and waxe worse till the whole body perrish in like manner the sinnes which I haue hidden from thee haue wholy infected me 4. But at the last thou hast in such sort day and night layde thy heauy hand vppon mee and hast caused mee to taste so many kindes of misfortunes betwixt which my soule liueth without rest quelled with a continual pricking in my consciēce which pierceth the very bottom of my heart as I haue acknowledged my falt the which I now carry in my hand Take notice of it ô my GOD but not in thine anger for the streaming teares which haue quenched with weeping the light of mine eyes ought likwise also to haue extinguished the heate of thy iust indignation And then am I not the worke of thine hands and that which is more the liuely image of thy diuinity who is hee so transported with choller which will breake in peeces the workmanship which hee hath so much delighted to polish and bring to perfection because it is a little foule and slubberd This image is loden with filthinesse I confesse but is it not much better to clense burnish it then to destroy it and tread it vnder foote 5. Teach me then my God what satisfaction I am to make for I haue now discouered vnto thee all those faults which before I did conceale The feare which possessed me then when I hid my selfe from thee now when I lay my selfe open vnto thee is turned into hope of fauor and pardon And now I cast my selfe into thine armes as my surest refuge with the selfe same countenance as the poore patient who shewing his wound to the Surgeon lookes attentiuely vpon him and manfully endureth the search and lancing for the desire and hope which hee hath to bee healed But that which giueth me most hope of health is that those vices wherein I delighted heertofore doe now make mee afraide to behold them as the meates where-with a man is stuffed in health doe afterwards make him sicke at the heart That which made mee fierce doth now make mee ashamed when I consider the danger of death wherevnto my pride had exposed my poore soule I thanke that day which first gaue mee the light to acknowledge my fault I did on that day my GOD receiue a singular testimony of thy goodnesse towards mee let it please thee then that the pleasure which I haue receyued in displeasing my selfe may continue with me as long as that which I tooke in my vices For if I can take as great contentment in my penitencie as I haue taken in my sinne my happinesse shall bee equall to that of thine Angels and by my humilation before thee I shall see my selfe exalted to the highest toppe of thy fauour 6. Who doubteth ô Lord that thou wilt not receiue mee to mercy thou whose meekenesse and benignity is not only vnspeakable but incomprehensible I did no sooner thinke of
Their miserie hangs ouer their head misfortunes follow them at euery steppe vntill they haue throwne them head-long into that gulph the onely thought whereof is fearefull to all those which do remember it whose easiest places of retreate are full of cryes groanings and lamentations Where paine is without end griese without remedie repentance without mercy where death is immortall the body liuing but to dye and the soule to suffer where the soule feeles nothing but her sinne and the body but his punishment On the contrary those which couer themselues with the Lords fauour which make his mercy their buckler who haue no other hope but in his goodnesse who follow his comandements and are iealous of his will and pleasure what felicitie is there but they may attaine to what precious thing is there in heauen but shall bee opened vnto them They shall sitte side by side with their God and beeing enuironed with glory so much happinesse shall be heaped vpon them as the soule of man is not able to conceiue the least part thereof much lesse can my barren tongue expresse it 14. I will then reioyce ô my God in the hope of such and so many benefits as thou reseruest in heauen to crowne the iust withall Vnto this ioy I inuite you all which trust to the wordes of our Sauiour which loue iustice and righteousnesse there doth the reward of your labours attend you there you shall be placed in honor and glory there shall you exchange the sharpe thornes of this world for flourishing Lillies of all eternity Oh then shall the sweate of your afflictions finde most sweete rest Gold comes not forth of the flames in the Furnace more pure and shining to bee stamped with the Image of a great Prince and then to serue for the adornment of some rich cabinet as the hart of that man which loueth his God shall be drawne pure and cleane from the miseries of this world to be inuironed with splendor and glory What day can now displease mee in this world who shall hinder and stay me from entring into the howse of the Lord for to liue in his seruice vpon what day of my life shall I ceasse from bewailing those sinnes which kept me forth of his fauor vnite then in me ô my God these two contrary passions ioy and repentance to the end that like as the pilgrim who hath lost his way in a desert reioyceth when hee beholds the dawning of the day and yet for all that cannot forget the obscure darkenesse out of the which hee is yet scarce come nor lay aside his feare of so troublesome a night euen so haue I alwayes abhorred my sinnes past and haue neuerthelesse a certaine and liuely hope to enioy that eternall happinesse which thou hast purchased for vs by the price of the bloud of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ. Alas how great is this loue when the Maister spareth not the life of his childe to redeeme his seruant Beeing then formed by thy hand redeemed by thy bloud and purified by thy mercy I offer my selfe vnto thee for a sacrifice of obedience reiect mee not ô my God Domine ne in furore Psalme 37. O Lord I must needs returne againe vnto thee and begin a new to implore thy mercy for thine anger seemeth to bee newly kindled against mee Alas my God wilt thou punish mee in thy wrath and cause me to feele the violence of thy iust furie which my sinnes haue stirred vp against me the torch consumed by fire falleth into ashes and I being deuoured by the heate of thine indignation shall vanish away and nothing will be left of me but onely smoake 2. For I see ô my God that thou hast let fly the sharpest arrowes of thy vengeance vpon mee thou hast touched mee with thine hand and thou takest it not of from me I feele remorse and terror in my conscience which doe astonish and bruze me like flashes of lightning and claps of thunder miseries come vnto me by heapes and one mishappe brings on another warre is no sooner ended but the plague assaileth mee and dâ—ath at the last bereaues mee of the deerest pledges which I haue in this world In what then ô my GOD shall I take comfort shall it bee in my selfe 3 Alasse there is no whole member about mee the disease hath pearced euen to the marrow of my bones there is no part about mee but doth reproch me for my sinnes and endures the punishment thereof I languish in my sorrow and no man comforts mee myne eyes serue mee for none other purpose but to behold my misery and my soule but to acknowledge my misfortune 4. I looke round about mee and as much as the eyes of my body and soule can discerne of the time past I see nothing aboue beneath nor on each side of me but sinne which compasseth me about and mine iniquites which crush and presse me downe they are heaped vpon my head like an heauy burthen and behold they smother me 5. How shall I resist them what strength haue I to defend my selfe seeing that my body falleth in peeces corruption runnes from it on euery side mysoares are no sooner shut but they open againe and if my body bee ill my soule is much worsse it is all confounded and trembleth for feare 6. And as sicknesse vndermines my body which is ready to die euen so doth sorrow my soule and steales away the strength thereof and as a sharp cold doth freeze and wither the tender new bud in the blosome euen so doth the finger of the Lord which hath touched my soule discourage it and make it to languish 7. But Alasse my God! what courage can I haue when I behold my selfe couered with wounds and that there is no part of my body free from greefe and that besides my disease my licentious pleasures present them-selues before me which reproch my sinne and deride my vanity I say to my selfe must I needs dippe my life in the honney of so many delights to steepe it afterwards in the gall of such bitter anguish where art thou now ô deceitful voluptuousnes which diddest melt my soule in the sweere licour of thy pleasures ô what a draught dost thou now leaue mee 8 Now ô Lord haue I not endured enough hath not my humility sufficiently chasticed my pride if I haue sinned thorow foolish presumption I haue since then fallen vpon the ground and couered mine head with ashes with mine owne arme I haue preuented my punishment I haue cleft my hart with cries and melted mine eies into teares and yet thy wrath continewes 9 It may be ô Lord that thou hast not perceued my laments thou who in the twinckling of an eye lookest thorow heauen and earth whose sight pearceth the very bottom of our hearts ô LORD thou hast read my thoughts and knowest mine intents what haue I craued but thy mercy wherein did I hope but in thy goodnesse wherefore haue I made a publicke profession of
repentance but to condemne my selfe if my tongue hath not liuely expressed my desire alasse Lord thou knowest what wee would haue before we haue thought thereon It is sufficient to lift vp our harts vnto thee and forthwith thou grantest our petitions 10. But wherefore ô Lord dost thou delay to giue me the holy comfort which thou hast promised me alasse I am hable to do no more my hart faileth me my sences are troubled my strength forsaketh mee my sight waxeth dimme and my run away soule is already vpon the brinkes of my lippes 11. All my friends stand about me and doe already bewaile my death they haue no hope of my health they take care for my buriall and question with them-selues where is the helpe he expected from his God wher is the fauor which he promised to himselfe from him 12. Flatterers are departed from me they did thinke to deuide my spoiles they would haue preuented my fatal houre so troblesome am I to the whole world in the state wherin I stād 13. They rounded one another in the eare and made a thousand tales of me they did daily inuent new practises against me and thought on nothing so much as to betray me he is said they vpon his death bed he wil neuer rise vp againe what doe we feare wil the shaddow of his bones bite vs 14 And I as if I had beene deafe made as though I heard nothing and like a dumbe man I answered not a word my patience was my buckler and my constancy my rampier 15 Euery one that sawe me so patient in mine aduersity did say this man for a certaine is dumbe when he is taunted hee replies not could he indure all these indignities if any feeling of courage or reputation were left him Hee must needs bee guilty for innocence is euer bold in her owne defence yet all this did not mooue me 16. Wherefore I trusted in my God and am assured that he will helpe me Let the world bend it selfe against me let heauen and earth conspire my downefall so long as I haue his aide I shall alwaies conquer By the breath of his mouth hee created all things and by his breath if he please he can destroy them I will fight vnder his banner and I am assured of victory 17 I haue often-times saide vnto them reioyce not at my misery though I am tormented and afflicted braue me not for the Lord is long enough to reach you trust not to his long patience for though hee hath feete of woll his armes bee of Iron If he once lift them ouer your heads ô yee impenitent soules he will crush you in such sort as there shal bee no more remembrance of you 18. As for my selfe I haue handled the rod I haue imprinted vpon my shoulders the condemnation of my sinne I haue O Lord appeared before thee with teares in mine eyes repentance in my mouth and sorrow in my heart I haue fought with my selfe for feare least myne enemies should triumph ouer me 19. I haue openly confessed my fault I made my sinne manifest in time I tooke care to run vnto thy mercy in due season 20. But the more I humble my selfe before thee to draw of this running water out of the fountaine of thy grace which streameth from thy goodnesse the more doe mine enemies oppresse mee their number doth daily encrease they strengthen them-selues on euery side and foresee not the tempest which will crush them in peeces They kindle by their pride the furnace of thy wrath they despite thy power which to their destruction they shall soone make proofe of In a word they being secured against heauen and earth doe wallow in their filthy pleasures and rase out as much as in them is the marke of diuinity which thou hast imprinted in their soules and shut their eyes at the hope of saluation which shineth on them out of thy word 21. I do not ceasse ô my God to admonish them but they pay me euil for good and turne into laughter all that which I doe to please thee and to giue them good example they doe slanderously traduce mee vp and downe the streets and lay a thousand wickednesses to my charge I confesse ô Lord that I beginne to loose my patience 22 But my God strengthen mine infirmity and forsake mee not by any meanes otherwise I should fall like a little childe into the first pitte I come at Encrease strength and courage in mee ô Lord as much as thou hast afflicted mee giuing mee firme constancie as often as I shall stand in need thereof no lesse then a charitable mother who so soone as shee heareth her childe crye doth straight wayes giue it the dugge 23. Nourish me then ô Lord with the milke of thine holy charity to the end that beeing in some sort strengthened I may day and night run on in thy paths to attaine saluation the hope whereof shineth in thy promises And if sinne come and stand in my way I will open the floud-gates of mine eyes and will not close them againe till I haue drowned it in my teares Miserere mei Deus Psalme 50. HAue pitty vpon me ô my GOD according to the greatnesse of thy louing kindnesse and by thine immense mercy pardon the punishment which I most iustly haue deserued For if thou expectest that my fasts watchings and prayers should make satisfaction for my sinnes alas ô Lord that wil neuer be Mine offence beeing measured by the compasse of heauen and earth surpasseth the greatnesse of the whole world who then can enuiron and wholy blot it out but only thy holy mercy which is by so much greater as thy righteousnesse exceedeth ours It is thy mercy ô Lord which cricleth the whole vniuerse which keepeth fast together the parts of the world which shake and are ready to fall vpon our heads to bury with vs in their ruine the memory of our sinnes to turne away thy sight from our ingratefull disloyall and disobedient generation which disadvoweth her birth creation and conseruation frō thee Let then this mercifull goodnesse which shineth in thy diuinity aboue al thy other vertues spred it selfe now vpon me not in a sparing manner but prodigally and without measure And as thou diddest once cause the waters to ouer-runne the tops of the highest mountaines for to smother and ouer-whelme the wicked cause in like manner a torrent of mercy to ouer-flowe me not O Lord to drowne but to bathe and purifie mee 2. And be not satisfied with once clensing mee doe not tell mee that thou hast regenerated and washed mee in the bloud of the chaste and innocent lambe for notwithstanding my purenesse then thou shalt now finde mee foule and deformed I did plunge my selfe in a deep filthy vault and am so durty and disfigured as thou wilt no more know mee I doe sometimes question with my selfe whether I am hee whom thou diddest create with thine owne hands or no but my heart beeing confounded and ashamed
from the rocks of this world which on euery side threaten shipwracke to my soule and as the Sailer when he is arriued in the hauen crownes the masts of his ship with garlands of flowers in token that he is in safty euen so crowne me ô my God with the precious guifts of thine holy spirit for pledges of the eternall blessednesse which thou promisest me I say of thy spirit which reigneth in thy faithfull ones which distributes faith to thine elect charity to thy beloued and hope to those whome thou hast predestinated 13. Now whilest my soule continues in this exile looking euery day when thou wilt call it to thy â—elfe I will teach sinners the way they ought to follow for to please thee I will direct them left that in the darknesse of this world they stumble vpon the blocks which shall he presented to them they will beleeue me and they shall returne to thee ô father of light turne to thee ô Father of light they shall with all their hearts imbrace thy law and walke in thine obedience 14. I know ô Lord that there bee some who will stoppe their eares at my words and will grow stubborne in their sinnes they will plot my death and willingly would die their barbarous cruelty with my bloud Deliuer mee my GOD forth of their hands and preserue mee that I may declare thy righteousnesse and pronounce their condemnation I will fore-tel them of their miseries and so soone as my speech is ended thine hand shall strike them and so soone as thine hand hath stricken them behold they shall bee for euer crusht in peeces and confounded 15. And then thou shalt open my lippes and my mouth shall declare thy victory the aire wil be cleere the winds will bee appeased and the flouds will stand still to heare mee sound forth the wonders of the eternall GOD. For thy praise ô LORD shal bee the sacrifice which I continually will offer vp vnto thee which at all times will bee pleasing vnto thee 16. I would willingly haue bloudied thine Altars with the slaughter of much cattell I would willingly haue sacrifized a thousand Oxen and as many sheepe in thine honor but bloud stinkes before thee and their flesh thou acceptest not the smoake of such offerings consumes it selfe in the arie like wind and it can not ascend where thou art the onely voyce of a iust man mounteth higher then the heauens and thine Angells present it vnto thee 17. O how acceptable vnto thee is the sacrifize of an hart pearced thorow with repentance an hart that is humbled in the knowledge of his sinne such an one wilt thou neuer reiect hee that will go vp vnto thee must descend downe into himselfe the way to touch heauen to lie groueling vpon earth hee that wil bee heard of thee must hold his peace and hee that will bee crowned in thy kingdome must be beaten and scourged in this world These are the sacrifices which can reconcile vs vnto thee and enter vs into the alliance which thou hast made with vs. 18. If thou wilt haue vs ô Lord to offer vp vnto thee bulls and oxen and that wee shall make thine Altars smoake with the bloud of Beasts if thou wilt haue vs by the death of an innocent oblation to represent before thee the death innocency of him whome thou hast destined for the redemption of our soules if the figure of that which shall come to passe in the person of the Immaculate Lambe bee pleasing vnto thee in the slaughter of sheepe and rams pittifully then beehold thy poore people comforte desolate Sion encourage her poore inhabitants to the end that they may repaire the walls of thine holy citty and re-edifie thy teÌ„ple not in equall measure to thy deserts ô Lord but according to the riches and industry that the world can attaine vnto 19. Thither from all parts shall thy faithfull people come in heapes to offer sacrifize vnto thee there onely shalt thou accept the expiation for their sins But my God neither the bloud nor death of beasts can wash out their filthinesse the expiation of their sinne and disobedience is prepared before all eternity It is an inestimable sacrifize an immaculate burnt-offering that must draw away the vaile dissipate the darkenesse and breake downe the partition-wall for to make vs behold the truth of our saluation face to face which must cause the beames of the diuine mercy to shine vpon vs and reassociate vs to the communion of the eternall blessednes which we haue willingly renounced O must pittiful God which hast cleered the eies of mine vnderstanding made me to see the mistery of my saluatioÌ„ cause me ô Lord to tast the excellent frute which budding on the tree of the crosse shall quicken with his iuyce our mortified soules shall for euer keepe and preserue vs from the ruine and calamity which hath so miserably attainted man-kind hath spred it selfe all ouer them by their owne disobedience Domine exaudi Psalme 110. O Lord how long haue I cried out for thy mercy yet I am still expecting thine aide The aire is filled with my lamentations the winds haue carried the voyce of my complaint to the farthest parts of the earth and thine eare which vnderstandeth what is done in the deepest bottoÌ„ of hell harkeÌ„s not vnto my praier which pierceth the very heauens Thou art onely deafe ô Lord in my respect and the whole world will sooner then thy selfe giue eare to my laments No no my God thou hast too long stretched out thine arme vnto me to reiect me now when I come vnto thee for refuge 2. Now that I feele a thousand and a thousand griefes and that euills assaile mee on euery side turne not thy face away from mee ô Lord. Alas I haue placed all my comfort in the milde aspect of thy countenance I haue left the world and retired my selfe vnto thee I haue forsaken the children of the earth to the end to allie my selfe to the maister of heauen can'st thou now cast mee of doe not so ô Lord but all the dayes of my life helpe my infirmitie 3. So soone as my voice shall cry out vnto thee ô my God so soone let me feele thee let thy grace come downe as swiftly vpon mee as an Eagle to the succour of her yong ones For if thou assist mee not what combate can I wage against the enemies of my soule 4. My strength and my life doth continually vanish away like to a light smoake which in flying abroad looseth it selfe that eye which sees it come forth of the fire doth as quickly see it dispersed and accompanieth it in a moment from his originall to his end and they that aske what is become of it cannot so much as discerne the trace thereof Who hath seene peeces of wood lye drying in the sunne loose both their vigor and verdure let them behold my poore bones which are become drye and withered and craue nothing but a
off theyr hands 19. Then shall they all bee heard to sing a song of glory to the victorious King their voice shall bee heard in all the parts of the earth and the memory of thy singular goodnesse and infinite mercy shall bee engraued in mens mindes to passe from age to age euen to their last posteritie when the earth shall bee consumed the waters dryed vppe the firmament vanished away and the heauens come to an end euen then shall men sing forth the glory of the eternall God 20. The eternall GOD who hath vouchsafed from the highest heauens to cast his eyes downe to the depths of the earth to take notice of the torments of poore captiues deteined in the prisons of hell who hath heard their gronings and made haste to vnbinde and deliuer these poore wretched prisoners and their whole posterity Death had ouercome them with the weapons of sinne and confined them in his darke prisons but the God of life hath vanquished death and set them all at liberty 21. To the end ô Lord that they may declare thy praise in Sion and preach thy mercy in Ierusalem But though euery one of them had an hundered mouthes and a voyce as strong as thy thunder they should neuer bee able to attaine to the greatnesse of thy glorie All the parts of the world doe conspire together but to represent in their motion some part of thy power and infinite goodnesse and yet they shall misse the marke for they are bottomlesse pitts and more then bottomlesse pitts which haue neither banke nor bottome and which must onely bee look't vpon a farre off 22. Bee pleased then ô my God that thy people assembled together and revnited in body and minde doe deuoutly offer vnto thee the holy desire and will which they haue to honor thee for the effect it selfe can in no sort draw neer to thy desert Take it in good worth ô Lord that the Kings of the earth doe come and humble themselues before thee to pay the homage and seruice which is due vnto thee as to their souerain Lord. They shall lay their scepters on the ground and their crownes at their feete and shall present thee with a sacrifice of humble deuotion and an innocent conscience I will be the first ô my God that will prostrate my selfe before thee to adore and serue thee with my whole heart I will settle my thoughts on thee onely vnto thee alone will I consecrate my spiritte Quicken it ô Lord to the end that it beeing purified by the holy heat of thy charity it may receaue into it selfe like a well-pollished looking-glasse the Image of thine incomprehensible beauty and perfection and that it may feele the reflection of thy sincere affection so as thine infinite goodnes may make it one of the number of thine elect to bee a coheire with them of eternall life 23. I doe now already feele ô my God that thou hast enlightned my soule by thy grace and hast shewed me the mercy which thou wilt offer to all the children of the earth my spirit hath already seene from a farre off how readily thou walkest to deliuer the world which was in danger of death before thine arriuall that was the cause why thou heardest it cry out vnto thee saying tell me ô Lord the number of my yeares and what time thou wilt giue an end to my daies 24. Cut not of the thred of my life ô Lord at the first or second turne of the wheele shorten it not in the middest of his course stay my God til the time be come when as thou wilt open the treasures of thy graces to giue a largesse of saluation vnto men or if at the least thou hast determined of mine end and that my life cannot bee so farre stretched out yet remember my posterity and cause him to bee borne of my stocke who by his comming shall sanctifie the world 25. In very deed ô Lord I know that in the beginning thou diddest make heauen and earth and all that excellence which wee see in this world is the worke-man-shippe of thy hands 26. But all that shall weare away like an ouer-worne garment men shall seeke after and enquire what is become of it but it shall bee no more found it hath beene made and it shal be vndone it had a beginning and must needs haue an end but thou alone ô Lord which art from all eternity shalt remayne for euer at one stay Age and time which consumes all things doe but confirme thine essence and publish thy diuinity and it seemeth vnto me that men are borne vpon the earth to none other end but to behold on the one side thine incomprehensible greatnes and their owne weakenes on the other 27. Men shift not shirts so often as one selfe-same land doth oftentimes change hir inhabitants the one pusheth on another and all is renued in a moment But thou art yet my God to day the same that thou wert at the beginning Euery Prouince of the earth makes mention of a great number of Kings which haue commaunded therein one after another but heauen and earth doe continually sing vnto vs that thou hast alway beene alone euer like thy selfe and that neither the time past nor that which is to come can in any sort change thee 28. Yet notwithstanding ô Lord that we must part hence I doe not lose my hope to taste one day of the sweet fruite which will heale vs of this contagious disease which our first parents haue communicated to vs by eating of the fruite of sinne and death For our children shall succeed vs and thou wilt doe vs this fauour ô Lord to continue our posterity from age to age vntill that all of vs together doe appeare in thy presence not to receaue a rigorous iudgement but to enter by the merrits and intercession of thy welbeloued Sonne our Sauiour into the inheritance of eternall blessednesse which shal be purchaced for all thy faithfull ones by the adoption of thy sonne in the house of thy seruant Dauid De profundis Psalme 129. FRom the bottome of the deepes I haue cried vnto thee oh my God being buried and lost in the most fearefull cauernes of the earth I haue called vpon thy name listen to my voyce and giue eare vnto my praier for all hope of aide was taken from mee I saw nothing round about me but feare and trembling and yet notwithstanding I was not discourraged but haue expected from thee that which thou hast promised to all those which shall liue in the feare of thy name and in the obedience of thy commandements 2. Lend then a fauourable eare ô Lord vnto my prayer if sinne haue set it selfe betwixt thee and mee to whet thee on against mine iniquitie and to make thee an enemy to my request chace it away from the aspect of thine eye of mercy or else ô Lord shut for a while the eye of thy iustice vntill that thine eare of clemencie hath receiued
my confession and the humble petition for fauor which I present vnto thee For I come not into thy presence to boast of mine owne righteousnesse but of thy mercy and louing kindnesse 3. If thou shouldest keepe a register of our offences and shouldest call vs to an account who were able ô my God to endure the rigour of thy iustice What day of my life is there but would deserue an age of torment Thou mayest in a maner inflict all the paines of hell vppon mee and yet the greatest part of mine offences will remaine vnpunished 4. But notwithstanding that men doe offend thee yet thou lettest not to receiue the sinner which comes vnto thee with confession in his mouth and contrition in his heart He hath no sooner looked towards thy mercy but hee feeles it to worke in him to breakâ— and dissolue sinne which had frozen his heart with feare and horror The punishment which did hang ouer his head runnes backward from him and carries away with it this wretched carefulnesse which tormenteth the consciences inflicted with sinne This is the reason ô Lord why I would neuer forsake thy law but haue alwayes waighted till it might please thee to shew mercy vpon mee For hee who ill aduised doth despaire in his sinne and abandons his soule as lost dooes like the abhominable vsurer who because hee hath susteined some losse in his goods doth therefore depriue himselfe of life 5. My soule hath not done so for so soone as shee hath felt thy heauie hand vpon mee which exacted a part of the punishment which my sinnes had merited shee did still for all that keepe whole the hope which shee had in thy promise Euen when thy blowes fell heauie on my back I cryed out vnto thee Lord God thy will bee done yet giue mee as much strength as affliction Measure my punishmeÌ„t by my strength and my torments encreasing augment my courage thou hast ô Lord done so 6. Let all Israell then from the day breake vntill darke night hope in his God let them expect succor from him alone For his helpe is ready vnto those which call vpon him in integrity of conscience and purity of heart It matters not how great and fearfull the misery is for so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the cry of his seruants euen so soone do they feele themselues deliuered 7. For hee aboundeth in mercy hee is infinitely good to those which haue recourse vnto him For if our sinnes surpasse all measure his mercy exceeds all thoughts We haue deserued a long and greeuous captiuity loe he deliuers vs and sets vs at liberty We haue blinded the eies of our vnderstanding behold he comes and enlightens them O Israell thou hast offended the Lord thou hast derided his law thou hast played with his commandements thou hast forgotten his benefits which he hath bestowed vpon thee He hath drawne thee forth of a miserable bondage he hath fed thee with the bread of heauen hee hath caused fountains of water to gush forth of the barraine rocks only to giue thee drinke he chose the most delicious garden of the earth for thy dwelling place he made his couenant with thee hee gaue thee his wil in keeping and thou hast conspired against his honour committed whoredome with strange Gods troden his lawe vnder thy feete thou hast in a word deserued more punishments then hell can affoord And hee neuerthelesse offereth himselfe fauourably vnto thee he will redeeme thee from the bondage of sinne where-vnto thou wert willingly bound with the price of his owne bloud Behold hee himselfe payes their ransome which did betray him and takes vpon himselfe the punishment for our sinnes and payes the forfeiture of our offences With what wordes shall wee giue thee thankes Open then my lippes my God my Creator my Redeemer to the end that my voyce may bee spent and mine heart enflamed with a burning affection to praise and thanke thee and cast me downe in the knowledge of my selfe to the end to exalt mee in the knowledge of that holy mysterie whereby wee are re-incorporated into thee and re-integrated into thy allyance for to enter into this blessed societie of glory in the which all those shall triumph which shall bee pertakers in the merite of the passion of thy well beeloued Sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Domine exaudi vocem meam Psalme 142. MAn ô Lord is at the last weary of all things continuall running puts him out of breath too much looking vpon a thing dazels the eyes a thundring noyce troubles the hearing but the more my voyce cryeth vnto thee the stronger it is my courage is the more encreased and my praier is the more pleasing vnto mee Therefore do I euery day begin a fresh to cry out ô Lord hearken vnto my prayer and giue eare to my supplication for all my comfort consisteth in praying vnto thee ô my God It is my prayer ó Lord which coniures thy clemencie to expiate my sinnes not by the rigor of the punishment but by the effect of grace which thou hast granted vs by the which thou abollishest by thy soueraigne and absolute power the memory of our offences 2. Enter not then into iudgement with thy seruant ô Lord giue him not ouer to the rigor of the law for of all liuing creatures which shall appeare before the face of thy rigorous iudgement not one shall bee iustified none shall escape that fearefull condemnation whose paine is not onely terrible but eternall in his terrour Alas ô Lord who is able to saue himselfe in thy presence It is thou who art offended it is thou who wilt accuse vs thou hast seene our offenâ—es and canst witnesse against them it is thou which shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall bee the witnesse and the witnesse shall bee the Iudge what shall become of the offendor what excuse can serue to iustifie him But ô Lord I will not trust to that I will shield my selfe vnder thy fauour and oppose it to thy iustice Thy fauour is obteyned by the acknowledgment of our offences by the humiliation of our mindes loe I prostrate my selfe before thee laying open my sinne ô Lord haue pitty vppon mee 3. My sinne ó my COD the chiefe enemy to my soule hath in such sort hurried and beaten mee downe as I now grouell vpon the earth not daring to looke vppe vnto heauen for so soone as I lift vp mine eyes I see the light which presenteth to the day such and so many faults which doe accuse my conscience I also doe sodenly feele shame in my guiltie countenance which makes mee holde downe my face to the ground my face vnworthy to looke vppe to heauen the Lord whereof it hath so greeuously offended my face which is not valiant enough to cast vppe his eyes towards those places which haue so many lightning flashes prepared to roote out guilty offenders 4. My spirit then hath conducted mee into darknesse and hath buried
me like a dead man in the caue of obscurity My soule is highly greeued within mee and mine heart is astonished like vnto his who walking with an erected countenance is by misfortune fallen into the bottome of some pit his sences are forth-with troubled he forthwith loseth his reason and torments himselfe hee knowes not what to will or do till calling his wits together he takes notice of the place where he is and the maner how he fell downe for then hee begins by little and little to get vp againe and to climbe with great labour from the place whereinto hee easily fell 5. Euen so I hauing called to memory from farre the remembrance of things past and representing to my selfe in a deepe meditation the workes of thine hands and considering exactly the things which thou hast wrought namely remembring the state wherein thou diddest create vs and then calling to minde that wherein I finde my selfe now as it were crusht downe in the ruines of sinne I curse the houre wherein my mother conceiued mee I detest the daye which first opened mine eye-liddes to cause mee to looke vppon heauen and earth the witnesses of my weaknesse and at last finding nothing in this world which can comfort mee in this distresse I come againe vnto thee 6. I fall downe on my knees before thee I lift vppe vnto thee mine armes and hands and my soule thirsteth after thy grace with as great a desire as the earth gaping with heate waiteth for a pleasing shower of raine in the hottest time of summer 7. Runne then hastily vnto me ô my God for I am already out of breath my courage faileth and loe I fall fainting downe wilt thou tarry till I am dead I am so already if thou make not the more hast for my sences faile by little and little my soule slideth sweetly out of my body leauing it without motion and I am like vnto him who is let bloud in his foote in hot water whose life runnes out with his bloud not feeling the cause of his death 8. Now ô Lord if thou keepest thy selfe farre from me turning thy countenance away I shall become like vnto those who goe downe into the bottome of the graue pale death will discolour my visage and benum my sences and that which is worsse spirituall death ô my God will kill my soule will fill it with feare and horror and bereaue it of the knowledge of thy singular goodnesse and the hope of grace which shineth in thy wonders like a glistering star in an obscure night 9. Cause me then betimes to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy and in the morning when the sunne shall arise vpon the earth let thy clemency rise vpon me to enlighten mine ignorance and to direct mee in the way of thy commandements But let it not doe ô Lord like thy Sunne who at the end of his race plungeth it selfe in the sea hiding his light for a time from poore mortalls but let it perpetually assist me let it bee no more seperated from mee then my soule from my body for thy mercy is far more the soule of my soule then my soule is the life of my body 10. Let it not then leaue me let the brightnesse thereof still direct my pathes in thy waies let it still guide mee in the way which I must walke to come vnto thee For my spirit which hath throwne it selfe into the middest of the briers of this world which hath gonne astray amongest her thickest bushes can no more finde out her right way but walking at all aduentures loseth both her way and her labour going still back-wards from the place whether shee thought to arriue But my GOD I still waite for thy helpe I hope for succour from an high 11. I am prisoner in the hands of the cruellest enemies of my life make hast ô Lord to deliuer mee thou art my refuge receiue mee into thy protection teach mee what thou wouldest haue mee to doe for thou art my God vnto whome onely I now resolue my selfe to doe seruice Away far far from mee deceitfull pleasure which hereto fore diddest bewitch my soule and poyson my mind thou hast by thy lickorish delights inueigled me and with a little honney thou hast made me swallow a most bitter and deadly pill which spredding it selfe thorow my members hath in such sort mortified and made me giddy as there is small difference betwixt mee and a dead person and my body is not only thus mortified but my soule likewise wherein consisteth the originall of my life present and to come 12. It behooueth then thine holy spirit to come vnto me to warme againe my dying soule to take it by the hand to leade it into safety and to quicken it imprinting in it the image of thy righteousnesse which may defend it against the temptation which on eueryside doth beseege it and threaten her ruine 13. Thou wilt come then and at thine arriuall thou shalt draw my soule out of trouble and in shewing mercy vnto me thou shalt destroy all those which haue conspired against me Then shall my greefe haue an end and theirs beginne it shal be a beginning of their forrow which shall neuer end but as riuers rising out of their springs run on stil bigger bigger vntill they fall into the bosome of the sea which hath no bottome euen so shall their miseries encrease and at the last shall heape vpon them extreame torments and infinite distresse In this manner shall all those perish which vex my soule for ô GOD I am thy faithfull seruant whome thou hast remembred and thou wilt not forget those who in disdaine of my Lord haue so shamefully abused me they laughed at my misery but the time drawes on when they shall bewayle their owne Thy vengeance begins to bee kind bee against them and they shall wither like leaues vpon the trees at the approach of winter O GOD what glory shall I giue vnto thy name and how shall I beginne to declare thy praise shall I publish thy goodnesse in the creation of so many wonderfull workes which are vnderneath the sun thy wisedome in thy preseruation of them shall I preach thy Iustice in the condemnation and punishment of the pride of the Angels and disobedience of men Shall I sing of thy mercy in the redemption of those who offending thy lawe had throwne themselues head-long into the bondage of eternall death to what part of thy prayses may the humble sound of my voyce attaine and though my voyce were able what eares are capable to receiue it All things faile mee ô Lord in this businesse except courage and will which full of feruent affection doe crye out vnto thee Ayde with thy grace their weake strength and seeing the teares of my penitence haue washed away the filth of sinne wherewith my soule was heauily loden giue it now the winges of faith and hope which may carry it with a swift flight into thine armes to reunite
it to her first originall without euer nourishing any other thought then that which shall tend to the honour of thy seuice and aduancement of thy glory FINIS Meditations on seauen Consolatorie Psalmes of Dauid Dominus illuminatio mea Psalme 26. AFter that I had a long time bathed my heart in my teares and sighed forth a thousand sorrowes in bewailing my sinnes I thought ô Lord that I had appeased thy wrath and that my miseries should forth-with end But alas as I walke on in the world and determine with innocency of life to conuerse amongst men I perceiue their enuie to bee turned against me and all their enuie to be turned against me and all their endeuours bent to doe mee hurt So as I begin to doubt whether I am yet reconciled vnto thee and whether that this my penitence haue satisfied thâ— or no But when castinge myne eyes on euery side I perceiue that this affliction is common to me with all honest people when I behold euery where what practises are vsed against them how that their constancy is continually put to the tryall and on the contrary how that the wicked doe abound in delight pleasure and all manner of wealth I stand all amazed and confounded For on the one side I call to minde how thou art a great and a righteous GOD whose all-seeing eye pearceth the profoundest deepes whose almighty hand stretcheth it selfe foorth to the farthest parts of the world And on the other I perceiue how those that lift vp their heads against thee and oppresse thy poore and innocent seruants doe prosper in thy sight and waxe proud euery day for thy happy successe of their impiety I confesse ô Lord that in this contemplation I remaine as though I were dull and blinde not beeing able to pearce thorow this thick mist which did dazell the eyes of mine vnderstanding But at the last ô Father of light thou hast opened mine eye liddes and enlightning mee with the beames of thy wisedom thou hast made mee to vnderstand the reason thereof and freeing mee from the trauaile and doubt wherein I was thou hast filled mee with assurance of my saluation and giuen me a most certaine consolation so as now I not onely neglect the threats of the wicked and despise their insolencie but beeing armed with an admirable constancy and greatnesse of courage I of my selfe doe vndertake the combate and crye out with a lowd voyce Happen what will I now feare nothing For although God for a while doe exercise his faithfull seruants yet hee forsakes them not at their need but doth in such sort mixe their aduersity with their strength as they euer remaine victorious in this incounter And indeed so long as I shall put my trust and assurance in his mercy what occasion shall I euer haue to feare Hee hath now taken my life into his protection and couereth me on all sides with the wings of his power who is able to enforce him to forsake mee what shall I feare if hee defend mee whom all the world stands in feare and awe of his forces are not armies of men but legions of Angels Princes and Captaines are not his ministers but lightenings and tempests his displeasures are not stroakes and wounds but earthquakes swallowings vp of Citties inundations of Countries Thou hast already ô Lord taken all these weapons in hand and art ready to thunder vpon the pride of the wicked who haue conspired the destruction of good men But because ô my God thy mercy doth for a while hold back the arme of thy diuine vengeance thou comfortest mee in the meane time with a firme hope that thou wilt neuer forsake mee And I seeme dayly to heare thee speaking thus vnto mee Tarrie yet a little while the houre which I haue appointed is not yet come and build thou in the meane time on my promise and what affliction soeuer is prepared for thee assure thy selfe I will make thee to ouer-come it My courage ô LORD encreaseth when I feele thee thus to second mee and this thine exhortation doth more animate mee to patience then thee applaudes of the people doe the wrastler in the middest of his game Nothing dooth now any more astonish mee all these practises and conspiracies against my life and honour seeme like the tempestuous waues of the raging Sea who roaring a farre off come and breake them-selues against the foote of some rocke they are scattered at the first shock and the blow yeelds nothing but a vaine sound which is the end of these great menaces It is certaine that the conscience of an innocent person builded vpon thy fauour is stronger then the greatest rocks and no furious assault is able to shake it 3. What shall I now feare any more a sort of wicked people who compasse mee about seeking meanes to surprize mee they inuent sundry meanes to entrappe mee Behold how they looke at one side how they bend theyr browes and grinde their teeth at mee I doe verily beleeue that their cheefest desire is to teare mee in peeces with their teeth to glut themselues with my flesh to gnaw my bones and to drinke my bloud O cruell beasts how can yee thus change your natures how can yee thus abiure all humanitie Doe you thinke that because yee haue forgotten GOD that GOD hath forgotten his seruants Doe yee thinke that his seruâ—nts are as farre seperated from him as your selues are from righteousnesse 4. And though like cruell Tygers yee haue shedde your poyson vppon mee yee haue disquieted mee with your fearfull cryes and torne mee in peeces with your teeth and talents yet your stroakes haue none otherwise lighted on mee then on burnisht steele they would not pearce mee mine innocence is invulnerable and at the last beeing tyred and spent yee are constrained to make retreate and lying flatte on your bellyes yee barke and grinne in despight but yee haue no more power and yee haue none other weapons left but onely the will to doe euill But because your voyce is abhomination before God and that by your threatnings yee blaspheme him hee will wholy roote yee out and throwe downe those hills vppon you which your ambition and auarice haue heaped one vpon an other thinking thereby to scale his throne and to robbe him of his glory 5. O Lord what sight hast thou presented to mine eyes I am now so assured of thy mercy so comforted by the care which I perceiue thou hast of thy faithfull seruants as albeit I should see neuer so great an armie of men yet I would not feare them Let them bring against mee an Armie composed of all the nations of the earth let them place Scithyans on the right wing of the battaile Aethiopians on the left the East Indies and America in the rereward and place the rest of the world for the battaile in the middest adde there-vnto what so-euer the arte of killing men is able to inuent so as my GOD conduct mee I will
dry-foot in the time of shipwrack and shall be safe in the middest of the flames And namely when a fearefull famine shall come to deuour nations Manna shall fall from heauen to feed them For the wrath of God is only vpon the wicked his anger is only kindled against them As for the iust the neerer they seeme to danger the neerer they are to safety 22. They are not like to Gods enemies who are highly honored and exalted to make their dounfal the more greiuous and shamefull for nothing hath a great fal but that which is highly exalted The ruines of towers shiuer themselues in peices and fall to dust the wicked doe worse for when they once fetch their leape they do not only fall away to dust but vanish into smoake and euaporate to nothing Behold the cloudes which comes foorth of the thundring throate of a great Cannon what a thick vapour it casteth foorth how it seemes to fill the emptines of the vaste ayre and to muste the sunne but they are no sooner ascended but they grow lesser and so at the last consume away so as not any token there of is at all to be seene Such is the greatnes of the wicked which hath no matter but their sinne no motion but theire vanity it increaseth in an instant and in a moment perrisheth And all the labour they bestow in preseruing it serueth to no vse or purpose at all 23. They borrow and pay not againe all that they catch is their owne and they leaue nothing for other men to carry away neuerthelesse all his proffits them nothing for as the aboundance of meat doth not fatten him that is in a consumption because the radical humor of his life is spent eauen so the blessing of God which is the roote of all prosperity declines from the wicked The iust man on the contrary who is full of mercy and compassion giueth largely of his goods and distributes his money and like a current of springing water neuer waxeth drye 24. It is a blessing promised to those which blesse the name of God that they shall inherit the earth that is they shall hold the earth as an inheritaÌ„ce by good title albeit they are molested yet they shall neuer be ouerthrowne For they are Gods children whom he hath created and therefore they haue sufficient authority to hold it But those which blaspheme his name are disinherited of his fauour and like vngratefull children are depriued of their fathers inheritance so as bearing his curse they must of force perrish 25. For there is none other saluation in the world but to trust in God and to commit ones selfe to his keeping He directeth the wayes of the iust man and gouernes his actions so as they need not to be amended He stirres vp his will to godlines and turnes a way his eies from the baits of sinne he will bring him back from the lanes and bywayes of pleasure into the road way of vertue and cause him to walke in the paths of his commandements 26. It is a faire plaine way where there are no stumbling-blocks all is smooth and euen And if the wicked or father of lies holdes out their legges to giue the iust man a fall thou ô Lord art neere vnto him to raise him vp againe and not to suffer him to be broken in peices And with thy hand of mercy that most soft and tender hand thou liftest him vp againe on his feet 27. I haue beene young and now am olde yet to my remembrance I neuer saw the iust man wholly forsaken of God nor his children brought to begge their bread It may be that sometimes some crosse may light on him for a triall of his constancy and for a proofe of his vertue yet it do's no more but passe by and shake him not being of force to throw him downe 18. I haue seene such an one whoe all day long did nothing but giue and lend so as a man would haue thought that hee tooke delight in wasting his goodes and yet neuerthelesse hee did still abound in substance more then before he much resembled the Pipe of a Pumpe which draweth vp water in casting it forth the full in him could not endure the empty The iust man giueth good doth forthwith fill him his posterity is neuer the poorer for his bounty for the blessing of God causeth riches to spring in him as the sunne doth the fruites of the earth multiplies them a hundred for one 29. Seeing then that God is so good and bountifull if yee loue his fauour take care to please him the way is to turne away from euil and to do good God loues him which imitates him for loue proceeds from resemblance his actions are to do good it is his chiefest occupation He began this worke when he made the world and is neuer weary of it Let vs then doe like him and so long as wee shall dwell in this world where hee hath giuen vs meanes to serue to his glory and the profit of our neighbour let vs not neglect this occasion to discharge our duties one to another and by that meanes obtaine his fauor which is the richest treasure we can purchase 30. Nothing doth please him so much as Iustice for thereby as much as in vs lieth wee preserue his workmanship and allow his wise councell in giuing to euery one that which is his owne and distributed by the vniuersall lawe of the world which we call nature and wee must thinke that when wee iudge other men we administer his power and that such iudgment as wee giue the like will he giue vs when hee shall sit in his throne to iudge the world not that hee can iudge amisse like vs but he will make vs feele by his indgement the smart which wee haue procured to other men by ours For hee will neuer forsake his Saints hee will at the last gather them together and will shield them from the in-iustice of men he will of purpose sitte downe in his seate to iudge those which do oppresse them 31. There will he pronounce a rigorous iudgment against the vniust and hee will destroy the wicked They shall bee confined in infernall torment they shall bee heard to howle in the middest of their torture and their punishment shall ouer-runne their heads euen vnto their posteritie and their children shall beare the sinnes of their fathers and shall endure part of their misery 32. And at the same time the grace of God shall shedde it selfe aboundantly on the iust to the end that their prosperity may bee a second punishment to the wicked filling their hearts with enuie which shall continuâ—lly gnawe them for they shal behold good men to posâ—sse their lands in peaceâ— their posterity to reigne in quiet and to flourish like the tree planted by a sweet riuers side which spreds forth her branches in the ayre flourisheth in beauty aboundeth in leaues and brings forth most excellent fruite 33. But what shall
bee the fruits of the iust man shall they bee the wealth which hee hath gathered together the castles which he hath builded ô fruits vnworthy such a tree fruites which wither at the first feeling of frost fruites which fall off with the first winde not so it shall bee the goâ—d and sauory fruites which growe in the faire and plentiâ—ull arbors of the diuine wisedome They are holy and religious thoughts they are meditations full of zeale and deuotion by which he will ioyne his spirit to God then opening his soule he will receiue the beames of the holy Ghost which will animate him to a thousand goodly vertuous actions as the fruite of his life Holines passing from his heart to his lippes will cause him to vtter none other speeches but of equity and righteousnes 34. For he will alway haue the saw of God imprinted in his soule as a iust and certain rule whereby hee will encompasse his speech and he need not feare euer to goe astray out of the right way nor that his foot will in any sort slide for the foundation thereof is too surely laide and the pathe too much beaten The lawe of God is more firme and solide then Iron or Steele It is an in flexible rule an immoueable rocke It is a place of safety where a man is not onely conducted in righteousnesse but safely preserued as betwixt two brazen walles 35. For behold the wicked how long hee hath laine in ambush to surprize the innocent behold what meanes hee hath vsed to take away his honour and life see whether hee haue forgotten any thing or no 36. But God forsaketh not the iust man into what danger soeuer hee falles hee giues him not ouer to the sacriligious hands of these cruell murtherers nor to their bloudy impostures and impudent slanders For hee is Iudge and the power resides in him but hee is likewise a witnesse and the knowledge of truth is in him seeing then that hee knoweth the truth and that hee can and will iudge the innocent shall he not be iustified by his sentence 37. Waite then on him ô yee iust for his helpe is certaine be not weary of staying for him for he knowes better what yee need then your selues sometimes hee tarries to trye your patience some-times to glorifie you walke then in his waies obserue them carfully Plant strong hedges round about his wayes stick your labours with thornes and your tribulations with briers for feare least voluptuousnesse enter in and pleasure breake and spoile your way Perseuer in your course vntill yee sweate water and bloud to the end that yee may arriue at the hauen of rest where God will exalt yee aboue this visible world yee namely aboue his glorified Angels Hee will cause yee to lead sinners in triumph and will make yee to see the earth purged from their iniquity to bee assigned for a portion to good men 38. I haue beene some-times amazed to see the wicked man raised vp to all sorts of honors and to hold the earth in a manner subiect vnder his feet The Cedar of Libanus lookes not more faire and straight at such time as hee puts on his greene liuery and spreds forth his new blossoms as the wicked seemed in the strength of his magnificence 39. But returning by the place where I left him I did greatly wonder what was become of him I beheld the seate of his greatnesse which was turned into solitude I did aske what is become of him that was so braue and so much feared no man made me answer I sought vp and downe euery where to see if I could meete him but I could heare no tidings at all All melted away with him there remained not so much as a mentioÌ„ of him and it seemed that the fire had eaten all vp 40. Wee must then by the example of their misery learne to eschew sinne and following another life meritte another end Preserue your selues then ô yee innocent people study righteousnesse loue equity and iustice For the peacable man loueth rest in his family and is new borne in his posterity 41. They are not like to the reprobate whose memory is lost in a moment and no man remaines afterward to name them vnlesse it bee with cursses Theyr posterity is lost at once the first stroke that striketh them doth wholy ouerthrow theÌ„ for they had no helpe but in their own selues God had forsaken them long since 42. He succoureth onely the iust that trust in him they haue waited on him and it is reason that they should find comfort in him he likewise supporteth them in the day of their affliction They shall retire theÌ„selues vnder his wings like to poore chickins pursued by the Kite they shall there be couered defended and comforted 43. Hee will helpe them in the middest of the bickering and then they shall bee enuironed on euery side hee will miraculously by his power come and deliuer them Hee will breake into the throng will draw the iust forth of the hands of the wicked Wherfore ô Lord doest thou support the iust with such affection Because they haue trusted in thee and not placed their confidence in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world but on thine infinite goodnesse and mercy which neuer faileth those which call vpon thine holy name Seeing them ó father of Iustice and mercy that it pleaseth thee for a time to permit the wicked to enioy the goods and honours of this world and to set their feete on the necks of good men and with their euil artificiall practises to torment thy good and faithfull seruants compose in such sort our affections as wee may not be offended with their good hap nor enuy their decetfull riches but graunt that wee may couragiously beare what affliction so euer it shall please thee to lay vppon vs wayting with patience till thou comest to iudge their conscience to enquire out the depth of their councells and with the seuerity of thy iustice to imprint on their for-heads the shame they haue deserued razing their infamous memory from the face of the earth which is appointed for the seruice of thy glory And in the meane time containe our hearts in such sort that we haue none other hope but in thee and make account of nothing else in this world or to set our loue vpon but on thine onely grace and blessing Iudica me domine Psalme 42. BEe my Iudge ô Lord take notice of my cause and iudge the slanders wherewith the wicked doe accuse mee deliuer mee oÌ„ Lord out of the vngodly and from deceitfull lippes For they are gathered together to conspire against me and they haue practised my destruction They would cloke their theft with iustice and vnder shew of law they would ouerthrow and defame mee But ô diuine iustice which with an all-seeing eye doest scatter the cloudes of slander and giuest light to innocency shine a little vppon mee and make them know that trueth pearceth
thee to inlighten my mind of those things which thou hast ordaided in heauen in the seate of thine eternity Yet ô Lord thou hast supplied that defect and hast led me by the hand to see the secrets of thine eternal wisedome thou hast in a manner rauished me and taken my soule out of my body to make it capable of the diuine light of thy wise purposes 25. In very deed when I enter into the consideration of these wonders my heart fainted and I fell into a swoune what is this ô my God my God what hast thou made mee to see God of my heart God of my thoughts God of my hope God whome I account all my wealth to loue whome I haue hence-forward destined all my affections I know now ô Lord what thou art how iust how mighty and I will neuer more be astonisht to see strange matters in this world the reason whereof I am not able to comprehend For thy councells are wondrous high this wisdome is merueilous deepe But in the ende ô LORD whatsoeuer thou disposest in this world endeth in iustice 26. For all those who forsake thine obedience and leaue thy fauour shall most miserably perrish all those which violate the faith of the alliance which they haue sworne vnto and yet serue their owne concupiscences and commit whoredome with the earth and their fleshly affections all those which polute their consciences and prostitute their soules to wickednesse and impious cogitations shal be rooted out and passe through the fury of thy reuenging hands 27 But as for me ô my God I will neuer depart from thee I will neuer hope for any other good but to be first ioyned to thy sides I will fixe mine eyes vppon thee to the end to obserue thy becke and to conforme my selfe to whatsoeuer thou desirest of me and I will follow steppe by steppe all that which thou shalt commaund me I meane to put all my trust in thee and seeing that I know thee to be al good and almighty as I steedfastly beleeue that thou louest mee I will likewise firmely beleeue that thou wilt ayde mee and giue me whatsoeuer shal be necessary for me ô how goodly and certaine is the hope which is builded on the promise of almighty God who hath giuen mee so many earnest pence of his bounty so many pawnes of his liberallitie and all to make me beleeue that the recompence which he hath promised me for seruing him faithfully is most certaine and sure Wherefore ô my GOD doest thou thus prodigally lode mee with blessings why doest thou promise mee such aboundance of them seeing there is in mee nothing but sinne and infirmitie 28. I know very well ô Lord that it is because I shall haue matter enough to spred abroad euery where of thine immense mercy and vnspeakable goodnesse to the end I may publish thy praise in all the gates in all the streetes of thy holy Sion that going vp into thine holy hill in the middest of those whom thou hast gathered together in thy Church to receiue thy blessings and to serue to thy glory I may acquaint them with the secrets of thy wisdome which thou hast pleased to reueale vnto mee And that directing my voyce by the stile which thy holy spirit hath framed I may bee able to vnfold the sacred mysteries of thine incomprehensible wisedome to the ende that as many as shall heare mee to discourse of the knowledge wherein thou hast instructed mee may admire not mee which am but an hoarce instrument of thy glory but the wonderfull effects of thy quickning spirit which shall animate mee to this godly holy and worthy worke And after ô Lord that thou hast a while kept vs at this stay in this earthly Sion lift vp our eies towards the holy Sion encourage vs to aspire to this blessed dwelling place and teach vs who they are vnto whom thou hast promised it and how wee ought to carry our selues to become worthy of so faire so holy and so glorious an habitation Domine quis habitabit in Tabernaculo Psalme 15. IT is thy pleasure then ô Lord thar this world to vs should be a wearisome Pilgrimage Al day long we walk vp downe in it and at night we can find no rest for our tired members If we thinke to lay downe our heads on our pillowes to giue slumber to our eye-liddes afflictions like so many flies disquiet vs and the very passions which are ingendred in our flesh like dangerous scorpions do waken and poison vs and at the last kill vs vnles we kil them on the wound What may we hope for seeing that as strength decreaseth our euills doe encrease seeing that on what side so euer wee turne our selues wee walke in the middest of this world and this world is euery where full of miseries Where shall wee then expect rest not in this miserable life where wee are sent like champions to the game to encounter with all manner of aduersities but onely ô Lord in thy Tabernacle in the sacred dwelling place of thy diuinity where our trauailes are to bee crowned O happy yea thrice happy hee for whom thou hast prepared this goodly and delectable place of retreate which will sweeten and comfort our passed griefes in the bosome of thy grace and refresh vs in the armes of thy mercy But who are they who shall one day dwell with thee as beholders of thy felicity and glorie for to heare so much as is spoken thereof that place is not accessible to all the world it is a place of fearefull heigth of infinite largenesse decked with incredible magnificence I can no otherwayes describe it then that it is a very high hill on the toppe whereof a maruailous goodly garden is to bee seene set with all sortes of flowers hedged in with an infinite number of fruit-trees watered with cleere and running fountaines it is verely an hill for to mount it it behooues vs to climbe vpon all sides on tribulations a hundred times harder then flint or rocks And in ascending it we must goe still farther and farther from the center of the earth that is to say from the loue thereof and to put all sensuall and earthly affections vnder foot It is indeed like a flourishing garden for there groweth seedes and causes of all thinges which do daily flourish with infinite faire effects and excellent workmanship it hath for compartiments the goodly disposing of the worlds parts so iustly measured as nothing more the fruits are the sweete and sauory contemplations of wisedome wherewith it nourisheth and filleth those soules that dwell there it hath for fountaines the springs gushing foorrh of the eternall goodnes which poures it selfe from on high into all the parts of the world doth continnually bath and refresh them O faire and holy hill who shall ascend thy toppe who shall rest in the very bosome of so goodly and so delectable a mansion 2. He who purified in the sacred flames of an