is not yet come which I haue appointed and in the meane while trust thou assuredly vnto my promise and looke whatsoeuer affliction thou â—…aâ—t endure be thou assured that I will geâ—… thee strength to ouercome it My courage ô Lord encreaseth wheÌ„ as I feele thee thus to second me and this thine exhortatioÌ„ emboldneth me more vnto patience then all the applause of the people doth him that fighteth a combat wheÌ„ he is most stroÌ„g and lusty in his fight There is nothing now that I am afeard of for all these conspiracies all these slanderous reports against mine head honor seme to me like vnto the foming raging billowes of the sea who roting far off furiously breake them-selues against the foot of a rock and scatter them-selues abroad at the first stroke and the blow is but a vaine sound which is the end of all these great threats Certainely the conscience of an innocent man founded and grounded vpoÌ„ thy grace is more stable sure then all the greatest rocks cannot be shaken nor moued by any iniurious brags 3 What shall I now feare any more Shall I feare a rout of the wicked that goe about to beset me round and cluster about me to see if they could take me They geue out sometime one signe sometime another to assay if they can lay hold on me Behold and see diligently how they note and marke me and how they bend theyr browes and grind theyr teeth at me I verely beleeue that the greatest thing which they desire is to eate me with their teeth to teare me in pieces to fill them-selues with my flesh to gnawe my bones and to drinke my bloud O cruell and sauage beasts how can you thus despise your owne flesh how can you thus abiure all humanitie Do you think that although you haue forgotten God that God hath forgotten his seruants Do you thinke that his seruants are so far from his hand as yours is farre from iustice 4 Well go too yee haue like mad Tygres fomed out vpon me your poyson yee haue cried out and houled at me fastned your teeth clutches vpoÌ„ me howbeit all your blowes slip ouer me as it were ouer a most cleare chrystall they cannot hurt me mine innocencie is not to be wounded with all that ye can deuise but are in the end enforced to retire all wearied and gasping for breath lying vpon the belly ye â—ay grin mutine with very anger but it is without power and there is but one weapon amongst all the rest left you and that is a will to do ill But neuerthelesse because your voyce is abhominable before God and that with your threats ye blaspheme him vnto his face he will vtterly roote ye out and throw vpon you the mountaines which your ambition and couetousnesse haue heaped vp so hye thinking thereby to scale his Throne and to rob him of his glory 5 O Lord what a spectacle hast thou made for mine eyes to behold nay I am now so assured of thy mercie so comforted by reason of the care which I see thou hast of thy faithfull seruants as that although I should see the greatest armye that possibly could be yet would I not be afeard of it Let there an armye be brought against me composed of all the nations of the world and let there be placed in the vauntgard on the right hand a battell of Scythians and on the left hand a battell of Ethiopians and in the reregard the East India and America and all the rest of the world in the middest to serue for a battell and adde thereunto whatsoeuer Arte â—…d skill for the killing of men was euâ—… able to finde out or deuise and yet if my God be my conductor and leader I will passe through them all without any feare Agayne if hee bee angry with the world and shall like him to serue him-selfe with my hands to be aduenged of them for theyr vngodlynesse I my selfe will cut them all in peeces not leauing so much as a tayle of any of them 6 Nay I do now reioyce when as I heare saye that the wicked band them-selues against mee and doo assure my selfe that it is God which wiâ—… lend me matter wherein to glorie For be thou O Lord onely neere mee blesse my weapons and mine enemies are confounded But what weapons verely do thou but blowe onely vppon this people and thou shalt scatter them all as a great winde driueth the dust too and fro neuerthelesse O Lord I beseech thee blowe not vppon them the wind and blast of thy curse but tarrie a little while if thou please to see if thy patience will bring them backe to do their duties And as for my selfe although I be couered ouer with their wounds and defamed with their iniurious dealings yet had I rather haue them subiect vnto thy mercie then vnto thy iustice and desire if thou thinke it good that their iniustice might rather serue to try me withall then for their condemnation 7 Thou knowest O Lord my desires thou readest them in mine hart neither haue I euer called vppon thee for vengeance my vowes coniure nothing but thy mercie and my thoughts are addressed vnto nothing but vnto peace Wouldest thou vnderstand the summe of my desres and the end of all my prayers it is O Lord that I may passe my dayes in seruing thee faithfully and that thou wouldest graunt me thine holie house to dwell in and that all the while that I am seperated from thee and a great way off from thiâ—e heauenly Tabernacle tyed vnto the earth by reason of the counterpoise of my bodye I might vnite and tye 〈◊〉 my thoughtes vnto thee and conforme and frame my selfe wholy vnto thy will O blessed habitation that is able to couer vs from all worldly passions from all the lusts of the flesh and to be short from all the assaults of the Deuill For there ô Lord thou art present with vs and commest downe from the heauens to keepe companie with vs and fillest vs with thy selfe that we might be voyd of sinne and conuertest our carnall will into a liuing and quickning spirit that we might effectually feele thy maruellous works comprehend thy mercies and conceiue of thy power and almightinesse 8 Suffer therefore my God that I being incorporate â—…to theâ— so fâ—rre-forth as mine infirmitie and thine infinitenesse will permit I may be enlightened with the beames of thy wisedome to the end that mâ—ne vnderstanding being enlightened she may learne mee to knowe thy will For this is the thread ô Lord which may assuredly guide â—e through the windings and turnings of the laberinth of this world and this is the passeport which must being vs vnto that euerlasting life which we so â—…cessantly gape and sigh for Reueale vnto me therefore this thy will and lay it vp in my soule that I may there keepe it most dearely and in the middest of thy Church I may set vp an Aulter in my mouth presenting
of one of his legges he goeth not a step but he reioyceth that he was so gloriously marked Wherefore they are not our wounds that do so greeue and trouble vs but the occasions for the which we receiue them they bring vs either honor or dishonor neither is any thing esteemed for the thing it selfe but for the end why we do it If we endure all things for the honor of God and for the saluation which we shall obtaine through our patience then that which we call euill shall turne to our good and that which once seemed to vs to be bitter shall in the end be found very sweet The patience which this moderation of spirit shall bring vs will be a secret testimonie vnto vs that we are the faithfull seruants of our maister that we spare our selues no whit at all to obey him nor yet refuse any trauell or paine to put his commandements in execution There is nothing surely so honourable in this world euen in the iudgement of the very heathen as to vnderstand how to forgiue and pardon The lawes permit euery man to pursue the wrong done vnto him but to pardon and forgiue belongeth vnto a Prince alone And therefore if thou wilt be a king ouer thy selfe forgiue thy selfe freely for the glory of a Christian consisteth chiefly in this loue by which he bindeth his neighbour to loue him and to be voide of this worldly desire of reuenge which as a worme gnaweth the hart of those which are infected therewith tosseth turmoileth them all the day and keepeth them waking all the night And therefore the spirit will compose it selfe with this equalitie as that it will not suffer it selfe to be carryed away with hatred and euill will And from thence will ensue another excellent disposition of the soule which is modesty moderation which bringeth with it a certaine comlinesse vnto all the actions of the body and is a testimonie by them of gentlenesse goodwill vertue which can do more then all the rest to make vs sociable to get vs the friendship of those with whom either our nature good hap or choise coÌ„ioineth vs. This gratious maner is so agreeable vnto meÌ„ as nothing more for she wringeth out of theÌ„ that which force is no way able to do for she desireth no superiority ouer the rest but according to reason which is a kind of weapon that will cut deeper then either yron or steele But these proud frowning and scornefull people which looke at all the world ouer their shoulders which are therwith swolne so full as their skinnes can hold and looke at their tailes like vnto proud Peacocks do reason great wrong when as they so do clothing him with such talke as vtterly disgraceth him and maketh him odious And beleeue me it is a very hard thing for these men to come any thing neere this holy Philosophie or wisedome which dwelleth amongst the graces that garde and eâ—…iron her on euery side Tertullian who is desirous to haue vs learne how greatly mildnesse and simplicitie serue vs to prepare our selues to receiue the gifts and perfections of the holy Ghost saith precisely that he appeareth oftenest in the shape of a Doue to shew vnto vs that he dwelleth not but in such as are without gall as a Doue is but are very gratious and gentle Now because that for the most part it commeth by reason of our infirmitie as thinking to fly one sinne we fall into another we are to feare that because we are not well confirmed in vertue thinking 〈◊〉 hold vs in humilitie we fall to become very cowards when as in deed wâ— should rather fall to banding chaâ—ging And therefore it shall not be â—misse that we adde vnto that which we haue spoken of temperance and mildnesse certaine considerations to raise vs vp to be most couragious wheÌ„ as it shall stand vs in hand to be so Which wil principally serue vs to keep vs in a straite and an assured course against all whatsoeuer shall offer it self to amaze and turne vs from obeying the commandements of God For first we shall on the one side haue rash presumption to egge vs forward to desire more then that wherevnto God hath called vs and oppose our selues vnto his constant and firme purpose Our happie successes and prosperous encounters or accidents will so tickle vs as that they will make vs laugh our good hap will promise vs high and great things and yet for all this we will not once change our visage nor countenance We will scornefully behold and looke vpon and that with a leering eye the presents of fortune if I may so say like vnto the faire fresh coloured Apples which grew neere to the lake of Ghomorre but they were no sooner touched but that they fel forthwith into powder and ashes But if reason telleth vs that we must take them we will then vse them with great equalitie of minde and facilitie of maners and make none other estimation of them On the other side we shall haue afflictions dangers griefes and pouertie which in the iudgement of the common people wrappeth vp all manner of miseries And it is against these enemies chieflie that this vertue must boisterouslie stretch forth her armes It is through them that she must make way if she meane to come to the end of her purpose Howbeit if we our selues stand in no feare and flie not before such time as we see the enemie what mischiefe may they do vs Forsooth they will spoile vs of all our goods and so we shall go the lighter seeing then that the reward is reserued for him that commeth first and shall the longer while enioy the immortall goddes which soonest commeth thether shall we then feare to lose the baggage for the obtaining of such a glorious victorie And now behold the breach is made and our Captaine within that calleth vs and we our selues busie our selues to shoote at him that arresteth vs by the cloake and put our selues in hazard to remaine prisoners in the hands of the enemie that will cause vs loso both cloake and honour and the fruite also of all our trauell We are threatned with death and what other thing else is it that we seeke after We haue not clothed our selues with this transitorie and mortall life but onely to pay the tribute and discharge the tolle at the comming in of euerlasting life These are good newes seeing we are called vpon to pay for it is a token that we are come on shore But what is this death that thus terrifieth vs What is he so to be feared as that he will make vs turne our backs vpon him forsake the field of vertue â—…ly hid in the trenches or rather in the sand holes of sâ—…thfulnesse and cowardise If we thinke it an euill thing it is because we feele it to be so or else because others thinke so of it Haue we not heard the plaint of those who haue
obserued in good order so as in the xxiiij houres of the day and night we must bestow this one houre about our body and all the rest of the time must be spent in spirituall exercises We must make but short sleepes that we may wake quickly and our sleepe must be after the manner of our life which is oftentimes interrupted by great and earnest cogitations For to be tyed to a deepe sleepe as if all our members were benummed and by such rest to geue place vnto dreames and foolish imaginations is to dye alwayes Their morning which make a deuout profession is midnight for then do they take their time to prayse God because that when as the rest of the night turneth away their hearts from whatsoeuer might occupie their eyes eares it keepeth their thoughts fixed on God geueth them the means to amend their consciences by recording of their sinnes and to set barres vnto their soules to keepe them from euill and to implore the goodnes of God that it might worke together in them this perfection of life which they hope to aspire and come vnto AN EXHORTATION of a ciuile life vnto Monsieur de L. I Am very glad that there is some-thing passed my hand which liketh you And I neuer thinke my watchings better bestowed then when as they content such as with their friendship honor me and vnto whome I haue vowed my seruice as I haue done to you Howbeit if the Epistle of Saint Basile which I haue put forth into French haue done you any pleasure it is not to me that you should shew the fauour not vnto me I say who haue rather empared then amended the worke of so great a Clarke in making it to change the toong and to speake out french language Truly amongst all the Fathers of the Grecians there is not one amongst them all that I better like of then I like of him Euery man hath his liking and I will leaue other men to the commending of that which they best like of but as for mine owne part I will rather vse this man which pleaseth me for this is the man that I chiefeliest make accoumpt of Neuerthelesse there is one thing in your letter which you wrote vnto me that misliketh me and that is this You write that the often reading of this Epistle which you say you read ouer as it were euery day hath brought you into a desier to get you into some Monasterie and there to passe the rest of your dayes that you might turne away your eyes from beholding the great miseries which this miserable ciuill warre hath hatched and brought foorth and wholy conuert your mind and thoughts vnto the honor and seruice of God This purpose of yours I must needs confesse proceedeth from a most godly hart and a very good forecasting meane to bring vnto you in your owne particular cause some quietnes of mind and peace of conscience which I suppose to be one of the greatest benefits which wee can any way locke for But it would sore grieue me to be bereaued of so sweete and deere companie and so great hurt vnto the common weale You should beleeue me in my poore opinion doo maruellous wrong both vnto your countrey and to your friends and euery man is to seeke his owne benefit but yet so as that it be not to the hurt of another For wee are not borne heere in this world for our selues and besides we are but the lesser part of the whole and therefore binde and tye your selfe vnto the great and principall parts thereof with most straight bonds which allow vs not to withdrawe our selues in this dangerous season without violating and breaking both the bonds of charitie and also of godlynesse And yet for all this I would not haue you thinke that I will gaynesay or yet diminish the commendation which Saint Basile and so many auncient Fathers and my selfe with them haue geuen vnto solitarie life for I greatly commend it yea and I loue it it may be too well But I wish you did loue it as they doo and vppon the selfe-same considerations and not for any discouragement the rather to auoyde the thwart and tedious dealings of a ciuile life then for to followe the pleasure that is in contemplation Followe if you please the examples of the auncient Fathers but followe them with that wisedome and moderation which they doo Beleeue mee if you will it is now no time for their example of life to call such men as you are vnto solitarie life For monasticall life came not in in a troublesome time ne yet for such men as whose wisedome and fidelitie was necessarie vnto the gouernment of the weale publicke Neyther doo wee see that in the fyrst beginning of the Christian Church although it was euerie manner of way and with all sorts of troubles and afflictions tossed and turmoyled that the Fathers withdrewe themselues into the deserts and solitarie places there to serue God quietlie But their liues beeing full of actions and those publicke also hindered them to establish the Churches to discipline the people to conserue the peace and vnion of cities and prouinces and to serue for examples of modestie and temperance vnto the whole world But when as the Christians had full libertie and assurance and that the Emperours and chiefe Gouernors had embraced the Religion and kept the same vnder the couert of their armes and power and fauored such as made profession therof the peace then of it being established and the common weale being able as it were to be maintained of it selfe vpon the good and sure foundations which so many wise and holie personages had before layd it was permitted vnto great learned men to enioy the sweetnesse of solitarie life But of what age were they when they thus did Forsooth it was euen then when they had spent the strength of their yong yeares in the gouernment of the ciuile life and in worldly affaires amongst men And about this age and after this manner did Saint Basile and Saint Ierome withdrawe them selues And yet notwithstanding when as the necessitie of the common state required their ayd some of them were called away and enforced to enter againe into their former charge for the good of the common weale And othersome of them remained all their liues long in solitary life and it was by reason they were not tâ—…ght competent and necessary meâ— about those affayres which then were eminent And to say truly what man is able to abide to see during the tempest when as the billowes rowle most hye the sea fometh most furiously the winds blow most outragiously the most expert pylots leaue the helme vnto passengers to fall to their sleepe For so long as it is calme euery man may guide the stâ—rne for then skill is to small purpose and ignorance doth no great hurt But so long as the storme continueth the direction and wisedome of him that gouerneth is seene vppon whose direction and
cleane ouer for they haue no help but from them-selues and God hath long sithence geuen them ouer 42 For he helpeth only the righteous which put their trust in him For on him they attend and therefore it is reason that they should find comfort at his hands They gather them-selues together vnder his wing as poore chickens whome the kite pursueth there shall they finde couert defence and consolation 43 He will help them out of the strongest part of the battell yea and although they were enuironed on euery side yet will he come and deliuer them as it were by his miraculous power and might he will runne through the prease to pluck the righteous ouâ— of the hands of the wicked Why doest thou ô Lord after this manner so affectionately support the righteous Forsooth it is because that they haue put their whole trust and confidence in thee and not put their hope in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world but in thy infinit goodnesse and clemencie which is neuer voyd of help vnto all those that call vpon thy holy name Seeing then ô most righteous and mercifull Father it hath pleased thee for a time to endure the wicked to enioy the wealth and honor of this world and to set theyr feet vppon the throats of good and godly men and sufferest them by theyr cursed threats and craftie deuises to torment thy good and innocent seruants Frame we beseech thee our affections so as that we be not offended at their prosperitie and not enuie theyr deceytfull ritches but couragiously to beare whatsoeuer affliction thou shalt lay vppon vs paciently attending till thou shalt come to iudge theyr consciences and search out the bottoms of their counsels and with the seueritie of thy iustice imprint vppon theyr foreheads the shame which they haue iustly deserâ—ed abolishing their infamous meâ—… from aboue the earth destined 〈◊〉 the seruice of they glorie and in the â—…eaâ—e while so to keepe our harts as that we trust in none but in thee and make no reckning of whatsoeuer is here in this world to set our loue thereon but on thy grace and blessing Iudge me O Lord. c. Psalme 33. 1 LOrd be my Iudge take knowledge of my cause and bee thou iudge of all the sclanders wherof the wicked accuse mee Deliuer mee O Lord from the hands of the vnrighteous and from deceâ—…tfull lips For they haue assembled themselues together to imagine mischiefe against mee and haue set vp 〈◊〉 selues against mee to oppâ—… 〈◊〉 ouerthrowe mee They will 〈…〉 vp a cloake of righteousnesse befoâ—… theyr theeuish purposes and 〈◊〉 pretence of lawe vndoe 〈…〉 mee But ô thou diuine 〈…〉 with an all-seeing eye 〈…〉 clowdes of sclaunders 〈…〉 gâ—auntest day vnto the 〈…〉 shine vpoÌ„ me a little make 〈…〉 â—…derstand that truth pierce 〈…〉 and beholdeth all their craâ—ty 〈…〉 and maketh way to appeare before thee ô thou seueare and vncorrupt Iudge the only comfort of the afflicted 2 Thou art my strength and my defence and vppon thee alone resteth mine innocencie I made readie my selfe to fight against the craftie deuises of these deceiuers which assayle me and haue dreamed of a thousand arguments to conuince them withall and do make an accompt rightly to deduct my reasons But when as I had throughly considered that thou keepest in minde the knowledge of my cause as my God my gardian and protector I haue sayd alone to my selfe for what purpose serue all these goodly syllogismes for my Iudge knoweth the truth of the fact and vnderstandeth the equitie of my cause What can be hid from him who is present at all things and what can any man declare and shew vnto him that is righteousnesse him-selfe who hath established lawes and vnto whome it belongeth to interpret them I therefoâ—… pâ—t my selfe into thy armes my God my strength and refuge Iudge my cause and rid me from the sclaunders of the wicked But why reiectest thou me my God I haue a long while called vppon thee and yet thou hast not come vnto me In the meane while mine enemies oppresse me and I am no more able to abide But now thou my sweet yea my most sweet soule why art thou so heauie and sad and God be some-what slacke in comming to help thee all the while the wicked are afflicting of thee why losest thou thy courage thus and geuest thy selfe ouer vnto sorrow and griefe That thaâ— is deferred is not altogether lost for he will come seeing he hath promised it 3 Come therefore my Lord my God and spread our the beames of thy diuine light vppon me and seeing thou art the father of truth leaue not this thy poore captiued daughter in the wicked and vniust hands of her accusers If thou louest innocencie deliuer her then from the bonds of these false accusations For now O Lord malice lieth hidden in the darke and if thou let her haue day lighâ— she 〈◊〉 ouercome and if she be acknowledge 〈◊〉 she is vndone I beseech thee therefore O my God let thy light and truth assist my righteousnesse for I haue loued them all my life long and from my youth haue I made much of them They haue bene they my Lord which first led and guided me before thee and presented me vnto thee vppon thine holie mountaine set me in the middest of thy Tabernacle brought me iâ—to thy Church and gaue me an honorable place in thine house 4 There it is ô Lord where I haue chosen my mansion and mine aboad is with thee My rest ô Lord is onely in thee and all my glory is to serue thee Assuring my selfe then vpon thy support stay and trusting in thy grace I will present my selfe vnto thee who knowest my conscience and in knowing it iudgest it in iudging it esteemest it and in esteeming of it thou confoundest the common enemies of mine honor and of thy seruice I will 〈◊〉 vnto thine Aulter which I haue set vp to blesse sanctifie thy name and 〈◊〉 vppon thee my God which fillest 〈◊〉 youth with gladnesse and inspiring 〈…〉 heart the holie flame of thine holie loue doest heape vpon me pleasure delight and ioy 5 And therefore will I found out vpon mine harp in mine hand the confessing of thy magnificence and rune with my voyce the sweet notes of thy prayse one while I wil sing thy immeasurable power one while thy exceeding goodnesse and another while thy infinite clemency and in the end I wil finish with this wonderful iustice which hath saued me froÌ„ the oppressioÌ„ of the vngodly and made the shame of their wicked purposes rebound leape vpoÌ„ their owne faces Why wilt thou then be sad my soule why vexest thou mee thus and takest in ill part the opprobries and sclanders of the wicked as if their venomous tong could any way hurt an innocent conscience No no a burning torch thrust into the water can no sooner be extinquished then the sclanderous reports of a man that leadeth
are they that shall one day dwell with the companions of thy blessednes glory for to heare that which is said of it this is not a place for all the world to come vnto for this is a place of a monstrous height and of an infinite largenesse and compassed adorned with incredible magnificence I know not what else to say vnto thee but that this is a very high hill vppon the top whereof is a maruellous beautifull Garden beset and furnished with all sorts of delicat fine flowres wherein also are plaÌ„ted many rowes of trees of infinit sorts of fruites and moystned bedeawed with most liuely and cleare running waters Certainly this is a very hye hil in deed for whosoeuer commeth there must on euery side runne through grieuous and hard tribulations yea an hundreth times harder then either the flint or rocky stone And he that will come there must be alwayes farre from the center of the earth that is to say hee must not be too too farre in loue with himselfe but must tread vnder his feet all sensuall and earthly affections This is in truth like a most flourishing Garden for in it are resident the seeds and causes of all things which dayly bring forth most infinit goodly effects and most noble and excellent works for the partitions and deuisions thereof there is a goodly disposing of the parts of the world so iustly and euenly measured as possibly can be deuised The frutes thereof are the pleasant and sweet sauouring contemplations of wisedome wherewith it nourisheth and satisfieth the soules there dwelling The running waters thereof are the spring heads issuing from the eternall bountie which spreadeth it selfe from an high ouer all the parts of the world and coÌ„tinually batheth and refresheth them O most beautifull holy hill who shal ascend vnto thy top and who shal rest in the bosome of this so glorious and delightfull an abiding place 2 Euen he that is purified within the sacred flames of an holy and deuout zeale that hath so eased his soule of the dregs of the world that there is nothing left to hinder his course from going that way For when the desire of our soule is left naked and bare it draweth right on vnto the â—nd of her wishes euen towards the â—eate of her felicitie And it is euen then when being out of loue with it selfe which is the verie seducer of our vnderstanding it iudgeth altogether vprightly and rendereth to euery thing that duety which nature commandeth conseruing peace by iustice maintaining all things as they were in their creation and directing them vnto that end for the which they were brought forth And to say truly the iust man is nothing else but the tutor of nature who defendeth her lawes and fighteth for her owne conseruation maintaining in rest peace that which was by wisedome created And therefore ô thou Iustice the mother of peace thou art next vnto innocencie in the first degree to ascend vnto the hill of eternall blessednesse 3 Next after Truth followeth thee clearely shining on euery side which is a most firme and durable rock against the which the cloudes of sclanders kick in vayne and at the first encounter which they spurrâ— in heâ— flankes they are all 〈◊〉 scattered and gone And Veritie who presenteth herselfe sâ—cond marcheth to get into that blessed barbrough For ô beautifull and holy Truth whensoeuer any one loueth thee and hath set his hart on thee thou thy selfe art by and by in his hart and after goest into his lâ—s c there adornest thou him with most singular beauty And to say truly that beauty is nothing else but the eternall truth which shineth in the works of the word of God which made al things froÌ„ the beginning Hâ—… heâ— which hath embraced this pure truth shâ—…â—scend to that top he hath ioyn 〈◊〉 thought with her â—et vp an Aulter in his lips driuen froÌ„ him deceit lying rooted them cleane out of his â—are mouth For lying is the very mortall poyson of the soule it is a sâ—yinâ— cleauing hâ—mor which ouerflowing the eye of vnderstanding engendreth therein as it were a filme which taketh away both sight and iudgement 4 No no he that will ascend into that hill must cast from him all vanitie and lying for these ragges will catch hold on euery nayle he must also be purged of this venemous malignitie which is alwayes busie and readie to do ill vnto his neighbour the very poyson of humane societie For seeing it hath pleased thee ô Lord that men which liue together should serue as all the rest of thy works do to the ministerie of thy glory he that cutteth off good will which as a firme band ioyneth theÌ„ together doth not he break thy law offend thine honor what shal become of him then who not coâ—…eÌ„t to suffer the fire of charitie to wax dead in his hart but enforceth himselfe besides to defame his good name 5 And therefore ô Lord he that will ascend vnto thee and stretcheth out his hand to enter into this blessed habitation must alwayes abhorre these pestilences which being full of bloudy malice thinke of nothing but of the infelicitie of their neighbours take pleasure in nothing but in displeasing and grieuing of them as by their very countenaÌ„ces may be seenâ—… for when they weepe then are their neighbours in good estate and when they laugh then goeth it ill with them No no their imaginarie greatnesse their pride setled vpon their extortions and deceits will not suffer them to abide an honest man for they are but white painted sepulchres whose filthinesse and infection will one day discouer it selfe when it shall please thee my God But knowest thou who they are that will make accompt of an honest man Euen they that feare and serue thee in holinesse of life and simplicitie of hart 6 They I say ô Lord who thinke thee to be alwayes present not only at their actions but in their most secret thoughts they that inviolably keepe their faith whose word is a sure pawne of truth vpon whose promise his friend assureth him selfe and accompteth it already done which he hath promised for such a man ô Lord beleeueth verely that his saluation dependeth of the promise which thou of thy meere fauour and grace hast made vnto him and that he shall not be worthie to receiue the effect of thy holie promise if hee render not vnto his neighbour the sure effect of him owne He will not heare Vsury once named but abhorreth that wicked the euery which putteth another mans necessity to ransome putteth the help which he oweth vnto his neighbour to sale and selleth time dayes moneths yeares But much lesse will he be corrupted to condemne the innocent to sell the goods of another man wrongfully and defile the sanctuary of Iustice for filthy gayne but holding his eyes alwayes open that he may vnderstand the poynt of reason and leaneth buâ— vnto that
and arrogancie they haue forsaken thee to follow their own presumption thou must needs leaue them in their error and they must needs perseuere in their sinne and this hard scale of impenitencie must of force couer ouer their whole hearts and a greater curse canst thou not lay vpon them then this then to blinde their minds and take away from them their senses For when thou shalt come at once in the day of vengeance with a rod of iron in thine hand and breake them all in shards like a potters vessell there shall be nothing vnder the heauens by many thousands of degrees so miserable as they for they shall find no mercy at all because they them selues were mercylesse they shall be poore and there shall be none to helpe them and they shall be afflicted and none shall comfort them In the meane while ô Lord haue thou an eye vnto vs and second our patience with thine holy mercy to the end that as long as thou shalt please to exercise vs with the iniuries and opprobries of the wicked our hearts fayle vs not and that our soules may alwayes be able to lift them selues vp vnto thee and looke for thine ayde taking the miseries which it pleaseth thee to send vs for a tryall of our faith hoping that after our long patiēce thou wilt crowne vs as victorious wrastlers and cause vs triumphantly leade the wicked against whome we continually wrastle here in this life CHAPTER IIII. Aleph I Knowe O Lord right well that we must yeeld vnto thy will and that we do but kicke against the pricke in complayning of thee Neuerthelesse I can not keepe in my griefes much lesse my sighs when as I behold this strange desolation And although my soule biddeth me hold my peace yet can not mine heart keepe it selfe from sighing For who ô Lord would not haue pitie of this to see all the beawtifull golden walls of thy temple bescrabled and scraped all the goodly golden vessels so finely wrought now melted and clipt in pieces all the ritch Iasper Porphirie of thy sanctuary brokē layd in gobbets cast about all the corners of the Citie in so much that that place which shone as bright as the Sunne is now become like a ruinous darke dungeon Beth. Besides who would not grone to see the children of the best houses who were so much made of and so beloued as that they were accompted as pretious as any gold to be now cast vpon the leystalles like the shards of a broken pot Ha ô Lord our God this was not mens worke but thine owne Yea why forsookest thou after this sort thine owne most deare and most excellent workemanship createdst thou them to destroy them Gimel O I would thou haddest shewed as great fauour at the least vnto the childrē of Ierusalem as thou diddest vnto the most vile abiect creatures on the earth for the very yong serpents them selues finde their dams teats who bring them vp vntill such time as they are able to shift for them selues Alasse thou hast made the women of Ierusalem to become more cruell then serpents more sauage then the women of Lamia which haue no womanlike shape no◠condition but the very face for their hearts and the rest of the members of their bodies are most hidious and fearefull Nay there is not so little amitie amongst the very Ostridges who amongst the foules of the ayre are the most wilde and vntameable as there is in the women of Ierusalem by reason of their continuall affliction which hath so degenerated them Daleth Wee haue seene the yong children that there lay streaking out them selues yawning and gaping with lips as dry as sticks their tongs cleeuing vnto the rooffes of their mouthes with very drought and sucking winde instead of milke for their mothers at the first offered them their breasts but they were so dry as that they yelded nothing but bloud In so much that the poore wretches hauing nothing to breede any iuice or moysture in them dryed vp whereby they fell into a consumption and so most pitifully languishing and wearing away forthwith dyed And they that were somewhat bigger ranne after their fathers and hanging about their heeles cryed so lamentably vpon them for bread as that it would haue made the stones in the streete to haue rent in sunder with compassion But what shall I say verely they had nothing to geue them for all that their fathers could do for thē was to wish them dead and curse the day that euer they begot them to see them now in so miserable an estate He. O Lord our God what an alteration of life was this yea what an inexorable crueltie This is a miserie which scourgeth the whole world and whippeth both hye and lowe For they that were wont to liue most delicately and pamper their bodies begged in the hye wayes and dyed of honger yea and they that were wonted to lye on their downe beds and had their couerings of veluet and silke and troad vppon nothing but vppon Tapistry thought them selues now to be in very good case if so be they could get a dunghill to lye vpon Vau. In so much that for any thing that I can see ô Lord thou iudgest our sinnes to be more haynous then the sinnes of Sodome For thou hast punished vs more cruelly then euer thou diddest them For they were ouerthrowne in a moment and fire from heauen deuoured them presently And besides there was none but thy selfe that dealt in this for she was not committed vnto the mercy of men left vnto the discretion of her enemies nor yet vnto the iniuries that follow the taking of Cities Zain It is a common saying that there is no right iudging of misery but by way of comparison and then beginneth it to touch the quicke when as a man compareth his estate wherein he presently standeth with that wherein he sometime was As when I bethinke me of the magnificence of those of Nazareth and see what miserable caytifes they now are For it was a maruellous glorious thing to see them come vnto Ierusalem to the feast in their robes as white as the driuen snow so neate and white were their clothes their faces were smoothly paynted and glistered like yuorie and their cheekes as ruddie as any rose or rather as ruddie as any rubie Het But they that had seene them now might haue sayd that they had blowne the cole all their life long at a smythes forge or had bene begrimed for the nonce and would haue rather taken them for the Lazars of a spittle house then otherwise for their bones beare out their skins and a man would haue sayd that their skins had bin like parchmēt wrapt about a dead carrion and I verely beleeue that there is as much moysture in a dry slough or ditch as was in any of their bodies Thet. Yea and they which past the edge of the sword came to a far better market then they for their misery