Church of Christ more then of the first 10. Dauid therefore fore-seeing by faith the glorie of this temple Hierusalem and Church of Christ desireth almightie God that it may be built And why Dauid ô saith he then and not before thou shalt accept the sacrifice of iustice And what is that the sacrifice of the Crosse to wit of Christ Iesus offered by death on the crosse This sacrifice is the fountaine of all grace receiued euer since Adams fall this sacrifice appeaseth God his wrath and satisfieth his iustice in paying the great price of our Redemption by this sacrifice God vvas more honoured then by all the sacrifices that euer before were offered by this sacrifice vve were reconciled to God and his Angels By this sinne vvas cancelled the Deuill vanquished Hell that is limhus Patrum was ransacked and all those prisonners enioyed a iayle deliuerie death vvas despoiled of his sting yea vvas put to death finallie by which onelie hoste once onelie offered our redemption was consummated Hebr. 9 10. for as S. Paul saith by one oblation hath he consummated for euer them that are sanctifyed 11. And peraduenture Dauid beeing a Prophet and hauing a more explicite faith then the other Ievves had Matth. 26. alludeth also to the sacrifice which Christ instituted and offered at his last supper which is repeated by the Priest daylie in the Church And this in respect of the thing offered which is Christ differeth not from the sacrifice of the crosse because in both sacrifices the same Christ the same bodie and blood of his is offered though in other respectes they differ because that of the crosse was a bloodie sacrifice this vnbloodie that was offered in it's owne forme this in the likenes of bread wine that was a reall mactation and killing of Christ this mysticall onelie that was our Redemption this an application onelie of it that was an vniuersall cause of all grace and remissiō of sinnes this is a particular cause as Baptisme is vvhich determineth the vniuersall cause to determinate effectes that impetrated grace by its ovvne vertue this by vertue from that that because it vvas a bloodie sacrifice and contained the full price of our Redemption vvas offered but once because a bloodie sacrifice is but once killed a ransome or Redemption is but once payed this because it is a mysticall mactation and an application onelie of that price of our Redemption is oftentimes offered That vvas offered immediatlie by Christ this novv immediatlie by his Priest at the holy Altar 12. This veritie of the vnbloodie sacrifice Catholique vvriters doe prooue by all those kind of arguments as I my selfe haue in some bookes of myne by vvhich the greatest mysteries and articles of our faith are prooued as by Scriptures Councels fathers and practice of the Church but because I intend in this my Paraphrase to abstaine from controuersies and onelie to stirre vp sinners to repentance I vvill omit all such argumentes and vvill returne to our penitent king and Prophet And vvhy Dauid doest thou so much desire that the vvalles of this Hierusalem and the temple of the Church of Christ should be built out of my zeale saith he of God his greater glorie and saluation of others for then saith he shalt thou accept sacrifice of iustice then and not before shalt thou accept the bloodie and vnbloodie sacrifices of the sonne of God the true sacrifices of iustice because the bloodie sacrifice satisfied thy iustice in paying the price of our redēption the vnbloodie applieth the price then by these sacrifices thou shalt be infinitlie more honoured then by all the sacrifices of the old lawe then thousands more both of Ievves and Gētils shall be saued then vvere in the old lavv then shall be layd on thy Altar not calues and oxen but the sacrifices of thy sacred bodie and blood the verities of those figures 13. In a tropicall or morall sēse Hierusalem the temple doe signifie the soule of man and in this sence Dauid desireth that the walles of his Hierusalem the forces of his soule lost by sinne may by grace be repaired Desire thou also ô penitent sinner vvith this penitent king and Prophet that the forces of thy ruinous Hierusalem of thy soule cast downe by sinne may be repayred that faith the foundatiō of this spirituall temple may be renewed if it be lost or strengthned if it be not lost that the walles of thy hopes by which this Hierusalem and tēple riseth and is raised may be erected fortified that Charitie the toppe and roofe may couer it that this temple may be cleansed from all sinne and that by all Christian vertues it may be adorned by God his grace and guiftes of the holie Ghost embellished and that in it daylie spirituall sacrifices of prayer praise thankesgiuing of a contrite heart of all good workes may be offered to God his honour glorie 14. Lastlie in the Anagogicall sense Dauid desireth that the walles of the celestiall Hierusalem may be built that is that the Heauēlie Hierusalē ruined in part by the falle of Lucifer and his rebellious followers may be repayred and their seates filled For he knew by faith that there vvas a Hierusalem in Heauen farre more glorious then that in earth Apoc. 21. and vvhich by S Iohn his description is built of no vvorse materialls then pearles gold and pretious stones thereby signifying the splendour riches and maiestie of it S. Paul calleth it a mount Sion Heb. 12. the Citie of the liuing God Heauenlie Hierusalem and the assemblie of many thousand Angels the Church of the first borne vvhich are vvritten in the Heauēs This is the true Hierusalem that is the true vision of peace vvhere all seeing God face to face doe all peaceablie aggre in louing praising honouring and seruing him 15. In this Hierusalem euerie Saint and Angell is a liuing stone which cōposeth buildeth vp this Citie euerie Saint and Angell is a courtier of this Court euerie Saint and Angell is a miniō and fauorit of the Heauenlie king euerie Saint and Angell is a Quirester of God his Chappell euerie Saint Angell is a king of a kingdome of no lesse extent then the Kingdome of Heauen 16. In this Heauenlie Hierusalem there is peace vvithout vvarre securitie vvithout feare contentement vvithout disgust satietie without glutting ioy vvithout sorrow rest with without labour light vvithout darkenes morning without euening day vvithout night spring without the falle of the leafe summer vvithout vvinter youth vvithout old age health vvithout sicknes life without death happines vvithout miserie and one happier then an other vvithout all enuie because euery one reioyceth in an others happines as if it vvere his ovvne no sinne against God all iointlie louing him no falling out vvith one an other because all in God doe loue one another and no end of this felicitie but a perseuerance in all this for all eternitie O vvorld
put of the old man and put on the new it regenerateth vs and maketh vs new creatures and after vve are dead in soule by sinne it restoreth vs to the life of grace yea glorie also if vve perseuer in grace For these causes I haue made these Paraphrasticall Discourses to allure sinners to repentance knowing hovv miserable a thing it is to liue in sinne hovv dangerous to deferre repentance and hovv hopelesse to dye in sinne without it And if by these my small labours I shall be so happie as to conuert any sinners yea but one sinner I shall esteeme it no small benefite not onely to the sinner conuerted but also to myselfe because S. Iames assureth me that he that maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the errour of his wayes Iacobi 5. shall saue his soule from death and couer a multitude of sinnes not onelie of the sinner vvhom he conuerteth but also of his ovvne because the conuersion of a sinners soule is a sacrifice for the conuerters soule more pleasing to God then if he had offered an hecatombe yea a world to God for his owne sinnes For as S. Chrysostome saith Chrysost ho 3. in 1. ad Corinth nullius rei pretiū est cū anima conferendū ne totus quidem mundus quare etiamsi diuitias innumeras dederis pauperibus nihil tale efficies quale is qui conuertit animam The price of nothing no not of the vvhole vvorld is to be cōpared to a soule Wherefore although thou shalt giue innumerable riches to the poore thou shalt not doe so great a worke as he that conuerteth a soule But of penance and the effectes of it I shall not need in this Epistle to vse moe words it being the principall subiect of my ensuing Paraphrasticall Discourses and therefore here I shall take my leaue of my Reader and desire him vvhether he be Catholicque or not Catholicque to take in good parte this my litle labour intended and taken for th' one as vvell as for the other and if he take profit by it let him thanke God th' Authour of all that is good if through my default it moue him not to that repentance and amendement of life vvhich I entended I must desire him to pardon me I vvas not so able as vvilling APPROBATIO POEnitentiae coronam hanc in qu◠nihil quod fidei Catholicae splendori morumue sanctorum integritati non sit consentaneum de speciosissimis Psalmi quinquagefimi floribus Poenitentium Principis memoriae scitè contexuit pius hic Paraphrastes Ita sentio Ed. St. S. T. D. APPROBATIO NIhil est in hac Paraphrasi Psalmi quinquagesimi fidei Catholicae aut bonis moribus contrarium sed plurima ad poenitentiam excitandam iuuandam conducēntia qua propter vtiliter excudi poterit Actum Duaci die 30. Martij 1635. Georgius Colvenerius Sacrae Theol. Doctor Regius ordinariusque Professor Duacensis Academiae Cancellarius librorum Censor PARAPHRASTICAL AND DEVOVT DISCOVRSES VPON THE FIFTITH PSALME MISERERE Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God THE Royal Prophet Dauid hauing through humaine frayltie cōmitted twoe greate offences against the diuine Maiestie 2 Reg. 1◠12. no lesse then adalterie vvith BERSABEE and murder of her husband Vrias and beeing reprooued thereof by the Prophet Nathan accused by his own conscience and mooued by the diuine grace hee conceiueth such a detestation and horrour of those his sinnes and is so ashamed and confounded with the horride aspect of them that he falleth down prostrate at the feete of his GOD whom he had thus offended And at the first sorrow hindred his tongue from crauing pardon but his eyes vndertook the office of the mouth and tongue and pleaded better for the delinquent by teares then the mouth could haue donne by tongue and wordes teares being the best oratours At length his speeche comming to him he singeth or rather sobbeth forth this his dolefull Psalme and sonnette and peraduenture he playeth to it with his harpe but assuredlie with his harte and so maketh a sweete consort of his harte by sorrow of his eyes by teares of his voice by a lamentable tune And fearing God his Iustice he flyeth to his mercie and beginneth with that dolefull note miserere haue mereie As if he had sayd 1. THOV art iust ô Lord Psal 118. and thy Iudgement is right Ioel 2. but thou art also benigne and mercifull patient and of much mercie and readie to be gracious vpon the malice If thou wert iust onelie I should despaire knowing my two so great offences which now especiallie I lament If thou wert mercifull onelie I should presume but because thou art iust and mercifull my feare is mixt with hope and my hope with feare and I so feare thy iustice as I hope in thy mercie Thou art ô Lord I confesse so iust that thou art iustice it self and this maketh me feare but thou art also so mercifull that thou art mercie it selfe and this maketh me hope that discourageth me verie much this as much encourageth and giueth me the hart to saye Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God If I were ô Lord as iuste and holy as a Sainte yet durst I not appeare before the eyes of thy iustice Iob 4. Iob 25. which in the Angelles found wickednes and in whose sight the moone doth not shine and the starres are not cleane but seeing that I am noe Sainte but a wretched sinner conceiued in sinne borne in sinne brought vp in sinne and guiltie of the twoe mentioned and many other sinnes how shall I dare to appeare before thy iustice For if the iust man trembleth before the Tribunal of thy Iustice how shall the sinner stand before it 2. But I appeale ô Lord sayth Dauid from thy iustice to thy mercie not as to an higher Tribunal for thy iustice and mercie are both infinite and so equall but as to a Tribunal more benigne more clement and gentle And although I be guiltie of greeuous and enormous sinnes and those so greate that if I regard them only and their ill disertes Gen. 4. I may say with Cain myne iniquitie is greater then that I may deserue pardon Yet they are not so greate but thy mercie is infinitelie greater soe compared to it they are not so greate but they may deserue pardon for if thou please ô Lord to put not only my sinnes but also all the sinnes of all men in one scale of thy diuine balance and thy mercie in the other thy mercie wold out waye and ouersway them and as the sands of the sea Iob 6. thy mercie wold appeare heauier 3. Wherfore ô mercifull Lord not daring to appeare before thee as a iust Iudge I present my selfe before thee as a mercifull and louing Father He that is presented as guiltie before a Iudge vseth to deny or diminish or excuse the fault but I presēting my selfe before thee ô Lord as
before a mercifull father doe neither deny nor excuse nor extenuat my fault thy prophet Nathan 2. Reg. 12. thy vnder Iudge hauing condemned me as guiltie of no lesse then adulterie and murder myne owne conscience hauing pronounced sentence against me crying in my name peccaui but stāding before thee as a cōdēned person I bring in no witnesse to defēd me no slightes nor excuses to hide my faultes as who can hide any thing frō thee whose eyes doe penetrate the most secret corners of our hartes onelie I pleade begge and clayme thy mercie crying Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God Psal 119. for if thou shalt obserue iniquities ô Lord Lord who shall susteine it And therfore Psal 142. enter not into Iudgement with thy once seruāt Dauid examine not his case and cause according to the order of iustice but according to thy mercie I confesse all I haue nothing to say for my selfe but Miserere Haue mercie I hide not my fault nor can I it is too well known vnto thee onely I can saye Miserere Haue mercie 4. Deale not with me ô Lord sayth Dauid according to thy Iustice that would cast me in all lawe but according to thy mercie by that onelie I can be saued Thou art it is true soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth to whom euen Kings and potentates are but vassals but Lords also doe pardon their seruantes vvhen with teares of eyes sorrow of harte they demaund pardon I demaund it in the same manner Apoc. 5. Thou art a a Lion a Lion of the Tribe of Iuda but Lions also will spare them who prostrate themselues before them I prostrat both body soule vnto thee 5. I confesse that by sinne I am become Psal 31 Sicut equus mulas in quibus non est intellectus as a horse and mule which haue noe vnderstanding And my brutish appetites to which I haue been a slaue haue metamorphized me made me so brutish that I am in life and conuersation rather a brute beast then a reasonable creature Psal 35 but yet Men and beasts thou wilt saue ô Lord and in the law deliuered by Moyses though it be a lawe of terrour thou hadst pitie euen of brute beasts and therefore woldst not permit the Iew to plough with an oxe and an asse Deut. 22. Exod. 23. Deut. 14. least the asse should be ouer laboured nor to seethe the kidde in the milke of his damme that seeming crueltie nor in a nest to kill or take the old bird with the younge ones Deut. 22. nor to moosel the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Haue mercie then on me though by sinne more a beast then they 6. If I were the onelie sinner ô Lord thou shouldst haue lesse reason to pardō mee but seeing all haue sinned and transgressed Psal 13 seeing that all haue declined and that there is not that doth good noe not one if thou shouldst exercise iustice onelie on sinners thou shoulest finde none on whom thou couldst exercise thy mercie If thou shouldst punish all sinners thou shouldst haue none to pardon and so thy most gratefull attribute mercie should neuer showe it selfe And yet none of thy diuine attributes is so gratefull as thy clemencie none doe make thee so popular as thy mercie neither hath thy diuine nature any thing greater then that thou canst remitte sinnes nor more pleasing to men Angelles then that thou wilt If no sinner ô mercifull Lord had euer obtained mercie and pardon at thy handes then might it seeme arrogancie in me to demaund mercie but if many and verie grieuous sinners haue found mercie at thy hands then doe thou vouch safe to pardon me whom by pardoning others thou hast caused to hope for pardō and be not displeased if the burden of my dolefull sonnet be still the same Miserere mei Deus haue mercie on me ô God ô most mercifull God And thou ô Christian soule who hast sinned with Dauid cry peccaui I haue sinned with him cry miserere mei Deus haue mercie on me o God 7. Rue the day and hower yea the many dayes and howers in which thou hast offended God and acknowledge therein thy to too greate ingratitude because in offending him thou hast offended thy creatour by whom thou hast thy naturall being by whom thou liuest and breathest thou hast offēded thy Redeemer who to rāsome thee from death the deuill and sinne became man for thee and suffred the most shamefull and most painfull death of the crosse to giue to thee here in this life a spirituall life and being by grace and in the next life an eternall life and being by glorie Saye vnto him I ought my selfe wholie vnto thee for my creation and I ought my selfe again wholie vnto thee for my redemption and so I but one am twise thine and twyse due vnto thee And if I owe my selfe and consequentlie my all for my creation what shall I giue thee for my redemption What shall I render to our Lord Psal 115. for all thinges that he hath rendred to mee I ame lesse ô Lord then ether of these benefits of creation and redemption yea then the least of thy graces and fauours How vngratefull then was I to offend thee and thereby as much as lay in mee to take from thee who can neuer giue thee sufficient to iniure thee disgrace dishonour thee who can neuer render thee sufficiēt for the least of thy benefitts though I giue all I ame and haue yea though I could giue ten thousand tymes more then I am and haue But seeing I owe more then I am and haue and yet haue also beē so vngratefull as to offēd thee what wilt thou expect of me Thou knowest ô Lord that of an ill vnable debter thou canst expecte nothing but an acknowledgement of the debte an humble demaund of pardon for the offēce and remission of the debte as I doe in Dauids dolefull crye Which I repeate after him Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God 8. And ô my not onlie ingratitude but impudencie who being not so much as a vile worme compared vnto thee ô Lord durst offend thyne infinite Maiestie and was not ashamed to commit those my heinous offences not onlie before thee but also against thee which I wold haue shamed to commit before my seruaunt or in presence of the poorest begger as though I had thought there had been no God or that thou vvho madst the eye didst not see or that thou who art euery where hadst not been present I sayd then in effect as the fornicatour or adulterer did in Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiastici 23. Who seeth me darknes compasseth me and the walles couer me and no man beholdeth me whom doe I feare The Highest will not be mindfull of my sinnes O Good God where was then my vnderstanding that I could thinke that I could hide
of the world who hath nuÌ„bred so may I say my sinnes of mouth harte deed my many sinnes of my fiue senses of the bodie of the faculties powers of my soule vvhich I committed euery day and night euerie hovver and moment in this place in that place and in all places who can recken they are so many that I my selfe can not number them thou onelie ô Lord hast theÌ„ all in thy couÌ„t-booke which one day will be produced against me if in the meane time by my sorrow with thy grace they be not caÌ„celled And whilest I thus multiplied my sinnes vvhat patience vvhat mercie ô Lord didst thou shevv vnto me when I prouoked on my part more and more by often sinning thy wrath and indignation thou extendedst thy patience and mercie for when thou mighst haue iustly takeÌ„ me in my sinnes for theÌ„ by sudden death mighst haue sent me presently to hell there to receaue my iust punishment as thou hast dealt with many no greater yea lesser sinners then I yet thou grauÌ„tedst me lesure and grace to repent and whilest I contemned thy goodnes patieÌ„ce and longanimitie thy benignitie expected me to penance wherfore resoluing by thy grace to multiplie my sinnes no more yea neuer to adde any one mortall sinne to my former I desire thee to pardon my former sinnes and because they are very many to haue mercie on me According to the multitude of thy commiserations and mercies 2. And thou ô Christian who hast multiplied sinnes vpon sinnes vvith Dauid peraduenture more then he desire God vvith him to haue mercie on thee according to the multitude of his mercies 2. Reg. 12. Say vvith him Thou forgauest penitent Dauid penitent Ezechias and penitent Manasses thou pardoneâ—st S. Peter S. Paul S. Matthew S. Marie Magdalene and thousands other great sinners pardon me also ô sweete Lord accordinge to these thy so many mercies Psal 88 commiseratioÌ„s Where are thyne old mercies ô Lord which thou shewedst heretofore to sinners Psal 21 In thee our forefathers though sinners as we haue hoped they haue hoped thou didst deliuer theÌ„ They ried to thee were saued they hoped were not coÌ„founded I cry ô Lord with them heare me as thou didst them I hope with them for mercie let me finde mercie at thy hands as they did and let not me be confounded Are all thy mercies spent are none left for me May I say vnto thee as Esau sayd to his Father Isaac Genes 27. Hast thou not reserued me also a blessing a mercie Hast thou one onelie blessing Father Hast thou no moe blessings nor mercies left for me no I can not say so Thou art ô Lord infinitelie more rich in mercies then Isaac vvas in blessings Thou hast bestowed thousands millions of mercies on sinners and yet thou hast infinite mercies reserued for other sinners that cry vnto thee for mercie Thy mercies are infinite and an infinite number can not be exhausted thy mercies are aboue the sandes of the sea Thy mercie is a sea which can not want the cooling waters of mercies sooner may the sea be dryed vp then the Ocean of thy mercies drawn drye Wherefore I cry with Dauid Haue mercie on me ô God according to thy great mercie because my sinnes are great and according to the multitude of thy commiserations and mercies because my sinnes are many as he cryed peccaui for his sinnes so vvill I send forth from hart and tongue many a peccaui and day and night and howerlie and whensoeuer my sinnes occurre to my memorie I vvill cry peccaui 3. And because I can not safely enough rely in my opinion on my peccauies not knowing whether they proceede from a truly coÌ„trite heart or no I vvill haue recourse to thy infinite mercies ô Sonne of God which are merites in respect of thee as which deserued of thy Father our redemption but in respect of me vvho deserued them not they are mercies And I shall offer vnto thee all the steppes thou vvalkedst on earth for me all the howers thou liuedst for me all the wordes thou spakest all the praiers and exhortations thou madst all thy Theandricke or humane-diuine workes and operations all thy miracles all the drops of sweate thou swetst for me in the garden all those lashes thou enduredst for me at the Piller all the prickes thou feltst in thy coronatioÌ„ with thornes all the pearsinges of the nayles all the panges on the crosse all that shower of bloud which rained froÌ„ the heauenly cloude of thy sacred humanitie yea all the drops of that shower of which euery one vvas a mercie to me of which euery one was such a merit in respect of thee that the least vvould haue been sufficieÌ„t to redeeme a thousaÌ„d worlds And according to this multitude of thy commiserations and mercies take away myne iniquitie And take our all the staynes and blottes which sinne hath left in my soule and crosse and cancell by thy death and passioÌ„ out of thy booke of accountes all the Items and debtes I owe take away my sinnes from my soule from thy eyes from thy memorie that they may not onelie be forgiuen but also forgotten and so buried in perpetuall obliuion 4. For although thou canst not forget any sinnes coÌ„mitted against thee no not S. Marie Magdalens sinnes which were vvashed avvay with many teares of eyes and harte yet when sinnes by true repentaÌ„ce and hartie sorrowe are remitted quite effaced and taken away thou doest no more impute them nor doest thou punish them at least with eternall payne as if thou hadst forgotten them therefore thou hast promised and this promise is my comfort that vvhensoeuer a sinner shall repent himselfe of his sinnes Thou wilt not remember them Ezech. 18. that is so as to punish them or to be offended vvith the sinner for them because by contrition and the grace thereof they are taken away as if they neuer had beene Amplius laua me ab iniquitate mea à peccato meo munda me Wash me more amplie from myne iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne 1. A Fowle cloth and especiallie if it be also stained requireth much washing and no lesse rubbing and a soule that hath much sinned requireth much washinge by the teares of contrition and much rubbing by the austere workes of pennance King Dauid hauing cried peccaui Domino 2. Reg. 1â— I haue sinned to our Lord for his great and manifold sinnes deserued to heare from Nathan the Prophets mouth Dominus quoque transtulit peccatum tuuÌ„ our Lord also hath taken away thy sinne and so by that peccaui spoken vvith sorrow of heart the malice of his mortall sinnes was washed away yet he not attending so much to Nathans reuelation as to the greatnes of his sinne coÌ„mitted desireth to be more amplie washed to vvitt not onelie from the malice of his mortall sinnes of vvhich he vvill not be secure and of vvhich
one can not by grace and contrition be remitted vvithout the rest grace being equallie opposite to all but also from his veniall sinnes and the temporall payne due to mortall sinne remitted For although the eternall payne due to mortall sinne be alwaies remitted with the sinne yet not the tēporall payne vnlesse the contrition be extraordinarie as it vvas in S. Marie Magdalene And therefore after that Nathan had tould Dauid 2 Reg. 12. that our Lord had taken away his sinne he tould him also that because by his sinne he had made the enemies of our Lord to blaspheme for this thiag the sonne that is born to thee dying shall die Yea Nathan tould Dauid that the sword should not depart from his house 2. Reg. 13. 2. Reg. 18. 3. Reg. 1 2. Par. 21.24.25.35 As indeed three of his owne sonnes Ammon Absalon and Adonias were slaine as vvere also many others of Dauids race and familie Finally Dauid in desiering to be more amplie washed desired to be cleansed from all the reliques of sinne 2. But thou ô sinfull Christian because thou hast not that reuelation which Dauid had to witt that our Lord hath takē away thy sinne 2. Reg. 12. Desire him to vvash thee cleane euen from the malice of sinne yea and to wash thee more amply that is frō the payne and reliques of sinne Say vnto thy mercifull God ô Lord how often haue I wallowed in my filthie pleasures and in the fowle puddle of sinne by which I haue polluted body and soule yea the earth on which I haue vvalked and the ayre in which I haue breathed in so much that I haue defiled by sinne the Image of God engrauen in my soule and haue caused my soule to sauour so ill to thy diuine senses and to seeme so vglie to thy diuine eyes that thou hast turned thy face from me 3. And if it seeme strange to any that sinne should pollute the soule which is of a spirituall immortall incorruptible substance he must know that then a thing is polluted or defiled vvhen it is vnited or mixed with a baser thing then it selfe See S. Tho. 2.2 q 7. ar 2. in corp then graced or embellished vvhen it is mixed vvith a thinge more noble then it selfe And so siluer is defiled vvhen it falleth in the durt or into moltē leade but when a siluer ring falleth into molten gold it is guilded and graced And seeing that by sinne our soule auerteth it selfe from God and conuerteth and vniteth and as it were mingleth it selfe by inordinate affection with creatures as corporall and beastly pleasures of the body the trash and pelfe of the world baser then she and inferiour to her she is contaminated and defiled but when she conuerteth her selfe to God the creatour by charitie and loue then is she graced and adorned because then she is vnited to a more noble substance then her selfe And therefore as one can not touch pitch Eccl. 13 coales or other filthy thinges but he shall file his hands so a sinner can not touch creatures by inordinate affection but he shall be defiled in soule 4. S. Tho. 1.2 qu. 86. ar 1. 2. Hence it is that Diuines doe affirme that euery mortall sinne leaueth behind it maculam a spott or blott which blurreth staineth and defileth the soule and maketh her odious in the sight of God Wherefore God by Hieremie the Prophet telleth the Iewish Synagogue which had defiled her selfe by many sinnes and euen by Idolatrie Hier. 2. If thou shouldst wash thy selfe with nitre and multiply to thy selfe the hearbe borith thou art spotted in thine iniquitie before me And of our Blessed Ladie because she vvas free from all sinne at least actuall Cant. 4 the Spouse saith in the Canticles Thou art all fayre my loue and there is not a spott in thee Ephes 5 And S. Paule saith that Christ so loued the Church that he deliuered him selfe to death for it that he might sanctify it and cleanse it by the lauer of water in the word that he might present to him selfe à glorious Church not hauing spott or vvrinkle 5. And this spott and filth of sinne is the filthiest of all filthes for corporall filthes doe onelie pollute and defile bodies and cannot defile any spirituall substance And therefore if an Angell or a mans soule should paste through the most filthie puddle that is it would not be defiled and hence it is that in a lepours body the soule of man is not a vvhitt contaminated but sinne is so fowle and filthie that it defiled Lucifer the Angells that followed him in his rebelliō against God and it blurreth spotteth and polluteth our soules as I haue shewed And therefore God vvho hath created all thinges euen those which seeme to vs foule and vncleane and yet neuer defiled his handes and who is in all thinges by essence power and presence S. Tho. 1 pa q. 8. ar 3. and yet is no more contaminated by them then the sunne is when he shineth on the puddle or dunghill yet if he could create or be Authour of sinne he should be contaminated and therefore he can not be Authour of it because he can not be contaminated 6. From this filth Dauid cryeth to be washed cleansed But what water ô penitent Dauid wouldst thou haue to wash cleanse thee from this filth the filth of sinne is so abominable that neither the water of the Cistern of Bethleem which thou once so greedilie desiredst nor the Probatica Pond 1. Para. 11. Ioan. 5.4 Reg. 5. Luc. 4. which being stirred by an Angell cured the corporall lame and blind nor the riuer of Iordan in which Naaman was cleansed frō his leprosie can wash away this filth of sinne or take out the stayne thereof And therefore most wiselie ô Royall Prophet thou specifiest none of these vvaters but onelie demādest that vvater and lauer vvhich hath force to wash out the filth of sinne and leauest to God to fynd out the vvater at vvhich also by faith thou thy selfe aymedst 7. And vvhat is this lauer it is the bloud of the Lambe CHRIST IESVS vvhich he shedd for all sinners Apoc. 1 1. Ioan. 1. and in which he hath washed vs from our sinnes By vertue of this Bloud all the sinnes that were euer remitted from the fall of Adam haue been vvashed and our soules haue been cleansed frō them And therefore this lambe of God is sayd to haue been killed from the beginninge of the world Apoc. 13. Not onelie because he vvas in figure killed in Abel but also because all vvho haue had remission of their sinnes from the beginninge of the world haue had it by faith in Christ and by vertue of his sacred bloud which was shed for vs. O Lord sayth Dauid wash me and rinse me in this holy bathe and lauer of thy bloud that I may be cleansed from all fylth of sinne and appeare gratefull hereafter to thy
reason and sensualitie out of vvhich we his children can not extricate our selues How then ô Lord canst thou expecte of me that am borne lame and crooked to walke so right in the waye of thy cōmandemēts as neuer to halt neuer to stumble neuer to goe awrye neuer to swarue from the rule of reason and thy eternall Lawe Consider ô Lord that this originall sinne by dispoiling me of originall iustice which was the bridle and curbe of sensualitie and which in Adam before his sinne was prepared for me hath caused in me a great pronenesse propension to sensualitie to sinne and vice which being hard to resiste may make some excuse for my manifold sinne 2. And thou ô Christian penitēt sinner alleage also with Dauid thy pronenesse to sinne for thou wast conceiued in sinne as deeplie as he and consequentlie hast contracted thereby the like propēsiō to sinne For this may induce thy mercifull God in that respecte to be the more forward to pardon thee The Angels that fell by sinne could not alleadge this excuse because they had not this pronenesse to sinne so deserued not mercie but seeing thou art conceiued and borne in sinne and hast contracted this propensiō to sinne which is called fomes peccati and which stirreth vp to sinne cry vnto thy Lord Haue mercie on me ô God for behold I am conceiued in sinne and thereby I haue contracted a great pronenesse to sinne which with thy ordinarie grace I can hardlie resiste and without it not at all Haue mercie then vpon me ô mercifull Father excuse thy childes sinne to which he was so much inclined 3. I haue I confesse so much yeelded to this my propension that vvhereas thou hast giuen me reason and grace also sufficient to resiste this propensiō yet I yeelding to it did like the prodigall sonne lauish out prodigally my childs portion both of reason and grace and gaue my selfe to all licentiousnes But thou ô mercifull God art not lesse louing thē vvas that Father I as I hope no lesse penitēt then that his sonne Luc. 15 For as he did so doe I confesse that I haue sinned against heauen and earth and am not vvorthie to be called thy sonne And as he did so doe I return vnto thee againe by sorrow and repentance Embrace me then ô Lord and receaue me in to grace as that Father did his sonne and be not thou ô Eternall Father inferiour to that Temporall Father in mercie and compassion and shew thy selfe as thou art more prone to mercie then I am to sinne more prone to pardon then I vvas to offend Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti incerta occulta sapientiaetuae manifestasti mihi For behold thou hast loued truth the vncertaine and hidden thinges of thy wisdome thou hast made manifest vnto me 1. THou hast ô Lord loued veritie truth and sinceritie of hart in me and that before my falle I was a sincere and true louer of thee and thy lawe no double dealer in any my wordes or actiōs thou hast liked in me and for that cause thou hast reuealed vnto me manie thinges vncertaine to men though not to thee yea altogether hidden to them to witt the mysterie of the Incarnation thy lyfe and death Resurrectiō and Ascension which are the verities of the figures of the old lawe vnder which I liue and which verities thou louest ô Lord before all those shadowes figures for partly by faith partly by spirite of prophecie and reuelation I haue had such knowledge of future thinges that there is almost no mysterie of the new lawe no promise made vnto it vvhich thou hast not reuealed vnto me and which I haue not forseene and fortold also in my psalmes And so thou who hast done me so many fauours vvilt not I hope deny me that grace without vvhich all the reste of thy benefites vvill be cast away and vvill not any vvhitt pleasure me but vvill rather be to my greater damnation And vvhat is that it is remission of my sinnes without the which to haue been good vvill not benefit me without the which the guifte of prophecie and miracles and all other guiftes will not saue me but rather aggrauate my sinnes augment my dānatiō Wherefore ô Lord knowing my selfe to be a great sinner I still crye vnto thee as I did in the beginninge of this my penitentiall psalme Haue mercie on me ô God according to thy great mercie 2. Or saith this Royall Prophet and penitent sinner I might ó Lord in some sorte couer my fault extenuate and excuse my sinnes because as I haue saide in the precedent verse I was conceiued in iniquities and in a greate pronenesse propensiō to sinne but I know thou louest truth that is a sincere harte a true tongue that confesseth the truth And therfore I sincerlye cōfesse that this pronenesse to sinne doth not quite excuse me frō sinne because it could not enforce me against my will I by faith in the Messias who is the waye veritie and lyfe and by his life and death which was reuealed to me and by grace from his death and passion which was not wāting to me hauing had grace sufficiēt by which maugre this pronenesse to sinne I might haue resisted ouercome all tentation to sinne And therefore I will not excuse my selfe by my pronenesse to sinne but ingenuouslie sincerlie and in veritie confessing it I flye onelie to thy goodnes pronenesse to mercie 3. And ó Christian soule say thou also vvith Dauid vnto thy Lord I acknowledge that I haue receaued many benefites and fauours at thy handes Thou hast created me of nothing and made me of nothing something and not what thing soeuer but a reasonable creature resembling thee by the image of thy selfe which thou hast drawne and engraued in me I by sinne as I confesse haue marred what thou hast made and haue blurred slurred blotted and defaced this thy so glorious image But what ô Lord wilt thou therefore abādon thy creature thy owne handworke To haue created me is a great benefit but if thou leaue me to my selfe and in the miserie into which sinne hath plunged me this thy benefite of creation vvill be to me no benefite because better it is not to haue been then to be miserable as sinne maketh me now and vvill make me more miserable herafter in hell into vvhich it will tumbleme vnlesse thou first forgiuest and remittest it Thou then ô Lord who hast done so much for me as to make me vouchsafe to renewe me and to sette a new glosse and hewe on me by thy grace which may vvash avvay my sinne and ridde me of this miserie 4. Thou hast not onelie created me but also conserued me in the being thou gauest me by creation yea thou hast preserued me from manie corporall dangers And great are these benefites in thēselues but vnlesse thou remitte my sinne vvhich maketh me miserable better had it been for me that thou shouldst
not haue conserued me but rather annihilated me and so preuēted this my miserie better had it been for me that thou hadst not preserued me from corporall dangers of fire vvater and the like then to preserue and conserue me so giue me the tyme to fall in to a greater domage to vvitt of sinne vvhich offendeth thee maketh me miserable and exposeth me to hazard of hell it selfe 5. Thou hast heretofore iustified me and cleansed me from originall sinne by Baptisme from Actuall sinne by contrition the Sacrament of penance and other sacramentes Great are these benefites but if thou doe not againe iustifie me by thy grace and remitte these my last sinnes it vvill be little benefite to me rather thy former grace of iustification vvill aggrauate my sinnes committed after it and these my sinnes hauing depriued me of the grace of iustification haue mortified also my former merites done in grace so all will be lost vnlesse thou againe take mercie on me and againe remitte my sinnes 6. Thou hast redeemed me and didst bind thy selfe to thy eternall Father to pay no lesse ó the deare bargaine for my ransom then thy precious bloud and death And wilt thou now cast me of who cost thee so dearlie Trulie all this is lost in me I vvith it vnlesse thou againe forgiue me by thy grace apply this price paid for me vnto me and so againe pardon me 7. Thou hast called me to be a Christian and hast reuealed vnto me as thou didst to Dauid many hidden mysteries as the sacred Trinitie the sōne of God incarnate his life death Resurrection and Ascension and many other mysteries the secrets of thy wisdome vvhich thou didst hide from the Philosophers Sages of the world And hast thou done all this for me and vvilt not doe this one thing for me to vvitt pardon my sinnes without vvhich all the rest vvill not profite me but rather will augmēt my damnation Thou saidst ó Lord Matth. ◠Luc. 5. that thou camst not to call the iuste but sinners to penance And behold I confesse my selfe a greate and grieuous sinner and I harken to thy call desiring thee to harken to my petition vvhich is haue mercie on me according to thy greate mercie which I hope thou vviltt not deny thou hauing bestowed so many other benefites on me vvhich yet are all lost vnlesse thou adde this also vnto them 8. Or else I also ó Lord might aleadge with Dauid that I vvas conceiued borne in sinne thereby contracted a propension to sinne And I might adde therevnto my corrupt nature myne euill complexion and disposition my euill customes and ill companie vvhich haue allured me to sinne but because I know thou louest truth and sinceritie of harte I confesse ingenuouslie and I truly acknovvledge that notwithstanding all this I might with thy grace which is neuer wanting to them that demaunde it or vvill accept and vse it haue resisted all these alluremēts and incitements to sinne therefore I vvill not vse any such excuse for these might excuse as diuines say A tanto non à toto from parte but not from all but plainlie trulie and sincerlie confessing my greeuous sinne I fly onelie to thy mercie and vnder the shadovv or winges of that I desire onelie to shroude my selfe All I haue to say is peccaui as Dauid said and I beseech thee to speake those comfortable words to me which thou vtteredst to him 2. Reg 12. And our Lord hath taken away thy sinne Asperges me Hyssopo mundabor lauabis me super niuem dealbabor Thou shalt sprinckle me with hyssope and I shall be cleansed thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snowe 1. I Cry not saith Dauid to Moyses nor Aaron nor the Preistes of the old lavv vnder vvhich I liue but to thee ô Eternall sonne of God God and man the Messias and Redeemer of the vvorld to sprinkle and washe me and cleanse me from the fylthe of my sinnes They could vvash the bodie from legall immundicities but not from the fylthe of sinne from vvhich I desire to be cleansed nay they could not cure the corporall leprosie but onely could pronoūce a declaratiue sentence Leuit. 14. vvhen it vvas healed but thou canst euen heale and cleanse my soule from the leprosie fylthe of sinne and therefore my hope is that thou vvilst sprinkle me not with the Cedar wood Leuit. 14. scarlet Num. 19. Vide Augu. to 4. q. 33. super Numer and hyssope dipped in the blood of the immolated sparow nor vvith the ashes of the redde cowe but vvith the blood of thy sacred humaine nature ruddie by its passion and prefigured by those figures by this blood shed in thy passion and sprinkled by the meanes of the humble hyssope of the crosse I hope thou shalt sprinkle me and I shall be whiter then the snowe 2. In this bloud is my hope because this onelie can take out the staine of sinne this onelie can wash away the fylthe of sinne wherewith my soule is defiled The blood of goates and oxen and such like sacrifices sprinkled saith Dauid can vvash avvay legall immundicities but it can not vvash avvaye the fylthe of sinnes but thy blood ô Blessed Sauiour can sanctifie and mundifie our soules from all filth of sinne 3. I forsee saith Dauid by faith in Christ that by the Sacraments of Baptisme and penāce in the new lavve and by cōtrition in all lawes soules are vvashed from the filthinesse of sinne but yet by the bloud also of the lambe Christ Iesus from vvhich they take their vertue Thy bloud ô Blessed Sauiour is the generall cause they are particular causes appointed to applie that thy bloud and passion is the principall morall cause of grace and remissiō of sinnes they are but instrumētall causes vvhich vvorke in vertue of that principall 4. And although now by wallovving my selfe in the puddle of sinne I am in soule more foule then the hogge that vvalloweth himselfe in the mire yet this lauer of thy bloud ô Lord vvill vvash me so cleane that I shall be whiter then driuen snowe And although my sinnes vvere as scarlet Isa 1. they shall be made vvhite as snovve And if they be redde as vermilion they shall be white as vvooll and my soule vvatred vvith this bloud and heauenlie rayne vvhich rayned out of the cloude of thy sacred humaine nature shall be made fertile and apte to bring forth the greene plantes sweete hearbes and flovvers of all manner of vertue and bathed in this bathe it shall recouer its former lustre beautie of grace vvhich it had lost by sinne and of a vessel of base seruice which it yelded to the vvorld flesh and Diuell it shall be a vessell of honour Because take avvay the rust from siluer Prou. 25. and there shall come forth a moste pure vessell a goodlie piece of plate fit to be set on thy cup-boord
ô Lord and to be serued in at that table in Heauen where the Angels are vvaiters and the blessed are commensalls and thy diuinitie is the viande on vvhich they feede by cleare vision and fruition for all eternitie 5. And thou ô penitent Christian confesse vvith Dauid that by sinne thou art slurredd and defiled more then the sovve vvashed in volutabro luti 2 Pet. 2. in the wallowing of mire so as thou needest to cry with Dauid to be sprinkled vvith the blood of the immaculate lambe Christ Iesus by the meanes of the humble and contemptible hyssope of the crosse The blood of Goates and oxen and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled sanctifyeth the polluted to the cleansing of the fleshe hovv much more hath the blood of Christ Heb. 9. vvho by the Holy Ghost offered himselfe vnspotted vnto God cleansed our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God This lauer of this bloud I desire because it cleÌ„aseth the soule from dead workes that is deadlie sinnes vvhich bring death to the soule Sprinkle then and vvash me ô Lord vvith this bloud Apoc. 7. that I maybe on of those happy ones who haue washed their robes and made them vvhite in the bloud of the lambe For vvhereas my soule by sinne is vglie in thy sight and therefore forsaken of thee and diuorced from thee and betrothed to the Diuell after she shall be vvashed in this lauer and restored to her former beautie vvhich she receaued by baptisme she may breake vvith the Diuell and vvith all that is contrarie to thy vvill and pleasure and may be made againe a gratefull spouse vnto thee vvorthie thy loue in this life and thy eternall imbracementes in the next Auditui meo dabis gaudium latitiam exultabunt ossa humiliata To my hearing thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes and the bones humbled shall reioice 1. ANd vvhen thou hast forgiueÌ„ me my sinnes and cleansed my soule from the fylth of them then shall the remorse and worme of conscience the brood of sinne be killed and my conscience no more gnawed vvith it but insteed of it a great calmenes quietnes yea a gladnes of harte shall followe vvhich shall be a coÌ„tinuall banquet to my soule because as the wiseman saith A secure mind Prou. 15. is as it vvere a continuall feaste and the eares of my soule shall alvvayes heare those comfortable wordes vvhich by thy Prophet NathaÌ„ thou vtterdst vnto me â— Reg. 12. And our Lord hath taken avvay thy sinne then to the eares of my vnderstanding thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes then to them nothing shall souÌ„d not melodious nothing not gratefull nothing not coÌ„fortable vvhich shall so comfort my soule that my bones humbled that is the forces and powers of my soule vvhich vvere debilitated and deiected and which were euen faynte vvith feare of thy iudgements shall reioyce and shall recouer their spirituall forces and strength againe by vvhich I shall be made constant couragious to resiste all tentations and to persiste for euer hereafter in thy seruice and so euer enioy the ioye and gladnes of harte vvith which thou feedest and refreshest all thy deuoted freinds and seruantes 2. Demaund thou also ô penitent sinner vvith Dauid the ioye and gladnes of harte and conscience in lieu of the remorse gnawing vvorme bredde by sinne vvhich continually tormenteth the conscience For if euer thou possesse this calme of conscience ioy of harte vvhich God his Spirit imparteth vvhen it giueth testimonie that is a morall certitude to our spirit and conscience that vve are the sonnes of God if sonnes heyres also Rom. 8. heyres trulie of God and coheyâ—es of Christ then the yoke of CHRIST vvill seeme sweete and the burden of his lawe easie and his seruice honour and pleasure then fasting vvill seeme feasting prayer vvill neuer seeme long In almes-deeds we shall seeme rather to receiue then to giue at least it vvill seeme beatius â—are quam accipere a more blessed thinge to giue Act. 20 then to take Then vertue vvill appeare in its owne lustre amiable and vice though seasoned vvith neuer so much corporall pleasure vvill seeme brutish vglie beastlie O Lord let me neuer loose this ioy and gladnes by vertue of vvhich my bones spirituall forces of my soule humbled and vveakned by sinne may reioyce and receaue their forces againe and I thereby may vvalke cherfullie in the vvaies of thy commandements and so vvalking may carrie this ioy and gladnes of harte grounded in grace and the obseruations of thy commandements vvith me to Heauen and euen to those eternall ioyes vvhich there are layde vp in store for all those that departe heÌ„ce with Ioy and gladnes of conscience deuoid of all sinne Auerte faciem tuam à peccatis meis omnes iniquitates meas dele Turne away thy face from my sinnes and wipe away all myne iniquities 1. ANd after my conscience shall haue enioyed this calme quietnes after the storme of sinne shall be appeased vvhich made debate betwixt thee and me and incensed me against thee by malice and prouoked thee against me by anger I beseech thee ô Lord saith Dauid to turne away for hereafter thy face froÌ„ my sinnes There is no child that hath committed a fault but feareth the eyes and face of his Father there is no scholler that hath played the trewant vvho dreadeth not the sight of his Master no theefe that quaketh not at the sight of the Iudge no marueill then if Dauid feared the sterne countenance of God he being his Father vvhom he disobeyed his Master vvhom he had neglected his Iudge vvhom he had slighted and therefore he had reason to desire God to turne avvay his face from his sinnes 2. I know saith Dauid my sinnes can not be hidden from thy all-seeing eyes vvhich reach to the sight of all thinges past present future But yet I desire thee to turne away thy frowning angrie couÌ„tenance from them and not to be displeased any more vvith me for them and to laye aside all cogitation of punishing me for them Thou still remembrest the moste penitent sinners sinnes and offences but yet since they were washed avvay by the teares of contrition and remitted and pardoned by thy grace mercie thou doest not remember theÌ„ so as to be displeased with the penitent sinner for theÌ„ or so as to haue the thought of punishing him at least eternallie Thou seest still the peniteÌ„t sinners sinnes though longe since remitted but thou art no more displeased vvith him for theÌ„ nor doest thou think of punishing him at least eternally for theÌ„ Thou lookest on him still his sinnes past but thou lookest not on him with an angrie but with an amiable looke And in this sence saith Dauid I desire thee after my sinnes are forgiueÌ„ after the ioye of coÌ„science which followeth their forgiuenesse to turne away thyne angrie countenance froÌ„ me
hatred vvhich he committeth him selfe but also to carnall sinnes vvhich he can not coÌ„mitt though he be guiltie of them in inticing vs. And I ô Lord doe ingeniouslie confesse that I haue beene the Deuills Agent in prouoking others to sinne either by persuasion or euill example by vvhich I haue offended thee ruined them and by the same sinne haue runne myne ovvne soule through to vvound them In this Kind preachers of false doctrine and Princes and superiours vvho coÌ„mand or persuade their subiectes to sinne doe offend and vvho not by euill example 5. Wherefore I ô Lord as heretofore I haue cooperated vvith thy professed enemie the Deuill to peruert others thereby to ruine their soules so hereafter I will serue no such master I will be no instrumeÌ„t nor AgeÌ„t nor factour for him but as I am sorrie for the sinnes past by which I haue offeÌ„ded thee and cooperated with him to the spirituall ruine of my neighbours soule so hereafter if it may please thee to giue me the grace I will be thy instrument thy factour and coadiutour will labour with thee and vnder thee for the conuersion of soules 1. Cor. 3 6. It is a greate sinne by persuasion or ill example to peruert others it is to cooperate vvith the Deuill it is worse then Dauids murder of Vrias because that killed the body this the soule And contrariewise to cooperate vvith God as his instrument and Minister to the conuersioÌ„ of sinners is the noblest office imploiment that can be It is the verie office of CHRIST IESVS the sonne of God who came not to call the Iuste but sinners to penance Mat. 9. Luc. 5. 1. Tim. 1. and as S Paule saith came into this world to saue sinners and therefore he was Incarnate borne liued 33. yeares amongest vs taught vs exhorted vs by wordes and deedes wrought miracles to confirme what he sayd and at length suffered and dyed for sinners and had not beene man S. Tho. 3 pâ—â— 4.1 art 3. nor had desceÌ„ded from Heauen to earth but to saue sinners For as S. Augustin saith nulla fuit causa veniendi Christo Domino Aug. 〈◊〉 9. de verbis Apost nisi peccatores saluos facere tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla est causa medicinae There was no cause of Christ his comming but to saue sinners take away diseases take away wounds of sinne and there will be no cause of a medicine In this we doe Gods will and pleasure who of him selfe will all men to be saued 1. Tim. 2. and to come to the knowledge of the truth For saith he by his Prophet Ezechiel why is the death of a sinner my will Ezech. 18. and not that he conuert from his wayes and liue 7. This worke of the conuersion and Iustification of a sinner Aug. tract 72. in Ioan. to 9. S. Th. 1. 2. q. 113 art 9. is greater then the creation of the world because creation had for its effect this world which is a thing naturall Iustification of a Sinner hath for its effect grace which is a thing supernaturall that is nature this aboue nature that is temporall for Heauen and Earth shall passe in respect of their state qualitie Matth. 24. this of it selfe eternall because it is the seede of glorie which is eternall that is a participatioÌ„ of God as he is Authour of nature this as he is Authour of grace that ordaineth vs to God as he is our naturall end this as he is our supernaturall end and as creatioÌ„ is of nothing so the iustification of a sinner is of no merit of his And although glorie glorification be absolutlie greater theÌ„ the IustificatioÌ„ of a sinner because glorie is greater then grace yet glorie is giuen to the iust vho deserue it by their merites the grace of iustification of a sinner is giueÌ„ to him that deserueth it not and so is a greater guifte fauour because not deserued And although creation iustification glorification be all great workes and doe argue Gods infinite power yet the Iustification of a sinner is a worke of greater yea greatest mercie It is a greater worke to coÌ„uert a sinner theÌ„ to raise a dead man to life because by that miracle a dead body is raised to a teÌ„porall life onely by the conuersion of a sinner the soule is raised from the death of sinne to the life of grace which causeth life euerlasting if by our fault we doe not loose it 8. Seeing then ô God thou hast wrought so great a worke as is the conuersion of a sinner not onely in Dauid but as I hope in me also I will hereafter say so ô penitent sinner to shew my selfe gratefull for so greate a benefite teach with Dauid the vniust thy wayes and I will endeauour to conuert the impious vnto thee They that haue liued in captiuitie doe most coÌ„miserat captiues and prisoners they that haue liued long in banishement take greatest compassion on the banished they that haue beene greeueouslie sicke doe take most pittie on the sicke And I who haue beene a great sinner who haue experieÌ„ced the miserie and dauÌ„ger sinne bringeth with it will hereafter take compassion on sinners I will enflame my selfe with Dauids zeale of soules Ps 68. 3. Reg. 19. This zeale of soules did eate Dauid and coÌ„sumed Elias it shall consume me for I will employ my selfe my taleÌ„tes my labours my endeauours and all I am and haue for the conuersion of sinners 9. This zeale of soules Greg. Hom. 12. super Ezech. as S. Gregorie saith is a most pleasing sacrifice to God it is an holocaust because it consumeth all we are and haue to gaine soules It is Dionys lib. de Eccles Hier. as S. Dionysius the Areopagite saith Diuinorum operum diuinissimum of all the Diuine workes the most Diuine The coÌ„uersion of soules was the office of the sonne of God of his Apostles and all Apostolicall men who haue consecrated themselues to the conuersion of Countries it shall be my office whilst I liue for if I can not cooperate to the conuersion of sinners vvith CHRIST IESVS the principall Sauiour and conuertour of them by preaching teaching or writing of bookes as the Apostles did and as Doctours Pastours the learned ought to doe I will at least doe my indeauour herein by my couÌ„sell good examples knovving that he which maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the errour of his waye Iacobi 5. shall saue his soule from death and couereth a multitude ofo his owne sinnes Dan. 12. Knowing that they who instruct others to iustice shall shine as starres vnto perpetuall eternities This is now my mynd this mind by Gods grace I will carrie to my dying day Libera me de sanguinibus Deus Deus salutis meae exultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam Deliuer me from bloodes ô God the God of my saluation and my tongue shall
exulte for thy Iustice 1. THe afflicted person whose heart is seased with greefe sorrow for any great losse sicknes or aduersitie thinkes it not sufficieÌ„t to crye once or twice for ayde helpe or succour but often reiterateth the same crye complaint or petition and neuer resteth crying for helpe till he finde helpe And the reason is because the miserie it selfe still prompteth and suggesteth and putteth him in minde to cry and call for helpe till he be ridde of it By vvhich we may easilie gather how great the greefe and sorrow of our penitent Dauid was for his sinnes since it made him so often to cry for mercie so often to demand to be ridd of his miserie of sinne He had cryed Haue mercie on me ó God according to thy greate mercie for my sinne is greate according to the multitude of thy commiserations take away myne iniquitie for my sinnes are many He had cryed Wash me more amplie from myne iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne And not content with this he againe singeth the same dolefull songe saying Turne away thy face from my sinnes wipe away all myne iniquties as though he had neuer cryed enough he cryeth now againe for the same remissioÌ„ of his sinnes saying Deliuer me from blouds ó God the God of my saluation He imitateth herein the young sparrowes or swallowes which being destitute of meate when their damme is abseÌ„t doe fill the aire with their cryes for so Dauid left of God because by sinne he had left him and now by sinne spoiled of God his grace and fauour and of the birthright of life euerlasting plunged also in the miserie of sinne and by it exposed to daunger of Hell what should he doe but crye to God who onelie can helpe what should he doe but fill Heauen and earth with his cryes thereby to mooue God to take compassion 2. And what meaneth he by bloods but the bloodie murder of Vrias and many other Soldiours with him and his adulterie with Bersabee his wife which was a sinne of bloud proceeding from the ardour of bloud which inflamed his concupiscence and made it breake forth into that adulterie O Dauid vvhat doest thou meane novv in crying to be deliuered froÌ„ bloodes Didst thou not euen in the first wordes of this psalme make the same petitioÌ„ wheÌ„ thou cryedst Haue mercie on me ô God according to thy greate mercie were not these the sinnes for which thou cryedst God mercie hast thou then neuer done crying for mercie for these thy tvvo sinnes Ps 68. No sayth he I haue laboured crying my iawes are made hoarse vvith crying and although I hope those tvvo sinnes are forgiuen me yet of sinne forgiuen I will not be without feare Eccl. 5. and therefore so long as I liue and can crye I vvill crye for forgiuenes of them Deliuer then me ô Lord from all sinne and especiallie from the blouds of murder adulterie And although thy Prophet Nathan hath told me that my sinnes are forgiuen 2. Reg. 12. yet I feare the paine due to them knowing that thou vsest to punish those sinnes euen in this life most seuerelie 3. And as for murder Gen. 4. I knowe that Abels blood vnnaturallie shed by Cain his brother had a voice to crye for vengeance vpon him for so God tould Cain saying the voice of thy brothers blood cryeth to me out of the earth Wherefore fearing the crye of Vrias his blood vvhich I caused to be shed I desire thee ô God the God of saluation to deliure me from the hidious crye of Vrias his blood and to defend me from it by the sheild of thy mercie Mat. 23 The bloud of the iust shed by the Iewes and their predecessors whom they imitated from Abel to Zacharie fell vpon them S. Ihon Baptiste blood vvhich Herod shed cried more terriblie against him before God then the voice of his mouth did vvhen he told him that it was not lawfull for him to haue the wife of his brother Mar. 6. And vvith what a lovvde voice did the Innocentes most holie blood of CHRIST IESVS crye against the Iewes it is true it cryed for our redemption Heb. 12 by a sprinkling of it which spake better then Abel but it cryed for such vengeance against the Iewes vvho vniustlie shedd it that to this daye they feele it in the destruction of their temple and Citie in the abrogation of their lawe and Preesthood and in their vvandering about the world which if they had foreknowne they would neuer haue cryed as they did His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children â—…h The martyrs of the primitiue church are brought in by S. Ihon crying after death Apoc. 6. to God to reuenge their blood And their blood also cryed and obtained the ruine of the Roman Empire as then it vvas the extirpation of Idolatrie the planting of Christ his church and the propagation of Christian faith and religion 2. Macab 8. Wherefore Iudas Machabeus knowing that blood vniustlie shed cryed vengeaÌ„ee against the shedder desired God to heare the voice of the blood of the then innocent Iewes shed by the infidells crying to him And it is noted that wheÌ„ the murderer is brought neere to him vvhom he killed the blood floweth from the dead body as crying for reuenge 4. Dauid then fearing the crye of the blood of Vrias vvhich he had shed cryeth to God to deliuer him from bloods And indeed he had already in part felt the reuenge of Vrias blood for after he had caused Vrias to be slaine that he might enioy his wife the child which was the vnfortunate brood of his murder and adulterie dyed and Dauid could not with all his praying 2. Reg. 12. fasting and lying on the ground impetrate his life And this was not enough to silence Vrias his blood nor to cause it to leaue crying for after this it cryed for reuenge against Dauid his familie 2. Reg. 13.15.16.18 3. Reg. 2. in the death of his sonne Ammon and after in the rebellion and death of his sonne Absalom whom he loued so dearlie as also in the violating of his concubines by his sayde sonne Absalom in the death of his sonne Adonias killed by Salomon and in the miserable ending of many Kinges of his blood and race 5. And because Dauid knevv that God vseth to punish adulterie also very seuerely he desireth also to be deliuered froÌ„ this blood or sinne vvhich proceedeth from the heate of blood concupisceÌ„ce In the old lavv much more in the nevv this sinne was euer counted most greeuous before God and man and therefore by that lavv it vvas punished vvith death euen with stoning to death And vvhen the Husband vvas iealous of his vvife Deut. 22. Leuit. 20. Ioan. 8 Num. 5 she was brought before the Priest and after some ceremonies vsed if she prooued guiltie of adulterie her thighe rotted and her vvombe
svvelling burst as we read in the bookes of numbers And good reason because besides the offence committed against God and the vvrong done to her Husband this sinne maketh issues and successions to inheritance vncertaine and disturbeth families And therefore Dauid fearing least this sinne of blood should also crye vengeance against him he desireth to be deliured froÌ„ it saying in the plurall number Deliuer me from bloods that is not onelie from the bloodie murder of Vrias and his soldiours but also froÌ„ the adulterie vvith Bersabee this sinne also proceeding originallie from the heate of blood And saith Dauid Jf thou vvilt ô Lord deliuer me from these bloods as I hope thou vvilt thou being the God of my saluatioÌ„ my toÌ„gue shall exalte thy iustice that is shall reioice in this iustice and praise thee for it For although the remissioÌ„ of my sinne in respect of my vnworthines be mercie yet it is iustice in respect of CHRISTS passion vvhich I foresee behold because that did merit in rigour of iustice this remission and this iustice I shall praise for euer 6. Say thou also vvith Dauid ô penitent sinner I ô Lord am also guiltie of bloods and therefore I desire thee to deliuer me from bloods for if I be not guiltie of murder adulterie at least I am guiltie of many other sinnes vvhich all may be called bloods or sinnes proceeding from flesh and blood vvhich nourish and pamper coÌ„cupiscence the fountaine of all our sinnes for as S. Iohn telleth vs 1. Ioan. 2. all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes the pride of life These be the sources rootes and fountaines from vvhich all our sinnes doe proceede and so all our sinnes are bloods because they flow from concupiscence vvhich is inflamed by the heate of bloud Deliuer me therefore froÌ„ these rootes and I shall be free froÌ„ the braÌ„ches deliuer me from the fountaines and I shall be free froÌ„ the riuers deliuer me froÌ„ concupiscence of the flesh make that chast 1. Cor. 9. or giue me grace to chastise it with S. Paul that it may be chast take froÌ„ me concupisceÌ„ce of eyes huddwincke theÌ„ vvith thy grace that by them no sinne enter into my soule as a glance onelie of the eye caused Dauids adulterie Take from me pride of life giue me an humble heart represse aspiring thoughtes so shall I be free from pride ambition enuye and all other spirituall sinnes vvhich are bloods because they proceede from concupiscence vvhich is kindled by the heate of blood 2. Cor. 2 are the vvorkes of a sensuall man who perceiueth not the thinges which are of the Spirit of God Deliuer me then froÌ„ bloods that is from all sinnes O God the God of saluation because it is beseeming the God of saluation to saue and to haue mercie on sinners Which if thou doest ô Lord I promise with Dauid that my tongue shall exult in the praise of thy iustice for although in respect of vs sinners it be a great grace mercie to deliuer vs from sinne vve hauing nothing to deserue it yet in respect of CHRIST IESVS our God of saluation and Sauiour it is great iustice because he by his death and passion did merit this for vs and if for this his sacred death and passion the more then iust price of our Redemption thou please to deliuer me from bloods and sinnes I shall praise and exalt this thy iustice for euer and my tongue shall neuer be silent in the commeÌ„dation of it Domine labia mea aperies os meum annunciabit laudem tuam Lord thou wilt open my lippes and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse 1. SInne ô Lord saith Dauid say so vvith him ô penitent sinner had stopped my mouth and made me dumme in thy prayses for vvhâ—lst I vvas in sinne I praised this vvorld but cared not for Heauen I praised the beautie of thy creatures but cared not for the beautie of thee their Creatour who art the fountaine of all beautie and beautie by essence they onelie by participatioÌ„ I coÌ„mended the pleasures of the bodie as the onelie pleasure as though there had beene no pleasure but in eating drinking and such like but cared not for the pleasures which the godlie take in contemplating thy goodnes in louing and seruing thee I praysed the Kinges Princes and Potentats of the earth and I admired their greatnes power spleÌ„dour and riches but in thy praises I vvas altogether mute though thou beest the King of Kinges and Lord of Lords Apoâ—â— 19. to vvhom the greatest Monarches are but Vice-Royes Lieutenantes and tenantes at vvill And so Psal 11 â— I who before my sinne did singe praise to thee seuen times a day vvas by sinne become dumme mute and tongue-tyed in thy praises But if thou deliuer me froÌ„ bloods that is froÌ„ sinne theÌ„ sinne the couer of my mouth and tye of my tongue being taken avvay thou wilt open my lippes and loose my tongue by thy grace my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 33 Then I will blesse thee our Lord at all times thy praise shall be alwayes in my mouth 2. And thou ô penitent sinner desire God as Dauid did to open thy lippes which now are shutt by sinne and confessing the truth say thus vnto him Sinne ô Lord hath made me like an Infant in a spirituall life not able to forme any vvords in thy praise So that I may say vvith Hieremie Hier. c. 1. A a a ô Lord behold I can not speake because I am a child Wherefore ô Lord doe me the like fauour thou didst to this Prophet though I much lesse deserue it then he did Hier. c. 1. put forth thy hand touch my mouth and thereby put the vvords into my mouth vvhich I shall speake for then assuredlie my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Nay coÌ„fesse vnto thy God and say vnto him Sinne ô Lord hath not onelie stopped my mouth but hath also so polluted my lippes Isa c. 6. that I may saie vvith the Prophet Isaie I am a man of polluted lippes And greater cause haue I to saie so then he had for he esteemed his lippes polluted because he vvas silent vvhen he should haue spoken and therefore cryed Woe is me Isa c. â— because I haue held my peace But I haue spoken in detracting lying callumniating swearing the like vvheÌ„ I should haue beene silent and so I haue offended not onelie in omission as he did but also in commission and so haue much more polluted my lippes Send therefore ô Lord vnto me as thou didst to thy Prophet Isaie pardon me sweet Lord if I farr vnworthier then he presume to begge the same fauour at thy handes vvhich he did because it is not any myne owne merit but thy onelie mercie vvhich thus imboldeneth me one of thy Seraphins so called because as he is