and name of Religion not like thy lawe O Lord. I found thy faith to be vnspotted without stayne of any folly Conuerting soules from their sinfull wayes and giuing wisdome to the ignorant Pearcing to the very hart and comfortable to a single spirit Quickly was my desolation turned to joy thou claddedst me vvith consolation as with a robe Nowe therefore being redeemed by my Maker from the hands of the enemy I confesse that he is gentle good and exceeding bountifull and his mercy endureth for euer I sate in darknesse and in the shadowe of death and there vvas none to helpe me I cried vnto him he ayded me breaking my fetters in sunder Had he not assisted me the enemy had euen swallowed me quicke Blessed be his holy name vvho gaue me not for a pray to the Dragons jawes As a litle bird I escaped the fowlers net as the silly hare from the pursuing gray-hound By the old aduersary of mankinde I had beene seduced and supplanted by his malice My God streatched out his potent hand deliuering me from the violent streame Who caught me in his armes as if a father should catch his child from the deuouring beare Because he loued me he sought my saluation not suffering the enemy to triumph Prayse him therefore O my soule be not vngratefull for his benefits Forget not what he hath done for thee preuenting thee in his blessinges He hath made thee flourish afresh as in the yeares of thy first regeneration Restoring thy innocency againe and renewing thy youth as an Eagle As farre as heauen is from earth or East from West so farre hath he remooued from thee thine iniquities He hath crowned thee with better then pretious stones all parts and povvers vvithin mee magnifie his mercy I staggered in attempting my saluation the difficulties of the time amazed me Thou girdedst me with vertue vnder thy protection I ouercame those tentations I was slowe and weake thou madest me swift like an Hart that I ran forwardes without impediment Thou hast taught me to fight māfully against the enemy and confirmed my hart to be thy champion Thou hast raised me from vvorse then the dunghill and placed me amōgst thy holy princely people Out of the lake of misery thou hast pulled me and from the dirty dregs of sinne heresie thou hast drawne me forth From Deaths dore thou reuiuedst me from Hel-gates thou broughtest me backe Oft to the barrē thou sendest children to me an orphane thou gauest thy Spouse for a Mother Many vvonderfull thinges thou bring est to passe none more strange doe I knowe then the conuersion of my hard hart Many wayes thy mercy sheweth it selfe but neuer more then in pardoning my offences What should I say O Lord thou hast engraffed thy name in my hart and enroled my name in thy booke of life Thou hast shrowded mee in thy tabernacle against the day of wrath Opening to me the gates where none but the just enter In vaine haue the fiends like foxes sought my soule departing voide of their expectation I will loue thee therefore O my aide and refuge my strength and the foundation of my hope The new tune which thou hast giuen to my mouth I wil alwayes sing I will offer before thy Altar a Sacrifice of prayse in the sight of thy Angels Saints I will giue thankes The cup of thy Crosse I will expect desiring to suffer for thy sake What other way can I be answerable to thy giftes or how can I doe this also except thou giue it Thou needest neither me nor my good deedes thou hast chosen me and not I thee O Redeemer My conuersion vvas thy handy-worke without whose assistance I can not thinke a good thought Who am I O Fountayne of goodnesse that thou thus shouldest manifest thy selfe vnto me That suffering thousandes to wallowe still in wickednesse thou chosest me on whome to shewe mercy Neither tookest me out of this life in time of blindnesse in midest of mine iniquities To thy selfe O Lord to thy selfe bee the glory of this thy mercifull kindnesse Let the heauens prayse thee for it and in earth others be conuerted by my example Let my daylie endeauours be to further thy faith and drawe others to the delectable spring wherewith my selfe haue beene refreshed So shall thy graces in some sort redound to thee againe as floodes returne to the Sea So shall I not perish like an vnfruitfull tree which leaueth not his like behinde Prayse yee meane-space your Creator and mine O yee his Angels who rejoyce at conuersion of euery sinner Who perpetually execute his wil without declining at any time from his hests Prayse yee him O his holy Priests messengers of his will shepherdes of his folde by whose handes he reconcileth sinners Prayse yee him O al yee my Brethren partakers of like saluation Whome of caytiues plunged in like errours he hath justified and made righteous Prayse yee him O all his seruants neuer yet entangled with like misery Prayse him O my soule whilst thou quicknest my body when thou partest by death ceasse not to doe the same And when thou receiuest the body againe prayse him perfectly without end AN IMPLORATION OF DIVINE GRACE against temptations of Religion THE SEAVENTH PSALME THOV taughtest me perfect wisdome in my first conuersion O Lord and I verily trusted neuer more to be shaken In the day of her reconciliation thou saidst vnto my soule nowe art thou my faire Spouse this day haue I assumed thee Why then doth the tempter whisper in my eare and say hovve long vvilt thou serue thy GOD in vaine Why doe the speeches of those mooue my minde who saying they loue me well vpbraide me to my face of follie Objecting that I spend my age in wilfull calamity neither reape the pleasure of my life Remember O Lord the comfortable word that thou spakest to my hart Preserue me still among the generation which seeketh thee which alone enjoyeth thy presence protection Which with vndefiled lippes and cleane hart offer vp day lie sacrifices and magnifie thy holy name Among whome only is saluation to be hoped for and thy true honour to be found Let mee alwayes put my trust in thee and neuer be ashamed of the God of my forefathers Nor deny my selfe to be of his holy chosen company Keepe me O my maker that neuer in thought word or deede I consent to rites of a straunge Religion or partake in their actions Neither openly nor priuily in speech nor silence by action nor omission or any signe whatsoeuer Least I bee enwrapped in their plagues because of their company and drinke the cup of their damnation Let neither friendship nor hatred profit nor losse Payne nor pleasure life nor death separate me from thy Church Suffer not that my brethren and fellowe seruants stumble by my example to their ruine Or say of me see howe he hath lost his part in Israell his inheritance aboue the starres Loe howe he was not
knowest who quietly seeke to direct our liues They say to vs talke not of conscience meddle not of Religion and you shall be free Yeald to vs in shewe and giue outward consent to our lawes and actions Come reuerently to our rites and prayers be one of vs at least in profession Forsake your accustomed Sacramentes renounce the society and communion of Catholikes Then beleeue in hart howe you lift we admit you good subjectes and no enemies of our Religion Misery hangeth ouer our heads if we yeald not to this suggestion but a thousand miseries if we doe relent If we forsake thy Tabernacle hell claymeth interest in vs the fiend taketh seyzion of our soules Standing stedfast vve are consumed to nothing neither finde end of trouble but by death A CONSOLATORIE PSALME ANSWEring to the former THE SECOND PSALME LIFT vp thy head O Virgin Sion receiue comfort yee children of Hierusalem Yee zealous soules who groane vnder sore persecution and sit in heauines for your conscience sake Who haue beene tried by fire and found pure peysed in ballance and found sufficient Your constancy our Lord maker hath beheld accepting the same as a most gratefull Sacrifice Confirme your hartes in hope for your redemption is not farre off The yeare of visitation draweth to an end and Iubilation is at hand Albeit yee be as drops fallen into the Sea and as graines of gold among the mountaynes Yet are yee respected from on high as loyall and louing children the reliques of Israell shall bee saued Hierusalem shall be built vp againe and the second glory thereof shal be greater then the first The Church purged in the fornace of tribulation shal shine brighter then euer before Righteousnes shall prosper and infidelity shall bee plucked vp by the rootes God wil arise as from a long slumber and establish againe the Arke of his sanctification Feare not little IACOB hee that is thy Redeemer from the Diuell will be thy deliuerer from all euill His thou art his flocke and fold Catholike is thy name To hurt thee is to hurt him to touch thee is to touch the apple of his eye Arise therefore from the earth shake off sorrowes thy confusion shall giue glace to glory The morning dewe is prest to fal and the night to be discharged of her course With the eye of pitty the Lord of hostes shall visit vs and send saluation to his people Turning their water into wine their wormewood into suger canes His scattered flocke he will vnite againe and reduce strayers into safety The roote which hath waxen old vnder ground shall shoote vp againe as a fresh plant by the riuer side No man shall vpbraid it vvith barrennes or say it vvas a cursed stocke False errour shall vanishe like smoake and they vvhich sawe it shall say where is it become Iust judgement and holy lawes shall be restored If a Woman can forget her child or if we can forget our right handes yet will not Christ be vnmindfull of Sion his heritage Sooner shall he forget his owne throne then her desolation For ashes hee shall giue her a Crowne for baths of teares vnction of joy Requiting her ignominy with honour her sackcloath of sorrowe with robes of festiuity His Tabernacle he will spred againe and dwell among vs as in time past Cladding his Priestes with holynes and his seruants with purity Sacred songes shall breake their long silence the lampe of our Lord shall be reuiued Preachers of saluation shall without feare lift vs their voice The Churches shall be hallowed againe no vncleane persons shall enter therein The forrests and rockes shal send thither their chiefest glory for beautifying of sacred workes Screetch-owles shall seeke newe habitation and resigne to the simple Doue With sweeter then milke hony seauen fountaynes shal spring afresh and flowe The resemblance of heauen shall be renewed the resemblance of hell shall be destroyed England shall bee called a happy Realme a blessed Country a Religious people Those which knewe the former glory of Religion shall lift vp their handes for joy to see it returned againe Those which neuer sawe it shall be stroaken with admiration VVishing that they had sooner knowne the truth and condemning their fathers which forsooke it Men shal say of it one to another here is indeede the house of God the gate of heauen Howe great diuersity is betweene truth and falshoode deuout solemnities and counterfeit ceremonies From the East point to the West men shall confesse their errours They which thought themselues wisest shall say they knew nothing Gladly shall people walke in their auncients steps of truth and equity beginning to learne howe to loue God aright Howe to loue him and serue him howe to honour him sincerely in a perfect hart Be no more apald O little flocke of Christ the Prince of peace vvill breake the exactors rodde Rescuing you from captiuity and bringing you vnto desirable pastures Take courage for he is with you his assistance neuer faileth To his glory he created you and for his name sake he wil protect and saue you No longer will he dissemble the oppression of his people he is bent to reuenge their cause The Daughters of Babilon shall be cast downe and in the dust lament their ruine Proude Heresie shall strike her saile and groane as a beast crushed vnder a cartwheele Though her hart be flint her neck yron her forhead brasse The Omnipotent hath sworne to make her stoope and that he vvill abase her haughtines Though shee fret his chosen vine neuer so much in despight of her it shall shoote vp and prosper Ten times if it be cut downe ten times it shall arise more glorious God hath planted it with his owne hand he hath vvatered it vvith the bloud of Martirs it shall flourish He hath considered the insolency of our enemies their cruell dealing hath not escaped his sight Howe arrogantly they walke before our face glorying in their wickednes But the memory of nouelties shall perish with a cracke as a ruinous house falling to the ground Repent yee seducers with speede and preuent the dreadfull wrath of the most powreable Least his ire tread vpon you like a conquerour Least sodainely he draw you forth out of your terrestriall Paradise as thornes vvhich are not pulled vp with handes We haue long tasted the cup of his indignation but for sinners he hath reserued the dregges thereof Greene and flourishing boughes haue not escaped his heauy hand and shall he be mercifull to rotten branches Let iniquity no longer lie deceiuing it selfe with vaine security For thus promiseth the defendor of Israell He will come as a flame that bursteth out beyond the fornace His enemies shall be like stubble in his way His fury shal flie forth as thunder and pitch vpon their tops which maligne him With him is both wisdome and strength he quaileth the world with a becke He knoweth how to dull the weapons of the mighty and to frustrate
built vpon a rocke but vpon sand great and shamefull is his fall Permit not that my ghostly enemies scorne at me and point me out this is he whose soule we haue seduced Who beganne a worke and could not finish it satisfying our eyes with his disgrace Let not the aduersaries of thy law and testament triumph ouer me as of a conquest Conceiuing by my example that more will yeald and fewe resist a cruell assault And that we esteeme no more of our faith then they of theirs nor haue assured certainty of our Religion Forbidde the fowles of the ayre the fiendes of hell to take from my hart the seede which thou hast sowen Forbidde that either riches and cares choke it or the heate of persecution wither it Forbidde that perswasions of carnall friends should corrupt it or any thing else hinder the encrease thereof Fie that wealth should be dearer to me then my faith or worldlie friendes then my God Heretofore I comforted other and when I am touched my selfe shall I tremble Where is then my awe and loue where is sortitude and patience Where is the dutie of a Christian man become The constancie and seruice which I owe to thee my GOD I vvill alwaies keepe to thee my life shall liue The word of truth take not out of my mouth for in thee is all my confidence Cursed are they which decline from thy Commandements All iniquity therefore bee farre from me still may I cleaue to thy lawe Dilate my hart comfort my spirit that I may cheerefully runne my race and gayne my crowne Shall I not loue thee whome only I ought to serue Shall I joyne with thy enemies in their prouocations and blasphemies Or shall I lie with my lippes and say I loue thee when I doe not followe thee No no I vvill confesse thy Religion neither before people or Magistrate will I be ashamed Least thou deny me likewise at the latter day and before thy Angels and Saints put me to confusion If they vrge me with obedience I will not let to tell them that God must be obeyed before man If they threaten paynes I will set before mine eyes the euerlasting torments prepared for rennegats I will tell them that whatsoeuer they can doe must haue a short end Happy man who escapeth paines which neuer cease If they punish me I will with thy Apostles rejoyce that thou hast vouchsafed me to suffer for thy sake If they kill me it is the vtmost of their power and the beginning of my glory Yet know I that Satan is chayned and can not hurt a hayre but by thy permission Thou art my light and my saluation whome should I feare thou art my protector whereat should I quake Heauen fall the earth sinke the whole frame of the world turne vpside downe All that is therein runne to confufusion chaunce vvhatsoeuer may chaunce Rather then that I forsake my faith by renouncing to be of thy holy congregation One thing only is necessary O my Lord and my God to serue thee stedfastly and all thinges else are vaine In this happy course begonne graunt that I faint not during my life The zeale which thou once didst in me kindle suffer not to waxe cold Let not the spirit of thy loue be in me extinguished Though I forsake all for the pretious pearle which thou hast reuealed vnto the world Yea though I forsake my selfe also I buy it not too deare Thou hast shewed me a hidden treasure the price of the field I must and will pay This only with Dauid I aske of thy diuine Majesty to dwell in thy house all the dayes of my life To be a member of thy holy body mysticall a childe of thy Spouse for euer That I may be partaker of thy perpetuall Sacrifice Whereby thy Passion is applyed vnto vs and we reape the fruit of our redemption Giue me thy grace O thou which sanctifiest soules giue me strength and courage giue me wisdome and patience Then though a thousand fall on my right side and ten thousand on my left yet will I stand Though those which shine like the Sunne and Moone fall from thy kingdome yet will I be stedfast Thou forsakest none except they first forsake thee confirme therefore my heart that it may neuer quaile Confidence in mine owne power I haue none but what is it that in thee I dare not vndertake In thee who art the mightiest haue I placed my hope thou art my refuge to thee I commend my selfe Thou shalt deliuer mee from the open arrovve by day and from darke daungers of secret malice From the Day-diuell and temptations vvhich comming in their ovvne likenesse dare shewe their face And from the night spirits which shroude themselues vnder faire pretences Whatsoeuer become of me to thy blessed will I resigne vp my selfe my fortune is in thy hand Great O Lord art thou great is thy might and thy wisdome is incomprehensible Many perils our frailty is wont to fore-cast still we cry fearing to be drowned But if we delight in thee thou wilt thou wilt giue vs our desires and bring those feares to nothing Men will forge excuses to serue their turne And a thousand shiftes iniquity searcheth to build vnto it selfe a sinnefull and false security Thou searchest the harts peines discerning easily howe men flatter themselues Shall I as diuers doe blind mine eyes least I should see or when I see shall I not vnderstand Shall I seeke darknesse in the open Sunne and subject my conscience to my will Direct my paths according to thy lawe that vnrighteousnesse neuer subdue me Regard my affliction and combat dispose of me according to thy prouidence ouer the Elect. Keepe my feete from sliding and be still before mine eyes preserue my soule from the death of deadly sinne For those which so die inherit not with thee but with them in whose seruice they partake Thou hast once lightned my lāpe keepe me therefore euermore from darknesse Examples sometime doe giue me scandall prouoking my hart in like sort to ralent Ah wreatch that I were if I relied my soule vpon such shattered reedes And would as it were for company post forward to hell Whereas holy examples are plentifull of glorious Confessors which fill the prisons It hath come to my minde that I may be saued at the last and repent vvhen Death knocks at the doore A foole whosoeuer so ventureth eternall damnation not knowing hovve soone he shall be cited to appeare Thy grace is not alwayes at commaundement and vncertayne is the valewe of constrayned repentance The tempter hath suggested that thou art mercifull and wilt easily enough forgiue But thy mercy and clemency I haue already prooued in expecting me to saluation In not striking me in midst of my sinnes and taking me away in mine ignorance It is nowe time to thinke of thy judgementes and hazard no more to prouoke thy wrath Who assurest vs that thou art a seuere Iudge and comparest thy self to a soure
the riuers of the valleys nor al the showres of heauen are able to wash away the stayne and shame No sope nor scowring can clense the crime no darknesse nor death it selfe can hide it No continuance of time nor the age of the world shall make it forgotten Other nations heare of it hardly beleeue it because such cruelty hath scarse seemed possible Posterity shall read of it and wonder all generations to come shall detest the fact Our Persecutors owne issue shall blush to heare the outragious actes of their auncestors Barbarous death of innocentes is much yet to misreporte the cause augmenteth the despite Refusall to commit an act against conscience call they rebellion not to deny the Catholike faith they tearme felony and treason Traytors indeed such as were thy chosen Apostles when forbidden to preach the truth Such as the Primitiue Christians when by Heathen statutes impugned was Religion Manifest is our guilt and great is our offence vvhen by going to Church all is pardoned All this we endure for thy sake O thou fountayne of grace not reuolting from thy beliefe We haue not forsaken thee least we should be forsaken of thee at the last howre Not denied thee before men least we should be denied of thee before thine Angels Turne therefore vnto vs thy gratious countenance wherewith thou cheerest the world Giue eare to our prayers consider of our complaint Heare the voyce of thy Martirs bloud or at least wise heare their supplication and intercession Whome spoyled of their garment of flesh thou hast clad with robes of immortality The fourth Lamentation THE garland of glory is fallen from our head the beauty of thy City is defaced O God the beholder of our combatte be mindfull of our abasement vnder the heauy hand of those which hate vs. We hope in thee because we haue knowne thee professed thy name Thou exaltest the humble and regardest a contrite hart Streatch out thy hand to our aide for thou art the buckler and defence of Israell Father of orphans Husband of widowes piller of the poore Teach men not to lift vp themselues vpon earth against thee and thy Saints Let not the memory of thy afflicted be laid aside forget not his patience for euer Cheere vp his just desire ease the mourning of his hart Chastise vs no longer in thy rage nor correct vs with indignation Heale vs for we are bruised haue mercy vpon vs for we are brought exceeding lowe In silence we expect thy long-desired consolation True it is that we deserue more of thy rodde then we feele and before thine anger we sinned If we sinne are our foes righteous if Iacob offend is Esau innocent If Hierusalem please thee not shall Babilon delight thee Wilt thou euermore be angry O Supreame Iudge or canst thou forget mercy Wilt thou serue this Realme as thou hast serued Afrike and Syria To let misbeliefe prepare the way to Infidelity suffering to enter an eternall Apostasie Let not the name of thy Christ Church be exiled let not a faithlesse generation roote vs out Not so O Lord for thy tender kindnesse and mercy pull vs violently out of cruell handes Rouse vp thy selfe like a Giant reuenge the bloud of thy Saints Let not the scourge of the vngodly be alwayes vpon the backs of the just Least they presume saying thou maintaynest their cause and that saluation is on their side Chastise vs with thine owne rod as children and not with the rodde of the vncircumcised Pull the speare out of the enemies rest knappe his launce in sunder and breake his sword Thou dwellest still vvhere thou didst thou art the same God and glory of Israell To thee our forefathers called oppressed by Heathen and thou redeemedst them To thee Catholikes made their moane vnder the yoke of Arrian heretikes and thou didst redresse their bondage So vtterly annihilating the aduerse sect that scant their name remayned vpon earth Euils innumerable compasse vs about howe long wilt thou turne away thy face Not for euer O Lord not for euer we beseech thee Shall so many ignorants yet zealous neuer haue thy light reuealed So many which for want of instruction perish shall they neuer haue true teachers Because diuers which liued in the flourish of thy Church haue set it at naught shall those neuer see it who if they sawe it would neuer forsake it Because many by yealding deserue such a yoke shall they which are constant be alwaies vnder it Shall the few sparkles which thou hast left in the lande be extinguished for lacke of cherishing What if the fathers did eate a soure grape shall the teeth of their children for euer be on edge The wicked wil not worship thee aright shall they therefore be alwayes vexed which worship thee in spirit and truth If thou haue decreed O wisdome incomprehensible concerning that generation which enjoyed the highest glory of thy sanctuary And forsaking their Pastors stood not stedfastly for their Religion in the time of contradiction That they shal pine away by fourty yeares trauaile in the desert neuer enter into the land of promise Nor see the glory of thy second Temple in all Royall magnificence If this be thy holy pleasure the secret counsaile of thy long delayes Or if the number of thy designed Martirs be not yet accomplished to whome by these times thou furnishest a Crowne Or if thou wilt needes haue the secrets of all harts to be opened and rippe vp all dissemblers by long probation That the vvhole vvorld vvorld may behold vvho serued thee from their hart and who followe thee with corrupt intention Or whatsoeuer else the depth of thy designments intendeth by this so long persecution Yet hasten the times for thy deare mercy sake O liuing Lord. Calme the tempest alay the raging wanes Saue vs vvho are daungerously tossed vnite vs who are dispersed and commaunded a-sunder That as one in hart so with one voice in free assemblies we may laude thy holy name extoll thy praises all the day long Giue vs in the meane space patience in our afflictions and ghostly profit by these our temptations Let them neither vvinne vs by vvordes nor vveary vs by cruell deedes O thou which art the saluation of thy people Aide vs O Sauiour glorifie thy selfe in our deliuerance Thou art the God of our forefathers thee only we will magnifie Thou art a zealous God we will not partake in thy dishonour Prepare the feete of thy forerunners let vs heare the noise of their steps approching Reueale the treasures of thy kingdome vvhich haue beene so long suppressed Graunt vs to reape at length with joy who haue a great space sowed in teares In expectation whereof our life vanisheth in griefe our yeares consume in sobs While we powre forth our soules before thee crauing at thy handes saluation Arise O Lord visit thy flocke raise vp the rased walles of Hierusalem Neglect not the vvasting of thy heritage Renewe thy truth vvhich hath beene so long a time without fruit let faith flourish againe like an oliue Then shall all nations feare thy name the Kings of the earth shall haue thy mercy in admiration We shall all vvith one harmony sing glory in thy Temple and sanctifie thy Altars with Sacrifice All generations to come shall prayse thee and make honourable mention of thy great goodnesse Thy Angels of heauen shall magnifie thee the Saints and blessed Spirits shall fall at thy feete and giue thankes Euery soule pray that this may soone come to passe and euery tongue say Amen Come O sweete IESV come FINIS