me like a dead man in the caue of obscurity My soule is highly greeued within mee and mine heart is astonished like vnto his who walking with an erected countenance is by misfortune fallen into the bottome of some pit his sences are forth-with troubled he forthwith loseth his reason and torments himselfe hee knowes not what to will or do till calling his wits together he takes notice of the place where he is and the maner how he fell downe for then hee begins by little and little to get vp againe and to climbe with great labour from the place whereinto hee easily fell 5. Euen so I hauing called to memory from farre the remembrance of things past and representing to my selfe in a deepe meditation the workes of thine hands and considering exactly the things which thou hast wrought namely remembring the state wherein thou diddest create vs and then calling to minde that wherein I finde my selfe now as it were crusht downe in the ruines of sinne I curse the houre wherein my mother conceiued mee I detest the daye which first opened mine eye-liddes to cause mee to looke vppon heauen and earth the witnesses of my weaknesse and at last finding nothing in this world which can comfort mee in this distresse I come againe vnto thee 6. I fall downe on my knees before thee I lift vppe vnto thee mine armes and hands and my soule thirsteth after thy grace with as great a desire as the earth gaping with heate waiteth for a pleasing shower of raine in the hottest time of summer 7. Runne then hastily vnto me ô my God for I am already out of breath my courage faileth and loe I fall fainting downe wilt thou tarry till I am dead I am so already if thou make not the more hast for my sences faile by little and little my soule slideth sweetly out of my body leauing it without motion and I am like vnto him who is let bloud in his foote in hot water whose life runnes out with his bloud not feeling the cause of his death 8. Now ô Lord if thou keepest thy selfe farre from me turning thy countenance away I shall become like vnto those who goe downe into the bottome of the graue pale death will discolour my visage and benum my sences and that which is worsse spirituall death ô my God will kill my soule will fill it with feare and horror and bereaue it of the knowledge of thy singular goodnesse and the hope of grace which shineth in thy wonders like a glistering star in an obscure night 9. Cause me then betimes to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy and in the morning when the sunne shall arise vpon the earth let thy clemency rise vpon me to enlighten mine ignorance and to direct mee in the way of thy commandements But let it not doe ô Lord like thy Sunne who at the end of his race plungeth it selfe in the sea hiding his light for a time from poore mortalls but let it perpetually assist me let it bee no more seperated from mee then my soule from my body for thy mercy is far more the soule of my soule then my soule is the life of my body 10. Let it not then leaue me let the brightnesse thereof still direct my pathes in thy waies let it still guide mee in the way which I must walke to come vnto thee For my spirit which hath throwne it selfe into the middest of the briers of this world which hath gonne astray amongest her thickest bushes can no more finde out her right way but walking at all aduentures loseth both her way and her labour going still back-wards from the place whether shee thought to arriue But my GOD I still waite for thy helpe I hope for succour from an high 11. I am prisoner in the hands of the cruellest enemies of my life make hast ô Lord to deliuer mee thou art my refuge receiue mee into thy protection teach mee what thou wouldest haue mee to doe for thou art my God vnto whome onely I now resolue my selfe to doe seruice Away far far from mee deceitfull pleasure which hereto fore diddest bewitch my soule and poyson my mind thou hast by thy lickorish delights inueigled me and with a little honney thou hast made me swallow a most bitter and deadly pill which spredding it selfe thorow my members hath in such sort mortified and made me giddy as there is small difference betwixt mee and a dead person and my body is not only thus mortified but my soule likewise wherein consisteth the originall of my life present and to come 12. It behooueth then thine holy spirit to come vnto me to warme againe my dying soule to take it by the hand to leade it into safety and to quicken it imprinting in it the image of thy righteousnesse which may defend it against the temptation which on eueryside doth beseege it and threaten her ruine 13. Thou wilt come then and at thine arriuall thou shalt draw my soule out of trouble and in shewing mercy vnto me thou shalt destroy all those which haue conspired against me Then shall my greefe haue an end and theirs beginne it shal be a beginning of their forrow which shall neuer end but as riuers rising out of their springs run on stil bigger bigger vntill they fall into the bosome of the sea which hath no bottome euen so shall their miseries encrease and at the last shall heape vpon them extreame torments and infinite distresse In this manner shall all those perish which vex my soule for ô GOD I am thy faithfull seruant whome thou hast remembred and thou wilt not forget those who in disdaine of my Lord haue so shamefully abused me they laughed at my misery but the time drawes on when they shall bewayle their owne Thy vengeance begins to bee kind bee against them and they shall wither like leaues vpon the trees at the approach of winter O GOD what glory shall I giue vnto thy name and how shall I beginne to declare thy praise shall I publish thy goodnesse in the creation of so many wonderfull workes which are vnderneath the sun thy wisedome in thy preseruation of them shall I preach thy Iustice in the condemnation and punishment of the pride of the Angels and disobedience of men Shall I sing of thy mercy in the redemption of those who offending thy lawe had throwne themselues head-long into the bondage of eternall death to what part of thy prayses may the humble sound of my voyce attaine and though my voyce were able what eares are capable to receiue it All things faile mee ô Lord in this businesse except courage and will which full of feruent affection doe crye out vnto thee Ayde with thy grace their weake strength and seeing the teares of my penitence haue washed away the filth of sinne wherewith my soule was heauily loden giue it now the winges of faith and hope which may carry it with a swift flight into thine armes to reunite
to the afflicted which call vppon him hee forsakes him not neither day nor night so soone as sorrow hath humbled vs and caused vs to know what neede wee haue of him behold hee is at hand to saue vs. 18. The righteous indeede are afflicted with strange calamities and wee may in a maner say that they are the subiect of misery so many euills doe at once seeme to ouer-whelme them But it is onely to make the mercy of God the more illustrious notable in their behalfe For the greater that their tribulation is the brighter doth Gods pitty and compassion shine in their conseruation 19. Hee preserueth the least of their bones yea namely not an haire of their heads shall perish or be pluckt off but by his expresse will and he neuer wils it but for their good and saluation More-ouer a their wealth and store is vnder his protection and when hee pleaseth hee will multiply their riches hee will make his blessings to florish in their houses and hee will encrease their wealth and possessions aboue all enuy 20. On the contrary the life of the wicked shal be miserable If at the least-wise for to try theÌ„ to inuite them to returne vnto him he doth lend theÌ„ some wealth in this life hard and lamentable shall bee their death Death which shall turne them ouer to eternall torments Death which shall plung them in the botomlesse pitte of fires vnquencheable there to bee deuoured and neuer consumed there to bee euer languishing and neuer dead such shall bee the end of the wicked and of him which persecuteth the iust man 21. And thy poore seruants in the meane time whom thou hast so deerely redeemed out of the hands of death and sinne shall enioy in all happinesse the saluation which thou hast purchased for them and holding death and sinne in bands vnder their feete in the chaines of thy mercy they shal trust in thee so long as they shall remain in this worldly exile after that they are come forth of it they shall enioy that eternall blessednesse which thou hast promised them beholding in thy countenance that fountaine of brightnes goodnes and beauty wherwith thou diddest create heauen earth and al therein contained Noli Aeâ—ulari Psalme 36. IN regard that Gods prouidence which gouerneth the world oweth a recompence to euery man according as hee hath deserued I am sometimes amazed to see how those whose onely study is to do euill do receiue so many fauours in this life and doe bath them-selues in so many kindes of pleasures But as my heart begins to swell and to bee despited in it selfe I feele as it seemeth vnto me the spirit of God which comes and toucheth me and plucking me by the eare it saith vnto me soft and faire soft and faire thou poore wretch thou losest thy selfe in this ouer-deepe and dangerous discourse comfort thou thy selfe in mee and enuie not the good of the wicked bee not iealous of those which worke iniquity 2. For that which thou thinkest to bee their felicity is but a vaine shaddow a false and deceitfull image which will bee lost betwixt their hands will flie away when they shall thinke to hold it fast As the hay which is mowen downe fades withers in a moment euen so in a moment shal the magnificence of the wicked lose his colour brightnesse The herbes in a garden are not so soone withered as thou shalt perceiue the riches of the wicked to fal away and perish Hast thou not beheld the flower Emerocall true beauty of a day which flourisheth with a crimson dye in the morning keepeth his coulour all day long and in the euening becomes so pale and withered as though it had bin bitten with the frozen teeth of winter The happinesse of the wicked if a deceitfull smile of an apparent felicity may be termed a happinesse doth properly resemble that flower for it is withered so sodainly is changed in so short a time and is transformed in such diuerse manner as it is a wonder to behold it 3. Put then thy trust in God and beleeue it the insolence of the wicked shall neuer continue so long as the diuine iustice shall beare rule and bee likwise assured that the iust man shall neuer bee forsaken what affliction so euer he be in Discourage not thy selfe but continue in wel doing for he which perseuers vnto the end shall be saued Dwell in the land which thy God hath giuen thee content thy selfe with the graces which he hath giuen thee and enter not into iudgment with him For thou shalt find in the end that the riches of the wicked are but giuen them to keepe 4. Reioyce thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God lay aside the melancholy which thou hatchest in thy soule which like rust eats consumes thy heart For when thy minde shall bee once purified and thy thoughts lifted vp to thy Lord he will accomplish all thy wishes will cause thee to enioy all that which y u art able to desire 5. But do not present thy selfe before him with wauering goe not vnto him with diffidence do not hide thy thoughts opeÌ„ the very bottom of thy heart before him discouer thy thoughts For it is impossible to deceiue him and it is dangerous to goe about it He seeth and noteth all things chiefly a double and vnbeleeuing heart the which aboue all things else hee detesteth but hee receiueth and embraceth the poore man that is humbled hee harkeneth to his prayer and giues him before hand that which he ment to ask 6. Nothing is wanting neither wealth nor honour vnto him which hath his fauour if thou please him once hee will cause the glory of thy righteousnesse to shine brighter then the day light and the equity of thy iudgments to glister like the mid-daies sunne For people on all sides shall be seene to come from thee blessing thy house for a temple of iustice praysing thy word for an oracle and reuerencing thee as the cause of their rest and liberty Euery one shall exalt thine integrity as the protector of good men and sure defence of the afflicted But the more honour and glory that thou receiuest humble thy selfe so much the more vnder the hand of thy GOD and acknowledge this good to come from him and yeeld him homage The homage which hee demandes of thee besides thy heart is but thy mouth and hands thy mouth to set foorth his praise thy hands to serue him according to his commandements 7. Loe this is that which the spirit of God told mee I communicate it to you my friends and make yeepertakers of these holy aduertisements to the end that if here-after you see any one to prosper in his affaires and yet to blaspheme in his life yee should not bee offended thereat nor be angry in your selues though hee which worketh iniquity do abound in all manner of wealth 8. Be quiet then in your minds
bee the fruits of the iust man shall they bee the wealth which hee hath gathered together the castles which he hath builded ô fruits vnworthy such a tree fruites which wither at the first feeling of frost fruites which fall off with the first winde not so it shall bee the goâ—d and sauory fruites which growe in the faire and plentiâ—ull arbors of the diuine wisedome They are holy and religious thoughts they are meditations full of zeale and deuotion by which he will ioyne his spirit to God then opening his soule he will receiue the beames of the holy Ghost which will animate him to a thousand goodly vertuous actions as the fruite of his life Holines passing from his heart to his lippes will cause him to vtter none other speeches but of equity and righteousnes 34. For he will alway haue the saw of God imprinted in his soule as a iust and certain rule whereby hee will encompasse his speech and he need not feare euer to goe astray out of the right way nor that his foot will in any sort slide for the foundation thereof is too surely laide and the pathe too much beaten The lawe of God is more firme and solide then Iron or Steele It is an in flexible rule an immoueable rocke It is a place of safety where a man is not onely conducted in righteousnesse but safely preserued as betwixt two brazen walles 35. For behold the wicked how long hee hath laine in ambush to surprize the innocent behold what meanes hee hath vsed to take away his honour and life see whether hee haue forgotten any thing or no 36. But God forsaketh not the iust man into what danger soeuer hee falles hee giues him not ouer to the sacriligious hands of these cruell murtherers nor to their bloudy impostures and impudent slanders For hee is Iudge and the power resides in him but hee is likewise a witnesse and the knowledge of truth is in him seeing then that hee knoweth the truth and that hee can and will iudge the innocent shall he not be iustified by his sentence 37. Waite then on him ô yee iust for his helpe is certaine be not weary of staying for him for he knowes better what yee need then your selues sometimes hee tarries to trye your patience some-times to glorifie you walke then in his waies obserue them carfully Plant strong hedges round about his wayes stick your labours with thornes and your tribulations with briers for feare least voluptuousnesse enter in and pleasure breake and spoile your way Perseuer in your course vntill yee sweate water and bloud to the end that yee may arriue at the hauen of rest where God will exalt yee aboue this visible world yee namely aboue his glorified Angels Hee will cause yee to lead sinners in triumph and will make yee to see the earth purged from their iniquity to bee assigned for a portion to good men 38. I haue beene some-times amazed to see the wicked man raised vp to all sorts of honors and to hold the earth in a manner subiect vnder his feet The Cedar of Libanus lookes not more faire and straight at such time as hee puts on his greene liuery and spreds forth his new blossoms as the wicked seemed in the strength of his magnificence 39. But returning by the place where I left him I did greatly wonder what was become of him I beheld the seate of his greatnesse which was turned into solitude I did aske what is become of him that was so braue and so much feared no man made me answer I sought vp and downe euery where to see if I could meete him but I could heare no tidings at all All melted away with him there remained not so much as a mentioÌ„ of him and it seemed that the fire had eaten all vp 40. Wee must then by the example of their misery learne to eschew sinne and following another life meritte another end Preserue your selues then ô yee innocent people study righteousnesse loue equity and iustice For the peacable man loueth rest in his family and is new borne in his posterity 41. They are not like to the reprobate whose memory is lost in a moment and no man remaines afterward to name them vnlesse it bee with cursses Theyr posterity is lost at once the first stroke that striketh them doth wholy ouerthrow theÌ„ for they had no helpe but in their own selues God had forsaken them long since 42. He succoureth onely the iust that trust in him they haue waited on him and it is reason that they should find comfort in him he likewise supporteth them in the day of their affliction They shall retire theÌ„selues vnder his wings like to poore chickins pursued by the Kite they shall there be couered defended and comforted 43. Hee will helpe them in the middest of the bickering and then they shall bee enuironed on euery side hee will miraculously by his power come and deliuer them Hee will breake into the throng will draw the iust forth of the hands of the wicked Wherfore ô Lord doest thou support the iust with such affection Because they haue trusted in thee and not placed their confidence in the fraile and corruptible goods of this world but on thine infinite goodnesse and mercy which neuer faileth those which call vpon thine holy name Seeing them ó father of Iustice and mercy that it pleaseth thee for a time to permit the wicked to enioy the goods and honours of this world and to set their feete on the necks of good men and with their euil artificiall practises to torment thy good and faithfull seruants compose in such sort our affections as wee may not be offended with their good hap nor enuy their decetfull riches but graunt that wee may couragiously beare what affliction so euer it shall please thee to lay vppon vs wayting with patience till thou comest to iudge their conscience to enquire out the depth of their councells and with the seuerity of thy iustice to imprint on their for-heads the shame they haue deserued razing their infamous memory from the face of the earth which is appointed for the seruice of thy glory And in the meane time containe our hearts in such sort that we haue none other hope but in thee and make account of nothing else in this world or to set our loue vpon but on thine onely grace and blessing Iudica me domine Psalme 42. BEe my Iudge ô Lord take notice of my cause and iudge the slanders wherewith the wicked doe accuse mee deliuer mee oÌ„ Lord out of the vngodly and from deceitfull lippes For they are gathered together to conspire against me and they haue practised my destruction They would cloke their theft with iustice and vnder shew of law they would ouerthrow and defame mee But ô diuine iustice which with an all-seeing eye doest scatter the cloudes of slander and giuest light to innocency shine a little vppon mee and make them know that trueth pearceth
dares make mee none answer O my God thou hast created mee of dirt and clay and loe I am now such an one as I was before thou tookest me in hand I haue put off my beauty and comlinesse and put on dirt and filthinesse But my God wherefore doost thou not new make me is thine arme waxed short doost thou want will to doe good to thy creature alas thou art Almighty all good wherefore then dooest thou tarry Thy workemanship ô Lord grew obstinate against thee and tooke pleasure in diffiguring and deforming it selfe bee thou obstinate against thine handy-worke and make it faire and perfect yea euen in despight of it but my God I will bee no more stubborne hold mee take mee in hand turne mee as thou pleasest repayre this dirte renew it refresh it with new coullours it is ready to obey thy will But ô Lord when as thou shalt haue wholy renewed it forsake it not for all that put a bridle in his mouth which by abstinence may keepe it from gluttony wherevnto it is proane by chastitie it may quench the impudent heates of voluptuousnesse which warmeth it by humility it may beat downe pride which biting enuie raiseth vp in her let pittifull charity driue hatred and the hunger of couetousnesse farre from it let the care to serue and honor thee be a continuall spurre in the sides of her slothfull and blockish negligence 3. For otherwise my God I haue made too great proofe of these vices which enuiron mee they will in such sorte teare and dismember thy workmanship as at thy comming thou shalt find nothing but the fragments thereof all bruzed and broken I haue had such experience of them it is they who haue brought mee into the state wherein now I am and I now perceiue them standing round about mee to reproach mee with those blottes where with they themselues did defile me and to make me guilty of the wrongs which they haue done to mee How hast thou sinned say they how foule and deformed art thou become 4. Indeed I haue sinned I confesse it my God behold I offer the bottom of my heart vnto thee take notice of my whole life I haue sinned before heauen and earth and the whole world is witnesse of my misdeeds But if I had not sinned vnto whome wouldest thou shew mercy how wouldst thou discharge thy selfe of the promises of grace which thou hast so long declared by thy Prophets when thou shalt come to sit vpon the eternall throne of thy Iustice if wee were all iust who would stand in feare of thee But to the end thy greatnesse may bee knowne it behooueth vs when wee shall bee summoned before thee humbly to fall downe vpon our faces and to cry out Bee midle ô Lord for wee come not to excuse our selues before thee our fault is notorious but loe our pardon stands ready thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs behold it signed with thy bloud sealed with thine image which for our redemption was imprinted in the weakenesse of the flesh 5. Diddest thou expect O my God that when I should present my selfe before thee I would make a rampier of mine innocencie or that I was so blinde of vnderstanding to go about to iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas ô Lord I know that I was nothing but sinne before I was borne my mother thought to bring forth a childe and shee was deliuered of sinne it had been much better for her if so prodigious a burthen had prooued abortiue which shameth the tree which bare it the earth which nourished and heauen which ripened it I was fedde with sinne in my mothers wombe I suckt it with her milke and loe it grew vppe in such sort with mee as it ouer-shaddoweth mine head and blindeth mine eyes 6. But when I perceiue the eyes of my body to be dazeled I then open the eyes of my minde and begin to discerne a farre off the beame of thine infallible truth and to acknowledge the wonderfull secrets of thy wisedome which thou hast reuealed vnto mee Then my soule abandoning the impurity of my body liftteth her selfe vppe vnto heauen and pearceth thorowe his incredible light and lookking vpon the booke of Eternity shee therein readeth the treatye of the new allyance which thou wilt make with mankinde then returning into her wretched body shee filleth it with hope and ioy and promiseth it an assured victorie ouer his sinne 7. For shee learned in heauen how thou wouldest take the branch of odoriferous Hisope in hand and sprincle vpon mee the water of purification thou wilt wash mee and I shall become whiter then snowe there shall no one spotte of sinne bee seene on mee What manner of washing-lye will that bee ô LORD which shal be made with the ashes of my sinnes consumed by the fire of thy charity with the water of teares which my repentance shall distill from my hart and in the sun-shine of thy grace our laments shal be dried vp which shall cause new spirituall ioy to grow vp in vs and at the last will make vs so white in the purity of righteousnesse as we shall one day shine brighter then the starres in the firmament 8. We shall then heare the delectable sound of the trumpet of saluation which wil proclaime grace and mercy vnto all those who will receaue it Wee shall then see rotten and consumed bones to rise vp out of their graues to be partaker of this vniuersall ioye wherevnto thou hast inuited the whole world 9. Now to the end I may at that time appeare before thee in such honorable equipage as so noble a magnificence doth deserue put all my offences ô my God vnder thy feete bury them in the center of the earth to the end that noe eye may behold them seperate mee for euer from mine iniquitie from hence-forth I renounce it and sweare an irreconcileable diuorcement from her 10 Behold my soule which I offer vnto thee make it pure and cleane powre a new spirit into mine heart which may conceiue nothing but holinesse and righteousnesse Establish therein ô Lord God the mansion house of thy holy spirit to the end that hence-forth I may thinke wish nor breath any thing but thy praises let thy will bee alwayes imprinted in my minde and thy glory written in my lips 11. When thou shalt haue thus clothed decked me with pietie and integrity I shall then be assured that nothing shal be able to seperate mee from thy presence and then as the true bred Eagle looketh directly vpon the Sunne euen so will I fixe mine eye vppon the face of thine Eternitie and will beholde in thy wonderfull countenance all those perfections which now I can not conceaue thine holy spirit shall neuer more depart out of mine heart it shall carry me on the winges of zealous charity into thy bosome there to make mee an associate of that celestiall ioy 12. Let me then quickly tast the sweetnes of this immortall life saue me sodainly
heat which our sinne like a rotten vlcer hath in gendred in our consciences 8. Now seeing he is so good vnto vs denies vs nothing that wee aske him take heed I pray yee vnto your selues I speake vnto you on whom hee hath bestowed so many benefites whom he hath sanctified with his holy blessings whom he hath set apart to be his chosen and to be partakers of his loue Take heed least yee offend him by your vnthankfullnes and make your selues vnworthy of his benefits by a distrust and vnbeliefe of his goodnes For those which feare him neuer want any thing in fearing him they hope in him also they feare him with a louing feare with a feare not that hee will hurt them but with a feare to offend him or rather with a fatherly reuerence which makes him by so much the more the ready to doe vs good as wee are respectiue to demaund it For hee of himselfe knowes what is necessary for vs hee forthwith preuents our desires if they are not agreeable to his will and makes vs rich in the middest of our pouerty and valiant in the middest of our weaknesse 9. On the contrary hee doth not so to the rich worldlings whose wealth he hath not blessed for those men are needy in their riches starued in theyr aboundance their wealth melts into pouerty their magnificence vanisheth away into smoake and becomes like to a riuer whose spring-head is damn'd vp his channell remaines drie his bankes lose their greenesse and the trees planted thereon wither and fade But those which haue recourse vnto God and do not forsake him who referre all to his honor shall neuer want any good thing because the fountaine of all goodnesse which is the loue of GOD springeth in the middest of their soules and sheds it selfe abroad through all the parts of their body 10. Now in regard you see how much profit there is in fearing God how his feare is that which reconciles vs vnto him this reconciliation doth purchase vs his fauour doth encrease our felicity come vnto me and I wil teach you to feare him who like a good and mercifull father doth neuer deny his mercy vnto him which acknowledgeth his sin and is willing to returne into the way of well doing 11. Doe you desire to please him by that meanes to liue in his fauour which is as much to say as to liue happily and to passe your dayes in tranquillity of spirit and plenty of al things necessary for this mortall life and moreouer to walke apace in the way of this immortall life which tarrieth for vs after our departure hence In a word do yee desire his blessing which is as much to say as a firme and certaine prosperity which begetteth in vs a spirituall ioy which will keepe your heartes alwayes open to breath his honour and to vse with contentation the wealth which hee lends you in this world In a few wordes I will shew yee the way For I know wherein hee delighteth and which of our actions doe please him 12. The first thing that yee shall doe bridle your tongue that it vtter no wordes which may offend Gods honour nor vse sharp and bitter speeches Doe you see this little member how nice and tender it is yet neuerthelesse it is the helme of our life which steereth and turneth our minds on the same side as it selfe is turned For so soone once as it is filled with naughty and vitious speeches it carrieth the passions of our heart where they are conceiued vnto the depth of our vnderstanding and doth water it in such sort as it forthwith looseth the forme and figure of reason which God hath inspired into it doe you not see how a little sparke of fire burnes downe a whole building euen so the toung giues sin entry into vs brings him in deafely and spreading his fire abroad in our soule consumes in vs all matter of goodnesse Let vs then command our lippes to receiue nothing but the bare and simple truth and let lies and deceipt befor euer banished from vs. For if we shut vp the euill cogitations which may arise in our hearts not giuing them any vent they will in the end smother themselues like to a fire which hath no ayre 13. Let vs first of all then put farre from vs all deceipt and lying for the true praise which God expecteth from vs is that we imitate him as much as our nature will permitte Now hee is the God of truth and righteousnes who can neither loue nor cherish vs so long as lying which is his contrary shall dwell in vs. Secondly wee must fly from all sinne whatsoeuer to avoyde euill is the beginning of well doing and if God find vs empty of euill meaning hee will fill vs with good and will teach vs what wee ought to wish and procure Hee learneth vs that which wee ought chiefly to desire It is peace which hee will haue vs to wish for with all our hearts Peace first with him which is the heape of all goodnes the which we cannot haue vnles we yeeld him that obedience which we owe him Peace afterward amongst our selues without which we cannot obtaine his For hee hath commaunded vs to loue our neighbours as our selues but if we insteed thereof breath foorth nothing but blood and rapine what peace can wee haue with him whose lawes and commandements wee breake For warre and discord are the roots of vnrighteousnes and are abhominable before God 14. His eye which is this good and mercifull eye doth not looke but vppon the iust his light shines onely on them his wonders are wrought in theyr behalfe his eares are onely open to theyr prayers and we may properly say that his Iustice stands at his side which examineth the liues of such as present themselues before him and doth recommend vnto him the prayers of those that are of an vpright heart 15. As for those who take delight in doing euill he doth looke vpon them but it is with an eye kindled with fury whose beames are like arrowes of paine and misery which he shooteth into their soules filling them with feare and amazment with a thousand other mischeefs which he sends vnto them as the earnest of eternall torment which attends them He thinkes not on them but only how to root out their memory frō the face of the earth and by his iustice to wash out the spots of their polution for he hath a long time knowne their impenitent heart which hath insolently neglected his holy mercy 16. The Iust haue not done so for they returned vnto God in time and crying after his clemency they did at the last obtaine it they now inioy it as their portion he hath drawne them foorth of all the troubles wherein they were plunged hath couered them with his fauour as vnder a brazen wall so as no violent euil whatsoeuer is able to pearce through it 17. Truly god is good fauourable he is alwaies neere
only the hands of my body ô my God but those of my soule which are my affections the which I haue wash ed and purified in the torrent of my teares 14. I haue done pennance and haue all day long scourged my selfe beating my hart with continuall sighes peircing it with sharpe contrition and haue driuen away by force of my bloudy teares that viscuous humor which had ouerflowed my will with very bitter gall Euery morning when I arose I cryed thee mercy for my sinnes and I haue detested mine offences I did euery day awake with this purpose and with it I beganne my dayes worke 15. I said to my selfe lo this is al I can say those which feare God and serue him are aflicted those which blaspheme him are at their ease And therevpon I beganne to detest the condition of those which glory ô Lord in being thy children thy chosen and went foreward and said Are these they who are called the children of the Almighty God surely they are reprobate children seeing that others possesse the inheritance of theit father and they in the meane time are in extreame pouerty The other who ouerflow in wealth and vnto whom God is so fauourable and indulgent are his children this name belongs vnto them because they enioy his benefits and are next him masters ouer his workes 16. As for my selfe to speake truly I thought that the matter went thus I could not chuse but vexe and torment my selfe and said alasse my God how comes this to passe can it be thus seeing thou hast pronounced threatnings against the wicked and prepared punishment for them in a word I was in extreame perplexity 17. But at the last I perceiued what thy purpose was and I peirced to the bottome of thy sanctuary I entred as I thought into thy holy consistory and there learn'd thy meaning heerin For after that I had resolued my selfe to wait the end which thou hast prepared for such people I knew foorth with that thy iustice neuer lies though it be somtimes long ere it come it recompenceth her slownesse by the rigor of the punishmeÌ„t I then stedfastly determined to behold what would become of these people 18. Truly at the last thou didest pay them home thou didest giue them the reward of their mischeefe and deceit For when they thought themselues to be at the toppe of their greatnesse loe thou madest them leape downe into the pitte of misery All their pompe and magnificence all their ritches were in the end like to an high and lofty scaffold which they ascended to giue them the more shamefull downefall 19. Good God what discomfort what desolation there is nothing at all round about them but lamentations all their officers and vshers runne vp and downe beating their brests and alwaies hanging downe their heades like vnto a flower which is much beaten with the raine and is also pittyed of those men who were wont to enuy them They doe pittifully behold the ruines of their Idoll and perceiue how madde they were to make a wretched mortall man their God who was but smoake and winde For if a man consider their end hee may see how in a moment they are vanished there is nothing so short as the way from their greatnesse to their ruine the change was so sodaine as sight could not comprehend it They were heere they were there they were and are no more their foote-steps can hardly bee perceiued to this passe hath their finne brought them it layde snares a long time for them loe at the last they are fallen into it Whilest it vndermined the foundation of their house they went vp to the top thereof to the end their fall might bee the higher They still went vpwards and thought all beneath them to bee their owne but at the last they went vp so high as they lost themselues in the ayre before they could come downe to the ground and so vanished like the wind 20. They became like vnto dreames from which wee awake for as men say when they awake I did but dreame this or that euen so when such men are gone the people will say The greatnesse of these men was but a dreame it was a meere vanity and folly which had nothing in it sure and certaine For thou wilt in such sort abolish their memory as no man shall think of them but to deride their pride and to condemne their insolency It shall be said loe these are the ruines of their houses these places belonged to these proud sirs who cared neither for God nor men who tooke delight in all manner of euill and filthinesse who built them so many houses with the boanes of poore people and cimented their pallaces with the bloud of the needy behold there remaines nothing of what they haue heeretofore beene but the markes of their shame lightening fell vpon them and consumed them to nothing 21. We must not ô Lord iudge rashly of thy prouidence he that will consider rightly thereof must with patience attend the end must be directed by thy spirit and inuoke it for his guide and comfort For whilst my heart boyled with anger and that for very spâ—te I fetched great sighes from the bottome thereof and that all the partes of my body were in a sweate I had almost lost my selfe and yet neuerthelesse it was to no purpose at all for after all this vexation I was as wise and well resolued as before 22. I was so troubled as I could not tell whether I were a beast or a man nay verily I was like a beast and I could comprehend no more then if I had wholy lost mine vnderstanding But neuerthelesse I still held fast my hope in thee and the more I perceiued my sence and iudgement to faile the faster did I runne vnto thee and humbly besought thee to open my minde and to cause mee to vnderstand thy will 23. Thou diddest take mee by the hand and gently sette mee in the right way of thy will thou diddest acquaint mee with thy purpose Thou hast done more then that for as I thinke thou diddest open mine eyes and heauen at one instant where I did see the fulnesse of thy glory I say ô Lord that thou diddest cause mee to see it for it is a thing that without thee no mortall man canne attayne vnto 24. For alas what should such a poore and weake creature as I am seeke in heauen that cannot well see that which is vnder my feete nor perceiue but with much a doe that which is before mee on earth my bodyly eyes are very dim but those of my soule are much more The cogitations of men are full of weakenesse and vncertaintie for the earthly and corruptible body doth dull our spirits and staketh our sences to the ground So as without thee I can hope for nothing in this base world nor promise to my selfe certaine knowledge of any thing How can I beeing on earth iudge without thy helpe and vnlesse it please