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
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
returning vnto thee but thou diddest meete mee I did no sooner say that I would confesse my misdeeds but thou diddest grant mee pardon I did no sooner know what punishment belonged to my sinne but thou forgauest it I tooke the roddes in hand to chastice my flesh and thou tookest them from mee To bee short I thought that thou wouldest haue proclaimed war against mee and thou offeredst mee a charitable reconciliation Oh how much more rather ô Lord doost thou pardon then punish Can a good Father more louingly receiue his Childe which beggeth his pardon then thou hast receiued mee when I did cast my selfe at thy feete Mine heart also leapeth for ioy and boyleth with an holy heat to praise thy name it reioyceth in the fauor which thou hast shewed it accusing none but it selfe for what is past and cryeth out it is I which willed it it is I which haue done it it is I which tooke pleasure therein but my God was mercifull vnto mee 7. How could he haue refused me his mercy seeing Christ Iesus is my Aduocate and thy Saints whose prayer is so deere vnto him haue prayed doe pray and will continually pray vnto him for mee They are those who make intercession for mee who procure his fauour for mee who implore his goodnesse for in those prayers which they powre out for thy vniuersall Church I hope to haue my part They haue need alas to intercede for mee seeing that the impiety of my heart hath in such sort blinded mine vnderstanding by her euill thoughts as my soule could not looke vp towards heauen to lift vp her hand to him who onely can and will saue it what remained for mee more but that those whom thou drawest neere to thy selfe and whom thou hast receiued into the sacred consistory of thine eternity should beseech thee to haue pitty vppon mee Vpon me who a cheife enemy to my selfe haue neuer could nor would haue prayed vnto thee for mine offence I doe now then comfort my selfe for that thou hast opened mine eyes to see the lothsomnesse of my conscience for that thou hast mollified my heart to make true contrition to lodge therin If it hath not beene so soone as it shold it hath not at the leastwise beene so late but thou hast vouchsafed to receiue mee as thou art wont to doe those who let slippe no time of repentance 8. For those which make haste to sinne and do willingly neglect repentance when they perceiue their faults and haue meanes to doe it deferring till their liues end to craue thy mercy louing kindnesse and to make a deluge of their eyes they are in great danger of deceiuing themselues and true repentance cannot afterwards enter into their hardned hearts their sorrow will be like that of desperate people and thy mercy prooue deafe to their too late repentance 9. But I runne in time to thee as vnto the refuge and end of my hopes to my comfort in tribulation which hath enuironed mee in the same manner as the feare of death sezeth vpon him that is appointed to some shamefull punishment Cause mee then now to taste the pleasure which that man feeleth in his heart who is freed from Irons deliuered out of prison and defended from the punishment wherein his enemy hath a long time held him captiue And on the contrary let the enemy of my soule blush for shame when hee shall perceiue mee so deuoutly to craue the assistance of my God who with the onely twinckling of his eye can deliuer me from the voluntary bondage which I vowed to damnable voluptuousnesse at such time as I drank the sweet honney of delicious pleasures which it presented vnto mee with a deceitfull hand in the loathsome cuppe of this world 10. Alas when I call to minde the time that thou diddest thus returne vnto mee and when with that eye of mercy thou madest a signe vnto me of pardon mercy and saluation it seemeth vnto mee that I doe verily behold a cleere sunne-shine to arise amiddest the stormes and tempests of the sea who by little and little perceiuing the clowdes bringeth back a cleere and calme season and vniteth the raging waues of the water Euery houre I seeme to vnderstand that sweet and gracious word when thou diddest say Feare no more for behold my spirit shall direct thy pathes and shall not lose the sight of thee thou shalt walke now vnder his conduct who bringeth in pure cleane soules into my glorious kingdome So soone as I heard this word I fixed mine eyes on my guide like the attentiue Pilot on the shining starre that directeth the course of his Nauigation O God! how sweet shall that rest bee which I shall enioy after that I haue walked in those wayes which thou hast taught mee I which went astray out of the path which leadeth to thy holy Tabernacle I was already entred into the thick forrest of this world where such doe easily loose them selues who to enioy tho pleasure and sweetnesse of the shades doe flye from tho light of the day which should direct them in their iourney for soone dooth the fearfull face of night afright them and deliuers them for a prey vnto wilde beasts that cruelly teare deuoure them I did already wander in this Labyrinth and I was hopelesse to get forth of it but that thou diddest put the thred into my hand which brought mee out of this dangerous prison Be hold I am now at liberty to doe homage and seruice vnto that GOD which did deliuer mee to present vnto him his image pure and vndefiled and to acknowledge all those fauors which it hath pleased him to bestow on mee to proceed from his onely goodnesse Hee hath not onely heard mee aboue his other creatures giuing mee the vse of diuine reason but hee hath likewise among men lifted mee vp into a throne of honor and magnificence so that there was nothing left to perfect my happinesse but onely to bee able to know it and after that I had forgotten my selfe he did enlighten me by his holy light and gaue mee time and will to bewaile my life past and to amend in time to come 11. Doe then like mee that are my friends and haue recourse in time to his mercy for he himselfe calleth you into the way of saluation and bee not like to the stubborne Mule which kicketh against the spur hee wanteth reason knowledge and iudgement 12. For a bit is put into his mouth and he doth continually feele the spurre in his side In like manner if at the first warning which the Lord giues you to returne into his wayes you doe not obey his will hee will raine vppon you showers of calamities which will make you more miserable then misery it selfe 13. You see the starres which twinckle in the firmament the sand which lyeth on the Sea shoare but neither hath the sea so much sand nor the heauens so many starres as there are punishments prepared for the obstinate
from the rocks of this world which on euery side threaten shipwracke to my soule and as the Sailer when he is arriued in the hauen crownes the masts of his ship with garlands of flowers in token that he is in safty euen so crowne me ô my God with the precious guifts of thine holy spirit for pledges of the eternall blessednesse which thou promisest me I say of thy spirit which reigneth in thy faithfull ones which distributes faith to thine elect charity to thy beloued and hope to those whome thou hast predestinated 13. Now whilest my soule continues in this exile looking euery day when thou wilt call it to thy â—elfe I will teach sinners the way they ought to follow for to please thee I will direct them left that in the darknesse of this world they stumble vpon the blocks which shall he presented to them they will beleeue me and they shall returne to thee ô father of light turne to thee ô Father of light they shall with all their hearts imbrace thy law and walke in thine obedience 14. I know ô Lord that there bee some who will stoppe their eares at my words and will grow stubborne in their sinnes they will plot my death and willingly would die their barbarous cruelty with my bloud Deliuer mee my GOD forth of their hands and preserue mee that I may declare thy righteousnesse and pronounce their condemnation I will fore-tel them of their miseries and so soone as my speech is ended thine hand shall strike them and so soone as thine hand hath stricken them behold they shall bee for euer crusht in peeces and confounded 15. And then thou shalt open my lippes and my mouth shall declare thy victory the aire wil be cleere the winds will bee appeased and the flouds will stand still to heare mee sound forth the wonders of the eternall GOD. For thy praise ô LORD shal bee the sacrifice which I continually will offer vp vnto thee which at all times will bee pleasing vnto thee 16. I would willingly haue bloudied thine Altars with the slaughter of much cattell I would willingly haue sacrifized a thousand Oxen and as many sheepe in thine honor but bloud stinkes before thee and their flesh thou acceptest not the smoake of such offerings consumes it selfe in the arie like wind and it can not ascend where thou art the onely voyce of a iust man mounteth higher then the heauens and thine Angells present it vnto thee 17. O how acceptable vnto thee is the sacrifize of an hart pearced thorow with repentance an hart that is humbled in the knowledge of his sinne such an one wilt thou neuer reiect hee that will go vp vnto thee must descend downe into himselfe the way to touch heauen to lie groueling vpon earth hee that wil bee heard of thee must hold his peace and hee that will bee crowned in thy kingdome must be beaten and scourged in this world These are the sacrifices which can reconcile vs vnto thee and enter vs into the alliance which thou hast made with vs. 18. If thou wilt haue vs ô Lord to offer vp vnto thee bulls and oxen and that wee shall make thine Altars smoake with the bloud of Beasts if thou wilt haue vs by the death of an innocent oblation to represent before thee the death innocency of him whome thou hast destined for the redemption of our soules if the figure of that which shall come to passe in the person of the Immaculate Lambe bee pleasing vnto thee in the slaughter of sheepe and rams pittifully then beehold thy poore people comforte desolate Sion encourage her poore inhabitants to the end that they may repaire the walls of thine holy citty and re-edifie thy teÌ„ple not in equall measure to thy deserts ô Lord but according to the riches and industry that the world can attaine vnto 19. Thither from all parts shall thy faithfull people come in heapes to offer sacrifize vnto thee there onely shalt thou accept the expiation for their sins But my God neither the bloud nor death of beasts can wash out their filthinesse the expiation of their sinne and disobedience is prepared before all eternity It is an inestimable sacrifize an immaculate burnt-offering that must draw away the vaile dissipate the darkenesse and breake downe the partition-wall for to make vs behold the truth of our saluation face to face which must cause the beames of the diuine mercy to shine vpon vs and reassociate vs to the communion of the eternall blessednes which we haue willingly renounced O must pittiful God which hast cleered the eies of mine vnderstanding made me to see the mistery of my saluatioÌ„ cause me ô Lord to tast the excellent frute which budding on the tree of the crosse shall quicken with his iuyce our mortified soules shall for euer keepe and preserue vs from the ruine and calamity which hath so miserably attainted man-kind hath spred it selfe all ouer them by their owne disobedience Domine exaudi Psalme 110. O Lord how long haue I cried out for thy mercy yet I am still expecting thine aide The aire is filled with my lamentations the winds haue carried the voyce of my complaint to the farthest parts of the earth and thine eare which vnderstandeth what is done in the deepest bottoÌ„ of hell harkeÌ„s not vnto my praier which pierceth the very heauens Thou art onely deafe ô Lord in my respect and the whole world will sooner then thy selfe giue eare to my laments No no my God thou hast too long stretched out thine arme vnto me to reiect me now when I come vnto thee for refuge 2. Now that I feele a thousand and a thousand griefes and that euills assaile mee on euery side turne not thy face away from mee ô Lord. Alas I haue placed all my comfort in the milde aspect of thy countenance I haue left the world and retired my selfe vnto thee I haue forsaken the children of the earth to the end to allie my selfe to the maister of heauen can'st thou now cast mee of doe not so ô Lord but all the dayes of my life helpe my infirmitie 3. So soone as my voice shall cry out vnto thee ô my God so soone let me feele thee let thy grace come downe as swiftly vpon mee as an Eagle to the succour of her yong ones For if thou assist mee not what combate can I wage against the enemies of my soule 4. My strength and my life doth continually vanish away like to a light smoake which in flying abroad looseth it selfe that eye which sees it come forth of the fire doth as quickly see it dispersed and accompanieth it in a moment from his originall to his end and they that aske what is become of it cannot so much as discerne the trace thereof Who hath seene peeces of wood lye drying in the sunne loose both their vigor and verdure let them behold my poore bones which are become drye and withered and craue nothing but a
things acknowledged the goodnesse and mercy of God and the folly misery and infirmity of men 4. That is the reason why beeing wholy confounded in the admiration of his greatnesse and compassion of our owne weakenesse I thought good forthwith to listen vnto that which my soule taught me and to take carefull heed of those things the knowledge and truth whereof it shewed mee couertly and vnder a disguised forme And after I had carefully vnderstood and examined it I tooke my Harpe in hand and framing my voyce to the sweet tunes thereof I prepared my selfe to commit my conceits to the ayre and to cause my meditations to bee heard of all those which would giue eare vnto them to the end they might bee pleasing vnto God the author of such holy thoughts and serue for a wholsome instruction to the fauorable hearer of my discourse 5. If yee would then know what I said vnto my selfe it was thus what should I feare in the hardest time of my life whereof should I bee afraide though death did lay his hand vppon mee and tooke me out of this world Alasse death is a strange peece of worke I know not any one but would seare him seeing no man can defend himselfe from him How can I shield my selfe from his darts what rampiar can I make against his assaults which vndermines and ouerthrows houses castles Cittyes Kingdomes Empires which thretens the destruction of the world and will at the last giue end vnto himselfe no armour will preuaile but innocency Thereof will I make a strong shield of steele For vnles I looke well to my selfe the traitor sin deaths hired soldiar will dog me at the heeles he will lodge in my concupiscence and will turne mee ouer at the time of the fight into the hands of damnation 6. O deere and pretious innocency thou art onely our safety vnder thy trust wee constantly wayte for all that which may happen vnto vs and wee knowe thee to bee stronge enough to defend vs from death ô foolish madde men which forsaking this trusty protection do strengthen themselues in their power and greatnesse and highly account of their riches and magnificence They reckon vppe the nations which are vnder their gouernment they number the treasure which they haue vnder locke and key but how can all this defend them from death 7. If the brother cannot redeeme his brother with the price of his owne life if being willing to dye for him inexorable death will not accept thereof what shall man then giue vnto death for his owne ransome shal he giue those goods which are not his owne or the Empiers which dye with him nothing lesse God will by no meanes be appeased after he hath pronounced his iudgment against mortal men He will compound with no man man is his creature the clay of his earth from whom when he pleaseth he will draw that spirit which he breathed into him man hath nothing to say against it nor must not dispute with him 8. Let vs I pray you a little rate the price of mans soule let vs see what he will offer vnto God to redeeme it from him let him labour all his life time let him goe to the corners of the earth let him thrust his hands into the bowels of the mynes let him draw drye the golden dugges of both the Indies let him spoile the East of her pearles and hauing heaped all this together let him come and trafficke with God for the prolonging of his life It is eauen as though a prisoner should make offer to leaue his irons if he might haue his liberty Poore wretch that which thou thinkest to be thy safety is the window whereat death enters Death comes of sinne sinne from thy concupiscence thy concupiscence is nourished enflamed and encreased by those trumperies God will talke with thee when thow art starke naked as he sent thee into this world before he will capitulate with thee he wil haue thee to render that which thou hast stolne from him his goods which thou hast mispēt then thou maiest consider whether thou hast any thing of thine owne to pay the double yea the foure-fould for the punishment of thy euill life Alasse poore mad creature if thou commest once to that point what wilt thou say to death seeing that the wisest men haue bended their necks vnder his yoake Thou who neuer madest acount of any thing but of thy corruptible and perrishing ritches dost thou think to be preserued from corruption and the wise man who as much as in him lay did immortalize himselfe in this life and conuersed with the Angells could not shield himselfe from it thou seest him come to his end and yet thou hopest to be immortall no no the wise and the foolish dye both together yet for all that in a diuerse fashion for the wise mans death is but a passage at his returne hee shall finde his Tallent infinitely multiplyed the glory which hee sewed shall growe vp in aboundance and shall shaddow the generation of his children 10. But these poore blinded people who haue euer their eyes fixed on the ground their minde shut in their pursse who haue no more vnderstanding but to loue those things which loue nothing who neglect the Sunne and Moone the chiefe workes of nature to admire stones marble gold and siluer the excrements of the earth shall leaue the wealth which they so much loued and for which they hated all the rest You shall see them striue with death they would gladly drawe their wealth with them to the graue but death will strike them ouer their fingers and make them leaue off their hold Beeing halfe dead they shall open their eye liddes to beehold with halfe an eye their treasures but at the last they must marche away they must forsake all this trashe a stronger power hales them away But vnto whom shall they leaue this store Perhappes an vnknowne stranger shall bathe him-selfe in the sweate of this poore wretched creature vnto whom for a portion shall bee alotted a graue of fifteene or twenty foot at the most that must be his house let him dwell there if he will 〈◊〉 And what is now become of those goodly pallaces where are those guilded roofs those gallant rankes of carued Pillars those marbles so brauely pollished those emblems engrauen in brasse and all his other miracles of vanity is there nothing left for him He purchased lands to continew from generation to generation he gaue names to his houses truely he was a great Lord. 12. Alasse the poore man when he was in honor had not the witte to know it and now he is like to the beastes and resembleth the horse and asse which haue no reason nor vnderstanding For what greater honor could he desire then to haue bene cast in the mould of the diuinity and to be placed amongst the workes of God to command ouer them as his Lieftenant He was little inferiour to the Angells and had a soule able
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
my confession and the humble petition for fauor which I present vnto thee For I come not into thy presence to boast of mine owne righteousnesse but of thy mercy and louing kindnesse 3. If thou shouldest keepe a register of our offences and shouldest call vs to an account who were able ô my God to endure the rigour of thy iustice What day of my life is there but would deserue an age of torment Thou mayest in a maner inflict all the paines of hell vppon mee and yet the greatest part of mine offences will remaine vnpunished 4. But notwithstanding that men doe offend thee yet thou lettest not to receiue the sinner which comes vnto thee with confession in his mouth and contrition in his heart He hath no sooner looked towards thy mercy but hee feeles it to worke in him to breakâ— and dissolue sinne which had frozen his heart with feare and horror The punishment which did hang ouer his head runnes backward from him and carries away with it this wretched carefulnesse which tormenteth the consciences inflicted with sinne This is the reason ô Lord why I would neuer forsake thy law but haue alwayes waighted till it might please thee to shew mercy vpon mee For hee who ill aduised doth despaire in his sinne and abandons his soule as lost dooes like the abhominable vsurer who because hee hath susteined some losse in his goods doth therefore depriue himselfe of life 5. My soule hath not done so for so soone as shee hath felt thy heauie hand vpon mee which exacted a part of the punishment which my sinnes had merited shee did still for all that keepe whole the hope which shee had in thy promise Euen when thy blowes fell heauie on my back I cryed out vnto thee Lord God thy will bee done yet giue mee as much strength as affliction Measure my punishmeÌ„t by my strength and my torments encreasing augment my courage thou hast ô Lord done so 6. Let all Israell then from the day breake vntill darke night hope in his God let them expect succor from him alone For his helpe is ready vnto those which call vpon him in integrity of conscience and purity of heart It matters not how great and fearfull the misery is for so soone as the Lord hath vnderstood the cry of his seruants euen so soone do they feele themselues deliuered 7. For hee aboundeth in mercy hee is infinitely good to those which haue recourse vnto him For if our sinnes surpasse all measure his mercy exceeds all thoughts We haue deserued a long and greeuous captiuity loe he deliuers vs and sets vs at liberty We haue blinded the eies of our vnderstanding behold he comes and enlightens them O Israell thou hast offended the Lord thou hast derided his law thou hast played with his commandements thou hast forgotten his benefits which he hath bestowed vpon thee He hath drawne thee forth of a miserable bondage he hath fed thee with the bread of heauen hee hath caused fountains of water to gush forth of the barraine rocks only to giue thee drinke he chose the most delicious garden of the earth for thy dwelling place he made his couenant with thee hee gaue thee his wil in keeping and thou hast conspired against his honour committed whoredome with strange Gods troden his lawe vnder thy feete thou hast in a word deserued more punishments then hell can affoord And hee neuerthelesse offereth himselfe fauourably vnto thee he will redeeme thee from the bondage of sinne where-vnto thou wert willingly bound with the price of his owne bloud Behold hee himselfe payes their ransome which did betray him and takes vpon himselfe the punishment for our sinnes and payes the forfeiture of our offences With what wordes shall wee giue thee thankes Open then my lippes my God my Creator my Redeemer to the end that my voyce may bee spent and mine heart enflamed with a burning affection to praise and thanke thee and cast me downe in the knowledge of my selfe to the end to exalt mee in the knowledge of that holy mysterie whereby wee are re-incorporated into thee and re-integrated into thy allyance for to enter into this blessed societie of glory in the which all those shall triumph which shall bee pertakers in the merite of the passion of thy well beeloued Sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Domine exaudi vocem meam Psalme 142. MAn ô Lord is at the last weary of all things continuall running puts him out of breath too much looking vpon a thing dazels the eyes a thundring noyce troubles the hearing but the more my voyce cryeth vnto thee the stronger it is my courage is the more encreased and my praier is the more pleasing vnto mee Therefore do I euery day begin a fresh to cry out ô Lord hearken vnto my prayer and giue eare to my supplication for all my comfort consisteth in praying vnto thee ô my God It is my prayer ó Lord which coniures thy clemencie to expiate my sinnes not by the rigor of the punishment but by the effect of grace which thou hast granted vs by the which thou abollishest by thy soueraigne and absolute power the memory of our offences 2. Enter not then into iudgement with thy seruant ô Lord giue him not ouer to the rigor of the law for of all liuing creatures which shall appeare before the face of thy rigorous iudgement not one shall bee iustified none shall escape that fearefull condemnation whose paine is not onely terrible but eternall in his terrour Alas ô Lord who is able to saue himselfe in thy presence It is thou who art offended it is thou who wilt accuse vs thou hast seene our offenâ—es and canst witnesse against them it is thou which shalt iudge vs. When the accuser shall bee the witnesse and the witnesse shall bee the Iudge what shall become of the offendor what excuse can serue to iustifie him But ô Lord I will not trust to that I will shield my selfe vnder thy fauour and oppose it to thy iustice Thy fauour is obteyned by the acknowledgment of our offences by the humiliation of our mindes loe I prostrate my selfe before thee laying open my sinne ô Lord haue pitty vppon mee 3. My sinne ó my COD the chiefe enemy to my soule hath in such sort hurried and beaten mee downe as I now grouell vpon the earth not daring to looke vppe vnto heauen for so soone as I lift vp mine eyes I see the light which presenteth to the day such and so many faults which doe accuse my conscience I also doe sodenly feele shame in my guiltie countenance which makes mee holde downe my face to the ground my face vnworthy to looke vppe to heauen the Lord whereof it hath so greeuously offended my face which is not valiant enough to cast vppe his eyes towards those places which haue so many lightning flashes prepared to roote out guilty offenders 4. My spirit then hath conducted mee into darknesse and hath buried