haue appeased the wrath of my Father through the satisfaction of my Redeemer I come because thou thy selfe hast called me vnto thee and holdest forth thine armes Receyue me therefore my God not after the austeritie of a iust Iudge but according to the compassion of a pitifull father and accept this mine earnest prayer which being conceyued in the bottome of mine hart hath disclosed it selfe by my lips and flyeth with my voyce vnto the fauourable care of mine heauenly Father seeing it hath pleased thee ô Lord to suffer me so to call thee Cause it ô Lord my God to pierce the heauens where thou thy selfe art I know right well that thy Throne is aboue and that thou keepest vnder thy feet both the Sunne and the Starres and the earth to be but a very tittle and my selfe being the least part thereof am a great deale lesse then nothing Who then shall dare to make me so saucy as to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee It is euen thou my God who sittest on hye to behold at once all the works of thine hands the better to vnderstand our wants and dayly to poure vpon vs thy grace as a most â—…eet showre Euen thou who hast thy selfe sayd Aske and yee shall be heard But thou wilt be prayed vnto with a constant faith cause it therefore to be borne and growe in my soule for it is a gift that cannot come but from the Treasuâ—e of thy grace and as at other times thou hast addressed the lips of infants to glorifye thee gouerne now the infancie and infirmitie of mine hart that it may deliuer vnto my mouth â—…ch a prayer as may very well like and please thee And because thou â—ayest know my God that my prayer is sooner conceyued in my soule â—en in my lips and that although the burden of my flesh greeueth and â—eâ—eth my spirit yet breatheth it our as much as it can thine honor and prayse And the first petition that I â—ake vnto thee is this Hallowed be thy name or rather let thy â—…me hallow and sanctifie me that I may â—e after able to blesse glorifie thee â—ut which of thy names shall I blesse â—…at wherwith thou hast confouÌ„ded â—ast down the enemies of thy people or else that wherewith thou hast blesseâ— all the nations of the earth Wilt thoâ— be praysed as the God of hosts ô Lorâ— God of all battailes or as the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world Shalâ— I tell abroad how thou hast made aâ—… things of nothing how thou hast soweâ— the heauens with starres couered thâ— earth with flowres fruites riuers and with all liuing creatures and Man like vnto thy selfe Or shall I speake but of that incredible loue by which thou hast deliuered thine owne only Sonne vnto death to purchase for vs life euerlasting I haue not breath inough ô Lord for such an enterprise but let it content thee that I sanctifie thy name with an humble and chaâ—… thought and that my meditation be alwayes fixed vppon all the benefits wherwith it pleaseth thee continually to fauour me so as both my selfe and as many as thou hast placed here in this world as in the middest of a ritch Temple for the beholding and admiring on euery side the excellency of thy Deitie we neuer turne our vnderstandings vnto any other thing but to the comprehending and learning o◠〈◊〉 will to the end that we being reâ—…ed in one and the selfe same deâ—…e â—o serue thee Thy kingdome may 〈◊〉 and that after we shall haue cast 〈◊〉 the yoke of sinne which so long â—…e hath thralled and captiued vs 〈◊〉 loue alone may reigne in our conâ—…ences A most blessed and prospeâ—…s reigne for to obey thee is to â—…maund our vnruly appetites and 〈◊〉 command them is for a man to be â—aster of his owne selfe and for a man 〈◊〉 be master of his selfe is the most â—…ereigne principalitie It is an easy â—…tter my God to obey thee thy yoâ—e â—gratious and the tribute which thou â—…ctest on vs is nothing else but to â—…ue vs to be blessed Confirme vs â—…erefore ô Lord in this thy will and â—…ist the zeale of thy good seruanâ—s â—pressing the insolencie of all such as â—…spheme against thy Maiestie beâ—…se that thy lawe and thy truth do â—…gne throughout the world O King 〈◊〉 kings which hast the dominion of 〈◊〉 hearts who by our humilitie and â—edience hast established thine Emâ—…e bend our wills vnder thy law â—o â—…end that we looking all to one end aspire not but to the aduancing of thy glory and that our good actions may testifie the good discipline of the King of heauen vnto whome we do homage and who alloweth vs for his subiects of whome we hold so many benefits and graces as that we can not possibly come any thing neere the number of them Now what obedience is it that we should yeeld vnto thee how should we ghesse to do that which might please thee who is able to sound the bottome of thy thoughts and who shall be able to vnderstand that which thou wouldest haue I therefore beseech thee only that thy will be done For sith thou art altogether good thou willest nothing but good things and for thee both to do and to will is all one and in making this prayer vnto thee we wholy submit our selues vnto thee who neuer faylest to will vs well and to performe the same also For whatsoeuer ô Lord thou hast willed was done and from this thy will as from a liuely and pleasant spring head are deriued all the benefits wherewith the whole face of the earth is couered and wherewith all â—he heauens are beautified Continue thou the same towards vs and seeing 〈◊〉 loue is as a fire that encreaseth acâ—…ding as it findeth matter to burne 〈◊〉 it encrease and enlarge it selfe in â—…ing good vnto vs vnto vs I say â—oore miserable wretches in whose â—eakenesse miserie and infirmitie 〈◊〉 shall finde it selfe matter enough â—o exercise and worke vpon When 〈◊〉 pray thee ô Lord That thy will be 〈◊〉 my meaning is to beseech thee that thou wouldest eft soones root out â—f mine heart all these worldly desires and willes which being borne 〈◊〉 the corruption of the flesh cannot â—aue any fellow-feeling and agreeâ—ent with the law of the spirit neyther geue thou me the bridle to liue as I lust and seeing that I am thy child â—…d honorest me with this title let me â—euer be bondslaue vnto my affectioÌ„s but keepe me vnder the rod of thy law 〈◊〉 â—nder the tutoâ—ship of thy commandemeÌ„ts to the end that my self and as â—any as haue sworne to thy word beâ—…g framed to serue and obey thee â—oâ—thely may also be ready cheerâ—…ll in the ministerie of thy seruice so long as we shall abide here below in this mortall world as thine Angels and other most blessed soules are in that heauenly habitation and so Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen And seeing it is
couered with sackcloth and ashes bewailing bitterly their sinnes and wringing the mercie of God from him But these are remedies which we neuer seeke after but by maine compulsion for the shame which we haue of dooing these good things rebateth and strangleth whatsoeuer good thing we are any way forward in And it is great pittie that that which neither the voice of the holy Ghost the counsell of the Prophets nor the example of the holy Fathers is able to draw vs vnto the wrath and vengeance of God will bring vs vnto manger our heads In very deed we put on sackcloth but we do it when we can no longer tarrie we cast ashes on our heads but we do it hypocritically before such time as the wrath of God commeth which findeth vs out And we creepe and lowre vnder the Aulters but it is because we would flie from his hand that pursueth vs. O rebellious and cursed seruants that we are for we neuer reuerence our maister but wheÌ„ as he hoâ—deth his scourge ouer vs to correct vs and we neuer cry him mercie vntill such time as the sword is readie to cut our throtes And therfore we must so humble our selues before him as that we thrust not from vs by vaine presumptuous thoughts the grace by which we are cleansed and purified Now when we shall haue thus gathered as it were into our hands the sinnes which are the briars and brambles of our soules and watered the field of our consciences with teares and softened and made them tender by this manner of dealing and driuen away the cloudes which did so ouer-shadow vs and that the Sunne of the grace of God shall begin to shine vpon vs and warme vs we must then heerevpon sowe such seed as may in the end bring forth for his fruite an heauenly and immortall life And this seed is our will which as it bloometh either well or ill euen so bringeth it forth either good or bad deedes Now this argueth well with the meaning of Theages the Pythagorist for he saith That this will was as it were the hand of our soule wherewith she turneth all things either vnto good or ill which is the very selfe same that the scripture teacheth vs That God in the beginning made man and left him in the hand of his owne counsell he set fier and water before him that he might beare them in which hand he would Which was the thing that might addresse this will vnto good and this is the sound reason which is the rule that guideth all things vnto that end wherevnto God hath created them Because man might the better discerne that it was easier for him to doo good then to doo ill and that he hung not alwaies vpon any doubtfull determination and besides the naturall light which he had giuer vnto him he gaue him also his law to preserue him if he would keepe it and to as many of vs as liue in his faith And besides his law and commandements he hath giueÌ„ vnto vs his grace which so long as we keepe it maketh vs to do nothing but that which agreeeth with his commandements and consequently with all good reason Now this rule of well dooing consisteth not in sharpe witted propositions full of subtiltie and sophisticall definitions and conclusions for the resoluing of which a man had need to haue a whole world For all this knowledge consisteth in these two points To loue God with all thine heart and thy neighbour as thy selfe And yet neuerthelesse for the making of the way more plaine and to lead vs as it were by the hand into our workes we haue certaine precepts to examine and put to euery of them by our actions and to finde the meanes wherein the comlinesse of that which we would do consisteth This goodly seemlinesse or rather disposition of the minde being there placed we call vertue But because she changeth and taketh her particular name according to euery action wherein she sheweth her selfe it shall serue to good purpose as I thinke for the matter that we haue in hand to salute by the way as we passe the especiall sorts out of which she representeth her selfe oftenest vnto our sight The Philosophers beganne to teach that vertue was a perswading to greatnesse of courage and an emboldening vnto generositie valure But my desire is to follow the discipline of those whose liues and conuersations I would gladly follow Philo the Iewe speaking of the religious men dispersed throughout the deserts of Egipt and who in great perfection of life bestowed their time in contemplation saith That they laid vp in their soules Temperance as a good firme and sure foundation whereon they might afterward settle and establish all manner of vertues and therefore we must begin at that end For if Plato with some reason compareth our soules vnto horses which must be ridden and broken ken by a skilfull rider for a cunning horseman will first of all be sure to haue the Bitte in the horse mouth before he giue him the spurre that he might restraine him from going out oâ— his lists and thereby be able both to manage and turne him euenly and not suffer him to beat himselfe and fling and leape at all aduentures We call this temperance the authoritie and power which reason ought to haue vpon the lusts and violent affections which carrie our will vnto pleasures and delights This then must be the reine as it were vnto our soules or rather serue vs as a fit instrument to scum the boiling desires which arise in our soules by reason of the heat of bloud that they might be alwaies ioyned and egalled vnto reason wher vnto they must be proportionable not regarding nor yeelding themselues vnto the sensible obiects which offer themselues vnto them But contrariwise so to yeeld vnto them as that they cause those obiects to serue them and reason whereof they should be altogether in very deed made Now of all the passions ouer which temperance must haue an especiall eye to arrange these vnto reason filthie concupiscence is the most ordinarie which tieth vs vnto the lust of the flesh making vs to seeke out in the coniunction ordeined by God not the blessing of a long and happie posteritie to substitute in our steads seruants vnto our creator but a beastly pleasure and infamous delight which blindeth our soules and maketh our spirites drunke God hauing heaped in man so many sundrie perfections meant yet notwithstanding as it were to finish the same and did communicate with him that which is the most wonderfull in all the deitie which was the making him a creator like vnto himselfe For as he created the world that his power might be seene established before him his wisedom in his works so also would he that maÌ„ should beget another one like vnto himselfe that he might see also himselfe in his owne worke and loue and cherish that which came of himselfe And therefore he gaue him a wife to
his hands whatsoeuer she craueth she setteth prisoners at libertie calleth home againe those that are banished and obtayneth pardon for the condemned For the hand of the poore is Gods purse Haue wee any thing to buy of him let vs then geue him our money And the best way for vs to bestow our goods is to put them into Gods banke for he will assure it vs not only on the land and the whole continent thereof which is his but also in heauen and in eternall blisse wherewith he will sease and inuest vs. Why should we then be so foolish as to suffer our gold and siluer to rust in our chests and so alwaies blindfold our minds with laying vp crowne by crowne seeing we suffer the time to passe for the doing of our employments and that all which we gather and scrape together is nothing but toyle vpon toyle heaped vp together Surely all these goods which bring with them nothing else but sorrow and griefe with their only aboundance and in which are neuer fulnesse nor yet measure are nothing else but a cage of gold and a prison of siluer vnto their maisters to hold them fast bound to the vpper part of the earth thereby bereaue them of their libertie for going vnto heauen This is the water that is powred vpon the Egles wings because he should not flye vp vnto the Sunne Euen so must they that will taste of the fruite of contemplation and attaine vnto perfect felicitie where the course of our soule must rest take heed that they hinder not them selues but as little as they can in the dirty dunghill of riches which are no better then very clay and earth what great accompt soeuer they make of theÌ„ And yet notwithstanding it is for this dust that we kill one another and this is it which we set both our souls bodies on the teinters for For this great and mightie cities band theÌ„selues one against another in arms battel this is the very plague of ciuil societie this is the water of seperatioÌ„ which parteth brethreÌ„ asunder yea which seperateth the father from the child And therefore we had need set a fourth the last bar betwixt vs our affections to keepe vs froÌ„ desiring that which is another mans to teach vs to geue to euery one that which is his owne And this vertue we call Iustice wherof if we coÌ„sider in generall wrappeth within her self al sorts of vertues and her office as Lactantius teacheth vs is first to ioyne men together with God secondly to reconcile one maÌ„ to another which are two things verie neerely knit together For if the first keepe vs within that duty wherin God hath created vs which is to feare loue and serue him and do good vnto our neighbour it cannot be but that we must stand in the grace and fauour both of God and men Or if we will more particularly coÌ„sider of this vertue and wherein she disposeth vs to liue iustly and lawfully with men her action may very fitly be deuided into three parts or heads The first is to liue honestly without breaking the lawes either of God or of our countrey The other is not to offend any man either in word or deed The third is to geue vnto euery man that which is his owne Now if as much should be spoken of this argument as might be we should exceed that measue that I haue prescribed and set downe for this small treatise And therefore it shall suffice that we speake of the principall thing which is recommended vnto vs by Iustice which is to keepe our faith in all our doings to take in hand nothing craftily cuÌ„ningly but to deale plainly openly in all our affaires For ouer besides that faith is the knot common band of the amitie societie of meÌ„ so also is it vnto vs as gage of the grace of God which he hath vouchsafed vs to communicate himself with vs. And seeing that by this the self same word is signified vnto vs the assurance which we haue of our saluation and constancy of our promise we are verily to beleeue that whosoeuer shall abuse this pawne amongst men will lightly abuse that gage which God hath geuen him And in very deede whosoeuer he is that shall set before his eyes the lawe of God the iudgement which therein is denounced and the paines that are prepared for the wicked is it possible that that man will euer haue the heart to deceiue him whome the lawe hath commaunded to loue as him selfe will he by defrauding of his neighbour deceiue his owne soule of that euerlasting blessednesse whereof those men can neuer be partakers who communicate with the father of lying and of lyes For truth commeth from heauen falshood iâ— of fiction coulored and counterfeit shewes and all leasings are the craftie deuises of the deuuill and he that enterraineth them and vseth them couenanteth with the wicked spirits and maketh himselfe the bondslaue of sin And therefore all our actions should be sincere and faithfull but especially their actions who are in authoritie to gouerne the people and are put in trust to render iustice vnto euery particular man They must not do as the Egiptian Iudges did that ware the image of Iustice about their necks but they must haue it imprinted in the bottome of their hearts and betweene their lips for she alone it is that must direct their iudgements so as neither loue nor hatred must at any hand make the ballance or scales which they hold in their hands leane either one way or other but reason alone must cause the lawe spurne and kick against iniquitie Surely no man can haue a better testimonie vnto his conscience of his election then when as he feeâ—eth himself to take pleasure in dealing iustly and rightuously for whosoeuer he is that loueth iustice is a man of God for the light shineth on the righteous man and vpoÌ„ him that is of an vpright hart The way and path of the iust is like vnto the dawning of the day her light encreaseth by little and little and becommeth like vnto the noonetide The wise man could not more properly compare iustice vnto any thing theâ— vnto the light for as the light shinetâ— not for it selfe but causeth others tâ— see euen so this most excellent sounâ— vertue of it selfe looketh nor but vntâ— the benefit profit of another hauing none other end but by a well willing 〈◊〉 righteous affection to conioyne entertaine one another of vs. When thâ—… vertue is growne vnto a full perfectioÌ„ she straightwayes beginneth to loue 〈◊〉 may very wel take vnto her that name because that she hauing vnited conioined vs together teacheth vs to accompt our selues to be one another flesh as being the members of one body or rather the body of one head leauing in vs a charitable affection which is the souldering sinowing of our bodies together For as we see in the constitution
thy will that our frayle and mortall bodies do dayly decay and had need to be repared and strengthned by some new nourishment that wee might haue continually recourse vnto thee Geue vs my God our dayly bread and geue vs therewith the grace so to vse it and all other thy benefits which thou hast bestowed vpon vs that we in some measure nourishing and maintaining our bodies grieue not not vexe not our soules making them thereby lesse able to come vnto the knowledge of thy truth And in vsing thy liberall dealing with thanksgeuing we tye not for all that our affections vnto earthly and worldly things but make vs so to passe through these temporall benefits as we lose not for the getting of them the eternall blessings Let not the taste of earthly bread wherewith we feed our bodies make vs forget our heauenly bread that bread of life that eternall bread which â—ourisheth strengthneth our soules â—eepeth them from death filleth our â—outhes with the Deitie and maketh 〈◊〉 the temples of our God to receiue 〈◊〉 into our bodies and to be made â—embers of his members Graunt vs â—y God that by this bread or rather 〈◊〉 this flesh we may be incorporated â—…o our Redeemer and as he in taâ—…ing and putting on of our flesh was â—…rtaker of our death euen so we taâ—…ing and putting on of his flesh may â—e partakers of his immortalitie And seeing we haue my God bene made â—essels and receptacles of his Deitie â—ash vs and make vs cleane to the â—nd that he comming to dwell in vs â—ou mayest finde nothing there to geue thee occasion to depart from vs and to make vs voyd of thy grace and of our saluation Now it is impossible â—…r vs to be made cleane without thou â—orgeue vs our sinnes and remit our â—…ebts For we haue bene bondslaues â—oth vnto sinne and vnto death and â—hatsoeuer we clayme to be ours it belongeth vnto him neither haue we any thing either to pay our raunsome 〈◊〉 yet to discharge our debt and therfore ô Lord it is thou that must do Thou hast once for all redeemed and set vs at libertie but yet notwiâ—…standing we dayly fall into the hâ—… of the enemy we daily commit a thâ—…sand sinnes which make vs bond 〈◊〉 sinne cease not for all this my Gâ—… to opeÌ„ vnto vs this treasure froÌ„ whâ—… we may take the price of our liberâ—… Be thou ô Lord more strong 〈◊〉 in pardoning of vs then we are in 〈◊〉 sending of thee Let thy merciful hâ—… stretch it selfe our continually vnto for sin cleaueth fast vnto the mattâ—… of our benes and groweth and waxe old in vs which maketh vs wheÌ„ we aâ—… old to be after a sort more filthy â—…fectious were it not that thou coâ—…nually applyest vnto our miserie 〈◊〉 merit and worthinesse of thy holy pâ—…sion to the end that we in some meâ—sure launching wounding our coâ—sciences thou mayest strengthen a heale our wounds and rub out wiâ—… the oyle of thy mercy the skarres thâ— may of them remayne Otherwise Lord I should be afeard that thou casting thine eyes ordinarily vpon 〈◊〉 wouldest in the end be so angry aâ— â—…ieued as that thou wouldest come â—…ry fast vpon vs to be reuenged of the â—…ckednes which we our selues haue â—…mined Forgeue vs therfore our ofâ—…ces that is to say our sins which we â—…oÌ„mit all the time of our life And forâ—…rs ô heauenly Father as we from our 〈◊〉 harts forgeue theÌ„ that trespasse against 〈◊〉 Cause vs coÌ„tinually to set before vs 〈◊〉 loue by which thou hast not only 〈◊〉 vpoÌ„ thee to pay our debts but the â—…nishment for our sins that we may â—…dge what an vnreasonable thing it â—…ould be for vs to looke to haue any â—…our at thy hands who wil not agree â—itâ— our neighbors considering there â—…o comparison betweene the offerâ—… which we commit against thee and 〈◊〉 offences wherwith they offend vs. â—…ck cleane out of our harts all pride 〈◊〉 malice for their sakes for whose ayd â—…d succour thou causedst vs to be â—…rne Geue vs gentle and meeke spiâ—… which may keepe vs in vnitie and â—…berly loue by patiently meekly â—…aring the infirmities one of anâ—â—…r For we right well know my God 〈◊〉 easily we slip yea how easily 〈◊〉 stumble and fall in the way of this slippery and irkesome life Wâ— haue too too little force and strength continually to keepe our feet and iâ— resist the winds which driue vs forward into the steepe breake necks 〈◊〉 all wickednes and iniquitie And therfore we pray most earnestly vnto thee Not to leade vs into tentation and 〈◊〉 keepe farre froÌ„ vs all occasions which may any way cause vs to offend thee and to arme vs with thy holy spirit against all those obiects which of them selues offer them vnto vs without thâ— which we shall be alwayes ouercome and by the which we shall continuallâ— be vaÌ„quishers in this wrestling againâ—… sinne for this prize and garland 〈◊〉 victory is for none but for such a 〈◊〉 as thou doest second in this fighâ— Graunt vs therefore such grace 〈◊〉 that when any extraordinary desire 〈◊〉 getting worldly ritches assayle vs thaâ— thou wilt strengthen vs with a minde obtaine heauenly ritches and valiantly contemne and despise the goods 〈◊〉 this world and the vncertaine as frayle knowledge of them And let 〈◊〉 remember that they passe away as thâ— cloudes in the ayre from one countreâ— â—…to another and in the end melt and â—…sume away to nothing and that for 〈◊〉 most part the gold and siluer which 〈◊〉 so greedely gather and heape vs â—…gether with so great toyling moyâ—…g serue vs to none other end but to â—…ng condemnation on our heads 〈◊〉 if so he that thou of thine owne â—…es departest with more vnto vs 〈◊〉 we any way deserue graunt vs â—…nes a will to vse them well and â—…aritably communicate them vnto â—…ose that haue greater need of them 〈◊〉 we haue For the earth is thine 〈◊〉 we are but the gardiens and farâ—…s thereof our goods are thine 〈◊〉 we are but the dispensers and â—…rd of them And therefore if we â—…e to geue them vnto those which â—…e them of vs in thy name thou wilt 〈◊〉 only take them from vs but wilt â—…so for our vnthankfulnes and infideâ—… make vs pay double vsury for theÌ„ 〈◊〉 graunt vs also this grace that the â—…riousnes of the honors of this world â—…nd not vs and draw vs on to desire â—…e then is expedient for out saluaâ—…on And let it alwayes be imprinted 〈◊〉 our thoughts that there is no true honor in this world but to serue theâ— worthely and that for the seruing 〈◊〉 thee the place of honor is too toâ— baâ—… that the greatnes therof coÌ„sisteth 〈◊〉 humilitie As for the rest which we sâ—… wonder at admire it is but a deceitful light after which we hunt with to mouth is like vnto those little fiâ—… which appeare in the night about the riuers