waye God hath declareth him selfe pitiful towarde this good king how he would shewe him selfe pacified altogether after that he had vsed suche roughnes toward him and had stretched out his arme as if he wold haue altogether ouerwhelmed him but this meaneth not y t God doth y e very same to euery one of his children to the ende y t we shold not aske that in one minut of time God make vs glad after he hath drawen vs out of the graue and hath geuen vs throughlye to content vs but that it maye be his pleasure by litle and lytle to geue vs ease of all our greues in the meane time lette vs be content with this And in dede we may gather that God hetherto hath wrought by degrees in Ezechias for this miracle was done since the shadow of the sonne was drawen back and the message of prolonging his lyfe was geuen him by the prophet It semeth theÌ„ that Ezechias was altogether deliuered and yet this plaister was also requisite So then wheÌ„ our lord after he hath geueÌ„ vs anye â—ase in oure trouble shall leaue some remnaunt of peine let not that trouble vs nether let vs be wery of bearyng his correction vntill he haue healed vs altogether Nowe we haue to declare why Ezechias demaunded a signe for although it wer of wekenes yet God heard him in suche a request and herein we se howe louynge God is towarde vs when he doeth not onely graunt the requestes whiche we make of a pure and right affection but also though there be some infirmitie mingled withall and that we bear passions somwhat excessiue yet God hath pitie on vs in this point Certaine it is that Ezechias when he had perfect faith he was content to haue heard the word from the mouth of the Prophet Then when he saieth alas shall I not haue some signe herin he sheweth that he geueth not ful and perfect faith to the word of God But yet he confesseth his fault and in confessyng it he asketh remedy of whoÌ„ of God himself Then wheÌ„ we shalbe so encombred fyrst let vs acknowledge our owne pouertie and let vs not go aboute to excuse the euell but let vs take vpon vs the sentence of condemnation willyngly If then we aske of God to helpe it by his goodnes he wyll succor vs and heare our requestes It is true that it becoÌ„meth not vs to require a signe or miracle when we thinke good for as it hath bene declared in that place wher the prophet euen nowe made mention of the signe Ezechias had a speciall motion vnto it as Gedeon also had Let vs leaue that to y e good pleasure of God wheÌ„ we know our infirmitie pray him to helpe and to confirme vs to the ende we may be fullye satisfied in his worde Lo then how we muste go forward and in this doyng we shall fele that this is not written onely for the parson of the kyng Ezechias but that God would geue it for a common instruction to all his church that in oure troubles when we shalbe come to the extremitie yea to the bottome of hell we may yet know that we ought to haue our refuge to him that hath called vs and handled vs so gently hopinge that he wyll shewe fourthe his strength towarde vs althoughe for a time it be farre from vs and that we se no signe of it so that he will geue vs mater to glorifie him and also we are taughte to applye all oure lyfe to to blesse the name of God and to sing his prayses accordyng as we haue experience of his goodnesse towarde vs. Now let vs throwe downe our selues before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledgyng of our faultes praying him that more and more he wyll make vs to feale them and that this may be to beate vs altogether downe and humble vs before him y t we may fight with the vyces which make warre against vs knowyng that our Lord hath ordeyned vs to this conflict till we be fullye renewed and clothed with his iustice that there may be no stoppe to let vs froÌ„ the obedience of his good will and that he graunt this grace not onely vnto vs but to all peopes and nations c. ⧠A MEDITATION OF A PENITENT SINNER VVRITTEN IN MANER OF A Paraphrase vpon the 51. Psalme of Dauid ¶ I haue added this meditation folowyng vnto the ende of this boke not as parcell of maister Caluines worke but for that it well agreeth with the same argument and was deliuered me by my frend with whom I knew I might be so bolde to vse publishe it as pleased me ¶ The preface expressing the passioned minde of the penitent sinner THe hainous gylt of my forsaken ghost So threates alas vnto my febled sprite Deserued death and that me greueth most Still stand so fixt before my daseld sight The lothesome filthe of my disteined life The mighty wrath of myne offended Lorde My Lord whos wrath is sharper than the knife And deper woundes than doble edged sworde That â–ª as the dimmed and fordulled eyen Full fraught with teares more more opprest With growing streames of the distilled bryne Sent from the fornace of a grefefull brest Can not enioy the comfort of the light Nor finde the waye wherin to walke aright So I blinde wretch whome Gods enflamed tre with pearcing stroke hath throwne vnto y e grouÌ„d Amidde my sinnes still groueling in the myre Finde not the way that other oft haue found Whome cherefull glimse of gods abounding grace Hath oft releued and oft with shyning light Hath brought to ioy out of the vgglye place Where I in darke of euerlasting night Bewayle my woefull and vnhappy case And fret my dyeng soule with gnawing paine Yet blinde alas I groape about for grace While blinde for grace I groape about in vaine My fainting breath I gather vp and straine Mercie mercie to crye and crye againe But mercy while I sound with shreking crye â–ª For grauÌ„t of grace and pardon while I pray Euen then despeir before my ruthefull eye Spredes forth my sinne shame semes to saye In vaine thou brayest forth thy bootlesse noyse To him for mercy O refused wight That heares not the forsaken sinners voice Thy reprobate and foreordeined sprite For damned vessell of his heauie wrath As selfe witnes of thy beknowyng hart And secrete gilt of thine owne conscience saith Of his swete promises can claime no part But thee caytif deserued curse doeth draw To hell by iustice for offended law This horror wheÌ„ my treÌ„bling soule doth heare When markes and tokens of the reprobate My growing sinnes of grace my senslesse cheare â–ª Enforce the profe of euerlastyng hate That I conceiue the heauens king to beare Against my sinfull and forsaken ghost As in the throte of hell I quake for feare And then in present perill to be lost Although by conscience wanteth to replye But with remorse enforcing myne
offence Doth argue vaine my not auailyng crye With woefull sighes and bitter penitence To him from whom the endlesse mercy flowes I cry for mercy to releue my woes And then not daring with presuming eye Once to beholde the angry heauens face From troubled sprite I send confused crye Tâ— craue the crummes of all sufficing grace With foltring knee I fallyng to the ground Bendyng my yelding handes to heauens throne Poure forth my piteous plaint w t woefull sound With smoking sighes oft repeted grone Before the Lord the Lord whom synner I I cursed wretch I haue offended so That dredyng in his wrekefull wrath to dye And damned downe to depth of hell to go Thus tost with panges and passions of despeir Thus craue I mercy with repentant chere ⧠A Meditation of à penitent sinner vpon the 51. Psalme HAue mercy God for thy great mercies sake O God my God vnto my shame I say Beynge fled from thee so as I dred to take Thy name in wretched mouth and feare to pray Or aske the mercy that I haue abusde But God of mercy let me come to thee Not for iustice that iustly am accusde Which selfe word Iustice so amaseth me That scarce I dare thy mercy sound againe But mercie Lord yet suffer me to craue Mercie is thine Let me not crye in vaine Thy great mercie for my great fault to haue Haue mercie God pitie my penitence With greater mercie than my great offence My many sinnes in nomber are encreast With weight wherof in sea of depe despeire My sinking soule is now so sore opprest That now in peril and in present fere I crye susteine me Lord and Lord I pray â–ª With endlesse nomber of thy mercies take The endlesse nomber of my sinnes away So by thy mercie for thy mercies sake Rue on me Lord releue me with thy grace My sinne is cause that I so nede to haue Thy mercies ayde in my so woefull case My synne is cause that scarce I dare to craue Thy mercie manyfolde whiche onely may Releue my soule and take my sinnes away So soule is sinne and lothesome in thy sighte So foule with sinne I see my selfe to be That till from sinne I may be washed white So foule I dare not Lord approche to thee Ofte hath thy mercie washed me before Thou madest me cleane but I am foule againe Yet washe me Lord againe and washe me more Washe me O Lord and do away the staine Of vggly sinnes that in my soule appere Let flow thy pleÌ„tuous streames of clensing grace Washe me againe yea washe me euery where Bothe leprous bodie and defiled face Yea washe me all for I am all vncleane And from my sin Lord cleanse me ones againe Haue mercie Lord haue mercie for I know How muche I nede thy mercie in this case The horror of my gilt doth dayly growe And growing weares my feble hope of grace I fele and suffer in my thralled brest Secret remorse and gnawing of my hart I fele my sinne my sinne that hath opprest My soule with sorrow and surmounting smart Drawe me to mercie for so oft as I Presume to mercy to direct my sight My Chaos and my heape of sinne doth lie Betwene me and thy mercies shining light What euer way I gaze about for grace My filth and fault are euer in my face Graunt thou me mercy Lord thee thee alone I haue offended and offendyng thee For mercy loe how I do lye and grone Thou with allpearcing eye beheldest me Without regard that sinned in thy sight Beholde againe how now my spirite it rues And wailes the tyme when I with foule delight Thy swete forbearing mercy did abuse My cruell conscience with sharpned knife Doth splat my ripped hert and layes abrode The lothâ—some secretes of my filthy life And spredes them forth before the face of God WhoÌ„ shame froÌ„ dede shamelesse cold not restrain Shame for my dede is added to my paine But therey Lord O Lord some pitie take Withdraw my soule from the deserued hell â–ª O Lord of glory for thy glories sake That I may saued of thy mercy tell And shew how thou which mercy hast behight To sighyng sinners that haue broke thy lawes Performest mercy so as in the sight Of them that iudge the iustice of thy cause Thou onely iust be demed and no moe The worldes vniustice wholy to confound That damning me to depth of during woe Iust in thy iudgement shouldest thou be found And from deserued â—laâ—es releuyng me Iust in thy mercy mayst thou also be For lo in sinne Lord I begotten was With sede and shape my sinne I toke also Sinne is my nature and my kinde alas In sinne my mother me conceiued Lo I am but sinne and sinfull ought to dye Dye in his wrath that hath forbydden sinne Such bloome and frute loe sinne doth multiplie Such was my roote such is my iuyse within I plead not this as to excuse my blame On kynde or parentes myne owne gilt to lay But by disclosing of my sinne my shame And nede of helpe the plainer to displaye Thy mightie mercy if with plenteous grace My plenteous sinnes it please thee to deface Thou louest simple sooth not hidden face With trutheles visour of deceiuing showe Lo simplie Lord I do confesse my case And simplie craue thy mercy in my woe This secrete wisedom hast thou graunted me To se my sinnes whence my sinnes do growe This hidden knowledge haue I learnd of thee To fele my sinnes and howe my sinnes do flowe With such excesse that with vnfained hert Dreding to drowne my Lorde lo howe I flee Simply with teares bewailyng my desert Releued simply by thy hand to be Thou louest truth thou taughtest me the same Helpe Lord of truth for glory of thy name With swete Hysope besprinkle thou my sprite Not such hysope nor so besprinkle me As law vnperfect shade of perfect lyght Did vse as an apointed signe to be Foreshewing figure of thy grace behight With death and bloodshed of thine only sonne â–ª The swete hysope cleanse me defyled wyght Sprinkle my soule And when thou so haste done Bedeawd with droppes of mercy and of grace â–ª I shalbe cleane as cleansed of my synne Ah wash me Lord for I am foule alas That only canst Lord wash me well within Wash me O Lord when I am washed soe I shalbe whiter than the whitest snowe Long haue I heard yet I heare the soundes Of dredfull threates and thonders of the law Which Eccho of my gylty minde resoundes And with redoubled horror doth so draw My listening soule from mercies gentle voice That louder Lorde I am constraynde to call Lorde pearce myne eares make me to reioyse â–ª When I shall heare and when thy mercy shall Sounde in my hart the gospell of thy grace Then shalt thou geue my hearing ioy againe The ioy that onely may releue my case And then my broosed bones that thou
with paine Hast made to weake my febled corps to beare Shall leape for ioy to shewe myne inward chere Loke on me Lord though treÌ„bling I beknowe That sight of sinne so sore offendeth thee That seing sinne how it doth ouerflowe My whelmed soule thou canst not loke on me But with disdaine with horror and despite Loke on me Lord but loke not on my sinne Not that I hope to hyde it from thy sight Which seest me all without and eke within But so remoue it from thy wrathfull eye And from the iustice of thyne angry face That thou impute it not Looke not how I Am foule by sinne but make me by thy grace Pure in thy mercies sight and Lord I pray â–ª That hatest sinne wipe all my sinnes away Sinne and despeir haue so possest my hart And hold my captiue soule in such restraint As of thy mercies I can fele no part But still in languor do I lye and faint Create a new pure hart within my brest Myne old can hold no liquour of thy grace My feble faith with heauy lode opprest Staggring doth scarcely creepe a reeling pace And fallen it is to faint to rise againe Renew O Lord in me a constant sprite That stayde with mercy may my soule susteine â–ª A sprite so setled and so firmely pight Within my bowells that it neuer moue But still vphold thassurance of thy loue Loe prostrate Lorde before thy face I lye With sighes depe drawne depe sorow to expresse â–ª O Lord of mercie mercie do I crye Dryue me not from thy face in my distresse Thy face of mercie and of swete relefe The face that fedes angels with onely sight The face of comfort in extremest grefe Take not away the succour of thy sprite Thy holy sprite which is myne onely stay The stay that when despeir assaileth me In faintest hope yet moueth me to pray To pray for mercy and to pray to thee Lord cast me not from presence of thy face Nor take from me the spirite of thy grace But render me my wonted ioyes againe Which sinne hath rest and planted in theyr place Doubt of thy mercy ground of all my paine The tast that thy loue whilome did embrace My chearfull soule the signes that dyd assure My felyng ghost of fauor in thy sight Are fled from me and wretched I endure Senslesse of grace the absence of thy sprite Restore my ioyes and make me fele againe The swete retorne of grace that I haue lost That I may hope I pray not all in vayne With thy free sprite confirme my feble ghost To hold my faith from ruine and decay With fast affiance and assured stay Lord of thy mercy if thou me withdraw From gaping throte of depe deuouring hell Loe I shall preach the iustice of thy law By mercy saued thy mercy shall I tell The wicked I wyll teache thyne only way Thy wayes to take and mans deuise to flee And suche as lewd deâ—ight hath ledde astray To rue theyr errour and returne to thee So shall the profe of myne example preache The bitter frute of lust and foule delight So shall my pardon by thy mercy teache The way to finde swete mercy in thy sight Hyue mercy Lorde in me example make Of lawe and mercy for thy mercies sake O God God of my health my sauing God Haue mercy Lord and shew thy might to saue Assoile me God from gilt of giltlesse blod And cke from sinne that I ingrowâ—ng haue By fleshe and bloud and by corrupted kinde Vpon my bloud and soule extende not Lorde Vengeance for bloud but mercy let me finde And strike me not with thy reuengyng sworde So Lord my ioying tong shall talke thy praise Thy name my mouth shall vtter in delight My voice shall sounde thy iustice and thy waies Thy waies to iustifie thy sinfull wight God of my health from bloud I saued so Shall spred thy prayse for all the world to know Lo straining crampe of colde despeir againe In feble brest doth pinche my pinyng hart So as in greatest nede to cry and plaine My speache doth faile to vtter thee my smart Refreshe my yeldyng hert with warming grace And loose my speche and make me call to thee Lord open thou my lippes to shewe my case My Lord for mercy Loe to thee I flee I can not pray without thy mouyng ayde Ne can I ryse ne can I stande alone Lord make me pray grauÌ„t wheÌ„ I haue praide Lord loose my lippes I may expresse my mone â–ª And findyng grace with open mouth I may Thy mercies praise and holy name display Thy mercies praise instede of sacrifice With thankfull minde so shall I yeld to thee For if it were delitefull in thine eyes Or hereby mought thy wrath appeased be â–ª Of cattell slayne and burnt with sacred flame Vp to the heauen the vaprie smoke to send Of gyltlesse beastes to purge my gilt and blame On altars broylde the sauour shold ascend To pease thy wrath But thy swete sonne alone With one sufficing sacrifice for all Appeaseth thee and maketh the at one With sinfull man and hath repaird our fall That sacred hoste is euer in thine eyes The praise of that I yeld for sacrifice I yeld my self I offer vp my ghoste My slayne delightes my dyeng hart to thee To God a trobled sprite is pleasing hoste My trobled sprite doth drede like him to be In whome tastlesse languor with lingring painâ— Hath febled so the starued appetite That foode to late is offred all in vaine To holde in fainting corps the fleing sprite My pining soule for famine of thy grace So feares alas the faintnesse of my faithe I offre vp my trobled sprite alas My trobled sprite refuse not in thy wrathe Such offring likes thee ne wilt thou despise The broken humbled hart in angry wise Shew mercie Lord not vnto me alone But stretch thy fauor and thy pleased will To sprede thy bountie and thy grace vpon Sion for Sion is thy holly hyll That thy Hierusalem with mighty wall May be enclosed vnder thy defense And bylded so that it may neuer fall By myning fraude or mighty violence Defend thy chirch Lord and aduaunce it soe So in despite of tyrannie to stand That treÌ„bling at thy power the world may know It is vpholden by thy mighty hand That Sion and Hierusalem may be A safe abode for them that honor thee Then on thy hill and in thy walled towne Thou shalt receaue the pleasing sacrifice The brute shall of thy praised name resoune In thankfull mouthes and then with gentle eyes Thou shalt behold vpon thine altar lye Many a yelden host of humbled hart And round about then shall thy people crye We praise thee God our God thou onely art The God of might of mercie and of grace That I then Lorde may also honor thee Releue my sorow and my sinnes deface Be Lord of mercie mercifull to me Restore my feling of thy grace againe Assure my soule I craue it not in vaine FINIS 2. Pet. 5. 2. Cor. 5 Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 5. Philip. 1. Math. 22 Num. 23 Gene. 25.35.49 Psalm 6. Psalm 30. 1. Reg. 2 1. Par. 29. Psalm 73. Esay 5. Psalm 31. Luke 23. Ionas 2. Psalm 90. Math. 6. 2. Corin. 5. Psal 104. Esay 40. Psal 23. Psal 39. Roma 8. Esay 103. Psal 39. Psalm 30. 2. Cor. 5. Psal 51. Psal 40. Iob. 3. Ionas 2. Iudi. 6. Haue mercie vpon me o God after thy great merci And according vnto the multitude of thy mercies do away myne offences Wash me yet more from my wickednes and clense me from my sinne For I knowledge my wickednes and my sinne is euer before me Againste thee onelye haue I sinned don euill in thy sight That thou mightest be founde iust in thy sayinges and maiest ouer come when thou art iudged For loe I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne my mother coÌ„ceiued me But lo thou haste loued trueth the hidden and secrete thinges of thy wisedome thou haste opened vnto me Sprinkle me Lorde with hisope and I shalbe cleane washe me and I shalbe whiter then snow Thou shalt make me heare ioye and gladnesse at the bones which thou hast broken shal reioyse Turne away thy face from my sinnes and do away all my misdedes Create a cleane hart within me O God and renew a stedfast spirit within my bowels Cast me not away from thy face and take not thy holy spirit from me Restore to me the comforte of thy sauing helpe stablishe me with thy free spirit I shal teach thy waies vnto the wicked sinnes shall be tourned vnto thee Deliuer me from bloud o God God of my helth my tong shall ioyful lye talke of thy iustice Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shal shewe thy praise If thou haddest desired sacrifice I wold haue geuen thou delytest not in burnt offringes The sacrifice to God is a trobled spirit a broken and an humbled hart o god thou wilt not despise Shew fauour o lord in thy good will vnto Sion that 〈◊〉 walles â–ª of Hierusalem may be bylded Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of righteousnesse burnt offringes and oblations â–ª then shall they offre yonge bullockes vpon thine altare
force our selues to breake through al stayes treadyng vnder foote suche wandryng discourses Moreouer it chaunceth that being yet in some rest if we lift vp our wit to God by and by this commeth in our fantasie Alas what are we shal we dare to approche vnto God Howe ofte haue we offended him And hereupon we sometyme conclude to holde vs there still But yet such disputacions are very ill and they are euen so many blasphemies if God would lay thē to our charge as when we make questiō or doubte whether we be hearde or no certayne it is that this is a deadly offence and if God dyd not vpholde vs in our feblenesse we coulde not but bee drowned But howesoeuer it be after we haue bene condempned after we haue felte that our spirite is wrapped in many dispayres and that we are in a maze Yet for all that let vs take good courage and after we haue sayde alas what shall I doe let vs breake that stroke and saye I muste yet pray and seke for my God And why for he hath sayde that he wyll heare them that seeke vnto hym euen from the depest bottomes Now then loe this is the fit tyme when I must goe to him This it is that we haue to learne of this doctrine of Ezechias when we see these broken vnprofit tales and that he hath chattred and we see hys passions so excessiue that they torment hym Let vs knowe that it was Gods pleasure to shewe here a mirrour wherein we myght beholde our owne feblenesse and the temtations whereunto we are subiect that we shold fight against them and styll to followe on tyll we fele the relefe that he doth promyse vs euen as we shall fele in dede so that we haue a true continuaunce and faile not by our owne slacknesse and slouthfulnesse in the mydwaye Nowe let vs throwe oure selues downe before the maiestie of our good God acknoweledging our faultes praying hym that more and more he wyll make vs to fele them vntyll suche tyme as we be vtterly spoyled And though he haue alway muche to reproue in vs Yet let vs neuer cesse to hope in his mercy and that he wyll make vs so to taste the same in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christe that it may geue vs a true patience in all our afflictions and that we maye be so holden in his obedience that we desire nothyng but to offre our selues vnto hym and by hym to bee throughly sanctified And that not only he graunt this grace vnto vs but also to all peoples and nations ☞ What shall I saye he who hath sayde it hath also done it I wyll walke leasurly all the dayes of my lyfe in the bitternes of my soule Lorde to all those that shall lyue hereafter the life of my spirite shall he notable among them in that thou hast cast me in a slepe and hast reuiued me Behold in my prosperitie the bitternes was bytter vnto me And thou hast loued my soule to drawe it out of the graue because thou hast cast my sinnes behynd thy back WE haue already herebefore declared that the good kyng Ezechias complayning that it is God that persecuteth him is more confused for that than if he had all the men in the worlde his ennemies and if they all had conspired to tormente him as of truthe it is a case muche harder that ought to amase vs more without comparison if God lyft vp him selfe against vs than if all creatures did make warre vpō vs. Behold then the cause why Ezechias standeth cōfused and in trouble because he well feleth that the thinge whiche God declared vnto him by his Prophet Esaye is nowe fulfilled in hym and this it is that moste toucheth vs to the quicke when we make comparison betwene the worde of God and that which we fele of his iudgements If God did simply but strike vs we might wel be throwen down wythall but when he addeth also his word to reproue vs to make vs know that it is he that doth chastise vs yea and that for our sinnes lo this is a cause of muche greater confusion Expresly then Ezechias saieth Accordyng as he hath spoken he hath also done it and therfore he doeth thereupon conclude that he hath nothing to replie agaynst it For if we had to do w t men we might well make our complaintes againste them but when we are to accuse God the case must passe on his side We may pleade for a tyme but he shall alway be iustified when we shalbe condemned Therfore it is lost tyme to thinke to amend our harme when we shall not escape condēnation before God but when we desire to stande in oure owne defence and vse murmuryng and complaint all this doth nothing but enforce our euyl euen so farre as to drown vs altogether And therfore let vs kepe oure mouthe close as it is sayd in Iob for that is it whiche the good kyng Ezechias meant in this place Nowe further he saieth That all the tyme of his lyfe he wyll walke in feare go on easily or softly as a man whose pride is abated draweth his legges after him Yea in the bitternes of his soule Here Ezechias declareth that God hathe so engraued in hym the felyng of this correction and hath so printed it in his hert that the remembrāce therof shall neuer be blotted out It maye manye tymes come to passe and we finde it in profe ofter than we nede that when God presseth vs we be altogether astonished then we grone if we be to cōfesse our faultes w t humilitie it is maruell to here vs. Brifly we be not niggardly in wordes ether to shew y e greatnes of our grief or to declare our faults or to blesse the name of god But we do nothing but shake our eares by by after ▪ by the next morow after god hath geuē vs release or rest we think no more of it Lo in what sort men be howe they seke God as it is sayd vnto the Prophet while he doth draw them vnto him by force then they cal vpon him and confesse the det as we haue said but so soone as God spareth them they are as they were before they lift vp theyr heades like stagges they do nothinge but reioyse where before they were so striken down as nothing cold be more their face was all amazed with feare shortlye there was euen nowe nothinge but sorrow and fourthwith they make great chere they retourne to theyr delites and that more is they fare as if they meant to despise God openlye We se then this inconstancie this chaunge this lightnes in maner in all men On the contrary side Ezechias saith here that it is not only for the tyme present that he knoweth that God hath chastised him but for so long as he shal liue in this world he shall alwaye haue minde of the correction that he hathe receaued and he shall goe as wyth
what our frailtie is and let vs not be daseled when God shall blesse vs and sende vs all after our desire let not that I saye make vs fal to muche on slepe but let euery man make him selfe ready when it shal please him to sende vs any chaunge to receiue alwayes in feare in humilitie and in all pacience that whiche he wyll sende vs. If we doe so we shall not finde the hand of God so greuous nor so heauy vpon vs as we are wont to do But whē we ar to sound on slepe although we knowe the grace of God wherof we presently reioyse he must awake vs yea and pluck vs hard by the eare yea and laye great strypes vpon vs. And here we haue one example in the kyng Ezechias as we haue also an other in Dauid For in the .xxx. Psalme he confesseth that he was so dronke that felicitie had made hym to forget hys estate I haue sayde in myne abundance I shall no more be shaken And how so Dauid had had so many prickes to pricke hym forwarde he had bene exercised so many wayes to haue alwaies in mynde what the life of man was and he did profit right well therin for he had bene a long tyme as in the shadow of death He had bene persecuted of the people being prysoner among his ennemies and hauing no minute of rest Then when God had set hym on the roiall seate he concluded that he shoulde neuer stomble and that he should therein remaine peasable If Dauid hauinge the spirit of God in suche excellence as we know hauing had so many profes that he was altogether rauished vnto God yet neuerthelesse hath so forgot him self what shal become of vs After he addeth It was of thy free goodnesse that I was vpholden O Lorde thou hast establyshed me as on a mountaine but thou turnedst thy face and lo I was troubled Thus sheweth he his vnthākfulnes in that For although he had not altogether forgot the blessing which he had receiued of y e hād of God yet is it so that he did not thinke vpō this god hath deliuered me once y t I shold alway haue my recourse vnto him knowing y t my life hāgeth as by a thred except y ◠stay of it be on his goodnesse that frō minute to minute he worketh ▪ cōfessing that by and by I should peryshe if he continued not still to ayde me Dauid thought not vpon this ▪ and he knewe also that he had fayled and so he addeth after Lorde thou hast hyd thy face and behold I was troubled So is it of Ezechias he was in peace and loe sodeinly God woūded hym so that the stripe was deadly he coulde not cōceiue any thing but such an astonishment as if God had striken him with lightning from heauen Therfore of necessitie must it be that he receiued a terrible bitternesse Nowe let vs applie this doctrine to our profit and let vs not stay till God make vs with force of strypes to know our infirmitie But whyle he doth yet spare vs and whyle he hathe pitie of our feblenesse let vs not cesse to thynke of hym and let vs feare hym keping our selues hid as it were vnder his wynges knowynge that we can not stand one minute without his ayde To the rest if sometime we be ouertaken let vs know it was because we were to fast a slepe He addeth a lytle after that God hath deliuered his soule but he vseth a maner of spech which emporteth more He sayth thou hast loued my soule or thou hast had thy good pleasure in it to plucke it back from the graue By this circumstance he magnifieth the goodnesse of God so much y e more for that he is come to seke hym euen to the graue For if God doe holde vs styll in our estate I graunt we therby knowe that we are beholding to him but therm we knowlege it but very coldly But if he deliuer vs from death then we better perceiue howe good he is for that in suche extremitie he as it were cometh downe vnto vs. For it semeth vnto vs that we are not much boūd vnto God if he preserue vs in this life bicause we take that to be but as an order of nature True it is that the more he spareth vs so muche the more we ought to fele his fatherlye goodnes but we do it not and so by reason of our dulnes it is become nedefull that God work of another fashion Now then as I haue already sayde if that God plucke vs out of the graue and that we haue bene as forsaken for a time that it semed we were cut of from al hope that euen men disdaigned to loke vpon vs as if we were pore rotten carrions if in this case God haue pitie vpon vs in this he sheweth vs so much greater brightnesse to se his mercye and so much more we haue occasiō to acknowledge what and howe infinite his bountye is in this that god hath so plucked vs backe from the death Lo this it is that Ezechias meant to say Lord saith he thou hast loued my soule And how so was there any thing in it that might moue God to loue it Alas no for it was nothinge but shadow a dead thing I was saith he at the graue and then thou declaredst thy loue towarde me when then we shalbe altogether disfigured that God neuertheles wyll vouchsafe to caste eye vpon vs and to haue care of vs in this we ought much more to be enflamed to blesse his name and to geue him such praise as doth here the good king Ezechias Behold thē in a summe what we haue to learne of this place that is for asmuch as God seeth that we are not touched enoughe with the good thinges that he hathe done for vs nor wyth his graces and that it is nedefull that we be so striken downe and in suche extremitie that there be in vs no more hope of life that when we shalbe as forsaken of him and of men he maye then take vs to mercy Thus are we earnestly touched and made to geue him thankes knowyng that he saw nothing in vs but miseries when he shewed hys mercy vpon vs. Now he saieth also on the other side Lorde they that shall lyue after shall know that the lyfe of my spirite hath bene prolonged This place bicause of the shortnes therof is darke for it is not a sentence layd out at length but they are as it wer broken wordes He saieth in summe Lorde they shall liue amonges them and in them all the lyfe of my spirite thou hast cast me on slepe and thou hast reuiued me Bicause he speaketh not here of the yeres in the beginning of the verse that is the cause of the shortnes But when we loke nearer we shall finde that Ezechias meant to say that the miracle whiche had bene done vpon his persone shuld be knowē not only for a dai but also after his