patiēt men can endure me But alas for my offence to Heauen my Lord is hidden from me Ah! the corruption of this my soule doth moue his displeasure vvhich hee gaue me vnspotted nor doe I wretch accuse my frailty nor any oc◅asion whatsoeuer presented to me but I lay iustly all my ouerweening indiscretion and folly vvhich hath giuen it selfe ouer to be led by the snares of the vvorld yea euen to making it selfe a prisoner of sinne vvhose flatteries vvhose alluremēts doe entice me in such māner that I am not aware of the danger that the putrefactiō which breaketh forth of my vvounds do dravve on me vvhich my vaine ◅ottishnes mixt with madnes hath opened againe vvith late trespasses In the opening of my searres I haue clearlie discerned t◅e milerie into vvhich my not ser◅eing God hath brought me the pr◅de of my minde raised on the vvings of vvorldlie felicitie vvordlie delight in so much as I seemed to be full possessor full Lord of all worldlie contents is now come dovvne stoopeth is become lovvlv hūble euen as trees brāches sprouting out boldlie heauen-ward are wrought downe are made lower vvhē the Sheepheard vvill bēd them dovvnevvard and I being become euen crooked vnder the vveight of the pleasures of my losse will leaue to stoope vnder the heauy burthen of hearts-greife for my saluation euen to my liues end and the deepe conceiued melancholie vvhich I tooke to my selfe of my trespas vvhence all the day I vvalked in such a manner heauilie sadde vvith much vnquietnes as doth hee vvho is afflicted yea torne to peece vvith the stings of conscience which are more fierce more cruellie sharpe then are the torments of the strapado of the gallovves and scourges for that it was the motion the instigation to make me remember my selfe let it be vnto me conuerted turned into fulnes of joy for I am determined to arme my reason with the teares of penitencie and I am sure that it vvill ouercome vvith them the pride of sense vvhich more feareth the shadovv of correction then doth the braue Coursier the rod. But since that my loines are fraught vvith illusions for that my soule is environed vvith reflections vpon the vanities of vanities vvhere with it is possessed in vvhich it is so much ouervveeningly enthraled I may vvell say that I enioy no health that I am vveake and feeble in◅eede that in my limbs there is no soūdnes the faculties of my senses are cleane lost my hands mine eyes mine eares my mouth and my nose are depriued of their due operations brieflie all the faculties which God hath giuē me as guifts of his bountie I finde corrupted to haue lost their validity and to the end that I should knovv him onelie and my health onelie from which I shall alwaies be farther and farther of for that I haue been estranged from my Lord vntill th◅t I framed my selfe to lay open my sinnes in song vvith teares if I doe not mortifie my selfe in the afflictiōs of penitency I haue afflicted my selfe and humbled my selfe exceedingly vvith teares sent from the bottome of my heart for that reflecting on thee I euidently savv mine offences the knowledg of which hath turned my felicities into miseries hath made humble my pride and hath mollified the hardnes of my heart and by the vvaies of trueth and sincerity hath purified all my senses vvhich vvere co◅upted neuer resting but in the mansions of goodnes nor want I ought but the fortitude and constancy vvhich commeth from thee and from thy largesse together vvith that ve◅ue vvhich thou giuest for guide to all thē vvho earnestly craue it of thee as now doe I vvith all my faculties vvhich abandon occasions and grounds all leading subiects to sinne vverefore let not thy aide be vvanting to me or in ought remisse I know surely most vndoutedly that thou art more clement then I am vniust and no lesse know I that thou vvilt be more commiserable to me then I haue been wretchedly cruell against thee and blessed were Dauid if he could frame his petitions craue his pardon proportionable to the extent of vvhat thou canst grant cāst forgiue and thrice happy shall I be if so that I be patiēt in the bewailing my sinne ansvvereably to thy longanimitie and patient suffering of me a greiueous sinner O my gratious good Lord before thee apparant to thee who through the foggie mistie darkenes seest that which to any other eye is impossible to be seene and who◅e eyes through-passe the inmost Cabinets of hearts as the Sunne penetrateth pure christall all my desire is trāsferred which not hauing other voice then it which is euen ouerflowne vvith teares cannot duelie and as it ought expresse all my trespasses all that I vvould it should And therefore it is hence dispatched as a messenger from me to the sight and throne of thy Majestie car◅ying vvith it engrauen in the blank of my heart what my prayers cannot deliuer so is it that my disabilitie by vvordes to performe so much as from my soule I desire the selfe same vvords not vocally breathed forth remaine insculpt in it through the true feruour of my contrition ah looke on my vvillingnes which hath taken it's seate in my heart and thou shalt clee◅ly reade the purpose the resolutiō it 's minde hath made to enroll it selfe vnder thy banners to bee thy soldier to fight thy fight vvith a more then most determinate vvill neuer to disobey thy discipline glorious Leader neuer to sinne against thee Ah! poore vvretch that I am my eyes vveepe yet distill they such small drops that they are not sufficient to extinguish the fire which my ardent desire is taken vvith of crauing yea impetrating of thee mercy and to account my teares of weight enough to ouerpoise my sinnes in scale of iustice my new faults would weigh down transcend my amendment so farre as greater is the omnipotent power of God thē the alas weake strēgth weake power of terrestriall Kings but it sufficeth me that I am penitent thē my Lord behold with vvhat will with what true and zealous resignation my heart is all ouerflowne as vvas the world in it's deluge by invisible teares vvhich are evident to thee vvho knowest vvhen it weepeth vvhen it is aggreiued and vvhen it reioyceth more valuing one tea◅e and the least sadnes of it then a thousand from the eyes My heart whose teares haue appaied thee as one vvho is good is satisfied by the candid and sincere meaning of any one is troubled cōtristated for that the faculties and the strength columnes pillars of my soule haue abandoned me haue vtterly forsaken me and I am miserably shaken vvith feare of my destruction and vtter losse since that I finde I am depriued of such sustentacles such maine supporters Ah! hereon speake vvho vvill sensibly deliuer their mindes vvho I say vvill who is hee and vvho would not feare to be depriued of such like associates such companions Fottitude and the vertue
pleasing accepted of gratefull to God is a spirit a soule contribulated a troubled and afflicted heart not vnlike to a beast brought to be sacrificed vvhich is killed on the Altar vvhich bleateth belovveth and kicketh strugleth in his fall vvhich is vvrought by the sharpe violent instrument of knife and fire suffering in the same manner as vvill thy most blessed Sonne and hence is it that the lamentions the heauy teares of an heart contribulated much greiued ruminating seriouslie on it's offences in meane while praising our good Lord demandeth craueth his grace is accepted by him in place in lievv of a beast victimed offered vp in sacrifice The simple pure cleane sincere and sanctlie minde is alwaies readie through it's loue to suffer martyrdom death and that sacrifice vvhich God vvilleth such a readines of a sincere minde and purelie taken fullie enamored vvith true repentance not farther ouervvhelmed in vvickednes is that host that sacrifice vvhich doth reconcile man vvith God from a contrite and an humble heart God will neuer looke of or despiset but vvill not reguard oxen sheepe and lambes offered vnto him vvithout zeale and vvithout the teares and sorrovv of the heart And assure as anie thing can be true foretold infalliblie it vvill come to passe that the Messias to come shall say vvith a loud voice shall giue notice to the vniuerse to all the vvorld Bulls and beasts I haue at times receiued as sacrifices to me offered but the hearts and minds their pure and sincere meanings not alvvaies then my Lord since that I sacrifice my heart and my minde enritch me vvith thy mercie Through thy infinite goodnes be bountifull gratious and mercifull to Sion vvhich such name haue I giuen to the contemplation and speculation of them vvho though their desire of trueth will obtaine will arriue to the knovvledg of thy Sonne Alas my Lord let it be so I humblie craue at thy mercifull hands that the walls of Hierusalem may be built vvhich I conceiue as a shevv of peace and vnion which ought to be with human kind in human kinde to the praising honoring and adoring thee onelie Stay not delaie not to performe this thy benignitie heretofore within thy selfe resolued of fullie decreed and send thy Sonne by vvhom on vvhom this our new Church must be instructed taught built and grounded and in such manner building raising the vvalls of Hierusalem there vvill be built raised in their soules the excellencie the vertue of thy sapience thy wisedome which will improue them so much enl◅ghtē them will so build and frame in themselues that such vnderstāding which giueth the perceiuance the cleare light and euen the verie vision of eternall peace vvithout vvhich their soules would perish together with their bodyes aswell through the generall ingratitude as also by reason of the sinne of the first father vvhose faults would haue proued Hell damnation to all human kinde vvere it that with thee thy bounteous decree mercifull benignitie had not otherwise stated a supplie a redresse to this inexpressably wofull misery through the hands of that thy selfe-same clemencie and of thy proper bountie who art more inclinable to shevv benignity to Sion then that of the raising of the walls of Hierusalem which I craue not vvho am all teares all penicencie and all scourge of repentance to confirme and assure my selfe in the grace of my Lord and God who when he shall haue sent his Sonne to the vvorld vvill verifie vvith his trueth my wordes When so thy sonne shall descend into the world thou vvilt accept the sacrifice of iustice for it vvill be iustly expedient and it shal be offered vp vnto thee in memorie of his passion and of his death I say that thou vvilt accept holocausts sacrifices laid on the Altar and oblations guifts by which meanes God is acknowledged rendring him glorie apparantlie most euidentlie not without the singular and inexpressible ioy of heares comfort vvhich oftentimes made all cheerefull doth visiblie appeare in the sight of it's sacrifice Lord then vvorthilie calues shal be laid on thine Altar for that they vvho then shall sacrifice to thee may become illuminated by thy trueth hence thou shalt receiue from them not onelie victimes beasts killed for sacrifice oblations and holocausts but likewise the sacrifice of a sincere heart the entire loue of a pure soule and the holocaust that the light yea fire of charitie and true zeale of faith together with the other perfect and holie vertues vvill offer vp to thee and all those externall demonstrations those outward workes wil be receiued frō thy goodnes in signe of those inte◅nall and true ones of the minde and heart These wil be the sacrifices and presents wherevvith thou shalt be honored vvhere with thy Majest◅e shal be glorified and appeased here I end for that thy sprit doth not dictate or prompt me with more which hitherto hath caused me to speake The end of the fourth Psalme THE FIFTH PROLOGVE AFTER that the Prophet had earnesily importuned yea e◅en conjured the great mercy of God to take compassion of him to haue ◅ercy on his trespasses hee was yet on his knees moued not place and fearing that he ◅ght yet againe see the image of his sinne whi◅h gaue signe of punishment euen poin◅ed at the place thereof Hell hee durst not ◅ift vp his head his countena◅ce to heauen ◅hich hee contemplated more with hidden ◅hen hee did vvith open eyes and standing without any motion h◅e recited recorded with his heart to God his lips mouing not ◅t all the forevvritten fore deliuered Psalme and who liuing had seen him and obserued his posture in that venerable gesture vvould not onely haue beheld a sinner truely penitent but he might likewise haue learned how one ought sincerely to repent being burthened vvith sinne and for that it seemed to him that he was vnworthy of pardon in such sort his thoughts on his trespasses did greeueously oppresse him that hee bewailed piteously groned sighed and sobbed deeply Imagin the inexpressible greife for no otherwise was it then as if hee had heard a c◅rtaine voice deliuer vnto him that God almighty had ranged him among the reprobate that hee had altogether abandoned him and had vtterly forsaken him in so much as that hee was for all eternity depriued of his grace and vvhilst thus hee vvas astonished confounded yea meruailously abstracted from himselfe hee measured with the arme of his phātasy of his deepe thoughts the largenes the extent of the body of his trespasses his diligent inquisition finding them immesurable insomuch as hee could not by any meanes giue accounte of the immensity thereof at once hee shooke and trembled all ouer and in that shaking and trembling hee seemed to be a si◅kman now being taken with quiuering shakings and the rigorous pangs of death and much fearing that his scattered and weake prayers through want of words and manner of their deliuery had no audience from God preparing his sorrovvfull and
and to ouerjoy 〈◊〉 such like as are they who are ascended to the height to the compleate fulnes of Beatitude vvhich they desired And in this his suddaine surprise of hearts salaâ—…e hearts inexpressible comfort his spirit attentiue nay fixed on diuine â—…ontemplations hee savv as it vvere in a vision the vvord of God to come dovvne from Heauen and to proceed from the mouth of the Angell incarnating it selfe in the blessed Virgin hee savv Christ borne hee savv him adored by the Magj The three Kings he savv him dispute in the Temple hee savv him fly vvith his Mother into Egipt hee savv him baptized in IordaÌ„ he savv him with his Apostles he saw him hâ—…ale the â—…ick raise the dead and cast out Dewills and traunced extased in a Propheticall vision he savv him anointed by Magdalen savv him at his last supper vvâ—…h his Disciples savv him pray in the gardeâ—… savv him betrayed savv him scourged savv him crowned with thornes savv him adjuged to death saw him nayled on the Crosse and in seeing him breake the gates of Limbus hee vvas taken and fully possessed with that joy that vnspeakabls hearts-comfort which hee was to feele a sâ—…oone as Christ should redeeme him out of the darkenes together vvith his ancestors his forefathers and hee being sanctified in his merits hee savv him rise againe and in seeing him ascend to Heauen and to sit at the right hand of his father anevv breake forth into these vvords THE SEAVENTH PSALME OF THE PENITENCY OF DAVID Domine exaudi orationem meam auribus c. Psalme 142. LORD fauorably heare my suppliant petitions my humble prayer stitre vp thy selfe awakeÌ„ be thou moued to looke vvith the gratious eyes of thy mercie on my heart's sincere repentance which through the desert of prayers vvhich is tendred vnto thee is not vnworthy of thy gratious and fauorable audience thy trueth and thy iustice vvell weighed not according to the trueth iustice of thy Lawes vvhich condemne and inflict sharpe punishments sodainelie on sinne according to the qualitie the greatnes the hainousnes of the demerit but according to thy trueth and â—…ustice with which is ioyned that thy mercy vvhich is absolutelie and â—…olely in thee for thou being the author of the Law thou onelie through the height of thy bounâ—…ie caâ—…st forgiue the traÌ„sgressors acquit them of it There are many valued by thee iust vvho are accounted by the iudges of the world delinquents but the coÌ„trary seemeth to be in me for by the people I am deemed iust and in thy sight I know my selfe so burthened vvith trespâ—…sses that vntill I perceiue thou hast forgâ—…en me acquitted me of them I will neuer dry mine eyes they shall alwaies vvepe and I vvill neuer close vp my month I vvill alvvaies call on thee and I vvill neuer be at repose of heart vvhich imploreth it's Lord that hee Enter not into Iudgement on his seruant for to take notice of each fault trespasâ—…e on a seruant is not a vvorke vvorthy of a maister and to take animaduersion strict accounâ—…e of each our trippings our stumblings vvould be to make vs all despaire for if thou weigh the multitude of the fault we commit the vveight of them vvould be such that nothing would be found so burâ—…nsome hence vvee should be all lost and therefore forgâ—…t patcell of our trespasses let them not be brought and laid open before the Tribunall of thy most iust iudgment for that all those vvho hold themselues iust in the other life vvhen all human generation shall bee iudged thy shall not be iustified by thee Enlarge me be bountifull vnto me and make me vvorthy of the guâ—…fts of thy grace whereof by thy goodnes and thy bountie euerie man is made worthie vvho offereth the purenes and innocencie of his soule by tâ—…e meanes of a contrite heaâ—…t so shalt thou our God as it were substitute thy goodnes to my correction in reguard that it maketh for my saluation and thy glorie Nor for this cause shall thy iustice be impaired or lessened which were it not in so gâ—…eat a Majestie so greate is the presumption of mankinde that they vvould receiue as from a firme deed that the infinite benefits which they receiued of thee were due to theÌ„ by obligation whence it would follow that there were no way whereby those that are vvicked might come to amendment of themselues to correct themselues and those vvho are incorrigible vvho neuer wil be good but are peruerse and refractory who liuing haue not beleeued in thee shall in nothing be difâ—…erent from the good and those who haue recouered goodnes for as much as workes are not paid according to deserts herein it is necessary that thy justice faile not but whilst wee are in this life which is the place of our race which we must runne ouer to come to thee for this cause ought wee each one the reward being certaine and eternall extending it selfe beyond the bonds of sinne alwaies to determime time to abtaine the sett downe price which is not allotted to one onelie but to all those who shall come the goale to the bounds of the race Let damnation fall on them vvho haue depised so great a gaine so great a reward which thou hâ—…st published to be run for and to be revvarded though yet for their so small so slender desert when the time coÌ„meth of each one's receiuing râ—…vvard they doe not onelie finde themselues farreâ—… of from receiuing ought of valuation ought of price ought of reward but euidentlie they perceiue that they haue â—…rayed yea that they are altogether out of their way and hence so it happeneth for that they pursued lesse worthie ends and lesie honorable O Lord and my God the effects the fruits of sinne haue reduced me haue plunged me in obscuritie in darke places euen as are they vvho are dead for time and ages My sinne Lord hath seated me in darkenes for there is no greater obscurity then that vvhich is interposed betvvâ—…ene the vvay of good and the eye of our perceiuance Hence strayed vve and lost the light which directeth vs shevveth vs the vvay the meanes to come to our true end And certaine it is that a maâ—… blinded in the night the obscuritie the darkenes of sinne parteth not yet from day from light of vertue and trueth but hauing coÌ„tracted custome and habit in the clouds the mists and foggs of vice he is best and onelie pleased vvith them and onelie hateth the Sonne the light vvhich ariseth from the bosome of vertue and liuing well on vvhich if I had contemplated my spirit had neuer proued anxious full of greiuous care and my heart would neuer haue so much alas for me been troubled coÌ„tribulated Truely if I had opened mine eyes to the light of trueth â—…hutting them from the obscurities the darkenesses of falsenes of lyes contribulations and those anxious rising taking grouÌ„d from feare of damnation had not moued my spirit to reflect on it selfe
faculties of the minde are the weapons wherewith the fallaces the enticements and snares of the world are ouercome and brought to nought herewith the aduersaries of all good I meane by aduersaries the Deuill and his fiends are troden vnder foote and vvere it not that my soule euen assured it selfe and were confident in our Lord I should be a thousand times more heauy sad lumpish then is the Pilgrim in the verie midst of a vvood where no path appeareth but I take courage and full vigour for my soule is come to another state then erst it vvas it is euen ouer ioyed for that my eyes obey me now no vanities take them vp their light is estranged from voluptuousnes in so much as now happilie it is with me I see not or at least take no notice of the poisoned baites masked with delicate and well tasted Manna which formerly allured me possessed me by mine eyes the raies of others beauties doe not now astonish do not now as vnproportionable obiects dimme my sight vvhich might vvell be termed the nets and entangling birdlime of soules I take no pleasure but in my sorrovv and my God for I take no notice I take no delight in the liuelie green of the boughes of trees nor in the flowers of the meadowes nor of the pleasant currant of a cleare faire riuer I as litle reguard the luster of gold or sparkling gleaūces glitterings of gēmes rare jevvells nor doth the sight the ouer-glorious splendor of solemnities touch me ought I gaze not on the worlds carriage be it neuer so miniard so in times liking in fashion howsoeuer for that my contrition for my sinne and the many anxieties in the vvay of vvinning grace and pardon through penitencie haue so fullie entertained my eyes vvith the vaile of repentāce that I am to them happilie blinde Whilst my soule my gratious Lord doth rise against sense doth maister it that so it is I take and receiue it from thy light and by thy raies thy irradiations thy beames my Lord hereby I rise againe I am releiued euen as a flower hanging it's head by nights cold drooping and farther so stated by the heauines of the dew at the sunn's shining on it is succoured raised vp held vp by thy prouidence by thy vertue in such māner doe thy commands sound in my tongue such force haue they on me and allies to my losse to my great vvrong haue applyed their ill endeauours against me yea and to hurt me notablie they haue dōne their vttermost but these following words of thine doe I interprete and deliuer vvith the spirit of prophecie vvhich thou hast endowed me vvith for I seeme to see euen novv the troopes of thy favourites of those on whom thou hast euen accumulated plentifullie heaped graces most aboūdant benefits armed vvith svvord fire to assaile thee vnthankfullie returning for thy most pious tender most iust helpes assistances graces rare vvorkes nought but pure ingratitude nor seeme they moued othervvise to reguard thee to appeare before thee but to interpose a veile of their ignorance to the alseing eyes of thy truth vvhich shall appeare shall spring forth rise againe in the punishments prosecution of their iniquities euen as the Hydra's heads cut of appeare and the same trueth is made a lookin-glosse of men to contemplate Woe yea all woe to those transgressors who in God shall see contemplate behold clearly the full expression and liuely image of their harshnes their crueltie and of the perfidiousnes of their hearts and blessed is hee that euer hee had being vvho shall see in the truely representing glasse the faithfull loyaltie of his beliefe and confidence in our Lord. Yet farther continueth Gods word by my voices deliuery and hee hath deigned that myeares heare ◅hesoūds of his accents prompting me as followeth They vvho vvere nigh haue eslonged themselues are gonne farre from me and vvith all speede possiblie euen as a stone from a sling is flung farre from him who flingeth it hence shevving vnto me vvhat the world is that they vvere not my friends although they kindled the lampes and burnt incense vpon the holie altar their hearts are not true sound and feruentlie zealous they are not vvhere they are as euidentlie appeareth as may be clearly demonstrated for that their speech seemeth to honor me but with an ill meaning ofsuch like friends as they are whose hearts fly from me as smoke from the vvinde to make appeare their farther wretchednes their greater perfidiousnes vvhilst I taught thē vvhat is trueth they fullie endeauoured by docttines of men to empouerish weaken the vnderstandings of men to depraue them vtterlie to ouerthrow them to make good their false assertions and to peruert them who sincerelie desired to vnderstand my meaning that is to say my true intentions as flocks of sheepe and heards of beasts doe seeke for water and grasse But my glorious good Lord by vvhat deserts of mine commeth it to passe that I am allotted to speake with thy tongue vvhich maketh me continue in prophetizing And they vvho endeauoured to finde ill in me vvith more sollicitude then doth vveariesomnes seeke rest haue against me spoken their idle fancies frō their invented chimeraes windy empty vanities most false things not vvith vnlike rancour but vvith the same vvhich wicked and most vvretched men vse to speake and all day long humming like bees riuers and the vvindes and scandalizing my goodnes endeauouring to peruert others vvith dislike of my sincere trueth meditated with strange imaginarie vvaies a throusand var◅ties of deceipts against my innocencie and vvith sharpe reprehensions and vvith m◅ligne accusations molesting me daylie nightlie they more then most earne◅lie endeauoured to finde a fault in my bountie in my goodnes and euen as the wicked and peruerse they called my prayers blasphemies my examples malices and my miracles witchcrafts But I like a deafe man vvho heareth not the noyse of other pratles or brawles heard not the shrill iangling prate of the enuious vvho most injuriously most vniustlie spake despightfully of me vvho all zealous in their behalfes desired to make them know the trueth and no otherwise then if so that I had beē borne vvithout a tongue from my natiuitie or othervvise dumbe I vvas silent I was still notvvithstanding I heard their false testimonies asseuered by oathes and surpassing vvith my humilitie their pride vnder the shovver of lyes which tempestuouslie powred on my head euen as a tēpestuous shower of haile raine falleth impetuously on the ◅yles on the top of an house I seemedlike a gētle meeke lābe who with head inclined vvithout bleating suffereth himselfe to be shorne by the shepheard vvho vvhilst hee fleeceth him threatning h◅m to take avvay his life also for that the poore beast vnderstandeth not the noise the horror of his danger of his state and being he is not affrighted a jott as I am not terrified and for that I may not heare the conspiracie of calumniatiō