theÌ„ not to be any more displeased with me for theÌ„ nor to thinke of punishing me at least eternallie for theÌ„ but to be haue thy selfe towards me hereafter as though thou diddest no more remeÌ„ber theÌ„ as though thy face eyes wese turned froÌ„ them and so to loue me hereafter so to behold me and with such a mild aspect countenaÌ„ce as though I had neuer sinned for so thou beholdest all truly penitent sinners and turning away thy angrie face from me behoulding me with a mild countenance wype away all my iniquities 3. Thou promisedst ô sweete Lord Ezech. 18. by the Prophet Ezechiel that if the impious shall doe pennance of all his sinnes c. ehou wilt not remember them that is so as to punish them at least eternallie Forget ô Lord my sinnes also in the same manner Thou promisedst by thy Prophet Micheas Michea 7. that thou wilt cast our sinnes into the bottome of the sea that is of the sea of thy mercie that they may be seene no more cast my sinnes into this sea that they may be drowned hidden from thy face Thou dist cast all the sinnes of Ezechias behind thy back Isai 38 cast also myne and turne thy face from them 4. I also ô Lord say so ô penitent sinner haue sinned with Dauid and I feare with him to appeare before thy face or to come in thy sight or presence And therefore as my first Parentes Adam and Eue did Gen. 3. I desire to hyde my selfe from thee if it might be in some bush or thicket Gen. 4. and as Cain had no sooner sinned but his countenance was abated and fallen so I guiltie of many and greeuous sinnes dare not looke thee in the face I count my selfe with Manasses vnworthie to looke vp to the height of Heauen Orat. Manaes Lucae 18. and with the penitent Publican I dare not so much as to lifte vp my eyes tovvards Heauen where thou art Wherefore ô Lord I cry to thee with Dauid to turne thy face from my sinnes It is not conuenient that thy Diuine eyes should cast their light and beames on so vile obiectes It is not conuenient they should looke on such filthines least they prouoke thee to disdaine to Indignation and anger remember them no more so as to be displeased with me for them remember them no more so as to punish me at least eternallie for them but as thou remembrest S. Marie Magdalenes sinnes and yet since her repentaÌ„ce art not depleased with her nor doest punish her for them so deale with me and in this sence turne thy face from my sinnes and behaue thy selfe towards me 5. But let myne owne eyes ô Lord and cogitations be euer fixed on my sinnes not to approue theÌ„ not to take delight in them nor yet thereby to dispaire of thy mercie towards me but as oft as I thinke of them to deteste and abhorre them to humble my selfe and to take notice of myne owne frayltie by theÌ„ to thinke into what danger of damnation they brought me how gratefull I should be to thee who hast deliuered me from this daunger To take heed hereafter least I fall againe into them to weepe for them and to crye thee mercie for them so oft as I thinke on them and by so fixing myne eyes and cogitations on them to cause thee to turne thy face and Diuine eyes from them and by thy grace and mercie to vvipe avvaye all myne iniquities Cor mundum crea in me Deus Spiritum rectum innoua in visceribus meis Create a cleane heart in me ô God and renevv a right Spirit in my bovvels 1. THere is no merit or desert in me ô Lord sayth Dauid on which as on a subiect thou maist worke my Iustification from sinne and cleanenesse of heart but as thou createdst the whole world of nothing so thou must create a cleane right and iust heart in me of nothing that is myne that is of no precedent merite of myne because the grace of iustification by which my heart is to be cleaÌ„sed from sinne is not giuen for any precedent good worke or deserte of myne For if by grace Rom. 11 I be Iustified then not by vvorkes othervvise grace vvere not grace no free guift but a reward 2. The almes I gaue to the poore the fasting wherewith I chastised my bodie my many prayers then made to thee ô Lord and whatsoeuer good worke I did whilest I was in the state of mortall sinne were dead workes the workes of a dead man dead in soule by sinne and so could not merite my Iustification and therefore hauing nothing in me which could merite my Iustification cleanenesse of heart thou ô Lord out of thy mercie for the merite of thy sacred passion must iustifie me and not for any thing in me and so thou must create my heart thou must create me a new creature of nothing of myne but onelie of thine that is of thy grace and mercie A sinner as a sinner is no creature of God and therefore in the Canticle Benedicite where all creatures euen to windes tempests dew snow yea and brute beastes are inuited to prayse blesse God the sinner is not inuited because he as a sinner is no creature of God but a moÌ„ster of his owne peruerse will yea a nothing sinne being no reall thing if it be true as it is most true which the wiseman saieth feare God and obserue his commandementes â—cclesiastes 12. for this is euery man then a sinner who is not this because he nether feareth God nor obserueth his commaundementes must be no man nothing and consequentlie if God will make him of a sinner iust and an obseruer of his commaundementes he must make him of nothing and therefore Dauid vseth the vvord create which signifieth a productioÌ„ of nothing as when God created the world of nothing And seeing that as cold is not expelled but by heate nor darkenes but by light nor any contrarie but by its contrarie my heart sayth Dauid can not be freed from the darkenes of sinne but by the light of grace nor from the filth of sinne but by the cleane and cleansing qualitie of grace and therefore I desire thee ô Lord sayth he to create in me this grace of nothing of myne that thereby my heart may be muÌ„dified and renewed 3. A peruerse heart is abominable to our Lord saith the vviseman Prou. 11. and therefore ô Lord create in me a new heart which shall be cleane and pleasing vnto thee my old heart was become by sinne old was clothed in the old habit of the old man the first Adam and the first sinner of meÌ„ take this oldnesse of sinne from me and from my heart and create in me a new heart a cleane heart 4. O Lord thou promisedst that thou wouldst giue to thy people a new heart Ezech. 36. and wouldst put a new spirit in the middest of them
me did crooken my soule made it looke dovvne to the earthlie pleasurs not vpward to thee and to the blisse of Heauen Giue me therefore ô Lord the former seuen Spirites and guiftes of the Holie Ghost vvhich are right Spirites and vvhich doe put my soule in a right posture tovvards thee Heauen and doe make my soule in all her actions to ayme principallie at thee and thy honour and doe eleuate her to Heauen by contemplation by which shee conuerseth in Heauen with thee and thy-Angelles and Saints Engraft this Spirit in me ô Lord and then as the graft of a peare tree grafted on a thorne tree beareth not thornes but peares so this spirit grafted on the thorne of my carnall and corrupte nature vvill make me henceforth to beare not the fruites of the flesh but of the spirit This is the right spirit I desire to haue for my guide and conductour and directour in all my actions In this thy spirit now is all my delight not in the spirit of the vvord or flesh and how good and sweete is this thy spirit Sap. 12. ô Lord in all 10. And I beseech thee sweet Lord to renew and innouate this spirit this right spirit in my bowels Permit not the spirit of Hypocrisie to dominere in me because that spirit doth all to the outward shewe and hath a faire outside but a fowle and filthie inside That spirit mooueth to fast to seeme holy to pray to seeme deuout to giue almes to seeme charitable but I desire a spirit which may worke inwardlie vvhat it sheweth outwardlie and therefore I desire it maybe innouated in my entralls in my heart that vvhen I pray it may not be with lippes onelie but vvith heart also vvhē I giue almes it may not be out of a desire to please men but out of charitie and compassion to please God O Lord giue me this right heart this right and invvard spirit for if the spirit of my heart be right all my actions vvill be vpright not crooked nor bēding to the world If my heart be cleane all my cogitations purposes and euen my outvvard actiōs will be cleane but if the hearte be crooked or vncleane all my actions vvill be crooked and vncleane because if the fountayne be muddie the riuer can not runne cleare if the roote be poysoned the bowes and fruites vvill be infected will infect If my heart be dead all my actions euen the best vvill be dead and not meritorious of life euerlasting but if my heart be liuing by the life of grace all my good vvorkes vvill be liuing and meritorious And seeing my former heart ô Lord was vncleane by sinne crooked by a crooked spirit tending to earthlie thinges yea vvas dead by mortall sinne which depriued it of the life of grace giue me a cleane heart fit for thee to dvvell in giue me a right heart vvhich may allvvaies ayme at thy glorie giue me a liuing heart vvhich liuing here by grace may liue in Heauen by glorie the fruite and haruest of the seed of grace Ne proijcias me à facie tua Spiritum Sanctum tuum ne auferas à me Cast me not avvay from thy face and thy holy Spirit take not from me Aug. l. 1. de libero ar cap. 16. lib. 2. c. 19. lib. contra Socundinum Manich c. 15. 1. SInne if it be mortall is an auersion of our vvill from God the Creatour and an inordnate conuersion of the same to the Creature it is a scornefull turning of the backe to God and a loving turning of the face to the creature it is a disdainfull farewell to the creatour a freindlie vvellcome to the creature And this vvere enough to cause God to turne his face from vs because vve by sinne doe turne our faces from him and our backes to him I ô Lord saith Dauid in a former verse desired thee to turne thy face from my sinnes that is so as not to be displeased with them novv I desire thee not to turne thy face from my selfe my person My sinnes are no creatures of thine but vglie monsters of my peruerse vvill and therefore thou hast cause to turne thy face from them and not to daine these viperous broods thy good looke or fauorable countenance but I my selfe though I be a sinner by myne owne malice yet I am thy creature by thy goodnes and seeing Thou louest all thinges that are Sap. 11. hatest nothing of those thinges which thou hast made yea thou sparest all because they are thine And especially thou louest soules reasonable creatures I hope thou vvilt not turne thy face from me but looke on me vvith a louinge aspect Thou hatest not the Diuell but for his sinne and vvere it not for that thou vvouldst loue him Hate then ô Lord my sinnes for I also doe hate and detest them with thee auert thy fauorable countenāce from them for I also through thy grace can not afford them a good looke But hate not me I am thy handworke and thy master-peece after the Angells hate not me I beare thy liuelie image which thou canst not hate it so liuelie representing thy selfe Hate then my creature my sinne but not thy creature auert thy face from my sinnes but cast me not from thy face conuert thy selfe to me that I may be conuerted to thee I could of my selfe auert my selfe from thee but I can not conuert my selfe to thee vnlesse thou by thy grace conuert me 2. Heretofore it vvas a pleasure to me but ô the novv displeasing pleasure to be auerted from thee and conuerted to thy creatures vvhich I loued in ordinatlie because aboue thee aboue thee because against thy commaundements but novv thy grace hath made a great mutatiō in me Psa 76 this is mutatio dexterae excelsi the change of the right hand of the Highest novv it is the greatest corrosiue to my heart to be auerted from thy face in vvhich the Angells take delight and it will be my greatest comfort if thou vouchsafe to turne thy benigne countenance to me and not to cast me away from thy face The aspect of thy countenance the verie turning and cōuersion of thy glorious face to me is a torch and light vvhich illuminateth my way and keepeth me from stumbling and falling it is the sea starre which directeth my nauigation it is the piller of fire vvhich leadeth me by night the cloud vvhich guideth me by day through the desertes of this life Gen. 13 to Heauen the land of promise 3. I heretofore vvhich now I rue tooke a fall by sinne from thee ô God from thy grace fauour frō Heauen into the depth of sinne and if thy mercifull hand had not holden me into the pit of Hell but now that by thy grace the effect of thy benigne coūtenance I am risen let me not fall againe now that by the light of thy face which is thy grace I am directed
in the right way let me not range out of it any more novv that by the same grace I am vvashed from my sinnes let me not defile my selfe againe now that I am by this grace cured of my disease of sinne let me not fall into it againe novv that my mortall wouÌ„des are healed by this grace let me not renew them For vvhat vvould it auaile to be risen vp if I fall againe the after fall vvould make my rising more difficult What to haue vvalked in the vvayes of thy commaundementes if I loose this vvay againe I shall the more hardlie finde it What to haue been vvashed cleane in the lauer of penance and by thy grace if like a swine I vvallovv my selfe againe in the puddle of sinne the stayne vvill more hardlie be gotten out better it is for me to say vvith the Spouse Cant. 5 I haue washed my feete hovv shall I defile them What vvill it auaile to haue beene cured of the ague of sinne if I admitte an other accesse of it Recidiuation is more dangerous then the former sicknes What to haue been healed of so many mortall vvoundes as mortall sinnes if I renevv them againe the renevving makes them harder to be cured then before Wherefore turne not thy face froÌ„ me by vvithdrawing thy grace for then I shall fall againe into all those miseries to haue vvell begun is a small thing how many good beginners are novv in Hell perseuerance is that vvhich maketh vs goe on to the end and the end crowneth the vvorke And therefore ô Lord take not thy holy spirit from me Take not from me the create spirit of grace by vertue of vvhich I may perseuer to the end yea ô Eternall Father ô Eternall Sonne giue me your increate spirit the holy Ghost vvho proceedeth from you both and vvho is equall coequall and consubstantiall to you both and who is your mutuall loue and eternall knotte of freindship take not froÌ„ me this your increate Spirit So long as this Spirit supporteth me I can not fall Heauen vvill sooner fall then I so supported can fall 4. And thou ô penitent Christian desire almightie God to turne his face from thy sinne but not from thee it being thy onelie comfort in this life to haue its benigne aspect and the light of grace which proceedeth from it and vvhich illuminateth thy vvay vvhich thou art to vvalke Desire him also not to take avvay his holy Spirit from thee vvithout vvhich liuing thou art dead liuing in bodie dead in soule vvhich if thou fall will raise thee if thou stand vvill so direct thy steppes as thou shalt neuer fall againe Ioan. 1. This Spirit houered ouer the waters in the first creation gaue them fecunditie to bring forth fish and fowle The same spirit houered ouer the waters of Baptisme when thou vvast regenerated of water and the holy Ghost Ioan. 3. and gaue it force to this day to bring forth Spirituall fishes to vvitt Christâ—ans who are spawnes and young fishes of the great fish CHRIST IESVS Tertul. lib. de Baptismo Aug li de Ciuit ca. 18. stiled by the Sybille in the first letters of her Greeke verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a fish because in the riuer of Iordan vvhere he was Baptized by S. Iohn Baptist he like a fish did as it vvere swimme and thereby gaue vertue to the water of baptisme to regenerat ChristiaÌ„s whereas ChristiaÌ„s haue their origin froÌ„ the water as fishes haue This Spirit againe houered ouer the vvaters of contritioÌ„ the SacrameÌ„t also of penaÌ„ce wheÌ„ it inspired into me the Spirit of coÌ„punction and contrition by which from my sinnes committed after Baptisme I vvas againe vvashed and rose againe from sinne to iustifying grace Let it giue me also ô most mercifull Lord the grace and guift of perseuerance vvhich is all in all and without vvhich all is nothing Do not take this Holie Spirit from me and I shall perseuer to the end against all tentations maugre all the Deuills in Hell 5. S. Peter before he vvas fortified by this Spirit vvas so frayle fearfull and cowardlie that he denied his Master at the voice of a Maide-seruaunt a woeman dashed him out of countenance but after he vvas armed fortified by this Holy Spirit he feared not the Tyrants of the vvorld nor all the tormentes that cruell heartes could deuise but like a rocke vvithstood the boisterous windes of their persecutions vvhich did but breake wast themselues mooued not him And he the rest of the Apostles vvho fled vvhen their Master vvas taken and vvho eueÌ„ after his death and resurrection assembled themselues together and shutte the doores Propter metum Iudaeorum for feare of the Ievves Ioan. 20. after they had receaued this Holy Spirit they feared not the Tyrants of earth nor all the Deuills in Hell Yea they but twelue set vpon all the vvorld and not iointly neither but singlie and made a conquest of a greater world then euer Alexander the Great did subdued not onelie their bodies as he did but their vvilles and vnderstanding subiected the Empire to the Churche the Scepter to the crosse made philosophie stoupe to Christes doctrine Matth. 10. and Idolatrie to Christian religion And whereas they were sent as sheepe amongest vvolues yet these sheepe strengthened by this Holy Spirit were to hard for the wolues and as fire coÌ„uerteth all into it so they inflamed vvith this HeaueÌ„lie fire consumed sinne and Idolatrie and like so many walking fiers set all the world on fire conuerted all to Christ and made all like themselues that is Christians 6. I ô Lord request at thy bountifull handes with Dauid a guift of this Holy Spirit Act. 20 and this Heauenlie fire which descended on the first Christians in the forme of fierie tongues corroborate and encourage me by this Holy Spirit inflame me with this heauenlie fire and harden me with it that no assaults of the Deuill world or flesh may be able to ouerthrowe me that for feare of persecution I may not deny thee but as now as I hope I am risen by thy Holy Spirit and grace of iustification so by thy guifte and grace of perseuerance the proper effect of it I may neuer fall againe by mortall sinne from thy grace fauour face and eternall vision the blisse of the blessed which is onelie graunted to them who perseuer to the end Redde mihi letitiam salutaris tui Et spiritu principali confirma me Render vnto me the ioy of thy Saluation and confirme me with thy principall Spirit 1. I Remember ô Lord saith Dauid say the same ô penitent soule with him what ioye peace of conscience and comfort I enioyed in thee and in thy seruice before my sinne and when I was enriched with thy grace the fountaine of true peace and ioye Then I tasted and sawe how sweet thou art then I experienced Psal 33 how great is the multitude of thy
face or forepart of the head can not be hidden but is exposed to the sight of all though in the inferiour members of the body it be seldome marked Euen so the faultes or euill examples of Princes or Superiours vvho are the heades of their subiectes are by by noted vvhen their subiectes faultes are not regarded and therefore it is sayd that Princes faultes are vvritten in their foreheades I saith Dauid am the Heade of my People King of my Kingdome so my faultes of murder against Vrias and adulterie with his vvife are so well knovvne to all my subiectes that they haue not onelie offended thee ô Lord but haue also scandalized them from vvhom they could not be hidden and haue giuen them the euill example to follovv me in my euill vvayes because the People follovveth the example of the King and thinketh they may doe that securelie which they see the Prince doe before them 2. Yea I haue not onely by these my greate sinnes scandalized the Ievvs my subiectes but also the Gentils 2. Reg. 12. and haue caused the enemies of thee my Lord to blaspheme thy name vvherefore hereafter for satisfaction of thee ô Lord and of the vvorld I will teache the vniust thy vvayes the impious by my meanes shall be conuerted to thee For as I haue heretofore accompanied the Ark which was thy mānour house with nables harpes cymbals trumpets and all musicall instruments Yea and haue daunced before it to honour and praise thy name 1. Par. 15. vvhich novv by my sinnes I haue caused to be blasphemed of thy enemies so I vvill again resume this my deuotion and although thou hast forbiddē me to build thy Temple because I haue beene a vvarriour so hauing defiled my hands with bloud am not fit to build it 2. Reg. 7.1 Paral 28. yet I vvill giue the charges of it and of gold I vvill giue a hundred thousand talentes and of syluer a thousand thousand talentes 1. Par. 22. But of brasse and iron there is no vveight for the number is surpassed with the greatnes timber and stones I haue prepared to all the charges I vvill dispose of the offices of the Temple Musicians and their instruments and psalmes and songes 1. Par. 23.24 25. 2. Par. 28. I vvill giue to my sonne Salomon a description of the porche and of the Temple and of the cellers and of the vpper loft and of the chambers in the inner roomes and of the house of the proposition c. And this sayth Dauid I will doe for satisfaction of my sinnes and for the glorie and prayse of thy name vvhich shall be praysed and honoured in this Temple till the Messias shall come And vvhereas I haue scādalized the Gentils they vvhen they shall be conuerted to Christian Religion shall in their churches sing day and night and I in them by the psalmes vvhich I haue composed prayses laudes vnto thee euen to the end of the vvorld Ps 56. I will confesse to thee amongest peoples ô Lord and I vvill say a psalme to thee among the Gentils And I shall teach the vniust amongest Iewes and Gentils thy vvayes vvhich if they follovv they shall attaine to life euerlasting the impious amongest them shall be conuerted vnto thee And this I will doe partlie by my psalmes in vvhich I teach thē to knowe thee to loue thee to feare thee to serue thee In vvhich I shall teach both Ievve and Gentill Christian Religion for I shall treate in them of thy povver Maiestie Iustice mercie and of all thy Diuine attributes yea in them I shall discouer vnto them the Incarnation of the Sonne of God his Conception Esa 11. Esa 9. Natiuitie life and death Resurrection and Ascension and partlie also I shall doe this by the exāples of my good life vvhich hereafter I vvill leade For as Iob vvas an example of patience and vvill be to the end of the vvorld to all that are in affliction So will I be an exāple of penance to all sinners I vvill by my example make them to hope in thy mercie neuer to dispaire of it For if I after so greate sinnes and so many haue found mercie at God his hands vvhat sinner may not hope to finde the like mercie if he be sorrie for thē as I haue beene If I a King would detracte so much tyme from the publique affayres of my Kingdome as seauen tymes in the day to praye and sing laudes vnto God Ps 118 If I vvould rise at middnight to Confesse to God vvhat shall other sinners doe vvho haue no such incumbrances If I a King haue laboured in much sighing If I euery night haue vvashed my bedd and haue vvatered my couch with teares Psal 6. If my eyes haue gushed forth issues of teares will other sinners thinke without teares and sorrow to get remission of their sinnes I Dauid crye then vnto you all who are sinners you who haue followed Dauid in his sinnes follovv him in his repentance and you will find mercie as he hath done 3. O Dauid I must needs confesse that as thou hast sinned greeuouslie so thy sorrovv and satisfaction for thy sinne hath been great as thou hast by thy euill vvorkes dishonoured God his name so by thy good vvorkes alleadged thou hast glorified God and by thy example hast caused also others to glorifie his name as by thy euill exāple thou hast peruerted many so by thy Heauenlie psalmes and wholesome documents in thē thou hast conuerted thousands shalt by them conuerte sinners to the end of the vvorld O great King Prophet thy sinnes indeede haue beene great but thy repentance also and satisfaction through Gods grace hath beene greate so great that J can not easelie say vvhether thou vvast more vnhappie in sinning then thou hast beene happie in repenting yea thy repentance hath beene so greate so honorable to God so beneficiall and exemplare to all the vvorld that I can scarce hold my selfe frō saying ô happie sinne of Dauid See the like speech in the benediction of the paschall candle O foelix culpa que talem at tantum meruit habere Redemptorem which vvas seconded by so rare and so exemplare a repentance and satisfaction 4. Graunte vnto me ô Lord saye so ô repentant sinner that as I haue imitated Dauid in his sinnes so I may follovv him in his repentance and satisfaction I haue by my euill examples yea persuasions allured others to sinne but graunt me ô Lord thy grace and in vertue of it I shall endeauour vvith Dauid to teach by vvord of mouth or by bookes or example the vniust thy wayes the impious thereby shall be conuerted to thee To sollicitate others by persuasion or euill exāple vnto sinne is the office of the Deuill vvho in all his tentations intendeth nothing else but to draw vs to sinne and not onelie to spirituall sinnes as pride enuy and
Saul who had disobeyed God and yet had offered an holocaust of the first of the preyes which he had brought from Amalec Why will our Lord haue holocaustes and victimes and not rather that the voice of our Lord be obeyed for better is obedience then victimes and to harken rather then to offer the fatt of rammes So that the externall sacrifice taken nakedlie by it selfe or as it proceedeth froÌ„ sinfull men is not pleasing to God The inward sacrifice is pleasing to God by it selfe without the externall sacrifice but this without that is not pleasing 3. The sacrifices then vvhich especiallie please God are the inward sacrifices of the minde such a sacrifice is the praise of God vvhich is called the sacrifice of praise in diuers places of Scripture Tob. 2. Psal 4.49.115 vvhich Dauid in his 49. Psalme preferreth before the sacrifice of oxen and other beastes for hauing reiected those sacrifices he saith Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise By this sacrifice of praise we humble our selues and make a kinde of sacrifice of our selues to God in acknowledging our selues to be nothing to haue nothing which we haue not from him and so taking away all matter motiue of praise froÌ„ our selues vve giue all thankes and praise to God onelie for all his benefites graces and vve say with Dauid not to vs ô Lord Psalm 113. 1. Tim. 1. not to vs but to thy name giue the glorie And with S. Paul To the King of the worldes immortall inuisible onelie God honour glorie for euer and euer of vvhich sacrifice S. Paul speaking saith Heb. 13. by him therefore let vs offer this hoste of praise alwayes to God that is to say the fruite of lippes confessing to his name 4. Such a sacrifice is obedieÌ„ce by vvhich vve sacrifice not the bodies of brute beastes but our ovvne willes affections and iudgements which are the thinges most deare vnto vs. Gen. 22 Such a sacrifice Abraham offered to God when after God had commaunded him to immolate sacrifice his onelie and dearely beloued Isaac he tooke the vvood and layd it on Isaac his sonnes shoulders to prefigurat thereby CHRIST IESVS vvho carried the vvood of the crosse on which he vvas sacrificed for our Redemption and Abraham himselfe carried the fire vvith vvhich he thought to haue burned Isaac into an holocauste he built an Altar he bound Isaac and layd him on the pile of wood which was on the Altar and taking his sword stretching forth his hand he vvas readie to kill his owne sonne Isaac O obedience better then an holocauste or hecatoÌ„be of all the oxen sheepe in the vvorld O noble sacrifice by which he sacrificed his paternall affection to so deare a sonne But God almightie was so pleased with this inward sacrifice of his obedieÌ„ce by which he sacrificed his vvill and all naturall affectioÌ„ towards his onely sonne that he sent an Angell to coÌ„maund him to hold his handes saying by this ô AbrahaÌ„ I see thou fearest God by this I haue tried thy loue obedieÌ„ce towards me who wast readie to kill thy onelie thy so deare soÌ„ne to obey me Enough Abraham enough this internall sacrifice so pleaseth me that now I care not for the externall hold thy hands Oratio de diuinitate Filij Spiritus S. kill not thy sonne S. Gregorie Nissen affirmeth of himselfe that when on a time he sawe the picture of Abraham readie to sacrifice his owne sonne he could not passe by the picture vvithout shedding teares as indeed the picture the example would mooue any tender or generous heart 5. Such a sacrifice is Beneficence or Almesgiuing which S. Paul biddeth vs not to forget Heb. 13. because with such hostes God is promerited this sacrifice is on Almes which proceeding from the loue of God coÌ„passioÌ„ towards our neighbour is first offered to God because it is giuen principallie for his sake then is giuen to our neighbour or the poore and so is a sacrifice resembling those sacrifices of the old lawe of which not onelie the Priest but the people also vvas partaker 5. Such a sacrifice is prayer made to God with feruencie deuotioÌ„ the Priest who offereth this sacrifice is the deuout Christian his Altar is his soule or heart his sacrifice is his prayer the fire which burneth this sacrifice is Charitie out of vvhich prayer ascending mounteth vp to Heauen yea penetrateth it as a sweet perfume and sauoureth sweetlie to the diuine senses and perfumeth all the court of Heauen like a most sweete incense Psalm 140. according to that of Dauid Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight And as by sacrifice vve acknovvledge our ovvne basenes and vilitie God his souuerainitie maiestie our selues his creatures him our Creatour and Lord of our liues who could destroy and annihilat vs as by sacrifice beastes were vvont to be killed and consumed that vve hold out beeing of him as teÌ„nants at vvill are of our selues nothing so by the spirituall sacrifices of prayer we acknowledge our selues beggers God the rich King of Heauen and earth our selues so poore that vve haue nothing and are nothing of our selues him so rich that he is the fountaine and source of all goodnes perfection yea and beeing on vvhom vve depend more then the riuer of the fountaine or the sunne beames of the sunne and so by prayer vve saccrifice all vve haue and are to God acknovvledging that of our selues we haue nothing are nothing but haue all of God and so doe liue precario by begging and at his vvill 6. Such a sacrifice is a contrit heart and this is the principall of all spirituall and invvard sacrifices and is of all the most pleasing to God because as Dauid saith in this verse a sacrifice to God that more pleasing then holocaustes in which he vvill not be delighted is an afflicted spirit and a contrit and humbled heart which God will not despise The externall and corporall sacrifices taken alone are neither profitable to God nor pleasing as in the former verse is declared the inward sacrifices alone are not profitable to God but yet they are pleasing to him They are not profitable for what is he the better for our praise vvhat the vvorse for our dispraise vvhat is he the better if vve honour him vvhat the vvorse is vve dishonour him vvhat the better is he for our good workes prayers and deuotion vvhat the vvorse for all the sinnes vve committ For as Eliphaz Themanites sayd to Iob. Iob. 22. What doth it profit God if thou be iust or what doest thou aduantage him if thy way be vnspotted And as Eliu sayd to the same Iob Iob. 35. If thou sinne what shalt thou hurt him if thy iniquitie be multiplied what shalt thou doe against him More ouer if thou doe iustlie what shalt thou giue him or what shall he reâ—eaue of thy hande yet
the spirituall and inward sacrifice is more pleasing to God then are externall sacrifices yea in respect and comparisons of the inward sacrifice God as it were dispiseth the externall sacrifices as we haue seene aboue 7. And hence it is that in the nevv lavv vvhich is of Christ all those externall sacrifices of the Jewes are abrogated vvith their lavv now there is no proper externall sacrifice but the bloodie sacrifice of christ offered on the crosse for our Redemption and the vnbloodie sacrifice of the same christ which he offered at his last supper for applicatiō of that Matth. 26. and vvhich is repeated daylie in the office of the church and at the Altar of vvhich also Malachie prophecied vvhen he saith that instead of the sacrifice of the Ievves a cleane oblation should be offered in all places Malac. 1. vvhich prophecie can not be vnderstood of the sacrifice of the Crosse that beeing offered but once and in one place nor of anie externall sacrifice of the Iewes such sacrifices beeing in that place of Malachie reiected nor of improper sacrifices of prayer good vvorkes c. they being many this sacrifice mētioned by Malachie being one and they being improper sacrifices this of which Malachie speaketh being proper as vvhich is by him opposed to the Ievves proper sacrifices but of the sacrifice vnbloodie offered at the Altar which is a cleane oblation vnbloodie whether we regard the externall signes the accidentes of bread and wine or that vvhich they cōtaine which is the bodie blood of Christ offered in them by the Priest in an vnbloody manner and vvhich by ancient fathers councelles is called a sacrifice and euer in the church hath beene esteemed and offered on an Altar as a sacrifice 8. Wherefore now we are not to sacrifice oxen and calues or lambes as the Iewes did now we are sayde to immolat the calfe whē we sacrifice by austeritie our ovvne flesh now we sacrifice the lambe when we suppresse our ovvne furie and anger and shevv our selues meeke gentle to those who haue wronged or offended vs novv vve sacrifice the goate vvhen vve represse lasciuiousnes now the turtle vvhen vve keepe our chastite vndefiled novv the young pigeon vvhen vve liue in charitie vvith all God novv vvill not haue vs sacrifice brute beastes but our brutish passions and sensualities not other liuing creatures but our selues so that God novv taketh no pleasure in the externall and carnall Iewish sacrifice but in the inward and spirituall sacrifices of Christians and as I sayd in the externall sacrifice of his sonnes sacred bodie and blood on the Altar 9. And amongest all the inward and spirituall sacrifices the afflicted spirit a contrit humbled heart is that which especiallie pleaseth God When Dauid considered his sinnes against God his heart vvas contrit that is rent broken with sorrowe and vvhen he considered that his sinne vvas not onelie an offence of God but also a miserie to himselfe vvhich made him more odious to God his Angells then the vilest toade or serpent then it humbled his heart and at the same time made it Cor contritum humiliatum a contrit or broken and humbled heart His heart vvas broken with sorrow vvhen he considered how good a God how clement a Prince how tender a Father hovv great a benefactour hovv louing a friend he had offended it humbled his heart vvhen by his sinne he experienced his ovvne frayltie savv into vvhat danger of eternall damnation he was fallen it brake his heart whē he considered that sinne is the greatest disease that is greater then any ague palsey or leprosie for that these are but diseases of the body sinne of the soule And it humiliated his heart to see himselfe become by sinne a Lazar and a foule leper it brake his heart when he considered that sinne is the greatest wound that is greater then a stabb through the bovvelles of the body for that onelie woundeth killeth the bodie sinne stobbeth vvoundeth yea killeth the soule by depriuing it of the life of grace therefore the vviseman biddeth vs to flye from sinne as from the face of a serpent Eccl. 21. because saith he the teeth of a Lion are his teeth killing the soules of mē It humiliated him to see himselfe thus vvounded and by so base a thing as his sinne vvas a filthie brutish pleasure and a traiterous murder It brake his heart vvith sorrovv vvhen he considered that sinne especiallie if it be mortall is a greater euill then Hell it selfe for that hell is onelie malum paenae the euill of payne sinne is malum culpae the euill of fault offence of God vvhich is the greatest euill Hell is but malum poenae an euill of paine it is an effect of God his iustice inflicted by God sinne is no effect of God nor creature of God but onelie a bastardly Impe of the sinners peruerse vvill It humiliated him vvhen he considered that he vvas oppressed vvith the greatest euill that is that God could not lay so great an euill on him though he should heape vpon him all the paynes in Hell as he layde on himselfe by his sinne It brake his heart to consider that he had sinned it humbled his heart in that he vvas sure he had sinned and had wepte for his sinnes and yet vvithout reuelation he could not tell whether his sinne was forgiuen or no Eccl. 9. whether he was worthie hatred or loue and though it was reuealed to him that his sinne vvas forgiuen 2. Reg. 12. by Nathan the Prophet yet it was sufficient matter of humilitie to haue sinned and therefore S. Paule though he vvas sure his sinne of persecuting the first Christians vvas forgiuen him 1. Tim. 1. and that he had obtayned the mercie of God because he did it beeing ignorant in incredulitie yet because he had persecuted the church of God he thought it a sufficiēt matter of humilitie 1. Co. 15 and a motiue euer after to thinke himselfe an Abortiue and the least of the Apostles not worthy to be called an Apostle onelie because he had heretofore persecuted the church of God And therefore Dauid not content that the Prophet Nathan told him 2. Reg. 12. that God had taken away his sinne weepeth still bevvayleth and lamēteth that he did sinne breaketh his heart with sorrovv humbleth it knowing that a contrite and humbled heart God vvill not despise 10. O Dauid vvho art thou vvho thus filleth the aire with cryes throbbes sobbes and lamētations vvho art thou vvho fetchest from thy heart so deepe and so dolefull sighes vvherevvith thy heart is broken rent and humbled I am a criminall saith he and a guiltie person condemned by God and by his Prophet Nathan yea and by myne owne conscience vvhich forceth me to crye peccaui of no lesse sinnes then murder and adulterie vvhat meruaile then if my heart breake vvith sorrovv my mouth sound it out
of this last house more then of the first This vvas that at vvhich Dauid did ayme this vvas the butt of his desire to vvit God his honour and glorie not any his ovvne interest as appeareth by these his wordes which begin the next verse Tunc acceptabis sacrificium iustitiae c. Thou shalt then accept sacrifice of iustice oblations and Holocaustes then shall they lay calues vpon thine Altar For although the sacrifices of the old law did not iustifie of themselues yet when they proceeded from a liuelie faith they did iustifie as other good vvorkes doe and so might be called in this sence sacrifices of iustice 7. By this ô my soule thou maist learne a godlie lesson that is to be zealous vvith Dauid for God his glorie to prefer that before all priuate interestes to spare no cost nor labour that God may be honoured And if thou haue not the meanes to build a spirituall temple to his honour that is either to conuert a soule or thy countrie to true faith and holie life by teaching preaching or vvriting of bookes then to set others on that can to encourage them to ayde and assist them by thy meanes as Dauid encouraged and assisted Salomon to build that materiall temple for so though thou thy selfe doe not build this temple yet thou shalt vvith Dauid prepare the materialles and giue the meanes as he did to Salomon his sonne and so shalt be partaker vvith them vvho conuert soules and so build to God a spirituall temple in vvhich he may be honoured vvith the spirituall sacrifices of thankesgiuing prayer praises of his name the like England is English mens Hierusalem vvhich they must neuer forget in their prayers Psalm 136. but they must say as Dauid did If I forget thee o Hierusalem ô England let my right hand be forgotten And the true church of England heretofore great and glorious novv litle and obscure in the eyes of men by reason of the change of state and former persecution must be their temple to the restoring where of some must cooperat by preaching teaching writing and good examples others by encouraging their preachers and teachers and by ministring meanes vnto them and both must vvith Dauid prefer this common good flourishing estate of the Church and Countrie of England before all priuate respectes and commodities 8. But Dauid no doubt in an Allegoricall sense had a farther ayme to vvit at the Church and temple of CHRIST the second Salomon and the veritie of that figuratiue temple for Dauid hauing a more explicite faith then the ordinarie Iewes had beleeued explicitelie that the Messias CHRIST IESVS God and man was to come to saue mankind to that end was to build a farre more Auguste tēple then he his sonne Salomon could build out of this zeale he praieth to God to build the walles of this Hierusalem and to plant this temple of his church knovving that this Hierusalem and temple farre excelleth that 9. The founder and Authour of the first temple vvas the first Salomon the founder and architect of the tēple of the Church was Christ Iesus who feared not to say of himselfe behold more then Salomon here Luc. 11. because he knevv himselfe not onelie to be wise but also wisdome it selfe that temple vvas confined in Hierusalem this is greater then Hierusalem and all Ievvrie yea hath no other limites then the limites of the vvorld that temple and Synagogue comprehended onely the Ievves the issue of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and therefore God vvas onelie knowne in Iewrie Psal 75 and in Israel his name was great this tēple of Christs Church containeth Iew and Gentile and all the vvorld and therefore few were saued by that temple thousands and milliōs by this that temple vvas built of materiall and inanimate stones this of liuing stones 1. Pet. 2 according to that of S. Peter be ye also your selues superedifyed as it were liuing stones That temple vvas not built by Dauid the vvarriour but by peaceable Salomon this not by Alexander the great or Iulius Cesar nor any such warlike prince but by the peaceable Messias Christ Iesus the Prince of peace Isa 9. 3. Reg. 5. there vvere manie workmen vvho trauailed in the building of Salomons Temple seuentie thousand vvho carried burdens 3. Reg. eightie thousand hewers of stone in the mountaine besides the ouerseers which were ouer euerie worke in number three thousand three hundred The vvorkemen vvhich concurre to the building of Christ his Church are some Apostles and some Prophetes and other-some Euangelistes and other-some Pastours and Doctours and those Ephes 4 millions in number by preaching and ministring sacramentes shall vvorke in the temple to the vvorlds end to the consommation of the Sainctes vnto the worke of the ministerie vnto the edifying of the body Mysticall of christ vvhich is his Church There vvas heard no noyse of hammer or hachet and tooles of iron 3. Reg. 6. vvhen that tēple vvas built because the stones vvere hevved before they vvere brought to the building And in the foundation and building of the Church there vvas no noyse of armes or engins or instrumentes of vvarre by vvhich the Empires of the Chaldeās Medes Persians and Romās vvere built onely the preaching of a fevv vnarmed fishermen vvas heard and by vertue of that this goodlie temple vvas raised and dailie augmented notvvitstanding that Ievves and Gentiles Phylosophers Tyrants and all the vvorld stood in armes against the builders did all they could to hinder the building 3. Reg. 6 That temple vvas vested vvith gold this with a more precious gold charitie In that vvas a great lauer in this Baptisme 2. Par. 3. 4 which washeth the soule In that vvas the Altar of holocaustes of incense in this as S. Paul saith Heb. 13. we haue an Altar whereof they can not eate which serue the tabernacle In that temple vvere places separate 2. Par. 3 one called Holie an other Holie of Holies others called courtes In this there are diuers orders and degrees of Primates Archbishops Bishops inferiour Pastours many Religious orders 2. Par. 4. In that were tenne goldē cādlestsicks on vvhich vvere lightes to illuminate the Temple In this are the Apostles and their successours vvho are called the light of the world Mat. 5◠and they are candlesticks also vvhich shew the light of the faith to others In that vvas a cloud called the glorie of God 2. Par. 7. because it vvas a signe and figure of his Diuinitie In this the sonne of God Christ Iesus God and man was offered once bloodilie on the Crosse and euerie day vnbloodilie on the Altar Optatus Mileuitanus l. 6. contra Donatistas Agg. 2. which Optatus calleth Sedem corporis Domini the seate of the bodie of our Lord by vvhich it is manifest that as Aggeus long since prophecied Great is the glorie of this last howse temple and
Church of Christ more then of the first 10. Dauid therefore fore-seeing by faith the glorie of this temple Hierusalem and Church of Christ desireth almightie God that it may be built And why Dauid ô saith he then and not before thou shalt accept the sacrifice of iustice And what is that the sacrifice of the Crosse to wit of Christ Iesus offered by death on the crosse This sacrifice is the fountaine of all grace receiued euer since Adams fall this sacrifice appeaseth God his wrath and satisfieth his iustice in paying the great price of our Redemption by this sacrifice God vvas more honoured then by all the sacrifices that euer before were offered by this sacrifice vve were reconciled to God and his Angels By this sinne vvas cancelled the Deuill vanquished Hell that is limhus Patrum was ransacked and all those prisonners enioyed a iayle deliuerie death vvas despoiled of his sting yea vvas put to death finallie by which onelie hoste once onelie offered our redemption was consummated Hebr. 9 10. for as S. Paul saith by one oblation hath he consummated for euer them that are sanctifyed 11. And peraduenture Dauid beeing a Prophet and hauing a more explicite faith then the other Ievves had Matth. 26. alludeth also to the sacrifice which Christ instituted and offered at his last supper which is repeated by the Priest daylie in the Church And this in respect of the thing offered which is Christ differeth not from the sacrifice of the crosse because in both sacrifices the same Christ the same bodie and blood of his is offered though in other respectes they differ because that of the crosse was a bloodie sacrifice this vnbloodie that was offered in it's owne forme this in the likenes of bread wine that was a reall mactation and killing of Christ this mysticall onelie that was our Redemption this an application onelie of it that was an vniuersall cause of all grace and remissiō of sinnes this is a particular cause as Baptisme is vvhich determineth the vniuersall cause to determinate effectes that impetrated grace by its ovvne vertue this by vertue from that that because it vvas a bloodie sacrifice and contained the full price of our Redemption vvas offered but once because a bloodie sacrifice is but once killed a ransome or Redemption is but once payed this because it is a mysticall mactation and an application onelie of that price of our Redemption is oftentimes offered That vvas offered immediatlie by Christ this novv immediatlie by his Priest at the holy Altar 12. This veritie of the vnbloodie sacrifice Catholique vvriters doe prooue by all those kind of arguments as I my selfe haue in some bookes of myne by vvhich the greatest mysteries and articles of our faith are prooued as by Scriptures Councels fathers and practice of the Church but because I intend in this my Paraphrase to abstaine from controuersies and onelie to stirre vp sinners to repentance I vvill omit all such argumentes and vvill returne to our penitent king and Prophet And vvhy Dauid doest thou so much desire that the vvalles of this Hierusalem and the temple of the Church of Christ should be built out of my zeale saith he of God his greater glorie and saluation of others for then saith he shalt thou accept sacrifice of iustice then and not before shalt thou accept the bloodie and vnbloodie sacrifices of the sonne of God the true sacrifices of iustice because the bloodie sacrifice satisfied thy iustice in paying the price of our redēption the vnbloodie applieth the price then by these sacrifices thou shalt be infinitlie more honoured then by all the sacrifices of the old lawe then thousands more both of Ievves and Gētils shall be saued then vvere in the old lavv then shall be layd on thy Altar not calues and oxen but the sacrifices of thy sacred bodie and blood the verities of those figures 13. In a tropicall or morall sēse Hierusalem the temple doe signifie the soule of man and in this sence Dauid desireth that the walles of his Hierusalem the forces of his soule lost by sinne may by grace be repaired Desire thou also ô penitent sinner vvith this penitent king and Prophet that the forces of thy ruinous Hierusalem of thy soule cast downe by sinne may be repayred that faith the foundatiō of this spirituall temple may be renewed if it be lost or strengthned if it be not lost that the walles of thy hopes by which this Hierusalem and tēple riseth and is raised may be erected fortified that Charitie the toppe and roofe may couer it that this temple may be cleansed from all sinne and that by all Christian vertues it may be adorned by God his grace and guiftes of the holie Ghost embellished and that in it daylie spirituall sacrifices of prayer praise thankesgiuing of a contrite heart of all good workes may be offered to God his honour glorie 14. Lastlie in the Anagogicall sense Dauid desireth that the walles of the celestiall Hierusalem may be built that is that the Heauēlie Hierusalē ruined in part by the falle of Lucifer and his rebellious followers may be repayred and their seates filled For he knew by faith that there vvas a Hierusalem in Heauen farre more glorious then that in earth Apoc. 21. and vvhich by S Iohn his description is built of no vvorse materialls then pearles gold and pretious stones thereby signifying the splendour riches and maiestie of it S. Paul calleth it a mount Sion Heb. 12. the Citie of the liuing God Heauenlie Hierusalem and the assemblie of many thousand Angels the Church of the first borne vvhich are vvritten in the Heauēs This is the true Hierusalem that is the true vision of peace vvhere all seeing God face to face doe all peaceablie aggre in louing praising honouring and seruing him 15. In this Hierusalem euerie Saint and Angell is a liuing stone which cōposeth buildeth vp this Citie euerie Saint and Angell is a courtier of this Court euerie Saint and Angell is a miniō and fauorit of the Heauenlie king euerie Saint and Angell is a Quirester of God his Chappell euerie Saint Angell is a king of a kingdome of no lesse extent then the Kingdome of Heauen 16. In this Heauenlie Hierusalem there is peace vvithout vvarre securitie vvithout feare contentement vvithout disgust satietie without glutting ioy vvithout sorrow rest with without labour light vvithout darkenes morning without euening day vvithout night spring without the falle of the leafe summer vvithout vvinter youth vvithout old age health vvithout sicknes life without death happines vvithout miserie and one happier then an other vvithout all enuie because euery one reioyceth in an others happines as if it vvere his ovvne no sinne against God all iointlie louing him no falling out vvith one an other because all in God doe loue one another and no end of this felicitie but a perseuerance in all this for all eternitie O vvorld