dry-foot in the time of shipwrack and shall be safe in the middest of the flames And namely when a fearefull famine shall come to deuour nations Manna shall fall from heauen to feed them For the wrath of God is only vpon the wicked his anger is only kindled against them As for the iust the neerer they seeme to danger the neerer they are to safety 22. They are not like to Gods enemies who are highly honored and exalted to make their dounfal the more greiuous and shamefull for nothing hath a great fal but that which is highly exalted The ruines of towers shiuer themselues in peices and fall to dust the wicked doe worse for when they once fetch their leape they do not only fall away to dust but vanish into smoake and euaporate to nothing Behold the cloudes which comes foorth of the thundring throate of a great Cannon what a thick vapour it casteth foorth how it seemes to fill the emptines of the vaste ayre and to muste the sunne but they are no sooner ascended but they grow lesser and so at the last consume away so as not any token there of is at all to be seene Such is the greatnes of the wicked which hath no matter but their sinne no motion but theire vanity it increaseth in an instant and in a moment perrisheth And all the labour they bestow in preseruing it serueth to no vse or purpose at all 23. They borrow and pay not againe all that they catch is their owne and they leaue nothing for other men to carry away neuerthelesse all his proffits them nothing for as the aboundance of meat doth not fatten him that is in a consumption because the radical humor of his life is spent eauen so the blessing of God which is the roote of all prosperity declines from the wicked The iust man on the contrary who is full of mercy and compassion giueth largely of his goods and distributes his money and like a current of springing water neuer waxeth drye 24. It is a blessing promised to those which blesse the name of God that they shall inherit the earth that is they shall hold the earth as an inheritaÌ„ce by good title albeit they are molested yet they shall neuer be ouerthrowne For they are Gods children whom he hath created and therefore they haue sufficient authority to hold it But those which blaspheme his name are disinherited of his fauour and like vngratefull children are depriued of their fathers inheritance so as bearing his curse they must of force perrish 25. For there is none other saluation in the world but to trust in God and to commit ones selfe to his keeping He directeth the wayes of the iust man and gouernes his actions so as they need not to be amended He stirres vp his will to godlines and turnes a way his eies from the baits of sinne he will bring him back from the lanes and bywayes of pleasure into the road way of vertue and cause him to walke in the paths of his commandements 26. It is a faire plaine way where there are no stumbling-blocks all is smooth and euen And if the wicked or father of lies holdes out their legges to giue the iust man a fall thou ô Lord art neere vnto him to raise him vp againe and not to suffer him to be broken in peices And with thy hand of mercy that most soft and tender hand thou liftest him vp againe on his feet 27. I haue beene young and now am olde yet to my remembrance I neuer saw the iust man wholly forsaken of God nor his children brought to begge their bread It may be that sometimes some crosse may light on him for a triall of his constancy and for a proofe of his vertue yet it do's no more but passe by and shake him not being of force to throw him downe 18. I haue seene such an one whoe all day long did nothing but giue and lend so as a man would haue thought that hee tooke delight in wasting his goodes and yet neuerthelesse hee did still abound in substance more then before he much resembled the Pipe of a Pumpe which draweth vp water in casting it forth the full in him could not endure the empty The iust man giueth good doth forthwith fill him his posterity is neuer the poorer for his bounty for the blessing of God causeth riches to spring in him as the sunne doth the fruites of the earth multiplies them a hundred for one 29. Seeing then that God is so good and bountifull if yee loue his fauour take care to please him the way is to turne away from euil and to do good God loues him which imitates him for loue proceeds from resemblance his actions are to do good it is his chiefest occupation He began this worke when he made the world and is neuer weary of it Let vs then doe like him and so long as wee shall dwell in this world where hee hath giuen vs meanes to serue to his glory and the profit of our neighbour let vs not neglect this occasion to discharge our duties one to another and by that meanes obtaine his fauor which is the richest treasure we can purchase 30. Nothing doth please him so much as Iustice for thereby as much as in vs lieth wee preserue his workmanship and allow his wise councell in giuing to euery one that which is his owne and distributed by the vniuersall lawe of the world which we call nature and wee must thinke that when wee iudge other men we administer his power and that such iudgment as wee giue the like will he giue vs when hee shall sit in his throne to iudge the world not that hee can iudge amisse like vs but he will make vs feele by his indgement the smart which wee haue procured to other men by ours For hee will neuer forsake his Saints hee will at the last gather them together and will shield them from the in-iustice of men he will of purpose sitte downe in his seate to iudge those which do oppresse them 31. There will he pronounce a rigorous iudgment against the vniust and hee will destroy the wicked They shall bee confined in infernall torment they shall bee heard to howle in the middest of their torture and their punishment shall ouer-runne their heads euen vnto their posteritie and their children shall beare the sinnes of their fathers and shall endure part of their misery 32. And at the same time the grace of God shall shedde it selfe aboundantly on the iust to the end that their prosperity may bee a second punishment to the wicked filling their hearts with enuie which shall continuâ—lly gnawe them for they shal behold good men to posâ—sse their lands in peaceâ— their posterity to reigne in quiet and to flourish like the tree planted by a sweet riuers side which spreds forth her branches in the ayre flourisheth in beauty aboundeth in leaues and brings forth most excellent fruite 33. But what shall
Their miserie hangs ouer their head misfortunes follow them at euery steppe vntill they haue throwne them head-long into that gulph the onely thought whereof is fearefull to all those which do remember it whose easiest places of retreate are full of cryes groanings and lamentations Where paine is without end griese without remedie repentance without mercy where death is immortall the body liuing but to dye and the soule to suffer where the soule feeles nothing but her sinne and the body but his punishment On the contrary those which couer themselues with the Lords fauour which make his mercy their buckler who haue no other hope but in his goodnesse who follow his comandements and are iealous of his will and pleasure what felicitie is there but they may attaine to what precious thing is there in heauen but shall bee opened vnto them They shall sitte side by side with their God and beeing enuironed with glory so much happinesse shall be heaped vpon them as the soule of man is not able to conceiue the least part thereof much lesse can my barren tongue expresse it 14. I will then reioyce ô my God in the hope of such and so many benefits as thou reseruest in heauen to crowne the iust withall Vnto this ioy I inuite you all which trust to the wordes of our Sauiour which loue iustice and righteousnesse there doth the reward of your labours attend you there you shall be placed in honor and glory there shall you exchange the sharpe thornes of this world for flourishing Lillies of all eternity Oh then shall the sweate of your afflictions finde most sweete rest Gold comes not forth of the flames in the Furnace more pure and shining to bee stamped with the Image of a great Prince and then to serue for the adornment of some rich cabinet as the hart of that man which loueth his God shall be drawne pure and cleane from the miseries of this world to be inuironed with splendor and glory What day can now displease mee in this world who shall hinder and stay me from entring into the howse of the Lord for to liue in his seruice vpon what day of my life shall I ceasse from bewailing those sinnes which kept me forth of his fauor vnite then in me ô my God these two contrary passions ioy and repentance to the end that like as the pilgrim who hath lost his way in a desert reioyceth when hee beholds the dawning of the day and yet for all that cannot forget the obscure darkenesse out of the which hee is yet scarce come nor lay aside his feare of so troublesome a night euen so haue I alwayes abhorred my sinnes past and haue neuerthelesse a certaine and liuely hope to enioy that eternall happinesse which thou hast purchased for vs by the price of the bloud of thy deere Sonne Iesus Christ. Alas how great is this loue when the Maister spareth not the life of his childe to redeeme his seruant Beeing then formed by thy hand redeemed by thy bloud and purified by thy mercy I offer my selfe vnto thee for a sacrifice of obedience reiect mee not ô my God Domine ne in furore Psalme 37. O Lord I must needs returne againe vnto thee and begin a new to implore thy mercy for thine anger seemeth to bee newly kindled against mee Alas my God wilt thou punish mee in thy wrath and cause me to feele the violence of thy iust furie which my sinnes haue stirred vp against me the torch consumed by fire falleth into ashes and I being deuoured by the heate of thine indignation shall vanish away and nothing will be left of me but onely smoake 2. For I see ô my God that thou hast let fly the sharpest arrowes of thy vengeance vpon mee thou hast touched mee with thine hand and thou takest it not of from me I feele remorse and terror in my conscience which doe astonish and bruze me like flashes of lightning and claps of thunder miseries come vnto me by heapes and one mishappe brings on another warre is no sooner ended but the plague assaileth mee and dâ—ath at the last bereaues mee of the deerest pledges which I haue in this world In what then ô my GOD shall I take comfort shall it bee in my selfe 3 Alasse there is no whole member about mee the disease hath pearced euen to the marrow of my bones there is no part about mee but doth reproch me for my sinnes and endures the punishment thereof I languish in my sorrow and no man comforts mee myne eyes serue mee for none other purpose but to behold my misery and my soule but to acknowledge my misfortune 4. I looke round about mee and as much as the eyes of my body and soule can discerne of the time past I see nothing aboue beneath nor on each side of me but sinne which compasseth me about and mine iniquites which crush and presse me downe they are heaped vpon my head like an heauy burthen and behold they smother me 5. How shall I resist them what strength haue I to defend my selfe seeing that my body falleth in peeces corruption runnes from it on euery side mysoares are no sooner shut but they open againe and if my body bee ill my soule is much worsse it is all confounded and trembleth for feare 6. And as sicknesse vndermines my body which is ready to die euen so doth sorrow my soule and steales away the strength thereof and as a sharp cold doth freeze and wither the tender new bud in the blosome euen so doth the finger of the Lord which hath touched my soule discourage it and make it to languish 7. But Alasse my God! what courage can I haue when I behold my selfe couered with wounds and that there is no part of my body free from greefe and that besides my disease my licentious pleasures present them-selues before me which reproch my sinne and deride my vanity I say to my selfe must I needs dippe my life in the honney of so many delights to steepe it afterwards in the gall of such bitter anguish where art thou now ô deceitful voluptuousnes which diddest melt my soule in the sweere licour of thy pleasures ô what a draught dost thou now leaue mee 8 Now ô Lord haue I not endured enough hath not my humility sufficiently chasticed my pride if I haue sinned thorow foolish presumption I haue since then fallen vpon the ground and couered mine head with ashes with mine owne arme I haue preuented my punishment I haue cleft my hart with cries and melted mine eies into teares and yet thy wrath continewes 9 It may be ô Lord that thou hast not perceued my laments thou who in the twinckling of an eye lookest thorow heauen and earth whose sight pearceth the very bottom of our hearts ô LORD thou hast read my thoughts and knowest mine intents what haue I craued but thy mercy wherein did I hope but in thy goodnesse wherefore haue I made a publicke profession of
to haue in his fauour How happy are they whom the sundry encounters of this world could neuer shake in their assurance of the diuine iustice how great and praise-worthy is the constancie of such people 12. For to speake truth my foote did often-times slip in this way I did often slide and almost fell to the ground Like vnto those who ascend a sharpe and thornie passage when they feele them-selues pricked with some thorne or bryer doe presently with the paine let goe their hold whereby they went vp and forth with tumble down vnlesse they bee soone stayed euen so ô my God whilst I take vpon me to iudge of thy works and to behold how thou disposest thy graces being pricked grieued at the prosperity of the wicked I fetch many false steps and am ready to fall head-long downe and to iudge amisse of thy wisedome and iustice 13. How comes it to passe say I that people which know not God but to blaspheme him who thinke they haue hired him to serue their libidinous and peruerse affections who care not otherwise for him but only to haue him serue for a coulour to their wickednesse and for a maske to their iniquities that they should neuerthelesse reape the fruite of his fauor and possesse in peace and quiet the very creame of his blessings I confesse it ô my GOD that I am iealous of their prosperity and I enuy it and it seemeth vnto mee that it is altogether against reason 4. What man that beholds them will say that they should euer die who is it but would thinke that they had purchased of thee at a price immortality in this world and parted stakes with thee of an eternall continuance in all felicity In other matters of this world some change is seene which sheweth that of necessety an end must follow but in their happinesse is such firmnesse descerned as it seemeth that they still encreasing as they doe will at last attayne thy infinitenesse and seate them-selues in thine Heauenly throne for there is no manner of likely-hood to imagine that any thing should hurt them nor that the least misfortune should once draw neere the lustre of such magnificence It is a matter incredible to thinke that any euell should hurt their pretious bodies enuironed with such numbers of excellent riches 5. Other men waxe crooked with trauaile labour is their trade of life they are borne in teares and grow vp in sighs they waxe olde in lamentations the sea is oftener free from winde then their life from torment so many arrowes stick not about a white as miseries and aflictions are seene to encompasse other men But these men only are free and safe and with a firme and smooth course of life they bath themselues with ease in the pleasures of this world and make the calamities of honest people and such as feare God their only sport and pastime Who hath seene a tyrant from a theater to behold his slaues fighting with Tygers Lions and to feed his cruell eies and heart with the inhumane sight of those poore dismembred creatures in the selfe same manner doe these vile wretches feed their wishes with the sight of the aflictions which scourge the innocent 7. Oh how proud and arrogant it makes them they think that the earth was made only for them and that it is not bigge enough to hold them As for the other sort they behold them at one side and it seemeth that they enuie that they liue and they scornefully mutter these words shall we neuer be rid of these rascalls wil they still be in our sight Then they say among themselues what is this fellow but a varlet that man but a foole So in loue are they with themselues that they account nothing in this world goodlier then themselues they adore them-selues like Gods they serue their owne lusts reuerence their owne passions so as they are couered ouer head and eares with pride rapine and iniustice 7. They are fatte onely with mischeefe their bodies are not so larded with fatte as their soules with sinnes All manner of villainy and abhomination dwells in their consciences all their thoughts and wishes tend to filthinesse they fixe their eies onely therevpon their fingers itch at it they haue none other minde nor affection and mallice doth animate and giue motion to their bodies 8. Yee shall see them so soone as they haue a long time thought on their sinne chewed their euell plottes and executed some wicked enterprise how they will glorie in them braue the world and talke as though they had authority for whatsoeuer they did If there were any shame in them they would at leastwise satisfie them-selues with their licentious outrages exercized vpon men and not thus vilanously blaspheame and curse the sacred name of God 9. But what ô my God they haue listed vp their heads against Heauen they haue scornefully beheld the seate of thy greatnesse as if they should say what is there to bee compared vnto vs To vs who do what wee list in this world who haue aboundance of all things As for the earth they vouchsafe not to looke on it or if in pitty they cast their eyes on it they say what is this earth but that which cloyes vs with her aboundance wearies vs with hir fruitfulnesse 10. This is truely the reason ó Lord why all the people beeing amazed come together in heapes to view this prodigy and runne from all partes to behold this spectacle and they are mute to see this wonder they are there fixed and looke one vppon another 11. At the last they waxe impatient and beginne to murmur What doth not God who seeth all things perceiue this Is it not hee which hath this greate all-seeing eye who bath beheld things before they were created sees them in their beeing and force-sees their end Is not his prouidence saide to bee as great in the gouernment of the world as his goodnesse was wonderfull in the creation thereof If hee hath disposed all things in order if hee hath created by measure if his iustice bee present in the gouernement of the world what doth hee at this time where doth hee now sleepe 12. Behold the wicked haue seazed on his benefits and possesse the wealth of the world a man would thinke that al was made for them ritches raines downe vpon them honours enters their houses in heapes happinesse laies hold on them perforce they desire and haue they wish and obtaine 13. And at the last I my selfe haue likewise said my God how comes this to passe I haue in vaine iustified myne hart and ruled mine actions according to thy commandements I haue despoiled my selfe of al affections for to loue nothing but thee I haue circumcized my heart from all euill desires I haue fettered my will in thy law to the end it might only serue thy glory eschew sinne and sinners I kept company with the innocent and haue lifted vp my hands with them not
thee to inlighten my mind of those things which thou hast ordaided in heauen in the seate of thine eternity Yet ô Lord thou hast supplied that defect and hast led me by the hand to see the secrets of thine eternal wisedome thou hast in a manner rauished me and taken my soule out of my body to make it capable of the diuine light of thy wise purposes 25. In very deed when I enter into the consideration of these wonders my heart fainted and I fell into a swoune what is this ô my God my God what hast thou made mee to see God of my heart God of my thoughts God of my hope God whome I account all my wealth to loue whome I haue hence-forward destined all my affections I know now ô Lord what thou art how iust how mighty and I will neuer more be astonisht to see strange matters in this world the reason whereof I am not able to comprehend For thy councells are wondrous high this wisdome is merueilous deepe But in the ende ô LORD whatsoeuer thou disposest in this world endeth in iustice 26. For all those who forsake thine obedience and leaue thy fauour shall most miserably perrish all those which violate the faith of the alliance which they haue sworne vnto and yet serue their owne concupiscences and commit whoredome with the earth and their fleshly affections all those which polute their consciences and prostitute their soules to wickednesse and impious cogitations shal be rooted out and passe through the fury of thy reuenging hands 27 But as for me ô my God I will neuer depart from thee I will neuer hope for any other good but to be first ioyned to thy sides I will fixe mine eyes vppon thee to the end to obserue thy becke and to conforme my selfe to whatsoeuer thou desirest of me and I will follow steppe by steppe all that which thou shalt commaund me I meane to put all my trust in thee and seeing that I know thee to be al good and almighty as I steedfastly beleeue that thou louest mee I will likewise firmely beleeue that thou wilt ayde mee and giue me whatsoeuer shal be necessary for me ô how goodly and certaine is the hope which is builded on the promise of almighty God who hath giuen mee so many earnest pence of his bounty so many pawnes of his liberallitie and all to make me beleeue that the recompence which he hath promised me for seruing him faithfully is most certaine and sure Wherefore ô my GOD doest thou thus prodigally lode mee with blessings why doest thou promise mee such aboundance of them seeing there is in mee nothing but sinne and infirmitie 28. I know very well ô Lord that it is because I shall haue matter enough to spred abroad euery where of thine immense mercy and vnspeakable goodnesse to the end I may publish thy praise in all the gates in all the streetes of thy holy Sion that going vp into thine holy hill in the middest of those whom thou hast gathered together in thy Church to receiue thy blessings and to serue to thy glory I may acquaint them with the secrets of thy wisdome which thou hast pleased to reueale vnto mee And that directing my voyce by the stile which thy holy spirit hath framed I may bee able to vnfold the sacred mysteries of thine incomprehensible wisedome to the ende that as many as shall heare mee to discourse of the knowledge wherein thou hast instructed mee may admire not mee which am but an hoarce instrument of thy glory but the wonderfull effects of thy quickning spirit which shall animate mee to this godly holy and worthy worke And after ô Lord that thou hast a while kept vs at this stay in this earthly Sion lift vp our eies towards the holy Sion encourage vs to aspire to this blessed dwelling place and teach vs who they are vnto whom thou hast promised it and how wee ought to carry our selues to become worthy of so faire so holy and so glorious an habitation Domine quis habitabit in Tabernaculo Psalme 15. IT is thy pleasure then ô Lord thar this world to vs should be a wearisome Pilgrimage Al day long we walk vp downe in it and at night we can find no rest for our tired members If we thinke to lay downe our heads on our pillowes to giue slumber to our eye-liddes afflictions like so many flies disquiet vs and the very passions which are ingendred in our flesh like dangerous scorpions do waken and poison vs and at the last kill vs vnles we kil them on the wound What may we hope for seeing that as strength decreaseth our euills doe encrease seeing that on what side so euer wee turne our selues wee walke in the middest of this world and this world is euery where full of miseries Where shall wee then expect rest not in this miserable life where wee are sent like champions to the game to encounter with all manner of aduersities but onely ô Lord in thy Tabernacle in the sacred dwelling place of thy diuinity where our trauailes are to bee crowned O happy yea thrice happy hee for whom thou hast prepared this goodly and delectable place of retreate which will sweeten and comfort our passed griefes in the bosome of thy grace and refresh vs in the armes of thy mercy But who are they who shall one day dwell with thee as beholders of thy felicity and glorie for to heare so much as is spoken thereof that place is not accessible to all the world it is a place of fearefull heigth of infinite largenesse decked with incredible magnificence I can no otherwayes describe it then that it is a very high hill on the toppe whereof a maruailous goodly garden is to bee seene set with all sortes of flowers hedged in with an infinite number of fruit-trees watered with cleere and running fountaines it is verely an hill for to mount it it behooues vs to climbe vpon all sides on tribulations a hundred times harder then flint or rocks And in ascending it we must goe still farther and farther from the center of the earth that is to say from the loue thereof and to put all sensuall and earthly affections vnder foot It is indeed like a flourishing garden for there groweth seedes and causes of all thinges which do daily flourish with infinite faire effects and excellent workmanship it hath for compartiments the goodly disposing of the worlds parts so iustly measured as nothing more the fruits are the sweete and sauory contemplations of wisedome wherewith it nourisheth and filleth those soules that dwell there it hath for fountaines the springs gushing foorrh of the eternall goodnes which poures it selfe from on high into all the parts of the world doth continnually bath and refresh them O faire and holy hill who shall ascend thy toppe who shall rest in the very bosome of so goodly and so delectable a mansion 2. He who purified in the sacred flames of an