THE HOLY LOVE OF Heavenly Wisdom. With many other godly Treatises. Newly set forth, perused, and augmented by the Author.  
Translated out of French into English, by Tho. Sto. Gent.   printer's device of Richard Field (McKerrow 210) ANCHORA SPEI 
LONDON Printed by Richard Field, for Thomas man.. 1594.   

The names of the treatises contained within this volume.  

1 The holy love of heavenly Wisdom.  
2 The Epistle of S. Basile, of a solitary life.  
3 An exhortation unto a civil life, dedicated unto Mounsi. L.  
4 A Meditation of the 7. Psalms of David his repentance.  
5 A Meditation of the 7. Psalms of David his consolation.  
6 A Meditation of the lords Prayer.  
7 Meditations of the Lamentations of jeremiah.  
8 The song of Ezechias. Isaiah. 38.    

The Translator, to the Christian reader.  
THou shalt receive here, I hope, (Christian Reader) unto thy great comfort, these short discourses and meditations, if thou read them with judgement, and according to sobriety: the titles of which thou shalt find set down severally and a part in the next page before. Accept therefore I beseech thee, both the great pain of the Author, and my poor travel in translating of them, which I trust I have faithfully done according to his meaning, and look what benefit thou reapest by them, be first thankful unto God, and next unto him, and so I commit them to thy gentle acceptation.   

The holy love of heavenly Wisdom.  
WE are like unto that kind of people, who having been led captive into some far country when they were young, have not only lost their time, but have forgotten also both their country, natural language, and the amity of their own kindred. For, we are no sooner out of our cradle and swaddling clouts as it were, but that our perverse and froward affections surprise us, as a man would say, like violent winds, and filling the sails of our desires, with a thousand delicate gales, make us mightily degenerate from our own natural inclination, driving us thereby from all true and right reason. For, let our soul continue never so little a while in this banishment, she by and by forgetteth her original being, loseth the remembrance of her principal benefit and good, and in the end, which is a far greater mischief, she forgetteth likewise the knowledge of herself. Now then there remaineth nothing why we are not altogether like unto these miserable captives. For, if they after their long captivity, have never so little hope of their return, or do but hear their country spoken of, a man shall perceive their hearts to leap with joy in their bodies, so greatly doth this kind of news please and like them. But contrariwise, we utterly mislike those men, who labour to call us home again unto the place where we had our first being, and abhor nothing more than when we see them mark out unto us the ready way to come thereto. These men will leave the fortunate Islands, and return unto the Ithaque, set fast like a nest built upon the very top of a sharp steepy rock. And we will not only leave the mire and dirt wherein we sit fast mortrized, rather than we would possess and enjoy most assured and everlasting felicity. Now, some man may peradventure say unto me, I beseech you Sir, where is that felicity which you talk of? show it unto us, for that is it that we desire: for what man is he that would refuse to be happy and blessed? Alas my good friends, I know that the word liketh you well: but without doubt ye fly from the thing itself: or at least, ye follow nought else but the shadow, and leave the body flying from you, and hunting after a vain cloud of delight, reject the true, sound and incomparable pleasure. Where then is it, say you? show unto us the way and tract, that we may speedily take hold thereof. Shall I tell you my good friends one thing, and that is this, would it not think you, make you laugh to see a poor or sand blinded man come unto Pylon, a most excellent counterfeitor in painting, and importune him to show him his pictures and exquisite paintings, or to see a deaf man press in to hear the sweet music and harmony of Bayf a most excellent musician, would not the first man say, unto the sand blinded man, go thy way, and remove first from thee that running humour which is the cause of the dimming of thy sight, & unto the other, go thou and dry up the catarrh which is the occasion of thy deafness, and then thou that art blindish, shalt see our excellent paintings, and thou that art deaffish shalt hear our delicate and pleasant songs? For, as the pleasure of the senses cannot be well tasted nor relished, but by such as have whole and sound bodies, no more can the contentation and delight of the mind, wherein resteth our chief felicity, be perceived by any, but by such, as have cleansed their souls of all sinful and corrupt lusts, which as filthy botches and blains extinguish the vital spirits in that part of the body wherein they are engendered. Hear than you see what you must do, if you determine to make yourselves capable to taste of the fruits of this everlasting happiness. I right well know, that ye are so brought up, even from your youth, in the pleasures of your senses, and make so much of them, as that you are afeard ye shall lose them, without I leave this as a pawn unto you, which will bring unto you far more infinite greater pleasure, and wherewith I will feast you, and quickly show it you. But who is able to make men, that are no better than dust and ashes, to see the estate and disposition of a pure and innocent soul, whose action is perfectly blessed, and altogether heavenly, wherein consisteth this most excellent contentation? In very deed, you press me too too sore, and crave at my hands more than I am able to do. But because I am loath to discourage you, and make you mal-content, I will do for you whatsoever I am able. And I will deal with you, as the carriers about of monsters do: For, they set up their pictures at the corners of the streets, and hang out the portraitures of them at their own lodgings, and when the people have paid their money at the coming in of the gate, than they show them their natural and lively bodies. Now, the sight which I invite you to see, is this Wisdom, which we may rightly say, to be the very truth and knowledge of all things, but especially of heavenly things, which is full of unspeakable clearness, brightness, and splendure, and which also, if we might behold face to face, and in her natural excellency, would ravish us with her love, and cause us hate these base and earthly things, with the love of which we are so far sotted, even to our very destruction. I will here hand up, as it were, upon the beaten high ways, pictures and images, so that if ye be disposed to go right on to the gate, ye shall see both the image and the embosting of them: which is without all doubt most marvelous, and when you have paid your custom, and passed the borders and limits of this life, you shall see that, which no tongue is able to utter, nor ear able to hear. But to make you acknowledge at length what this is, and plainly to prick out unto you some draughts hereof, I beseech you consider even of the things which you so wonder at here in this world, and so greedily and eagerly labour for, and hunt after, and you shall find, that if you go only step by step on them, and follow still your way, that they will at last bring you unto the knowledge of that which you at this day desire. But because that in stead of going on them, you settle yourselves, and sit fast down upon on them, you yourselves become most vile and filthy by them. Now, let us see a little why you thus satisfy your senses, and from whence this pleasure and tickling delight springeth, wherein you establish the seat of your worldly felicity. cometh this from the object of natural things, that are grown unto perfection? Are these the well mingled, sorted, and settled colours, and the exactly observed proportions and dimensions, which thus please the eyes? What other thing admire you in a meadow, ennameled with a thousand goodly and odoriferous flowers, and so richly in diverse places, with sundry colours bedecked? What other thing admire you in the stately buildings of kings, in their Bracelets, Chains, and other jewels, and in the Tables of most excellent Pictures, but only this curious observation? Yea what other estimation make you of the most fair sweet faces of women, with whom ye effeminately burn in love, but an equal proportion, and exact diligence of nature, in the conformity and assembly of many things differing one from another? What other thing is the sweetness of one especial voice of a man, or the melody of many together in consort, but a just and orderly continuation of them all together, or sudden motion of many voices, according to a natural rule and proportion of the same? And what other thing is the most pleasant and sweet savour that a man can possibly smell, but a certain temperature both of heat and moisture, and a certain quality imprinted in a body, by the sudden motion of one or many causes? Neither is any thing sweet and pleasant in the most delicate meats and savours, but a certain measure of well mixed licoures. Neither doth the touching of them bring or yield any other pleasure, but a certain equality and length which we find in natural bodies. Now mark then all the pleasures which your senses can possibly receive: ye consume the whole time of your life, only about them: for, for them alone, ye weary your bodies with continual toiling & moiling, and for them alone, ye strive against the winds, and cross the seas. If then ye find that all these particular things do possess your minds by a certain vain show of beauty and excellency, what will ye then say, when as ye shall consider of them all at once, and at one view, even from their first beginning, unto the highest degree of their perfection? Shall ye not see the self and the same difference between them, that is between one stone alone, and an whole proud and costly Palace, and between one voice, and a complete and full noise of music, and between one finger, and the whole body? What matter can you make of all these particular things, especially of these earthly things, when as in lifting up your eyes towards the Sun and Stars, ye behold the world, from the highest part of heaven, to the lowest part of the earth, even from the beginning of the same unto the end thereof, and consider, how many wonderful things are depainted and set forth on every side? If so be then, we have done it to feed and satisfy our senses only, with the communicating of these beautiful and excellent things, it must needs be that we have done it at the least by reason of the whole workmanship and frame of the same, the elegancy whereof consisteth in the accordance and assembly of all the other particular beauties & ornaments thereof. But our soul, which lancheth and stretcheth forth her desires and wishes far above the reach of our senses, without we will violently captivate, choke and strangle her, hath no desire to stay here. For she findeth nothing here, which can any way retain, or yet contain her. But she is more honourable than so, for she embraceth heaven and earth, compasseth all the whole world, pierceth the bottomless depths, knoweth all things, and bestirreth and manageth herself, and is so glorious, as that if we conserve her in her natural excellency, all the rest of the things of the world, in respect of her, will seem to be most filthy and ugly. After she hath beheld herself, and exercised herself about the searching out of causes and sciences, finding nothing in all this, no not any thing in herself, that liketh her self, and resting herself in a desire which she hath to learn, she is enforced to lift up herself far above the world, yea and far above herself, and suffereth herself to be guided by the works of the workmaster. And there she seethe all at once, all sorts of beauties and perfections, abutting and assembling themselves even from their very first original, and by so much the more they appear most excellent and wonderful, by how much the nearer they come from thence from whence they first came. Altogether like unto the Sun beams, which, the nearer they are the body from whence they shoot and spread themselves, the greater, the purer, and the brighter they do appear. I use especially in this behalf this comparison, because that of all things which we know here below, nothing more proportionably agreeth with our soul, than our sight, which is the most noble, lively, & quickest action of all our senses, nor nothing more proportionable unto God than the light, which is the most pure and most excellent thing in the world. And the ancient wise men have said, That the light was God's body, and the truth his soul, representing, showing, and giving us a taste as it were, hereby, of one of the greatest secrets of the Godhead. We must therefore open and unseele the eyes of our mind, that we may pierce into this heavenly light, even unto the depth of the everlasting truth. If we will never so little help ourselves, and lift up our soul, that she may ascend by those steps, which offer themselves unto her, and hoist up her sail on high, what delight and pleasure might she not hope for, but wish, not wish for, but say, not say, but think, which we enjoy not in full measure? yea such pleasure as that we should feel increase and redouble in us, until the time that being ascended unto the feast, we should be joined unto that first and most high light. So as we then being compassed with brightness, and ravished with the sight of this wonderful beauty, should feel the pleasure most infinitely to be increased, & be filled with incomparable joy, & to make us generally scorn these fleeting & perishing shing delights, all these fading & changeable sweet pleasures, which occupy our minds here below, and none otherwise to be desired, then as a small spark of beauty spread over us like a scarf. Then shall we enter ●nto the shop where all these rare and strange works were cast in a mould, where we shall not only see the patterns of them, and not only handle the tools and instruments, but shall also see, and familiarly know the very workemaster of them: who will not only show unto us his workmanship, nor descifer only unto us his purposes, but will also teach us his art and science, and make us all perfect and godly according to himself. There shall we see the beams of this Deity spread all over, and reunite itself unto this body of light, whereunto, when we shall see ourselves conjoined in thought, we shall then perceive at once all the causes and effects of the eternal wisdom, which particularly, and separably may seem to be able to be furnished with matter to our great contentment. Here than we see wherein consisteth our felicity, that is to say, in this undriable springhead of beauties, in this deep sea of all bounties, whereinto all the rivers & streams of the world must run. That is to say, into this original light, unto whom we must turn ourselves, and upon whom we must fast fix and set the eyes of our souls, if so be we love the eternal blessedness. Alas, how excellent was this last sigh of the Philosopher Plotin, who having now his soul giving up herself between his lips, called his scholars unto him, giving them this farewell. My good friends, God grant you to live, both now, and hereafter, in bliss for ever, and always turn that godliness that is in you, unto that ancient & principal Deity. O noble speech, and worthy the closing up of the mouth and life of a Philosopher! But what shall we do for the returning of ourselves unto God, and to approach, reunite, and become one with him? Shall we present ourselves unto his majesty in that estate wherein we commonly stand? No surely, for if we, before such time as we lift up the eyes of our souls towards this clear and bright burning light, do not wipe, and cleanse ourselves, we shall, in stead of enjoying this glorious and pure light, have that little sight that we have utterly put out. For, as in the law of the Jews, the woman that offered herself unto the trial of the jealousy offering, received no hurt by the bitter & cursed water if she were chaste and sound, but was quit and free from all blame & suspicion: and contrariwise, if she had broken her marriage promise & faith, remained infected, and so rotten and burst in sunder: even so also those men, who, as the members of the Church of God, have married his only Son, if they offer themselves polluted and defiled to touch the holy fire of his holy spirit, are rather blinded, then enlightened, yea rather consumed, then warmed. And this is the reason why God, when as he, having compassion of our ruin & fall, is willing for our salvation, to disclose unto the world this light of wisdom, he sendeth his herald before to wash & make clean the souls of all such as he would have behold the brightness of his glory. We hear every where the sound of the holy voice of this Prophet, crying, Make strait & plain the ways of the living God, repent, and bring forth the fruits worthy of repentance, for he will come with his fan in his hand to winnow the Corn from the Chaff, lay up the Corn by itself, and cast the Chaff into everlasting fire. Seeing then that we desire this great felicity, and that before we present ourselves unto him, we must cleanse our hearts and minds, and make them capable to conceive of heavenly things, let us see what remedies we have for that purpose. Howbeit, let us somewhat a little before, consider, how and in what sort we have so defiled ourselves, that we might thereby the more easily find out the meetest means to cleanse ourselves: and let us see from whence and which way we are fallen, that thereby we may perceive by what means we may be able to lift up ourselves again. For, God saw nothing amongst all his works which any thing drew near unto his perfection: and therefore he himself was then desirous to mould and fashion a living image of his Deity, which should be his chief and especial work, and set him in the midst of the world. Whereupon, man forthwith showed himself in the midst of the earth so perfect and complete, as that nothing could be wished to be more excellently perfect. For, he being made a lively image, and being also as it were but a short and half picture, having withal, many the lineaments both of the air, and of the grace of the principal subject or matter, was most wonderfully perfect. The holy fire which God had breathed into him, being very pure, enlightened his understanding, and filled him with the knowledge of all things, in so much, that he having truth for his guide, and virtue for his aid, all his actions passed within the compass of reason: and turning himself continually unto his Creator, received to himself as in a very clear looking glass, the form and fashion of the Deity: in beholding of whom, he fixed and stayed all his thoughts, and thereby became very blessed, for he lived in God, and God in him. But when as this mirror which was beautified and adorned with the object of the Deity, would needs run himself amongst the troublesome and dangerous storms, and thereby defile and sully himself, than this immortal brightness disdained any more to show himself unto him, and left him altogether to remain in darkness & obscurity. So that man, before such time as he had turned his back upon God, being filled with a most sure knowledge of all things, is now as it were become brutished, and in stead of truth, is full of error and lying: and in stead of a ruled and moderate will, is now full of burning lust, so as all his thoughts which before were reunited to the beholding of his creator, have now spread themselves over the creatures, & roam about at all adventures without either guide or reason. This concupiscence and lust then having thus prostituted herself, forthwith conceived sin, which coming to a full growth, amended death. And death in deed, brought forth the extremity of all evils, and death I say, the hope of all horror and obscurity, wherein, all the while that man was swaddled & wrapped, was never since ever able to receive the brightness of the immortal light, ne yet attain again unto the conduct of the truth, the only beholding whereof is able to keep him back from coming to the point of his felicity. When man saw himself thus defaced, he was displeased with himself, & cursed his life as a gulf of misery, where he saw nothing before his eyes but confusion and darkness. And all his animadversions were nothing but of evils, and all his hope of nothing but of calamities. For, God being nothing but righteous, and man, nothing else but sin, what measure or end could there be of his punishment? Howbeit, the eternal wisdom who wrought with God in the creation of man, having compassion of the loss & destruction of such a work, came, as Tertullian saith, to lay a steep the poison of death in his own blood, to wash & cleanse us, & beside, to turn away the just wrath of his Father, that he might have mercy upon us, and so turn unto us again. Thus we see how we are entered again into grace with our God, purified by his mercy, called again unto the knowledge of his truth, and the beholding of his glory. Howbeit, we are so perverse & obstinate in our cursedness, & so great enemies to our own felicity, as that so soon as this eternal light would begin to appear and shine upon the clearness of our consciences, there to express and reimprint the face of his Deity, and relieve and recharge the lineaments of this divine wisdom, which are so shamefully defiled, and as it were utterly defaced, as that we make a thousand foul blemishes rebound upon ourselves, which blind and defile us, and thrust themselves between us, and the grace which should enlighten us. We must therefore as often as we defile ourselves, so often also lay too our hands to wipe away our foul and filthy stains, for the cleansing and clearing of our souls, so that we thereby being polished, the beams of our principal bounty and goodness may cause the clearness of virtue and truth most clearly shine, and brightly burn upon us. Here then we see the means which we herein must hold and keep: let us now look what the cause of this evil is, and then let us also wisely consider of the remedy for the same. In very deed, our perverse and corrupt judgement, is the very fountain of all our offences, and the springhead of that pestilent humour, which so infecteth and spoileth us. The things which spoil and trouble us, are the delights and pleasures which on every side allure us, and make us drunk before we are fully awake. This liquor then being mixed amongst our tender senses, by reason of the infirmity of our age, so delicately seasoneth us, as that we can never after lose and forget the savour thereof. We content not ourselves with moderately drinking, but we will be over head and ears also, tarrying still by it as if we would have the tide overflow us, leaving ourselves drowned as it were upon the swallowing quicksand of miserable old age. Now these sweet liquors wherewith we so fill and glut ourselves, turn by and by into bitterness, and fill our hearts and minds with a venomous humour, which infecteth and corrupteth us. For, the affection which we bear unto the beauty of these created things, being entertained and flattered by us, changeth itself into a furious and mad lust, which perverteth and overthroweth our sentes: for, the flattering and dissembling desire which we have unto these worldly riches, turneth itself into a blind and senseless passion, and are none otherwise to be esteemed in this world, but as the ordure and excrement of the earth: and the love of false honour converteth itself into a foolish desire to be far more than the rest of the world, and challengeth unto itself the reverence and service that is due unto God himself. The pleasure which we take in our feeding, is turned into beastly and shameless gluttony: The care that we take in preserving our bodies delicately, groweth into beastly uncleanness, and filthy lust, and the worthiness that we believe too too much of our own courage and valour, turneth itself into outrageous choler and rashness. And surely, our minds being stopped and oppressed with so foul and slimy humours, can never breath forth any thing that is pure and clean. Now, for the purging of all these subtle and mortal passions, and poisons of the mind, we must see what remedy we can find out for them, and it may be, it will be to good purpose to use the counsel which a good ancient Father gave unto a religious novice of his house. Like as wise nurses (said he) when they will wean their children, will rub the neble of their teat with wormwood, and other bitter drugs, even so must we be dealt withal for the making of us lose the taste of our delights and pleasures, for we must set down unto ourselves a certain punishment for our lusts, and change the hours of our pleasures into rigorous and austere exercises, and at that time we are wont to take our foolish and dissolute recreations, let us examine with all humility, what pains and torments our sinful and detestable life deserveth. I cannot tell whether this good old Father in speaking this, thought upon the custom which the Hebrews used, who made a solemn feast upon that day that they began to wean any of their children, or whether they rejoiced in that their children left their weaker food, and fell to more strong and mar●owye meats, either else to stir them up by their example unto a new kind of diet. For we may very fitly apply this example unto the instruction of our min●es, if 〈◊〉 we will wean ourselves from the milk of our delights, and swear an irreconcilable divorce between us and our sins, inviting ourselves unto the like feast, as he among●… those ●olie religious men, of whom Phylo, in the book of a contemplative life, maketh mention, did. They met together at this banquet, and the first, principal and most delicate and sweet dishes, were the most beautiful and best tasting fruits of true wisdom, which were presented unto them by a most elegant preaching of the Prophets and commandments of God, as pure and undefiled vessels. Their rejoicing, was consolation, their pastime, austerity, their delicate dishes, abstinence. Their minds being satisfied with such marrowy meat, they were in a marvelous great and firm tranquillity, to be at leisure to follow their most happy contemplation. And surely this exercise would become us all very well, nevertheless, we had need every one of us particularly to accomplish this our purging of the soul, which we call repentance, by means whereof, our soul returning into herself, shall be able to wipe out spot by spot, the blots that there most filthly do savour. Seeing then that this repentance should be unto us as it were the entrance and preface of a good and perfect life, which should make us clean, we should therein exercise ourselves both carefully and ordinarily. For, seeing we are determined to erect a Temple in our soul, wherein to lodge the Deity, we must therefore thoroughly wash and rewash the same with this purifying water, and think that it is to us unto whom Ezechias speaketh, when as he said unto the levites, Listen unto me, and sanctify yourselves, make clean the house of the Lord, and thrust the filthiness out of the Sanctuary. We will have our Spirit to be his Altar: our thoughts, his offerings: our prayers, his ●…esents: and shall we offer them in a filthy ●…ace? would he not then say unto us, ●…at which was spoken unto the jews ●y the mouth of Malachy, saying, I have ●ot set mine heart upon you, neither will I receive any sacrifice from you, because you are most filthy and full of pollution. But how shall we begin to perform such a glorious and profitable an action? Saint john chrysostom teacheth us, and giveth unto us an excellent instruction hereof: We must (saith he) look well unto ourselves, and having compassion of our misery, we must rub and make lean our hearts: so as we must always have our mouths full of the confessing of our sins, and the rest of our actions, in great and singular humility. The filthy, stinking, and brutish concupiscences of ours, finding our hearts void of the grace of God place themselves there, and in such sort puff up and harden our hearts, as that no goodness can now enter them, without we first press and squeeze them between our hands with sharp & earnest contrition. To be short, if we shall not have blown this bladder full of wind, we shall never find this spiritual liquor, & this holy oil of consolation ever to be placed there. This was the presumption that first assaulted the Angels, and since that time hath set a snare or pitfall to trap our feet in. This is that thing which as an heavy counterpoise keepeth us continually tied unto these worldly lusts, and which settle our desires in ourselves, and maketh us believe that we live only for this world, and stayeth also the sail of our souls from launching towards heaven. How shall we then rid ourselves out of this? Forsooth, in casting back our eyes upon our life, in considering of our foulness & deformity, & in beholding how many miseries & afflictions continually surprise us, which we never once looked for. If the justice of God, over-compassionat in our behalf, did not sufficiently furnish us with matter to be angry with ourselves, or if because we are too near unto our own harms, we cannot see them, let us turn our eyes upon the infinite millions of men which now are, or yet heretofore have been, and let us mark what a small and short thing their life is, and hath been, and yet although it be never so small and short, yet it is environed with infinite sorrows, griefs, and cares, which are the very fruits of their sins and transgressions. Do not all men living continually cry and complain of their miseries and mishaps? Now, it is no reason that we most sinful and filthy wretches that we are, should seek out of ourselves the matter for which we should be angry and grieved with ourselves. For, our consciences do commonly tell us, and continually represent unto us in despite of us, the register of our sins: agreeing with that of Democritus saying, That he heard the voice of malice and sin accusing herself. Over and beside all this, the heavenly justice, or the fatherly care of God, continually showeth unto us his rods, sometimes striking us with them, to make us awake, and leap out of this miserable, filthy, and ditty puddle. But if nothing will cause us to hate ourselves, and detest our miserable sinful life, let us consider with ourselves, and think of this hideous and terrible image of death, unto whom our sin hath delivered us up. For, death followeth us hard at our heels both by sea and land, he embarketh himself with us, and rideth on horseback behind us, and leaveth us nothing save only our shadow. We do nothing else all our life long but fly from him, and yet we are still nearer and nearer him. It is he that in a moment cutteth off the thread of our desires, and he, who upon the sudden, bereaveth us of all that we have scraped together with great pain, and in the end taketh ourselves away clean out of the world. Seeing then that his image is pictured out to be so fearful in all the corners of our life, let it be a bridle to restrain our filthy lusts, and let us step back when we see such a bottomless depth lie wide open before us. But if we have so engaged and bound ourselves before hand, as that we cannot go back, yet he at least forewarneth us of the danger, and let us forsake this vile and heavy burden of baggage, that we may the lightlier leap, and lustelier skip over this dangerous breake-necke, and leap into that goodly and flourishing plain, which we see to be on the other side, which is that everlasting life that we all wait for. Howbeit, if the remembrance of this temporal and corporal death cannot possibly whither and dry up our thoughts, who is he amongst us when as we shall but once think upon the other death which afterward threateneth us, which is this spiritual & eternal death, that will not tremble & gnash his teeth with fear? yea a most horrible death, because that they upon whom it layeth hold, do die eternally, not looking for the blessedness whereof they deprived themselves for ever, and yet live for ever, but altogether in sorrows & torments, whereunto they are eternally reserved. Alas, are not we able so terribly & horribly to picture him out, as that we never dare once behold his looks? Let us picture the dart which he carrieth in his hand, with fire and flam● round about it, and arm it with hel● fire, & with fireforks and tongues. But we contrariwise garnish him with all mane● of ornaments to make him seem pleasing unto our eyes, & set a false coul● upon him, to make him show more agreeable unto our liking, we erect aunters unto him, & never make feasts 〈◊〉 rejoicing, but when as we consecrated our souls unto him. And when is that forsooth even then, when we bathe ou● selves in these worldly pleasures, or rather, when we plunge our souls into that infernal river of forgerfulnesse, which putteth out that heavenly fire that is in us, rocketh us asleep, & maketh us become most brutish & beastly. And yet notwithstanding we then say that we live, not counting any of those days any part of our life, which we pass not over in pastimes & merriments, nay rather which we pass not over in sins & transgressions. Surely we are much like unto those sailors which turn their backs upon the place where they mean to go ashore. We make a show as though we would eschew this death, & yet according to the course of our lives, we run unto it with open mouth. Let us therefore look wishly upon this death, and on as many other rocks as we must sail and float by in this voyage, that we may fear. And let us consider, that we are now so wounded and bruised, as that if an especial favour from heaven save us not, we shall be hardly able to avoid shipwreck. This is the contrition which should be in our souls, & this is that bitter repentance which should draw bloody tears even from out of the bottom of our bowels. This is it that should make us hate evenn our own selves for the reconciling of us unto our God, & to renew our life of sin and wickedness, into purity and cleanness. This is it that should cause us to enter into judgement with ourselves, that we might not be reserved unto the day of that most heavy judgement. For what man is he that is able at that day to justify himself? Now, it is not enough that we have had this compunction and repentance in our hearts, but we must also lay open our sins, and the justice of God, that we might receive from him his mercy and comfort. And it is he that must accept of our sorrow and grief, and he, unto whom we must make an honourable amends, and simply and plainly confess our errors. For, seeing it is his pleasure, that his goodness which he is able to keep and reserve unto himself, should be poured out upon all his creatures, and that he hath made all things to manifest his glory, and bestowed the use of our life only to glorify him, neither are we any way able to repair the offence which we commit against him, by the corrupting of the use of our life, but in manifesting that he hath created us to do good, & that we ourselves have converted ourselves only to do ill. And therefore we must of necessity undoubtedly declare that he is liberal, & we most unthankful, we must say, that he is good, & ourselves to be most wicked, we must also pronounce his righteousness, and our sin, we must set forth our own griefs and his mercy, we must protest that all the evil which is in us, cometh of ourselves, and all the good which we hope after, to proceed from him alone. For, if so be we shall be silent, after that we have once acknowledged our evil, it is to be believed that we will persevere with this silence all the days of our life past, and so approve by this silence, that we cannot freely be found fault withal. And Tertullian exhorting us unto this confession, telleth us, that we do not confess ourselves unto God, as if he knew not our sins before hand, but because confession is a counsel unto satisfaction, and maketh us apt unto reconciliation, and reconciliation unto mercy, and mercy unto everlasting life. Now, the satisfaction which we look for, cometh from his favour and grace, by which only we must, and may be restored unto immortality, and this grace is not given unto any, but unto such as acknowledge themselves to be miserable sinners, and not given by any, but by him that is chief in power. It must needs therefore be, that the word which he hath bestowed upon us to glorify him withal, must be employed to the manifestation of our misery, because the confession of our sins, justifieth the goodness of God, which we have as much as in us lieth utterly perverted. We must therefore pray unto him to forgive us, as if we should say, that he may and aught to punish us, and so thereby testify his power and righteousness. For this cause it is why the Prophet Isaiah calleth us, when as he saith, Go your waye● with those that are sanctified, and present your Confession unto God with the living, O saith Ecclesiastes, it is a good thing when as he that is found in a fault will manifest his repentance. And truly it were a great glory for us, if we would be once so courageous as openly to confess our sins, and show that as we have been the first that have sinned, so also we are the first that do repent. Howbeit, there remaineth in us a foolish shame, which abideth with us as the scar of sin, and causeth us the slowlier and hardlier to do it. This was the cause why the ancient Fathers in fitting themselves unto this our infirmity, and unto the weakness of such also which might be offended in the reciting sometimes of very strange sins of ours, were contented that we should put down and pour out the secrets of our consciences into the bosoms of those unto whom they had given power to bind and lose, and apply unto us the grace by which we are redeemed. And from this mystery we receive a marvelous fruit, when as it is worthily administered unto us. For first, he that is appointed to the dispensation of this grace, being made unto us the father of the spirit, is to bring the same unto us for the comfort of the mystery which he findeth in us by the trial of our life, even the very self same affection which a loving father in the behalf of his very sick son, unto whom he bringeth beside help & remedy, the hope of health, wherewith he feedeth him. For he should in the fellow feeling of our misery, and taking upon him the burden of our sins, help to relieve us, even then when we faint in the midst of our course. This example which God hath set before us, who (as Isaiah saith) came himself first, and hath laid upon his own back all our miseries, and borne upon his shoulders all our diseases. After he hath thus imparted unto us this comfort, he is to direct us unto the way of truth, and with the instrument of the word of God, wherein he is exercised, to till the faith which he hath sowed in us, which, by reason of the barrenness of the ground wherein it is cast, had always need to have the help and care of the husbandman. For we are properly like unto a small. Boat, which is forcibly rowed with oars against the stream: but if the watermen never so little leave rowing, she fleeteth back more in an hour, than she did in a whole days rowing. The end and consummation of this holy action is this, that when we call upon the holy Ghost, our grace is pronounced unto us, and confirmed as it were by the judgement of the church, which is a certain pawn and testimony, that as we are here in this world kept fine and clean by him or them upon whom such graces are bestowed, so should we also be in the other, by him, upon whom he hath appointed them. There resteth them nothing after this, but that we humble ourselves in acknowledging the grace which we have received, a thing that we hardly can obtain at our own hands. Now we will not greatly stick to admire at this, but we will never follow the example of our fathers, which at that time used this holy repentance. Ye should have seen of these men, saith this Tertullian, kneeling at the feet of the Altars, covered with sackcloth and ashes, bewailing bitterly their sins, and wring the mercy of God from him. But these are remedies which we never seek after but by main compulsion: for the shame which we have of doing these good things, rebateth and strangleth whatsoever good thing we are any way forward in. And it is great pity, that that which neither the voice of the holy Ghost, the counsel of the Prophets, nor the example of the holy Fathers, is able to draw us unto, the wrath and vengeance of God will bring us unto, manger our heads. In very deed we put on sackcloth, but we do it when we can no longer tarry: we cast ashes on our heads, but we do it hypocritically, before such time as the wrath of God cometh, which findeth us out. And we creep and lower under the Altars, but it is because we would fly from his hand that pursueth us. O rebellious and cursed servants that we are! for we never reverence our master, but when as he holds his scourge over us to correct us, and we never cry him mercy until such time as the sword is ready to cut our throats. And therefore we must so humble ourselves before him, as that we thrust not from us, by vain & presumptuous thoughts, the grace, by which we are cleansed and purified. Now, when we shall have thus gathered as it were into our hands the sins, which are the briers and brambles of our souls, and watered the field of our consciences with tears, and softened and made them tender by this manner of dealing, and driven away the clouds which did so overshadow us, and that the Sun of the grace of God, shall begin to shine upon us and warm us, we must then hereupon sow such seed as may in the end bring forth for his fruit, an heavenly and immortal life. And this seed is our will, which as it bloometh either well or ill, even so bringeth it forth either good or bad deeds. Now this argueth well with the meaning of Theages the Pythagorist: for he saith; That this will was as it were the hand of our soul, wherewith she turneth all things either unto good or ill: which is the very self same that the scripture teacheth us; That God in the beginning made man, and left him in the hand of his own counsel, he set fire and water before him, that he might bear them in which hand he would: Which was the thing that might address this will unto good, and this is the sound reason, which is the rule that guideth all things unto that end whereunto God hath created them. Because man might the better discern, that it was easier for him to do good, then to do ill, and that he hung not always upon any doubtful determination, and besides the natural light, which he had giver unto him, he gave him also his law to preserve him, if he would keep it, and to as many of us as live in his faith. And besides his law and commandments, he hath given unto us his grace, which so long as we keep it, maketh us to do nothing but that which agreeth with his commandments, and consequently with all good reason. Now, this rule of well doing, consisteth not in sharp witted propositions, full of subtlety and sophistical definitions and conclusions: for the resolving of which, a man had need to have a whole world. For all this knowledge consisteth in these two points, To love God with all thine heart, and thy neighbour as thyself. And yet nevertheless, for the making of the way more plain, and to lead us as it were by the hand into our works, we have certain precepts to examine, and put to every of them, by our actions, and to find the means, wherein the comeliness of that which we would do consisteth. This goodly seemliness, or rather disposition of the mind, being there placed, we call virtue. But because she changeth and taketh her particular name according to every action wherein she showeth herself, it shall serve to good purpose, as I think, for the matter that we have in hand, to salute by the way as we pass, the especial sorts, out of which she representeth herself oftenest unto our sight. The Philosophers began to teach, that virtue was a persuading to greatness of courage, and an emboldening unto generosity & valour. But my desire is to follow the discipline of those whose lives and conversations, I would gladly follow. Philo the jew, speaking of the religious men dispersed throughout the deserts of Egypt, and who in great perfection of life bestowed their time in contemplation, saith; That they laid up in their soul's Temperance, as a good, firm, and sure foundation, whereon they might afterward settle and establish all manner of virtues: and therefore we must begin at that end. For, if Plato with some reason compareth our souls unto horses, which must be ridden and broken ken by a skilful rider, for a cunning horseman, will first of all be sure to have the Bit in the horse mouth, before he give him the spur, that he might restrain him from going out o● his lists, and thereby be able both to manage and turn him evenly, and not suffer him to beat himself and fling and leap at all adventures. We call this temperance, the authority and power which reason ought to have upon the lusts and violent affections which carry our will unto pleasures and delights. This than must be the rain as it were unto our souls, or rather serve us as a fit instrument, to scum the boiling desires which arise in our souls, by reason of the heat of blood, that they might be always joined and egalled unto reason, where unto they must be proportionable, not regarding nor yielding themselves unto the sensible objects, which offer themselves unto them. But contrariwise so to yield unto them, as that they cause those objects to serve them and reason, whereof, they should be altogether in very deed made. Now, of all the passions over which temperance must have an especial eye, to arrange these unto reason, filthy concupiscence, is the most ordinary, which toeth us unto the lust of the flesh, making us to seek out, in the conjunction ordained by God, not the blessing of a long and happy posterity, to substitute in our steads, servants unto our creator, but a beastly pleasure and infamous delight, which blindeth our souls, and maketh our spirits drunk. God having heaped in man so many sundry perfections, meant yet notwithstanding as it were to finish the same, and did communicate with him that, which is the most wonderful in all the deity, which was, the making him a creator like unto himself. For as he created the world that his power might be seen & established before him, his wisdom in his works, so also would he, that man should beget another, one like unto himself, that he might see also himself in his own work, and love and cherish that which came of himself. And therefore he gave him a wife, to be a companion with him in this workmanship. Nay, he did more than this, for his meaning was, that man, wh● was bond and thrall unto death, looke● that there should one day, one o● his posterity, be borne of a Virgin, who should be the Saviour and redeemer of the world, stirring him up as i● were religiously to use an holy union, which should serve to the ministry of his redemption. Wherefore, as the use of this conjunction at this day, is no more necessary for our salvation, which for us is fully purchased, neither left unto us, but as a lawful intemperance, if so be we are not able to pass it, yet let us use it at the least as a remedy of infirmity under the authority of the law of God, for the cooling and mortifying of the lusts of the flesh, which bud & spring out in us. And seeing that the desire which casteth us out of ou● selves cannot drive us to love God as we should, let us yet, at the least, keep it within the chaste bosom of her, whom God hath destined for our wife & companion. And let us take great heed that we make not our members filthy stinking vessels, and so defile the Temple of God (seeing he vouchsafeth to dwell in us) by the impure dealing with those kind of women, who in violating their bodies, violate also therewith all manner of laws. For, first they break the law of God, who commandeth chastity: the law of nature, which forbiddeth to make that common, which is borne for one alone: the law of Nations, which hath brought in marriages: and the law of families, unjustly transferring the labour and travel of another unto a strange heir. Truly, from this abominable and unbridled concupiscence, come, and are derived as from a lively and pleasant Fountain, all public and particular calamities as it were. For when this foolish love is once form in our souls, which being nourished with belly-cheer and idleness, beginneth there to grow and increase, and hath as heady wine run through our veins, it by and by bringeth our senses a sleep, and benumbeth our members, bereaveth our reason, and so furiously reigning over us, carrieth us away violently into most furious purposes and practices. Do we not see at this day the mightiest kingdoms, to be by it digged down as it were with Pickaxes, and Empires to stumble and fall down to ruin. And do we not see that it devoureth in one day the riches and conquests of infinite worlds? That it openeth the gate to all injustice? Hath it not brought jealousy between brethren, and quarrels between Fathers and their children? But the worst and foulest of all the effects that it hath wrought, is, the uncertainty that it bringeth into the minds of kinsmen and families. For, in defiling the marriage bed, it taketh from the children the love of their father, which cannot be conserved but by the good opinion that the husband hath of the chastity of his wife, & it breaketh also the piety of the children towards their fathers, which cannot be founded but upon the self & same conside ration. Now, when these bonds of affection & good will are lost amongst men, how can they contain themselves within any civil amity and society? how can they join & unite themselves together, to serve God & obey his commandments? This sin, as an ancient father saith, is the devils haven, which floating & flowing in us through voluptuousness, continually rebloweth the bellows of our senses with new hot desires, which set our souls on fire, & there nourisheth them with smoke, taking from them both sight & judgement, which should guide them to every good thing. And therefore how far soever we can see this foolish love, we must hunt it away, and detest it, as the very poison of our souls. Howbeit we, contrariwise, call it unto us, and make much of it, how far soever it be from us. For we invite it to give it reward, and the rewards of honour are for none but for his officers, & all the most fine and rare wits take the greatest delight to imp his feathers, that he might the speedelier and more contentedly come flying into the palaces of Princes. Now, a Christian man especially such a one as would attain unto this blessed contemplation whereunto we prepare him, will bereave his soul of all these filthy lusts, & using himself unto this continual continence; will endeavour himself, if he possibly can, to conserve this treasure of virginity, wherein lieth a great purity of the mind & perfection of understanding: & they chief conserve the same, which communicate themselves with the spirit of God. which gave S. Jerome occasion to say according to Varro; That the reward of virginity was divination: because that divination is nothing else but the knowledge of the truth to come, which we attain unto by communicating with God, that, which we never can obtain, except we keep ourselves pure from all earthly and beastly affections. So as (as we have before said) if that our infirmity surmounteth our discourse, we may make our intemperance lawful & excusable, in rightly using the remedy which God hath given unto our infirmity, and so be like unto those first Christians of whom Tertullian said; That they were not borne men, but for their wives. Let us therefore with reverence enter into this society of marriage, and let it be a conjunction both of the spirit and will, a communion both of faith and religion, wherein nothing is proper ne yer particular, no not so much as the very secret thoughts themselves. This is, as Themistius the Platonist said, a full mixture of all together, as wine and water, which being once mingled together, can never be separated again. Hereby we see wherein the principal effect of this Temperance should rest. To stir up men unto sobriety, and detest infamous foul gluttony, or filthy delicacy of meats and drinks, neither is virtue thereby any whit impeached, but through bond slaves and transgressors; for such lusts very seldom grow in an honest mind. Such lusts are very seldom found in the minds of wisemen. Although the ages heretofore have borne and brought forth monstrous Sardanapales, who made their bellies their God. The common cry of the people themselves detest them, and are sufficiently reproved by the voice of the multitude, although wisdom should no way deal with them about the matter. It is very true, that when such spirits are choked with great cheer, they can never talk of any thing that is either honest or yet godly, which should make them capable of that contemplation, whereunto we call them. Now, when as Philo describeth out unto us the lives of these good religious Egyptians, he therein noteth out unto us such a notable sobriety, as that it is impossible for bodies which kept such a diet could any way hinder the beautiful actions of their soul. And therefore let us use meats, and such other like transitory good things, for the strengthening and upholding of the infirmity of our bodies, as the necessary instrument of the spirit. But we must not so deal with our bodies as men deal with the garments of the magnificence of Princes, which are so stiffened with embroidery and goldsmiths work, and so beset with Pearls & precious stones, as that a man can scarcely stir himself when they are on his back: but we must make us such a garment as must serve for every day, and take such a fold as pleaseth us to give it. There is also another thing which hindereth our souls no less than these passions whereof we have already spoken. And that is choler, which to speak truly, is the fairest flower of folly: and that is that passion which blindeth us all at once, when as it hath once taken hold of us, & maketh things appear unto us, as it were through a cloud, clean otherwise then in deed they are, & is so much the more dangerous a guest, by how much the more that they that are possessed therewith, are mighty, & of great power & authority: for the choler of princes which is aided by reason of their power, flieth out like lightning, & breaketh out before such time as a man can see the flash, or hear the crack thereof: & as the thunder and lightning breaketh a sword in the scabbard▪ even so doth choler punish, without knowing any cause, insomuch that they pursue their actions for the most part with most ●edious and unprofitable repentance, being able to do no more, as great as they are, but to wish that that which is ill done, were undone. For as Tyndare saith, God himself hath no other power over that that is past, but to forget, and so they are for the most part, driven to repent them of that at leisure, which in their haste they had committed. Howbeit, for the repressing of this furious haste, we must frame a moderation of the spirit, which we call Clemency, by which, our wills being unadvisedly pricked forward to wish evil to another, and the desire of revenge are restrained & repressed, when as we shall have this clemency rightly framed in us, by the perfect observation of our manners, she will temper us with such a mild and gracious behaviour, as shall defend our reason from such a tedious and strong impression as choler is. She will make us take leisure to judge of things by weight and measure, to counsel our friends thereunto, and dissuade us from believing and trusting too much to our own selves. Wherefore she will infinitely serve us to persuade ourselves, that we cannot be offended but with ourselves, neither yet once keep in our breasts those injuries which others have done unto us. For, if our actions be pure and sound, and our life holy and innocent, can our venomous and hateful tongue change itself against our neighbour? And if we at any time propound unto ourselves to live to the good liking of any one man, when shall we be able to find the means to please all the world, and content both good and bad together? if we justify us before God and ourselves, & have clean and undefiled consciences, nothing shall then do us hurt. Thou wouldst hurt me in my good name, and thinkest by falsely accusing me of my life, greatly to wrong me: and I have God, men, and mine own conscience to testify against thee, to assure and justify me. Thou mayest have a will to hurt me, howbeit I need not feel it without I will. Thou takest and carriest away my goods from me, all this inooveth me not: or the time was that I had none, or I had them when I was so young, as that I knew not what to do with them: and lastly, although thou hadst left them unto me, yet carried I not them with me when I died: and I must either leave them, or else they must leave me. And why should I be more sorry for the one then for the other? Well thou greeuest me in my body, thou beatest and hurtest me, and behold the Soldier which returneth very joyfully from the skirmish, carrying his arm in a scarf, maketh more account of his wound, than he doth of his life, if so be he bring from thence a great gash, either in his head or in his face, the more he beholdeth himself, the more he wondereth at himself: If he come home with the string halt of one of his legs, he goeth not a step, but he rejoiceth that he was so gloriously marked. Wherefore they are not our wounds that do so grieve and trouble us, but the occasions for the which we receive them, & they bring us either honour or dishonour, neither is any thing esteemed for the thing itself, but for the end why we do it. If we endure all things for the honour of God, and for the salvation which we shall obtain through ou● patience, then that which we call evils shall turn to our good, and that whic● once seemed to us to be bitter, shall i● the end be found very sweet. The patience which this moderation of spir●… shall bring us, will be a secret testimony unto us, that we are the faithful servants of our master, that we spar● ourselves no whit at all to obey him nor yet refuse any travel or pain, t● put his commandments in execution. There is nothing, surely, so honourable in this world, even in the judgement of the very heathen, a● to understand how to forgive and pardon. The laws permit euer● man to pursue the wrong done unto him: but to pardon and forgive belongeth unto a Prince alone. An● therefore if thou wilt be a king over thyself, forgive thyself freely: for the glory of a Christian consisteth chief in this love, by which he bindeth his neighbour to love him, and to be void of this worldly desire of revenge, which as a worm gnaweth the heart of those which are infected therewith, tosseth & turmoileth them all the day, and keepeth them waking all the night. And therefore the spirit will compose itself with this equality, as that it will not suffer itself to be carried away with hatred and evil will. And from thence will ensue another excellent disposition of the soul, which is modesty & moderation, which bringeth with it a certain comeliness unto all the actions of the body, and is a testimony by them of gentleness & goodwill, & virtue, which can do more than all the rest, to make us sociable, & to get us the friendship of those with whom either our nature, good hap, or choice, conjoineth us. This gracious manner is so agreeable unto men as nothing more, for she wringeth out of them that, which force is no way able to do: for she desireth no superiority over the rest, but according to reason, which is a kind of weapon that will cut deeper than either iron or steel. But these proud, frowning and scornful people, which look at all the world over their shoulders, which are therewith swollen so full as their skins can hold, and look at their tails like unto proud Peacocks, do reason great wrong, when as they so do, clothing him with such talk as utterly disgraceth him, and maketh him odious. And believe me, it is a very hard thing for these men to come any thing near this holy Philosophy or wisdom, which dwelleth amongst the graces that guard and environ her on every side. Tertullian, who is desirous to have us learn, how greatly mildness and simplicity serve us to prepare ourselves to receive the gifts and perfections of the holy Ghost, saith precisely, that he appeareth oftenest in the shape of a Dove, to show unto us that he dwelleth not but in such as are without gall as a Dove is, but are very gracious and gentle. Now, because that for the most part it cometh by reason of our infirmity, as thinking to fly one sin, we fall into another, we are to fear, that because we are not well confirmed in virtue, thinking to hold us in humility, we fall to become very cowards, when as in deed we should rather fall to banding & charging. And therefore it shall not be amiss, that we add unto that which we have spoken, of temperance and mildness, certain considerations to raise us up to be most courageous, when as it shall stand us in hand to be so. Which will principally serve us, to keep us in a strait and an assured course, against all whatsoever shall offer itself to amaze and turn us from obeying the commandments of God. For, first we shall on the one side have rash presumption to egg us forward to desire more, then that whereunto God hath called us, and oppose ourselves unto his constant and firm purpose. Our happy successes, and prosperous encounters or accidents, will so tickle us, as that they will make us laugh, our good hap will promise us high and great things, and yet for all this, we will not once change our visage nor countenance. We will scornful behold and look upon, and that with a leering eye, the presents of fortune (if I may so say) like unto the fair & fresh coloured Apples, which grew near to the lake of Ghomorre, but they were no sooner touched, but that they fell forthwith into powder and ashes. But if reason telleth us that we must take them, we will then use them with great equality of mind, and facility of manners, and make none other estimation of them. On the other side, we shall have afflictions, dangers, griefs, and poverty, which in the judgement of the common people, wrappeth up all manner of miseries. And it is against these enemies chiefly that this virtue must boisterouslie stretch forth her arms: It is through them that she must make way, if she mean to come to the end of her purpose. Howbeit if we ourselves stand in no fear, and she not before such time as we see the enemy, what mischief may they do us? Forsooth, they will spoil us of all our goods, and so we shall go the lighter: seeing than that the reward is reserved for him that cometh first, and shall the longer while enjoy the immortal gods which soonest cometh thither, shall we then fear to lose the baggage, for the obtaining of such a glorious victory? And now behold the breach is made, and our Captain within that calleth us, and we ourselves busy ourselves to shoot at him that arresteth us by the cloak, and put ourselves in hazard to remain prisoners in the hands of the enemy, that will cause us lose both cloak and honour, and the fruit also of all our travel. We are threatened with death, and what other thing else is it that we seek after? We have not clothed ourselves with this transitory and mortal life, but only to pay the tribute, and discharge the tolle at the coming in of everlasting life. These are good news, seeing we are called upon to pay, for it is a token that we are come on shore. But what is this death that thus terrifieth us? What? is he so to be feared, as that he will make us turn our backs upon him, & forsake the field of virtue, & lie slily hid in the trenches, or rather in the sand holes of slothfulness and cowardice? If we think it an evil thing, it is because we feel it to be so, or else because others think so of it. Have we not heard the plaint of those who have courageously died, either for the honour of God, or else for the service of their king, or for the defence of their country? Was there ever yet any nation so barbarous, so void of humanity, or as we commonly say, so far from the sun, as that commend not with great praise, the valour and worthiness of those that have spent their lives for the commonwealths sake? Hath not the memory of posterity, taken them out of their graves, to make them alive again in the remembrance of men? And if we should come to number out the parts of the life of man, shall we reckon the time which they have bestowed in eating, drinking, and sleeping, or rather principally bring into a short account, the days wherein they have most valiantly fought for virtue? And therefore that which we call life, is but a death, because it dieth without leaving any memory thereof: for, that which we call death, is in very deed life, because it is that which maketh us to be & continue for ever. Neither are we to regard how long we live, but how well we live: neither cometh death too soon if he bring honour with him, neither is it for the only opinion of another, and for the honour which we shall get by well dying, that aught to make us contemn death, but for the love of that second life, whereinto we must enter. The druids, had some forefeeling of the immortality of our souls, which caused them to be more valiant than all the people of the world: for, they made a scorn to save their lives, saying, that they made no more account of them, then of the head of a willow tree. And the Philosophers, who made a jest at them, confessed yet, that they held a blessed error. Howbeit, we say, that their wisdom was blessed, by tasting of this opinion, whereby they found groping in the dark, the very resting place of felicity, and had found out the counterpoison, which driveth away and slayeth fear, the very poison of our souls, which drieth up, and feeb lisheth our hearts and minds. But we, being brought up and taught in a better School than they were, do not only know, but constantly believe, and not only believe, but are glad also as a man would say, of this second immortal life. For, we have a spirit lodging in the inward part of our soul, which sayeth and soundeth continually, if so be we will hear it, nothing else but this life to come. And unto this voice it is, that so many millions of Christians have in the midst of their afflictions and torments, followed the standard or ensign of their Captain, spilling and shedding their blood in all the corners of the earth, as the true and pure seed of faith. This is that Trumpet which hath encouraged them to fight this combat, from whence they have returned very bloody, but yet have been triumphant, and crowned victorers. If ambitious honour driveth us unto most strange hazards of war, if this affection, to be esteemed and honoured of those before whom we live, hasteneth and kindleth the course of our actions, what greater hope is there of these which have obtained this? for they have not only been honoured whilst they lived, but we also reverence their ashes after they are dead, their bones are holy unto us: the memory of their lives is yearly renewed with devout commemorations and prayers: we honour them in our very thoughts, we humble our cogitations before them, as placed in a great degree of honour in the Church of God, and as having found grace before the face of our Lord and God. And therefore we must not be void of courage for the effectual bringing to pass of good and holy things, seeing that the very wicked themselves, are the better part of their days so valiant in executing these wicked and most detestable things. For with this patience and strength of courage, must we enter triumphing into the kingdom of glory, we having been told by Toby this goodly and holy Oracle, That he O Lord which serveth thee with all his heart, if his life be put in hazard, shall be without doubt crowned. And for this cause it is why the Scripture telleth us, that this good Father being brought into miserable captivity & thraldom, did never for all that forsake the voice of the truth. And to say truly, we can no way justly attribute unto ourselves the name of Christians, if we reject and forsake the Cross which is left unto us in stead of all other manner of weapons, and is the very sample & pattern that jesus Christ hath given us, to make us understand when we shall come unto him, and the watchword that witnesseth unto us that we are his. For, we have no means that can make us perceive that we are instructed in his discipline, but by this patience, the very mother of all the other virtues. And Theodoret also saith, That the Martyrs run unto torments as unto the school & exercise of virtue. It now followeth that we see how we should behave and carry ourselves in the disposing of the benefits which it pleaseth God to bestow upon us. In very deed, the rule which hereof is set before us, and the habit which we take upon us to use them well, is called Liberality. Now, the first precept which we are to learn, is to acknowledge, that all the benefits which we have, we hold of the goodness & grace of God: the ordinary exercise whereof, is to do good unto all the world, and to spread upon us his blessings, albeit we no whit deserve them. And the reason why he so bountifully destributeth them amongst us, is not to the end we should lock them up, and let the goal and silver mould, which are no way good nor profitable but when they are well used: but to the end that as he hath created us unto his own image, so also we should imitate him, in well doing unto our neighbour, according to our abilities. And truly we have far greater occasion to do it then he. For, that which he giveth is his own, and he giveth it to such also, as be no way able to do him good. But we, are another man's purse-bearers, we give the goods of our God, & we give them to such as are not only able to pay us again, but also to lend us as much when we stand in need. And although they should be unable to pay, yet God, by whose commandment we give them, answereth us the same for them, and maketh it his own debt, and chargeth himself also not only to pay the principal, but to give usury for it, yea double, triple, and an hundredth fold. And we are beside to consider, that all these benefits should be dealt proportionably, for our necessities, and that by the law of nature, they belong not unto us, no further than we have need of them for the maintenance of our life. The measure of our benefits are heat, cold, hunger, and thirst: and if the custom of the country wherein we live, and fashions of our countrymen, induce us to any neatness and fineness, we must not either too too austerely refuse it, neither yet overcuriously affect the same. Wherein, we are first to regard in what state and degree of honour God hath placed us amongst our brethren, and which is sortable unto the estate whereunto we are borne or called, to the end we might appropriate our goods unto ourselves, and not ourselves unto our goods. Now, when we have furnished ourselves with as much as is needful for our estate, we must lay the rest by, and be very watchful in the well bestowing thereof. And that which may serve to direct us thereunto, is to take away the merit and the necessity of such as we would bestow the same on: for, it is the equal proportion & measure, which chief maketh the deed holy and pleasing unto God, who hath disposed all things by measure, & hath given unto us reason as a compass, to make all our actions just & even like unto his. For if I give my goods unto him that hath no need, and see a poor man die at my feet for want of food, this is an indiscreet liberality in the rich, & manslaughter unto the poor man. If I for the helping of a stranger, let my father and mother want, the order of true & natural affection is perverted, and mine action is disgraced. We are also to observe the things by which we mean to place our good deeds, and some be more urgent than othersome: for, we may doubt of some of them, in our giving, & othersome of them, may pluck the good deed into our own hands: howbeit we are principally to take heed, that we give not away that which is another man's: for, they that take from one man to give to another, are abominable before God, and their alms & offerings stink in his nostrils, & he turneth his face clean from them: and according to the saying of the Wiseman, who saith That he which offereth unto God the fruit of his iniquity, that offering is most foul and filthy. We should make a great account of this virtue, to frame and fashion it very entire and sound in our minds, as being full of all spiritual grace, that might greatly further us unto our salvation, when as it shall accustom us, liberally to distribute our goods to those that have need of them, and our alms unto his honour which hath given us them. Saint Augustine was not afeard to say, that alms is another Baptism: because, that as water putteth out the fire, even so doth alms kill sin. This alms (as chrysostom saith) is God's friend, which obtaineth at his hands whatsoever she craveth: she setteth prisoners at liberty, calleth home again those that are banished, and obtaineth pardon for the condemned. For, the hand of the poor, is God's purse. Have we any thing to buy of him? let us then give him our money. And the best way for us to bestow our goods, is to put them into God's bank, for he will assure it us not only on the land and the whole continent thereof, which is his, but also in heaven, and in eternal bliss, wherewith he will seize; and invest us. Why should we then be so foolish as to suffer our gold and silver to rust in our chests, and so, always blindfold our minds, with laying up crown by crown, seeing we suffer the time to pass for the doing of our employments, and that all which we gather and scrape together, is nothing but toil upon toil heaped up together? Surely, all these goods which bring with them nothing else but sorrow and grief with their only abundance, and in which are never fullness nor yet measure, are nothing else but a cage of gold, and a prison of silver unto their masters, to hold them fast bound to the upper part of the earth, & thereby bereave them of their liberty for going unto heaven. This is the water that is powered upon the eagles wings, because he should not fly up unto the Sun. Even so must they that will taste of the fruit of contemplation, and attain unto perfect felicity, where the course of our soul must rest, take heed that they hinder not themselves, but as little as they can in the dirty dunghill of riches, which are no better than very clay and earth, what great account soever they make of them. And yet notwithstanding it is for this dust that we kill one another, and this is it which we set both our souls & bodies on the teinters for. For this, great and mighty city's band themselves one against another in arms & battle: this, is the very plague of civil society: this, is the water of separation which parteth brethren asunder, yea which separateth the father from the child. And therefore we had need set a fourth & the last bar betwixt us & our affections, to keep us from desiring that which is another man's, & to teach us to give to every one that which is his own. And this virtue, we call justice, whereof if we consider in general, wrappeth within herself all sorts of virtues: and her office, as Lactantius teacheth us, is first to join men together with God, secondly, to reconcile one man to another, which are two things very nearly knit together. For, if the first keep us within that duty wherein God hath created us, which is, to fear, love, and serve him, and do good unto our neighbour, it cannot be but that we must stand in the grace and favour both of God and men. Or if we will more particularly consider of this virtue, and wherein she disposeth us to live justly and lawfully with men, her action may very fitly be divided into three parts or heads. The first is, to live honestly, without breaking the laws either of God, or of our country. The other is, not to offend any man, either in word or deed. The third is, to give unto every man that which is his own. Now, if as much should be spoken of this argument as might be, we should exceed that measue that I have prescribed and set down for this small treatise. And therefore it shall suffice that we speak of the principal thing which is recommended unto us by justice, which is, to keep our faith in all our doings, to take in hand nothing craftily & cunningly, but to deal plainly & openly in all our affairs. For over & beside, that faith is the knot & common band of the amity & society of men, so also is it unto us as gauge, of the grace of God which he hath vouchsafed us, to communicate himself with us. And seeing that by this & the self same word, is signified unto us the assurance which we have of our salvation, and constancy of our promise, we are verily to believe, that whosoever shall abuse this pawn amongst men, will lightly abuse that gage which God hath given him. And in very deed, whosoever he is that shall set before his eyes the law of God, the judgement which therein is denounced, and the pains that are prepared for the wicked, is it possible that that man will ever have the heart to deceive him, whom the law hath commanded to love as himself? will he, by defrauding of his neighbour, deceive his own soul of that everlasting blessedness, whereof those men can never be partakers, who communicate with the father of lying, and of lies? For, truth cometh from heaven, & falsehood, i● of fiction, coloured and counterfeit shows and all leasings, are the crafty devices of the dewill: and he that enterraineth them, and useth them, covenanteth with the wicked spirits, and maketh himself the bondslave of sin. And therefore all our actions should be sincere and faithful, but especially their actions who are in authority to govern the people, and are put in trust to render justice unto every particular man. They must not do as the Egyptian judges did, that ware the image of justice about their necks, but they must have it imprinted in the bottom of their hearts, and between their lips, for she alone it is that must direct their judgements, so as neither love nor hatred, must at any hand make the balance or scales which they hold in their hands, lean either one way or other, but reason alone must cause the law spurn and kick against iniquity. Surely, no man can have a better testimony unto his conscience of his election, then when as he fee●eth himself to take pleasure in dealing justly and righteously: for whosoever he is that loveth justice, is a man of God: for, the light shineth on the righteous man, and upon him that is of an upright heart. The way and path of the just, is like unto the dawning of the day, her light increaseth by little and little, and becometh like unto the noontide. The wise man could not more properly compare justice unto any thing, the● unto the light: for, as the light shines not for itself, but causeth others t● see: even so this most excellent soun● virtue of itself, looketh nor but vnt● the benefit & profit of another, having none other end but by a well willing 〈◊〉 righteous affection, to conjoin & entertain one another of us. When th●… virtue is grown unto a full perfection▪ she straightways beginneth to love, 〈◊〉 may very well take unto her that name because that she, having united & conjoined us together, teacheth us to account ourselves to be one another flesh, as being the members of one body, or rather, the body of one head, leaving in us a charitable affection, which is the souldering & sinowing of our bodies together. For, as we see in the constitution of our persons, every member to be so framed therein, as that, tha● which is farthest off, moveth itself forthwith in affection & good liking unto the rest: so as if we have any pain i● our forth, by & by the eye looketh vnt● it, & straightways we put to the hand, 〈◊〉 in the end bend the whole force of ou● body to help to do it good. Even so ●…reth it with the mystical conjunction of the body, & in the holy congregation of the faithful, whereof we are all members, and the spirit of God which doth rule and govern us, teacheth us, that for our own conservation, we must needs make one of another, and make both our adversity and prosperity common, that we might contribute unto the necessities of one another. For, our christian righteousness, restraineth not us only, to discharge the civil and politic bands which may be amongst us, but also acquitteth this natural obligation, which bindeth one man to another by mutual good will and love. It remaineth now, that this righteousness must conjoin us unto God, and bring forth her most excellent effects, which keepeth our soul upright quiet, & capable of the will of God▪ and as it were fast tied unto the love of everlasting bliss, which is done by the gifts of faith & hope. For, after we have purged ourselves of the perverse & filthy affections, whhich our soul hath gotten into her by living on earth, & so blinded our will, as that she cannot return to ill, yet must she go on to her mark, & guide herself unto her resting place. Now, as we are cast down into the darkness of this world, into the deserts of sin, & bottomless depths of perdition, we cannot see our end without light, not find our way without a guide, ne yet sustain ourselves & go forward without stay: and our light, guide, and stay is, the revelation which God hath showed unto us out of his will, the knowledge which he hath given unto us by his grace, the spirit, by which he communicateth himself with us, and in the end cometh himself unto us, because we are so feeble, as that we cannot go unto him. We call faith the sound and right affection, whereby we receive that▪ which he declareth unto us, and which we constantly believe, and by which, we judge of him in the goodness & simplicity of our hearts. This is it with which we humble our senses, and with which we deny ourselves to give credit unto his truth, in acknowledging our infirmity, & by which we allow his almightiness, reverence & admire the effects so often reiterated, for the reconquering of our salvation, & deliverance from eternal death. Now, when as our soul hath once found herself disposed to believe this, and received this impression from the word of God, she then clearly seethe the mark whereat she aimeth, & knowing thereby the benefit which is set before her, she is touched with a certain effectual feeling of pleasure, which eggeth her continually forward to wish & look for the salvation which is prepared for her. This is that hope by the which she foreseeth the happy hour of her felicity, by which she is kept for the looking for her blessedness, & upholden & double strengthened against all the griefs and miseries which might shake the same, and cross her in the way. Here than we see how we must prepare our soul to make it capable of this felicity. We must now then necessarily see & behold by her dealing, how she delighteth herself in this most excellent pleasure. And it is to be considered two manner of ways, the one is, that whilst she is clad about with this flesh, and detained here in this vile world, yet she still joineth and uniteth herself unto God her creator, by means of her pure & holy disposition, and of her good and charitable works. The other is, that when she is delivered & despoiled of the earth, & the world, she wholly uniteth herself unto her first & original being. In this first estate we shall see her rejoice in such happiness, pleasure, & contentment, as infinitely surpasseth all the other delights which we possibly are able to wish or desire here below. And such in very deed, as are no way comparable unto those pleasures which we know to be prepared for us in the life to come, and such in truth, as our thoughts cannot apprehend. For it is very true (which Esdr● saith) That man, that liveth here 〈◊〉 this world, can comprehend nothing but earthly things. And it is said i● Ecclesiast. That we must not search in things above our reach, but think upon the which God hath commanded us: for it 〈◊〉 not fit for us to look unto that which G●… keepeth secret unto himself from us. Now, the blesseddest and chiefest pleasure of our soul, consisteth in conforming 〈◊〉 addressing all her doings to that end whereunto she is created, which is don● by action, prayer, and meditation. For, God having caused us to be borne to be members here of this vile world, every part of us observing the duty & motion wherevento he hath ordained the same, serve for his glory, & testimony of his power. It standeth us therefore upon, so long as we live here, to keep well our part, and beware that in our particular discording, we break not the universal right note and harmony, wherein the beauty of his workmanship subsisteth▪ for, he hath called every of us unto a certain ministry and office, whereof he hath made some Kings, some Princes, some Magistrates, some private men, or to say as the Apostle saith, he hath ordained, Some to be Prophets, some Evangelists, some Preachers, and some Doctors. And therefore let us take heed that we fulfil the ministery which is laid upon us. For if so be we deal lamely and haltingly in the charge which is given unto us, we fail not only in our own duties, but we also bring a general confusion upon the whole people, and so become culpable of the sins of all the multitude. Where contrariwise, if so be we deal justly and truly in our office, we shall be like unto good and skilful musicans, who, over and beside the great pleasure of the excellent and sweet sonnding of their voices, they feel a marvelous and incredible delight by the even meeting of one another's voice, which falleth into theirs, with an agreement & accord, full of sweet melody. And therefore it is surely a great pleasure to do well, neither is there any pleasure so great, as the contentment which we feel in our consciences, when we perform any godly & commendable action. Neither is there any thing that more gladly tickleth the spirit, than the glory which it offereth & promiseth unto that m●… or woman, who virtuously be have the selves in their lives & conversations. I mean not such glory as is fed either with wind or smoke, which pleaseth men only, but such glory as maketh us see a far off, the crown which is prepared for us. Neither must we stand upon the outcries and clapping of the hands of the people, which favour the course that we take in hand, no more than a valiant Champion ready prepared in the lists to fight the combat doth: but let it rather hasten us to run the swiftlier unto the goal & garland of prize, which attendeth our victory, and lift up our souls with such a cogitation, as that all our actions being referred to this end, may be full of that joy & contentment, wherein consisteth our whole blessedness. Niether may we ne yet can we continually tie ourselves unto the affairs and business of this world: for, after labour, ensueth rest, which is in very deed the true operation of the soul, and that is Meditation. And in very truth, most blessed are they whose vocation is wonderfully far ●hest off from the care of these worldly affairs, and whom God hath withdrawn from the tempests and storms of the world, and placed them as it were in a calm & peaceable haven, to behold a far off the ship wrack of others. And this me ditation consisteth only of the knowledge of the truth, and glory of God, which we must seek after as well by the contemplation, and exact consideration of his works, our of which shineth forth every where his power & incomparable goodness, as by the ordinary reading of his word, by which he openeth unto us the treasure of his wisdom, and draweth the curtains of heaven, to make us see his majesties face to face, as much as our infirmity is able to bear. And the works of Go● undoubtedly, are as scaling ladders se● up for us every where to climb up unto him. For, let us turn ourselves which way soever we will, and we shall find here in the world wonderful things▪ for if we look down into the deph of the bowels of the earth, we shall see there such a number of veins of gold and silver, such a sort of pertious minerals, and such spring heads of lively waters, as is wonderful. Again, if we look upon the face of the earth, we shall fin● such variety of herbs, flowers, fruits, trees, beasts of the fields, and in then such virtues, and secret properties, 〈◊〉 that it would make us altogether astonished. And are the seas less admirable, by reason of their ebbing & flowing? the multitude of fishes, and the diversity of monsters, which they fee● & bring forth? And will not the airs replenished with fowls, clouds, raine● snows, hails, lightnings, & thunder make us wonder? And when as we li●… up our eyes far higher, and behold the curtains of heaven spread upon the face of the earth, behold the brightness of the Sun, the clearness of the Moon, and the ruling of their course, observe & mark the goodly & beautiful order of the Stars, their course, effects, & influences, must it not needs altogether amaze us? And yet all this gear together considered in gross is nothing in respect of the matters which we have now in hand, when as we shall have examined them a part and by piecemeal: for, when as we shall have seen that the very least things in the world, have in their constitution such a marvelous prudence & wisdom, we must of necessity find out the author & creator of them, in heaven. Let man but look into himself, & consider with himself what manner a things he is, and how so little a moist humour could make him grow unto such a fashion, to be framed a body of so many sundry parts, with such proportion. And let him not content himself to see himself stand upright upon his feet, with his face upward, his eyes open, and removing all his members, but let him a little uncover his skin, and guess how the flesh and the bones are so workemanlike set together, and understand how many sinews and muskle● are drawn down even from the neck, unto the most base & outermo● parts of the body, to bind, lose, and remove to all the parts, unto all sort of movings: and let him behold ho●… so many veins are spread throughout the body to carry the blood and nourishing juice unto every member. Le● him also see what a number of arteries are guided from the heart, and divided to accompany all the sinewe● and veins, to hold in the vital spirits in every part, as the messengers of his will, to the end, to command the sinews to move, or not to move. Le● him then if he will, lay open his stomach, and see how his life is mainte●ned, how the meats sent down into the stomach, are transformed by a secret and incomprehensible power how, by labouring and stirring in the stomach, they run into the paunch how the good juice floweth through the small veins into the liver, whi●… is the shop of the blood: how the live dischargeth her supper fluities into the gall, spleen, and kidneys, how it distributeth the blood into the veins, and how it is sent into the heart to be there made thin and subtilized, even unto the confection of the vital spirits. If he behold the moving and breathing of the lights, which refresheth and moderateth the heat of the heart, if he see the artificial ●urnings and wreathe of the guts, let him not think the same, to be fallen out of the clouds, neither yet that he seethe any other things within, than he seethe without. Howbeit, when as he shall come to consider of the head, which is the treasure of the senses, and seat of reason, let him dream amongst other things, what an especial wo●ke the eye is, and with how many films and thin skins, this lightsome spirit is garnished and defended, which in very truth is the pleasure of the life, he shall remain as it were astonished and amazed, but yet not so much, as when he cometh to pierce the brain, where he shall perceive the manner whereon the portraiture and images of things are borne by the senses, as faithful messengers and interpreters, to be received and exercised therein by the common sense: and afterward to be ordered and placed within the custody of the cells of the memory. But the thing that most astonisheth us, is this, when as we desire to understand what our soul is, which manageth & governeth all this whole workmanship, what a power it is of, that thus strangely moveth and worketh, which awaketh when we sleep, comprehendeth so easily all things, reacheth into the deepest matters, and by discourse, findeth out the cause and reason of the most secret things. And we see and feel these effects in ourselves, and yet we can neither see not yet conceive them. Certainly, when we, in the contemplation of these things, are lifted up by faith, we feel ourselves forthwith led unto the author of these works. And to say truly, when as we see so many marvelous things dispersed throughout the whole face of the earth, for what other purpose serve they, but to be as a book left wide open, for us to read out thereof, the greatness and almighty power of God, who is hereby so gloriously expressed? The only beholding whereof, is able to stay our senses and spirits, and furnish them with an abundant and sufficient contentment, whereon bangeth our felicity. This is it, whereon we should study day and night, and not content ourselves with the bare looking of the cover only, but diligently to way the periods, yea, even to pluck out the sillabes and meanest points, which contain excellent and holy secrets. And this was a very good answer in my opinion, which the good Eremite S. Anthony (as Socrates writeth) made unto a Philosopher, who asked him how he could possibly dwell in a solitary place, without having of books about him? Surely (quoth he) I lack not books, for the world is my book, and my study, is the contemplation of nature, wherein I read day and night, of the glory of my God: howbeit, I can never attain to the end thereof. O happy life void of such a number of boiling sorrows and griefs, which undermine and consume our years, gladding and rejoicing in this gracious rest, and having good ●eaue to thrust our hands up to the elbows into the treasures of the Deity, which feedest the desires of the soul, with the knowledge of immortality, and swondest and diest within the burning flames of eternal wisdom. These are the delights, and these are the alluring baits which kept Acepsenas, a recluse, within his cell in the wilderness, full threescore years. These are the allurements which stayed that Simeon all his life long, upon the top of a pillar. What a marvelous desire (think you) had those men, who being lifted up above the earth, did swim in the air, communicated with the Angels, and beautified themselves before they died? Without doubt, our blood is wonderfully congealed and gross about our heart, and we very dull, and as it were in a swoon, if we admire not their blessedness, neither have we compassion of our own miseries, our spirits are mightily mortified, if so be we comprehend not, that in this life, in this contemplation, and in the knowledge of this eternal verity, our consolation, contentation, & felicity, lieth, consisteth and resteth. Now God, who loveth us as his children, meaneth not to leave us unto the darkness of this world, and to make us seek after, gropingly as it were, amongst his works for this his truth. But having left his spirit with us, he hath also left unto us his owrde, as an interpreter of his will, where in we shall be sure to find sure and faithful directions▪ to bring us unto this verity, and easily understand his marvelous works. This is that voice, which is called the burning word▪ this is that word which is called the light, which, as Euscbius saith, is like un to fire, because it doth not only heat, lighten, and make ripe, but also melteth, softeneth, and hardeneth. And therefore we should follow those good Egyptian fathers, whose lives Philo describeth, who losing their eyes to look far above the works of God, cast them forthwith into the reading of the Propherts, and of the holy books, as upon the commentary and interpreter of their meditations. And these are they that have most profoundly entered into the divine wisdom, and who for that occasion, are in the scriptures called Seers: for they are they, by whom we have had the mysteries of eternities revealed, and not by any humane industry, but by the inspiration of the spirit of God, have communicated unto us the miracles of heaven, and opened the entry into wisdom with the which when as our soul is mixed, and from thence hath received her form and perfection, she must then bring forth her fruit, according as the same Philo hath taught us, That that is the property of every perfect thing. The fruit of a meditating soul, or rather the infant thereof, if we will speak as Eusebius doth, is prayer, which being conceived in the inward part of our thought, discloseth itself betwixt our lips, even as the child is conceived in the mother's womb. For, the knowledge of God, & the effectual feeling of his goodness, which are imprinted in us, by an holy cogitation, engendereth also in us this motion of courage which Mercury the great caleth, The inward word, which being well fashioned within, and aided by the spirit & the body, thrusteth out itself, and uttereth this outward word, which we call prayer, we take not this only for ordinary praye●, which proceedeth of our infirmity, and should be the beginning of all our works, & which we are not to keep to be the last action of the soul, but for that, by which we express that affection which is borne in us, by perceiving of that which we have from the goodness of God, which, after that we have by holy thoughts prepared our tongues for it, ruleth & governeth the same, and maketh it the instrument of his glory, by which we try whether we converse therein ho●ily yea or no, which is such a wonderful contentment, as that there remaineth not in our spirit to receive any other cogitation at all into it. For be it that we prostrate ourselves before him, to beseech him of his favour & grace, or require his benefits, or to give him thanks for his favours daily showed unto us, our spirit is as it were ravished & in a swond, & we feel his hand already coming faster upon us, than we are in calling upon him: having assured ourselves a long time together, that whatsoever we should crave at his hand in a lively faith, he would grant us, whether it be that we at all times, as indeed we ought, cause our voices resound his praifes, preaching and setting forth his wondrous works, singing as he hath commanded us, songs unto his glory, and answering one another with hymns & spiritual songs, our heart rebound and leap in us, and our spirit lifte● up itself above the heavens, and joineth in thought with our creator. And what hour, nay what moment of a● hour ought we to cease, turning the eyes of our souls towards him, who continually standeth with his arms wide open, to embrafe us, bendeth his favourable ears unto our prayers, hearkeneth lovingly unto our vows, and is not jealous of the praises which we sing unto him? Is it meet then that there should be either business or sleep, to bereave us of this pleasure, or rather that we ourselves should bereave our souls, & so bring ourselves a sleep even then, when the sweet songs, earnest and fervent prayers, should gather our spirits together, & assemble them to strive with the grace of God, which worketh in us. Is it fit that we should become deaf, even then, when he toucheth the instrument of our souls, to cause us agree unto the tune of his will, and content ourselves with the melody of this sweet and perfect harmony, which soundeth from the conjunction of our understanding of his deity? O immortal delights, who shall separate my soul from thee, who shall pluck me from out of thine arms, to draw me out of heaven unto the earth, from clear shining bringtnesse, into miserable darkness, and to lead away my senses from purity and cleanness, into a most filthy dunghill or jakes. and therefore O thou my dear soul, live, yea live I say, and settle and resettle thyself amidst these heavenly delghts, which as pearls and diamonds, have banished themselves into the wilderness and uttermost parts of the earth, and are such an excellent market as can possibly be wished, unto all such as have the hearts to go thither to seek after them, and live thou this blessed life, which is the way of immortality, that pleasantly leadeth us even into the entry of the heavens, following our God, step by step, and holding him by the garment, where being arrived, we shall be bereaved but of that clothing that hindereth us, and be cast with a lost body into the midst of the depth of his glory: where, being full, not of pleasure, ease, rejoicing, delights and voluptuousness, but with an unspeakable and unbeleeveable contentment, which surpasseth whatsoever we are able not to speak of, but to think of▪ We shall begin the course of this immortal life, which never shall have end, & enter into this eternal blessedness, out of which we shall never come, & be enlightened with that most heavenly glory, which never shall be darkened. But because that this last & most perfect felicity, consisteth in beholding the face of the father of light, wherein we shall see the springhead and original beginning of all goodness and excellency, & will not have us see him face to face, so long as we are encompassed about with the darkness of this world, but only his back part as it were passing by, we might hold our peace, and with silence admire, that which we know to be, but we know not how, neither are we once able to speak thereof, but that we must needs accuse our own ignorance, and that, whereof we are not able to affirm any thing, save that we know not any thing thereof by any of our senses, but is a thing which beyond all whatsoever, for our senses can no way possibly pierce so far into it, and the more that our spirit striveth to enter into it, the more it stumbleth thereat. What is there then for us to do? Forsooth a most assured hope, that if we live here in this world holily & righttuously, and make ourselves worthy of the grace and favour which our heavenly father offereth unto us, one withdraw draw not our affections from him, and give not the honour which we own unto him, upon and to these earthly and worldly things, we shall one day enter as his children and heirs of his glory, into the treasury of his heavenly riches, and enjoy according to his promises, the brightness of his eternity.   


I Have adjoined this Epistle unto the end of this treatise, because they are both of like argument, and because also we should not so esteem of our own inventions, as that we should not commend likewise the works of the ancient fathers, who have far exceeded us, both in age, zeal, and knowledge. And that small diversity that may be found in the translation, may be imputed unto the bareness of our language, wherein, as in a painting, men are enforced to imitate by shadows and images the help of natural bodies. And let a man do what soever he can, yet is it a rare and strange thing to make the counterfeit of any thing, equal unto the thing itself.   

The Epistle of S. Basile the Great, unto S. Gregory the divine.  
I Have forthwith re-acknowledged your letter, as men reacknowledge their friends children to be like unto their parents: for there is no man that can or may better mislike of our heremitages, than you yourself, nor know before hand what our manner of life and ordinary conversation is, to uphold and maintain that the choice of places can any way enlarge and increase your heart unto devotion, and that there is nothing therein at all which may cause you to hope for any such sweet delight and felicity, which we herein promise unto ourselves. In very deed I should be ashamed to cause you to have a desire to write hereof that, which I myself day and night, do here in this wilderness. For although I have left the city, & all those tedious dealings which brought unto me with them a thousand mischiefs, and a thousand discommodeties, yet can I not possibly leave myself, but am even properly most like unto them that being not wont unto the sea, grow so sick when they are a shipboard: & thinking thegreatnesse of the vessel, and rolling thereof, to be the cause of their sickness, are desirous to go down into the cockboat for the easing and bettering of themselves, and when they are there, they grow sicker than they were before, because they carry with them both their stomach and choler also into it. And after that manner fareth it also with me, for I carrying with myself, both my private and particular passions, am continually in the very self same trouble and unquietness that I was before, and so I have gotten nothing by withdrawing myself from the world. Howbeit, whosoever he be that would do that that should further his salvation, and follow the way of him which saith; If any man will follow me, let him forsake himself, and take up his cross and follow me, the same man without doubt shall find rest unto his soul. For as the eye which continually moveth, and rolleth itself hither and thither, sometime high and sometime low, can never look strait upon any thing, and therefore if he will look well, he must steadfastly cast and fix his eye altogether upon one point: even so, man's understanding being drawn away with a thousand sundry cares, cannot well bend itself aright unto the knowledge of the truth: for the unmarried man shall be carried away with foul and beastly desires and lusts, troubled with foolish and furious love toys, & other unbridled desires. And on the otherside, with how many cares shall the married man be thwarted, for if he hath no children, that will be a great corsive to him: he must also have an eye into his wife, he must provide for the necessaries of his house, he must be at charges with his servants, he shallbe at variance with his neighbours, he shall always be at suit in the law, his merchandise shall be in hazard, and the manuring and storing of his grounds will be a great pain and charge unto him, he shall every day have new troubles in his mind, and the night which bringeth with it all the cares of the day forepast, will toss up and down in his fantasy. And there is but one only remedy for all this, which is, wholly to forsake the world: neither must he abandon his body only from the world, but he must with a sweet and an assured resolution, separate his mind clean from the world, yea he must as it were, violently pluck away his very cogitations from it, and make them fly, have nothing proper unto himself, keep no company, he must be poor and without substance, and without all worldly dealings, far from any negotiations, ignorant of politic sciences and trades, and only prepare himself to receive into his soul, the instructions of holy wisdom. And we cannot better prepare ourselves hereunto, then to forget wicked conditions, and naughty dealing, wherein we were heretofore brought up in and instructed, for it is impossible to write any thing upon a written pair of tables, except we first wipe that out-which before was written; Even so likewise it is impossible to engrave in the heart of men, the will and word of God, if ye first of all pluck not out thereof the fore conceived opinions, which before have been therein imprinted by a wicked kind of life. And hereunto the solitary life is wonderful profitable, because that it overcometh all our perturbations, and giveth reason, time and leisure, to draw them out of the soul. For as wild beasts are easily tamed when as they are made much of, and dealt gently withal; even so our lusts, choler, terrors and sorrows, which are the very poisons of our souls, are with greater ease ruled and governed by reason, when as they begin to quiet themselves, and are not provoked and made savage by a continual cogitation. And therefore such a place must be chosen out as this which we are in, out of all company, to the end our continual meditation be not interrupted by any resort, for this godly meditation nourisheth the soul with sweet and heavenly cogitations, and what a more blessed thing can there be then to imitate here upon earth die life and accord of Angels? And to be up by the sunnering, to pray & sing hymns and songs unto the creator, and when the sun is at the highest, to begin his labour again, and liquor and season his travail in the salt of devout prayers and spiritual songs? For there is nothing that so much gladdeth the mind, and maketh it more merry and strong, than the consolation of holy songs: and therefore quiet rest is the very right preparative for the purging and cleansing of the soul. For, because the tongue is not then impeached for the discovering of the affairs of the world, neither are the eyes yet occupied about the judging of the brightness and diversity of colours, or of the proportion of bodies, neither doth the hearing spend and waste the forces of the understanding, to hear pleasant songs, which are made to tickle the ears, or yet matter of laughter, foolery and knavery, which serve for none other purpose but to weaken the force and intention of the mind. Now when the soul is not carried away with thinking of outward things, & spread abroad as it were by the senses upon worldly things, she cometh back unto herself and returnerh wholly into herself, and afterward of herself raifeth up herself even unto God. Then all the clearness and brightness of this divine most bright shining light, forgerteth all her natural actions, & careth no more for food and clothing, no she not so much as once thinketh of any earthly thing, but transferreth all her study for the getting of eternal benefits. She addicteth herself, and studieth how she may become temperate, how she may frame her actions according to righteousness and prudence, how she may become courageous, and generally, all other virtues which devout persons learn, to address all their actions unto comeliness and perfection of life. The plain beaten high way that must bring us hereunto, and keep us within the compass of our duty, is the reading and meditating of the holy scriptures, for therein we shall find the most virtuous and excellent instruction to cause us to do well, that possibly may be, and examples and histories of the lives of holy and religious persons, which are so many lively images, and exemplars of all good manners, and holy conversation, which are there set before us to follow. Wherefore, whosoever he be that shall feel any infirmity in himself, and stayeth himself hereon, shall find therein as in a rich and well furnished Apothecaries shop, every necessary drug that is fit to recover his heal, for let him that loveth temperance and modesty, read over ordinarily the history of joseph, and therein he shall learn actions full of great continency and chastity, and find that he was not only chaste and a resister of filthy lust, but by reason of long exercise, confirmed also in all sorts of ventues, he shall likewise learn by job a rare courageous mind, in seeing the adversities which he endured, as being become from a great rich man, to be a most miserable poor wretch, and from a father of a noble and great family; a man alone and without children, standing courageously and coutinually unto his tackling, his mighty constancy being never abated, nor his heart any whit at all lessened. And when his friends which came to comfort him, had provoked him, and fell a jesting at him for his talk, and stirring his mildness, yet could they never thereby drive him into choler. But if any man would dream, with what magnanimity he could be able to hold himself courteous and gentle, and being angry against sin, love and make much of the persons that offend, he shall find David, who was a most brave and valiant expert man of war, to be notwithstanding such a one, as was far from revenging himself of his enemies. Such a one was also Moses, and yet notwithstanding he would be mightily angry against those that blasphemed the honour of God: but unto such as offended and slandered himself, he would be marvelous calm and gentle. And therefore we must do as good Painters and Counterfeiters do, who taking upon them to draw out the counterfeit of some man or beast, or any other thing else curiously wrought in a table before their faces, looking oftentimes upon the thing which they are counterfeiting, do draw the lineaments one after another, until they have finished and ended their work that is to say, looking upon the lives of holy men, as upon lively images, draw out of them the most excellent lineaments of virtue, to make us perfect, and to make ours by imitation, like unto them in all goodness and excellency. So we returning from labour unto prayers, shall by them make our minds and spirits more lively and merry, as heated and inflamed with a true godly love. For a good and faithful prayer engendereth in our souls, a manifest knowledge of the goodness of God: for that maketh God, as it were, to dwell in us, as having settled him deeply in our remembrances, and so by this means we are made the temples of God, when as the intent of our mind is not interrupted by any earthly cogitations, nor our soul troubled with any sudden motions, but flying and eschewing all other thing, retireth herself towards God as to her friend, and driving away all perverse affections which move us unto intemperance; giveth herself wholly unto the study of those knowledges which lead her unto virtue. And first it is very meet we take heed, that we speak nothing impertinently to the purpose, but to find out things after a gentle manner, and without contention, and to answer unto that which is demanded without affectation, and not interrupt him that speaketh to the purpose, of any thing, and to keep such a moderation in hearing of him, as that it might not seem that he meant by any vain ostentation, to thwart the matter at that time set abroach. Neither must any man be ashamed to learn, or yet hide that which hath been taught him by another: dealing like unto wicked women, that rob other women of their children, and make their husbands believe that they are theirs. But we must give unto him that hath taught us, all the honour and glory. It is best, as I think, that every man speak moderately and temperately, so as his words be not lost before they come unto the ear, neither yet must they be over loud, nor rashly spoken, nor yet unadvisedly, for a man must first consider with himself, what he will say, and then afterward utter it, carry himself graciously in reasoning, and to give a good liking in particular conversation, not with merriments, but with benevolence, gracious communication, & natural courtesy, always flying and avoiding, when there is any need of reproving, all bitterness, and eager words. He must first frame himself to be of an humble and meek spirit, that he might like and please him who hath need of his discourses. The manner which the Prophet used in reproving of David, is very many times good and profitable for us, who would not by and by, and upon the sudden, accuse him of the soul fact which he had committed, but told him of his fault under the title of another, whereby he made him the judge of his own sin, so as having condemned himself, he could by no means take any occasion to fall out with him that had reproved him. Now he that is humble and cast down in his cogitations, looketh always downward, weareth his apparel carelessly, his hair long, and his garment not made after the fashion, so as that humilitia that mourners fashion themselves unto, is natural in him. His Gown must be girt unto him, but not above his loins, for that is somewhat womanish: neither yet too lose, for that bewrayeth his slothfulness. His gate must not be slow, because it signifieth a soft spirit, ne yet overhasty, for fear he be noted to be haggar headed. The garments are made but for one thing, which is, to keep the flesh from heat and cold. He must not hunt after colours, to please the eye, nor exquisite fashions for delicacies sake: for, they that hunt after these sorts of attires, are womanish, who beautify their smooth well coloured cheeks and their hair, with many strange and divers coloured paintings. The Gown must be made of such stuff, as that we shall not need to cast another upon it, to keep us from the cold. His hosing must be of a small price, but yet of such a price, as may suffice the necessity for which he useth it. And generally, as in his garments, so must he also in all other things have regard unto frugality and profit. As for meat, bread will staunch hunger, and water quench the thirst of a sound man. He may use salads of herbs as far as is necessary to strengthen and brawn the body, He must not at his meals eat ravenously like an hunger-starved Wolf, but show himself always like unto himself, sober, and temperate in all his desires: neither must he in the mean while occupy his mind in playing the fool, but dreaming of the nature of things wherewith we are nourished, take occasion to glorify God, who governeth and moderated all things, for so much as he hath devifed and brought forth so many sundry sorts of meats, which by a singular property are applied unto the use and maintenance of our bodies. And therefore before we go to meat, we must give God thanks for that which he hath bestowed upon us, and beseech him to bestow upon us in time to come, that which he hath promised us. We must have but one hour in the day for our meals, and that must be also observed in good order, so as in the xxiv. hours of the day and night, we must bestow this one hour about our body, and all the rest of the time must be spent in spiritual exercises. We must make but short sleeps, that we may wake quickly, and our sleep must be after the manner of our life, which is oftentimes interrupted by great and earnest cogitations. For to be tied to a deep sleep, as if all our members were benumbed, and by such rest to give place unto dreams, and foolish imaginations, is to die always. Their morning, which make a devout profession, is midnight, for then do they take their time to praise God, because that when as the rest of the night turneth away their hearts from whatsoever might occupy their eyes & ears, it keepeth their thoughts fixed on God, giveth them the means to amend their consiences by recording of their sins, and to set bars unto their souls to keep them from evil, and to implore the goodness of God, that it might work together in them this perfection of life which they hope to aspire and come unto.    

AN EXHORTATION of a civil life, unto Monsieur de L.  
I Am very glad that there is something passed my hand which liketh you: And I never think my watchings better bestowed, then when as they content such as with their friendship honour me, and unto whom I have vowed ray service as I have done to you. Howbeit, if the Epistle of Saint Basile which I have put forth into French, have done you any pleasure, it is not to me that you should show the favour: not unto me, I say, who have rather empared then amended the work of so great a Clerk, in making it to change the tongue, and to speak our french language. Truly, amongst all the Fathers of the Grecians, there is not one amongst them all that I better like of, than I like of him. Every man hath his liking, and I will leave other men to the commending of that which they best like of: but as for mine own part, I will rather use his man which pleaseth me, for this is the man that I chiefeliest make account of. Neverthesse's, there is one thing in your letter which you wrote unto me that misliketh me, and that is this, You writ, that the often reading if this Epistle, which you say, you read over as it were every day, hath brought you into a desire to get you into some Monastery, and there to pass the rest of your days, that you might turn away your eyes from beholding the great miseries which this miserable civil war hath hatched and brought forth, and wholly convert your mind and thoughts unto the honour and service of God. This purpose of yours, I must needs confess, proceedeth from a most godly heart, and a very good forecasting mean to bring unto you in your own particular cause, some quietness of mind, and peace of conscience, which I suppose to be one of the greatest benefits which we can any way look for. But it would sore grieve me to be bereaved of so sweet and dear company, and so great hu●… unto the common weal. You shoul● (believe me) in my poor opinion, do marvelous wrong both vnt● your country, and to your friends and every man is to seek his om●… benefit, but yet so, as that it be no● to the hurt of another. For, we an● not borne here in this world fo● ourselves: and beside, we are bu● the lesser part of the whole, an● therefore bind and tie yourself unto the great and principal part thereof, with most strait bonds, which allow us not to withdraw● ourselves in this dangerous se●son, without violating and breaking both the bonds of charity, an● also of godliness. And yet for al●… this, I would not have you think, that I will gainsay, or yet diminish the commendation which Sa●… Basile, and so many ancient Fathers, and myself with them, have given unto solitary life: for I greatly commend it, yea, and I love it, it may be too well. But I wish you did love it as they do, and upon the self-same considerations, and not for any discouragement, the rather to avoid the thwart and tedious dealings of a civil life, then for to follow the pleasure that, is in contemplation. Follow (if you please) the examples of the ancient Fathers, but follow them with that wisdom and moderation which they do. Believe me if you will, it is now no time for their example of life, to call such men as you are, unto solitary life. For monastical life came not in, in a troublesome time, ne yet for such men, as whose wisdom and fidelity was necessary unto the government of the weal public. Neither do we see, that in the first beginning of the Christian Church, although it was every manner of way, and with all sorts of troubles and afflictions tossed and turmoiled, that the Fathers withdrew themselves into the deserts and solitary places, there to serve God quietly. But their lives being full of actions, and those public also, hindered them to establish the Churches, to discipline the people, to conserve the peace and union 〈◊〉 cities and provinces, and to serve f●… examples of modesty and tempera●… unto the whole world. But when as th● Christians had full liberty and a●…rance, and that the emperors a●… chief Governors had embraced th● Religion, and kept the same under th● covert of their arms and power, an● favoured such as made profession thereof, the peace then of it being established, and the common weal being able as it were to be maintained of 〈◊〉 self, upon the good and sure foundations, which so many wise and holi●… personages had before laid, it wa● permitted unto great learned men to enjoy the sweetness of solitary life. But of what age were they when they thus did? Forsooth it was even the when they had spent the strength of their young years in the government of the civil life, and in worldly affairs amongst men. And about this age, and after this manner, did Saint Basile, and Saint Jerome withdraw themselves. And yet notwithstanding when as the necessity of the common state required their aid, some of them were called away, and enforced to enter again into their former charge for the good of the common weal. And othersome of them remained all their lives long in solitary life, and it was by reason they were not thought competent and necessary men about those affairs which then were eminent. And to say truly, what man is able to abide to see, during the tempest (when as the billows roll most high, the sea foameth most furiously, the winds blow most outrageously) the most expert pilots leave the helm unto passengers, to fall to their sleep? For, so long as it is calm, every man may guide the stern, for then, skill is to small purpose, and ignorance doth no great hurt. But so long as the storm continueth, the direction and wisdom of him that governeth is seen, upon whose direction and wisdom alone hangeth the lives of all those that are embarked with him. Now, your study, age, and experience, have brought unto you great sufficiency, and ripeness of cournsell, and your wisdom, and sincerity, have made you in such sort affect the common weal of your councountrey, as in deed you ought, so th●… you have thereby gotten yourself such credit amongst your natural countrymen, as the time yee● death and affordeth for honest me●… to have. For, with what pretene can you any way abandon the common good of your country? It ma● be, you will say, I am not able to abide the outrages which reign amongst the people, I can not away to see the disorder and confusion where-into all things are fallen. Tell me, I beseech you, doth this agree with the words which I have heard you oftentimes speak, that ou● Country is in the stead of our Father and Mother, and to this effec●… it is called Patria, by a name, the derivation whereof, signifieth a Father, and the feminine termination signifieth a Mother, as conjoining them both in one word, an● signifying Patrie, and Matrie, both together. Put the case that a Father should wax mad, and be out of his wits, upon whom would you bestow the care, keeping, and oversight of him? would you not say upon the Children? Now, if the Children would excuse themselves, and say, that he had punished, injuried, and beaten them, and therefore would not take it upon them, would you not find fault with them, and with checks and taunts enfore them to do that duty which both nature and charity commandeth them? Peradventure you will ●ay, that thee are two whings which withdraw you, and they seem to excuse you for putting too your hel●ping hand, and meddling in and with ●hese affairs. And the one is, that ●t is lost labour, that the plead of honest men are utterly unprofitable, and serve for none other purpose, but to make them to be ●enuyed and hated, without bringing any benefit to the commonweal at all. By this, the wound is ●o whit the more cured, and liberty hath overmuch won vp●on reason. For, honest men are ●o whit bound to travel for the profit and commodity of the commonweal, but so farrefoorth as their travel may do good, and that there is thereby some hope of well ●…ing. For, men must deal in a State, 〈◊〉 Physicians do with their physic, f●… they must not minister physic vn●… diseases that are incurable, whi●… bringeth nothing else unto themselu●… but shame and dishonour. The other that you tell of, is this, that there's a●… some things which an honest man m●… not by any means possible suppo●… nor dissemble. Well, patience is a marvelous great virtue, and greatly b●… seeming, and necessary for the life 〈◊〉 men, and yet she hath her bounde●… and the mischief groweth sometim●… unto such an head, as that they whi●… both love and fear God, are no w●… able to abide it. For answer unto th● first, this I say, that it is a coward●… idle, and slothful excuse, grounded 〈◊〉 there upon our pusillanimity, than ●…pon wisdom which it so vaunte● of. For, who is he that can have any i●… occasion to despair of the good of a●… Estate or of a City, since we see by th● course of histories how vncertain●… both their ruin and preservation is 〈◊〉 For, how often have we seen kingdoms & cities fall, even in their mo●… flourishing time, by a sudden earthquake, and by great winds; and other some, altogether tottering, and almost half fallen, marvelously holden up, raised, and set up again in the midst of their ruins? For, this power of God, which men foresee not, hath caused them to hang between fear and hope, neither was there ever any thing so sure, as that the fall of it was not to be feared, nor any thing so staggering, as that there was not some hope of the staying thereof. And this is without all doubt most true, that if our salvation lay wholly in our own hands, we had already been damned. Howbeit, God fighteth for us against ourselves, and will save us whether we will or no. Now, although we were sure to be ruined, and saw it never so clearly, that it would light upon us, as in very deed we see not so much as one jot thereof, is it not a part of the duty of good children and good friends, to assist those that are incurably sick, even unto death, and fourd them with fair words, whom we can not possibly heal? You will perhaps say, that you are not able to abide the unbridled liberty, which some private men take upon them, as the oppression of justice, and the disorder and confusion wherein we live. What is it then th●… you would have? Would you see a●… things as they should be, as to see goo● men in authority, ill men suppressed b● laws, and justice to rule and reign▪ Surely, these are worthy wishes of you● and worthy an honest man; howbeit, the world is not governed by wishing and woulding. A man may lawfully desire good things, but let the● be as they may, we must needs bear● them. There will be vices enough in th● world, so long as there are men in th● world. And this is to heal and eas● these disorders whereunto the common weal and your duty call you, neither must you bring with you, you● eyes alone, but your hands also, 〈◊〉 heal your country of so grievous wounds. I right well know, that yo● shall not therein be able to do as yo● would, neither is the mischief to b● meddled withal, but you must do wha● you can in it, and as the condition o● the mischief will suffer you. This is a● occupation, out of which we choose not the matter, but is given unto us: for, a good workman, is oftentimes enforced to work in a rotten piece of wood, and yet for all that he must not give it over, but make the best he can of such an ill-favoured piece of wood. When Solon was asked whether he had given unto the Athenians the best laws he could, he answered no, but I have given them the best that they are able to abide. And we must apply remedies according to the strength & nature of the diseased. To be short, we are not warranted in our affairs none otherwise then with our counsels, and having done the best we can, because it is to be done, we are thereof discharged both before God & men. And as for the particular injuries which we receive thereby, where can we better bestow our charity & patience? where shall we exercise that which we learn out of the school of Christ, if we can not bear the injuries & slanders of the people with whom we live? yea, when shall we hope that by our patience we shall appease the popular furies, bring again the rebellious people into their right wits, displace the wicked from their authority, and set good men in their rooms? It is most certain, that these diseases are sooner cured by winning of time, then by applying of remedies, it is far better to entertain them by wisdom, that they impair not, for in the end, it is length of time that must ripen and heal them. For, the people by experience recover health, and then they seek after good and honest men, and abhor those whom before they had made much of. They are like unto pale-coulored maids, which eat all the worst things that possibly they can get, but they cast them by and by up again. For, so soon as they are stirred and moved, they use for the serving of their turn the most desperate and most wicked men: but they are no sooner quieted and in a good mood, and that this inconsiderate boiling heat hath run over, they by and by make no account of those villains, but are the first that will lay hold on them and plague them. And therefore is not the commonweal greatly benefited, when as good men preserve themselves for such a dangerous time, and forsake not, either through anger, or despair, the ship wherein they see the drunken passengers for a time rage and storm? I confess in deed, that he must needs in such a case run into a thousand hazards, and suffer a thousand indignities. But whosoever taketh the pain, to him belongeth the merit and reward: and through travel, glory increaseth. But especially amongst us Christians, who make profession to endure and abide by it, and have enroled ourselves under a Captain, that layeth before our eyes an hard and tedious warfare, and assigneth unto us no crown, before such time as we have sustained many strange afflictions, and innumerable trials and corrections. He braggeth no whit of his victories, ne yet of his soldiers that have followed him, otherwise then for their patience. By this only virtue have they conquered so many Provinces, Kingdoms, and Empires, and were no way glorious, but by the receiving and bearing of injuries. How can we then better follow him, then by hazards, opprobries, and injuries? And in what a more worthy and recommendable occasion can we endure all this, then to serve, for the good and preservation of our country? If love, which God hath so highly commended unto us, may so prevail with us, as to hazard our goods and lives for the safety of our neighbour, what ought we to do for such an innumerable number of men, and such a number of cities and provinces, unto which nature hath conjoined and allied us by all one law, language, manners, and secret affection, which she hath imprinted in us, from the which, whosoever separateth himself, is adjudged of all the nations of the world unworthy to behold the day light, and to live and be esteemed amongst men as an unnatural and cruel Parricide. Now, God came not into the world to dissolve and annihilate this natural obligation, but contrariwise, more surely to strain and tie the knot by this love, which he hath so greatly recommended unto us. Even so we also see, that when we once begin to cut asunder the bond of the common affection unto our country, that all manner not only of disorders, but of most abominable crimes and wickednesses set in foot; and thefts, murders, rapes, extortions, and sacrileges, forthwith rule and reign. Now, what is it in the whole world, which a man can more mislike, more abhor, kindle his fury more, and more stir and provoke him to ruin, and confound people? What shall we then say? whilst so many labour headlongly to overthrow both themselves and their country, will you, even you, I say, that have always had charge, and whose office bindeth you to take pains for the common weal, remain as it were carelessly in the desert, to see, yourself being safe, the fire burn your country, and reserve yourself to behold the ashes thereof? What a grief would it be unto you, not to have brought the aid which you might have done, or at least not to have made an assay & proof thereof? Do you not daily see, that after our friends are dead, we say even with sighs, if we had done such a thing, it may he that he had been alive? Come therefore, and contribute with us your wisdom, and resolute counsels, that we may save that which in this world is most dear unto us. Forbear this purpose of yours to live a solitary life, and draw you unto your rest, even then when we shall all at once have brought the Ship to the haven, or else being overcome with that foolish opinion of such as would willingly cast away themselves, be saved with some board of the wrack. But if we perish therein, death, which way soever he may come, shall have showed us no small favour, in taking us away from the beholding of so lamentable a spectacle or sight.   

A MEDITATION OF THE PSALMS OF David his repentance.   printer's device of Richard Field (McKerrow 164) ANCHORA SPEI 
1594   

A MEDITATION upon the Psalms, of David his repentance.  

Lord in thy wrath reprove me not. etc. Psalm. 6.  
TAke away (o Lord) the arm of thy severe and heavy vengeance from me, for it will else drive me down headlong as a violent stream into everlasting death and Condemnation, and consume me like fire, and the rest of my body shall be turned into ashes. And what eye shall be able to abide, but must needs perish with fear, to behold the only look of thine angry face, when as in casting thine eye upon us, thou shalt pierce the very bottoms of our hearts, and discover the secrets of our unclean consciences? For our abominable sins will blow the bellows of thy just anger upon our heads, and thine hot burning wrath will all at once cast us down headlong into that fearful gulf of pains, torments, and miseries. And therefore before such time as thy fury doth arise against me, and that thou with just disdain comest to overthrow and destroy me, I beseech thee to give ear unto the humble and grievous groans which my fearful heart poureth out unto thee.  
2 Mercy therefore o Lord, mercy I crave: Oh my God, what wilt thou do? Shall thy mighty power and strength make trial of mine infirmities? Thinkest thou my God, that I come before thee to wrestle against thy mighty power? No, no, O Lord, it is unto thy clemency that I run, it is under her wing that I place myself, that she might arm herself against the rigour of the condemnation which I most justly have deserved. Appease therefore somewhat what thy countenance, and seeing that I have along while called upon thy goodness, help and deliver me from all those evils which do besiege me, for behold I lead my life in most pitiful manner, and me thinketh that all my bones are bruised and broken.  
3 Howbeit, it is not my poor body only that is thus cruelly afflicted, but my miserable soul also doth sorrow and grieve. This soul of mine, O Lord, yea even this soul of mine, who is fully and wholly purposed with her voice to glorify the author of her life, is cast down and become desolate, without either courage or strength. And as the fearful Dove hideth herself in some small hole or creavie at the noise of thunder, even so my soul when she beholdeth thine heavy indignation, seeketh the darkest and obscurest places for her retreat. But how long O Lord will thine anger last?  
4 Howbeit, come O my Lord, come, and look upon me with thy pitiful eyes, with which thou canst not blot out my sin alone, but all the sins of the world also. For, I feel my soul stick fast in a most filthy and deep puddle of iniquity, therein she lieth drowned over head and ears, and stretcheth out her hand, O Lord unto thee: alas, pluck her out of it, O Lord, and set her again into the way of salvation. Save her, O Lord, for she coniureth thee thereunto, by thine infinite goodness, and incredible mercy. True it is, O Lord, that she no whit deserveth the same, neither oughteth she to hope for any help at his hand, whom she hath so cowardly forsaken, against whose honour she hath so wickedly conspired: the reward of whose sin deserveth no favour, but hell fire and eternal death.  
5 But who, O Lord, shall sing thy praises, and sound thy name in the infernal pit, and in the bottomless depth of death? For it is the house of sorrow, for there is nothing heard and seen, but howling & torments, where contrariwise, thy praise consisteth only in setting forth of thine infinite mercy, goodness and clemency.  
6 And beside, behold on the one side, how humble repentance maketh intercession for me, and hath sworn that she will never departed from me until such time as she hath reconciled me unto thee. And on the other side, consider how humble prayer importuneth thee for me, and hath sworn also that she will never be from thine heels, until such time as she hath reconciled me unto thee. O my God, thou hast often times seen my tears & heard my groans. I daily wash my face with tears, through the remembrance of my sins, & I cause my bed to swim with the tears that trickle down my eyes: what is that O Lord, which repentance commandeth me, that I do not religiously observe?  
7 I cast down mine eyes, & tremble with fear, when I behold thy angry countenance. I patiently bear the rebukes of mine enemies, & take in good part their reproaches, as a just punishment for my sins, I walk before their faces in sackcloth & ashes, and with the confession of my mouth, I kneel at the feet of thine altars. I with rods make lean my flesh, which caused my soul to sin, howbeit mine enemies do but laugh at my trouble, which place themselves round about me, with mocks to betray me.  
8 But when as thou hast mercy upon me, I will say unto them, Away from me ye children of iniquity, ye shall no longer laugh at my misery: The Lord hath heard my prayer, and my tears have appeased his anger, and behold I now enjoy the fruit of his holy favour. The light of his goodness hath shined upon me? and behold the storms that came about my head, are calmed and dashed in a moment.  
9 With much a do have I opened my lips to call upon him for aid, with much a do could I get mine heart to cry him mercy, and I have found his grace to be powered upon me, comfortting and quickening my languishing and sick soul, even as warm water refresheth a poor surbatted traveler. O incredible clemency! how ready O Lord art thou to pardon and forgive? I run to offend thee, and yet thou wilt show me favour, I have bestowed all the days of my life both by sea and by land, to hunt after ambition, covetousnessc, and filthy lust, and when I have been over head and ears, and utterly undone in my beastly delights, yet hast thou in a moment pierced the vens and the clouds to come down to deliver me: so as behold me now triumphing over my sin, which most humbly followed the trophies of my repentance, which hath found grace before thee. And so, the hope, which my sins had as it were strangled, is now more lively than ever it was before, which promiseth me not only the Empires of the world, that bend themselves which way soever the Lord inclineth them, but also openeth unto me the highest heavens, and assureth me after an happy life here in this world, to enjoy the heavenly immortality.  
10 What will mine enemies than do, when as they shall see me stored with so great felicity? They will then surely blush with shame, & their souls will be greatly troubled, and return altogether confounded and amazed: for he, whom they thought to be utterly overthrown, is now set in an higher degree, than ever before he was. Alas, they all made a scorn at my ashes, they laughed at my fastings, and whilst I with abstinence strove against my flesh, the very enemy unto my soul, they bathed themselves in the pleasures of the world: but lo the arm of the Lord is ready to thunder & lighten upon their insolency. O my God, give them a long time to acknowledge the extreme danger wherein they are, and to call unto thee from on high, for the only remedy of their disease: and as for myself, who feel my soul purge herself of the filthy matters which are in and about her, who feel my spirit inflamed with the fire of thy love, teach my lips to set forth thy praises, lift up my voice to resound thy mercies, and guide mine affections sincerely to love thee, and to establish in the knowledge of thy truth, my sovereign happiness & chiefest felicity.   

Blessed are they unto whom, etc. Psalm. 31.  
BLessed are they my God, whose sins thou hast pardoned, and whose iniquities thou hast buried in the tomb of oblivion Alas, what shall become of him, whose just punishment thou dost still continue upon him for his iniquities? An army of evils encompass him, poverty assaulteth him, sickness afflicteth him, famine presseth him, and death itself, which he thinketh to be the port of this tempestuous navigation, is the bottomless pit which must draw him unto everlasting torments.  
2 And therefore they are three or four times blessed, whom God calleth not unto a reckoning for their deeds, but is contented to have them humble themselves before him, acknowledging their infirmities, & opening unto him the very bottom of their hearts. For we must by true confession, and with a sincere conscience, call upon him for his mercies: and he that will be heard, must humble himself before him, for as he that goeth unto a river or pond, putteth down the mouth of his vessel to take up the water: so must he also do that humbleth himself before his creator, that will draw and taste of the water of this holy spring, from whence runneth the moisture, which only purgeth and cleanseth our consciences.  
3 I have sometimes thought, O my God, to hide my sins away from thee, and have said within myself: how shall he understand what I have done or not? And so have my sins putrefied within my bones, and as the ulcers and foul sores of a shamefast diseased man, who dareth not show his disease unto the Surgeon, increase and wax worse, even to the utter overthrow of the body: even to have the sins which I have hid from thee mightily infected me.  
4 But in the end, thou hast day and night, so heavily laid thy hand upon me, and made me taste of such a number of sorts of miseries, amongst which my soul taketh no rest, being overcome with the continual pricking of my conscience, that pierceth even through mine heart, that I have ackowledged my fault, which I presently bear upon mine hand. Behold and acknowledge this my God, but not in thine anger, for the dropping tears which with much weeping have almost put out mine eyes, ought also put out thy justly hot burning ire. And beside, am not I the work of thine own hands? nay, am not I rather the very lively image of thy Deity? And what is he that is so angry, as that he will bruise or break the work, which it pleased him so to polish and make perfect, when as he seethe it to be foul & filthy? In very deed, I must needs confess, that this image is laden with filthy matter, but is it not better to make it clean and neat, then to break it in pieces and tread it under feet?  
5 Teach me then my God, what satisfaction I shall make, for I have now laid open unto thee all the sins which before I had concealed. For, the fear wherein I was, when I hid myself from thee, is at this present that I have discovered myself unto thee, changed into hope of grace and pardon. And now I cast myself between thine arms, as into the most assured defence I have, even with such a countenance, as the poor patient that showeth his wound to the Barber, looketh wishly upon him, and courageously suffereth his searching and lancing, by reason of the desire and hope that he hath to be healed. But that which giveth me a greater hope of health, is, that the sins wherein I before took pleasure, make me now abhor to see them, even as the meats wherewith a man in health gorgeth himself, are very loathsome unto his stomach, when he is weak and sickly. And that which made me before bold and male part, I am now ashamed of, when as I consider the hazard of death whereunto my pride had exposed my poor soul. I give my most hearty thanks for the day wherein I was enlightened to acknowledge my sin. I do acknowledge my God, that day to be a singular testimony of thy goodness toward me: grant then that the delight which I have taken to be displeased with myself, may likewise continue as long with me, as I have had pleasure to dwell in my sins. For, if I can take as great pleasure in my repentance, as I have taken in my sin, my felicity shallbe without doubt equal with thine angels, & shall see me in the humiliation of myself before thy majesty to ascend to the highest top of thy grace.  
6 Who doubteth, O Lord, that thou wilt not receive me unto mercy? whose mercy and benignity no tongue is able to express, nor heart comprehend? I did never think so soon to return unto thee, as thou wast always ready to offer thyself unto me. I did never sooner say that I would confess my sin, but that thou didst by and by grant me thy grace. I have no sooner acknowledged the punishment which my sins deserved, but that thou hast remitted them, I have taken the rods into my hands to scourge my flesh, & thou hast plucked them out of my hands. To be short, I thought thou wouldst have proclaimed open war against me, and thou offeredst me a most charitable peace and reconciliation. O Lord, how far readier and more willing art thou to forgive, then to punish? Can a good father receive his child more graciously, that crieth him mercy, than thou hast received me when as I have humbled myself at thy feet? my heart also leapeth with joy, and boileth with an holy ferventness to praise thy name, & rejoiceth in the grace that thou hast showed unto it, accusing none but itself, of that that is past, and crieth out, saying; It is I that have willed it, it is I that have done it, it is I that have taken pleasure in it, but yet my God hath had mercy upon me.  
7 How could he deny me his mercy, seeing that the Saints which are the holy men and women living, have prayed, do pray, and will continually pray for me? They are they which beseech his majesty for me, and are a mean of his grace & favour towards me? What can they O Lord crave at thy hands to greater purpose, and obtain of thee more easily, then when they pray for me? Alas, it is very meet that they should cry & call upon thee for me, seeing that the impiety of mine heart, hath so blinded my senses by wicked thoughts, as that my soul cannot any more lift up herself towards heaven, to stretch forth her hand unto him, who alone is both able and willing to save. And therefore what more remaineth, but that they whom thou vouchsafest to come near unto thee by faith and holiness of life, may pray for me unto thee, that thou wouldst have mercy upon me? As for myself, who am mine own capital enemy, I have never had either skill or yet will to pray unto thee for my trespass. And therefore I do presently comfort myself, to see how thou hast opened mine eyes, that I may behold what a foul and black conscience I have, and hast mollified mine heart, that I might lodge contrition in my soul. And although it hath not been so soon as it ought to have been, yet ●t never came so late, but that thou vouchsafedst to receive me, as thou ●rt wont to do those that have not overslipped the occasion to repent themselves.  
8 For they that hasten themselves ●o sin, and willingly neglect to re●ent, when as they might have acknowledged their sins, and have had the means to do it, but have tarried unto ●he very end of their lives to cry thee mercy, and make their eyes burst out ●nto a deluge of tears, it is very dangerous but that they must deceive themselves, and that true repentance can never after enter into such hard hearts, and their weeping and wailing ●o be but the sorrows of desperate people, and thy mercy to show itself deaf unto their over late repentance.  
9 But as for me, I ran in a b●…sed time unto thee, as to my re●… and to the end of my hopes, and 〈◊〉 to my comfort in the trouble wh●… after that manner hath enc ompas●… me, as the fear of death taketh h●… on him, who is destined unto a sha●… full punishment. And therefore I beseech thy majesty, make me taste 〈◊〉 feel that pleasure, which he feel that is delivered and freed from 〈◊〉 bonds or chains, set at liberty 〈◊〉 of prison, and delivered from the ●…nishment wherein his enemy had 〈◊〉 time held him captive. And co●…riwise, that the enemy of my so●… shall blush with shame, when as 〈◊〉 shall see, that I shall so devoutly 〈◊〉 upon the aid of my good God, 〈◊〉 with the very wink of his eye is 〈◊〉 to deliver me from the volu●… bondage which I had vowed 〈◊〉 damnable voluptuousness, 〈◊〉 then when I drank the sweet h●… of the delightful pleasures, which 〈◊〉 with a deceitful hand gave unto 〈◊〉 within this foul and filthy cup of 〈◊〉 world.  
10 Alas, when as I remember 〈◊〉 time that thou returnedst thyself after that sort unto me, and with this merciful eye of thine, gavest me a sign of pardon, mercy, and salvation, me thought verily that I then saw the bright sun rising, upon the tempests, and fell storms of the sea, which by little and little, cutting with his beams between the clouds, brought again clear and pleasant weather, and calmed the raging and billowing surges. And me thinketh I do always hear this sweet and gracious saying, when as thou sayest unto me; Fear not, for behold my spirit, which shall guide thy foot steps and ways: neither shall he lift up his eye above thee: and thou shalt now march under the conduct of him, who bringeth pure and clean souls into my kingdom of glory. All so soon as I heard these words spoken, I fixed mine eyes upon my guide and leader, not once looking off, no more than a careful and diligent master of a ship casteth his eye aside from the pole, or bright shining star, by which he guideth and ordereth the course of his navigation. O my God, what 〈◊〉 shall I enjoy when as I shall have walked in the ways which thou had taught me, to go in, even I myself, say, who have trod beside the p●… which leadeth unto thine holy tab●…nacle? I was already entered into th● thick forest of the world, where a● they easily lose themselves, who, s● the enjoying of the pleasure of th●… queachie shadowy places, leave 〈◊〉 day light which should show them 〈◊〉 way. For even by and by the dole●… sight of the night bringeth them together, and putteth them forth a●… pray to the wild beasts, who will plu●… them in pieces, and cruelly deuou● them. And thus was I hindered a●…staied in this labyrinth, without ho●… to 〈◊〉 ever come out of it agai●… had 〈◊〉 thou not put into my hand th●… bottom which I must needs wind 〈◊〉 to bring me out of this perilous, p●…son. And now lo, I am at liberty ●…serue my God, who hath so deliuere● me, and to present before him his own pure and clean image, and to vow v●to his goodness so many favours wherewith he hath pleased to gra●… me. And he hath not only heard me before all the rest of his creatures, granting unto me the use of divine reason, but also hath lifted me up amongst men, into an honourable and magnificent throne, so as there remaineth nothing unto my felic it i●, but to learn to know: and after that I had forgot myself, he enlightened me by his holy light, and gave me time and will to bewail my sinful life passed, and to amend it also for the time to come.  
11 And therefore my good friends, do as I have done, and recover his favour in good time; for he himself falls you unto the way of salvation; and do not as the melancholic and froward Moil doth; who kicketh at him that pricketh him to go eight forth: because he wanteth both sense, knowledge, and judgement.  
12 And so thereby he hath a bit ●ut into his mouth, and is continually spurred about the flanks. After the same sort; The Lord, at the first summons, that he setteth you in his ways, if ye submit not your selves unto his will, he will po●… down upon you an huge heap 〈◊〉 calamities, which will make you 〈◊〉 wretched and miserable than mise●… itself.  
13 Ye right well see how clee●… lie the stars shine in the heaue●… and the sand which rolleth on these shore: howbeit, there is not so mu●… sand in the sea, nor so many star in the skies, as the obstinate sha●… endure plagues and punishment. Their cursedness hangeth over their heads, their miseries follow them a● their heels, even until such tim● as that they are cast down headlo●… into that gulf, the thinking where●… doth terrify whom soever remenbreth it, and whose pleasantest resting places, are full of weeping, crying, howling, and groaning, where the pain is without end, the dolour without remedy, and the repeatance without mercy: where dead is immortal, the body liveth but 〈◊〉 die, and the soul, but to suffer where the soul feeleth nothing b●… her sin, and the body nothing 〈◊〉 his pain. But contrariwise, they th●… cover themselves under the grace and favour of the Lord jesus, which make his mercy their shield and buckler, hope in nothing but in his grarious goodness, follow his commandments and precepts, and are jealous of his will, what felicity and happiness is there which they shall not attain unto? Nay, what is there in heaven never so good and precious, that is not opened unto them? They shall sit cheek by cheek with their God, and being all encompassed with glory, shall be filled and heaped up with so many blessings, as that the heart of man can no way possibly be able to conceive the least part of them, so far of is it then, as that my babbling tongue cannot possibly express the wonderfulness of them.  
14 I will therefore rejoice, my God, in carefully waiting and looking for the manifold benefits which thou reservest in heaven, to crown the righteous withal. Unto this cheerfulness do I invite all those whom thou hast sworn in the word of Saviour, which lovest the law of his righteousness: This is it, that attendeth the recompense of your travels. This is it wherein you shall be placed in honour and glory: This is it, that shall change the sharp thorns of the world, into the flourishing and beautiful Lily of all eternity. Oh, then shall the dropping and painful sweeting of your afflictions find most gracious rest. The gold cometh not out of the fiery furnace, more pure nor brighter, to be cast, to make the image of some great Prince, and afterward to be set up as an ornament in some rich closet, than the heart of him that loveth his God, he will draw him pure and clean out of the miseries of the world, and compass him with brightness and glory. What i● there now in the world, that I shall like of? What shall stay and let me from entering into the house of the Lord, to live to serve him? What day of my life shall I cease to bewail my sins, which have so far estranged me from his grace? And therefore I humbly beseech thee my God, to reconcile these two contrary passions in me, repentance and joy: to the end, that as the poor traveler, wandering in the deserts our of his way, is glad when he seethe the dawning of the day peep, and yet cannot forget the great darkness out of which he is but newly gotten, ne yet cast of the fear which he had of so tedious a night. Even so also have I a continwall horror of my sins past, and yet a sure and joyful hope of enjoying that everlasting blessedness, which thou hast purchased for us with the blood of thy dearly beloved son Christ jesus. O Lord, what a love is that, when as a master doth not spare the life of his own only son, to redeem his slave? Wherefore, O most loving Saviour, seeing that I being form with thine own hands, bought with thy blood, and purified by thy mercy, I do here offer myself an obedient sacrifice unto thee my God and Saviour, and therefore reject me not.   

Lord in thy wrath reprove me not. Psalm. 37.  
I Must, O Lord, return unto thee, and begin again to call upon thee, and to beseech thee of thy mercy: For it seemeth to me that thine anger is rekindled against me. Alas my God, wilt thou chastise me in thine anger, and make me feel the violence of thy just fury, which my sins have provoked thee to do? The flame being consumed by the fire falleth into ashes, and I being devoured with the heat of thine anger, do so vanishaway, as that there remaineth not so much as the smoke.  
2 For, I see my God, that thou hast discharged the sharpest arrows of ●…y vengeance against me: thou hast touched me with thine hand, and never takest away the same from me. I feel the gnawing and terror of my conscience which astonish and bruise me even as it were thunder and lightning: my miseries came upon me one after another, and one mischief presseth another: war is no sooner finished, but that the plague assaulteth me, and in the end, death bereaveth me of the dearest pawns I have in this world. Wherein then shall I take comfort my God? shall it be in myself?  
3 Out alas, my good God, I have never an whole member in me: for my misery is entered even into the marrow: neither is there any part of me that reproacheth me not with my sin, and for the which I am not pained. I languish in grief, and there is none to comfort me, mine eyes serve me for none other purpose, but to look upon my misery; and my soul, for nothing else but to acknowledge my cursedness.  
4 I look round about me, and so far as the eyes of my body and eyes of my soul can discern what is past, I see nothing either above me, or below me, or yet on any side of me, but sin which environeth me round about, and mine iniquities which press and over throw me: They lie heaped upon my head, as a very heavy burden, and lo how ready they are to throttle and strangle me.  
5 How shall I be ever able to resist them? What strength have I to defend me from them, seeing that my body is ready to fall in pieces? The very filthiness of them flow on every side me: my ulcers and sores are no sooner closed up, but that they break out again, and if my body be ill, can my soul be well? Must not she be altogether ashamed, and tremble with horror and fear?  
6 After the same manner that a disease undermineth my body, & maketh it stoop to death, & sorrow undermineth my soul, & bereaveth her of her strength, and as great cold congealeth in the bud, the tender blossom, withereth & drieth it up, even so doth the finger of the Lord, which hath touched my soul, cause it to languish and to be out of heart.  
7 But alas, my God, what courage can I have, when as I see myself thus covered over with wounds, and no part of my body free from pain, and over and beside this my misery, the remembrance of my dissolute pleasures is still before my face, and reproach me with my sin, & laugh at my vanity. Then say I thus unto myself, must I season my life with the honey of so many delights, and afterward kneade them with the gall of so bitter anguishes? Where now art thou o thou deceitful voluptuousness, which drownest my soul in the sweet liquor of thy pleasures? Oh, what drink is that, that thou leavest me?  
8 Have not I, o Lord, endured enough? hath not mine humility sufficiently chastised mine arrogancy? If I have through fond presumption sinned, alas, I have sithence that, crept upon the earth, I have covered mine head with ashes, and with mine arm have I prevented my pain. I have cut through mine heart with crying out, I have drowned mine eyes in tears, and yet thine anger continueth still.  
9 Is it of set purpose, o Lord, that thou hast not perceived my tears? Is it thou I say, who with the twinkle of thine eye traversest both heaven and earth? even thou I mean, whose sight goeth beyond the depth of our hearts. It is thou, o Lord, that hast read even my very thoughts, and known mine intent. What have I desired but thy mercy? Wherein have I trusted but in thy goodness? Why have I made open profession of repentance, but to condemn myself? If my tongue hath not thoroughly expressed my mind, and caused my desire to be understood, alas, o Lord, thou knowest what we would have, before we once think of it. It is enough for us to lift up our hearts unto thee, and thou forthwith grantest our petitions.  
10 Why stayest thou, o Lord, so long, before thou givest me that holy consolation which thou hast promised me? I am quite spent, my heart is gone, my senses are troubled, my strength faileth, my sight waxeth dim, & my soul is upon the shore of my lips ready to fly away.  
11 All my friends are now about me bewailing my death, they are out of all hope of my health, they dream of nothing but of my funeral, saying, where is now that help which he looked for to come from his God? where is his favour which he so promised to himself?  
12 The flatterers are gone away from me, they thought to have parted my goods, they meant to have prevented my fatal hour, I am noisome to the whole world, in the case that I now stand.  
13 They whisper in mine ear, and tell me a thousand tales: They daily bring me in new acquaintances, and think of nothing but to betray me. He lieth, say they, on his deathbed, and will never rise up alive again: What? do we fear, that the shadow of his bones will bite us?  
14 And I, as if I had been deaf, made show that I heard them nor, and as if I had been dumb, spoke not one word unto them: for, my patience was my buckler, and my constancy my rampart.  
15 And every man seeing me so patiented, said, surely this man is dumb: for, when he is touched, he saith not a word: would he abide all these indignities, if he had any feeling of his honour and credit, or yet the least. courage in the world? And therefore it may well be said, that he is very guilty: for▪ an innocent man is always bold in his own defence. And yet all this could never ●oue me.  
16 And why so? verily, because I trusted in my God, and fully assured myself that he would assist me. For, although the whole world banded against me, and heaven and earth conjured my ruin and overthrow, yet if he be mine aider and defender, I am sure always to conquer. For, with the breath of his mouth he made all things, and in breathing again upon them, he will destroy them all if it please him: and therefore I will fight under his cloth and livery, because I shall be sure to have the victory.  
17 I have said unto them many times, Rejoice not at my misery, and although I be never so much tormented and afflicted, yet brave not yourselves upon me, for the hand of the Lord is able even to reach you: and therefore trust not his patience over much, for as his feet are of wool, so are his arms also of iron. For, if he once lay them upon your heads, o ye impotent souls, he will so crush you together, as that a man would think that you had never been.  
18 And I, have taken the rods in my hand, and imprinted with them upon my shoulders, the condemnation of my sin, I have appeared before thee o Lord with weeping tears, with repentance in my mouth, and with a sorrowful heart, and have fought with myself, that mine enemy might not triumph over me.  
19 I have openly confessed my fault, I have in an happy hour showed forth my sin, and I had great care to run unto thy mercy whilst time and season served.  
20 But the more I humble myself before thee to draw the running water out of this founraine of thy grace which floweth from thy goodness, the more mine enemies glut me, and deal cruelly and butcherlike with me, their troop daily increaseth, and join themselves together on every side, never foreseeing the tempest that will shake them in a thousand pecces. They, through their pride, blow the hot burning coals of thine ire, they despite thy power, which they will too too soon make try all of, to their great destruction. To be short, in setting most confidently their brazen faces against heaven and earth, they wallow and welter themselves in their filthy pleasures, and blot out as much as in them lie the mark of the deity, which thou hast sealed in their souls, & close up their eyes against the hope of salvation which shineth brightly in thy word.  
21 I cease not, o Lord, to admonish them of it, but they repay me ill for good, and laugh at that which I by my good example do, to please thee. They walk at the corners of the streets slanderously to accuse me, & burden me with a thousand villainies: I confess o Lord that hereby I lose my patience.  
22 But I beseech thee, o Lord, to strengthen my weakness, and in no wise forsake me, for else I shall stumble as a young child at the first headlong break-neck which shall offer itself unto me. Increase in me o Lord strength & courage, equal unto mine affliction, & hold me under thy wing, giving me always that constancy & firmness which I shall have need of for that purpose, neither more nor less, than a loving mother doth, when as she giveth the teat unto her sucking child, so soon as she perceiveth it beginneth to cry.  
23 Nourish me therefore, o Lord, with the milk of thy holy love, to the end that I being somewhat able to stand, may day & night walk the trace of thy paths, that I may come unto salvation, the hope whereof shineth in thy promises, so as if my sin shall go about to cut me off in the way, I may unclose mine eyes, & never shut them again, until such time as I have drowned & swallowed them up in my tears.   

Have mercy on me o Lord Psalm. 50.  
Have pity on me, o my God, according to the greatness of thy clemency, and in the multitude of thy mercy, forgive me the punishment which I have justly deserved. For, if thou ●bokest that my fastings, watchings, and prayers, should make satisfaction for my sin: Alas, o Lord, when would that be? Mine offence exceedeth heaven and earth, and hath surpassed, as far as it can, the greatness of the whole world. Who can then bring it to pass for the utterly blotting of it out, save only thine holy mercy, which is somuch the greater, by how much thy righteousness exceedeth ours? It is thy mercy, o Lord, that environeth the universal world, and which upholdeth all the staggering corners thereof that are ready to fall upon our heads, to bury in the ruin of it with us, the remembrance of ou● sins, to turn away thine eyes from our unthankful disloyal, unmerciful, and stiff-necked race and generation, which disavoweth thee her being, creation, and conservation. Let this merciful goodness of thine therefore, o Lord, which shineth in thy deity above all the rest of thy vertue●, spread itself now over me, not thin●… and sparingly, but flowingly and bountifully. And as thou didst once let the waters overflow the tops of the highest mountains, to extinguish and swallow up the wicked, so also make thou a brook of mercy, o Lord, to disgorge and pour itself forth upon me, not to drown, o Lord, but to wath and cleanse me.  
2 Howbeit, thou art not concented to purge me for once, neither dost thou say unto me, that thou hast regenerated and washed me, in the blood of the undefiled & innocent lamb, for how pure and clean soever thou once hast made me, thou shalt now find me as foul and filthy. For, I am now fallen into so deep a filthy sink, and am so bemired and besmeared, as that thou wouldst never know me, by reason that I am so disfigured. For I sometimes question with myself, and ask myself, whether I be he or no whom thy hands creared, but mine heart is so confounded and ashamed, as that it dareth not give me any answer. O my God, thou createdst me of the clay and slime of the earth, and lo, o Lord, I am even the very self and same that I was, before thou didst put thy hand unto me. I have quite and clean marred my shape & countenance, by clothing myself with clay and dirt. But why dost thou not o Lord, reform me anew? Is thine hand shortened? Is thy will in doing good to thy creature, abated? Alas, thou art Almighty, thou art altogether good, why then makest thou not haste? O Lord my God, the work of thine own hand setteth itself against thee, and taketh pleasure in disfiguring and deforming of itself: but set thou, o Lord, thyself against thy workmanship, and make it glorious & perfect, in despite of itself. But I, o Lord, will no more perversely deal against thee, take me & hold me, & turn me which way soever thou wilt, knead, mould, & make new again this lump of earth, for it is ready to follow thy will. But when thou o Lord, shalt thoroughly have renewed it, do not then I beseech th●… forsake it, but put a bridle in the mouth thereof, to the end that by abstinence, i● may keep itself from surfeiting, which pricketh it forward thereunto, that 〈◊〉 may by a chaste life, keep in a good temper unchaste and hot burning lusts, that by humility, it may ab●… the pride, which biting envy stirre●… up in her, that pitiful charity, ma● chase from her hatred, and greedy covetousness, and, that a godly care ●…serue & honour thee, may continually s●… spur to the flanks of her slothfulness and filthy negligence.  
3 For I have already, o Lord, ma●… overgreat a trial of this troop of sins which environ me, so as they will in such sort pull down and tear in pieces thy workmanship, as that when thou shalt come, thou shalt find nothing there but the shreds thereof, shivered & broken all to fitters. I have had experience enough of them, and these are they that have brought me into that estate wherein now I am, and nevertheless, see yet at the tail of these, a company placed about me, which cast in my teeth the spells & blemishes wherewith they themselves have defiled me, and make me culpable of the injuries which themselves have done unto me. For thus they say, It is thou that hast sinned, and it is thou that art so foul and filthy.  
4 It is true in very deed that I have sinned, o my God, I lay open unto thee the very bottom of my heart, thou knowest my whole life. I have sinned in the sight of heaven & earth, & all the world can bear witness of mine iniquities. But if I had not sinned, unto whom shouldest thou have been merciful? How wouldst thou have discharged thyself of the promises of grace, which thou hadst so long ago announced by thy Prophets? And when as thou shalt come to sit upon the eternal Throne of thy justice, who is he that would not be afeard of thee, yea although we were even all righteous? Howbeit, to the end that thy greatness might be known, we must when we shall be assigned a day to come before thee, humbly fall down upon our faces before thy majesty▪ and cry out and say: Most mercifu●… Lord, we will not stand in defence before thee, because our fault is manifestly known: but lo, our grace an● pardon is in thy hand, for thou thyself hast granted it us, behold a token of thine own blood sealed in ou● image, which, for our redemption was imprinted in the weakness of our flesh.  
5 Dost thou thyself, my God, attend and look, that when I shall come before thee, that I will make a rampa●… of mine innocency, and that I am so void of understanding, as that I would justify myself in thy presence? Alas, o Lord, I right; well know, that I was not yet borne, and that I was also nothing but sin, my mother likewise thought to be delivered of a child, ●nd was brought a-bed of sin: But ●t had been a great deal better for ●er, that she had been delivered ●efore her time of such monstrous ●…uite, which shameth the tree that ●are it, and the earth, that nursed it, ●nd heaven that ripened it. I was ●ur●ed of sin within my mother's womb, ●nd sucked her milk, and behold, it is ●o grown up with me, as that it shadoweth my head, and blindeth mine yes.  
6 But when I see the eyes of my ●odie so seeled up with sin that is ●bout me, I then open the eyes of my ●…ule, and begin to see a far off the cames of thine infallible truth, and acknowledge thy marvelous secret wisdom, which thou hast manife●…ed unto me: And then my soul for●…king the impurity of my body, lifts herself up unto heaven, and pierceth through the incredible brightness thereof, and casting her eye upon the book of eternity, she ●erein readeth the draft of the ●ewe covenant which thou art to make with men: and then returning into her miserable body, she filleth he● self with hope and joy, and promise● unto herself assured victory ou● her sin.  
7 For, she hath learned in heau●… that thou wilt take into thine ha●… the Sprinkle of sweet smelling hysop● and sprinkle upon me clean and purified water: Thou shalt wash me, a●… I shall become whiter than snow●… and none shall see upon me no not 〈◊〉 much as the very trace and steps 〈◊〉 sin. But, o Lord, what lees shall th●… be that shall be made of the ashes 〈◊〉 my sins consumed with the fire 〈◊〉 thy love, with the water of the tea●… which my repentance shall distill fro● mine heart, and in the Sun of th● grace, wipe away tears, and ca●… a spiritual rejoicing to grow in 〈◊〉 and in the end, make us white wi●… the purity and brightness of righ●…ousnesse, that we may one day shi●… far more excellently than the sta●… of the firmament.  
8 and then shall we hear nothing but the pleasant sound of the Tro●…●et of salvation, which shall deli●… out grace and mercy unto all those that will receive the same. Then shall we see the rotten and consumed bones rise again, and take their fleshy body upon them, to partake that universal joy, whereunto thou hast called the whole world.  
9 Now, to the end I might then appear so honourably appareled before thee, as such an honourable magnificence is worthy of, I beseech thee my God, to cast down all my sins under thy feet, and bury them all in the midst & centre of the earth, that no eye may be able to pierce through to see them: and separate me for ever from mine iniquity, which at this present I repudiate, and do swear an irreconcilable divorce between me and them.  
10 Thou seest here my Soul, what an offer I make unto thee, and therefore make thyself pure and ●eate, reneve in mine heart a new spirit, which will conceive nothing but holiness and righteousness. O Lord my God, establish therein an house for thine holy spirit, to the end, I never hereafter, either think, breath, or utter forth any thing, but the praises of thee my God: and let thy will be always printed in my mind, and thy glory, written upon my lips.  
11 When thou hast thus clothed and furnished me with piety and integrity, I shall be then very assured that nothing shall keep me from thy presence: and then, as the Eagle naturally looketh full upon the Sun, even so will I fix my sight and eyes upon thine everlasting face, and so thereby I shall see in thy wonderful countenance, all the perfections which I at this present am no way able to conceive: neither shall thine holy spirit ever dwell out of mine heart, for it is he that under the wing of a zealous love, shall carry me even into thine arms, to associate me unto this heavenly joy.  
12 Make me therefore rightly to taste the sweet pleasures of this immortal life: Save me speedily from the rocks of this world, which on every side threaten my soul with wrack: And as the Mariner when he is come to the haven, crowneth the mast of his Ship with flowers, in token that he is in safety, even so, O Lord, crown thou me with the precious gifts of thine holy Spirit, as pawns of thy everlasting blessedness which thou hast promised me: With the gifts (I say) of that Spirit of thine which reigneth amongst thy faithful, which distributeth faith unto thine elect, love, unto thy best beloved, and hope unto those whom thou hast predestinate to everlasting life.  
13 Now, all the while that my soul resteth thus banished, looking still to be called home again unto thee, I will teach the wicked to walk in the way that may best please thee, and set them also in it, for fear they hurt not themselves in the darknesses of this world, against the stumbling blocks which they may suddenly light upon, lying before them. And so, they will believe me, and return unto thee, o Father of lights, and with all their hearts embrace thy faith, and walk in thine obedience.  
14 I know, O Lord, that there will be some such found, as will stop their ears at my words, and will obstinately continue in their sins, conjure my death, and defile their barbarous cruelty with my blood. O my God, deliver me out of their hands, and reserve me to declare thy righteousness, and to pronounce their condemnation. I will foretell them their miseries, and they shall feel them, and I shall no sooner hold my peace, but that thy hand shall be upon them, and thy hand shall no sooner have stricken them, but that they shall be broken to fitters, and be utterly destroyed.  
15 And then thou shalt open my lips, and my mouth shall set forth thy victory: for, the air shall be still, the winds shall be calm, and the floods shall be quiet, to hearken unto my resounding voice, which shall sing out the wonders of the eternal God. For, thy praise, o Lord, shall be the sacrifice that I will always offer up unto thee, and which thou also wilt ever have good liking of.  
16 I would gladly have imbrued their Altars with the blood of a great number of cattle, I would gladly have cut the throats of a thousand oxen, and of a thousand lambs to have done thee honour, but blood stinketh in thy nostrils, neither takest thou pleasure in the flesh of beasts: The smoke of such offerings the winds carry away, so as they never ascend unto thee: But the voice only of a just man passeth above the heavens, and the Angels present the same before thee.  
17 O what an acceptable sacrifice before thee, is a broken and contrite heart● and an humble heart that acknowledged his sin, thou wilt never reject: for if it will come up unto thee, it must first come down, and if it will touch the heaven, it must first crawl upon the: ground, if it will have thee to hear it, it must first be silent, and if it will be crowned in thy kingdom, it must first be beaten and scourged in the world. These are the Sacrifices, O Lord, wherewith we must be reconciled unto thee, and enter into covenant as thou hast set it down unto us.  
18 But if it be thy pleasure, o Lord, that we shall offer bulls and bullocks unto thee, and perfume thine Altars with the blood of beasts, if thou wilt that we by the death of an innocent  offering, should represent unto thee, the death and innocency of him, whom thou hast destined to redeem our souls: If the figure of that which should come in the person of the unspotted lamb doth please thee by the kill of Weathen and Sheep, look then with pity upon thy poor people, comfort tho● desolate Zion, and encourage her poor enhabitants, to the end they may set up again the walls of thine holy City, and re-edify thy Temple, not according to that equal proportion, O Lord, which thou deservest, but according to the wealth and industry that the poor world can possibly afford.  
19 Thither shall come from al● parts thy faithful in great multitudes● to offer up sacrifice unto thee, and there, shall the expiation and purging of their sins be acceptable unto thee. But it shall neither be the death of beasts, that shall wash away their spots: for, the cleansing of their disobedience, and prevarication, was prepared from all eternity. This is an inestimable sacrifice, a  offering without spot, which shall draw away the curtain, disperse and destroy the darknesses, break down the wall or hedge, that we may see the truth of our salvation, face to face, make the beams of his divine mercy shine upon us, and reassociate us unto the communion of that everlasting bliss, which we willingly have renounced. O most merciful God, which hast unseeled the eyes of mine understanding to see the mystery of my salvation, make me, O Lord, to taste the excellent fruit, which flourishing upon the tree of the Cross, shall, with the juice thereof, quicken and give life unto our dead souses, preserve and warrant us for ever, from that ruin and calamity which hath so miserably brought together the race of mankind, and overflowed them through their, disobedience.   

Lord hear my Prayer. Psalm. 102.  
I Have o Lord, cried and called upon thee a long time for thy mercy, and do yet look for aid and help from thee. The ayte is filled with my cries: The winds have carried the voice of my dolour and grief even unto the uttermost parts of the world, and thine ea●e which heareth and understandeth whatsoever is done in the bottomless pit of hell, doth not yet hear and understand my prayer, which reacheth and beateth the very heavens. Wilt thou therefore be deaf only unto me● and shall all the world hear me save thyself alone? No, no, my God, thou hast overlong stretched out thine arms, now to reject me when as I come unto thee for refuge.  
2 And now that I feel a thousand and a thousand sorrows, and that miseries assail me on every side, do not turn thy back upon me, o Lord. Alas, have I settled my whole power and strength upon the sweet countenance of thy face? Have I divorced myself from the world, to the end I might draw near unto thee? and have I forsaken the children of the world, that I might join myself unto the master of the heavens, and wouldst thou now forsake me? O Lord, deal not so with me, but assist mine infirmity all the days of my life.  
3 Let my voice no sooner cry and call unto thee my God, but that I may also soon feel thee: and let thy grace descend as speedily upon me, as an Eagle hasteth herself to aid her young on's. For, if thou assist me not, what manner of sight shall I be able to make against the enemies of my soul?  
4 My strength and life would daily vanish away, as the light smoke doth in flying in the air: for the eye which seethe it go out of the fire, seethe it also forthwith consumed, and in a moment accompanied both with his original, and his end: and if any should ask what is become of it, there is not one that can so much as tell where ●he trace only of it is to be found. He that hath seen the loppings of wood whither in the sun, and lose their strength and verdure, hath also seen my poor bones become both dry and consumed, meet for none other thing but for the grave. The grave, yea surely the grave, which is the happiest thing that can betide me, if so be so small a pit may be able to stay the violent course of mine extreme misery.  
5 Who soever he be that hath seen grass cut down, and tanned with the Sun in the field, and lose the colour, and whither, and look upon my ghastly and deadly face, he would think that I were able to make death afeard. Mine heart is parched within mine entrails, and my blood drieth up within my veins, for, I remember not to put bread into my mouth, and do still forget to eat my meals.  
6 My mouth serveth me for none other purpose, but to cry out & lament, and the ordinary voice of my grief is so strong, as that it draweth after it, all the rest of my strength. Now if so be that my body being so extremely full of heaviness, consume itself by little and little, and my bones horribly stick through my skin, what cause have I to take care for the sustaining of this miserable body of mine, which is the matter and substance of all my miseries? Wherefore should I be watchful for the conserving of this life of mine, which wrestleth against so many enemies, and is cast down with so many afflictions? Were it not much better for me, in ending my life, to make also therewith an end of all miseries?  
7 Is the Pelican more full of grief than I, who living in the most solitary deserts of Egypt, tormenteth herself for the kill of her young ones, and washeth them in her own blood, to restore them to life, which she had taken from them? Is her sorrow greater than mine? Hath nor my sin procured the death of the child, whom I more dearly loved then myself? And now that I have dried up all my tears, the blood will gush out of mine eyes, for fear I should be void of tears in so lamentable and cursed a case. But the Pelican hath redeemed with her own blood, the price of her young ones, and I most miserable wretch that I am, shall be deprived for ever of the child which I so tenderly loved. And I will also abandon both the day and the light, and confine and limit myself within the most dark places that I can find out, even as a shritch owl doth, that cometh not out of his hole, all the while it is day light.  
8 I am continually kept waking, still dreaming of my misery, and seeking to hide myself before such time as the in felicity which runneth upon me, enforceth me▪ And being altogether mated and out of heart, I seek after some corner to hide myself in, even as the wild sparrow that flieth out of the rain and wind, seeketh after some covert or sun shine place to bathe and dry herself in.  
9 Mine enemies seeing me in this case, and with such a countenance, stand mocking of me therewith, and cast my misery in my teeth: and they which were wont to make a great account of me, in stead of sorrowing with me in mine affliction, have conjured against me. What reckoning then should any man make of the wealth of this world, and if he were able to get as great richesses and as many friends as were possible, and then to have his friends so traitorous and so double, as to make little or no account of breaking their faith and promise?  
10 And surely my strength is decayed, the flower & beauty of my well coloured and smooth ruddy cheeks, is quite & clean gone, for I have sown my bread upon the ashes, and moisted my drink with my tears. And shall I for all this become a laughing stock unto this infidelous generation?  
11 It is very true, that I have been met withal before thy face, in the day of thy wrath: thou hast laid again upon me, the arm of thy vengeance, and am become therewith frushed in pieces. Men have had me in great estimation and honour, and lo how I am now dressed and dealt withal. O vain presumption, unto what steep break-neck hast thou lifted me up, to make me leap such a leap? Alas, what did I find in myself, why I should conceive in mine heart such an opinion of myself?  
12 As we see the shadow of the body by little and little decrease, when as the sun is risen above the same, and reduceth it, as it were unto a small point, even so all so soon O Lord, as thine anger is upon me, my life, my goods, and my greatness, is by little and little dispersed, and come to nothing, in such sort, as that lo, I am like unto the grass that is tedded abroad without grace and colour, which men cock up to give unto the cattle to feed on, and like unto a great many goodly sweet smelling flowers, bound up in a bottle amongst a sort of thistles.  
13 But do I for all this lose my hope? No, no, my God: for thy power is infinite, and lasteth for ever, and thy mercy immeasurable, which will spread itself over all such as shall trust in thee. One age shall pass after another, but the remembrance of thy goodness shall never have end: one generation shall succeed another, but it shall be always for the setting forth of thy praise and good dealing.  
14 Thou wilt one day, my God, awaken, to have mercy upon Zion, for the time of mercy draweth near. And lo, I see it even at hand. The floods and rivers power not out so much clears water into the deep sea, as thy goodness will spread abroad thy favour and grace upon the face of this earth. Open your hearts, ye people, open your hearts, I say, for the liberal hand of my God, will fill them with an holy zeal, which will make thee far purer and cleaner than the gold in the fining pot.  
15 Now the house of Zion, O Lord, is the refuge which all thy servants look for, it is it which they so greatly love, and which they so earnestly desire it is it where they look to find mercy; it is the temple, O Lord, which thou wilt destroy in three days, and raise it up again mother three, that it may be the house of everlasting life, the seat of salvation, the treasure of grace, and temple of eternity.  
16 Then shall all the nations, my God, be afraid, and all the kings of the earth tremble at the brightness of thy glory. What corner of the world shall be so secret, where the noise of thy blessed coming shall not sound and be heard? where shall that people be so far from the sun, so confined and limited in darkness, as will not unseele their eyes to behold the clear burning brightness of salvation, which will shine upon them? Yea heaven itself shall increase his flames, to give light unto this thine entrance into the world, and the kings shall run from all places to do homage unto the king of kings, unto the governor both of heaven and earth.  
17 For he hath set up and advanced his kingly throne upon Zion, in great & costly array: there shall he be seen wholly encompassed with glory, darkening the Sun and Moon with the brightness of his face.  
18 But why hast thou, O Lord, so highly exalted the throne of thy glory? hast thou done it, because thou wouldst not vouchsafe to hear the prayers of thy faithful servants? And because thou wouldst make no reckoning of the whole world, which in deed is nothing, in respect of thy greatness? Alas no my God. Thou hast lifted up thyself upon an eminent place, that all the inhabitants of the earth might see & acknowledge thee, and so run unto thy grace and mercy: for thou shouldest be always ready to come at the humble summons of thy servants, & never disdain their pitiful petitions. And behold them also standing as miserable offenders, condemned unto bolts & shackles, looking for the coming of some king, that should set them free at the entrance into his kingdom. Even so, o Lord, deliver thou them who have given themselves up into the bondage of sin, and with the only twink of thine eye, the mainacles shall fall from their wrists.  
19 Then shall they be all heard to sing a glorious song unto the victorious king, their voices shall be heard throughout all the corners of the earth, and the remembrance of thy singular bounty and infinite mercy, shall be engraved within the memory of men, and so pass from age to age, even unto the last posterity. The earth shall then be consumed, all the waters dried up, the air vanished, and the heavens have an end, which shall as yet sing the glory of the eternal God.  
20 The eternal God, who hath vouchsafed merely and joyfully, to cast down his eyes from the highest havens, into the very deepest place of the bowels of the earth, for the acknowledging of the torments of the miserable detained captives in hell, & heard their groans, is himself suddenly run thither, to unbind and set at liberty his poor captive prisoners, and all their posterity, where death with the weapons of sin, had overcome them, and confined them, in his most dark prisons. But the God of life hath overcome death, and hath freed and cleared them quite from thence.  
21 To the end, O Lord, that they might set forth thy praise in Zion, and preach thy loving kindness in jerusalem. And although every one of them had an hundredth mouths, and their voices as loud as thy thunder, yet should they never be able to attain and reach unto the greatness of thy glory. All the parts of the world conspire not, nor join not themselves together, save only to represent in their motions, a part of thine infinite power and goodness: howbeit, they never look to come near thereunto; for they are more than bottomless depths, which have neither bottom nor yet brink, and therefore they must only behold them a far of.  
22 And therefore I most humbly beseech thee my God, to be contented that thy people assemble and reunite themselves both in bodies and minds, devoutly to offer up unto thee that holy will which they have to honour thee, for the effect can in no wise other wise be able to come near that which thou deservest. Accept therefore, O Lord, the humble submission of the kings of the earth, which come before thee to yield unto thee their homage and service due unto thee, as unto their sovereign & chief Lord. They shall cast their sceptres unto the earth, and their crowns at their feet, and present for a sacrifice unto thy majesty their humble prayers, and innocent consciences. And I will be the first my God, which will cast down myself before thee, to worship and serve thee with all mine heart, to thee alone will I consecrate my spirit. Quicken it therefore, O Lord, that being purified by the holy zeal of thy love, it may receive in itself, as it were in a clear looking Glass, the image of thine incomprehensible excellency & perfections, & feel in itself the reflection of thy sincere amity, aswell as thine infinite goodness, accompanied with the number of thine elect, to be an inheritor with them in everlasting life.  
23 Now I have already felt, my good God, that thou hast enlightened my soul with thy grace, and have presented the favour which thou wouldst show unto all the children of the earth. Heretofore hath my spirit a far of, taken a note, how thou proceedest for the deliverance of the world, but it hath been afraid to die before such time as thou wert come: and that is because thou hast heard it call upon thee, saying, Tell me, Lard, how long the course of mine age shall be, and when thou wilt end my days.  
24 Go not about, O Lord, to cut of the thread of my life the first or second winding up of the spindle, neither stay it over short in the midst of the course. Attend, my God, until the time be come, when thou must set open the treasure of thy graces, to make an entrance for men unto the largeness of salvation: or if thou hast at least appointed mine end, and that my life cannot stretch so far, yet remember my posterity, and let him be borne of my race that must sanctify the world by his coming.  
25 I right well know, O Lord, that at the first, thou madest heaven and earth, and whatsoever excellent thing we see here in this world, to be the work of thine own hands.  
26 But all this shall come to an end, even as an old worn garment; a man shall inquire what is become of it, and there shallbe no mention made thereof at all. It was made, and it shall be unmade; it had a beginnings, & it must have an end. But thou alone, O Lord, which hast been from all eternity, shalt be always one and the same. For age, & time which consume all things, serve for none other purpose, but to confirm thine everlastingness, and to set forth thy Deity, & men see me to remain here upon the earth for none other cause, but to behold round about them, thine incomprehen●…ble greatness, on the one side, and their infirmity, on the other side.  
27 A man changeth not his shire so often, but the earth oftener changeth her inhabitants: one putteth forth another, and all is renewed even in a moment. But thou, my God, art even the same at this day, that thou wast at the beginning. Every province of the earth hath a great catalogue of kings, who have there commanded, one successively after another, but the heavens and the earth, continually sing unto us, that thou hast always been alone, ever like unto thyself, and that neither the time past, ne yet the time to come, can any ways alter nor change thee.  
28 Now, my Lord, although we must departed from hence, yet do I not doubt, but that I shall one day taste of that sweet fruit, which shall heal this contagious disease of ours, which our fathers transferred over unto us, having eaten the fruit of death and of sin. For our children shall come after us, and therefore, O Lord, show us this favour, as to continue our posterity from age to age, until such time as we altogether shall appear before thy face, not to receive sharp and severe judgement, but to enter by the merit and intercession of thy dear beloved son, into the inheritance of the eternal blessedness, which shall be purchased for all thy faithful, by the adoption of thy son in the house of thy servant David.   

From the depth of depths. Psalm. 129.  
FRom the depth of depths have I cried unto thee, my God, being lost and buried in the most fearful caves of the earth, I ●aue called upon thy name, hearken ●nto my voice, and hear my prayer. For, all hope of succour is taken from ●e, and I see nothing about me but ●orror and trembling, and yet have I ●ot been discouraged, and do wait ●or at thy hands, that which thou hast promised to all such as shall live in the ●eare of thy name, and in the obedience of thy commandments.  
2 Give thou therefore, O Lord, a favourable ear unto mine hearty prayer. If my sin stand between thee and me, to whet thee again●… mine iniquity, and to make thee contrary unto the prayers which I ma●… unto thee, beat back the same wi●… the look of thy merciful eye, or 〈◊〉 O Lord, shut up for a time, the eyes 〈◊〉 thy justice, until such time as the ea●… of thy loving kindness hath receiue● my confession, and the humble reque●… which I make unto thee for grace. Fo● I come not before thee, to bragge● mine own justification, but of 〈◊〉 great loving kindness and benigni●…  
3 If thou shouldest keep a regist●… of our sins, and we come to an ●…dite before thee, who were able, 〈◊〉 God, to abide thy severe iudgement● For, what day of life is there that ha● not deserved a world of torment●… Thou mightest draw out, O Lord, 〈◊〉 the pains of hell, and yet the greate● part of my sins should go unpunished.  
4 But although we have might● offended, yet for all that thou cease not to receive any sinner that comme● unto thee with confession of the mou●… and contrition of the heart. He hath 〈◊〉 sooner looked towards thy mercy, but that he feeleth it working in him, and breaketh & destroyeth the sin which freezeth his heart with fear & horror. And the punishment which hangeth over his head, recoileth far away from him, and carrieth with it, this miserable carefulness, which tormenteth the consciences defiled with iniquity. And therefore O Lord, have I not forsaken thy laws, but have always waited to see when it would please thee to grant me favour and grace: for the unwise man that despaireth by reason of his sin, and giveth over his soul as condemned, is like unto the abominable usurer, who having sustained some loss in his goods, by and by bereaveth himself of his life also.  
5 My soul hath not done so, my God: for although she hath felt thine hand lying most heavily upon me, executing part of the punishment which my sins have deserved, yet hath she always conserved in herself that sound hope which she hath had in thy promises. Even as the blows light upon my back, I cry out and say unto thee, O Lord my God, thy will be done, and give me as great strength as thou layest affliction on me. Measure my punishment by my strength, and as my torment increaseth, even so augment my courage, and so hast thou done, O Lord.  
6 Let Israel therefore look up and trust in his God, even from the day break unto the shutting in of the evening, & look for none other help but from him. For, his help is ready & sure for him that calleth upon him with a sincere conscience, and a pure will. And although the misery hath been never so great and extreme, yet so soon as the Lord hath understood the cry of his servants, they have all so soon felt also their deliverance.  
7 For he most bountifully poureth out his mercy, and is infinitely helpful to all those that come unto him. Insomuch, as that his goodness putteth out as it were the sorrow which we have for our sins, & maketh us as it were rejoice in our fall, as being the cause whereby we have made trial of his loving kindness. For, if our sins surpass all measure, his grace exceedeth all our thoughts. We have deserved long and hard captivity, and lo who it is that freeth us, and hath brought us a most sweet liberty. We have blinded the eyes of our spirit, and lo who cometh to enlighten them.  
8 O Israel, thou hast offended the Lord, thou hast scorned his laws, thou hast made a jest at his commandments; thou hast forgotten the good turns which he favourably hath bestowed upon thee. He hath drawn thee out of most miserable captivity, fed thee with the bread of heaven, made purposely streams flow out of hard rocks to make thee drink; hath chosen for thy dwelling place, the most delicious garden in the world, made a covenant with thee, given thee his will to keep, and thou hast conjured against his honour, gone an whoring unto strange gods, trodden his laws under thy far; To be short, thou hast deserved more punishment than there is to be had in hell. And yet notwithstanding he offereth to grant thee grace, and with the price of his own blood would redeem thee from the bondage of sin, whereunto thou most voluntarily boundest thyself. Behold him, who hath himself paid their ransom that betrayed him, who took upon him the punishment which we deserved, and satisfied for our transgressions. With what words then are we any way able to thank him for all these mercies? Open my lips therefore my God, my Creator and redeemer, that my voice may be heard, and mine heart inflamed with a boiling affection, to praise and thank thee, and humble me also in the acknowledging of myself, to the end thou mayest hear me in the knowledge of the holy mystery, b● which we are reincorporate into thee, and renewed in thy covenant, that we may enter into that blessed fellowship of glory, in which, all they shall triumph, which shall be partakers of the merit of the passion of thy best beloved son, the true and only Saviour of the world.   

Lord hear my prayer. Psalm. 142.  
O Lord, man in the end is weary of all things: a continual course bringeth him out of breath, overmuch staring dimmeth the eyes, and a shrill sound deaffeth the ears: but the more my voice crieth unto thee, the stronger it is, my courage increaseth more, and my prayer better pleaseth me. And therefore do I begin again daily to cry upon thee, Lord hear my prayer, give ear unto my complaint: for in praying to thee my God, consisteth all mine whole comfort. It is my prayer, O Lord, which coniureth thy loving kindness to purge my sins, not by reason of the severity of the punishment, but by the means of the effect of the grace which thou hast granted unto us, by which thou dost abolish by thy sovereign and absolute power, the remembrance of our sins.  
2 And therefore enter not, O Lord, into judgement with thy servant, ne yet leave him unto the rigour of thy laws: for, no man living that shall appear before thee at thy judgement seat, shall be justified. No man shall escape this fearful condemnation, the punishment whereof is not only cruel, but immortally rigorous also. Alas, O Lord, who can be saved before thee? It is thou that art offended, it is thou that wilt accuse us, It is thou that hast seen our iniquities, and wilt attest them, and it is thou that shalt judge us. When the accuser shall be witness, and the witness, judge, what shall become of the offendor? What defence can he make to justify himself? O Lord my God, I will not tarry until this blow light upon me, I will defend me with thy favour and grace, to oppose it unto thy justice. And thy grace is obtained by the acknowledging and confessing of our sins, and the humbling and submitting of our minds. Lo, I here cast down myself prostrate before thee, and lay open my sins, and therefore I beseech thee, O Lord, to have mercy upon me.  
3 My sins, my God, the capital enemy unto my soul, have so terrified me, and cast me down, as that I now lie crawling upon the ground, daring not once to look up unto heaven. For, so soon as I lift up mine eyes, I see the light which shineth upon me, discover on the day a great many of sins, which accuse my conscience. And then I feel forthwith shame take hold on my guilty face, and to make me cast down my countenance unto the ground, a countenance unworthy to behold the heavens, the master whereof she hath so grievously offended, too too cowardly a face to cast the eyes thereof upon such places which have so many thunderbolts prepared to root out the guilty.  
4 My spirit therefore hath led me into dark places, and buried me as a dead man in the crannies of obscurity. My soul is made very sad in me, and mine heart stirreth itself like unto one walking with his nose lifted up into the weather, who through his retchlessness falleth into the botrome of a well, having forthwith thereby been amazed, is incontinent void of judgement, falleth out with himself, and tormenteth himself, until such time as being come again to his wits, he knoweth both the place wherein he is, and understandeth the manner how he fell in: and then beginneth by little and little to get up again unto the top thereof, and yet is scarcely able to note and mark the place whence he so easily fell.  
5 And so having called to mind as far as I possibly could, the memory of things past, having set before me in a deep meditation, the works of thine hands, and having exactly considered the perfection thereof, yea, and remembering the estate wherein thou hast created us, and beside, setting before me him, by whom I feel myself now, as it were oppressed under the destruction of sin, I cursed in myself the hour wherein my mother conceived me, I abhorred the day which first opened unto me mine eye lids, whereby I might see heaven and earth, witnesses of mine infirmity: and in the end; finding nothing in the world, that in this distress might comfort and help me, I at last, addressed myself unto thy most excellent majesty.  
6 I fell on both my knees before thee, I stretched out mine arms and hands unto thee, and my soul thirsting for thy grace, waited with a great desire for the same, as the chapping ground through heat, looketh for a gracious and sweet shower in the hottest days of summer.  
7 Make haste therefore unto me, O my God, for I am already out of breath, for lo mine heart fainteth, and I am at the point of swoon, wilt thou stay until I be dead? I am already so, if thou make not haste, for my senses do by little and little fail me, my soul glideth gently out of me, leaving my body without moving, and I am like unto him, who letting his foot bleed in the water, looseth his life with his blood, without feeling the occasion or cause of his death.  
8 If thou O Lord holdest thyself aloof from me, and turnest thy face away, I shall become like unto those that go down into the bottom of hell, pale death will make my face look wan, and my feeling to sleep: nay a worse thing than this will betide me, my God, for spiritual death will kill my soul, make it horribly a feared, and take from her the acknowledgement of thy singular goodness, and the hope of grace which shineth in thy miracles, as a bright shining star in a duke night.  
9 Make me therefore, O Lord, in thy good time, to understand and feel the effect of thy mercy: and when the sun riseth in the morning upon the face of the earth, let then thy loving kindness rise upon me, for the enlightening of mine ignorance, and lead me in the way of thy will. But let it not deal with me, O Lord, as the sun doth, who at his fall plungeth himself into the sea, keeping away his light for a time, from poor wretched and distressed men. But let thy favour and grace continually assist and defend me, and, never depart more from me, than my soul doth from my body: for thy mercy is far away more, the soul of my soul, than my soul is the life of my body.  
10 And therefore let thy mercy never forsake me: but let her light direct my footsteps always in thy ways, and lead me continually in the way which must bring me unto thee. For, my spirit which hath run itself through the strange queaches of this world, and strayed into the broad and thick bushes thereof, can never find out her tract again, but rusheth out at all adventures, and loseth both her path, and also her pain, going always back from the abiding place whither she was determined to go. But, I, my God, do always attend thine aid, for, it is from above that I look for help.  
11 I am a captive in the hands of the most cruel enemies of my life, and therefore I most humbly beseech thee, o Lord, to make haste to deliver me: I fly unto thee for refuge, receive me into thy protection: Teach me what thou wouldst have me to do, for thou art my God, whom alone I am resolved now to serve. And now away away from me deceitful pleasure, which heretofore hast bewitched my poor soul, and poisoned my spirit: thou hast with thy sweet delights fed me, and made me with a little bait of honey to swallow a deadly potion, which running through my members, hath so astonished and mortified me, as that there is no difference between me and a dead man: nay worse than that, for it is not my body that is thus mortified, but it is my soul, wherein consists the principal matter, both of this present life, and also of the life to come.  
12 And therefore thy holy spirit must light upon me, to rewarme and fetch again my dying soul, and take it by the hand to quicken, and set it in a safe place, imprinting therein the image of thy righevousnesse, to serve her as a safeguard against all temptations which besiege her on every side, and threaten her destruction.  
13 Thou shalt come therefore, and at thy coming shalt draw back my soul from tribulation, and in showing of me mercy, shalt destroy all those that have conjured against me. And then shall my sorrow have an end, and theirs shall begin, and the beginning of their sorrow, shall never cease: But as the streams coming out of the spring heads, do still grow larger and larger, until such time as they enter into the deep Seas, where is neither brink nor bottom, even so shall their misery, day by day increase, and in the end will heap upon them extreme dolour, and infinite distress.  
14 And so shall all they perish which shall vex my soul: for I, o God, am thy faithful servant whom thou hast remembered, and wilt remember all those, who in disdain of my Lord, have thus shamelessly troubled me. They laughed at my miseries, but now behold the season wherein they shall bewail theirs. Thy vengeance beginneth to wax hot against them, and a man shall see them fall like unto the leaves of trees in the beginning of winter. O God, what glory shall I render unto thy name? and at what end shall I begin to set forth thy praise? Shall I publish thy goodness, in creating so many wonderful works which are under the Sun? Thy wisdom in the conserving of them? Shall I preach abroad thy justice in the condemnation and vengeance of the pride of the Angels, & the disobedience of men? Shall I sing forth thy mercy in the redeeming of those who by transgressing thy laws, have cast themselves down headlong into the bondage of eternal death? unto what part of thy praises, may the sound & tune of my voice attain & reach? Yea, & put the case that my voice were sufficient thus to do, where are the ears that are able to receive them? I want all things, o Lord, for the taking in hand of this enterprise, saving courage & will, which being full of fervent affection, cry out as much as is possible, unto thee. And therefore I humbly beseech thee to aid their weak endeavours, and seeing that the tears of my repentance have washed away the filthiness of my sin, wherewith my spirit was greatly charged & burdened: give unto it now the wings of faith & hope, that may swiftly carry the same into thine arms, to reunite itself unto her first original being, without having any other thought, but such as may tend to the honour of thy service, and advancement of thy glory.    

A MEDITATION UPON THE SEVEN PSALMS OF the Consolation of David.  
1594.   

A MEDITATION upon the seven Psalms, of the Consolation of David.  

The Lord is my light etc. PSALM. 26.  
1after I had laid in soak mine heart in my tears, & sighed a thousand times with sorrow in the reckoning up of my sins, I thought, o Lord, that I had appeased thy wrath, and thereby forthwith to have ended my miseries. But alas, as I look unto the world, and think with an innocent life, to converse amongst men, I see their envy turned upon me, and all their purposes & drifts directed to do me hurt. So as I stand in doubt whether I be reconciled unto thee or no, and whether thou be satisfied with this my repentance. But in turning mine eyes every way, I perceive that this affliction is common to me, and to all honest and good men, by the parts that I see played them on every side, and how their constancy is always in danger: and contrariwise, to see how the wicked easily regorge pleasure, and all manner of benefits, maketh me confounded and astonished. For, on the one side, I call to mind that thou art the great and mighty God of justice, whose eye seeing all things, knoweth the deepest & secretest corners, and whose almighty hand reacheth unto the farthest parts of the world. And on the other side, I see those that lift up their heads against thee, and oppress thy poor and innocent servants, prosper in thy sight, and daily pride up themselves in the happy success of their ungodliness. I confess, o Lord, that I stand like a block, and as one being blindfolded with this sight, am not able to pierce through these thick mists, which thus environ the eyes of mine understanding. But in the end, o Father of lights, thou unseeledst mine eyelids, and enlightening me with the beams of thy wisdom, hast made me understand why thou so usest them, and delivering me from the pain and care wherein I was, hast filled me with the assurance of my salvation, and given me a most certain consolation & comfort. So as I do not only at this present care for the threatenings of threatners, and disdain their insolency, but being rampard with wonderful constancy, and great courage, I offer myself unto the combat, and cry with a loud voice, Come who so ever will and dare, for, I now fear nothing. For, although God for a while exerciseth his faithful servants, yet forsaketh he them not when they stand in need, but in such sort compasseth their adversity with their forces, as that they become always conquerors in this fight. And to say truly, so long as I am assured of his mercy, what occasion can I have, ever to fear?  
2 He hath now taken my life into his protection, and covered me all over with the wings of his power, who can enforce him to set me ashore? What shall I need to fear, seeing that all the world fear and dread him which defendeth me? his forces are not the armies of men, but legions of Angels: his ministers are not Princes and Captains, but thundering, lightning, and storms: his wrath is not blows and hurts, but earthquakes, swallowing up of Cities, and drowning of whole countries. Thou hast already, o Lord, all these armies and hosts in thine hand, and art ready to thunder them against the proud boldness of the wicked, that have conjured the ruin of good men. But because my God thou holdest back for a time the arm of thy divine vengeance, comfort me in the mean while with a sure hope, that thou wilt never forsake me: And me thinketh, that thou sayest continually unto me, tarry a little, for, the time is not yet come which I have appointed, and in the mean while, trust thou assuredly unto my promise, and look whatsoever affliction thou shalt endure, be thou assured that I will give thee strength to overcome it. My courage, o Lord, increaseth, when as I feel thee thus to second me: and this thine exhortation emboldeneth me more unto patience, than all the applause of the people doth him that fighteth a combat, when he is most strong and lusty in his fight. There is nothing now that I am afeard of: for, all these conspiracies, all these slanderous reports against mine head & honour, seem to me like unto the soming raging billows of the sea, who roaring far off, furiously break themselves against the foot of a rock, and scatter themselves abroad at the first stroke, and the blow is but a vain sound, which is the end of all these great threats. Certainly, the conscience of an innocent man, founded and grounded upon thy grace, is more stable & sure, than all the greatest rocks, & cannot be shaken nor moved by any injurious brags.  
3 What shall I now fear any more? Shall I fear a rout of the wicked, that go about to beset me round, and cluster about me, to see if they could take me? They give out sometime one sign, sometime another, to assay if they can lay hold on me. Behold, and see diligently how they note and mark me, and how they bend their brows, and grind their teeth at me: I verily believe, that the greatest thing which they desire, is to eat me with their teeth, to tear me in pieces, to fill themselves with my flesh, to gnaw my bones, and to drink my blood. O cruel and savage beasts, how can you thus despise your own flesh, how can you thus abjure all humanity? Do you think that although you have forgotten God, that God hath forgotten his servants? Do you think that his servants are so far from his hand, as yours is far from justice?  
4 Well go too, ye have like mad Tigers foamed out upon me your poison, ye have cried out, and houled at me, fastened your teeth & clutches upon me: howbeit, all your blows slip over me, as it were over a most clear crystal, they cannot hurt me, mine innocency is not to be wounded with all that ye can devise, but are in the end enforced to retire all wearied, and gasping for breath, lying upon the belly, ye bay, grin & mutiny with very anger, but it is without power: and there is but one weapon amongst all the rest ●e●t you, and that is, a will to do ill. But nevertheless, because your voice is abominable before God, and that with your threats ye blaspheme him unto his face, he will utterly root ye out, and throw upon you the mountains which your ambition and covetousness have heaped up so high, thinking thereby to scale his Throne, and to rob him of his glory.  
5 O Lord, what a spectacle hast thou made for mine eyes to behold? nay, I am now so assured of thy mercy, so comforted by reason of the care which I see thou hast of thy faithful servants, as that although I should see the greatest army that possibly could be, yet would I not be afeard of it. Let there an army be brought against me, composed of all the nations of the world, and let there be placed in the vanguard on the right hand, a battle of Scythians, and on the left hand a battle of Ethiopians, and in the rearguard the East India, and America, and all the rest of the world in the midst to serve for a battle, and add thereunto whatsoever Art and skill for the kill of men, was ●uer able to find out or devise, a●… yet, if my God be my conductor a●… leader, I will pass through them 〈◊〉 without any fear. Again, if he be angry with the world, and sha● like him to serve himself with 〈◊〉 hands, to be avenged of them f●… their ungodliness, I myself 〈◊〉 cut them all in pieces, not leaving so much as a tail of any 〈◊〉 them.  
6 Nay, I do now rejoice when 〈◊〉 I hear say that the wicked ba●… themselves against me, and do assure myself, that it is God which ●…lend me matter wherein to glory. For, be thou, O Lord, only nee●… me, bless my weapons, and mine enemies are confounded. But what weapons? verily do thou but blow only upon this people, and tho● shalt scatter them all, as a great wind driveth the dust too and fro: nevertheless, O Lord, I beseech thee blo●… not upon them the wind and blast 〈◊〉 thy curse, but tarry a little while 〈◊〉 thou please, to see if thy patience will bring them back to do their duties. And as for myself, although I ●e covered over with their wounds, and defamed with their injurious dealing, yet had I rather have them sub●ect unto thy mercy, then unto thy ●ustice: and desire, if thou think it good, that their injustice might rather derue to try me withal, then for their condemnation.  
7 Thou knowest, O Lord, my desires, thou readest them in mine heart, neither have I ever called upon thee ●or vengeance: my vows conjure nothing but thy mercy, and my thoughts ●re addressed unto nothing but unto ●eace. wouldst thou understand the ●umme of my desires, and the end of ●ll my prayers, it is, O Lord, that I ●ay pass my days in serving thee faithfully, and that, thou wouldst grant me thine holy house to dwell ●…n, and that all the while that I am separated from thee, and a great ●ay off from thine heavenly Tabernacle, tied unto the earth by reason of the counterpoise of my bo●ye, I might unite and tie all my thoughts unto thee, and conform ●nd frame myself wholly unto thy will. O blessed habitation, that is able to cover us from all worthy passions, from all the lusts of the flesh, and to be short, from all the assaults of the Devil. For, there o Lord, thou art present with us, and comm●… down from the heavens to keep company with us, and fillest us with thyself, that we might be void o● sin, and convertest our carnal 〈◊〉 into a living and quickening spirit, that we might effectually feel thy marvelous works, comprehend thy mercies, and conceive of thy power and almightiness.  
8 Suffer therefore, my God, tha● I being incorporate into thee, 〈◊〉 farforth as mine infirmity, a●… thine infiniteness will permit, I may be enlightened with the beams of thy wisdom, to the end that mine understanding being enlightened, 〈◊〉 may learn me to know thy wi●…. For this is the thread; o Lord, which may assuredly guide me through the windings and turnings of the labyrinth of this world, and this is the passport which must bring us unto that everlasting life, which we so incessantly gape and sigh for. Reveal unto me therefore this thy will, and lay it up in my soul, that I may there keep it most dearly, and in the midst of thy Church, I may set up an Altar in my mouth, presenting the same daily unto thee for an offering, under the holy veil of thy most holy word.  
9 For, seeing o Lord, thou hast mor●…ized me within thy holy Tabernacle, showing me the holy mysteries of thy divinity, that in the hardest time of mine adversity, thou hast gathered, hid, and drawn me under thine Altar, yet not content with that, hast made me to enter into ●…e holy of holiest, and bottoms of ●…y Sanctuary, where thou wast wont ●o reveal the greatest secrets of thy will, grant that I may so well conceive them, as that I may cause thy faithful servants faithfully to understand them.  
10 For, sith thou hast advanced me into so eminent and high 〈◊〉 place, as one set upon an high rock, ●o be seen of the whole world, and honoured above all mine enemies, let the foundation of my faith be a● firm as any stone, and the gr●… which thou shalt bestow upon me, 〈◊〉 be a testimony of thy righteousne●… making me worthy and capable of 〈◊〉 benefits which it shall please thee 〈◊〉 vouchsafe me.  
11 As for myself, O Lord, I 〈◊〉 take pains reue●entlie to use t●… ministery which thou hast commuted unto me. Thou knowest how 〈◊〉 have carried myself therein. I ha●… turned myself every way reknowledge that which might best like th●… I have most willingly offered unto th●… calves and sheep in sacrifice: I ha●… willingly bathed thine Altar wi●… blood, but that was too too small an ●…fring for thee. I have, o Lord, sacri●…ced mine heart, consecrated mine affection, vowed my thoughts, and having plucked them from the very bottom 〈◊〉 mine heart, I have offered them v●… thee with my voice, whereby thou h●… understood whatsoever my soul ha●… desired, which was nothing else but 〈◊〉 please thee in all mine actions. My crying out then hath been my offering which thou didst graciously accept opening the heavens to gather them together, and to receive them. And therefore, o Lord, I will all the days of my life, sing thy praise, and recite an Hymn of thy glory.  
12 Hear, o merciful God, my songs, and receive in good part the voice which testifieth thy goodness, and publisheth thy mercies. Increase my strength and courage, that I may strain my cries and spirits to thee. And sith thy mercy is never deaf unto those which sincerely call upon thee, incline the same to me: for, all sorts of felicities follow her continually. Incline the same, I say, o Lord, for thou hast promised it unto all those that call upon thee.  
13 How often hast thou heard mine heart, I say mine heart, and ●ot my mouth: for, I speak not vn●o thee but with mine heart, which ●ryeth our, saying unto thee: O Lord, why have I sought thee so carefully ●ay and night, both in peace, and war, in quietness, and in trouble. 〈◊〉 have desired nothing in the world, ●ut to see thy face, I mean nor, O Lord, thy divine face, wherein is imprinted that fearful Majesty, which shineth as the lightning, which no man's eye is able to abide to behold, but that face at the least, which is covered and courtayned with thy works, which, although no man is able to see but the very hinder parts thereof, and that very hardly also yet me thinketh it to be most wonderful, and maketh me beside myself as it were. Sith then, O Lord, 〈◊〉 thou be that increated word which hath created all things which doth pa●… of thy will, and thy will, a part of thyself, doth it not represent itself unto me, as thy face, for me to note & ma●… therein, such a great number of bea●tifull and excellent lineaments of Divinity, which shine most brightly in every part thereof? O Lord, I am in love with this rare beauty, neither have I any other care & thought, but that I may enjoy this thy presence, which offereth itself unto 〈◊〉 in thy word, as in a looking glass of thy Deity.  
14 Seeing than that thou see● mine holy and sincere love, deprive me not then of this holy object, which sanctifieth and blesseth my cogitations and thoughts. And although my sins which are most foul and filthy make thee to be displeased with me, yet I most humbly beseech thee, not to be angry with me, neither turn thou away this thy fair and wonderful face from me. For, thou O Lord, art angry with none, but with such as glory in their sins, and stubbornly persist in their iniquities. But I, thy servant, my God, humble myself before thee, and do acknowledge, most unworthy sinner that I am, not once to dare appear in thy presence, if thy loving kindness did not bring me in unto thee. And therefore thou art not to reject me: for, if thou shouldest, thou must also therewith reject thy mercy whereunto I am coupled, and so fast linked, as that as it cannot be separated from thee, so is it also now fast linked unto my repentance.  
15 And therefore thou shouldest, if it might so please thee, dwell and remain with me, and seeing it hath liked thee to allow me for thy servant, and to thrust me into this combat, thou art not to leave and forsake me in it, for if thou shouldest, my destruction would turn to thy shame, where on the other side, my victory will turn to thy glory. And therefore, O Lord, I beseech thee to help me evermore. For, as mine infirmity striveth commonly against me, so also have I need to have continual help on every side of me. For, if thou keep thyself never so little awhile from me, my soul will even vanish away, and so will also my body, if my soul be once gone. For thou, O Lord, art far away more, the soul of my soul, than my soul, is the soul of my body. I right well know that thy Divine Majesty hath a most unworthy dwelling place in me, but yet I humbly beseech thee, disdain nor to come into it: for, where thou once interest, all magnificence aboundeth, and there is always honour sufficient where thou art. And beside, O Lord, thou receivest no honour by coming to visit me, but I thy poor servant am honoured by thy presence. Why shouldest thou leave the glorious bright Heavens, and bright shining Stars, and to come down here below, to seek for nothing that can be said to be honourable? But it is, as I think, because thou wouldst have thine Angels know and understand, that they ought not to pride up themselves in their magnificence, seeing they are thy creatures, and that thou canst make the most vile enhabitant on the earth, as honourable as any one of them. This is it why thou comest down from the heaven of heavens, to have mercy upon us, and having the like feeling of our miseries, thou comest to re-establish us in our ancient perfection. And because that we, as much as in us lieth, have defaced the image of the Deity, which thou hadst imprinted in us, thou comest to recharge and recover the lineaments of our first nature half defaced. It is thou then, who as thou wast our Creator, so also wilt be our Redeemer, and, as thou hast been our Father, so also wilt be our protector and defender. And it is thou, O Lord, who, although the whole world hath rejected us, yet hast stretched out thine arms, and gathered us together under the wing of thy loving kindness.  
16 And so is it most meet, for I know not whither else to go. My Father and my Mother have forsaken me, I mean, the Father that begot me, and my Mother that tenderly nursed me, and brought me up, did abhor me, when as they saw me set my whole heart upon thee, and leave the vanities of this world. They never looked on me, but with grief, and held me but for a castaway. My brethren's making much of me, turned into disdain: the kind and sweet amity of my sisters changed into contempt, and the gracious meetings of my dearest friends, were turned into mockery. Whither then must I fly? If my dearest friends entreat me after this sort, what will mine enemies do unto me, whose mouths are full of gall, and their tongues full of deadly poison, whose ordinary actions and exercises are nothing else but doing of wrong, and speaking contumeliously? But even then, when I am most given over, than art thou nearest unto me, embrasest me most favourably, and pourest upon my head the treasures of thy mercy, most largely.  
17 Now, seeing it hath pleased thee, thus to enlarge thy grace towards me, that I might be conserved, teach me, I beseech thee, how I may serve thee: Learn me what thy law is, and how I must direct my steps, that I may continually walk a right in that narrow and thorny path, which must conduct me unto the port of salvation. For, it is long sit hence, O Lord, that I left that broad and easy way, sowed with the pleasures of this world, and which bringeth all those that follow the same, unto destruction & damnation. Show me therefore, my God, thy way, for under such a guide, I can never stray, show it me, O Lord I say, for if I go never so little out of it, I am utterly undone, mine enemies lie in wait to surprise me, and to make me subject, to dishonour me, and so consequently, thyself, O Lord, because they know that I serve thee faithfully.  
18 Deliver me not therefore into their hands, that they may deal with me according to their hearts desire. For than were mine honour at an end. They have already made strong their part, suggested a thousand accusations, and framed a world of witnesses, but their leasings have returned upon their own heads, and borne witness against themselves, for lying cannot be hid, she is full of cracks on every side, & truth pierceth it on every part. For she is made of many odd pieces, which fall away one from another, assoon as they are touched, and in opposing herself unto innocency, she melteth away as snow against the Sun.  
19 But although they had me even as themselves would wish, oppressed with slanders, quelled under the burden of their injuries, yet would I not for all that be discouraged. I have not, O Lord, put my trust in the benefits and honours of this world, for that is almost always the portion of the wicked, and are as it were, the rewards of their unfaithfulness, dissimulations, and wicked dealings: this is the merchandise which most commonly, is not bought but with this money. My hope, O Lord, is altogether in thee, the world is not capable to be able to contain it, the fruit of my labours groweth not in the land of the dying, but that which I look to gather together, O Lord, is in the land of the living, there is that I hope to see my felicity, nay rather thine, my God. Others look for the fruit after the budding and blooming time, but I O Lord, look for it, after the fall of the leaf. For, after the leaf of the body shallbe fallen, I hope and trust that my soul shall bud in new fruit, & be clothed again with the everlasting verdure of immortality for ever.  
20 And therefore, my soul, have patience, and carry thyself manlike, redouble thy courage valiantly, and attend until my God cometh unto thee. Be not astonished or afeard, to see the prosperity of the wicked, neither be thou amazed to see them oppress the godly, but stand to it to the end. And when thou seest O Lord, that I am not of myself strong enough, assist me, and lend me thy shoulders, for fear the afflictions of the wicked cause me to departed from my stand where thou hast placed me, second my ferventness and zeal, that having courageously fought at the place where mine enemies assaulted me, I may be found at the gate when thou openest it, to enter with thee in triumph, sitting at thy feet, when as thou shalt judge both the quick & the dead. Then shall we see what a great change there is between our life and theirs, and what payment tarrieth for them: they have had their felicity in this world, therefore then shall it be said unto them; Stand aside (for ye own the rest, and consider that ye shall render an account of those benefits which were given you to keep, and be amerced for your abusing of them. Your habitation prepared for you as you deserve, depart into everlasting pains and torments: ye have been many times told of the rigour thereof, yet have you not so much as a very little turned away from your cursed lives, & therefore shall ye now feel it, seeing you would not as then any whit fear it. And as for those, o Lord, which have been patient for thy name's sake, and suffered for thine honour, the rage of the wicked, thou shalt say unto them; Come ye blessed children of my father, enter into the Tabernacle of glory, that ye may judge with him both the quick and the dead. Comfort thyself now therefore my soul, with this expectation and hope & trust in God, even in the almighty and most merciful God, who never forsook the just in adversity, nor stopped his ear against the oppressed innocent.   

I will at all times bless the Lord, etc. Psalm. 34.  
1 BLessed be thy name, o Lord, which hast comforted me in misery, & blessed be he for ever, that hath helped me in mine affliction. All things have their time, and all men's actions are distributed by times and seasons, change serveth for rest, and rest, for the refreshing of the ordinary labour of the living: neither can any thing continue without rest in any occupation and trade. Nevertheless, here in this rule faileth, that is, I do bless, and for ever will bless, thy name, O Lord: at the sun rising, I will praise thy name, and at his going down, I will praise the same, at that, will I begin both months and years, and at that also will I end them. O eternity, I have no feeling of thee in this world, but in this my will, to praise and glorify my God for ever. My body melteth away with age, and my forces vanish and decay, but my soul which stoutly standeth against humane corruption, doth not only continue, but also daily increaseth in this holy affection. For if I think to take my rest, mine heart stirreth my thought. And if I think to stop my mouth, my soul is ready to break out between my lips, and forcibly frameth my voice to set forth the glory and praise of my God. My soul, who maketh thee so eager to praise thy God? Thou knowest right well, and I also see it very well, that thou hast had thy being from him, and lookest by him to be glorified: what usury makest thou with him? Thou givest unto him a parcel of his praises, and by this means thou lookest that he should associate thee with the riches of his glory. For from him alone, thou must hope to have some honour. The heavens shall pass, and wear away like an old garment, and be changed as men change a covering. But God shall continue still triumphing over the destruction of the world. The peaceable and meek people shall sit by him, and hear the triumphant hymns which shall be song in his victory and conquests, and all full of melody and rejoicing, shall join their voices unto the trumpets of the angels.  
2 Let us begin therefore betime, to learn to sing the praises of his glory, magnify him, and exalt his name, as high as our voices will serve us, let us strain out our cries, to the end they may ascend as high, at the least, as we are able to see, so as the air being filled with our songs, it may carry them upon the wings of the winds unto the uttermost parts of the earth, to the end that every one may be awakened with the sound of our notes, and rejoice in hearing the name of the Lord of heaven and earth, thus sounded out, who is the most faithful and most assured helper of all those which call upon him.  
3 I have fought after him, and he forthwith hath understood me. I knew not myself whither to go, and after I had turned mine eyes on every side, and being forsaken of the world, could see nothing which was able to help me, I returned into myself, and pitifully beheld myself, bewailing my calamity: and all at once, he gave me courage and strength, & making mine heart to leap our of the gulf of heaviness and tribulation, which had swallowed me up, said unto me; trust in me, for lo here I am. Then cried I out and said, O Lord, where art thou, make haste to help me quickly. And I had no sooner spoken, but that his spirit descended into me, and as a strong and mighty wind driveth the clouds before it, even so did it drive from round about me, all manner of griefs and afflictions.  
4 Come therefore and run unto him: come then, for the way is easy and open on every side, he showeth himself in all places, and in what place soever we are, he calleth us unto him. He is so afeard of us, that we would go astray, as that he cometh down from heaven to carry a lamp before us, to give light unto our feet, he is also the father of lights, which more clearly and purely lighteth our souls then our bodies. For the light which lighteth our eyes, is to cause us to see that which we are either to follow or to eschew, but this light of all goodness and bounty, enlighteneth our souls, and of itself, putteth far from us, and driveth away whatsoever may hurt and offend us. Come therefore, and draw near thereunto, for so long as it shineth upon us, you shall be sure to go upright, and nothing shall be able to do you hurt, your strength shall renew in you, and nothing shall confound you: for if your sins shall appear, it shall disperse them, and if your enemies come thither it will send them back and overthrow them.  
5 Will you see a most excellent proof of his aid and singular mercy? Behold then this poor and miserable caitiff, who is held to be an especial unhappy man, yea such a one as is thought to be a man without all hope of recovery, the only comfort of all miseries, who hath but a very little cried out unto God, and he forthwith heard him, and delivered him out of the misery wherein he was, he hath brought him to the port, and settled him in a place of safety.  
6 He sendeth his angels to help his servants, who compass them about as a most sure guard, and will not suffer them to stir a foot from them, before such time as they have rid them out of danger. For, as he himself is great, so hath he also mighty & strong ministers, and although he of himself is able to do all things, and yet notwithstanding all his greatness, he executeth his will, by his creatures, governing the lesser by the meaner, the meaner, by he higher, and the higher by himself.  
7 Taste thou and consider a little, how kind and favourable his goodness and mercy is, and how blessed he is that putteth his trust in him. The Swallow is very careful of her young ones, and yet she oftentimes leaveth them to cry by reason of hunger, & sometimes she giveth them the sour with the sweet, but our God cometh at the first call, nay, at the first sign we make, yea at our first wish, & so soon as he seethe us thirst for his help, he putteth his most sweet & delicate dugs and breasts of his bounty, unto our mouths, & streameth the sweet milk of his grace into our lips, which stauncheth & cooleth the thirstiness of our infirmity, & quencheth the heat which our sin, as foul & filthy ulcers & sores, have engendered in our consciences.  
8 And therefore, seeing he is so good & gracious unto us, and denieth us nothing that we ask, look somewhat unto yourselves I beseech you, I speak unto you, upon whom he hath bestowed so many benefits, whom he hath sanctified with his holy blessings, and whom he hath set a part to be his elect, and partakers of his love. And beware ye offend him not with your unthankfulness, & thereby make you unwortthie of his benefits, through distrust and incredulity of his beneficence▪ For, they that fear him wa●… nothing, in fearing him, they trut i● him, and they fear him with a fear that proceedeth of love, not with a fear that he will do them some ill, but with a fear, not to offend him, but rather with a fatherly reverence, who is far readier to do us good, than we are careful to demand of him. For, he knoweth of himself what is most necessary for us, and preventeth forthwith our desires, if they be agreeable unto his will, and enricheth us when we are most poor, and maketh us valiant when we are most weak.  
9 And contrariwise, the rich-men's of the world, whose goods he hath not blessed, they I say, are not worthy of their riches, but starve with their abundance, their goods melt into poverty, their great magnificences vanish away into smoke, and become like unto a stream, whose springhead is dammed up, his bed becometh parched with dryness, the skirts of his garments lose their beauty, and his trees which he hath planted on a row, whither, and drive up. But such as have recourse unto God, and forsake him not, and refer all unto his honour, shall never want any good thing, because the spring head of all goodness which is the love of God, floweth over their souls, and spreadeth itself throughout all the parts of their bodies.  
10 Now, sith that you see, that the fear of the Lord bringeth so great profit, and that his fear is it, which reconcileth us unto him, his conciliation getteth us grace, enlargeth our felicity; come ye unto me, that I may learn ye how ye shall fear him as a most good & merciful father, who never denieth mercy unto him which acknowledgeth his sins, and giveth himself to walk in the way of well doing.  
11 Desire ye to please him, and by that means to live in his grace, that is to say, to live blessedly, and pass your days with a quiet mind, and abundance of whatsoever is necessary for this life, and yet to go forward on the way of this immortal life, which attendeth us after we shall be departed from hence. To be short; desire ye his blessing, that is to say, firm and assired prosperity, which engendereth i● you spiritual rejoicing, which lai●… your heart continually open to brea●… out his honour, & contentedly to use t●… benefits which he dareth unto yo● here in this world? I will deliver 〈◊〉 unto you in few words, how ye sha●… attain unto this means. For I know wherewith he is pleased, and what a●…ons of ours they are, that are agreeable unto his liking.  
12 The first thing that ye shall do, 〈◊〉 this; Keep your tongue that it speak● nothing to the dishonour of God, no●●…ter any bitter & angry talk. Mark wh●… a small and little thin member this i● & yet it is the stern of our life, which turneth and windeth our spirit which way soever it pleaseth. For when it i● once filled with corrupt & filthy spee●… it carrieth the passions of our hear● from whence they are conceived, eu●… into the bottom of our understanding▪ and in such sort watereth them, as tha● they are like unto an earthen potou●… much soaked in water, & so loseth the●…by the form and shape of the reas●… which God had breathed into it. Sity not that one spark of fire setteth an whole house on a burning flame? Even so the tongue, as the bait of sin, giveth it an entrance into us, bringeth it deafly in, & setting by that means our souls on fire, wasteth and consumeth whatsoever good thing is within us. Let us then command our lips to receive nothing but the bare and simple truth, and banish lying & deceit for ever from them. For, if we keep in fast shut, the wicked thoughts which may arise in our hearts, without giving them vent, they will in the end choke themselves, even as fire that hath no air.  
13 And therefore, let us first of all, put all lying & deceit far away from us, for the true praise which God looketh for at our hands, is, that we should imitate him as much as our nature will permit. Now, he is the God of truth and of justice, who can neither love nor make much of us, so long as lying which is contrary to him, shall dwell in us. Secondarily, we must estrange ourselves from all sin whatsoever: for, to eschew ill, is the beginning to do well: and always provided, that if God findeth us void of wicked intents, he will fill us with good ones, and teach us that which we ought to wish and procure, and the thing which we ought principallest to desire, he teacheth us. And that is peace, which he would have us desire with all our hearts. First, peace with him, which is the storehouse of all goodness, which we can never have, except we yield him that obedience which we own him. And then, peace amongst ourselves, without the which we can never have his For, he hath commanded us to love our neighbours as ourselves, so as, if in stead of this, we breathe out nothing but blood & spoils, what peace would we have with him, whose laws and commandments we infringe and break? And withal, that war is no better than the blossom of injustice, which is, abominable before God.  
14 His eye, which is this well framed and loving eye, beholdeth none but the iust and righteous: his light, enlighteneth none but them, neither are his miracles showed but in favour of them, and his ears are not open but unto their prayers: and we may properly say, that his justice is on his side, that examineth the life of those which offer themselves unto him, and to him recommendeth their prayers which are of an upright heart.  
15 And as for those that take pleasure in ill doing, he looketh upon them indeed, but it is with a furious burning eye, whose beams are like the arrows of pains and misery, wherewith he woundeth their souls, filling them with fear and astonishment, besides a thousand other miseries, which he layeth on them, as earnests of torments which attend them. He dreameth not of them otherwise then of the rooting out of their memory from the face of the earth, and by justice to wash the arrows of their pollution, which are left: for he sufficiently knoweth their impenitent hearts, which have insolently neglected his holy mercy.  
16 Now, the righteous have not so done, for they have in good time returned unto God, and calling upon his clemency, have in the end obtained it, they rejoiced therein, and it remained with them, as it were their portion, he hath delivered them our of all their troubles wherein they were plunged, and received them under his grace, as under a brazen wall, so as no violent mischief what soever, can be able to make them false hearted.  
17 Undoubtedly, God is marvelous good & favourable, thou mightest say, that he is always favourable unto the afflicted which call upon him, and forsaketh him not day nor night. For no sooner hath our grief & sorrow humbled us, and made us know what need we have of him, but that he is by and by ready at hand to save us.  
18 In very deed the righteous are afflicted with strange calamities, and a man might properly say, that they are the very subject and matter of miseries to work on, there are so many mischiefs come tumbling in, one in another's neck, to oppress them. But this is not to any other end, save to make the mercy of God shine more gloriously in them. For the greater that the tribulation is, the more doth the pity and compassion shine in the preserving of them.  
19 For he keepeth even the very lest bone they have, nay there shall not one hair of their heads fall, nor be plucked in sunder, but by his express will, neither should that ever once come to pass, but for their only good and benefit. And yet more than that, for he hath all their goods, and all their trade & traffic in his protection, and when it pleaseth him, he will multiply their store, cause his blessings flourish in their houses, and make their riches and possessions increase, according to their own hearts desire.  
20 But contrariwise, the lives of the wicked shall be most miserable. And although for the proving and inviting of them to turn unto him, he lend unto them the goods and commodities of this life, yet shall their deaths be most lamentable, yea such a death as shall deliver them unto eternal torments, and plunge them in the bottomless depths of inextinguishable fires, there to be devoured, and never consumed, and there continually languishing, without ever dying. This shall be the end of the wicked, and of those that make war against the just.  
21 And in the mean while, thy poor servants, whom thou hast so dearly redeemed from the hands of death and of sin, shall enjoy the blessed salvation, which thou hast purchased for them, and holding death and sin enchained under their feet, within the chains of thy mercy, will trust in thee so long as they shall be in this exile of the world, and after they shall have departed hence, shall enjoy that everlasting blessedness which thou hast promised them, beholding in thy face, this fountain of brightness, bounty, and beauty, wherewith thou framedst heaven and earth, and all in them contained.   

Grudge not to see, etc. Psalm. 37.  
1 SEeing that the providence of God, precedent of the government of the world, is to reward every man according to his desert, I am sometimes astonished to see, how those men who bend their whole study to do ill, receive so many favours in this life, & exceed and abound in so many sorts of benefits. But as mine heart began to breathe our despiteful words, and to be angry within itself, me thought I felt the spirit of God coming to me to touch me, and very gently pulling me by the ear, said unto me; Alas gentle poor wretch, thou undost thyself with wading to far in this so deep and dangerous discourse: comfort thyself in me, and envy not the prosperity of the wicked, neither be thou jealous over those that work iniquity.  
2 For, that which thou takest to be their chiefest felicity, is but a very shadow, a false & counterfeit image, which will lose itself when it is between their hands, and fly away from them when as they think to have it most sure. As grass which hath been cut down with the scythe, withereth in a moment, even so in a moment, shall the magnificence of the wicked lose that glorious show, & wax pale & wan, as if they were tainted. The herbs & flowers in the gardens are not so quickly withered, as thou shalt see the riches of the wicked decay and come to nought: hast thou not considered the emerocal, a very beautiful flower truly for one day, which in the morning hath a fresh ruddy colour, and keepeth his fine ruddiness all day long, and at evening becometh so dry & withered, as that a man would think, it had been tainted by the Icy teeth of the winter? Even so, the prosperity of the wicked, if their prosperity may be so called, is but a laughing or smiling deceiver of an outward apparent felicity, and may be most properly likened unto this flower, for it withereth so suddenly, altereth in so short a time, & is transformed into such a fashion, as is wonderful to behold.  
3 Put thy trust therefore in God, & believe verily, that the insolency of the wicked shall never be firm, so long as the justice of God shall rule & reign, and believe also that the just shall never be forsaken, in what affliction so ever they be. And therefore be not discouraged, but continue in well doing, for he that shall persever, shallbe saved. Dwell in the land which the Lord hath given thee, and content thyself with the graces which he hath bestowed upon thee, neither enter thou into judgement with him, for thou shalt find in th'end, that the riches of the wicked are but in the keeping of their own hands.  
4 But rejoice thou in the hope which thou hast in thy God, & put away the grievous care which possesseth thine heart, & which as rust consumeth the same. For when thou shalt have once powered out thy spirit, and lifted up thy thoughts unto the Lord, he will accomplish all thy desires, and make thee enjoy whatsoever thou wouldst wish.  
5 Neither come thou before him as it were waveringly nor mistrustingly, ne hide thou thy thoughts from him, but lay open unto him the very bottom of thine heart, and discover unto him all thy ways and cogitations. For it is impossible for thee to deceive him, and a dangerous thing to try him. For he seethe and marketh all things, especially, a double and unbelieving heart, which he abhorreth of all the rest, but receiveth and embraceth the poor and humble spirited man, heareth his prayers, and granteth him before hand that, which he is determined to crave.  
6 For he that standeth in his grace and favour, shall never want either wealth or honour, if thou please him once, he will make the glory of thy righteousness shine as a clear light, and cause the equity of thy judgements, shine as bright as the sun at noon days. For every man shall see in each place, the people following thee, blessing thine house as a temple of justice, commending thy speech as an oracle, and reverencing thee, as the very cause of their tranquillity and liberty. All men shall exalt thine integrity, as the Tutrix of all good men, & sure defence of the afflicted. And yet thou shalt have more than all this, for thou shalt receive both honour and glory, and therefore humble thyself the more under the hand of thy God, and acknowledge this benefit to come from him, & so yield him homage. Now the homage which he requireth of thee, is nothing else but thy mouth & hands; Thy mouth, to offer him praise and thanks, and thy hands to serve him according to his commandments.  
Hear ye see what the spirit of God, as me thought, said unto me by word of mouth, which I will communicate with you my friends, and make ye partakers of these holy advertisements, to the end, that if ye shall see any man hereafter prosper in his affairs, and blaspheme in his life, ye be not offended threat, neither be ye angry and grieved in yourselves, if ye see a man that dealeth unjustly, abound in all kind of wealth.  
8 Be still therefore, and qualify that bitter humour which pricketh and hammereth so in your heads, and then no doubt, ye will never have the heart to do him any hurt for all this. For, the requital of good men, is not only to do good for good, but to require also good for evil.  
9 And all such as are carried away with an impatient heat, to the procuring of another's hurt, and all they, who in stead of leaving unto God the revenge which he reserveth unto himself, will usurp the same, shall be rooted out for ever: and as insolent and saucy servants, which take upon them the authority of their master, shall be shamefully and hardly punished. But he that possesseth his soul in patience, and constantly attendeth the judgement of God, he will commend and bless his obedience, and after that he hath punished the wicked for their unmercifulness, he will also confiske their goods and possessions, and make himself master and possessor of them all.  
10 Wait but awhile, and ye shall see the time come, that he whom ye have seen to be so mighty and great, and benefited himself so greatly by his sins, and by his wicked and crafrie devices, stored up an infinite number of goods, and as he himself thought, was in the high way to heaven, shall pass away like a running brook, where the water fleeteth away in great billows, where nothing shall be seen save mire and dirt, and there shall not remain only so much, as any mark of the place where he had been, nor no more remembrance of him, then of the wind that blew the summer past.  
11 But contrariwise, humble and merciful men, shall enjoy his place, be the successors of his wealth, and reign most assuredly in the land, leaving his goods in succession to his children, and peace shall be with his as an inheritance. A rich peace, and a plentiful inheritance, which ●auoureth all the rest of the goods, without the which all the remaynde● is nought else but torment and affliction. A peace that is sweeter than oil, and the honey that is most sweet, which hatcheth in thy bosom all manner of pleasures and delights, which maketh virtue sprout out flower, and nourisheth and ripeneth his holy fruits.  
12 Now this peace is the gift of God, and none can give it us, but his goodness, and nothing can move his goodness to do it, save the reformation of our wicked lives. For, so long as there is war within us, and sin, which is the seed of discord, shall lodge with us, we can not hope, or yet look for either peace or rest. But contrariwise, if we can be at peace with God, we shall be sure to be forthwith at peace with men, and be in firm, and most assured rest.  
13 I right well know, that there will be always some wicked men, whose abominable wills will go even to the grave with them: And I right well know, that they will ever have a watchful eye, to surprise good men, and to take part against them: they will gnash their teeth at them, and grin like roaring Lions, for their hatred is so extreme against the good and godly, as that when they behold them, they cast down their countenance, and are more like beasts than men.  
14 But the Almighty God, who hath ordained that which hath been, shall be, and must be, and whose ordinances are unchangeable, laugheth to scorn these their devices, and smileth at the vain devices of these miserable false wretches, which rush into the air, and flourish with their swords against the wind: he seethe their end draw near by degrees, which will carry them away as a great whirl wind.  
15 For, when as they shall think themselves to be masters, and make a reckoning to have all in their own then shall they be in greatest danger. Ye shall see these miserable sinners with their naked swords in their hands, bending their bows, and taking their aim to overthrow the innocent: They will make their part strong, dispose of their people, lay their ambushes, have their watchword, and in a jollity and merriment will say in their hearts, Tush, we have him now in hold, he shall never escape.  
16 They will massacre the poor, the needy, and innocent, and take upon them to root out all such as are of an upright soul and heart. For, it is they, with whom they mean to deal, it is they, whom they bid war unto, because they stop the execution of their purposes, and whose innocency is a perpetual reproach unto them.  
17 They have already put their knives to the throats of the poor innocents, their blows were numbered, they had shot their arrows, and the train had already taken fire, and lo, by a wonderful accident, the points of their swords are turned upon their own breasts, their own arrows stab in them, their bullets rebounded, and lighted upon themselves, their bows broke all to shivers in their hands, and in the end they were slain with their own weapons. Thou hast said o Lord, always right well, that wicked counsels light upon the authors of them, to their own destruction. Thou hast rightly foretold, that the wicked are taken in their own snares, and thou hast rightly fore-iudged, that the wicked in the end abide the same punishment which they had prepared for others.  
18 It is not therefore, o Lord, the worldly power, greatness, & authority which make men happy, neither yet the troops, nor the armies which do assure them, & make them conquerors. For, that little that the just man hath, who by his sincerity hath obtained thy grace, standeth him in better stead, than the abundance of all sorts of goods which the wicked do any way get, stand them in stead. The little that a just man hath, swelleth & riseth as a piece of dough, & his force redoubleth against the charge, even as the arm of a Palm tree doth: for his strength taketh root in thee, who art the foundation of all force and power.  
19 But, as for the arm of the sinner, how stiff and stout soever it be, yet shall it be shivered in pieces, and his strength shall be troad under feet, for, it is but a vain outward show, which swelleth and puffeth itself up as a glass in the furnace, for it is puffed up by the blowing of the workman, groweth and looketh very clear, but the more it groweth and waxeth bright, the tenderer and britler it is, so as it breaketh in pieces with the first knock it hath, and after the noise of the breaking and fall, there is no more seen of it but the small pieces. But as for the just man, he is compared unto a Diamond, for the more it is rubbed, the clearer it is. And that, which affliction taketh away from an innocent man, is nothing else but his beastliness, his ordure, and his excrements: for, the nakedder that he is, the more beautiful he is.  
20 Lastly, whatsoever it is that God layeth upon the godly, it is altogether for their salvation. For, he knoweth both the days & the life of those that are pure and clean, and giveth unto them that which is needful for them. Their blessedness is prepared for them from all eternity, and shall possess it unto all eternity. Not as an earthly inheritance, but as an heavenly inheritance, whose riches are infinite and eternal, and inheritance, which being divided amongst all his children, will continue sound and whole, for ever and ever, whose parts shall be as great as the very whole inheritance. For, this is that glorious inheritance, which enriching so many people, filleth all with eternal blessedness, and remaineth always one, and always infinite.  
21 Now, although the hope of the servants of God be not tied to the earth, yet nevertheless, so long as they shall be here in this world, yet will not God let them want that which is necessary for their lives. For, whensoever the ill time shall come, and that vengeance shall rise up against men, and that the waters over flow, storms reign, and heaven pour down fire like rain, yet shall the righteous be then at rest and peace in the midst of the tempests, dry amongst the shipwrecks, and safe and sound in the hottest of the flames. And again, whensoever any hideous famine shall come to devour the people, yet shall they have Manna rain down from heaven to satisfy them. For, the wrath of God is but against the wicked, and his anger is not kindled but against them. But as for the godly, the nearer that they think themselves unto danger, the nearer are they unto salvation and health.  
22 It fareth not with them, as it doth with the enemies of God, who are mightily exalted and honoured on high, that their fall might be the greater, and the more shameful, because no man can leap a great leap, but such a one as standeth very high. The falls of high Towers shutter all to pieces, and are brought as it were unto dust. Howbeit, it is far worse with the wicked: for when they have once had their blow, they fall not only unto dust, but vanish into smoke, nay they become nothing at all. Behold how the clouds come forth as if it were the thunder out of the mouth of a great Cannon, they grow into heaps, increase, and lie out so broad and thick, as that a man would say, they would fill the emptiness of the air, and roll up the Sun: But after they have by little and little gotten higher up, ye see them by and by to wax thin, and in the end scatter, and consume, so as a man shall not see so much as any sign or token that ever they had been▪ And such is the mightiness of the wicked, whose substance is nothing else but sin, and whose moving is nothing but vanity, it groweth suddenly, and it is gone as suddenly, and what soever they are able to do, for to think to conserve the same, they can by no means any way further it.  
23 They borrow and never pay again, all is fish that cometh to net, and all is theirs that they may gain by, neither leave they any thing behind, which they are able to carry away, and yet notwithstanding, all this profiteth them nothing, for, as the abundance of meats fatteth not him that is in a consumption, because the radycall humour of his life is dried up, even so is the blessing of God, which is the root of all prosperity, withholden from the wicked. But contrarywse, the just, which is merciful, and full of compassion, giveth his goods, and dealeth liberally, distributeth his money, and is as the course an running of a lively water, which never drieth up.  
24 This is a blessing which is promised unto all those that bless the name of God, that they shall inherit the land, that is to say, they shall have a good title unto the land, as it were by inheritance. And although they are striven against for it, yet shall they never lose it. For they are as God's dear children, whom he hath created, and therefore they are of a good and sure ground, that they shall hold the same. But they which blaspheme against his name, are disinherited of his grace, and as unthankful children, deprived of their father's inheritance, so as they having his curse, can not choose but perish.  
25 For, there is no salvation in this world, but by trusting in God, and by committing ourselves unto his tuition. For, he so directeth the ways of a good man, and so guideth all his actions, as that it is impossible to be amended. He aimeth his will at godliness, and turneth away his eyes from the baits of sin, he bringeth back the windings and cross ways of voluptuousness, into the broad beaten high ways of virtue, and setteth it in the way of his commandments.  
26 For, this is a fair and smooth way, wherein are no stones, ne yet lets, for it is altogether plain and smooth. So as although the wicked one, or the father of lies casteth his leg before the just man to make him trip & stumble, or yet set a snare for him, thou thyself O Lord, standest hard by him to life him up again, and wilt not suffer him to be frushed and crushed. And with thy merciful hand, yea even with a most gentle and even hand, thou shorest him up, and redressest him.  
27 I have been young and now an old, and yet as far as I can remember, I can not call to mind that ever I sa●e God forsake the righteous man, nor his children driven to beg their bread▪ Will may he have sometimes a little trouble come upon him, to prove his constancy, and to try his strength, but ●t passeth and tottereth on without a●y fearing of him.  
28 I have seen a man that hath ●one nothing all day long but give, ●…d lend, so as a man would have said ●hat he had taken great pleasure in scattering abroad his goods, and yet ●e more abounded in wealth them e●er he did before. He resembled properly the pipe of a pump, which draws water by casting of it out: for the fullness thereof can not abide that a●y emptiness should be in it. And so, ●he righteous man giveth, and God forthwith filleth him again, his posterity feeleth no want of his largeness, ●or, the blessing of God, causeth his ●…one to bud forth, even as the Sun maketh the fruits of the earth, and multiplieth an hundred for one.  
29 Seeing then that God is so good ●…d so liberal, if thou lovest to have ●is favour, bethink thee how thou ●ayest please him, for, it is the very mean to turn him from doing hurt, ●nd to do good. For God, loveth such a one, as imitateth him: for, love cometh of resemblance, and his actions are to do good, for, he busieth h●…selfe about nothing else, and he ●…gan this work even from the first beginning of the world, and was 〈◊〉 wearied therewith. And therefore let 〈◊〉 do like unto him, and so long as 〈◊〉 shall dwell here in this world, wh●… he hath granted us means to se●… for his glory, and for the profi●… of our neighbours, let us neglect no ●…casion at all to discharge both the 〈◊〉 and the other, and in so doing, we sh●… be sure to obtain his favour, which 〈◊〉 the richest treasure that we poss●… can recover.  
30 For, there is nothing that ple●seth him so much, as to deal vprigh●… and justly: for thereby, we conse●… his workmanship, as much as in 〈◊〉 lieth, and allow of his wise counsel, 〈◊〉 rendering unto every man that whi●… is appointed him, and distributed 〈◊〉 the universal law of the world, wh●… we call Nature, and to think th●… when we judge others, we admini●… his power, and look what iudgeme●… we give against others, the like will 〈◊〉 also give against us, when as he shall ●…ter into his Throne to judge the 〈◊〉 world. Not that he can judge corruptly as we do, but will make us feel by his judgement, the corrupt dealing which we have made others feel, by our own. For, he will never forsake his holy ones, he will gather them together at the end, and cover them from the unjust dealing of men, and will expressly enter into his judgement seat, to judge all those that oppressed them.  
31 And there will he pronounce heavy judgement against the unjust, & make the wicked perish. They shall be fast bound in infernal pains, where they shall be heard howl amidst their torments, and the pain shall exceed & abound over their heads, even unto their posterity, and their children shall draw their father's sins after them, and bear part of their miseries.  
32 And at that time shall the grace of God spread itself abundantly upon the righteous, because their prosperity might be a second pain unto the wicked, filling their hearts with enny, which shall continually gnaw the, for they shall see the good & godly me possess their land in peace, their generation reign in most assured rest, and flourish as the tree planted fast alonge● hard by the pleasant rivers side, which casteth our his branches at length, an● spreadeth forth his boughs into the air, flourish beautifully, bring forth leaves abundantly, and fructify mo●… excellently.  
33 But what shall be the fruits o● the righteous man? shall they be his goods which he hath scraped and scratched together, or the castles and goodly houses which he hath built? Nay, nay, they are fruits most unworthy o● such a tree, which will whither away a● the very first feeling of any frost, yea, fruits that will fall at the first blast: No, no, they are those good and sweet savouring fruits which grow within the beautiful and fat green soil of the divine wisdom. They shall be holy and religious thoughts, meditations, full of zeal and devotion, by the which he shall join his spirit unto God, and withal opening his soul, shall receive the beams of the holy Ghost, which shall animate in him a thousand gracious and virtuous actions, as the fruit of life: and holiness passing from his heart into his lips, shall make his talk to be both righteous, and full of equity.  
34 For he shall have the law of God always imprinted in his soul, as a most just and sure rule, wherewith he shall encompass his talk, neither shall he need to fear for ever going out of the right way, or yet to have his foot at any time to slip, for, the foundation thereof is over-strongly laid, and the situation thereof too too sure, and the path thereof most excellently directed: for, the law of God, is sounder and surer, than either steel or iron, it is an inflexible rule, and an unchangeable light: this is such a place of assurance, where a man is not only rightly guided, but also in as great safety, as if he were between two brazen walls.  
35 For, mark and behold awhile the wicked, what ado he maketh to lie in ambush to surprise the innocent, and consider also what preparation he maketh to take from him both his honour and his life, and mark, if he hath forgotten any thing for his purpose.  
36 And yet God never leaveth a good man into what danger soever he falleth, he never giveth him over into the sacrilegious hands of these cruel murderers, neither yet into their bloody crafty doings, nor shameless slanders: for, he is judge, and full of all power, he his also a witness, and the knowledge of all truth is in him, and thereforee, sith he knoweth the truth, and both can and will judge the innocent, shall not he be justified by his sentence giving?  
37 Wait upon him therefore ally righteous, for his help is sure, neither let it grieve ye to attend upon him: for, he knoweth what ye have need of better than ye yourselves. For, he maketh slow haste many times, because he would prove your patience▪ and sometimes because he would glorify you. Walk therefore in his ways, and see that ye carefully keep ye in them: set ye strong hedges about his ways, and edder the● with the thorns of your pains, with the briars of your tribulations, for fear that voluptuousness enter no● in at them, and that pleasure train ye not up in them, and so bre●ke ●…d spoil your way. Persevere still in your course, even until you sweat both blood and water, to the end ye may come unto the abode of your rest, where God will exalt ye far above this ●isible world, yea, far above his glorified Angels: for, he will cause you lead sinners in triumph, and make you see the land purged of their iniquity, assigned out for the portion of good and godly men.  
38 I am many times astonied to see the wicked & naughty man advanced ●…o all honour & dignity, and holding all the whole land as it were subject under his feet. The Cedar tree of Lybanon hath not an hire nor an uprighter head, ne yet seemeth to be more glorious, even then when he is clothed with his green & tender boughs, and putteth forth his new buds and branches, as is the wicked man in the strength & power of his pomp & magnificence.  
39 But as I passed by whereas I had left him, I was abashed that I could see him no more, for I saw the place of his greatness, & it was become like unto a wilderness. I demanded what was b●…ome of him that was so lusty and brave, and that was so redoubted an● feared, and lo, there was not a ma● that could tell me what was become of him. I sought after him in every place, to see and if I could have met with him, and I could neither hea●e either tale or tidings of him, all was melted away with him, so as there was not so much as any note or mark of him, it seemed that the fire had run over him and consumed him.  
40 We must therefore learn b● the example of their misery, to es●h●… their sins, and in following another kind of life, we may come to●abe●… end. Be innocent therefore, and 〈◊〉 die to be upright, and love equity and righteousness: for the peaceable and reasonable man leaveth rest to his family, and is renewed in his posterity.  
41 It fareth not with him as it doth with the reprobate, who is forgotten in a moment, and none cometh after that once vouchsafeth to name him, without it be to curse him. Their race is gone at once, and swallowed up as it were in a bottomless depth, for the first blow he giveth them, turneth them clean over, for they have no help but from themselves, and God hath long sithence given them over.  
42 For, he helpeth only the righteous which put their trust in him. For on him they attend, and therefore it is reason that they should find comfort at his hands. They gather themselves together under his wing, as poor chickens, whom the kite pursueth, there shall they find covert, defence, and consolation.  
43 He will help them out of the strongest part of the battle, yea, and although they were environed on every side, yet will he come and de●iuer them as it were by his miraculous power and might: he will run through the press, to pluck the righteous out of the hands of the wicked. Why dost thou, o Lord, after this manner, so affectionately support the righteous? Forsooth, it is because that they have put their whole trust and confidence in thee, and not put their hope in the frail and corruptible goods of this world, but in thy infinite goodness and clemency, which is never void of help unto all those that call upon thy holy name. Seeing then, o most righteous and merciful Father, it hath pleased thee for a time to endure the wicked to enjoy the wealth and honour of this world, and to set their feet upon the throats of good and godly men, and sufferest them by their cursed threats, and crafty devices, to torment thy good and innocent servants. Frame we beseech thee our affections so, as that we be not offended at their prosperity, and not envy their deceitful riches, but courageously to bear whatsoever affliction thou shalt lay upon us, patiently attending till thou shalt come to judge their consciences, and search out the bottoms of their counsels, and with the severity of thy justice, imprint upon their foreheads the shame which they have justly deserved, abolishing their infamous memory from above the earth, destined unto the service of thy glory: and in the mean while so to keep out hearts, as that we trust in none but in thee, and make no reckoning of whatsoever is here in this world, to set our love thereon, but on thy grace and blessing.   

judge me O Lord. etc. Psalm. 33.  
1 LOrd, be my judge, take knowledge of my cause, and be thou judge of all the slanders whereof the wicked accuse me. Deliver me, O Lord, from the hands of the unrighteous, and from deceitful lips. For they have assembled themselves together to imagine mischief against me, and have set up themselves against me to oppress and overthrow me. They will hang up a cloak of righteousness before their thievish purposes, and under pretence of law, undo and defame me. But, o thou divine justice, who with an allseeing eye, scatterest the clouds of slanders abroad, and grantest day unto the innocent, shine upon me a little, & make them understand that truth pierceth through, and beholdeth all their crafty juggling, and maketh way to appear before thee, o thou severe and uncorrupt judge, the only comfort of the afflicted.  
2 Thou art my strength and my defence, and upon thee alone resteth mine innocency. I made ready myself to fight against the crafty devices of these deceivers which assail me, and have dreamt of a thousand arguments to convince them withal, and do make an account rightly to deduct my reasons. But when as I had thoroughly considered that thou keepest in mind the knowledge of my cause, as my God, my guardian, and protector. I have said alone to myself for what purpose serve all these good● syllogisms? for, my judge knoweth the truth of the fact, and understandeth the equity of my cause. What can be hid from him who is present at all things? and what can any man declare and show unto him that is righteousness himself,? who hath established laws, and unto whom it belongeth to interpret them? I therefore put myself into thy arms, my God, my strength, and refuge. judge my cause, and rid me from the slanders of the wicked. But why rejectest thou me, my God? I have a long while called upon thee, and yet thou hast not come unto me. In the mean while mine enemies oppress me, and I am no more able to abide. But now thou my sweet, yea my most sweet soul, why art thou so heavy and sad? and God be somewhat slack in coming to help thee, all the while the wicked are afflicting of thee, why losest thou thy courage thus, and givest thyself over unto sorrow and grief? That that is deferred, is not altogether lost, for he will come, seeing he hath promised it.  
3 Come therefore, my Lord my God, and spread out the beams of thy divine light upon me, and seeing thou art the father of truth, leave not this thy poor captived daughter in the wicked and unjust hands of her ac●…sers. If thou lovest innocency, deliver her then from the bonds of these false accusations. For now, O Lord, mal●ce lieth hidden in the dark, and if thou let her have day light, she is overcome, and if she be acknowledged, she is undone. I beseech thee therefore, O my God, let thy light and truth assist my righteousness: for, I have loved them all my life long, and from my youth, have I made much of them. They have been they, my Lord, which first led and guided me before thee, and presented me unto thee upon thine holy mountain, set me in the midst of thy Tabernacle, brought me into thy Church, and gave me an honourable place in thine house.  
4 There it is o Lord, where I have chosen my mansion, and mine abode is with thee. My rest, o Lord, is only in thee, and all my glory is to serve thee. Assuring myself then upon thy support & stay, and trusting in thy grace, I will present myself unto thee, who knowest my conscience, and in knowing it, judgest it, in judging it, esteemest it, and in esteeming of it, thou confoundest the common enemies of mine honour, and of thy service. I will go unto thine Altar which I have se● up to bless & sanctify thy name, and call upon thee my God, which fillest my youth with gladness, and inspiring in mind heart the holy flame of thine holy love, dost heap upon me pleasure, delight, and joy.  
5 And therefore will I sound out upon mine harp in mine hand, the confessing of thy magnificence, and tune with my voice the sweet notes of thy praise, one while I will sing thy immeasurable power, one while thy exceeding goodness, and another while thy infinite clemency, and in the end, I will finish with this wonderful justice which hath saved me from the oppression of the ungodly, and made the shame of their wicked purposes, rebound & leap upon their own faces. Why wilt thou then be sad my soul, why vexest thou me thus? and takest in ill part the opprobries and slanders of the wicked, as if their venomous tongues could any way hurt an innocent conscience? No, no, a burning torch thrust into the water can no sooner be extinguished, than the slanderoous reports of a man that leadeth an innocent life.  
6 Trust therefore in God, o my soul, & rejoice in his favour, for I right well know, that he is well pleased with his praises by my lips. All my life long ●ill I praise him, and declare and confess him to be the God of truth, the God of justice, God, the tutor of the innocent, God, the father of salvation, and God, mine only defence. I will have mine eye always fixed on him, and my face continually turned towards him: for, I have found no salvation but in him. O my God, who from the beginning of the world reachest out thine arms unto the afflicted, which hast always received into thy protection, the oppressed, and comfortest the just unjustly tormented, grant me, O Lord, both comfort and courage, to the end that I taking my spirits unto me again, which were half in a dead sleep through affliction, may glorify thee with all my force, and strangle by the strength of my voice, the blasphemies of the wicked, which go about to defame thine honour, and not being able to reach thee, rush and run upon the good and godly men tha● faithfully serve thee.   

All people hearken and give etc. Psalm. 46.  
1 COme unto me all ye strong nations, draw near ye people that are farthest off, & come ye● from all coasts to hear that which ye shall never hear elsewhere. Pass ye the seas & mountains, and let not any hardness of the way stop ye, for, the prize of your navigation shall be greater, than he ●hat saileth from the East to the West, l●den with pearls and diamonds. And the reward of your sweatings shall be more precious, than the Trophies of those that conquer the nations of the earth. Shore up your ears therefore, & hearken attentively unto that which I shall now say unto you. O I would to God that ye were all ears, and that all the rest of your benumbed senses might strengthen your hearing, to conceive that which I will deliver unto you.  
2 Come, come, all ye that call your selves the children of the earth, which think to attribute your original being unto nothing but unto the earth, and your being borne, unto none but unto your fathers, and suppose nothing to be more ancient here in this world than they, and nothing greater than yourselves. In very deed, ye are the right children of the earth, for, ye are as insensible as it is, and of no more understanding, than images made of clay, and annealed in the furnace. Come and open your ears, that I may open the spirit, close up the eyes of your bodies, that I may make your souls so clearly forsake this stepmother of earth, that I may make you know your heavenly father. Come ye therefore together both poor & rich, for ye are unworthy of the goods that I mean largely to bestow upon you.  
3 Come, for I go about to discover & lay wide open unto you, the treasures of eternal wisdom. And in opening my mouth being inspired with the grace of Almighty God, I mean to unfold unto you in my words his wonderful wisdom. I have long held my soul in a deep thought, and after I had a great while dreamt, I conceived in the end of a strange discourse of God's wisdom, by which I understood his goodness and mercy in all things, and the folly, misery, & infirmity of mankind.  
4 Whereupon, I being as it were beside myself, about the wondering at his greatness, & the feeling of our own infirmity, I was forthwith desirous to give ear unto that which my spirit taught me, and began carefully to consider of those things which it covertly showed me, & under a disguised manner the knowledge & the truth. And after I had carefully understood & examined the same, I took my harp in my hand, & according my voice unto the sweet tune of my harp, I was ready to put abroad my conceits, and to make my meditations to be heard, unto all those that would hear them, that they might be acceptable unto God, the author of so holy thoughts, and wholesome instruction unto the favourable hearer of my discourses.  
5 If thou wilt then know what I said within myself, this I said, what shall I fear in the hardest time of my life? Why should I fear when death shall come to lay hold on me, and to cause me to get me out of this world? Alas, death is a strange busibody, I know not who should not fear him, seeing no man can keep himself from him. How shall I be able to defend myself from his arrows? What armour shall I put on against his pickax, which overthroweth and razeth Castles, Cities, Kingdoms, and Empires: yea, which threateneth to bring the world to an end, and who at last shall make an end of himself? I shall need no kind of weapons but innocency, that is able to be a steely, & an assured buckler for me: for, if I take not good heed unto it, that traitor sin, whom death hath appointed, will never be from my heels, will lodge in my concupiscence, and deliver me presently at an assault into the hands of damnation.  
6 O dear and wholesome innocency, in thee alone resteth all our assurance, under thy faith we constantly abide whatsoever shall come upon us, and we believe that thou art strong enough to defend us from death. O foolish and mad men, who leaving this faithful protection, assure themselves in their greatness and mightiness, make an account of their riches and magnificences. They account the Nations which are under their governments, and reckon up the treasure which they keep under lock and key, and to what purpose serveth all this against death?  
7 If one brother can not redeem the life of another for money, nay, and if one would die for another, yet inexorable death will not receive him, what then shall man give unto death for his own ransom? Shall he give the goods that are none of his, or his dominions which he loseth as soon as he is dead? No, no, there is nothing which he hath left unto himself wherewith God is appeased, and pacified when his judgement is once pronounced against mortal men. He ●ill not compound with him for any thing whatsoever. This is his creature, this is the slime of the earth, out of ●hich he will take when it pleaseth him, the spirit of life which he breathed into him, and therefore man can no way gainsay, nor yet reply against him.  
8 Let us I beseech thee a little, value the soul of man, and let us see what he will offer unto God for his ransoming of him, let him travel a little all his life long, let him go and travel awhile all the days of his life, let him go and ferret out all the corners of the earth, let him go and dra● out the bowels of the mines, let him draw dry the golden dugs of both the Indies, let him dispeople the Eastern parts of the world of all her pearls, and when he hath heaped up all this gear, let him then come and bargain with God for the prolonging of his life, and we shall hear his reasons▪ What other thing shall he be, but like unto a prisoner, which offereth to cast off his bolts and shackles, if he might have liberty given him? O miserable man that thou art: for, that thing which thou thinkest should serve thee for thy safeguard, is the very window whereat death must enter. For, death cometh by reason of sin, & 〈◊〉 by reason of concupiscence, and th● concupiscence is nourished, increased, and kindled by all these. For, God will speak all naked unto thee even a● ●e placed thee here in the world, and will, before he begin to capitulate with thee, have thee deliver unto him that which thou hast rob him of, I mean those graces and benefits which thou hast misused, & then shalt thou think with thyself whether thou hast of thine own to pay him double, yea quadruple, for the punishment due unto thee for thine ill life.  
9 Alas poor senseless thing, if thou once comest to that, what shalt thou be able to say against death, seeing that the wisest and valiantest men are enforced to be courbed under his yoke? Shalt thou who hast made no account but of corruptible and perishing riches, shalt thou, I say, be preserved from corruption, and the wise man, who sought by all the means possible he could, to immortalize himself here in this life, & conversed with the Angels, cannot warrant himself from him? Thou thyself seest him come to an end, and hopest thou to be immortal? No, no, for both wise men & fools die, but after a diverse & sundry manner: for, the death of the wise man shallbe but a passage, & he shall f●nd at his return his talon infinitely multiplied and increased, and the glory which he hath sown, shall increase abundantly, and overshadow the generation of his children.  
10 Howbeit, all these poor wretched blind souls, who continually hold down their heads unto the earth, and whose spirits are shut up in their purses, who have none other understanding, but to love those things which are not to be beloved, who neglect and contemn both Sun and Moon, the very principal works of nature, to admire stones, and marble, gold, and silver, which vainly scatter and disperse the virtues of intelligence and understanding, for the getting together, and heaping up of the excrements of the earth, shall forego the riches which they have so greatly loved, and for which, they hated all the rest. Ye shall see them hale and pull against death, and draw their riches with them even unto the graves but death will set them upon their finger's ends, and cause them to leave them even when they have gotten them. They that are half dead, shall go about to lift up a little their eye lids, to ●ee & if they can find their treasure at ●he weeks of their eyes, but in the end ●hey must be packing, they must leave ●his worldly pomp, because a mighty power hath plucked them away. But ●nto whom shall they leave this preparation & furniture? forsooth it may ●e unto a stranger whom they never ●…ew, or ever yet once dreamt of, ●ho shall bathe and bless himself in ●he sweat of this miserable rich caitiff & churl, who shall have no more ●eft him for his portion, but a grave of ●…teene or twenty soot long at the ●ost, and this shall be his house for e●er, wherein let him keep himself if ●e will.  
11 What is become then of these ●raue waynscotted palaces, these guilt ●autes, these beautiful ranks of choice ●illers, these so fair curled marbles, ●hese emblems & sentences engraven 〈◊〉 brass, and all the rest of these wonders of vanity? What? is nothing of ●ll this left for him? he had established ●is lands and possessions from race to ●…e, from generation to generation, ●…d called his houses by his own name: surely, this must needs be 〈◊〉 great man.  
12 Alas poor man, for, when h● was in honour, he knew not himself neither had he any knowledge, & he s● carried himself, as that he is brought t● be of the number of the bruit beas●… & made like unto Asses & horses, wh● have neither wit nor judgement. For what greater honour could he desire 〈◊〉 wish to have, then to be made and form unto the fashion of the Deity, a●… to be placed amongst the works of Go● there to command as his lieutenant he was not as it were less than A●…gels, & had a spirit to comprehend th● greatest wonders of the Deity: but b● flying from the day and light of kno●…ledge, he hide himself in the den's a● caves of ignorance & blockishness, a● remained therein all his life long, ha●…ching there I know not what mis●…rable riches, & was found in the e●… to become like unto the bruit beast's for, as they never neigh & bray but ●…ter oats, and never travel but for p●…sture, even so this man never bestir●… himself, but about the getting of n●…cessarie things for the body: nay, 〈◊〉 did worse than so, for he could not provide, and use, for the entertaining of himself, the goods which he so eagerly coveted, but became therein far worse, than all the rest of the beasts of the field, whose unruly appetites were satisfied with the use of those things which they desired.  
13 O, what an infamy and offence are the lives of such kind of men, who are so shamelessly brutished? What remaineth then more for them both here in this world, and in the world to come, but shame in this, and pain and torment in the other? And beside, let them run on in delighting themselves in their vain discourses, and priding of themselves in their riches. Let them now a little remember the speeches which they have, whereby they seem to esteem of none but of themselves, and their money, making no better account of all other men, then of the rushes under their feet.  
14 Thus we see how they draw themselves unto hell, even as sheep led to the Shambles, death is come who hath devoured them, and nothing left of them but their pitiful bare bones, which canker and are worm-eaten in the grave.  
15 And lo, the just man who patiently endured their insolency, his time is now come to reign, and is at ease, he is up by the break of the day, and after he hath given thanks to God, he goeth to see if he can find the place where one of these miserable caitiffs dwelled, and where he is placed, for insulting, braving, and tyrannising of the whole world, and saith a part unto himself, Thanked be God, for cleansing the earth of such offscouring, and placing such as bless his name. For, this wicked churl with all his glory is become rotten and puttified. He is now in torment, and there is not one to help him, and so let him remain there hardly: for, death is a passage for him, never to return.  
16 And as for me, o Lord, I right well know that I must die, for, the sin of our first parent hath bound us to pay that debt, it is the reward for his disobedience, we must go again into the earth, and return from whence we came. Nevertheless, o Lord, thou shalt redeem me from death, and deliver me from the hand of hell, when it would lay hold on me. Thou wilt not suffer me to go down all below, but wilt deliver me even at the very mouth thereof, and be contented that I acknowledge it, without suffering the punishment of my deserved thraldom and captivity. But what shall be the price of my redemption? shall it be the goods and possessions of the earth, and the abundance of gold and silver? No, o Lord, for hell is full thereof, it maketh no reckoning of this gea●e: for thou thyself shalt be the price of my redemption, thou shalt deliver thine own body to death, that my soul might be delivered from hell, Thou shalt put upon thee and clothe thee with the dolours of the dead, that I might be clothed with the joys of immortality. And therefore I will not from henceforth my God, have any other riches but thee, and in possessing thee, I shall possess the whole world, and in loving thee, I shall be in thee, & thou in me, and thou being there, shalt bring thither all the goods, strength, and glory of the world, and fill me full with other manner of riches, than the riches of these miserable carls which will not acknowledge thee: for, their riches, are but the fruit of their sin, which shall perish with their sin.  
17 No man ought to be abashed to see them all at once suddenly enriched, ne yet to esteem them to be any whit the happier thereby: for, although the false honour which they so greedily hunt after, exceedeth & excelleth, and are filled with this vain and vanishing glory, which carrieth with it but a glorious glittering outward show, yet must we not be in an admiration thereat, much less envy the same.  
18 For, although they shall at any time have kissed the earth, and put on the round compass thereof, yet shall they carry away nothing of it with them save their winding sheet, nothing shall follow them but their shadow, and yet I believe, that it will also leave them, for the very self-same day which maketh the shadow, will forsake them, and they shall want the ordinary light, and in stead of these magnificences, pomps, and swelling ostentations, wherewith they make little children afeard, shall wrap them up in sorrow, grief, dolour, anguish, poverty, and misery, and cast them into Mercury's heap.  
19 And is it not great reason that it should be thus? for, they have taken their pleasures here in this life, and have had their felicity in this world, and whatsoever they have desired, hath fallen unto them, goods have come rolling in by heaps unto them, the felicity of their greatness was a burden unto them, they esteemed of none, but of such as did help to enrich them, neither loved they any but such as gave them, and made much of none, save of those that increased their revenues. They are like to those men, who because they would have a great stock, sell the propriety of their goods unto others, they die, leaving nothing behind for the world to come, having made no provision for any goods that are there in request, but content themselves with the goods that serve for this earthly life, which being ended, they are left very poor. They have desired honour, but a vain and slippery honour, which hangeth and resteth but upon the opinion of fools; they had it, but they could not tell well how to keep it. They would gladly have sit upon the top of the wheel, & that being turned about, they are now down in the bottom thereof, but blessed and happy are they which can keep them sure and immovable upon the scaffold, and see themselves safe both above and below.  
20 But these miserable caitiffs have done nothing so, for they have made the leap themselves, they have voluntarily climbed up to the steepest place, from whence they have been cast down backward even unto hell, they are at this day in the number of their forefathers, there have they found their Ancestors, from whom they received their birth and conditions, they were imitators of their sins, and when they are dead, they shall be also partakers of their punishment: for, when repentance cometh too late, they then learn but out of season, what it is to lift themselves up against God, and oppose themselves unto his glory: then they learn what it is to afflict the just, to oppress the poor, and to scorn the afflicted. They are confined in the dark, and the light giveth no more s●ght unto their eyes. They hare nothing but horror, and gnashing of teeth, they breathe out nothing but sighs and groans, and they never stir, but with trembling and fretting.  
21 When these poor senseless people were in honour, they could not understand it, but became like unto brute beasts, which have neither sense nor judgement. But yet alas they are far unlike, for death, in bereaving the beasts of their lives, taketh from them aswell the feeling of their pain, as of their pleasure: but as for these poor fools, who would never understand wherein their chief blessedness consisted, but closed up their eyes against the eternal light, and stopped their ears against the spiritual word, shall have their sense as an argument or subject of torments, and their spirit shall live, continually to conceive, and eternally to languish their miseries.   

O how good is God. etc. Psalm. 73.  
O How great is the goodness of our God, and how assured is his help unto all those that wait upon him? Unto those, I say, who have never turned away their thoughts from his justice and mercy, and who having the eyes of their souls always fixed upon his providence, never gave over the hope which they should have in his grace. And how greatly blessed are they, whom the sundry ill haps of this world could never shake that constant assurance which they ought to have of God's righteousness: O, how greatly, I say, is the constancy of such men to be commended!  
2 For, to say truly, my foot oftentimes began to slip in the way, and I glided oftentimes as it were even ready to fall to the ground. Much like unto them that climb up a steep thorny hill, who, so soon as they feel the briars and brambles begin to prick and raunch them, or rub off the skin against any flint stone, lay hold with their hands for very grief upon the crampons and rests which help them to climb up, and then forthwith tumble quite & clean down, if they be not the sooner stayed: Even so my God, whilst I would understand the judgements of thy works, & behold how thou dispensest thy graces, as one pricked & wounded to see the wicked prosper, I make many false steps & strides, and am ready to fall into this steep breakeneck of not believing thy wisdom and righteousness.  
3 What, say I, shall become of the people which know not God otherwise then to blaspheme him, who think that they have taken a pawn to serve their lusts and perverse affections, who will none of him but to have him serve them as a moment, to serve their wicked doings, & for a mask to serve their iniquities, & for a lure to serve their deceits, & yet get together the fruit of his grace, and possess in peace & rest the chreame of his benefits? I confess my God, that I am jealous of their prosperity, and do envy this their case, and me thinketh it to be altogether against all reason.  
4 For, who is he that seethe them, that would say they should die? Who would not think but that they had bought of thee for a certain sum the right of immortality here in this world? Who would not say but that they were partakers with thee of everlasting and constant felicity? Moreover, we see that all things alter and change here in this world, which showeth, that in success of time all these things must come to an end, but we see their prosperity to be so firm, and of so great equality, as that a man would think that if they continually increase in such sort as they do, they will grow at last to be as infinite as thyself, and place themselves in thy heavenly Throne: for, there is no likelihood that any thing can do them hurt, neither yet that any the least and only mishap is able to rest upon the skirt of this so glorious magnificence. It is incredible, that any thing can be able to hurt their precious bodies, environed with such abundance of so excellent riches.  
5 As for other men, they are made crooked with labour, and travel is their ordinary course of life: they are borne with groans, they grow up with sighs, they wax old with lamenting: the Sea is oftener without wind, than their lives are without torments, a man shall not see so many shot about a white, as he shall see miseries and afflictions fast tied round about all other men. But these men alone are shielded and exempt from all these, and in an equal and constant course of life, they swim at pleasure in the delights of this world, and make the calamities of good men, and such as fear God, their pastimes and sports. Hast not thou seen a Tyrant upon the top of a Theatre, looking upon poor slaves fight against Lions and Tigers, feeding his eyes and cruel heart, with seeing a poor man plucked quite & clean in pieces, and dismembered? After the same manner do the wicked feed their desires, in beholding the troubles which scourge the innocents.  
6 O, how proud and arrogant doth this make them? for they think that the earth was made for them alone, nay, they suppose, that it is not great enough to hold them. As for other men, they look over their shoulders at them, and it should seem that they envy them because they live, and disdainfully say in murmuring wise, Shall we always see this rascal before us? Shall this bundle of miserable wretches be ever still in our eyes? And beside, when they are alone, they say, What beggar is this? What beast is it? Thus we see how they are lovers of themselves, without companion, and they know no good thing here in this world, but themselves, none worthy desert but themselves, and taking themselves as Gods, they adore themselves, serving nothing but their own lusts, and reverencing nothing but their own passions, so as they are covered over from top to toe, with pride, injustice, and impiety.  
7 They are fat with nothing but with wickedness, and their bodies are not fatter with grease, than their souls are with sins & iniquities. All manner of villainies and abominations rumble & toss up and down in their consciences, all their desires & thoughts tend to nothing but unto some filthiness, or malignity, at this their eyes leer and gleere, at this it is, that their hands itch, hereon is all their heart set, other affection have they none, they are moved with nothing but with malice, a man would say, that this were it, which stirreth and emboldeneth their bodies.  
8 Thou shalt see, that after they have along while forethought themselves of their sins, after they have chawed down their wicked purposes, & executed any cursed enterprise, how they glory therein, brave all the world, speak of Authority, they have law to do what so ever they do, there can nothing be so stoutly or yet so proudly imagined as they do, but if they had any shame at the least, & that being contented licentiously to outrage men, yet might they contain themselves from most villainously blaspheming the holy name of God.  
9 But what shall I say my God? they have lifted up their heads against heaven, & disdainfully looked upon the seat of thy mightiness, as if they would have said, who is like unto us? which do here in this, world what we lust: yea even we, unto whose bows all men bend themselves, and unto whom nature herself serveth for a walking staff. And as for the earth, they will not so much as once vouchsafe as it were to look on it: but in the end, casting their eyes upward, by way of commiseration, say, what is all this that we see, but that, whose abundance is noisome to us, and whose fertility troubleth us?  
10 This is in very deed, the cause o Lord, why all the people, being astonished, assemble themselves together to behold this monstrous sight, men run every where unto this spectacle, and know not what to say, when they look upon this wonderful show: for they are there fast tied, gaping and looking on it.  
11 And in the end, they lose their patience, and begin to murmur, and why? doth God which seethe all things say they, perceive this? Is not this he which hath that great seeing eye, which saw all things before they were made, seethe them in their being, and foreseeth them to bring them to their end? Is this he, whose providence is said to be as great in the government of the world, as his goodness was great in the creation of the same? If he ●ath disposed all things by compass, and created all things by measure: If his justice be precedent, and hath the chief place in the government of this world, what doth he at this present, how is it, that he is now asleep?  
12 Behold how the wicked spoil his goods, and possess the riches of the world: a man would say, that all things are cre●ted for them, goods rain down upon them as they would desire, honours roll in by heaps ●nto their houses, felicity holdeth them whether they will or no, they desire, and have, they wish, and it cometh upon them.  
13 And in the end I myself thus said also, what now, my God, what a thing is this? for the justifying of mine heart, and the ruling of mine actions according to thy commandments are all in vain? I gave over all mine own affection, because I would love none but thee, I have circumcised mine heart of all his wicked desires, and fettered my will with the shackles of thy love, because it should serve nothing else but thy glory: and in eschewing both sins and sinners, I have kept company with the innocents, and washed mine hands amongst them, and not the hands of my body only, my God, but the hands of my soul, that are mine affections, which I have washed and purified with the brooks of my tears.  
14 I have embraced repentance, & scourged myself all day long, beating mine heart with continual sorrows, pricking it with sharp and piercing contritions, and drive from it with many sorrowful sobs all that ill and cursed humour which hath engalled my will. Every morning when I rose I cried thee mercy for my sins, and detested mine iniquity, and thinking to amend my life, I continually watched over this purpose, and thereupon I began my days work.  
15 I said within myself when I was alone, lo, as for myself, all that I am able to say, is this, that in the end, they which fear God, and serve him, are afflicted, and they that blaspheme his name, live at all ease & pleasure. And thereupon, I began o Lord, to detest the condition of all those who glorified themselves in being thy children and chosen people, and began to say, Are these they that are called the children of the Almighty God? verily, these are the children of reprobation, for lo, the other sort, possess the inheritance of their Fathers, and these men live in extreme poverty. But the others are they that abound in all wealth, and unto whom God is so favourable and indulgent, which are his children; it is they unto whom this name belongeth, seeing they enjoy his benefits, and are masters next unto himself, of his works.  
16 As I myself, o Lord, verily thought, that I knew it to be so, and to say truly, I was told that it was so indeed. I could not hold me from vexing & tormenting myself, saying, Ah my God, how doth this fall out? Is it possible that it should be thus? considering how thou hast threatened the wicked, and how thou hast also prepared punishment for them? To be short, I became strangely and wonderfully perplexed, when I considered of this geat●.  
17 But I at last perceived thy mind and purpose, and having entered into the depth of thy sanctuary, me thought I was come into thy holy consistory, and understood thy council therein. For, after I had resolved with myself to see the end whereunto thou hadst prepared those people's, I forthwith saw that thy justice is most true, and that although it sometimes maketh slow haste, yet it payeth home at the last with severe punishment, and therefore I very steadfastly waited and looked what should become of them.  
18 And truly, in the end, thou payedst them through stitch, and rewardedst them according to their crafty and wicked dealing. For, when they thought themselves at the highest degree of honour, behold, thou overthrewst them, and castedst them down headlong in a bottomless depth of misery. For, all their pomps, magnificences, and riches, were nothing unto them in the end, but an high and eminent scaffold, to bring them up unto that steep and high breake-necke, from whence they were most shamefully rolled down over and over.  
19 O most true God, what a desolation & discomfort is this? There is nothing but weeping about them: for, all they of their guards, and all their pensioners, do nothing else but beat their breasts, holding down their heads as the Lily holdeth down his when it is sore rayne-beaten, and having compassion of those whom they were wont to envy. They most lamentably look upon the ruin of their idol, and consider with themselves how foolish they were to make a mortal and miserable man their God, who was no better than wind or smoke. For, if a man considereth and marketh their end, he shall see them dispatched and gone in a moment, neither is there any thing that cometh more speedily to an end, than the way of their greatness bringeth them thereunto, and they have been so suddenly changed, as that there could be nothing possibly to be seen of them. Behold and look on them, for once they were, and now they are not, hardly can a man see their footsteps, and mark, whither their sins have brought them, it was a great while before the snare or grin could be made fit for them, but lo in the end, they lighted into it. For, during the time that the foundation of the house was in undermining, they climbed the higher, that their fall might be the greater. They continually clambered up higher and higher, and thought, that whatsoever was below them, was theirs only, but in the end they clambered up so high, as that they lost themselves in the air, before they could get again to the earth, so as they were carried away with the wind.  
And lo, they became as dreams when men awake: for, as a man saith when he awaketh, I dreamt well to think of such a thing, even so shall it far with you, for, when such men as ye are shall vanish away and come to nought, the people will then say, surely the greatness of these men, was but as a dream, and a very mere, vain, and inconstant folly. For, thou wilt make them of so little worth, as that they shall be never once thought of, but as in a mockery, and in discommending and condemning their pride and insolency, will say, See how their houses are ruined, behold the place where these outrageous Sirs dwelled, who cared neither for God nor men, which delighted in nothing but in filthiness & wickedness, who have built so many, and so many houses with the bones of the poor, and cemented their palaces with the blood of the needy, and lo, there remaineth nothing of all that they had, but the marks and notes of their ignominy, for, the tempest hath passed over them, and there is not so much as any one tittle or jot remaining of them.  
21 Thus we see, o Lord, that we must not rashly judge of thy providence, and therefore who so ever will judge thereof, must patiently wait unto the end, and suffer himself to be led by thy spirit, & must call upon thee also for the comforting & addressing of him: for, notwithstanding that I fret, fume, chafe, sigh, & groan, and have set every part of my body in a sweat with sore labour, and brought myself as it were even to death's door, yet am I never a whit the better for it: and after I had tormented myself, I found myself as resolute as I was before.  
22 I was so vexed and grieved I say, as that I knew not whether I was a man or a beast, nay, I was in very deed like a beast, and could no more comprehend the same, then if I had utterly lost mine understanding. Howbeit, I still stand to that hope which I have in thee, and the more I see my sense and judgement fail me, the speedelier run I unto thee, and humbly beseech thee to open my spirit, that I may know and understand what thy will is.  
23 Thou hast taken and held me fast by the hand, and set me gently again in the way of thy will, and madest me understand the purpose and mind, nay, thou hast done more than that, for me thinketh, thou hast opened both mine eyes, and the heavens all at once, that I might see the mightiness of thy glory: Thou hast I say, o Lord, made me to see it, for, this is a thing, whereunto no mortal man without thee, is able to reach.  
24 For alas, should I, poor weak thing that I am, go to seek for that in heaven, which I cannot very well see at my feet, who cannot perceive, but ●ith much ado, that which is here o●…●…th before me? The eyes of my bo●e are very duskish and misty, and ●…e eyes of my soul far worse, and ●ens thought are marvelous vncer●ine and weak, for the earthly and ●…rruptible body, dulleth and maketh ●…le our spirits, and byeth and bindeth 〈◊〉 senses fast unto the earth, in so ●…ch as that without thee, I can not ●ope for any thing here below in the ●orld, nor yet promise unto myself ●y certain knowledge of what thing ●…uer. What am I able, being here ●…on the earth, to judge and discern ●hout thy aid, and without it plea●…h thee to enlighten my spirit with ●…se things which thou hast ordey●…d in heaven, in the seat of thine e●…itie? But thou also, o Lord, hast ●…plyed my want, and led me by the ●…d, to make me see the counsels of ●e eternal wisdom, thou hast as 〈◊〉 ●ere made me in love with thee, ●…d hast heaved and thrust my spirit 〈◊〉 of my body, to make it capable of 〈◊〉 heavenly light, and of thy wise ●poses.  
25 Surely, when I consider of these wondrous things, I am clean gone, my heart is taken from me, and I am fallen into a swoon, o God. What is this my God, which thou hast made me see? O thou the God of my heart, of my thoughts, & of my hope, and thou, o God, whom I esteem to be my only felicity, and whom to love, I have from henceforth destined all my affections. I now know, o Lord, what thou art, how just, and how puissant, I will now never be abashed more, ne yet astonied, to see the strange and wonderful things of the world, whereof I am not able to comprehend the reason. For, thy counsels are marvelous high, and thy wisdom terrible profound. But in the end, o Lord, whatsoever thou disposest off here in this world, is finished by justice.  
26 For, as many as withdraw themselves from thy obedience, and estrange themselves from thy grace, shall perish most miserably: and all they which break the faith of the covenant which they have sworn, to serve their concupiscences and filthy lusts, and go an whoring ●ith the earth, and with their carnal affection's, all they that defile their consciences, and prostitute their souls ●nto wicked and impious cogirations, hall be rooted out, and pass through the fury of thy revenging hands.  
27 But as for me, o Lord, I will never departed from thee, neither hope for any other felicity, but so to clear & stick fast to thy sides, as that I will never departed thence. I will so steadfastly look ●pon thee, as that I may observe the twinkle of thine eyes, and so confirm myself unto whatsoever thou desirest of me, & follow rank by rank whatsoever thou commandest me: I intent to put my whole trust in thee, and seeing I know thee to be altogether good and almighty, and as I assuredly believe that thou lovest me, so also will I constantly believe that thou wilt assist me, and give me all things that are necessary for me. O, how excellent & most assured is that hope, that is built upon the promise of the most good & almighty God, who hath given me such a number of earnest pence of his beneficence, so many pawns of his liberality, that he might make me believe, that I shall be assured of the reward which he hath promised me, if I serve him faithfully. Why dost thou, my God, most liberally bestow upon me so many benefits, why dost thou promise me such infiniteness, seeing there is in me nothing but sin and infirmity?  
28 I right well see, o Lord, that it is to the end that I may be the man to declare abroad every where, thine immensurable mercy, and unspeakable goodness, and publish thy praise throughout all the gates, places of resort, and secret corners of Zion, thine holy City. To the end that I, going up into thine holy hill amongst those whom thou hast assembled in thy Church, for the receiving of thy blessings, and serving of thy glory, might make them understand the secrets of thy wisdom which thou hast vouchsafed to reveal unto me. And that in addressing my voice with that style which thine holy spirit hath framed in the same, I might unfold the holy mystreries of thine incomprehensible wisdom, to the end, that every one hearing me discourse of the knowledge wherein thou hast instructed me, might be had in admiration, not of me, who am but an hoarse instrument of thy glory, but of the marvelous effects of thy quickening spirit, who shall embolden me unto this glocious, h●…y, and solemn work. But o Lord, after thou hast for a while, entertained us here in this estate, upon this terrestrial Zion, lift up our eyes unto that heavenly Zion, embolden and encourage us unto the attaining of that blessed abode, and teach us, which are they unto whom thou hast promised the same. And teach us also, how we must carry ourselves to be made worthy of so excellent, holy, and glorious a dwelling place.   

O Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle, etc. Psalm. 15.  
1 THE world, o Lor●, sith it hath so pleased thee, is unto us a tedious pilgrimage, we daily walk therein, and cannot find any night's rest for our wearied members. For, if we think to lay down our heads upon the pillow or bolster to give our eyes sleep, our afflictions importune us like flies, yea, and the very passions which are bred within our flesh, do swell & puff us up, and venom us like dangerous scorpions, and kill us, if we presently kill not them. What are we like to hope after, seeing that as we lack strength, so must the miseries also needs grow upon us? seeing that which way so ever we turn, or are any way able to turn us, we shall find ourselves altogether in the midst of the world: and this world, find it how and where we will, is only full of misery. Where then shall we find rest? we shall never find it in this miserable life, where-into we are put as chief wrestlers, to strive against all manner of adversities, but rather, o Lord, in thy Tabernacle, in the holy dwelling place of thy Godhead, where our labours shall be crowned. O blessed, yea thrice blessed is he, for whom thou hast prepared this so goodly and pleasant a withdrawing place, for the mitigating and comforting of his pains and griefs past, within the bosom of thy grace, and resteth himself between the arms of thy mercy. But, who are they that shall one day dwell with the companions of thy blessedness & glory? for, to hear that which is said of it, this is not a place for all the world to come unto, for this is a place of a monstrous height, and of an infinite largeness, and compassed & adorned with incredible magnificence. I know not what else to say unto thee, but that this is a very high hill, upon the top whereof, is a marvelous beautiful Garden, beset and furnished with all sorts of delicate & fine flowers, wherein also are planted many rows of trees, of infinite sorts of fruits, and moistened & bedeawed with most lively and clear running waters. Certainly, this is a ve●y high hill in deed, for who soever cometh there, must on every side run through grievous and hard tribulations, yea, an hundredth times harder than either the flint or rocky stone. And he that will come there, must be always far from the centre of the earth, that is to say, he must no be too too far in love with himself, but must tread under his feet all sensual and earthly affections. This is in truth like a most flourishing Garden, for in it are resident, the seeds and causes of all things, which daily bring forth most infinite goodly effects, and most noble and excellent works: for, the partitions and divisions thereof, there is a goodly disposing of the par●… of the world, so justly and evenly measured, as possibly can be devised. The fruits thereof, are the pleasant and sweet savouring contemplations of wisdom, wherewith it nourisheth and satisfieth the souls there dwelling. The running waters thereof, are the spring heads, issuing from the eternal bounty, which spreadeth itself from an high over all the parts of the world, and continually batheth and refresheth them. O most beautiful & holy hill, who shall ascend unto thy top, and who shall rest in the bosom of this so glorious and delightful an abiding place?  
2 Even he that is purified within the sacred flames of an holy and devout zeal: that hath so eased his soul of the dregs of the world, that there is nothing left to hinder his course from going that way. For, when the desire of our soul is left naked and bare, it draweth right on unto the ●nd of her wishes, even towards the seat of her felicity. And it is even then, when being out of love with 〈◊〉 self, which is the very seducer of our understanding, it judgeth altogether uprightly, and rendereth to every thing that duty which nature commandeth, conserving peace by justice, maintaining all things as they were in their creation, and directing them unto that end for the which they were brought forth. And to say truly, the just man is nothing else, but the ●…or of nature, who defendeth her l●wes, and fighteth for her own conservation, maintaining in rest & peace that, which was by wisdom created. And therefore, o thou justice, the mother of peace, thou art, next unto innocency, in the first degree, to ascend unto the hill of eternal blessedness.  
3 Next after, Truth followeth thee, clearly shining on every side, which 〈◊〉 a most firm and durable rock, against the which the clouds of slanders kick in vain, and at the first encounter which they spur in her flanks, they are all clean scattered and gone. And Verity, who presenteth herself second, marcheth to get into that blessed harbour. For, o beautiful and holy Truth, whensoever any one loveth thee, and hath set his heart on thee, thou thyself art by and by in his heart, and after goest into his lips; 〈◊〉 there adornest thou him with most singular beauty. And to say truly, that beauty is nothing else but the eternal truth, which shineth in the works of the word of God, which made all things from the beginning. He then which hath embraced this pure truth, shall ascend to that top, he hath joined in thought with her, set up an Altar in his lips, driven from him deceit & lying, & rooted them clean out of his heart & mouth. For, lying is the very mortal poison of the soul: it is a slimy & cleaving humour, which ouerslowing the eye of understanding, engendereth therein as it were a film, which taketh away both sight and judgement.  
4 No, no, he that will ascend into that hill, must cast from him all vanity and lying, for these rags will catch hold on every nail: he must also be purged of this venomous malignity, which is always busy and ready to do ill unto his neighbour, the very poison of human society. For, seeing it hath pleased thee, o Lord, that men which live together, should serve, as all the rest of 〈◊〉 works do, the ministery of thy glory, he that cutteth off good will, which as a firm band joineth them together, doth not he break thy law, & offend thine honour? what shall become of him then, who not content to suffer the ●…re of charity to was dead in his heart, but enforceth himself beside to defame his good name?  
5 And therefore, o Lord, he that will ascend unto thee, and stretcheth out his hand to enter into this blessed habitation, must always abhor these pestilences, which being full of bloody malice, think of nothing but of the infelicity of their neighbours, & take pleasure in nothing but in displeasing and grieving of them, as by their very countenances may be seen 〈◊〉 for, when they weep, then are their neighbours in good estate, and when they laugh, then goeth it ill with them. No, no, their imaginary greatness, their pride settled upon their extortions and deceits, will not suffer them to abide an honest man, for, they are but white painted sepulchres, whose filthiness and infection, will one day discover itself, when it shall please thee, my God. But knowest thou who they are that will make account of an honest man? Even they that fear and serve thee in holiness of life, and simplicity of heart.  
6 They, I say, o Lord, who think thee to be always present, not only at their actions, but in their most secret thoughts, they that inviolably keep their faith, whose word is a sure pawn of truth, upon whose promise his friend assureth himself, and accounteth it alreade done which he hath promised: for, such a man, o Lord, believeth verily that his salvation dependeth of the promise which thou of thy mere favour and grace, hast made unto him, and that he shall not be worthy to receive the effect of thy holy promise, if he render not unto his neighbour, the sure effect of his own. He will not hear Usury once named, but abhorreth that wicked thievery, which putteth another man's necessity to ransom, putteth the help which he oweth unto his neighbour to sale, and selleth time, days, months, & years. But much less will he be corrupted, to condemn the innocent, to sell the goods of another man wrongfully, and defile the sanctuary of justice for filthy gain: but holding his eyes always open, that he may understand the point of reason, and leaneth but unto that side where the law judgeth rightly. Neither doth avarice make his hand shake, nor favour to hold up his hand to take, but keepeth himself always equal and upright, and faithful and just unto all others, giving by his wisdom, authority unto his judgements.  
7 He that shall thus live, shall wi●h●…t doubt, ascend unto the height of this happy hill. The Angels shall carry him up in their arms, guide his feet for fear of stumbling, and in the end, place him before the face of the eternal truth, where he shall for ever enjoy the pleasant abiding place of this most excellent hill, lifted up above the heavens, to be the habitation of glorified innocency, and be reunited unto the principal of his being, which is that everlasting Deity, and divine eternity. All things here below, alter and change, have an end, and are consumed: but he, whose virtue shall have lifted him up unto this heavenly blessedness, shall continue in most glorious estate, and vanquish all times and ages. Strengthen therefore, o Lord, our courages, and comfort us in these worldly afflictions. And seeing it is thy good will and pleasure, that good men shall go this way, through the insolences and injuries of the wicked, sustain thou their hope which is shaken by their afflictions, and by the prosperity of the wicked, and grant them constancy to continue unto the end, that they may see the repayment both of the good and of the bad.    

A MEDITATION OF THE Lord's Prayer.   printer's device of Richard Field (McKerrow 164) ANCHORA SPEI 
1594.   

A MEDITATION of the Lords Prayer.  
I Come unto thee, my God, as unto the common Father of the whole world: I come unto thee, I say, who in the creation and conservation of all thy works, hast witnessed thyself to be a most affectioned & loving Father. To thee I come, as to my right Father, who hast not contented thyself with the giving me of my being, life and feeling, as thou hast done unto the rest of thy living creatures, but hast sent down on me thine holy spirit, & filled my soul with an heavenly light and beam of thy Divinity. I come unto thee, my God, regenerated & reincorporated into thy family by a new grace: I come, by reason I have appeased the wrath of my Father, through the satisfaction of my Redeemer. I come, because thou thyself hast called me unto thee, and holdest forth thine arms. receive me therefore, my God, not after the austerity of a just judge, but according to the compassion of a pitiful father, and accept this mine earnest prayer, which being conceived in the bottom of mine heart, hath disclosed itself by my lips, and flieth with my voice unto the favourable care of mine heavenly Father, seeing it hath pleased thee, o Lord, to suffer me so to call thee. cause it, o Lord my God, to pierce the heavens where thou thyself art. I know right well that thy Throne is above, and that thou keepest under thy feet both the Sun and the Stars, and the earth to be but a very tittle, and myself being the least part thereof, am a great deal less than nothing. Who then shall dare to make me so saucy as to lift up mine eyes unto thee? It is even thou, my God, who sittest on high, to behold at once all the works of thine hands, the better to understand our wants, and daily to pour upon us thy grace, as a most ●…eet shower. Even thou, who hast thyself said, Ask, and ye shall be heard. But thou wilt be prayed unto with a constant faith: cause it therefore to be borne and grow in my soul, for it is a gift, that cannot come but from the Treasure of thy grace: and as at other times thou hast addressed the lips of infants to glorify thee, govern now the infancy and infirmity of mine heart, that it may deliver unto my mouth ●…ch a prayer as may very well like and please thee. And because thou ●ayest know, my God, that my prayer is sooner conceived in my soul ●en in my lips, and that although the burden of my flesh grieveth and ●e●eth my spirit, yet breatheth it our as much as it can, thine honour and praise. And the first petition that I ●ake unto thee, is this:  
Hallowed be thy name, or rather, let thy ●…me hollow and sanctify me, that I may ●e after able to bless & glorify thee. ●ut which of thy names shall I bless? ●…at, wherewith thou hast confounded & ●ast down the enemies of thy people, or else that, wherewith thou hast blesse● all the nations of the earth. Will't tho● be praised as the God of hosts, o Lor● God of all battles, or, as the Saviour and Redeemer of the world? Shal● I tell abroad, how thou hast made a●… things of nothing, how thou hast sowe● the heavens with stars, covered th● earth with flowers, fruits, rivers, and with all living creatures, and Man like unto thyself? Or, shall I speak but of that incredible love, by which thou hast delivered thine own only Son unto death, to purchase for us life everlasting? I have not breath enough o Lord for such an enterprise, but let it content thee, that I sanctify thy name with an humble and cha●… thought, and that my meditation be always fixed upon all the benefits wherewith it pleaseth thee continually to favour me, so as both myself, and as many as thou hast placed here in this world, as in the midst of a rich Temple, for the beholding and admiring on every side the excellency of thy Deity, we never turn our understandings unto any other thing, but to the comprehending and learning o● 〈◊〉 will, to the end that we being re●…ed in one and the self same de●…e ●o serve thee, Thy kingdom may 〈◊〉, and that after we shall have cast 〈◊〉 the yoke of sin, which so long ●…e hath thralled and captived us, 〈◊〉 love alone may reign in our con●…ences. A most blessed and prospe●…s reign: for, to obey thee, is to ●…maund our unruly appetites, and 〈◊〉 command them, is, for a man to be ●aster of his own self, and for a man 〈◊〉 be master of his self, is the most ●…ereigne principality. It is an easy ●…tter, my God, to obey thee, thy yo●e ●gratious, and the tribute which thou, ●…ctest on us, is nothing else, but to ●…ue us to be blessed. Confirm us ●…erefore, o Lord, in this thy will, and ●…ist the zeal of thy good seruan●s, oppressing the insolency of all such as ●…spheme against thy Majesty, be●…se that thy law, and thy truth, do ●…gne throughout the world. O King 〈◊〉 kings, which hast the dominion of 〈◊〉 hearts, who by our humility and ●edience, hast established thine Em●…e, bend our wills under thy law, ●o ●…end that we looking all to one end, aspire not but to the advancing of thy glory, and that our good actions may testify the good discipline of the King of heaven, unto whom we do homage, and who alloweth us for his subjects, of whom we hold so many benefits and graces, as that we can not possibly come any thing near the number of them. Now, what obedience is it that we should yield unto thee? how should we guess to do that which might please thee? who is able to sound the bottom of thy thoughts? and who shall be able to understand that which thou wouldst have? I therefore beseech thee only, that thy will be done. For, sith thou art altogether good, thou willest nothing but good things: and for thee, both to do and to will, is all one, and in making this prayer unto thee, we wholly submit ourselves unto thee, who never failest to will us well, and to perform the same also. For, whatsoever, o Lord, thou hast willed, was done, and from this thy will, as from a lively and pleasant spring head, are derived all the benefits, wherewith the whole face of the earth is covered, and wherewith all ●he heavens are beautified. Continue thou the same towards us, and seeing 〈◊〉 love is as a fire that increaseth, ac●…ding as it findeth matter to burn, 〈◊〉 it increase and enlarge itself in ●…ing good unto us, unto us, I say, ●oore miserable wretches, in whose weakness, misery, and infirmity, 〈◊〉 shall find itself matter enough ●o exercise and work upon. When 〈◊〉 pray thee, o Lord, That thy will be 〈◊〉, my meaning is to beseech thee, that thou wouldst eft son's root out ●f mine heart all these worldly desires and wills, which being borne 〈◊〉 the corruption of the flesh, cannot ●aue any fellow-feeling and agreement with the law of the spirit: neither give thou me the bridle to live as I lust, and seeing that I am thy child, ●…d honourest me with this title, let me ●euer be bondslave unto my affections, but keep me under the rod of thy law, 〈◊〉 ●nder the tutorship of thy commandments, to the end that myself, and as ●any as have sworn to thy word, be●…g framed to serve and obey thee worthily, may also be ready & cheer●…ll in the ministery of thy service, so long as we shall abide here below in this mortal world, as thine Angels, and other most blessed souls, are in that heavenly habitation: and so, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. And seeing it is thy will that our frail and mortal bodies do daily decay, and had need to be repaired and strengthened by some new nourishment, that we might have continually recourse unto thee, give us, my God, our daily bread, and give us therewith, the grace so to use it, and all other thy benefits which thou hast bestowed upon us, that we in some measure nourishing and maintaining our bodies, grieve not, not vex not our souls, making them thereby less able to come unto the knowledge of thy truth: And in using thy liberal dealing with thanksgiving, we tie not for all that, our affections unto earthly and worldly things, but make us so to pass through these temporal benefits, as we lose not, for the getting of them, the eternal blessings. Let not the taste of earthly bread, wherewith we feed our bodies, make us forget our heavenly bread, that bread of life, that eternal bread, which nourisheth & strengtheneth our souls, ●eepeth them from death, filleth our ●outhes with the Deity, and maketh 〈◊〉 the temples of our God, to receive 〈◊〉 into our bodies, and to be made members of his members. Grant us, ●y God, that by this bread, or rather 〈◊〉 this flesh, we may be incorporated ●…o our Redeemer: and as he, in ta●…ing and putting on of our flesh, was ●…rtaker of our death, even so we ta●…ing and putting on of his flesh, may ●e partakers of his immortality. And seeing we have, my God, been made ●essels and receptacles of his Deity, ●ash us, and make us clean, to the ●nd that he coming to dwell in us, ●ou mayest find nothing there to give thee occasion to departed from us, and to make us void of thy grace, and of our salvation. Now, it is impossible ●…r us to be made clean, without thou ●orgeue us our sins, and remit our ●…ebts. For, we have been bondslaves ●oth unto sin, and unto death, and whatsoever we claim to be ours, it belongeth unto him: neither have we any thing either to pay our ransom, 〈◊〉 yet to discharge our debt, and therefore, o Lord, it is thou that must do Thou hast once for all redeemed and set us at liberty: but yet notwi●…standing, we daily fall into the h●… of the enemy, we daily commit a th●…sand sins, which make us bond 〈◊〉 sin: cease not for all this, my G●… to open unto us this treasure, from wh●… we may take the price of our liber●… Be thou, o Lord, more strong & 〈◊〉 in pardoning of us, than we are in 〈◊〉 sending of thee. Let thy merciful h●… stretch itself our continually unto for sin cleaveth fast unto the matt●… of our benes, and groweth and wax old in us, which maketh us when we a●… old, to be after a sort more filthy & ●…fectious, were it not that thou co●…nually appliest unto our misery, 〈◊〉 merit and worthiness of thy holy p●…sion, to the end that we in some measure launching & wounding our consciences, thou mayest strengthen a heal our wounds, and rub out wi●… the oil of thy mercy, the scars th● may of them remain. Otherwise, Lord, I should be afeard, that thou casting thine eyes ordinarily upon 〈◊〉 wouldst in the end be so angry a● ●…ieued, as that thou wouldst come ●…ry fast upon us, to be revenged of the ●…ckednes which we ourselves have ●…mined. forgive us therefore our of●…ces, that is to say our sins which we ●…ōmit all the time of our life: And for●…rs, o heavenly. Father, as we from our 〈◊〉 hearts forgive them that trespass against 〈◊〉 Cause us continually to set before us 〈◊〉 love, by which thou hast not only 〈◊〉 upon thee to pay our debts, but the ●…nishment for our sins: that we may ●…dge what an unreasonable thing it ●…ould be for us to look to have any ●…our at thy hands, who will not agree ●it● our neighbours, considering there ●…o comparison between the offer●… which we commit against thee, and 〈◊〉 offences wherewith they offend us. ●…ck clean out of our hearts, all pride 〈◊〉 malice for their sakes, for whose aid ●…d secure thou causedst us to be ●…rne. give us gentle and meek spi●… which may keep us in unity and ●…berly love, by patiently & meekly ●…aring the infirmities one of an●●…r. For, we right well know my God, 〈◊〉 easily we slip, yea, how easily 〈◊〉 stumble and fall in the way of this slippery and irksome life. W● have too too little force and strength continually to keep our feet, and i● resist the winds which drive us forward into the steep break necks 〈◊〉 all wickedness and iniquity. And therefore we pray most earnestly unto thee▪ Not to lead us into tentation, and 〈◊〉 keep far from us all occasions which may any way cause us to offend thee and to arm us with thy holy spirit against all those objects which of themselves offer them unto us; without th● which we shall be always overcome and by the which we shall continually be vanquishers in this wrestling again●… sin: for this prize, and garland 〈◊〉 victory, is for none but for such a 〈◊〉 as thou dost second in this fight Grant us therefore such grace, 〈◊〉 that when any extraordinary desire 〈◊〉 getting worldly riches assail us, tha● thou wilt strengthen us with a mind obtain heavenly riches, and valiantly contemn and despise the goods 〈◊〉 this world, and the uncertain as frail knowledge of them. And let 〈◊〉 remember that they pass away as th● clouds in the air from one countre● ●…to another, and in the end melt and ●…sume away to nothing, and that for 〈◊〉 most part, the gold and silver which 〈◊〉 so greedily gather and heap us ●…gether with so great toiling & moy●…g, serve us to none other end, but to ●…ng condemnation on our heads. 〈◊〉 if so he that thou of thine own ●…es departest with more unto us 〈◊〉 we any way deserve, grant us ●…nes a will to use them well, and ●…aritably communicate them unto ●…ose that have greater need of them 〈◊〉 we have. For the earth is thine, 〈◊〉 we are but the gardiens and far●…s thereof: our goods are thine, 〈◊〉 we are but, the dispensers and ●…rd of them. And therefore, if we: ●…e to give them unto those which ●…e them of us in thy name, thou wilt 〈◊〉 only take them from us, but wilt ●…so, for our unthankfulness and infide●… make us pay double usury for them. 〈◊〉 grant us also this grace, that the ●…riousnes of the honours of this world ●…nd not us and draw us on, to desire ●…e than is expedient for out salua●…on. And let it always be imprinted 〈◊〉 our thoughts, that there is no true honour in this world, but to serve the● worthily, and that for the serving 〈◊〉 thee, the place of honour is too to● ba●… & that the greatness thereof consists 〈◊〉 humility. As for the rest which we s●… wonder at & admire, it is but a deceitful light, after which we hunt with to mouth, & is like unto those little fi●… which appear in the night about the rivers. They shine and cast light but 〈◊〉 the dark, and carry them which foll●… them even to their drowning, if they take not very great heed of them. F●… our worldly pomps & secular dignities never appear be●… this dark world & when we have winkingly cast our 〈◊〉 upon the heavenly light, they seem 〈◊〉 us to shine as bright as the fire, th●… clearness is like unto a basin of go●… finely polished● but in following 〈◊〉 them, we fall into the running brook● where we are incontinently lost a●… undone. We uncertainly flore amidst the wills of Princes, and the opinions of the common people, so long as that we stumble at last at some scandal or offence, which mighte●… shaketh and shivereth us. And therefore, my God, give me constancy, tha● ●e not shaken with beholding the, 〈◊〉 ●…ties: but make me only ambitious thy glory, and cause that my spirit, 〈◊〉 lifting up itself towards immorta●…ie, feed not itself with the smokes 〈◊〉 this world. Neither let me envy ●ose which possess all these frail ●…d transitory goods and honours: ●…t let my desire be, to approach as ●…ere as I possibly can, the example 〈◊〉 good life, which thou hast pic●…ed out unto us with most lively ●…lors, in the table of thine own 〈◊〉. And this being done, let all the vi●…ent passions of ire, wrath, and ran●… be banished from my soul: and 〈◊〉 my desires be to do good unto 〈◊〉 the world, and hurt to none, and 〈◊〉 my body and soul be ever wa●…ng, and employed about good and commendable works, without ever ●o be englutted with pale and ill favoured slothfulness. And let this ●…hie and infamous gluttony, which ●…useth thy gifts, and which is drow●…d in wine, and buried in superfluous ●…ting and drinking, be far away from ●…e. Quench also, o my heavenly Fa●…er, all these shameless prickings of the flesh, which allure us to break the chastity of our bodies, and purity of our minds. Beat back from us all objects, which may stir up in our souls any slippery and shameless affections. And to be short, Deliver us from all evil, namely, from all evil Angels, not giving them any power over us. And if thou knowest that we are about to cast ourselves headlong into evil, make speed to pluck us back, and stretch our that fatherly hand of thine, which is always more ready to show mercy then justice. Save us, o Lord, maugre ourselves: neither let our relapse and perverseness so sharpen and quicken thee against us, as that thou remember not thyself, that thou art not only our God, but our Father also.   

MEDITATIONS UPON THE Lamentations of JEREMIAH.  
Translated out of French into English, by Tho. Sto. Gent.  
1594.   

Unto the Kingdom of France.  
Guill. Du Vair greeting.  
seeing, most miserable and wretched Province, that thy over great exceeding in thine ancient and wont delights & pleasures, hath brought thee into this outrageous fury, and that thine ill hap hath caused thee to put to these thy ren● and torn hands, to pluck out thine own bowels withal, and to disfigure thine own f●ce: yet if there be any intermission of this hot broiling mischief, see thou employ the same about the beholding and looking upon thy misery. But if so be thou be too too fearful of the miseries which thou hast brought upon thyself, or canst not abide the sight of them, behold and look upon the ruin & destrunction of these miserable Hebrews, because it is the truest glass that thou canst look in. But when 〈◊〉 thine eyes shall have borrowed their image and face to behold and see thy miseries therein, let them also borrow tears of thee 〈◊〉 mail and mourn for them. For the chiefe●… remedy to ease thy sorrow and grief, is for thee to acknowledge the same, and then to have compassion thereof. And when will that be? forsooth even then, when God, who loveth thee more than thou lovest thyself, shall by his own love overcome that desire of thine which thou hast to destroy thyself. And in waiting for this good, and praying for the same, I do here prepare and make ready for thee holy tears, that thou mightest thereby mollify thine hard heart, and extinguish therein the wrath of God inflamed against thee. It may be that they will well like thee, as a charitable remedy ought to do, and it may be that they will mislike thee, and then wilt thou do as men do, who utterly reject whatsoever is offered them for their good. And whether they please or displease thee, yet will I never cease both to love and serve thee. For, what is it that I should more readily and willingly love and serve, than my dear and best beloved Country, my dear● Country, I say; that maketh some account of me? The Lord my God save and preserve thee my poor country of France, and grant me grace to be able as blessedly to procure thy welfare, as I have an earnest desire to do it.  
G. DE V.   

MEDITATIONS upon the Lamentations of jeremiah.  

THE PREFACE,  Aleph. 
A Good Father hath always a great regard unto the welfare of his children, and seeketh by all means possible to preserve & keep them, But when they, through their rashness and wilfulness shall despise his wisdom, and go about utterly to undo themselves, and in the end cast themselves headlong into those calamities which he foretold them, he by and by is revenged of his eyes, filleth his face with tears, and his soul with grief. But if so be he have leisure to pour out his sighs, and that sorrow giveth his tongue leave to utter any words, they are nothing else but so many lamentable passions, turned into gall and bitterness. Such a one do we, both hear, and see at this day, this Prophet to be, who having long before forescene the tempest which should overthrow his country, denounced and cried out with open mouth, that the time of her destruction was at hand, and should see their houses burnt, and their City sacked before their faces, if so be the inhabitants thereof did not speedily with running streams of tears, and with sackcloth and ashes, meet with the inflamed wrath of God, for their sins and transgressions. But they rather hearkened unto the deceitful words of their enemies, then unto the voice of their friends, and hearkened rather unto those that brought them tidings of their destruction, then unto them which denounced the same unto them. And so it fell out, that this beautiful and mighty City, the very eye of the East, and miracle of the whole world, after so many, and so many threats, fell in the end into extreme calamity. And after that she had been spoiled and sacked, she saw her inhabitants chained and led into miserable bondage, whole households taken away, and led into captivity, ●omen and maids dishonoured, and afterward divided & parted amongst the Soldiers. And then jeremiah beholding the uncomfortable face of this City, acknowledging therein, nothing more than the sorrowful effects of his old prophecies, began to lament them after this manner, saying:   

CHAPTER I.  Aleph. 
Our alas, in what estate do I see thee, thou great and proud City? O, the pride of thy magnificent Palaces is now abated. Now, all thy sumptuous and r●…ch shows of thy costly buildings are come down, and brought to rubbish. I looked on every side of ●…ce, to see what was become of all the brave men, which were wont to furnish thy houses, but I saw all lie like a waste wilderness.  
I sought in every place, and could find nothing, there was no body to answer me, and yet I called all the town over. I saw nothing come out of thy Castles but jack daws & owls. And now o poor City, which sometime wert the stately dwelling place of Kings, and the Princess of Provinces, and the seat of the kingdom, thine honour is dead, and thou art become a most miserable widow. Sorrow is now thy livery and badge, sorrow, without end, sorrow, full of all horror, yea and sorrow, full of all despair. For, alas, thou sawest not only thy goods and children lost, but being lost, thou sawest them also put unto most cruel pain and torment. With what eyes shall they be ever able to look towards thee, and with what thoughts be able to remember thee, when as groaning under the burden of a most insupportable slavery, they shall represent unto thee, thine ancient magnificence, and their pristinate liberty? will they not all say weeping, that the Princess of the nations is now become a most wretched slave, and she that was wont to command others, is become herself now to be taxed? O poor and miserable City, thou hast now marvelously altered thine estate and condition. Weep therefore, and sigh hardly, for, neither thy weeping, nor, yet thy sighing, will these many days be able to match thy miseries.  Beth. 
She wept and wept again, and her eyes never ceased. And when the Sun arose to take his course, he began to mourn, and when he went down, yet had she never made an end. All living creatures withdrew themselves into doleful and dark places, and all things were silent and 〈◊〉 rest every where: but her plaints ●…creased in the dark, and the night's rest was troubled with her cries. Her broken and trembling voice sounded every where, and all the whole world that heard this complaining voice, were moved with horror and fear. Her cheeks were never dry, and her tears never ceased running. Her face was ever were, and her eyes distilled continually. And alas, how could her plaints end, when as there was no end of her misery? She had not one only to comfort her, no not so much as one to wipe away her tears. All her friends forsook her, and the nearest neighbours she had, quite and clean left her. They that sometimes honoured her good hap, do now utterly contemn her, and they that once reverenced her prosperity, do now scorn and mock her: for, some of them fled from her when she fell into misery, and they that tarried behind, did nothing else but dishonour her.  Gimel. 
Thus was poor jerusalem and the poor Hebrews entreated and handled in their captivity. And after loss, followed shame, and after damage reproach. They went this way and that way, thinking to find some that would comfort them, but all the world pursued them. And what, the very dens of the wild beasts were their safety, when any went about to set upon them, and the poor people could neither find cave, nor any place of repair, safely to go into. The nature of misery is to have compassion on others, but the misery of this people, increased the hatred that was borne them. In so much as that nature itself is here altered, to the end to augment the torment of these poor people.  
Alas, what a fatal ruin is this, that can not be avoided? For, thus they might have said: If so be ye will have our goods, ye shall have them: if so be it be for our lands & houses that ye afflict us, why, take them to you, and if ye persecute us for hatred that ye bear unto the name of our Country, why, we will banish ourselves thence. What would our misery have more of us? Why persecuteth it us when as we are ready to fly? Doth it afflict us that are poor wretches? And pursue us who are banished? We are scattered abroad through out all the nations of the world, and stray and fleet about, like wracks and vagabonds, we have all the miseries that any can possibly beat, and yet have not so much as one of the least of their comforts. And they that see us, are void of commiseration, neither do they look only uncompassionately upon us, but scornfully also. And this was not our entertainment in one place alone, but every where: and the only benefit which we have, is this, that all things are alike unto us in our misery. For, persecution passeth as lightly away as we, and is present every where with us. For, if we think to escape by any unknown and secret place, we shall find some thing to bewray us, and deliver us unto our enemies. Ha, what a thing is this? must we who are chased into all the corners of the earth, think to return and hide ourselves under the ruins of our houses, there to renew continually our griefs, in beholding the hideous desolation of our City?  Daleth. 
O poor Zion, we should then be enforced to behold thee again with far more tears & groans, we should look upon the great beaten high ways, and say unto ourselves, What is become of all those companies that were wont to cover all these high ways, and where are they that were wont to come by heaps, to honour our City? For, all the nations both whole and some, have come running unto our feasts, and to the solemnities of our great sacrifices: but now, we see not so much as a man once come near into this holy City. There is not so much as an hermitage about it. All the ways are covered over with grass, and there is a pretty forest of briars & thistles about it. Neither can one find and pick out the footstep of any man. These beautiful and great gates so richly & cunningly wrought, which in the solemn days were belong with garlands and nosegays, are now laid all wide open upon the ground, and broken in fitters. The Centres that laid open the ways, are now filled and stopped up with their ruins: Alas, what a change is this? And the garments of our Priests which went in their pontificalibus, singing with great majesty & reverence the praises of our God, are torn and rend in pieces as well as other men's, and do nothing else but weep and groan. They look up pitifully with their eyes unto heaven, to see whether the rigour of his wrath would fall upon them yea or no. The tender Virgins who were wont with their beauty to adorn the face of our City, as the Stars do a most glorious and clear night, are all withered and besmeared, and nothing but horror and astonishment in their countenances. For, extreme famine hath dried up their flesh, cold hath bereaved them their ruddy and smooth checks, sorrow and grief hath wrinkeled their faces, and the flower of their chastity by the soldier insolently defaced, hath covered all their faces with shame and dishonour. And these are now no more, but even so many dead, living. For, they live altogether in sorrow and grief. Neither is there any thing that encourageth them more to live; then the same dolour, which killeth them with very heaviness, and awakeneth them out of their bitterness.  Herald 
A dolour truly, too too bitter, and in very deed more bitter than soot, to see themselves carried in triumph by their greatest enemies, to see them brave by our spoils, rich, by our great poverty, and mighty by our overthrow. Thou hast, o Lord, poured out thy heavy wrath upon us, and madest us feel how heavy thy revengeful hand is. Thou hast, I believe; gathered together all our faults into a bundle once for all, because that when thou sawest them to be so infinite, and worthy the like pain and punishment, thou awakenedst thyself, and hast discharged the arrows of thy severe justice against us. But, o Lord, oughtest not thou to stay the course of our punishment in our own persons, and consume all thy torments upon us? but must we also be tormented in the persons of our children, and for the making of our misery the greater, to cause us also to see theirs? For, we were spoiled of our goods, put out of our houses, and led away captive. We thought that there was nothing, as it were, to be feared more than death, and yet now we fear it not, for, it is sweet to those that are in misery. But our speedy and quick calamity, to our great pain and grief, hath now overtaken us with new miseries. For, we have seen go before us whole bands of our children fettered, and carried captive into Babylon, there to serve our enemies as bondslaves.  Vau. 
Even so hath Zion lost the flower of her youth, and all the honour of her City is clean gone: She hath been miserably torn all to rags, and there is no whole thing left in her, but sorrow & grief. For, the greatest and richest of her inhabitants were carried away by troops, and led into strange Provinces, as flocks of sheep are driven by days journeys from market to market, without giving them any leave to feed as they go. They go with their heads and their eyes looking down to the ground, sighing most piteously. And the conqueror followeth them scourging them with rods, and they which dwell by the high ways sides, as they pass, laugh at their affliction, and most injuriously cry out upon them.  Zain. 
And as a fresh wound openeth again the old ones, even so were their hearts thoroughly pierced, whereby they remembered their old sins, and the punishment which their fathers suffered, because they had forsaken the true service of God, and given themselves over unto their foolish passions. They called also to mind, how often they were fallen into their enemy's ●ands when as God had left them. O, ●hou too too over late remembrance, ●hou shouldest have come a great deal sooner, to have turned them from their wicked and abominable ●ayes, and if they would not have done it for God's sake, yet they should ●aue done it at least for fear of his fury which they had so often felt. O late repentance, which cometh after punishment suffered. They were very purblind that could not foresee this great train of miseries which followed their offences. But alas, o blind sin, thou dost thus blear the eyes of thy friends, and wilt not put them in mind of their repentance but ●hen it is all past time. For, jerusalem hath turned her back upon God, and followed her own concupiscences, she hath made her a God of her own pleasure, and worshipped her own delights. She never once turned her eyes towards heaven, until such time as she saw her magnificence clean under foot, the whole world laughing at her shame, making a scorn of her Sabbaths, and translating and altering of her sacrifices, wherein she had so great confidence, which could in very dee● serve her to no purpose, because they were done with such polluted hands.  Heth. 
For, to say truly, jerusalem wa● nothing else but a sink of sin and filthiness: for, from the highest unto the lowest, they were all most abominable: for, she began to forget her God that was so favourable unto her, and thereupon, as one that was blind; she stumbled & fell into all manner of wickedness. And after that she had groped about here and there at all adventures, she fell into this strange calamity: and then, as many as heretofore were wont to reverence & honour her, began forthwith to disdain and look sourly upon her. For, her shame lay open unto the eyes of all the world, & was se● before every man as a laughing stock, some ask her, what was become of all her wealth, some, what was become of all her honour, and there was never an honest woman's child, which had not a gird at her. In so much that she could do nothing else but weep, and being all ashamed and comfortless, she was driven to go hide herself.  Thet. 
And when she saw herself alone, and in what estate she stood, she found herself from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, to be most filthy, and her garments to be most beastly be●rayed, with blood and mire. And as the Peacock, when he hath spread abroad his tail, in looking at his feet, letteth it fall down again, abating thereby his pride, even so hath she plucked down her heart, sorrowed within herself, and cared no whit for death, by reason that all things misliked her, but chief and above all, her poor and miserable life. She was given to be altogether sad, without having any body to comfort her. For, her friends had forsaken her, or if they were near about her, it was to none other end but to afflict her. Wherefore, when as she found no help here upon earth, she lamentably lifted to her head unto heaven, & with deep fights from the bottom of her heart, addressed herself unto God, and said: O Lord, hast thou not compassion upon me, in this my great affliction? Seest thou not mine extreme misetie? Surely, there is none can save me so well as thyself. Come therefore if thou be the God of mercy, and forsake not thine humble and old servant: for, mine enemy setteth his foot upon my throat, and causeth me most shamefully to belch. Come therefore, o Lord: for, my continual injury is thy shame, and the outrage that is done unto a servant, redoundeth to the master. And therefore, come o Lord, for, mine enemy outrageth me beyond all measure, and without all pity.  jod. 
He hath laid his bloody hand upon that which I accounted most dear, and spared no whit of that, which I made reckoning off to be most holy. Thou hast seen him enter into thy Sanctuary, and into that place which ought to have received none but sanctified persons: no, none but pure and clean souls, and such as are worthy to be partakers of the beholding of thy divine majesty, hath seen received and touched, even pollution and impiety itself, and seen his sacrilegious hands steal away the ornaments of thy Temple, destroyed the habitation of thy deity, and the abiding place of thy grace, as if thy laws, and prohibitions forbidding them not to abide and tarry in that place, no nor once to enter thereinto, had been but as it were a very song. Where wert thou then, o Lord, and although thou carest not for the injuries which we have received, why art thou not yet revenged of the wrongs done unto thyself?  Caph. 
Thou hast been, o Lord, very angry against poor jerusalem, and hast said, that thou hadst no will to come to help it, by reason of the great and manifold offences thereof. It is now time, o Lord, or else never, for all her miserable inhabitants go shamefully a begging for their living, and have given what so ever good thing they have, for a mouth full of bread, and bought full dearly the water which they have drunk. Forsake not, o Lord, this our earnest prayer, and turn a little thine eyes of mercy upon us, for, if our pride hath heretofore estranged us from thee, our humility shall now reconcile us unto thee. There can be now nothing, o Lord, to be seen so humble, vile, and abject as we are, nor there is nothing that hath more need of thee then we have, neither can there be any thing found to be more pitiful than thyself.  Lamed. 
Tell me, I beseech ye, you that pass by and see my ruins, and do consider the remain of my greatness, and then tell me if there be any thing in the whole world so miserable as it is, and that ever sithence you have had eyes, that ever you saw any dolour like unto mine? Tell me I pray you if ever ye were able to keep your eyes from shedding of tears, whensoever ye beheld my desolation? I speak unto you, I say, which have heretofore seen this City so wonderfully furnished with wealth & riches, her greatness & magnificence, & do now behold her monstrous spoil, do ye not think that you see a vineyard laid wide open, where into all sorts of beasts are entered, who have not only spoiled the vintage of the grape, but have also broken down the hedges, & plucked in sunder the very arms of the vines. And this ye see is the pleasure of God, he is justly angry with me, & hath determined to visit me in his fury.  Mem. 
His vengeance is come down from heaven like lightning, it is come to thunder and lighten upon me, and is entered into the very marrow of my bones, nothing can be seen to be done more suddenly, more earnestly, or more powerfully. For, in a moment it is come, overthrown all in a moment, and all in a minute shaken into fitters & pieces. For, my Temples and my Castles which reached unto the clouds, lie now even with the ground. Our Cities are like unto plain heaths, whereon you may drive Carts. God hath made me right well know, to my cost, his power and might. He hath made me hear an horrible lesson. We thought by our wisdoms to have been able to withstand the blow of his justice, howbeit, there is neither wisdom nor council against God. We have been entrapped on every side. For when we thought to come out, and to be in safety, we were fast entangled in his nets, and the more haste we made to get out, the faster were we masshed, & in the end were cast down headlong into that punishment which he had prepared for us: like unto the mariner, who thinking to escape a shelf or flat, falleth into a gulf which swalloweth him up. For, our misery, is in deed a very gulf, where our sight is taken away, and we brought back into an inaccessible wilderness, where there is none to comfort us, in so much as that our eyes, never giving over weeping, are able enough to drown us in our own tears.  Nun. 
I never o Lord, looked to escape it, for thou hast too too long had an eye unto my sins, and hast determined of the punishment which I should suffer, it is over long ago since thou didst couple my sins together, and holdest them fast linked within the hand of thy justice. In the end, I found myself all at once oppressed, and felt my sins as an hard and insupportable yoke, tie me fast to be tormented. I yielded my neck unto the punishment, as an ox unto the yoke, under the hand of an unmerciful master. My misery gave me no rest nor intermission so long as there was any strength in me. I might have said that I was with my last master, and that God had put me into the hands of an enemy, of whom I could never have been rid, but by departing out of this life.  Samech. 
What relief or comfort, o Lord, may I have in my miseries? In what place may I lodge the rest of my hope? Thou hast utterly extirped and rooted out the race of I ehuda, the very stalk of Kings & Prophets. And as if by laying open mine entrails, thou mightest pluck out mine heart, even so hast thou taken from me my brave and valiant children, by rooting out some, and sending captive othersome. Thou hast chosen out a very good time for thyself, to ruin and sack me, and to give me for a pray unto my greatest enemies, and thou hast taken a very good order in all things for the overthrowing of that which I hold most dear, which I have made chief choice of, to love, and wherein I have settled all mine whole affection. But alas, with what cruelty, if I may dare say so, hath jerusalem seen all her streets paved with the torn members of the bodies of her poor children. They have been laid upon the rack, their bones have been broken in pieces, and their blood hath run down the channels like streams. There might you see the poor Virgins utterly discomforted, there is no more maidenly shamefastness left to colour their faces withal, that is to say, no more of their father's blood to leap up into their visages, to mix with their tears.  Ain. 
Alas, what is there left for me to do in such a strange an affliction as this, but incessantly to weep? And therefore I will weep, and weep my fill. I will convert mine eyes into fountains, and fill mine heart with sorrow and grief. Ha, is it not possible, to kill myself with weeping? Ha, when shall I sigh so much, as that I may sigh my soul out of my body? For, seeing I have none other consolation, and that God alone who is able to ease my misery, is far away from me, I can hope of none other end unto my dolour, but to suffer it consume itself, to the end that as the flaming fire when it burneth brightest, soon consumeth the matter which it taketh hold on, even so the more my dolour increaseth, the sooner it may make an end of the matter wherein it remaineth. And what other thing should I look to be? For, I have lost my children, mine enemy hath gotten them into his clutches, made himself master both of me and of my goods, should I then desire to live, to behold any longer a more continual misery?  Phe. 
Poor miserable distressed Zion, hath cast open her arms, and lifted up her hands unto heaven, but hath not as yet found either in heaven or in earth any aid or comfort. All the world hath run to hear her cry, but none otherwise then as flies do swarm about a sore, to suck and sting it. Every one of her very near neighbours have encompassed her, to fleece her, and to divide her spoils, and all her ancient friends have forsaken her, and fled from her, as men would fly from a loathsome diseased woman.  Sade. 
I feel, o Lord, much misery, mine heart is ready to burst with very sorrow and anger, in so much as that I am enforced to confess that my misery is nothing else but thy justice, and that my sinful hands have wrought me all my torment. I have provoked thine anger against me, & forced thy goodness by mine obstinate wickedness, to take the rods into thine own hand, to make me feel, that thou art just, to let me understand, that thou knowest my life, to make me learn, that there is nothing hid from thee, that thou apparently seest, what is in mine heart, and that my most secret thoughts, are visible unto thy providence. I thought once to have hidden my sin, and therefore I must needs now confess the punishment, and that the very strength of my sorrow, draweth out the truth from my mouth. But alas, seeing my misery is such, and that all my comfort resteth in complaining, hear ye at the least, o my neighbour people, my doleful & sorrowful voice, and behold a little my misery, and mark if ever ye saw any grief comparable unto mine. And seeing ye will not set to your hands to aid me, lend me yet your eyes at the least, to have compassion on me: and if ye be not altogether stony hearted, weep with me, to see my poor daughters thus led captive into a strange country.  Coph. 
What thing is more weak, deceitful, and uncertain, than the force of men, and especially when God is against us. I have besought the aid of all my friends, and have looked to have had all Egypt to come to help me, because that for to hold friendship with her, I set myself against the Babylonians. But alas, I remain alone, and am left unto this cruel Chaldean race, and therefore, all that I am now able to do, is, to detest the false faith of my false and traitorous friends, and having understood that the succours which they promised me were to none other end but to undo me, and to be partakers of my spoils, even to conjure heaven and earth to be avenged of their villainies. And yet for all this, I feel my misery no whit lessened, neither have I found for all this, any whit the more succour, that my Priests and sacrificers promised me, nor seen any of those hopes wherewith they filled me, nor yet any of the vain promises, wherewith they puffed up mine heart, it seemed to them, that they could have overthrown mine enemies with bare words. They were all astonied when as they had felt the danger, and had in the end seen the common misery of the whole City light upon their own heads. They died of extreme famine, their phylacteries or Rochets, ne yet their long, side, and wide vestments, were able to save them, one might have seen hunger bring them to their end, and with a dying voice craving a mouth full of bread to relieve their wretched bodies, could find none to give it them.  Rhesch. 
In so much, that when I had turned myself on every side, and found no help any where, I was enforced my GOD, and my Lord, to run to thee, and in bowing my knees, and lifting up my hands, to cry out all to be blubbered with tears, saying: O Lord, if thou be a God of mercy, behold me now, for, I am so afflicted, as that my very enemies themselves have compassion on me. I am from the crown of the head unto the sole of the foot full of sorrow, and there is no part of me that is not grievously touched. Me thinketh my bowels to be plucked in pieces within me, and am of the opinion, that mine heart will rive in sunder. My mouth is as bitter as soot or gall, and I am eftsoons nothing else but bitterness itself. For, all my words ' thoughts, & deeds, are bitter, & which way so ever I turn me, I see nothing but horror and trembling: for without, the sword cutteth down whatsoever standeth before it, & the iron pardoneth nothing. My land is not known, it is so thick sown with dead bodies, and within, the estate and condition is not much more pleasant: for I see there my children afflicted with famine, and die most pitifully, I behold them lying ghastly and thinly with goggle eyes, and wide open gaping mouths, breathing out the last gasps of death.  Sin. 
O what a fatal & horrible spectacle is this, and yet men have no compassion on them! They have seen me in this estate, and yet could there not be found one that had a fellow feeling of my misery, or that ever gave me any comfortable word to mitigate my grief. And as for mine enemies, the extremity of my misery made them no more to melt▪ then if they had had stony hearts in their bodies, and frozen blood in their veins. For, all their talk was, Mark how God hath ●…astized, and dressed her, and beate● down her pride. But thou knowest not o thou tygerlike & inhuman race, how God keepeth thee. Thou thyself rejoicest at my misery, and I will comfort myself by thine. For thou wilt show unto them, o Lord God, that thou art just all the world over, and that with thee, there is no acceptation of persons, that every man hath his turn through thine hands, and that the longer thou deferrest thy vengeance, the more grievous and terrible it is when it cometh, recompensing the forbearing thereof, with rigour and severity.  Tau. 
Enter therefore, o Lord, into judgement with mine enemies, lay open a little their doings, show unto them their lives, and after that thou hast caused them to know, that their consciences are full of blasphemy & pollution, and hast taken from them the curtain of hypocrisy which so mightily overshadowed their robberies and thefts, be revenged a little of their turns, lay them upon the rack, that they may, be hard a little to cry under the press of tribulations, to the end they may understand, that seeing that I have suffered for my sins, that the rigour of my punishment is but as it were a summons and denunciation of theirs, and that my tears and groans, have put out thy heavy wrath, which I kindled and lighted against myself, and that they have lighted again the same, against those which rejoiced and laughed at my misery.   

CHAPTER II.  Aleph. 
MArke and behold here a strange and lamentable alteration of things. For, Zion, the dearly beloved daughter of God, who held up her head above all the Cities of the world, as a Cypress tree doth, above all the bushes in the wood, who carried in her forehead an honourable and magnifical majesty, and shining most gloriously, is now brought down to the ground, and so disfigured, obscured, besmeared, and blemished, as that no man will ever know her, and this, o Lord, is come to pass by reason of thine ireful blows which thou hast laid upon her, who, as thou hast with an infinite power created all things in perfection, destroyest also with a most infinite power all things in the heat of thy just anger. Thou hast lifted up even unto heaven thy dearly beloved Zion, and afterward threwest her down roundly from heaven to earth, because she contemned thy amity and friendship. Her mightiness served her for none other purpose, but to make her fall the greater, and the noise thereof the more terrible. For, as thou art extreme in loving, so also art thou as extreme in punishing: and when through long impenitency, the people enforce thee to put to thy revenging hand, then is thine anger like thunder and lightning, which spareth nothing that it meeteth withal. Now, it is a strange thing to see how God hath dealt with Zion in his fury, to see how he hath been avenged of his very Temple, to see how he hath destroyed & shaken to fitters the place of the world which best liked him, & whereupon a man might say, he rested his feet, making his deity to be seen and known in that place, as much as possible might.  Beth. 
And what hath he pardoned? Hath any thing escaped his hands untouched? Look upon all the houses of jacob, and upon what so ever exquisite thing that is in judah, and ●ell me if there be any whit of any of all these things standing? Tell me I beseech thee, if there be so much as a corner of any of all those so brave and proud fortresses remaining? Is it possible for all Palestine to be noted for one, whose feasts are not brought down also as low as the foundations? Hath the King's Throne been polluted & overthrown? Have the Princes and noble men of the country been beaten with cudgels, and dressed like poor and miserable slaves? Surely, they were the very Butts of the injuries.  Gimel. 
To be short, since the time that God began to be avenged of us, he hath not left either great or mighty in our land, whom he hath not shaken & shivered. For, what so ever was eminent & high, hath met with the finger of his wrath. He hath brought upon our heads great armies of enemies, assembled strange nations, and brought them home even unto our faces, and left us unto their furious cruelty. We have called and cried upon him, and conjured him to aid his people, but he hath beheld us with a threatfull and disdainful eye, and turned his back upon us, without giving us answer. And incontinently, he lightened a fire of dissension in the midst of our province, which winning from place to place, and compassing all the whole country, hath burnt down even to the very least hovel or shed, and devoured all the whole nation.  Daleth. 
It is the Lords hand which hath done this, It is he that is our principal enemy, and he that hath fought against us. We have seen his bow bend against us, & his arm stretched over our heads. And with this blow, have all our Citizens been cast to the ground. With this blow, have our most proud palaces fallen to pieces. Believe me, it is with his own hand that he hath spread upon our land the fire of his indignation, which hath thus miserably consumed us. Unto him alone must we impute our ruin. For, all the forces of men were never able to bring this matter thus about, and to pass.  Herald 
Nay, he hath of set purpose put to his hand, hath denounced war unto Israel, and meaneth to prove his forces against him. O, what an hard and dangerous trial is this! He hath cast down headlong from the highest, unto the lowest, the most pompous and great feast, even unto the bottomless depths of poverty & misery, he hath shaken with thunder and lightning all ●er fortresses, and dismanteled all her Castles. He hath humbled, and that with great shame, both men and women, and changed their pomp & magnificence into mourning and groaning.  Vau. 
But wilt thou know how we have been handled? Imagine then with thyself that thou seest a flock of Goats in a fair Garden set full of young graffs and imps, bordered and knotted with beautiful flowers, and sown with most excellent seeds of most dainty herbs, and in a moment they are all ravened, browsed on, bitten to the stumps, and rooted clean up. Or else, imagine thou seest before thee a small hovel or shed as we call it, built up with dirt and spittle, and Thatched with straw, and as soon as any storm ariseth, it carrieth away with it an handful of it this way, and another handful that way: and the place where it stood, is that, where the least part of the substance thereof remained. Even so hath Zion been dealt withal, for, of all the great Temples, and brave buildings thereof, can hardly be found the place whereon they stood, that a man might say, Here they were once. For now, there is no more speech of them, then if they had never been. The feasts and Sabbaths, which were there celebrated with so great ceremony and reverence, are utterly abolished. Yea, both Kings and Bishops were touched with the finger of God, as well as the rest.  Zain. 
It was a strange thing to see God grow to be thus angry, that he abhorred his Altars, had his sacrifices in abomination, to curse that which he himself had once sanctified, to leave his holy Temple, his very dear and precious Sanctuary, in the impure and polluted hands of infidels. To lodge this unclean nation, within this brave, magnifical, and religious accent or Tenor as it were, within the tents of a Camp. To hear the crying and howling of their barbarous voices in that place where his service was wont to be solemnly celebrated, and Hymns song unto his glory.  Het. 
It may be very well said, that God thought long before to destroy this City, to see how all things met so jump, for serving to the overthrow thereof all at once. Thou mightest say that he had taken measure and order of and for all things for it, to the end they might join together in this beholfe. In so much as there was nothing wanting, as if it had been fatal, & that whatsoever we had been able to have done, could no way have turned the hand of God from us, neither yet defer our misery: for, all felt it, yea, fore felt it, & we also saw before the coming of our mishap the very walls of our City as it were weep, and all the face of the City fall away and look sadly, and bear on her forehead a cloudy and dark wilderness: for, after she had once received a strange shock, she was straightways overturned, and there was not left one stone upon another.  Thet. 
O ye brave & honourable Gates of Zion, ye have been cast down wide open, your hooks and hengils pulled out, your locks broken up, and your iron bars beaten in pieces, and in very deed there was not a gate left, for the City lay wide open in every place, and men might go in and out at the breaches where they pleased. But for thy last unhappy farewell, before thou wert razed, thou sawest thy Princes and worshipful Citizens pass over thy thresholds led captives into a strange land. Thou sawest thy law abolished, yea even that law which the Lord thy God had given thee as a guage and earnest penny of his covenant: so as thou mightest have judged, that thou hadst lost his friendship, when as he took from thee these his pawns. And beside, he never revealed himself unto thee, for his spirit was never in thy Prophets, they that came from him, had no more visions, by which, he made them understand his will, he hath left us without both counsel, and conduct, like strayed sheep that go bleating over the fields, without Shepherd or guide.  jod. 
And therefore the poor grey haired old men which could no way escape, finding no more help in their God, and seeing him deaf unto their prayers, being altogether out of heart, laid themselves down on the ground, and leaning upon their elbows, pitifully lamented their misery, and taking ashes in their hands, cast them ●pon their heads, praying from the bottom of their hearts, that their poor and miserable bodies might eftsoons be there changed. They also were so trussed up in sackcloth, as that there could be nothing seen of them but their feet, & the place of their grave. They carried also their hairs on their backs, that they might be either familiarly acquainted with the custom of their misery, or else make them not to feel it all. And after this manner bewailed they their calamity. The poor and delicate maidens, and desolate fatherless children followed them, casting down their eyes, bedewing their checks, & holding down their heads, even as the Lily doth when it is sore beaten with rain and wind.  Caph. 
And in very truth, when I saw this so lamentable a Tragedy, mine eyes melted into tears, and I had almost lost my sight as it were with extreme weeping, and mine heart heaved up my body, as if one had rend my bowel rout of my belly, when as I saw, I say, the poor children of Zion in this pitiful estate, when I saw them lament so bitterly, when I saw the greatest of them fall into swoons with very sorrow and grief, and the sucking children forsaken of their mothers, pine away most miserably.  Lamed. 
Some crying unto their mothers for the teat, and others calling upon them for bread. But they had neither milk nor bread to give them, and this was the greatest comfort that the poor mothers had, even to go as far as they could from their poor children, and turn away their faces from them, until such time as the famine had consumed them, and they themselves lay shrieking out in other places, dying of very faintness, as if they had been wounded to death. And some of them were of that stomach, as that they could abide to see their children die between their arms, and by little and little prolong their own poor life, dying soon after with very sorrow and grief. O, what wounds felt these poor hearts! and how deep did these blows pierce! verily even into the place of motherly pity, which is even the very bottom of the heart. And it is no marvel that they died so suddenly, when as they were at once so piersed throughout all the vital parts, yea, to the very wounding of the soul, and the casting of it perforce out of the body.  Mem. 
O poor and miserable jerusalem, how shall I depaint and set forth this thy so great misery? what terms shall I devise, lively to express so strange and sudden a calamity? Whereunto shall I compare the greatness of thine affliction? The earth is not able to comprehend it, and therefore the sea must: for, it is as large and infinite as the sea is, a tormentrous field like to the sea, a bottomless gulf, and a receptacle for great & hideous monsters, as the sea is: one mischief driveth on another, as the waus of the sea do. But alas, the sea hath sometimes calm winds, and thou o Zion, hast in thine affliction, nothing but storms and tempests, the sea hath ports and havens to come into, and thou billowest continually in travel and pain. O poor jerusalem, who shall then be able to save thee, seeing thy misery is greater than either heaven, or earth, from whence then shalt thou find remedy?  Nun. 
Shall thy Prophets do it, which have so long troubled thine head, which have delivered unto thee their dreams and old wives tales, and entertained thee with vanities and leasings, whereas they should have boldly told thee of thy sins, and so thereby have called thee back unto repentance? But they imagined and thought upon Antics, and being sotted, and in love with their own shadows & presumptuous opinions, undid themselves in all their discourses and enterprises.  Samech. 
Behold in what a case thou now standest, o poor & desolate Zion, for thou receivest herein, both loss and shame together: for now, all they that go by, clap their hands, and shake their heads at thee, saying, Is this that so brave and honourable City, that was so full of all magnificence, and more full of all delights and pleasures, than 〈◊〉 the Cities of the earth beside?  Phe. 
There is not one that passeth 〈◊〉 thee, which hath not a cast at thee 〈◊〉 bite and sting thee: and who will 〈◊〉, after their groining manner, thus say, we will now have it, we will devour 〈◊〉, and nothing shall keep us from it, this is the day which we have so long ●oked for, and now is the hour which ●e have daily hoped after.  Ain. 
Behold jerusalem, the reason why God preserved thee so long, is, because thou wert worthy of it. Thou thoughtest, that his threats had been ●ayne and frivolous, and now thou ●eest ●hether he be a liar or not, and whether he be able to perform that which he promiseth yea or no. For, he foretold thee, that if thou obeyedst not his law, that he would destroy thee, & make thee an heap of stones, ●nd see now if he hath missed it. Yea, he hath ruined thee without remission, and made thee a scorn unto thine enemy's, and given them all power and ●…thoritie over thee.  Sade. 
But God in the end began to wax weary of their insolency, because they carried themselves too too proudly of their conquest, for after they had trodden under feet the greatness of jerusalem, they meant again to deal with his majesty, and blaspheme his name, and having overthrown the walls of this holy City, they bragged that they would make war against God himself, and triumph over the spoils of his Temple. Let their example, o jerusalem, serve thy turn, and take occasion to appease God by thy repentance, that he may turn the punishment which he hath prepared for thee, upon thine enemies. Let thine eyes forthwith burst into bloody tears, and weep continually day and night, give no rest to thy sighs, let thy pitiful eyes speak for thee, and looking up still unto heaven, attend thou thine aid from thence. Conjure by thine humble looks, this divine mercy, that it may ease thy weakness, and convert his justice, unto the chastising of the insolency of thine enemies.  Coph. 
Lift up, lift up, I say, both thy body and soul all at once, and before it be day, so soon as thou shalt awake, put thyself in a readiness to pray into God, to praise and thank him for that he, by the torments which he hath caused us to abide, hath brought thee back into the right way, as men do oxen with the goad, unto the knowledge of his name, and the acknowledging of thine iniquities. And before his face, that is to say, when thou hast obtained favour at his hand to look upon thee, and seest him to have compassion on thee, distill thine heart through thine eyes, and melt it all into tears, by thine earnest repentance, even as the Sun would melt the snow newly fallen, into water. But if so that thy tears will not touch him, and bring him to have compassion of thy misery, lift up thy hands yet at the least unto him, and beseech him to be contented with thy miseries, and not extend them unto thy poor innocent children, who are there dispersed, dying of hunger and weakness, in corners, saying unto him,  Resch. 
O Lord, if thou have any eyes, behold this pitiful spectacle, and if thou have any ears, hearken unto out prayers, and consider how great our misery is. Behold how thou hast been avenged of us, and see what a spoil thou hast made of us. And in very deed, I must needs confess that we have deserved it, and I do protest, that we are unworthy of thy mercy, and do also vow, that we ourselves are the causes of our own misery. But what have these poor and wailing children done, whom thou seest screaking out themselves, faintly drawing their breath? Why should the child, whom hunger & torment had drawn out, before the time of the mother's womb was ready to deliver it, which is not as it were so great as a man's hand, be rend in pieces by her, which should bring it forth, and so be eaten by her, and the same to go down by piece-meal into the body, out of which it came whole and sound? Surely happy, and twice happy, are the Tigers and lions whelps in comparison of these, whose dams will adventure their own lives against whatsoever violence shall be offered their young ones, rather than they would suffer them to take any hurt at all. O Lord, how canst thou abide this horrible dealing? Is it possible that thou, which are altogether good & gracious, wouldst abide such great impiety to be wrought? that thou, which art so wise, wouldst allow of such a cruel act? and that thou, which art Almighty, wouldst suffer such a strange outrage? Show thyself o Lord, show thyself as thou art: and although for a time thou art determined to exercise thy severity and justice, yet think upon this also, that thy mercy must reign & have her course, Content thyself that so much blood is spilled, for the appeasing of thine heavy wrath. Thou hast not been pleased with the blood of our sheep and oxen alone, but wilt needs also have thine Altars covered with the blood of thine own Priests, for they have sacrificed their own lives, and thy Prophets likewise have been offered up in oblation, and yet thou art no whit appeased.  Syn. 
What more wouldst thou have at our hands? Thou hast scene abroad in the fields, the grey haired and decrepit old men and women lie upon the ground, crying out, groaning, and ●eeping: thou hast seen lying with 〈◊〉 our walls the slaughter of our youths: our streets strawed all over with legs and arms: our rivers running over with blood, and neither sex or yet age spared. Thou hast seen amongst the dead, the young and tender maidens with their hairs sheveled about their heads, having their breasts lying open with great wounds, out of which gushed streams of blood, and thou hast seen them lying on their backs with their eyes up unto heaven, beseeching thine aid. And thou, o Lord, hast notwithstanding all this, turned away thine eyes from them, and as if thou hadst been a God not to be entreated, hast without either pity or mercy, run through them all with the sword of thy fury.  Tau. 
Thou hast invited all my neighbour nations round about me to come to my discomfiture, as it were unto a marriage, and to take part of my spoils. Thou hast brought them in such great multitudes, to take possession of me, and to compass me, as that I can not devise which way to escape them. Thou thyself hast sounded to the assault, & animated them to my destruction, and stopped up the passages, for fear that any of us should be saved. And truly, thy will hath been done upon all the children which I have brought up, nay there is not one of them saved, mine enemies have made a shambles of them, they have murdered and massacred them till they cried hoe withal: and lo, seest thou them weary with killing, & yet carest thou not to see them do it, to let them to do it, and to cause them do it? Hath the remembrance of our sins made thee forget the remembrance of thy clemency? Hast thou created us in thy mercy, to destroy us in thy fury? Be thou then no more Almighty, if thou wilt not become both all courteous, & all kind. To be short, be thou no more God, without thou wilt be likewise pitiful. Ha o Lord, why hast thou called us thy people, if thou wilt be no more our protector? Why hast thou called us thy children, if thou wilt not deal with us as a father? Have therefore, o Lord, compassion upon us, and seeing thy mercy, is infinite, ever since before the world was, cause that thine ire, which was never until our sins were, may take end and die with them; and that as our repentance hath set us again into the especial way of obedience & godliness, so also it may bring us again into thy favour.   

CHAPTER III.  Aleph. 
IT is I, even I myself, that hath so many times foreseen and foretold of the afflictions that should light upon poor jerusalem. It is even I, that so often have announced her misery, and stirred her up therewith, unto repentance: but as my spirit of prophesy hath done her no good in her obstinacy, no more hath it also done me. For, I myself am overtaken with the common destruction as well as the rest. For, when the wrath of the living God cometh upon a people, it ordinarily cutteth down the corn with the tars and darnel, and bindeth up, as it were in one sheaf, both the good and the bad. For he hath suffered me, sith it is so his pleasure, to be led into a dark place of abode, and hath bereaved me both of day and light. I was confined and limited into a fearful and dark prison, where I saw neither sun nor moon. I may very well say, that he hath borne an hard hand upon me, and that his grace was turned into an implacable indignation, which had neither ease nor end.  Bet. 
He made me wax old before my time, my skin wrinkled with sorrow and grief, my flesh fell away, and my bones pained me, as if they had been broken in pieces. Now the long continuance in prison, made me thus feeble, for I saw myself closed up as I had been walled in round about, giving me nothing but gall to feed on, and torment to exercise myself withal. But understandest thou where they shut me up? verily even in more obscure and dark places, than those wherein the damned souls are.  Gimel. 
What? Must I have such wide walls to keep me in? and must I have such bolts and shackles at my heels, for fear of running away? But alas, God was not pleased only thus to confine and limit me in such an hideous prison, but after that the gates and windows were shut, he also closed up his cares when I called upon him. In so much, as that my soul was captived as well as my body, and was deprived of that sweet comfort which she was wont to have with God her comforter. And this in very deed was the thing that astonied me, when as I saw all my hope cut off at once. For, all my hope and trust was in God, for when I had lost his favour, I then right well felt that I was in very deed a prisoner, and that I had utterly lost all my directions, and that I was shut up within a wall, far stronger than any stone or brazen wall, for all the prisons in the world are nothing so cruel unto a man, as to be without the grace and favour of God.  Daleth. 
For, he that should meet with an hungry Bear in the midst of a wilderness, could nor be in greater danger than myself: nor he that should meet a roaring Lion hunting after his prey, could not be more afraid than I. For, I saw myself utterly undone, not knowing what way to take. For, the wrath of God cut off the way from me in every place, it went out more speedily than any Lion, and laid on far more stoutly than any Bear, and then what resistance was I able to make? and what else remained for me, but utterly to despair▪ Thou wouldst verily and properly have said, that God had bound and set me up as a Butt, for him to shoot all the arrows of his fury at me.  Herald 
He drew out of the Treasure of his wrath, as out of▪ a well furnished Quiver, his arrows of affliction and torment, wherewith he shot me through and through, broke in sunder my loins, even as a man would break a dogs back with a great leaver▪ O poor miserable broken backed wretch that I am, I am pulled & strained ioyn● by joint, and am left a laughing stock unto the whole world. They made songs of me, which they song every day in the open streets. God gave me most bitter drink, and made me very drunk with wormwood wine.  Vau. 
Alas, what a kind of entertainment call ye this? he made me eat bread that was half flinty, and my poor teeth were broken with these dainty morsels. And me thought I was very well, when as my bread was half ●noden with ashes, and in the end I grew very impatient, for my soul could neither abide the present misery wherein I was, nor yet hope for any better hereafter to come, and so descried she herself: so that, the aid which I looked for at God's hand was lost in very deed, all my hope was cut off that side, I must no more make account of his grace, for he hath brought me, sith it so liketh him, unto the end both of my miseries, and also of my days.  Zain. 
Nevertheless, I straightway took myself with the manner, & said. Our alas poor jeremiah, canst thou tell what thou dost? Is this all the benefit which thou hast reaped by thine afflictions? have not thy tears, and bitterness of thy sorrow, otherwise mollified thine heart? canst thou benefit thyself no whit by the remembrance of thy miseries past, that thou mightest be humbled, so as thy humility might entreat the justice of God, and conjure his goodness? In the end, I came to this, and in revolving all these discourses in my brain, I began to raise up again mine hope, which the greatness of my sin had utterly benumbed.  Het. 
And thus I said within myself, the Lord hath yet showed me great favour and grace, in that he hath not utterly cast me off, but hath given me my voice to call upon him for mercy. For, a man shall at last, find always pity and compassion in him, if so be he will patiently attend his good pleasure and leisure. The Sun neither riseth nor falleth, but it seethe his mercy. His goodness spreadeth itself over all the earth, neither is there any corner thereof which beareth not his mark. And furthermore, I say, that the Sun shineth not but to be seen, and to cause to see. O Lord our God, how great is thy goodness, how assured is thine aid, how certain is thy word, and how infallible, thy promise? As for myself, I will trust in none but in thee, and if so be I may have thy grace and favour for my portion, I care for none of the rest. My soul is fully resolved hereof, and do feel it say unto my conscience, that she putteth all her trust in thee, and layeth up her salvation in thy hands.  Thet. 
How can she do better? For, God never halted with them which put their trust in him, for at one time or another, either early or late he hath showed them, that his goodness is infallible, and that the heart which seeketh it, findeth it far or near, and that the soul which desireth it, obtaineth it either soon or late. We must therefore wait for it patiently, and not murmur if God come not unto us at the first call, let us hold our peace, and let him do it, and he will in the end do that which she shall see to be most for his glory, & most necessary, for our salvation. For, great things are not brought to pass, nor made perfect but with patience and long suffering. And let us not despair, if so be things fall not out as we would wish at the first chop. For, he doth nothing but for our good, for, as he is Almighty, so is he also only good, and as he is only good, so i● he also only wise: and that, which we think many times to be most against us, is most profitable for us, and the wholesomest medicines, are commonly most bitter. Believe me, it is a good thing for a man a little to be are the yoke in his youth, that is to say; to have afflictions which may somewhat bow and bend his neck, and abate his pride.  jod. 
Let a wise man therefore which seethe himself fallen into any great calamine, be quiet and say nothing, but patiently bear his yoke, and the more that his misery increaseth, let him be the more courageous, and yet nevertheless, let him lift up his eyes unto heaven, and cry God mercy, and imagine thus with himself, that it can not be but that he hath done amiss, seeing that the hand of God doth so visit him. Let him prostrate himself upon the ground, and cloth himself with sack, and cast ashes on his head, to see if he can any way appease the wrath of God, and although he hath no hope thereof, yet let him quiet himself, and let him patiently bear the injuries that are done him, offer his cheek to him that will strike him, and satisfy himself as well with reproach, as another man would fill himself with bread.  Coph. 
And why so? forsooth because he right well knoweth, that God will in the end appease his wrath, and that after that men shall have driven him to the ground, that God will take him up in his lap, and although he let him alone for once, yet will he in the end have compassion upon him, according to the greatness and multitude of his mercies. For, God taketh no pleasure in seeing men afflicted, and it is much against his heart to torment them, yea even when his justice enforceth and straineth him thereto. And he doth it for the benefit of men, because he feareth that, his overgreat indulgence, will cast them down so headlong into sin, as that they shall never be able to recover themselves any more. For, he correcteth them as a good father doth, who in chastising his son, weary with grief that he driveth him thereunto, not meaning thereby to do him any hurt, but rather good.  Lamed. 
It is not, believe me, the purpose of God, to tread men under his feet, and to triumph over them in their afflictions, much less to hold them fast bound and posternd as the trophies of his power. Neither is it his meaning to throw them into misery & poverty, and there to leave them, for he knoweth best what they have need of, and judgeth aright what is most profitable for them. He is nothing like unto those wicked judges, which take pleasure in nothing but in cuffing and boxing of men, and to have occasion to hang and torture them upon the wheel. He never beholdeth our sins but with sorrow of heart, neither hateth he any thing so much, as to punish. And so, all the calamities which he layeth upon us, are but as threatening words to advertise us to run unto his grace, before he enter into judgement with us, to the end that when he would condemn us, we might plead the pardon and remission of our sins which he shall have granted us.  Mem. 
It may be ye will say unto me, what is it then that so tormenteth men, seeing ye say that it cometh not from God, who is altogether good, and that it is not he which commanded it? cometh not both good and ill from the most high? Doth not he distribute the same unto us in such manner and measure as pleaseth himself? O wretched poor man, why murmurest thou against God? Is it not enough that he hath given thee life? and that without him thou shouldest be nothing? Thou wilt contest against him, even thou a creature, against thy creator, thou, a vile sinner, against him that is altogether just, thou, that art altogether weak, against him that is Almighty.  Nun. 
Our miseries come not from God, but from ourselves, let us examine our lives, and lay open our actions, and if we search well, we shall find the cause of them to proceed from ourselves. For, the root of them is in our own hearts, which being infected, corrupt and mar what so ever cometh out of them. Let us therefore cut off sin by the stumps, let us tear and pull in pieces the heart strings of iniquity, and in stead of this concupiscence, which buddeth and bringeth forth nought else but sin and damnation, replant therein the lively and pure love of God, which flourisheth and fructifieth under the husbandry of his discipline. Let our hearts lift up them selves strait unto heaven, as noble and upright plants, and put forth their thoughts, as the branches, and lift up their motions thither, as the slowres or blossoms, and place their words as leaves, let them bring forth their good works, as their fruits, and in looking up always unto heaven, make thern selves worthy thereof, and from thence, look for the growing and ripening of them. And as young plants in the hottest time of summer (when as the yawning earth chappeth through dryness) look for rain from above, to be refreshed, even so let us also in the extremity of our necessity, look and call for the sweet milk of the grace of God, to be dew our lips, and sustain ourselves. Now, to the end that we might obtain this grace, let us lift up our hearts & hands unto him, bow our knees, and prostrate ourselves before his face, in confessing our sins? & beseeching him of mercy. And let us say unto him, It is true o Lord, that we have sinned, and do protest, that we have kindled thy wrath against us, and this is the just occasion for which thou hast unto this day, made thyself inexorable unto our prayers.  Samech. 
But how inexorable? Forsooth even thus far, that when we have thought to have lifted up our eyes unto thee, thy fury hath bleared them like thunder & lightning. Thou hast beaten and broken us without all pity or mercy. All the world hath miserably forsaken us: we are like unto the loppings and shred of trees, and unto the beesoms of an house, which serve for none other purpose, but to be cast into the fire. To be short, we have been thrust out amongst all the nations of the earth, as a matter of opprobie and wrong.  Phe. 
Which of our enemies, o Lord, is there, that have not had their mouths open to rail against us? and look which way soever we have turned ourselves, we have alwaves found that which we most eschewed. Our ruin and desolation lieth waiting for us like traps and snares, set in the ways where we might have escaped, and as one, being in an inevitable mischief, I had none other recourse but unto mine eyes. My tears have trickled down abundantly, and have bitterly bewailed my mishap, and the misery of my fellow citizens, and of thee my best beloved jerusalem.  Ain. 
And as our miseries never ceased, no more also did mine eyes, so as a man would have verily said, that through affliction, mine heart was in the press to squeeze tears out of it, as men squeeze water out of a sponge. Thus did I lead my life continually, until such time as I had enforced thee o Lord, to have pity on me, and had with my tears quenched the heat of thine anger. What other thing should I have done, when as I saw before mine eyes so many Cities destroyed, so many houses burnt, so many Templs cast down, so many men slain, and so many maids forced and deflowered? And surely, I had had a very steely heart, if I could have held myself from weeping, and although it had been of steel, yet had my dolour been strong and able enough to have melted it into weeping.  Sade. 
Ha, what a thing is this? they drove us before them, as men drive cattle. We fled from our enemies, and yet they pursued us, we yielded ourselves unto them, and yet they massacred us, and all this they did, not giving them any occasion of offence. They led me into the bottom of the arse of a ditch, and tied a stone about my neck, as they do about a dog's neck when they mean to drown him. And verily, I had like to have been drowned: for, mine afflictions had abundantly run over the very crown of mine head, and had almost choked me▪ and all the help that I had, was to cry out and say, O Lord, I die, have mercy upon me.  Coph. 
I was as it were in a bottomless depth, in the hole of a prison, I knew not but by my memory, whether there had been either Sty or Sun in the world, so monstrous dark was the place wherein I was. And yet ceased I not to call upon thee my Lord my God, and sent up my faith, whither my senses could by no means reach. And thou never reiectedst me, but receivedst my prayer, for my sobs in the end moved thee, and made thee turn again unto thy first resolution, I felt thee forthwith to assist and help me, yea even at the very first instant, I say, that I began to pray unto thee: And still me thought, I heard thee say unto my soul, be of good courage, fear not.  Resch. 
And so, o Lord, thou canst tell, that as great a sinner as I am, that thou wilt help and secure me even for thy Christ his sake, and for thy mercy, promise, and truth sake. For, thou that understandest the very bottoms of our hearts, canst truly judge that my soul hath been carried away unto sin, by her senses and concupiscence: but as soon as she felt thy rods, she converted unto thee her creator and redeemer, from whom alone, as she hath had life, so also advoweth she the restoration thereof, after sin. For, the question, o Lord, is of the judging between mine enemies and me, whether it be reasonable that my misery should serve them for a sport, or whether it be high time that they should bear part of the punishment. judge it, o Lord, thou that knowest the righteousness of my cause. For, thou knowest their thoughts, their cruel purposes, & the plagues which they have prepared for me. I have mine health by reason of their inability, for if they had as great power as they have will, I had abidden as much as they had been able to have laid upon me.  Syn. 
Thou hast sufficiently seen, o Lord, that they have dealt with me, as far as they might: and thou knowest also that there is no injury which they have not committed and spoken against me. And I do be short, thou hast very well known their counsels and thoughts. And I do verily think that there was never word came out of their lips, wherewith they purposed not to hurt me: and believe me, their minds were never unoccupied in finding out some cunning devise or other to hurt me. And consider I beseech thee, whether ever they arose or lay down, that their talk was not on me: neither had they ever any other matter to sing on, but to speak evil of me.  Tau. 
Go to then, o Lord, seeing they have over come thy patience, wilt thou not daunt their malice? and sith nothing can drive them to repentance, wilt thou not punish them? And seeing they take so great pleasure in ill doing, shall they not feel and abide thy displeasure by course? For, once I am sure, that thou art just, and sith thou art so, thou must needs pay them home according to the works of their own hands. And seeing that through their pride and arrogancy, they have forsaken thee, to follow their own presumption, thou must needs leave them in their error, and they, must needs persevere in their sin: and this hard scale of impenitency must of force cover over their whole hearts: and a greater curse canst thou not lay upon them then this, then to blind their minds, and take away from them their senses. For, when thou shalt come at once, in the day of vengeance, with a rod of iron in thine hand, and break them all in shards like a potter's vessel, there shall be nothing under the heavens, by many thousands of degrees, so miserable as they, for they shall find no mercy at all, because they themselves were merciless: they shall be poor, and there shall be none to help them: and they shall be afflicted, and none shall comfort them. In the mean while, o Lord, have thou an eye unto us, and second our patience, with thine holy mercy: to the end, that as long as thou shalt please to exercise us with the injuries and opprobries of the wicked, our hearts fail us not, and that our souls may always be able to lift themselves up unto thee, and look for thine aid, taking the miseries which it pleaseth thee to send us, for a trial of our faith, hoping that after our long patience, thou wilt crown us as victorious wrestlers, and cause us triumphantly lead the wicked, against whom we continually wrestle here in this life.   

CHAPTER FOUR  Aleph. 
I Know, O Lord, right well, that we must yield unto thy will, and that we do but kick against the prick in complaining of thee. Nevertheless, I can not keep in my griefs, much less my sighs, when as I behold this strange desolation. And although my soul biddeth me hold my peace, yet can not mine heart keep itself from sighing. For, who, o Lord, would not have pity of this, to see all the beautiful golden walls of thy temple bescrabled, and scraped, all the goodly golden vessels so finely wought, now melted, and clipped in pieces, & all the rich jasper & Porphirie of thy sanctuary, broken, laid in gobbets, & cast about all the corners of the City; in so much, that that place which shone as bright as the Sun, is now become like a ruinous dark dungeon.  Beth. 
Besides, who would not groan, to see the children of the best houses, who were so much made of, and so beloved, as that they were accounted as precious as any gold, to be now cast upon the leystalles like the shards of a broken pot? Ha, o Lord our God, this was not men's work, but thine own: Yea, why forsookest thou after this sort thine own most dear and most excellent workmanship? createdst thou there, to destroy them?  Gimel. 
O, I would thou hadst showed as great favour at our at the least unto the children of jerusalem, thou didst unto the most vile & abiest creatures on the earth, for the very young serpents themselves find their dams teats, who bring them up until such time as they are able to shift for themselves. Alas, thou hast made the women of jerusalem to become more cruel than serpents, more savage than the women of Lamia, which have no womanlike shape nor condition but the very face, for, their hearts, and the rest of the members of their bodies are most hideous and fearful. Nay, there is not so little amity amongst the very Ostriches, who, amongst the fowls of the air, are the most wild and untameable, as there is in the women of jerusalem, by reason of their continual affliction which hath so degenerated them.  Daleth. 
We have seen the young children, that there lay streaking out themselves, yawning and gaping, with lips as dry as sticks, their tongues cleeving unto the roofs of their mouths with very drought, and sucking wind in stead of milk: for, their mothers at the first offered them their breasts, but they were so dry, as that they yielded nothing but blood. In so much that the poor wretches having nothing to breed any juice or moisture in them, dried up, whereby they fell into a consumption, and so most pitifully languishing and wearing away, forthwith died. And they that were somewhat bigger, ran after their fathers, and hanging about their heels, cried so lamentably upon them for bread, as that it would have made the stones in the street to have rend in sunder with compassion. But what shall I say? verily, they had nothing to give their, for, all that their fathers could do for them, was to wish them dead, and curse the day that ever they begot them, to see them now in so miserable an estate.  Herald 
O Lord our God, what an alteration of life was this? Yea, what an inexorable cruelty? This is a misery which scourgeth the whole world, and whippeth both high and low. For, they that were wont to live most delicately, and pamper their bodies, begged in the high ways, and died of hunger, yea, and they that were wont to lie on their down beds, and had their coverings of velvet and silk, and troad upon nothing but upon Tapestry, thought themselves now to be in very good case, if so be they could get a dunghill to lie upon.  Vau. 
In so much, that for any thing that I can see, o Lord, thou judgest our sins to be more heinous, than the sins of Sodom. For, thou hast punished us more cruelly, then ever thou didst them. For, they were overthrown in a moment, and fire from heaven devoured them presently. And beside, there was none but thyself that dealt in this, for, she was not committed unto the mercy of men, left unto the discretion of her enemies, nor yet unto the injuries that follow the taking of Cities.  Zain. 
It is a common saying, that there is no right judging of misery but by way of comparison, and then beginneth it to touch the quick, when as a man compareth his estate wherein he presently standeth, with that wherein he sometime was. As when I bethink me of the magnificence of those of Nazareth, and see what miserable caitiffs they now are, For, it was a marvelous glorious thing to see them come unto jerusalem to the feast, m their robes as white as the driven snow, so neat and white were their clothes, their faces were smoothly painted, and glisteren like ivory, and their cheeks as ruddy as any rose, or rather as ruddy as any ruby.  Het. 
But they that had seen them now might have said, that they had blown the coal all their life long at a smiths forge, or had been begrimed for the nonce, and would have rather taken them for the Lazars of a spittle house then otherwise, for, their bones bear out their skins, and a man would have said that their skins had been like parchment wrapped about a dead carrion, and I verily believe that there is as much moisture in a dry slough or ditch, as was in any of their bodies.  Thet. 
Yea, and they which past the edge of the sword, came to a far better market than they, for their misery was not long, & they were acquitted once for all. But to die of cruel famine, and to see and feel one so long a dying, is a most miserable thing, they felt themselves continually whither away, and knew not how their strength went from them, without a man would, have saved, the earth, had consumed it. For they were like unto a plant, whose root was clean dried up, which in the beginning waxeth yellow in the neither parts, and so by little and little the boughs and arms thereof, die, and in the end the whole body drieth up, and is good for nothing else, but to be cast into the fire.  jod. 
Ye may think, that I have very much spoken of things, and yet they are but flowers, in respect of the rest of the miseries which necessity hath suggested unto us, and which, if I had an hundredth tongues, I were never able to express. Shall I tell them, o Lord? Alas, I will not, for than I should accuse thine overgreat severity, in delivering out the excessive miseries, wherein thou hast plunged us. Notwithstanding I will do it, I will tell them, o Lord, to the end thou mightest at the last have compassion of us, and somewhat hold back thy revengeful arm. For, thou hast laid it over heavily up us, we have seen it, and must we needs see it o Lord? and shall our eyes be our own still, after we have seen it? We have seen the mothers, I say, through famine and want, so degenerate from their kind, as that they have dismembered their own children, pulled them in pieces, boiled them on the fire, and devoured them with their teeth, to satisfy that cruel famine, wherewith they were afflicted.  Coph. 
Ha, o Lord our God, what thoughtest thou to have done with us? meantest thou to show thyself to be almighty, as well in thy fury, as in thy mercy, to show, all thine actions to be infinite, to show, that when thou goest about to set thyself to be cruel, that thou art out of all measure cruel, and to show thyself wheresoever thou passest when thou art in choler, to be a devouring fire, which setteth on fire, raveneth, & consumeth, and to be such a one, as thou hast showed thyself to be in visiting poor Zion, even unto the consuming the very foundations thereof.  Lamed. 
O most strange, and most incredible thing, these news have been told unto other Kings and Princes of the earth, & to all other strange people, but they could never believe any jot of it. For thus they have said, What? is it possible, that this holy City which God hath chosen for his dwelling place, where he hath set up his throne on the earth, where he will be worshipped, whither all nations have carried their offerings, where he hath appeared and answered unto the cries of those that have prayed unto him; the same only, to be taken, and to fall into the hands of her enemies? Surely, we will never believe it, nay, we do not believe, that if they found the gates thereof stand wide open, that they durst once enter into it.  Mem. 
And yet for all this, o Lord, it is even so, the poor city is utterly undone and razed, but after what sort? and wherefore? Forsooth, for the sins o Lord, of our prophets, and for the sins of our priests, who have shed the blood of the righteous, even in the midst of jerusalem.  Nun. 
They have run up and down in the streets like mad men, and reeled too and fro, as men drunken with the blood of innocents. They are so polluted and defiled, as that all the world is a feared to touch them, for fear of being imbrued with them. Yea and they themselves are ashamed to go into the temple, for fear of violating it with the blood which cometh from their .  Samech. 
I do assure ye, that the very heathen themselves have been afeard of them, I say, even they that know not God, but by the light of nature, and have cried out against them, saying; O ye wicked and cruel caitiffs', hence and away, and defile not the place which is dedicated unto your God, and they with great indignity despitefully again have said, no, no. Believe verily, that God dwelleth not amongst such kind of people.  Phe. 
For, a man may easily see, that their God hath forsaken them, hath dabd them in the necks, and set them at division and discord. They have tasted of nothing so little as of godliness, and therefore they must look no more for any help from heaven. What? the very ancient servants of God, appointed to serve at his altar, have not so much as once blushed, in committing most horrible and great wickednesses, & the elder sort which should have been the most modest, have been most mad? and had no compassion of their equals: neither could the age of their afflicted companions drive them to any compassion? And seeing that all humanity is rooted out of their hearts, how is it possible for God to dwell in them? Believe me, these are no men, but counterfeit Tigers. And therefore God will deal with them as he dealeth with brute beasts, and make one of them pray upon another.  Ain. 
Ha, o Lord, these people have said rightly, Thou hast made us to feel it in deed: for, after all these our furious pranks, the time of punishment came upon us: for, our enemies environed us on every side, and whilst we were gaping and looking for aid from men, and looked so wishlie for them, as that we were weighed of looking, & could see none at all come, we were very foolish in looking for help from men, to defend us from thee, o Lord, which makest war against us. Alas, what are men's forces able to do against thee? What rampart in all the whole world is able to defend us against thy wrath?  Sade. 
We have been taken as Partridges in the cod of a net, thou hast driven us together on a Covey, and afterward coveredst us: we thought to have escaped, and our feet slid, we are fallen, and are snared in the net: we have assayed to fleet from one place to another, and we have been always stayed. And why so? forsooth, because the day was come. We have hastened the punishment by our persevering in evil doing, and have in the end enforced God to pronounce the inevitable judgement of our condemnation against us.  Coph. 
When God hath resolved to do a thing, all things both in heaven and earth, are ready to execute his will, every thing maketh itself ready to serve his purpose, our enemies are more swift to pursue us, then are the Eagles, the Stock doves. For, they have followed us even to the tops of the mountains, and met with us in the deserts. I do verily believe, that if we were in the deepest dungeons that ever were, that they would there find us out.  Resch. 
And what shall I say? where found they out our good josias, even him, whom thou hadst anointed to reign over us, and whom we esteemed and made more of, then of our own lives, who was always in our hearts, and ever in our mouths? him they took, & led captive aswell as the rest, Nothing could keep him from their hands. I do verily believe, that our sins are the cause of his taking, and for our sins, did he suffer and abide the same, and therefore we have said thus unto him for his comfort, We beseech thee, o King, patiently to bear the affliction which the Lord thy God hath sent thee, which is the shadow and figure of the passion of him, who by his death shall establish again our former felicity, make us reign over the Gentiles, and subject all the nations of the world unto our law.  Sin. 
But in the mean while he is bound and shackled, o most heavy and lamentable adventure. Laugh thou, yea laugh thou thereat, o thou daughter of Edome, which dwellest in the plains of Arabia, there is enough thereof left for thee, yea, thou shalt drink of the cup when thy turn cometh about, and be made drunk with the bitter wine aswell as we. They shall make thee hazard thy throat, and thou shalt believe it, make a good reckoning of our spoils. There is small joy and comfort in beholding another's misery, and that joy and comfort shall we have, for, we shall see them lament and be sorry for their own punishment, even to see themselves to be sorry for their own, that laughed at ours.  Tau. 
And therefore I beseech thee o poor desolate Zion, begin to take heart unto thee, for God hath eftsoons made an end of that which he had ordained for thy punishment, he will add no more affliction unto thy dolours past, for he hath done that which he had a desire and mind to do. He will now suffer thee by little and little to restore thyself, to build again thine houses, to rear up again thine altars, and to re-edify thy temples. Fear now no more any new banishment. For he will come unto thee himself, to reassure thee, comfort, and strengthen thee. And as for thee o thou daughter of Edome, he will now come and visit thy turn, and teach thee that he right well knoweth thy life and conversation, that he maketh a good account of thy sins, and art no more exempt from his justice then any of the rest: and will make thee have compassion of thyself, seeing thou wilt have none of another, and bewail, thine own miseries, because thou hast laughed at the miseries of others.   

CHAPTER. V The prayer of jeremiah.  
IF so be it be true, o Lord, that we are thy people, and thou our God, behold us a little, & consider the miserable estate wherein we stand. Consider I say, if there be any opprobry in the world, wherewith we have not been utterly overwhelmed. Look not for it within the houses which our fathers built for us, neither yet in the provinces which thou hast destined for us: For, we ourselves are banished, and strange men enjoy our goods. We have unknown heirs, which have driven us out of our ancestors houses, and sent us away stark naked.  
2 We are like poor orphans, whose fathers are dead, and have none to direct and guide us.  
3 We are like unto mourning widows that have lost their husbands, and although they are not dead, yet are they in their widowhood, and have double occasion to weep and bewail the imprisonment & captivity of their husbands. A servitude, alas most rigorous, yea such a one as is not to be named, nay more than is able to be imagined. For we are driven to die of thirst, to buy with our money, the water of our own fountains, and to moisten our poor dry tongues with cruel thirst. We are enforced to buy again our wood, stick by stick, and that very dearly, to warm ourselves withal, although our poor members be almost dead with cold.  
5 We have borne the collar on our necks, and have been yoked together like Oxen, we have drawn the wain, & laboured like beasts. And although the cattle travel all day, yet take they their rest at night, but there is no end of our pains taking, neither do we find any rest in our labours.  
6 As for us, we are sold for bread, and yet must we run unto the furthermost parts of Egypt, to find those that must set us a work. The Assyrians thought to show us great favour, in making us travel day and night for a morsel of bread. O Lord, what an hard and pitiful slavery is this? how is it possible that we should thus grievously provoke thee?  
7 I believe that thou hast put in a catalogue all the sins of our forefathers, and heaped their sins on our heads. What o Lord? doth this rigour become thy bounty? Shall our forefathers begun hence, and shall their punishment remain behind them? Shall they be dead, & their sins live? And shall we bear them & know not why?  
8 And if so be that they have offended thee, why hast thou given them the land of promise to possess? why hast thou subjecteth the strange nations unto them? Is it because that it is our turn, to be the slaves unto the slaves of our ancestors, and that the world might see us to be captives to those that heretofore served us.  
9 That we should be enforced with strokes to labour for our bread, and to teke pains for others in our own land, having our throats always in danger of cutting, and dwelling in the wilderness, in stead of our goodly houses?  
10 Behold, o Lord, if thou have any eyes, how they have dressed us, behold how our skins are cut and torn with beating, they are us full of holes as a siue, and there is not an white and free place in them. Famine hath made us as lean as rakes, and they have all to hacked and hewed us.  
11 If so be amongst all these their insolent dealings, they had spared either age, sex, or noble and wothy persons, it had been somewhat. But their cruelty was alike, both unto male, and female, unto young and old, and unto mighty and base. Was there ever a wife, in Zion, whom they dishonoured not, or ever a maid, whom they forced not? This weak sex, o Lord, powered out before thee tears and sighs, their imbecility, implored thine Almightiness, their inhuman injury, thy divine justice.  
12 How handled they thy princes? They hung them up with their own hands, and the grey haired old men, in whom old age had imprinted a kind of reverence and majesty, were drawn through the dirt by them, and plucked and torn, as if they had been amongst cruel Tigers.  
13" And ●h●t dilthey with the young children thi●ke you? Verily they abused them with most extreme unshamfastnesse, and afterward knocked them in the heads, thinking to extinguish thereby, the remembrance of their abomination, and choke up one fault with another.  
14 Alas, O Lord, what a strange alteration is this? For, when as we think upon the flourishing estate of our country and set before us that venerable assembly of our Senators, placed as Gods on the earth, to deliver oracles unto men, and by their mouths to form the voice of justice, and call to mind the magnificence of our justs and turnies, and draw o●… as it were, by line and by level, our fine and pleasant dances, where all the youth shined and glisteren like the stars in a clear and bright night.  
15 O good God, what a grief and sorrow is this? Can we take any pleasure and delight after all this? Must not we swear a perpetual mourning? and condemn our eyes unto everlasting tears?  
16 Is it possible that we should be able to live after all this? Is our grief so small, as that it is not sufficient to make us die? Is our misery so cruel, as that it hath left us eyes so long time to behold it? and condemned us to be so long while afflicted with so strange a misery▪ Must we see at our feet, the pieces of the Crown which fell from our heads, and tread upon the shivers of the Sceptre which we were wont to carry in our hands? and see our kingly ornaments pulled in pieces before our faces? Cursed be we, who have caused by our sins, this desolation, who have enforced the justice of God to visit us in his fury, and to pour upon us the fire of his wrath and anger.  
17 This is it that we must bewail, this must be here the spring head of our tears, for this is the fountain of all our miseries. These are, yea, these are our iniquities, which have changed the face of what soever we see to be before us, which have made our champion grounds deserts, wildernesses of our Cities, rubbish of our houses, and left nothing unto ourselves, but an object of sadness and dolour, to blear our eyes with so monstrous a spectacle, and to kill our hearts with so pirifull thoughts.  
18 For who is he that would not put out his eyes with much weeping▪ and what is he whose spirit would not be dulled with very dotage, when as he shall see this beautiful Zion, the Garden of the world, and the eye o● all Palestine, to be made now a Warren of Foxes, where nothing use and haunt but wild beasts?  
19 But these, o Lord, are the blows of thine own hand, who makest great things that thou mighte●… pull them down, which settest up Cities and Kingdoms upon the face of the earth, as a ladder, to show that they are nothing but the execrement of thy other more excellent works, and wouldst have the overthrow of all earthly things, bear witness of thine eternity and infiniteness. Thou art, o Lord, only eternal, exempt from all course and change, for no times are able to measure thy greatness, for they serve thee, and are but as Stewards and dispensers of thy will. Thy Throne is far above all corruptible things, and there thou sittest, making all generations to pass before thee, one after another, changing when it pleaseth thee, the enhabitants of the earth, even as men do their garments.  
20 But seeing, o Lord, that thou art thus altogether good, just, and Almighty, wilt thou wholly forget thy goodness and loving kindness towards us, thou that canst forget nothing? Wilt thou which ever keepest thy word and promise, forget the righteousness of thy promises which thou hast ever made unto thy chosen people? Wilt thou let slip the occasion which offereth it self unto thee to have pity on us, and help us, who art not Almighty, but for to do good, and aid the afflicted? and as soon shouldest thou forget to be God, as to forget to pardon and forgive. Very well thou hast for a time dealt sevearely with us, and sent us calamities, to make us feel that we have offended thee, and we have perceived it right well, and we have returned unto thee with broken hearts, and dolorously groaned before thee, and therefore what more wouldst thou have of us? What other sacrifice may we offer up unto thee, than our tears? All the rest is thine, and there is nothing in our disposition but our wills, and the same we present unto thee washed in our tears, pressed and squeezed by the sorrow of our repentance, and purged and cleansed with the zeal of thy lively love, and therefore why rejectest thou us? Why causest thou us to wax old in our miseries?  
21 No no, o Lord, thou art too good and favourable, for so long as we shall call upon thee with sound hearts, thou wilt never forsake us. But because, o Lord, there is no more force nor strength in us, and that our misery hath knocked our spirits in the head, quicken thou them in us, and let all our affections be set upon thee. And to the end we may continually cleave unto thee, and not have thy grace disdain to dwell in us, renew our spirits and lives, and re-establish us again in our first integrity and pureness wherein thou createdst us.  
22 Thou hast heretofore reproved us, and in reproving us, hast rejected us, and to say truly, thou hadst reason so to do, for our too too intolerable iniquities, had most strongly provoked thee. But sith that we have now humbled ourselves before thee, and have done what so ever we might bethink us of, to appease thee with all, receive us to thy grace, pour upon us thy benefits, embrace us lovingly as lost children, which come again with weeping tears, to cast themselves into the arms of their father, and mercifully receive our prayers and vows, for they come not now, o Lord from our lips alone, but even from the very bottoms of our hearts.    

The song of Ezechias, taken out of the prophesy of Isaiah. Chap. 38.  
I Am dried up with very sorrow and grief, and I breathe out the very last sighs of my life, and when m● spirit launched out with dolour, me thought it began to cry out after this manner; What? must I in the midst of my days descend into the pit? Is the flower of my youth no sooner hatched, but that death must by and by come to gather me up? And shall my brightest and most clear shining days be converted into darkness? O, farewell then, farewell, I say, most sweet light, which hidest thee from mine eyes: for lo, the night traineth me into dark and unknown caves and dens, and sendeth me a great way upon the earth, even unto hell gates.  
2 But tell me, I beseech thee, what shall become of the rest of my life? Whither shall the rest of my years fly? O, vain and deceitful hope, which nourishest our minds and purposes, and afterward leavest them in the midst of their course. I hoped to have had a fair and white old age, and disposed of mine household, to mitigate the discommodities thereof. I builded palaces, devised garden plots, & got riches together, to pleasure my children withal, & to make merry with my friends, and so fair and easily to spend the rest of mine age in serving of God, and doing good unto men. But I must now change my note, and sing another song, and am enforced, o God, to say now unto thee, I shall see thee no more in the land of the living.  
3 I shall never more, I say, lift up mine eyes unto thee amongst the living, & in turning my face towards the corners of this world, behold & admire the works of thine hands. Farewell most beautiful and glorious Sun, which hast so often risen far above the waters, to give unto mine eyes the shining brightness of thy beams. Farewell pale siluery Moon, which by degrees slakest the shadowy sails of the night, & by degrees markest the measures of our time, put thyself out when ever thou wilt, for my sight is put out for ever seeing of thee. And ye glistering stars of light, which cover by pace measures all alongst this azured plain skies, and which spread over our weak bodies your heavenly powers, stay yourselves when you will, for, ye have not any power over the dead, and o ye rich meadows, whither when ye will your excellent enamelled flowers, and o ye crystal spring heads, dry up when ye will the beds of running streams, for death cometh ●o seel up mine eyes, & to bereave me of your pleasant sights: farewell o world: farewell o men, and farewell what so ever pleasure I have had in this place. And ye my dear friends, lo here my last farewell, for, here is broken the knot of our sweet friendship. And ye my children, here endeth the holy affection wherewith I have made merry a 'mongst you, and now I am possessed with another care: for, death separateth me from you, and you from me.  
4 My posterity is carried far away from me, even as the shepherds Tents of Scythia, to day here, and to morrow there. O most bitter and grievous separation, which pluckest the children out of the arms of their father, and from the sweet bosom of their mother.  
5 But why is this so quickly done, and against all hope? I came no sooner to be set upon the frame, and scarcely was there a bait or stale laid for my life, but that the workman was ready to put his phlegm, or lancing knife into me. What a kind of alteration, o Lord, is this? In how short a time changeth the face of the world? And truly, are not the evening and morning all alike? For, I was this morning alive, and lo, I am now amongst the dead. I look but for the hour, wherein I mean to tread the fields, that I might truss up bag and baggage, and away.  
6 Why? I was this morning a very gallant, and I was tickled with new and strange hopes, I proved mine own strength, and me thought I was sound, and like to live long, and I had a world of devices in mine head, and every minute my courage increased, and anon death cometh upon me like an hungry Lion, sucketh my blood, shaketh my flesh, breaketh in sunder my bones, and lo, I am stretched out, and ready to yield up the last gasp of my life. Alas, I was this morning some body, and now at night I shall be no body. O God, what a small distance is there between a man's being, and his not being? And from morning to night every man goeth this broad beaten high way: yea yea, o Lord, in a moment, if thou please, a man passeth from the one to the other, and goeth from life unto death. The first course of the heavens is very sudden and swift, and yet is the cutting sith of death, more sudden, and far nimbler, for thou givest us life in breathing on us, an when thou ceasest we die. Thou lookest upon us, & we are borne, & thou turnest away thine eye from us, and by and by we are dead. We are the bubble of the water which appeareth with the least moving, and is puffed out with the smallest wind. We are the harvest leaf hanging now upon the tree, and eftsoon lying flat on the ground; or to speak more properly, we are the shadow of a dream, which is choir gone so soon as we awaken. But although, o Lord, death hath laid fast hold on me, and that one of my feet is already in the grave, yet will I cry out unto thee, and conjure thee by thine infinite power, and pitifully groan unto thee, in acknowledging my misery, and thy clemency, wilt thou not then have compassion upon me? wouldst thou not somewhat lengthen the thread of my life?  
7 The terror, o Lord, of thy great majesty maketh me afeard to speak: & although I feel my misery to press me and pursue me, & that I know my help is in thee, yet dare I not address my prayer unto thee. But I am like unto the young new hatched swallow, who being naked and without feathers, is left alone in the nest, pitifully chirping and looking for her dam. Nay, I am rather like unto the fearful Dove alone in her nest, who seeing the Gerfalcon soaring over her head, hideth herself poor miserable Dove, & sitteth close and amazed, by reason of the danger she seethe herself in. O my God, I know my misery, & do right well understand mine infirmity. But although o Lord, that with a submiss voice & trembling words, I implore thy majesty, yet forsake me not I humbly beseech thee.  
8 Is it so long sithence, o Lord, that I turned mine eyes unto thee, to call upon thy goodness▪ I am always wont to lift up mine eyes on high. O Lord, I am at a non plus, I am forced, and my misery is gone over mine head▪ and therefore I beseech thee to help me, if it may so please thee.  
9 But alas, dare I speak unto God, and show myself unto him? Even I, whom he hath created with his own hands, and fashioned by his grace, who in stead of serving and honouring of him, have given myself unto the pleasures of this world, and turned the honour which I own unto him, unto earthly and corruptible things? what answer will he make me? for if he grow once to be angry, and show himself unto me in his fury, with that countenance that he shall judge the guilty, were it not an hundredth times better for me, to have held my peace, then to speak? But it were better, I say, to be dead and buried, then to have eyes to see him, and ears to hear him? what then shall I either do or say?  
10 I will endeavour myself to appease him before, in presenting him for an offering, the contrition of mine heart, and bitterness of my soul, and in my grievous anguish, will call to mind all my years past, lay abroad the moments of life, run over the number of my sins, that I might cleanse and purge the sins and transgressions, which defile my conscience, and stir up God's wrath against me.  
11 And therefore thou shalt, o Lord, most assuredly, seeing that I return unto thee, and bitterly weep for mine offences, receive my repentance, and through the heartiness of my continual prayers which I so effectuously power out unto thee, appease thy sharp and heavy wrath. Thou shalt stay the hand of thy justice, which would swallow me up. Thou shalt turn away the dart of death, whose point hath pierced me even to the very heart. Thou shalt lengthen the course of my years, which my sin hath already shortened. And thou shalt be contented that thou hast reproved me without utterly undoing me, and made me to acknowledge and confess my sins, with punishing me for the same.  
12 And although I think myself blessed, and as it were, in most excellent peace, yet do I use, nay rather abuse the blessings and riches, which thou hast lent and vouchsafed me: yea, and although, I say, I should be drunken with the honey sweet pleasures of this world, yet lo a slote of affliction and misery is betide me, which as a most bitter brook, is come upon me to drown me and swallow me up. But as I was about to give up the ghost, I felt thee taking me by the hand, and by a wonderful help, drewest me by little and little out of that fearful gulf. O Lord, the weight that sunk me to the bottom, was the weight of my sins. They lay so thick and heavy on my head, and held me so to the ground, as that I knew not how to lift up mine eyes unto heaven, much less was I able to hold up my head, and open my mouth, to utter and show forth thy holy grace and mercy. Thou hast broken the chains of the wicked affections, which held me bound unto these cursed sins. And nevertheless, because they are ever before thine eyes, and that my repentance in some measure coniureth thy goodness, and mine iniquity sharpeneth thy justice, yet hast thou cast all mine offences behind thy back, and turned them all away from thy presence, to the end, there might be nothing between me and thy mercy, to hinder me from being environed by the same, as mine only and assured defence. But how can this be o Lord, that thou, who seest all things both present & to come, which seest through the earth, and piercest the bottoms of our hearts, that in regard of me alone, o Lord, thou becomest blind, and seest not my sins which environ me round about? O how wonderful great is thy mercy, which blindfoldeth the eyes of thy Deity, which hideth from thee that every one seethe, and maketh thee forget that which thou knewest, before such time as it was done.  
13 From whence, o Lord, cometh this great change and alteration in thee? whence cometh it, that to do me favour, thou puttest so far from thee, thy justice which is naturally in thee? I wonder, but yet cannot I tell from whence this thy so great clemency and loving kindness proceedeth. It is, yea it is, o Lord, because thou wilt save us whether we will or no, and to draw us as it were by force, out of that condemnation which we most justly have deserved. For, thou art the God of glory, jealous of honour and praise, for thou art alone worthy thereof. Thou knowest right well that very hell shall praise thee, and thou knowest also, o Lord, that death itself shall set forth thy praise. Seeing that thou hast created all things, to testify thine infinite goodness and power, shall death which is one of thy works, make an end of thy praise? Yea, and seeing thou hast here placed man, to lift up his eyes unto heaven, and to behold thy glory, and to sing both with the heart and mouth, a continually hymn thereof, and if thou take away his life, is not that a breach of one of the organs of thine honour? And if thou send him to hell, is not that to defame thy workmanship? Thou hast, o Lord, sown by the mouths of thy Prophets, the truth of thy promises. Shall they that are penned up in the earth gather together the fruit thereof: shall they whom the death of the body hath closed up the eye lids, and whom the death of the soul, engendered through their impenitence, hath sealed up the eyes of the spirit, making them go groping to hell, wandering and stumbling from pain to pain, and from torment to torment? No, no, it shall be the living man that shall publish and set forth thy praise, the man, I say, that liveth, and that living life which is maintained by those blessings which thou bestowest upon us here on the earth, and that life which is nourished by the beholding of thy Deity, and by the blessings which thou hast laid up in heaven. Even so, O Lord, do I at this day with them, seeing it hath pleased thee to convert my miseries into grace and blessing, and to turn away from me death and dolours which brought them unto me. Mine infirmity is at this day, seeing it so pleaseth thee, an argument of thy glory, & thou workest such miracles in me as are able to astonish an whole world. To the end, o Lord, that the fathers may tell unto their children, what the effects of thy mercies are, how sure the effect of thy promises, and how undoubted, the truth of thy word. And so w●…soeuer the las● and hindermost posterity, shall understand what hath be fallen unto my person, it will praise and bless thy holy name.  
15 Seeing then my God, that ●hou hast assured me this life, I mean this earthly and corporal life, grant me also assurance of this heavenly and divine life, to the end that I being most full of all hope and strength, may pass the rest of my days, in praising and serving of thee continually. Mine abode, o Lord, shall be always at the feet of thine altars, mine action shall ●ee a song of thy praise and goodness▪ and so will go day and night into thy church, lifting up mine eyes unto thee, and having my thoughts fixed on thee, I will openmine heart, and thou shalt fill it with thy grace, that it may sanctify all mine affections, and so I thereby may set forth nothing more, than thy glory.  
FINIS.