Christian meditations upon eight Psalms of the prophet David. Made and newly set forthChristian meditations vpon eight Psalmes of the prophet Dauid. Made and newly set forth

ye waters, whose streams have been oft stopped, and their hue changed by the poor murdered bodies: O air, which hast received so many of their groans and sighs: ye flames which have consumed so many martyrs to the trueth: ye swords, which have wounded, hewen, and chopped off so many of my members, are ye not sufficient witnesses to me, that I complain not without most just cause? And yet my God, it is not of thee that I thus plain me: for, if I look upon the faults of my children, I confess, that what rigour soever they have felt, that yet thy mercy surmounts thy judgement: And considering on the other side, that the wicked do not hate and persecute me but for thy name, and that thereby I am made like unto my dear ⟨image 47⟩and alone spouse, thy well-beloved Sonne. Oh father, so far am I from complaining, that contrariwise this cross is to me a most certain and precious testimony, that thou chastisest me as a father, and lovest me with the same love, wherewith thou lovest my spouse, with whom being crucified, I am likewise sure to reign. To be short, wherein can I deem my self honourable, but in thy cross? for, to be hated of the world for thy sake, is a goodly testimony, that a man is not of the world: and to drink in the cup of his Lord, is one of the greatest honours that the servant can receive. But alas, I see and confess, that what the wicked do unjustly, thou doest it justly for the iniquity of most part of my riotous children, it being a thing ⟨image 47⟩right reasonable, that the bringing into order begin at thine own house, and that they which have least excuse, be with the first most rigorously chastised. Moreover, my God, what cause have I to put on all my wailing weed,⁹ seeing thy holy name so blasphemed, thine house profaned, robbed, ruined, and brought into ashes, thy glory given into the hands of enemies?

ye waters, whose streames haue bene oft stopped, and their hue changed by the poore murdered bodies: O ayre, which hast receyued so many of their grones and sighes: yee flames which haue consumed so many martyrs to the trueth: yee smordes, which haue wounded, hewen, and chopt off so many of my members, are ye not sufficient witnesses to me, that I complayne not without most iust cause? And yet my God, it is not of thee that I thus playne me: for, if I looke vpon the faults of my children, I confesse, that what rigor soeuer they haue felt, that yet thy mercie surmountes thy iudgement: And considering on the other side, that the wicked doe not hate and persecute me but for thy name, and that thereby I am made like vnto my deare