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A dyall of dayly Contemplacion, or deuine exercise of the mind

instructing vs to liue vnto God, and to dye vnto the vvorld. First colected & published in Latin, at the request of a godly Bishop, and Reuerent Father, Richard, sometime Byshop of Dirham, and Lorde Priuie Seale. Novv nevvly Translated into Englishe, by Richard Robinson
Robinson, Richard
 
[epigraph]

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THE AVCTHORS Commemoration for MVNDAY.
 
[Behold this worldly wretchednesse]
 
The Translators Application.
 
[This day therfore darknesse mundame]
 
[This volume breefe of sclender quantitie]
 
[These sentences before resemble by figure]
 
[Eche sentence here of foresayd Scripture]
 
[O wicked world wrapped in wretchednesse]
 
[O polisant graue and donghill clad with snawe]
 
[That prudent prince, and wyse kyng Salomon]
 
[Some are so choked with worldly businesse]
 
[O strong tyrant, traytour right treasonable]
 
[That morall man, and famous Philosopher]
 
[In weyghty matters geue personall presence]
 
[So dyd Cambises, which of Persia was kyng]
 
[VVere in a kyng such disposition kend]
 
[Nowe then would Princes to Churchly promotion]
 
[And as a Prince hath cheefe correction]
 
[Then should God in eche state honoured bee]
 
[Thus sythen in earth amongst men mortall]
 
[But where some Princes and leaders of the lawe]
 
[As Iustice is cause of peace and policie]
 
[In England then, trueth shewe thy stately style]
 
[Farre from vs, O God, expell corrupt iustice]
 
[To Kyng without colour that lyst to keepe Iustice]
 
[Nowe Princes, Lordes, and Nobles of renowne]
 
[Our hope, our happe, we set in worldlines]
 
[There is no reason our misrule can arrest]
 
[Therefore I counsell eache christian creature]
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THE AVCTORS Commemoration for TVESDAY.
 
[The state of innocencie heare]
 
The Translators Application.
 
[The state of innocencie cleare]
 
[The Aucthor figured here by the portrature]
 
[Right as white paper is redy to the print]
 
[VVhat seede men sowe, such corne they must sheare]
 
[The tyme os sowing is called tedious]
 
[But novve alacke youthy yeeres and innocence]
 
[Reuolue further yet yf any thou knewe]
 
[The soule of man so noble is of nature]
 
[Though corporall foode haue that quality]
 
[More sweetenesse tis vnto sound conscience]
 
[For right as mem enfeobled with labour]
 
[God graunt al states to keepe with diligence]
 
[Eche Communalty then standeth in good state]
 
[VVho euer yet conioyned in one person]
 
[In two poyntes dependeth principally]
 
[Good company is of so great vertue]
 
[Among the plagues of Egypt most horrible]
 
[All mortall creatures conceaued in sinne]
 
[VVherefore our God, meekely to thee we call]
 
[As nothing more maketh resemblance]
 
[Thy corporall health from sicknesse to conserue]
 
[Of our soules Lord we make record with ruthe]
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THE AVCTORS Commemoration for VVENSDAY.
 
[The damage due to deadly sinne]
 
The Translators Application.
 
[VVho liues then in this earthy vale]
 
[To define of sinne in sentences short]
 
[Sinne is the cause of our perdition]
 
[The mind of sinners is figured vnto hell.]
 
[Mans soule is a iewell incomperable]
 
[O happy is mortall kinde]
 
[A mighty medecine, a royall eke remede]
 
[Man is a brickle and fraile thing.]
 
[Thinke on thy corpes now delicately fedde]
 
[Death vnto the wicked, is terrible euermore]
 
[The memorie of the dead, for the liuing is a president]
 
[VVithout repentaunt turning, vve encrease eche day]
 
[As scriptures truely pronounce in sentence]
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THE AVCTORS Commemoration for THVRSDAY.
 
[Remember the iudgement generall]
 
The Translators Application.
 
[VVhyles we haue lyght, lets walke that way.]
 
[The Auctor figuring the generall iudgement]
 
[As God suffereth the wicked a time to lyue here]
 
[Oh mankind, rue on thy miserable estate]
 
[Be it by example of others imitation]
 
[To waye the wickednesse of corrupt nature]
 
[As lyfe and death from hence vncertaine are]
 
[VVhen sinne, the fyre of conflagration]
 
[All fleshe shall aryse from death to liue]
 
[Then shall our kyng, vvhich iudged vvas, vs iudge]
 
[This processe of iudgement is short vvithout tarying]
 
[Then shall Christe thus prononnce for conclusion]
 
[After the first sentence, the second folowe shall]
 
[Reuolue in mind the great perplexitee]
 
[Of worldly witte see the furious raige]
 
[Such worldly wyse make no prouision]
 
[Soone after sentence of generall iudgement]
 
[To conclude, thinke wee eache one of this case]
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THE AVCTORS Commemoration for FRYDAY.
 
[Christes passion print in minde]
 
The Translators Application.
 
[Gods blessing is woonderous great shewed heare]
 
[This louely leafe as Rose so rubicound]
 
[Here is the fountayne of humane felicitie]
 
[Thus the quotidian and fruitefull remembrance]
 
[Againe and againe within thy mind reuolue]
 
[VVhat troubles, terrours, and tormentes haue]
 
[Freendles among his foes in feoble plight]
 
[Christe was accused in presence of Pilate.]
 
[As Christe shrincked not his precious blood to shed]
 
[Vpon his head they put a crowne of thorne]
 
[His spirite commending to his fathers cure]
 
[Regard (oh man) this wofull disceuerance]
 
[And though that God by power Omnipotent]
 
[It shall behoue vs to consider well]
 
[VVherefore sweete Iesu, our loue and soueraine Lord]
 
[Ponishe not thy people, Lord God in thy greeuance]
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THE AVCTORS Commemoration for SATVRSDAY.
 
[Here thinke to eschew the hellishe payn]
 
The Translators Application.
 
[Amids these pleasures mortall man]
 
[After the sentence of finall damnation]
 
[O hart of man most hard and incensible]
 
[Hell is a place most vyle and venemus]
 
[All Saintes are enthronized in the Heauens hye]
 
[Hel is a hole of horrible darknes]
 
[In hell of flaming fyre is horrible heate]
 
[Man in thy mind make a resemblance]
 
[Thincke wee the Prophetes spent their time in sport]
 
[And in this torment which hath no temperance]
 
[Oh amazed witte, O soule congeled in sinne]
 
[Awake out of thy dreame, and speedely addres]
 
[Sythen wee see in sicknesse corporall]
 
[Slombring in sinne some dreame security]
 
[VVith this foresayd action I reade right ernestfull]
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THE AVCTORS Commemoration for SONDAY.
 
[Remember here the ioyes of Heauen]
 
The Translators Application.
 
[This Sabbothes rest to keepe let vs.]
 
[Ther is perfection and flowre of al fairenes]
 
[VVho would be carefull, with deuoute diligence]
 
[VVhen men to things temporall doo beare affection]
 
[VVe shall in the heauens, of God haue inspection]
 
[Nathles in respect of that eternall glory]
 
[VVhen humane soule her selfe so dooth demene]
 
[Resume thy strength nowe as a knight spirituall]
 
[Remember man this solace shalbe sure]
 
[Nowe Heauens and Earth for witnes in I call]

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[And though that God by power Omnipotent]

And though that God by power Omnipotent,
Might vs redeemd without such difficultie,
There was no way more iust nor congruent,
Then for to take on him our humanitie,
Restoryng vs thereby to higher dignitie,
Man was in thrall, and could him not acquite,
To make amends, of power deuoyde was he,
But God him freed, by fauour infinite.
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