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 |
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THE AVCTORS Commemoration for SATVRSDAY.
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 | A dyall of dayly Contemplacion, or deuine exercise of the mind |  |
THE AVCTORS Commemoration for SATVRSDAY.
[Here thinke to eschew the hellishe payn]
Here thinke to eschew the hellishe payn,For such as in vyle sinne remayne.
The Translators Application.
The same good God now bids the Earth, of creatures in eche kinde,To yeeld increase, as Cattell, VVoorme, and Beastes by him asinde.
Man then after his image made, him rule he gaue and sway,
Creating woman a comfort, to him with mutuall stay.
[Amids these pleasures mortall man]
Amids these pleasures mortall man,Shun hellysh paynes all that thou can.
[After the sentence of finall damnation]
After the sentence of finall damnation,Then Lucifer with all the hellish feendes fell,
And with them sinners without redemption,
All on a heape shall headlong haste to hell,
VVhere in deadly dolour their dome is to dwell,
VVhose perillous paynes no speache can expreme,
In heate and colde, yea, and in cares cruell,
So shall they exceede, surpassing extreme.
[O hart of man most hard and incensible]
O hart of man most hard and incensible,VVhich hast no dreade of this damnation:
Blind as brutall beast irracionable,
VVhy fallest thou thus to finall confusion,
Hast thou no pitie of thy perdition,
Be warned in time to eschew Thalmightyes ire,
Pray, and repent thee with true contrition,
To flee the flame of that infernall fire.
[Hell is a place most vyle and venemus]
Hell is a place most vyle and venemus,A dongeon darcke for creaturs dampnate:
Perpetuall prison for feendes furius,
To whom then sinners shalbe associate,
VVhue payne shall perseuer early and late,
VVith eye of reason now who this dooth vewe,
VVould liue in Gods feare, and not be ingrate,
But seeke all good meanes this mischeefe to eschewe.
[All Saintes are enthronized in the Heauens hye]
All Saintes are enthronized in the Heauens hye,Because of their deuine harty affection.
To heauē more then earth, doth soule more thē body
As their cheefe comfort and consolation,
And as accordeth with their good condicion,
Because they vsed such deuine temperance,
VVith Palme of victorie they triumph in renoune,
VVith God and his angels in perpetuall plesance.
[Hel is a hole of horrible darknes]
Hel is a hole of horrible darknes,VVhere light is languorus and nothing delectable,
VVhich sorowfull sight causeth cares to increase,
From feendish figures foule and terrible,
VVhose tragedie to tell, no tongue may be able,
So restles is the rage thereof most vnquiet,
VVith al mischiefe abounding, wretched & miserable,
In soule and body, theyr paynes are so complete.
[In hell of flaming fyre is horrible heate]
In hell of flaming fyre is horrible heate,VVhich fire without fayle, or distance shall endure,
Greeuously tormenting with furie to freate,
Both body and soule in payne passing measure:
O liuing death, euerlasting in languor,
O deadly lyfe of endles mortalitie,
Sowssed in sadnes and sorowe euermore,
Should not man than restraine from all peruersitie?
[Man in thy mind make a resemblance]
Man in thy mind make a resemblance,Of furious fyre and paynes infernall,
VVhich are enduring without distance,
Forget not the tormentes thereof eternall:
But deepely print them in thy memoriall,
So shalt thou eschewe all snares of sinne,
And inconuenience by vice preiudiciall,
VVhich is more greeuous then man may esteeme.
[Thincke wee the Prophetes spent their time in sport]
Thincke wee the Prophetes spent their time in sport,Or the Apostles shewing infernall payne,
The people from their sinnes for to exhort,
Their wayghty woords we should not take in vaine:
VVhich were content of tyrantes to be slaine,
To obteyne Heauen, and hellish payne eschewe
Their fayth in Christe, so firme was and certayne,
By their examples let vs our life renewe.
[And in this torment which hath no temperance]
And in this torment which hath no temperance,Shall be no maner of relaxation,
Neyther shall preuayle any prayer of instance,
In any wyse to empayre the paines or passion:
Yet though this payne passe all estimation,
The fury thereof ordeyned by Gods wyll,
As euery sinner deserued hy transgression,
Shall them molest, destroy, consume, and spill.
[Oh amazed witte, O soule congeled in sinne]
Oh amazed witte, O soule congeled in sinne,Frozzen through affection of foolishe felicitie,
VVhereunto retchles ryot doth at no time linne,
To offend thy Creator, thou art so foole hardy:
Thy sight is blinded so with sensuality,
That the loue of God causeth no correction,
Nor yet of heauenly ioy no cupidity,
May make thee leaue sinne, for dread of damnation.
[Awake out of thy dreame, and speedely addres]
Awake out of thy dreame, and speedely addres,Thee to beware in tyme, eare thou feele woe,
Though blinded thou liue here with thy ritches,
Yet thincke thou shalt this lyfe and them forgoe:
VVhere in the end yf thou this race runne so,
That sinne and vice by thee may be subdued,
Thou shalt no doubt vanquishe eche feendishe fo,
And with eternall blessing be endued.
[Sythen wee see in sicknesse corporall]
Sythen wee see in sicknesse corporall,Health to recouer, and death for to decline.
Men wyll absteyne from lustes sensuall,
And their desyres submit to medecine:
How much more should eche man with busy cure,
Seeke for the soules health, repentyngin time,
VVherby he may obteyne such ioyes as shalendure.
[Slombring in sinne some dreame security]
Slombring in sinne some dreame security,VVithout feare or forecast of infernall afliction,
Neglecting repentance in this lyfe transitory,
That they feare nothing the due correction,
Ordeyned for sinne by deuine direction,
As those that are not carefull harmes to eschewe.
Suche feele the sentence of all malediction,
VVhen repentance come to late their sorowes to rescewe.
[VVith this foresayd action I reade right ernestfull]
VVith this foresayd action I reade right ernestfull,Repentantly into thy hart imprint,
Lhy state with teares bemone, as most wofull.
VVith contrite hart, doo now thy sinnes lament,
And wheretofore euyll custome by consent,
Of selfewyll, dyd cause wickednesse abound,
Let hencefoorth grace amend thy lyfe present,
That lyfe to come with ioyes may thee redound.
FINIS Of the Contemplacion for SATVRSDAY.
| A dyall of dayly Contemplacion, or deuine exercise of the mind | |