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 VVENSDAY.
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 | A dyall of dayly Contemplacion, or deuine exercise of the mind |  |
THE AVCTORS Commemoration for VVENSDAY.
[The damage due to deadly sinne]
The damage due to deadly sinne,To seeke to voyde, let vs not linne.
The Translators Application.
The third day this Creator then, the waters here belowe,Into one place dyd geather, and, them in one floodde bestowe,
The drye land thence deuided hee, the Sea those waters named,
The Sea for trauell to and fro, the Earth for fruite he framed.
[VVho liues then in this earthy vale]
VVho liues then in this earthy vale,Taste fruites of trouble, death and bale.
[To define of sinne in sentences short]
To define of sinne in sentences short,No man well may, so full it is of care,
Neuerthelesse as novv I purpose to report,
Howe in eache season sinne is most contrare,
To mans weale, supplanting eache afare,
Vnto his damage where it may preuayle,
Enforcing ay of blisse to reue him bare,
In soule, in body, and in goodes temporall.
[Sinne is the cause of our perdition]
Sinne is the cause of our perdition,Sinne, of the Deuill is daughter venemons,
In soule and body sinne causeth corruption,
Sinne is a sicknesse right contagious,
Sinne maketh a man foolishe and furious,
All in wood rage running without reason,
His dayes ouerdriuing in state styll daungerous,
VVith confused course of time and season.
[The mind of sinners is figured vnto hell.]
The mind of sinners is figured vnto hell.VVherein is fyre and feendish cruelty,
Gods lawes and maners resisting as rebell,
VVith lothsome stenche of wylful iniquity,
Committed by the seuen sinnes deadly,
And he that sinne into his chayne can lincke,
By subtyll shiftes and shameles impiety,
Tys a speciall gift, yf they twayne euer shrincke.
[Mans soule is a iewell incomperable]
Mans soule is a iewell incomperable,By Christe his bloodshed dearely bought,
VVherefore he wyll that we be coumptable,
To him in good wyll for sauety sought.
VVhen to captiue vs Satan sought,
Bereft of all solace then surely were wee,
Tyll this our champion for vs fought.
VVe deserued the scourge of his equitee.
[O happy is mortall kinde]
O happy is mortall kinde,If he alwayes life fynde,
And feare the eternall good end,
in respect of his vertuous mind.
[A mighty medecine, a royall eke remede]
A mighty medecine, a royall eke remede,Sinne to subdue I finde for eche degree,
Is to remember that state yf he were deade,
VVhen soule all sorowfull departes the body.
Then waying this liues instability,
VVe shalbe sure to receaue iudgement,
Togeather both in soule and body,
Of woord, and worke, of thought, and time mispent,
[Man is a brickle and fraile thing.]
Man is a brickle and fraile thing.That lasteth but small time,
Now here, nowe fades as flowre,
In feelde that groweth fine.
[Thinke on thy corpes now delicately fedde]
Thinke on thy corpes now delicately fedde,VVhose foode shalbe euen woormes and scorpion,
Thinke howe with costly clothing thou art cladde,
VVhich death shall change into corruption.
Yetof our death by naturall condition,
No creature knoweth time when, nor place,
VVhether Heauen or Hell for our possession,
Eyther els ioy or sorowe, we shall imbrace.
[Death vnto the wicked, is terrible euermore]
Death vnto the wicked, is terrible euermore,But vnto the godly, a comfort doubtles,
To liue well, eche man be carefull therefore,
And whyle thou hast light, refuse darknesse,
Behold the nine nobles of famous woorthynes,
As Dauid, Salomon, Hector, and Alexander,
Iulius Cæsar, and the rest of noble renowne
VVhose flickring fame through the world doth wander,
Hath not death by his dart laid them adowne?
[The memorie of the dead, for the liuing is a president]
The memorie of the dead, for the liuing is a president,How better we shall for our state prouide,
VVhyle we haue grace and space of the Omnipotent,
Print we well in hart what others hath betide.
VVhich haue eyther walkt straight, or staggered aside,
At our neighbours fall let vs be eke vvare,
Lest vve that stand fast, vvith them doo not slyde,
Our armour of perceuerāce, in good life lets prepare.
[VVithout repentaunt turning, vve encrease eche day]
VVithout repentaunt turning, vve encrease eche day,To death and his dome, vvherefore vvith diligence,
Amend vve our misdeedes vvithout delay,
To saue our soules, shevv vve our sapience,
Eschevving the vice of vvylfull negligence,
That the time redeemed, may render alvvay,
Sound fruites of vvoordes, vvoorkes, and conscience,
To ballance accompt iust at the iudgement day.
[As scriptures truely pronounce in sentence]
As scriptures truely pronounce in sentence,Death due to sinners, impenitent vvhich dye,
In this vvorld, damnation is by consequence,
VVhen the sound of Trumpe is hard from on hye,
From death to lyfe, ryse then shall the godly,
VVherfore preuenting duly the fyrst death,
Repent vve in time vvith purpose earnestly,
To liue for euer vvith Christe by fyrme fayth.
FINIS Of the Contemplacion for VVENSDAY.
| A dyall of dayly Contemplacion, or deuine exercise of the mind | |