The monument of matrones conteining seuen seuerall lamps of virginitie, or distinct treatises; whereof the first fiue concerne praier and meditation: the other two last, precepts and examples, as the woorthie works partlie of men, partlie of women; compiled for the necessarie vse of both sexes out of the sacred Scriptures, and other approoued authors, by Thomas Bentley of Graies Inne student.

CAP. V.

AND I, O my God, my King, euen I thy handmaid and annointed, in thankefull re∣membrance, and worthie memoriall of thy woonderfull works and benefits, wrought

and shewed vnto me continuallie, doo againe (as it is meete) render vnto thee this acceptable sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing.

I paie the vowes vnto thee, which I haue promised both secretlie among the faithfull, and openlie before the whole assemblie of thy people; and that in the courts of thy house, O Lord; and in the midest of the Citie Ierusalem, wherein by thy power and benefit I thus flourish.

I will praise thee with my whole hart, and magnifie thy name for euer; because I haue experience of thine infinite goodnesse in my selfe, and am deliuered from so manifold dangers of death and destruction.

Neither will I be ashamed to sing foorth thy praises also in songs, before the assemblie of the mightie, and before the verie Angels that stand about thine arke.

I will, together with all Angels, Spirits, & soules; and with all Kings, Queenes, virgins, and creatures both in heauen and earth, incessantlie magnifie thee in the palace consecrated to thy Maiestie; and will sing of thy mercie and truth, because thou hast gotten vnto thee now at the length most great honour; for that thou hast so maruellouslie, aboue expectation, surelie performed vnto me that which thou didst promise in thy word.

I, with the residue of the people of my dominion, as a mother with hir daughters, and the virgin with vir∣gins; being for this cause replenished with incredible ioie, and comforted with thy iudgments, O Lord, will reioice in thee, which (seeing nothing in me that should so moue thee) hast neuerthelesse embraced me with so great fauour, and mightilie also defended me: and with all the iust I will magnifie the holie remem∣brance of thee, so great a King continuallie, which sit∣ting vpon thy most holie throne, rulest the whole earth, and exaltest thy selfe far aboue all that is aloft

anie where.

For to this end chieflie thou, O Lord, hast consecra∣ted and set me ouer them, that I should diligentlie ex∣ercise the rites of thy diuine worship among them. Therefore I will delight my selfe in setting foorth thy praises more and more, and I will testifie my selfe in my whole life, to be desirous of thy honour and glorie, to whome all honour and glorie of right belongeth.

O my God, my King; I will highlie extoll thee, and celebrate thy name for euer and euer: I will consecrate all the daies of my life to set foorth thy glorie, and will amplifie thy name with songs, that neuer shall haue end.

For thou art great, O Lord; and no praise is suffi∣cient for thee: neither can anie man attaine to thy greatnesse.

For thy woonderfull works endure not for one gene∣ration and age alone; but as one age succeedeth ano∣ther, so likewise must some men commit the memoriall of them vnto others, vnlesse they will be negligent in dooing their dutie.

Wherefore trulie, be it far from me thy handmaid, that anie thing should be of greater authoritie with me, than that I should carefullie thinke, that the brightnesse of thy Maiestie, which shineth vnto vs in the verie dailie vse of things; and that thy deeds to me and my people-ward are greater, than can be com∣prehended, by the admiration or capacitie of all mor∣tall men and women.

And doubtlesse, Lord, though verie manie be most blockish, and woonderfull thankelesse; yet can there ne∣uer be wanting some, which shall euen against their willes confesse at the least thy terrible power, euen o∣uer all princes and people of the world. But admit that others be silent, and vnthankefull; yet I will ne∣uer cease to declare thy greatnesse; and the nations

most far off shall heare me publishing thy praises, and singing vnto thee, for deliuering and sauing me by thy power, whome thou hast chosen and loued.

But God forbid, that I alone should labour to doo this my dutie. For verelie, there will be alwaies some assemblie, which will by all meanes testifie the re∣membrance of thy peculiar goodnesse, and thy most vn∣doubted promises.

Namelie, that thou art most mercifull, and most rea∣die to exceeding mercie; and of whome a man may al∣most doubt, whether thou be more slowe to wrath, or more prone to pardon.

For is there anie thing, O Lord, void of thy good∣nesse? Naie, what is there in this whole world anie where, which doth not testifie thy clemencie, and euen of it selfe set foorth thy glorie in this point, that thou dooest suffer so manie generations and ages to passe and succeede in this world, that is defiled so manie and fundrie waies: and that thou dooest cause thy chosen people to knowe, and declare by experience, what thy dominion and power is, that is to saie, to be publi∣shers of thy praise and valiant acts, for committing the glorie of thy kingdome to their posteritie.

Wherefore by good right, O Lord, I will giue vnto thee due and conuenient praise, & declare thy woonde∣rous works, euen with a sounding voice; that all may heare, as it becommeth me; & all men, to whom thou grantest the vse of this life, to doo both diligentlie, and continuallie.

As for me, I will still call to mind the multitude of thy miracles, and woonderous works wrought for me; and I will consume all my life daies in praising thee therefore, so long as I shall remaine aliue. It shall be my speciall care to publish thy renowne with songs of praise. And would to God that my songs might be so plesant and acceptable vnto thee, as I with glad hart

and cheerefull mind will celebrate thy so manie and so great benefits bestowed vpon me.

And be it far awaie, and God forbid, O my soule, that euer we should forget the Lord our God. But let ra∣ther my right hand forget hir cunning, and all plaieng of instruments: and let the tongue of euerie one of vs rather cleaue to the roofe of our mouthes, than that it should be once vnmindfull of him; or at anie time aban∣don the due deserued praises, belonging to his most ho∣ly, glorious, mightie, and eternall name and Maiestie.

O all ye creatures in heauen and earth, agree yee vnto me, and saie herevnto with one hart and mouth, Amen. Praise ye the Lord; praise thou thy God, O my soule:

Amen, Amen.