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.

Another Psalme, or complaint of a penitent sinner, which is sore troubled and ouercome with sinne.

O Lord God mercifull and patient: and of much mercifulnesse and truth.

Which for thine aboundant charitie, and according to thy great mercie, hast taken vs out from the power of darkenesse: and hast saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration and new birth, and the renewing of the holie Ghost: whome thou hast shed vpon vs aboundantlie by Iesu Christ our sauiour.

If I haue found grace and fauour in thy sight, suf∣fer me to speake a word vnto thee, and be not displea∣sed with me.

Why dooest thou euer forget me, and leauest me in the middest of my troubles and euils?

Where is become thy zeale & thy strength? Where is the multitude of thy tender affections, and of thy mercies?

O Lord, may not he which is fallen, rise vp againe? Or may not he which hath gone awaie from thee, re∣turne to thee againe?

Shall my sorrowe euer endure? Shall my wound be incurable and neuer healed?

How commeth it to passe, that I turne still awaie from thee? My sinne dailie increaseth, and of my selfe I can not returne.

In as much as it is not giuen to man to direct his owne waies, neither to make perfect his owne procee∣dings.

For in thy hand is the life of euerie liuing thing: and the spirit also of euerie man.

Thou shewest thy mercie to whome thou wilt: and thou art gratious to them whome thou fauourest.

Thou dooest kill, and thou dooest quicken: thou lea∣dest

downe to hell gate, and bringest vp againe.

Thine eies behold the waies of euerie man: and thou searchest the harts of men.

There is no place so secret or darke, wherein sinners may hide themselues from thee.

Nor anie man may so lurke and hide himselfe in caues, but thou shalt see him, which dooest fulfill both heauen and earth in euerie part.

Why hast thou cast me awaie from thy presence, and takest me for thine enimie?

Why hast thou laid vpon my head the heauie weight of my sinnes, seeing no man is able to beare thy dis∣pleasure?

What meaneth it, that thou shewest thy power a∣gainst a wretch? Why destroiest thou me for the sinnes of my youth?

If I haue sinned, what shall I doo to thee? And if my sinnes be increased, what shall I doo?

If I doo iustlie, what shall I giue to thee? Or what shalt thou receiue at my hand?

My wickednesse shall hurt my selfe: and my righte∣ousnesse shall profit me.

The life of man is a temptation vpon the earth: and if I haue sinned, as all men haue, what may I doo?

Shall anie man be found cleane, and without sinne before thee? Or shall anie man be without default in his deeds?

How may a mortall man be pure from sinne in thy sight? Or how may he, which is borne of a woman, be righteous?

Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me of the earth: and that thou shalt bring me a∣gaine into the dust of death.

My daies passe and vanish awaie like smoke: they waste dailie, there is no tarieng.

My life flieth awaie as the winde: and considereth

not that which is good.

I was but latelie borne into this world, and shortlie I shall be taken awaie hence by death: I neuer conti∣nue still in one state.

The daies of my life be few, and short: thou hast appointed an end, which I shall not passe.

Naked and bare I came out of my mothers wombe: and naked and bare I shall returne againe, trulie all men liuing are vanitie.

Haue pitie, O Lord, on them that are in miserie: and despise not the works of thy hands.

Though we sinne, yet are we vnder thee; for wee knowe thy power and strength: and if we sinne not, then are we sure that thou regardest vs.

Cease thine indignation, O Lord, and turne it from me: and cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe.

Take awaie thy plagues from me, for thy punish∣ment hath made me both feeble and faint.

For when thou chastisest a man for his sinnes, thou causest him by and by to consume and pine awaie.

Whatsoeuer is delectable in him perisheth, like vn∣to the cloth that is eaten with mothes.

Would God I had one to defend me a while, vntill thine anger were turned awaie: or that thou woul∣dest set me a time, in the which thou wouldest remem∣ber me.

I am cleane cast awaie from thy presence: shall I neuer heereafter see thy face againe?

Behold, I haue opened the griefes of my soule: the daies of my sorrowes haue taken me.

The flouds of tribulation compasse me round a∣bout, and the streames of thy furie run ouer me.

And I crie vnto thee, O Lord God, but thou hearest me not: I aske mercie, but thou reiectest my praiers.

Why thrustest thou downe a poore wretch from thy presence? Or why forsakest thou me so long time?

Why takest thou not away mine iniquitie? And why puttest thou not awaie the wickednesse of mine hart?

Arise, and tarie no longer, O Lord: arise, and reiect me not for euer.

Haue me in remembrance, I beseech thee: for I tho∣roughlie tremble and shake for feare.

Yet I will not hold my tongue, but crie still vnto thee with a moorning and an heauie hart.

Turne awaie the stroke of thy vengeance from me: bring my mind out of troubles into rest.

I am here no long continuer, but a pilgrime, and a stranger, as all other mortall men be.

And what is man, that thou shouldst be angrie with him? Or what is mankind, that thou shouldest be so heauie Lord vnto vs?

What? Wilt thou bring sorowe vpon sorowe? I pant for paine, and find no rest.

My sorowe greeueth me, when I should eate, and sudden sighs ouerwhelme mine hart.

I am as if my bones were all to broken, when I heare mine enimies raile vpon me, and saie to me daie by daie; Where is thy God?

Why turnest thou thy face awaie from these things, O Lord? Why hast thou no regard of my trouble?

I earnestlie make my praiers dailie in thy sight, and the heauinesse of mine hart I doo shew vnto thee.

My spirit is carefull and troubled within me: and desperation hath entered into mine hart.

Is it thy pleasure, O Lord God, to cast awaie thine owne handie worke?

Deliuer my soule from corruption, and my life from euerlasting darknesse.

What auaileth it me that euer I was borne, if thou cast me straight into damnation, seeing that the dead shall not praise thee: nor anie of them that go downe to hell?

I haue sinned, what shall I doo to thee? Why hast thou put me to be contrarie to thee? I am wearie of mine owne selfe.

Why searchest thou out my sinnes so narrowlie: when there is no man that can take out of thine hand.

If I would saie, that I were righteous and with∣out sinne: then thou mightest woorthilie condemne me to the fire, prepared for the diuell and his angels.

But I confesse that I am a sinner, and doo humble mine hart in thy sight.

Surelie, if anie man would stand with thee in iudg∣ment, he shall not be able to answere one word to a thousand things, wherewith thou mightest charge him.

This maketh me to feare all my deeds: knowing that thou sparest not him that offendeth.

If I looke vpon thy power, O how mightie and strong art thou! If I shall call for iudgement, who shall defend my matter, or speake for me?

To thee O Lord, I call and crie: to thee, my God, I make mine humble suite.

Turne awaie thine anger from me: that I may knowe that thou art more mercifull vnto me, than my sinnes deserue.

What is my strength, that I may endure? Or what is the end of my trouble, that my soule may patientlie abide it?

My strength is not a stonie strength, and my flesh is not made of brasse.

There is no helpe in my selfe, and my strength flieth awaie from me.

Although thou hide these things in thine hart: yet I knowe that thou wilt remember me at length.

For thou art true and iust, O Lord God, thou dooest not condemne vniustlie: which rewardest man accor∣ding to his deserts.

All this is come vpon me, bicause I haue forgotten thee: and not vsed my selfe trulie in thy testament.

Mine hart hath turned backward: and I haue fol∣lowed the desires of my flesh.

And thou hast surelie knowne this thing: which knowest the secrets of the hart.

Laie not against me, O Lord, the sins of my youth: nor haue in remembrance mine old iniuries done a∣gainst thee.

Dailie sorowe ouercommeth me: and sadnesse pos∣sesseth mine hart.

I looke after peace, but I can not haue it: I looke for a time of health; but my greefe continueth still.

When the time of thine anger is past, let mercie come: yet am I vnhappie more and more.

Wo and alas that euer I sinned! mine hart there∣fore mourneth and is sad, all mirth and ioie be bani∣shed from me.

How am I wasted? How miserablie am I confoun∣ded, bicause I haue forsaken and cast awaie thy lawe?

Death hath ascended vp by the windowes; pear∣cing the inward parts of mine hart.

When I dailie one while muse secretlie with my selfe, another while with lowd voice crie out and com∣plaine, the meane time my life draweth neere to the pit.

Who shall giue me a place to rest in from all my griefes and troubles? And I will forsake all men, and get me awaie from them.

Who shall giue me water to mine head, and a foun∣taine of teares to mine eies, that I may bewaile my sinnes both night and daie?

And I will looke for him, which may saue me, and de∣liuer me from the wrath to come.

I haue no trust neither in life nor death: but I feare thy iudgement, O Lord, and the paines prepared for

wicked sinners.

The feare of my sinne maketh me carefull: and the burden of my conscience oppresseth me sore.

O GOD, which tenderlie louest mankind, and art a most rightfull iudge: spare me now, I beseech thee, and shew me some fauour while time is.

Forgiue that, which I feare; put awaie that, which I dread: before I depart hence, and shall not returne againe.

My sinnes doo vexe and trouble me sore: they be so great that none can be greater.

Alas my fall! alas my miserie! alas the griefe of my plague and stroke! certainlie my sinne is the cause of all this, and so I will take and suffer it.