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.

A meditation of Gods power, beautie, and goodnesse.

BIcause thou, Lord, wouldest haue vs to loue thee, not one lie doost thou will, intise, allure, and prouoke vs; but also doost command vs so to doo: promising thy selfe vnto such as loue thee, and threatening vs with dainnation if we doo otherwise. Whereby we may see both our great corruption and naughtinesse, and also thine ex∣ceeding great mercie toward vs.

First concerning our corruption and naughtinesse, what a thing is it that power, riches, authoritie, beu∣tie, goodnesse, liberalitie, truth, iustice (which all thou art good Lord) can not mooue vs to loue thee? Whatso∣euer things we see faire, good, wise, mightie, are but euen sparks of thy power, beautie, goodnesse, wisdome, which thou art. For to the end thou mightest declare thy riches, beautie, power, wisdome, goodnes, &c. Thou hast not onelie made, but still dooest conserue all crea∣tures to be (as Dauid saith of the heauens) declarers and setters foorth of thy glorie, and as a booke to teach vs to knowe thee.

How faire thou art, the beautie of the sunne, moone, stars, light, flowers, riuers, feelds, hils, biros, beasts, men, and all creatures; yea, the goodlie scape & forme of the whole world dooth declare.

How mightie thou art, we are! taught by the crea∣tion of the world euen of naught; by gouerning the same, by punishing the wicked mightie Giants there∣of; by ouerthrowing their deuises; by repressing the rages of the sea, and keeping it within hir bounds; by stormes, by tempests, by fires. These and such like declare vnto vs thine inuisible, almightie, and terrible

power, whereby thou subduest all things vnto thee.

How rich thou art, this world, thy great and infinite treasure-house, dooth well declare. What plentie is there, not onelie of things, but also of euerie kind of things? Yea, how doost thou yeerelie and dailie multi∣plie these kinds? How manie seeds doost thou make of one seed? Yea, what a great increase doost thou bring it vnto? These can not but put vs in remembrance of the exceeding riches that thou hast. For if to thine eni∣mies, which loue thee not (as the most part of this world be,) if to them thou giuest so plentifullie thy ri∣ches heere: what shall we thinke, that with thy selfe thou hast laid vp for thy freends?

How good thou art, all creatures generallie and particularlie do teach. What creature is there in the world, which thou hast not made for our commoditie? I will not saie how that thou mightest haue made vs creaturs without sense or reason, if thou hadst would. But amongst all things none dooth so teach vs thy great loue towards vs, as dooth the death of thy most deerlie beloued sonne, who suffered the paines and ter∣rors thereof: yea, and of hell it selfe for our sakes. If this thy loue had beene but a small thing, it would ne∣uer haue lasted so long, nor Christ would neuer haue died.