A Christian library, or, A pleasant and plentiful paradise of practical divinity in 37 treatises of sundry and select subjects ... / by R. Younge ...

The sad and doleful Lamentation of ORIGEN after his Fall: Set up as a Sea-Mark to make others beware of doing the least Evil, that good (even the greatest good) may come of it.

BEing much affected with this Example of Origen, as deeming it exceeding rare, remarkable, & for∣cible to make others beware: I have much desired, that some Stationer would print it with some other small piece, for the common good; and thereupon I engaged first one, and after that another, who were to print Spira, that they would add this of Origen unto it, leaving my Copy with them; but neither of them kept their promise, be∣cause forsooth, that of Spira alone would sell for six pence, and both together for no more. A solid reason! while a little gain shall be more stood upon, then the glory of God, and good of Souls. Yet this is the worlds me∣thod, and as common, as cursed and barbarous. All which considered, none of them (I hope) can justly bla•••• me for filling up the void pages of this sheet with that which may pleasure thousands. For I dare say, there is not one Reader of fourty, that have formerly met with the same in any Author.

IN the days of Severus lived Origen, a man famous for Learning, and in mental ex∣cellencies most rare and singular: he was bold and fervent under the reign of Severus, Max∣iminus, and Decius, in assisting, comforting, exhor∣ting and cherishing the Martyrs that were impri∣soned,

with such danger of his own life, that had not God wonderfully protected him, he had bin stoned to death many times of the heathen mul∣titude; for such great concourse of men and wo∣men went daily to his house to be catechised and instructed in the Christian Faith by him, that Souldiers were hired of purpose to defend the place where he taught them.

Again, such search sometimes was set for him, that neither shifting of place nor Countrey could hardly serve him. In which laborious travels and affairs of the Church, in teaching, writing, confu∣ting, exhorting & expounding, he continued about fifty two years, unto the times of Decius & Gallus; divers and great persecutions he sustained; but e∣specially under Decius, in his Body he sustained Bonds and Torments, Rackings with Bars of I∣ron, stinking and dark Dungeons, be sides terrible threats of Death and Burning; all which he man∣fully and constantly suffered for Christ: Yet at length (like an Isickle) he that could endure the rough Northern wind of Persecution wel enough, melted with the heat of the Sun, (sweet Allure∣ments and fair Promises of Satan and his Adhe∣rents; his own flesh also, proving a treacherous Solicitor:) For in the end, being brought by the Idolatrous Infidels to an Altar of theirs, he shame∣fully condescended to offer Incense thereupon, in manner as followeth, by his own Confession.

When (saith he) I sought to allure & win these Idolaters by cunning means to the knowledge of the Son of God, after much fisting they promi∣mised me (unhappy man!) that they would by crafty conveyances avoid the subtilty of Satan,

and be baptized; But being ignorant and unskil∣ful in their divers cunning sleights, they (toge∣ther with the Devil) undermined my simplicity, and Satan turning himself into an Angel of light, reasoned with me that same night, saying, When thou art up in the Morning, go on and perswade them, and bring them unto God; and in case they demand ought of thee, so they will hearken and condescend unto thee, do what thou shalt think necessary, without staggering at all at the matter, to the end many may besaved. And again, the Devil going before to prepare the way, whet∣ted their Wits to devise mischief against me, silly Wretch, and sowed in their minds hypocrisie, dis∣simulation, and deceit. But I, O unhappy crea∣ture, skipping out of my Bed at the dawning of the day, could not finish my wonted Devotions, neither accomplish my usual prayer: But wishing that all men might be saved, and come to the knowledge of the Truth. I folded and wrapped my self in the snares of the Devil, I got me unto the wicked Assembly, I required of them to per∣form the Covenant made the night before; and coming (as I thought) unto the Baptism; I (silly soul) not knowing of any thing, answered but in a word, and became reproachfully defamed. I spake without malice, yet felt I their inveterate and deadly spite; for instantly the Divel raised an Assembly about me, who carried me to an Al∣tar of theirs, where a foul filthy Ethopian being appointed, this option or choice was offered un∣to me, namely; Whether I would sacrifice to the Idol; or have my Body polluted with that foul and ugly Ethio∣pian. In which strait, I having ever kept my Cha∣stity undefiled, and much abhorring that filthy

villany to be done to my body, brake out into many moans, lamentations and cryes against both. Yet (O wretched man that I am) at length yeilded rather to sacrifice. Whereupon the Judge putting Incense into my hand, caused me to set it to the fire upon the Altar; for the which impie∣ty I was delivered both from that and Martyr∣dom. But upon my discharge, the Devil raised such an out-cry in the City, in pronouncing a∣gainst me that just, and yet unjust sentence, Ori∣gen hath sacrificed.

Whereupon he was excommunicated out of the Church, and driven with shame and sorrow out of Alexandria; and going to Ierusalem, and being there among the Congregation, was reque∣sted by the Priests to make some Exhortation in the Church to the people; the which he refused to do for a great while; but at length being con∣strained through importunity, he rose up, and turning the booke as though he would have ex∣pounded some place of the Scripture, he hap'ned upon, & read onely the 16. verse of the 50. Psalm, where he found it thus written; But God said unto the sinner, What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldst take my Covenant into thy mouth; seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my Word behind thee.? Which being read, he shut the Book, and sate down weeping and wailing, the whole Con∣gregation weeping and lamenting with him; he said unto the Church, Wo is me; my Mother which brought me forth as an high and lofty Ter∣ret, yet suddenly I am turned down to the ground; as a fruitful Tree, yet quickly withered; as a burning Light, yet forthwith darkned; as a

running Fountain, yet by and by dried up. Wo is me that ever I was decked with all gifts and gra∣ces, and now seem pitifully to be deprived of all. The Lord hath made and ingrafted me a fruitful Vine, but instead of pleasant Clusters of Grapes, I brought forth pricking Thorns: Let the Well-springs of tears be stirred up, and let my Cheeks be watered; let them flow upon the earth, and moisten it; for that I am soaked in sin, and bound in mine iniquity; every creature sorroweth, and may well pity my case, for that I was wont here∣tofore to pour out my prayers unto God for them all; but now there is no salve for me: Where is he that went down from Ierusalem to Iericho, who also salved and cured him that was wounded of the Thieves? Whenas I went about to enlighten others, I darkned my self; when I endeavoured to bring others from death to life, I brought my self from life to death.

Oh blinded heart! how didst thou not remem∣ber? O foolish mind! how didst thou not bethink thy self? O witless brain! how didst thou not un∣derstand? O thou Sence of Understanding! Where didst thou sleep? But it was the Devil which pro∣voked thee to slumber and sleep, and in the end to slay thy unhappy & wretched soul: He bound my power and might, and wounded me. I bewail sometime the fall of Sampson, but now have I faln far worse my self. I bewailed heretofore the fall of Solomon, yet now am I faln far worse my self. I have bewailed heretofore the estate of all sin∣ners, yet now am I plunged worse then them all. Sampson had the hair of his head clipt off, but the Crown of Glory is faln off my head. Sampson lost

the carnal eyes of his body, but my spiritual eyes are digged out: Even as he was severed from the Israelites, and held captive among Idolaters, so I have separated my self from the Church of God, and am joined with evil spirits. Alas! my Church liveth, yet am I a Widower. Alas! my Sons be a∣live, yet am I barren. Alas O Spirit which camest heretofore down upon me, why hast thou forsa∣ken me? O thou Devil, what hast thou done un∣to me? O Satan, how hast thou wounded me? It was the wiliness of a Woman that brought Samp∣son to his confusion; but it was my own Tongue that brought me to this sinful Fall. Alas! every Crea∣ture rejoiceth, and I alone forsaken and sorrow∣ful. Bewaile him that is bereaved of the Holy Ghost; bewail me that am thrust out of the Wed∣ding-Chamber of Christ; bewail me that am tor∣mented with the prick of Conscience; for now it behoveth me to shed infinite tears for my great sin. Who knoweth whether the Lord wil have mercy upon me? Whether he will pity my fall? Whether he will be moved with my desolation? Whether he will have respect unto my humility, and incline his tender compassion towards me? Now let the Elders mourn, for that the staffe whereto they leaned is broken. Now let the young men mourn, for that their School-Master is faln. Now let the Virgins mourn▪ for that the advan∣cer of Virginity is defiled. Now let the Priests mourn, for that their Patron and Defender is shamefully falne from the Faith. Assist me holy Spirit, and give me Grace to repent. Let the foun∣tain of tears be opened, and gush out into streams, to see if that peradventure I may have the grace

worthily and throughly to repent: Why hast thou shut my mouth by the holy Prophet David? Am I the first that have sinned? Or am I the first that fell? Why hast thou forsaken me, and banished me from among the Saints, and astonied me to preach thy Laws? Saint Peter the Pillar of truth, after his fall, wiped away that bitter passion of forswearing his Master, with monrnful tears, and was purged from the venom of the Serpent in a short time. Restore me again to my former health of salvation. O all ye which behold my wounds, tremble for fear, least God forsake you, and you fall into the like crime. O wo is me that I am se∣vered from among the company of the blessed Assemblies: I have my death's wound: I see the Clouds in the Skye shadowing the Light from me, and the Sun hiding from me his bright beams. O Satan! What mischief hast thou wrought unto me? How hast thou pierced my breast with thy poysoned Dart? Thinkest thou that my ruine will avail thee any thing at all? Thinkest thou to procure unto thy self ease and rest, whiles that I am grievously tormented? But how can I speak, whenas my Tongue is tyed? My lips dare not once move; my throat is dammed up; all my sen∣ses and iustruments are polluted with iniquity. But I will proceed on; and first, I will fall to the ground on my bare knees, and make mine hum∣ble supplication unto all the faithful and blessed of God, both great and small, that they wil help me, silly wretch, which by reason of the superflui∣ty of my sinne, dare not crave ought at the hands of God: O ye Saints and blessed of God, with waterish eyes, and wet cheeks soaked in dolour

and pain. I beseech you to fall down before the Mercy-seat of God for me miserable sinner, wo is me, that am compassed thus on every side, & shut up in my sin: The Lord hath made me an Angel, I have made my self a Devil: I was as as a skilful law∣yer, yet am I overthrown by my unrighteous deal∣ing: I was an heir of the Kingdom of God, but now am an inheritor of the Kingdom of the Di∣vel: I am choaked with infamous doings; but who wil Minister Moisture unto the Temples of my Head? and who wil give streams of tears unto my Eyes, that I may bewail my self in this my sor∣rowful plight? O all ye my friends, tender my case, pity my person, in that I am dangerously wounded, in that I am a scorn to all men; for ha∣ving trodden under foot the the Seal and Cogni∣zance of my Profession, and joined in League with the Devil. In that I am rejected and cast a∣way from the face of God; it is for my lewd life that I am thus polluted. I see the Spider over my seat building his Cobweb: There is no sorrow like to my sorrow; there is no affliction that ex∣ceedeth my affliction; there is no bitterness that passeth my bitterness; there is no lamentation more lamentable then mine? Neither is there any sin greater then my sin, for there is no salve for me. Where is that good Shepherd of Souls? I have broken my Vow I made in Baptism: Alas that ever I was Doctor, and now occupy not the room of a Disciple! Thou knowest, O Lord, that I fell against my Will: Who is able to signifie un∣to me, when again I shall be coupled, and made Companion of the Saints of God? O! I am not worthy to hear the Message of them that bring

such tidings; for the threats of the Prophets and Evangelists onely belong unto me. O the bosom of Abraham, the which I am deprived of! I am becom partaker with the Rich Man in his Con∣demnation, and scorching flames in the horrible pit? I am tormented with the prick of Consci∣ence; I do fear the dreadful day of Judgment, for that I am damn'd for ever, I do fear the pu∣nishment, for that it is eternal. I will prostrate my self before the Threshold and Porches of the Church, that I may intreat all people both small and great, and will say unto them, Trample and tread me under foot, which am the foolish Salt, the unsavory Salt; tread me which have no taste nor rellish of God: Wo is me that I fell most dangerously, and cannot rise again. Assist me, O Holy Syirit, and give me grace to repent, and wipe out of the Book of the Conscience, the Ac∣cusation printed against me: But thou, O Lord, think upon me, though I am of polluted lips, and have uttered lewd things with my Tongue; and accept thou Repentance, Affliction, and bitter tears, the dolour of my heart, and the heaviness of my soul; and have mercy upon me, and raise me up from out of the Mire of Corruption and Filth; for the puddle hath even choacked me up. Wo is me, that sometime was a Pearle glistering in the golden garland of Glory, but now thrown into the dust, and trodden in the mire of contempt? Wo is me, that the Salt of God now lieth on the Dunghil! O how many great streams of Lamentation and tears will wash a∣way and purge mine humble heart? I will turn my talk to God: Why hast thou lift me up, and

cast me down? I had not committed this impie∣ty, unless thou hadst withdrawn thy hand from me. David sinned too bad in thy sight, yet after his Repentance thou receivedst him to mercy: Grant that I may not become an habitation for Devils, but that I may trample under foot the Devil, which hath trod upon me. I have fallen and am bruised, there is no health in me. Why hast thou, O Lord, broken down my hedge and strong holds. The wilde Boar out of the Wood hath destroied me, and the wilde Beasts of the field hath eaten me up. Rid me, O Lord, from the roaring Lion, that the Bill of sin written against me may be blotted out; that I may cease from my Lamentation in the evening, and receive joy in the morning. Let my sackcloth be rent in sunder, and gird me with joy and gladness.

Thus in his bitter affliction, and grief of mind he uttered these things confusedly, and out of order.

FINIS.