A most heauenly and plentifull treasure, or, A rich minerall full of sweetest comforts the contents the next page will shewe.

CHAPTER II.

Aleph. MArke and behold here a strange and lamētable altera∣tion of things. For, Syon, the dearely beloued daughter of God, who held vp her head aboue all the C•…•…es of the world, as a Cypres tree doth, aboue all the bushes in the wood, who caried in her forehead an honorable and mag∣nificall maiestie, and shining most glo∣riously, is now brought downe to the ground, and so disfigured, obscu••ed, besmeared, and blemished, as that no man will euer know her, and this, ô Lord, is come to passe by reason of thine irefull blowes which thou hast

layd vpō her, who, as thou hast with an infinit power created all things in per∣fection, destroyest also with a most in∣finit power all things in the heat of thy iust anger. Thou hast lifted vp euen vnto heauen thy dearely beloued Syon, and afterward threwest her downe roundly from heauen to earth, because she contemned thy amitie and friend∣ship. Her mightinesse serued her for none other purpose, but to make her fall the greater, and the noyse thereof the more terrible. For, as thou art ex∣treame in louing, so also art thou as ex∣treame in punishing▪ and whē through long impenitencie, the people enforce thee to put to thy reuēging hand, then is thine anger like thunder and light∣ning, which spareth nothing that it meeteth withall. Now, it is a strange thing to see how God hath dealt with Syon in his fury, to see how he hath bene auenged of his very Temple, to see how he hath destroyed & shaken to fitters the place of the world which best liked him, & wherupon a mā might say, he rested his feet, making his dei∣tie to be seene and knowne in that place, as much as possible might.

Beth. And what hath he pardoned? Hath any thing escaped his hands vn∣touched? Looke vpon all the houses of Ia••ob, and vpon what so euer ex∣quisite thing that is in Iudah, and tell me if there be any whit of any of all these things standing? Tell me I be∣seech thee, if there be so much as a corner of any of all those so braue and proud fortresses remayning? Is it possible for all Palestine to be noted for one, whose feasts are not brought downe also as low as the foundations? Hath the Kings Throne bene polluted & ouerthrowne? Haue the Princes and noble mē of the countrey bene beaten with cudgels, and drest like poore and miserable slaues? Surely, they were the very Buts of the iniuries.

Gimel. To be short, since the time that God began to be aduenged of vs, he hath not left either great or mighty in our land, whom he hath not shaken & shiuered. For, what so euer was emi∣nent & high, hath met with the finger of his wrath. He hath brought vpō our heads great armies of enemies, assem∣bled strange nations, and brought them home euen vnto our faces

and left vs vnto their furious cruelty. We haue called and cryed vpon him, and coniured him to ayd his people, but he hath beheld vs with a threatfull and disdainefull eye, and turned his back vpon vs, without geuing vs an∣swere. And incontinētly, he lightened a fire of dissention in the middest of our pr••uince, which winning from place to place, and compassing all the whole countrey, hath burnt downe euen to the very least houill or shed, and deuoured all the whole nation.

Daleth. It is the Lords hand which hath done this, It is he that is our prin∣cipall enemy, and he that hath fought against vs. We haue seene his bowe bent against vs, & his arme stretched ouer our heads. And with this blowe, haue all our Citizens bene cast to the ground. With this blow, haue our most proud palaces fallen to pieces. Be∣lieue me, it is with his owne hand that he hath spred vpon our land the fire of his indignation, which hath thus mise∣rably consumed vs. Vnto him alone must we impute our ruine. For, all the forces of mē were neuer able to bring this matter thus about, and to passe.

He. Nay, he hath of set purpose put to his hand, hath denounced warre vnto Israel, and meaneth to proue his forces against him. O, what an hard and dangerous tryall is this! He hath cast downe headlong from the highest, vnto the lowest, the most pompous and great feast, euen vnto the bottomlesse deapths of pouertie & miserie, the hath shaken with thunder and lightning all her fortresses; and dismanteled all her Castles. He hath humbled, and that with great shame, both men and wo∣men, and changed their pomp & mag∣nificence into mourning and groning.

Vau. But wilt thou know how we haue bene handled? Imagin then with thy selfe that thou seest a flocke of Goats in a faire Garden set full of yong graffes and impes, bordered and knotted with beautifull floures, and sowen with most excellent seeds of most dayntie herbs, and in a moment they are all rauened, broused on, bittē to the stumps, and rooted cleane vp. Or else, imagine thou seest before thee a small houill or shed as we call it, built vp with dirt and spittle, and That∣ched with strawe, and as soone as

any storme ariseth, it carrieth away with it an handfull of it this way, and another handfull that way: and the place where it stood, is that, where the least part of the substance there∣of remayned. Euen so hath Syon bene dealt withall, for, of all the great Temples, and braue buildings there∣of, can hardly be sound the place whereon they stood, that a man might say, Here they were once. For now, there is no more speech of them, then if they had neuer bene. The feasts and Sabboths, which were there celebra∣ted with so great ceremonie and reue∣rence, are vtterly abolished. Yea, both Kings and Bishops were touched with the ••inger of God, as well as the rest.

Zain. It was a strange thing to see God grow to be thus angrie, that he abhorred his Aulters, had his sacrifi∣ces in abhomination, to curse that which he him self had once sanctified, to leaue his holy Temple, his very deere and pretious Sanctuary, in the impure and polluted hands of infidels. To lodge this vncleane nation, within this braue, magnificall, and religious accent or Tenor as it were, within the

tents of a Camp. To heare the crying and howling of their barbarous voyces in that place where his seruice was wont to be solemnly celebrated, and Hymnes song vnto his glory.

Het. It may be very well sayd, that God thought long before to destroy this City, to see how all things met so iump, for seruing to the ouerthrow thereof all at once. Thou mightest say that he had taken measure and order of and for all things for it, to the end they might ioyne together in this be∣halfe. In so much as there was nothing wanting, as if it had bene fatall, & that whatsoeuer we had bene able to haue done, could no way haue turned the hand of God frō vs, neither yet deferre our misery: for, all felt it, yea, forefelt it, & we also saw before the cōming of our mishap the very walls of our City as it were weepe, and all the face of the City fall away and looke sadly, and beare on her forehead a cloudy and darke wildernesse: for, after she had once receyued a strange shock, she was straightwayes ouerturned, and there was not left one stone vpon another.

Thet, Oye braue & honorable Gates

of Syon, ye haue bene cast downe wide open, your books and hengils puld out, your locks broken vp, and your iron barres beaten in pieces, and in v•…•…se deed there was not a gate left, for the Citie lay wide open in euery place, and men might go in and out at the brea∣ches where they pleased. But for thy last vnhappie farewell, before thou wert razed, thou sawest thy Princes and worshipfull Citizens passe ouer thy thresholds led captiues into a strange land. Thou sawest thy law a∣bolished, yea euen that law which the Lord thy God had geuen thee as a guage and earnest pennie of his coue∣nant: so as thou mightest haue iud∣ged, that thou haddest lost his friend∣ship, whē as he tooke from thee those his pawnes. And besides, he neuer re∣uealed him selfe vnto thee, for his spi∣rit was neuer in thy Prophets, they that came frō him, had no mo visions, by which, he made them vnderstand his will, he hath left vs without both counsell, and conduct, like strayed sheepe that goe bleating ouer the fields, without Shepheard or guide.

Iod. And therefore the poore gray

haired old men which could no way escape, finding no more help in their God, and seeing him deafe vnto their prayers, being altogether out of heart, layd themselues downe on the groūd, and leaning vpon their elbowes, piti∣fully lamented their miserie, and ta∣king ashes in their hands, cast them vpō their heads, praying from the bot∣tome of their hearts, that their poore and miserable bodies might eftsoones be there changed. They also were so trussed vp in sackcloth, as that there could be nothing seene of them but their feet, & the place of their graue. They carried also their haires on their backs, that they might be either fami∣liarly acquainted with the custome of their miserie, or else make them not to feele it all. And after this manner be∣wailed they their calamitie. The poore and delicate maydens, and desolate fa∣therlesse children followed them, ca∣sting downe their eyes, bedeawing their cheekes, & holding downe their heads, euen as the Lilly doth when it is sore beaten with rayne and wind.

Caph. And in very truth, when I saw this so lamentable a Tragedy, mine

eyes melted into teares, and I had al∣most lost my sight as it were with ex∣treame weeping, and mine heart hea∣ued vp my body, as if one had rent my bowels out of my belly, when as I saw, I say, the poore children of Syon in this pitifull estate, when I saw them lament so bitterly, when I saw the greatest of them fall into swound•• with very sor∣row and griefe, and the sucking chil∣dren forsaken of their mothers, pine a∣way most miserably.

Lamed. Some crying vnto their mo∣thers for the teat, and others calling vppon them for bread. But they had neyther milke not bread to geue them, and this was the greatest com∣fort that the poore mothers had, e∣uen to go as farre as they could from theyr poore children, and turne a∣way theyr faces from them, vntill such time as the famine had consu∣med them, and they themselues lay screeking out in other places, dying of very faintnes, as if they had bin woun∣ded to death. And some of them were of that stomacke, as that they could a∣bide to see their children dye between their armes, and by little and little pro∣long

their owne poore life, dying soon•• after with very sorrow and griefe. O, what wounds felt these poore harts! and how deepe did these blows pierse! verely euen into the place of mother∣ly pitie, which is euen the very bot∣tome of the heart. And it is no mar∣uell that they died so suddainly, whē as they were at once so piersed through∣out all the vitall parts, yea, to the very wounding of the soule, and the casting of it perforce out of the body.

Mem. O poore and miserable Ie∣rusalem, how shall I depaint and set foorth this thy so great misery? what tearmes shall I deuise, liuely to ex∣presse so strange and suddaine a cala∣mitie? Whereunto shal I compare the greatnes of thine affliction? The earth is not able to comprehend it, and ther∣fore the sea must: for, it is as large and infinit as the sea is, a tormentrous field like to the sea, a bottomlesse gulfe, and a receptacle for great & hidious mon∣sters, as the sea is: one mischiefe dri∣ueth on another, as the waus of the sea do. But alasse, the sea hath sometimes calme winds, and thou ô Syon, hast in thine affliction, nothing but stormes

and tempests, the sea hath ports and hauens to come into, and thou billo∣west continually in trauell and payne. O poore Ierusalem, who shall then be able to saue thee, seeing thy misery is greater then either heauen, or earth, from whence then shalt thou finde remedy?

Nun. Shall thy Prophets do it, which haue so long troubled thine head, which haue deliuered vnto thee their dreames and old wiues tales, and en∣tertayned thee with vanities and lea∣sings, whereas they should haue boldly told thee of thy sinnes, and so thereby haue called thee backe vnto repen∣tance? But they imagined and thought vpon Anticks, and being sotted, and in loue with their owne shadowe•• & pre∣sumptuous opiniōs, vndid them selues in all their discourses and enterprises.

Samech. Behold in what a case thou now standest, ô poore & desolate Syon, for thou receyuest herein, both losse and shame together: for now, all they that go by, clap their hands, and shake their heads at thee, saying, Is this that so braue and honorable Citie, that was so full of all magnificence, and more

full of all delights and pleasures, then all the Cities of the earth beside?

Phe. There is not one that passeth by thee, which hath not a cast at thee to bite and sting thee: and who will not, after their groining manner, thus say, we wil now haue it, we wil deuoure it, and nothing shall keepe vs from it, this is the day which we haue so long looked for, and now is the houre which we haue dayly hoped after.

Ain. Behold Ierusalem, the reason why God preserued thee so long, is, be∣cause thou wert worthie of it. Thou thoughtest, that his threats had bene vayne and friuolous, and now thou seest whether he be a lyer or not, and whether he be able to performe that which he promiseth yea or no. For, he foretold thee, that if thou obeyedst not his lawe, that he would destroy thee, & make thee an heape of stones, and see now if he hath mist it. Yea, he hath ruined thee without remission, and made thee a scorne vnto thine e∣nemies, and geuen them all power and authoritie ouer thee.

Sade. But God in the end began to waxe weary of their insolency, because

they carryed thē selues too too proud∣ly of their conquest, for after they had troden vnder feet the greatnes of Ie∣rusalem, they meant againe to deale with his maiestie, and blaspheme his name, and hauing ouerthrowne the walles of this holy Citie, they bragged that they would make warre against God him selfe, and triumph ouer the spoyles of his Temple. Let their ex∣ample, ô Ierusalem, serue thy turne, and take occasion to appease God by thy repentance, that he may turne the punishment which he hath pre∣pared for thee, vpon thine enemies. Let thine eyes forthwith burst into bloudy teares, and weepe continually day and night, geue no rest to thy sighes, let thy pitifull eyes speake for thee, and looking vp still vnto hea∣uen, attend thou thine ayde from thence. Coniure by thine humble lookes, this diuine mercy, that it may ease thy weakenes, and conuert his iu∣stice, vnto the chastising of the inso∣lency of thine enemies.

Coph. Lift vp, lift vp, I say, both thy body and soule all at once, and before it be day, so soone as thou shalt awake,

put thy selfe in a readinesse to pray vnto God, to prayse and thanke him for that he, by the torments which he hath caused vs to abide, hath brought thee back into the right way, as men do oxen with the goade, vnto the knowledge of his name, and the ac∣knowledging of thine iniquities. And before his face, that is to say, when thou hast obtayned fauour at his hand to looke vpon thee, and seest him to haue compassion on thee, distill thine heart through thine eyes, and melt it all into teares, by thine earnest repen∣tance, euen as the Sunne would melt the snow newly fallen, into water. But if so be that thy teares will not touch him, and bring him to haue compas∣sion of thy miserie, lift vp thy hands yet at the least vnto him, and beseech him to be contented with thy mise∣ries, and not extend them vnto thy poore innocent childrē, who are there dispersed, dying of hunger and weake∣nesse, in corners, saying vnto him,

Resch. O Lord, if thou haue any eyes, behold this pitifull spectacle, and if thou haue any cares, harken vnto our prayers, and consider how great

our miserie is. Behold how thou hast bene auenged of vs, and see what a spoyle thou hast made of vs. And in very deed, I must needs confesse that we haue deserued it, and I do protest, that we are vnworthie of thy mercy, and do also vow, that we our selues are the causes of our owne miserie. But what haue these poore and wayling children done, whom thou seest screa∣king out them selues, faintly drawing their breath? Why should the child, whom hunger & torment had drawne out, before the time of the mothers womb was ready to deliuer it, which is not as it were so great as a mans hand, be rent in pieces by her, which should bring it forth, and so be eaten by her, and the same to go downe by peece-meale into the body, out of which it came whole and sound? Surely happy, and twise happy, are the Tygres and Lyons whelps in comparison of these, whose dammes will aduenture their own liues against whatsoeuer violence shall be offred their yong ones, rather then they would suffer them to take any hurt at all. O Lord, how canst thou abide this horrible dealing? Is it pos∣sible

that thou, which art altogether good & gratious, wouldest abide such great impietie to be wrought? that thou, which art so wise, wouldest allow of such a cruell acte? and that thou, which art Almightie, wouldest suffer such a strange outrage? Shew thy selfe ô Lord, shew thy selfe as thou art: and although for a time thou art determi∣ned to exercise thy seueritie and iu∣stice, yet thinke vpon this also, that thy mercy must reigne & haue her course. Content thy selfe that so much bloud is spilt, for the appeasing of thine hea∣uie wrath. Thou hast not bene pleased with the bloud of our sheepe and oxen alone, but wilt needs also haue thine Aulters couered with the bloud of thine owne Priests, for they haue sa∣crificed their owen liues, and thy Pro∣phets likewise haue bene offred vp in oblation, and yet thou art no whit appeased.

Syn. What more wouldest thou haue at out hands? Thou hast seene abroad in the fields, the gray haired and de∣creped old men and women lye vpon the ground, crying out, groaning, and weeping: thou hast seene lying within

our walles the slaughter of our youths: our streetes strawed all ouer with legs and armes: our riuers running ouer with bloud, and neyther sexe or yet age spared. Thou hast seene amongst the dead, the yong and tender may∣dens with their haires sheueled a∣bout their heads, hauing their breasts lying open with great wounds, out of which gushed streames of bloud, and thou hast seene them lying on their backs with their eyes vp vnto heauen, beseeching thine ayde. And thou, ô Lord, hast notwithstanding all this, tur∣ned away thine eyes from them, and as if thou haddest bene a God not to be intreated, hast without either pitie or mercy, run through them all with the sword of thy fury.

Tau. Thou hast inuited all my neigh∣bour nations round about me to come to my discomfiture, as it were vnto a mariage, and to take part of my spoiles. Thou hast brought them in such great multitudes, to take possession of me, an to compasse me, as that I can not deuise which way to escape thē. Thou thy selfe hast sounded to the assault, & animated them to my destruction, and

stopped vp the passages, for feare that any of vs should be saued. And truly, thy will hath bene done vpon all the children which I haue brought vp, nay there is not one of them saued, mine enemies haue made a shambles of thē, they haue murdered and massacred them till they cryed ho•• withall: and lo, seest thou them weary with kil∣ling, & yet carest thou not to see them do it, to let them to do it, and to cause them do it? Hath the remembrance of our sins made thee forget the remem∣brāce of thy clemency? Hast thou cre∣ated vs in thy mercy, to dest••oy vs in thy fury? Be thou then no more Al∣mightie, if thou wilt not become both all curteous, & all kind. To be short, be thou no more God, without thou wilt be likewise pitifull. Ha ô Lord, why hast thou called vs thy people, if thou wilt be no more our protector? Why hast thou called vs thy childrē, if thou wilt not deale with vs as a father? Haue therefore, ô Lord, compassion vpon vs, and seeing thy mercy is infinite, e∣uer since before the world was, cause that thine ire, which was neuer vntill our sins were, may take end and dye

with them; and that as our repētance hath set vs againe into the especiall way of obedience & godlinesse, so also it may bring vs againe into thy fauour.