whereto we can attribute no greater either praise or power then that it worketh the same vpon earth which GOD himselfe worketh in heauen by making men happie by deliuering them from eternall perdition and by bringing them to vnspeakeable and endlesse ioy And herein it is singular and eminently alone herein all other vertues are but handmaides to attend it For albeit loue be exceeding powerfull albeit the fire of loue bee of merueilous force to consume sins yet doth it neuer attaine this effect but by vertue of Repentance In this action of loue Repentance is the principall worker loue is a testimonie and declaration not a proper cause of remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes is rather the cause of loue then loue the cause of remission of sinnes It is a very hard thing which GOD cannot doe But herein hath GOD restrained his power GOD cannot be mercifull vnlesse sinners repent without repentance it is impossible that sinners should be pardoned because it is impossible without repentance to abandon euill and turne to GOD. For sinne is nothing else but an auersion from GOD and a conuersion to creatures an auersion from an inestimable and immutable good and a conuersion to a vaine and variable euill This sinne is neuer pardoned but by forsaking creatures and by applying our selues againe to GOD by turning againe from euill to good by inward loathing the transitory euill whereto by pleasure wee did adhere and by fixing our delight vpon that infinite good which will neuer either varie or faile But this is a proper worke of repentance this is repentance it selfe Whosoeuer is thus conuerted in soule he is truely penitent hee is blessed in this life the LORD will impute no sinne vnto him And the reason is because he imputeth sinne to himselfe hee preuenteth the imputation of the LORD by imputing sinne to himselfe he chargeth iudgeth condemneth himselfe and therefore he shall neuer be either condemned or questioned by the LORD For a superiour Iudge will neuer examine that offence which hee knoweth to be both examined and iusticed by his commission But GOD hath giuen to sinners not onely commission but command to examine and iudge themselues which if they will vnpartially doe hee hath promised that hee will neuer iudge them that hee will neuer impute sinne to their charge The Iustice of GOD requireth that sinne should be examined condemned and punished but the great mercie of GOD hath made sinners their owne Iudges their owne executioners and tormentors It putteth them in choise either to iudge and condemne their sinne or to bee iudged and condemned for their sinne either to put sinne to death in this world or to die for sinne in the world to come But blessed is hee who embraceth this mercie who doeth examine and condemne his sinnes who doeth impute sinne to himselfe that GOD may not impute his sinnes vnto him Blessed is he I say who hauing sincerely iudged himselfe may boldly looke GOD in the face and say vnto him Condemne me not tell me wherefore doest thou thus iudge me Wilt thou proceed against thine owne appointment Wilt thou violate the direct rule of thy iustice Thy iustice requireth but one condemnation and thy mercy hath giuen me power to condemne my selfe This I haue already done I did daily iudge my selfe before thee and now I did securelie expect thee I expect not now to bee iudged by thee For feare of thy iudgment I haue iudged my selfe I haue not stayed for thy sentence I haue preuented it in giuing sentence against my selfe Wherefore then doest thou thus iudge me Thou maiest iudge my iudgement if thou thinkest meet how truely and triely I haue examined my cause before thee and thy causeagainst me What good I haue receiued from thee and what euill I haue returned to thee Iudge my iudgement I say if thou wilt but doe not iudge I pray thee my sinnes For herein especially we must be regardfull that we iudge vprightlie that we giue no false sentence whether by negligence or by partialitie and selfe-loue that our iudgement be not either muzled by the one or misse-led by the other For he only is in this blessed estate who maketh a serious search in his soule who is not deceiued in making his search who dissembleth not what there he findes Blessed is he who deceiueth not himselfe who dissembleth not with GOD. Who deceiveth not himselfe in blinding or abusing his owne iudgement either by a stupendious stupiditie that he hath no sinne or by a negligent enquirie after them or by a fauourable estimation of them or lastly by a false conceite that he may at leisure and in good time repent Who dissembleth not with GOD either in concealing or extenuating any part of his euill but humbling himselfe before his presence laieth open to his view euery vncleane corner within him and as a poore petitioner as one who beggeth for a piece of bread as one who sueth for his very life rather aggrauate then extenuate his wretched condition For it is in singlenesse and sinceritie of soule It is by true sence and acknowledgement of our sinnes that we must both inuocate and obtaine GODS mercy If we flatter our selues that we are innocent If knowing our sinnes we cancell or conceale them as if we could deceiue GOD so easilie as we can blinde the world If to win opinion we compose our behauiour to an outward fashion of pietie and not with the most inward sences of our soule not with the verie heart of our heart acknowledge and bewaile our fault If we doe not rather seeke after righteousnes then make shew thereof If we do not both promise and purpose and endeauour to amend If our mind and our mouth and our outward actions doe not agree we are but hypocrites the worst of all sinners VVe increase wrath we shall neuer come to the presence of GOD. VVolues are neuer more wolues then when they are apparrelled like sheepe It is extreame wickednesse to be empty of all goodnesse and yet aspire to be esteemed good GOD requireth in his Law confession of sinne before the sinner could be purged He commanded also that the high Priest should confesse his owne sins and the sins of the people vpon the head of a Goare and then permit it to escape For assuredlie albeit GOD be exceeding mercifull in forgiuing our debts yet is he hard seuere in taking our accompts That which in deed wee cannot in desire wee are obliged to performe we must by acknowledgement make tender of that debt which otherwise we are vnable to discharge He that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtaine mercy If we dissemble our sinnes we double our punishment because we double our offence Euen as not onely he that stealeth is an offender but he also that concealeth a theft If we dissemble part of our sins if we keepe backe part and say that
to forgiue to giue vs thy goodnesse and forgiue vs our euill Thou canst not denie vs thy mercie whensoeuer we repent and turne to thee This Ocean of mercie hath neither bottome nor bound it cannot be fathomed it cannot be surmounted No sooner can a sinner call mercie to his mind but he is sencible of the working thereof For it breaketh and disperseth the hell of remorse which did chill his heart with astonishment and feare the dampes of pensiuenesse vanish away the punishment which hung ouer his head is chased farre off Or if any punishment be inflicted it is not the punishment of a iudge but the chasticement of a Father it is both temporall and tempered with mercie which maketh it not onely tolerable but easie and sweete In this Ocean of mercy I will cast the anchor of my hope ride securely against al rage of wheather here hope will hold mee firme and immoueable against all approaches O heauenlie hope whose face heauinesse cannot endure how wonderfull is thy sweetnesse and thy power What louely lookes doest thou cast vpon those whom thou encountrest what vnspeakeable ioyes doest thou kindle in their hearts who entertaine thee Loe she came vnto me attended with many comforts and with a diuine countenance and voice vsed these speeches Come feeble wretch I will lead thee into the Sanctuary of the LORD and place thee before his mercie-seate Come I say enter bouldly I will excuse thee Thou shalt finde him alone expecting thy comming Away with all worldly comforts it is no lesse dangerous for a soule to be pestred with them in time of troubles then it is for a shippe to be ouerburthened with rich merchandise in a tempestuous sea It is he onely who knoweth how to deliuer thee how to saue thee cast thy selfe on him and he will helpe thee Thus shee said but finding me heauie and little moued her sacred lippes began againe in this manner to infuse her selfe into my dull earthy spirit What said hee doest thou any thing doubt of the great mercies of GOD wilt thou still sucke sorrow out of euery vaine surmise why search the Scripture and thou shalt there finde mercie so much extolled so faithfully promised and so often and strangely practised vpon sinners that he seemeth too obstinate who will not submit himselfe lowly to embrace sure confidence therein But goe too I see I must take a little more paines I will therefore descend to particulars with thee Three things if any thing are most like to withhold GOD from exercising his mercie 1. The greatnesse of sinnes 2. His righteousnesse and iustice 3 The institution and ordinance of his law But neither any nor all these are able to hinder the forgiuenes of sins needs must GOD be merciful notwithstanding these impediments to such as are sorrowfull for their misse-liuing 1. For thy wickednes cannot either extinguish or abate his mercie in case thou be penitent and beare a constant mind to amend Otherwise the condition of all men were dangerous For when men offend if GOD were not mercifull if hee were hard and vnwilling to exercise his mercie what should they doe how should they order themselues to auoid despaire For despaire is nothing else but want of true trust in the mercie of GOD to remit sinnes But doubtlesse it is not so he is mercifull and alwaies readie to forgiue Sunes are so farre from being an impediment to mercie that they are the proper obiect thereof without which mercy hath no action for take away sinnes and where then is pardoning mercy Many glorious Saints in heauen are witnesses hereof who were once grieuous sinners vpon earth This also did Ionas know rightwell and for this cause he was vnwilling to bee a messenger from GOD of his wrath against the Nineuites For I knew said he that thou art a gracious GOD and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of the euill And obserue weake sinner whosoeuer thou art who for the greatnesse of thy sinnes art caried downe to the gates of despaire obserue how GOD dealt with these condemned Nineuites Hee suspended his sentence of condemnation and could not proceede to execution thereof so soone as they manifested their repentance Feare not then the greatnesse of thy sinnes for they are not neere so great as his mercy his mercy is farre aboue thy neede 2. The iustice of GOD can be no impediment For iustice requires no more then a recompence for a trespasse and forthwith the offence to be forgiuen But thy redemption is made thy reckoning is abundantly paide there remaineth nothing for thee to discharge This redemption is of such power and grace that it not onely satisfieth GODS iustice but winneth him to great fauour and loue Doe but remember who is the priest and what is the sacrifice and thou shalt finde the iustice of GOD easily answered for it was more that GOD died then all man-kind had perpetually perished This is such an offering as if euery houre euery minute it were newly offered And therefore it is called an eternall redemption because by it all true penitents are redeemed for euer All therefore who are penitent and haue a full purpose neuer to offend and a trust by GODS grace to continue in that purpose may bee assured that by this redemption they shal be forgiuen This redemption is the very strength of repentance hereby the iustice of GOD is no obstacle to his mercie 3. Now touching his ordinance of the law Of a troth the law was fearefull and seuere and therefore is termed the law of death euery soule that sinneth shall die But this seueritie is past and done A new law is made the law of grace the law of mercie and of life Repent and the kingdome of heauen is at hand This is a milde law but in any case the condition must bee performed Thou must applie thy selfe to repentance in any case GOD will not bee mercifull vnlesse sinners repent Notwithstanding if at any time through weakenesse thou offend doe not fall from him into despaire but trust in him sticke stiffelie and constantlie to him and so shall thy trust support his mercy in thee and againe his mercy shall support thy trust euen like a proppe against a wall which holdeth vp the wall and is againe sustained by the wall The impediments of mercy being thus remoued it remaineth plaine that mercy may easily bee obtained and that for diuers respects and especially these First for that the goodnesse of GOD assureth his mercy For to one who is good nothing is more naturall then to doe good which is the proper action of goodnesse But because no greater good can be done to another then to make him good it followeth that it is most proper to one who is good to make others good to communicate his goodnesse to others vntill he hath made them so good as himself And this is so farre true that the more goodnesse any one hath the
things bâ—fore thy face euen in this life in which time thy face shineth vpon vs in which time wee walke before thy face and may easilie obtaine thy mercie But the wicked after death are cast behind thy backe they are drowned in perpetuall obliuion neuer to be remembred either for pardoÌ„ or forbearance They are as the handfull behind the backe of the Mower which no man gathereth When hay falleth before the face of the Mower it maie be gathered vp againe but when it falleth behind his backe it is not regarded it is cast awaie and perisheth During this life whilest wee are before thy face we may easilie be recouered and restored to mercie but afterdeath no hope of reliefe no expectation but of iudgment The LORD commanded that if any man had sold a house in a walled city within a yere he should haue power to redeeme it But after the yere his power to buy it againe was cut off Now if for the pleasures of sin we haue sold our eternall habitatioÌ„ not made with hands we haue power to redeem it by repentaÌ„ce during the yere of our life that tearm expired we haue no abilitie to recouer it again Then shall that of the Prophet take place Doest thou shew wonders among the dead or shall the dead rise againe and praise thee shall thy louing kindnes be shewed in the graue or thy faithfulnes in â—estruction shall thy wondrous works be shewen in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land where all things are forgotten Assuredlie as after death teares are fruitlesse repentance vnprofitable as after death no mercy is to be expected nothing but misery nothing but wrath so is it doubtful very daÌ„gerous that our teares sighes groanes are of little force at the verie neere approach of death whether by age or by extremities of disease For at that time when our powers are either distracted or spent when wee lie either struggling or panting vnder the arrest of death when no part is free either from the sence or feare of his cruell gripe we may well be said to be in death or at least wise in such a condition and state as doth lesse participate of life then of death And therfore it is doubtfull at the least lest at that time we shall not remember thee lest our repentance at that time shal be too late A good husband will repaire his house whilest the weather is faire and not deferre vntill Winter shall approach a carefull Pilote will furnish his ship whilest the seas are calme and not staie till tempests are in rage and a prouident man will repent his sinnes in the seasonable time of health and strength and not protract vntill he be in the very armes and embracements of death when manie occasions may cut from him either his mind or power or time to repent For we haue iust cause to feare that if we would not when we might we shall not be able when we would that by our will to doe euill we maie happilie loose the power to doe good that in trouble and necessitie we shall not find that helpe which in prosperitie and peace we did not endeauour to prouide This hath our Sauiour declared by a familiar example For that no king making warre with one stronger then himselfe but will indeauour to haue peace whilest his enemie is farre off And not expect vntill the sword shall threaten his throat Darest thou then O vnfortunate worme O improuident sinner Who makest war against the omnipotent LORD who hath all the powers in heauen earth and hell at his command darest thou I say deferre the making of thy peace with him vntill the point of his furious approach Vntill the very houre of his encounter How vaine is thy confidence How sottish thy sence Wherefore wilt not thou make thy peace in time whilest he is far off Wherfore wilt thou not intreat his mercy before thou coÌ„mest to feele his power Assuredly the day will come when thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber from one auoidance to another to hide thee and yet shalt find neither couert nor defence Alas who dares trust to the broken reede of extreame sickenesse or age bruised by originall but altogether broken by our actuall sinnes Repentance is often vnprofitable euen in the best time and state of our life by reason of defect of a right intention therefore we haue good cause not to trust to this late and last time of repentance For if Esau could not finde repentance albeit hee sought it with Teares how reasonable may wee suspect our extreame late seeking for repentance Not because true repentance is euer too late but because late repentance is seldome true as proceeding rather from feare then from loue from necessitie rather then from willingnesse and desire rather outwardly pretended then intended from the heart LORD turne to me and deliuer my soule Enlighten my vnderstanding from this grosse darkenesse free my desires from these massie yron fetters of â—inne That I may turne to thee in the seasonable time of sanity and strength and not deferre the waighty worke of my repentance vntill either by long custome of sinne or by debilitie of bodie and minde I shall not be able to thinke on thee VERS VI. I am weary of my groning euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares 1. ASsurance from the Iustice and power of GOD. 2 Iustice requireth not a double condemnation 3 The arraignment of a conscious soule 4 When sinnes hurt vs. 5 A true resolution 6 The vertue of perseuerance 7 Repentance must be answerable to our fall 8 Teares a precious liquor and wherin chiefly to be bestowed 9 An incitement for teares 10 When teares are profitable 11 A prayer addressed with teares NOT onely thy mercy and wisedome may mooue thee to saue me not onely doe I relie and rest vpon them but I haue found a hony combe in the mouth of a Lion thy iustice and thy power which were so terrible to me affoord me also great comfort and assurance For tell mee if thy iuâ—tice findeth a man condemned and vnder execution what will it then doe Surely it will prosecute no further it will put vp the sword and be at peace Thy iustice requireth not a double condemnation it sufficeth that an offender hath iudgement once thou neuer iudgest them whom thou findest iudged But I am now iudged alreadie I haue preuented thy iudgement by iudging my selfe Behold O searcher of hearts how my sinfull soule hath beene arraigned at the barre of mine owne iudgement how by the euidence of my conscience it is found guilty of many grieuous offences against thee against many men and against it selfe How it is committed close prisoner to sorrow How by solemne sentence it is enioined neuer to cease groaning neuer to cease weeping vntill it hath procured thy pardon Loe now I am come to thy presence and put vp my penitent
did not accuse my selfe vnto thee I did not returne to thee I did not put my selfe into thy hands for helpe I complayned for my calamities but not for the cause of my calamities I complayned for the punishment of my sinnes but I neuer thought of my sinnes themselues I had onely so much good left as to see my present euill and to languish in my distresse my consuming encreased my complaints and my complaints encreased my consuming but I could not spie any sparke of comfort These calamities didst thou execute vpon mee to draw me to a higher to driue mee to a deeper consideration of my selfe For as in diseases the first degree to recouery is the finding of the originall cause so in troubles and distresses there is small hope of helpe vnlesse we discerne from what fountaine they flow And therefore thou doest often presse vs with a heauie hand that we should vnderstand our rebellion against thee that we should both know and confesse our offences that we should disburthen our consciences of that loathsome loade which otherwise would poyson our soules to death This is the cause of our calamities and from hence must begin our reliefe So thou didst send firie Serpents among thy people in their passage through the deserts which ceased not to sling them to death vntill they did confesse their sinnes And for this cause thou didst call Adam in Paradise not for that thou knewest not where he was but to giue him occasion to acknowledge his transgression The Diuell thou didst not call Thou gauest sentence against the Diuell vncalled vnheard because his will was inflexible hee could not repent he would not confesse that hee had done euill But thou didst call man because hee could acknowledge his sinne Because man hath a power to repent his offences and confesse them to thee it pleaseth thee still by diuers meanes and occasions to call vs. But assuredly the most powerfull meanes the most violent voyce to call vs to thee is by aduersity more sinners are turned to thee by aduersity then by prosperity by feare then by loue by shame then by hope Sinners for the most part are like to the spring of the Sun in Sicilie which at midday is very cold at midnight exceeding hot We grow cold by prosperity but by calamities our deuotion is enflamed As much feeding vpon sweet meates maketh the body drowsie and dull so the mind pastured with pleasures becommeth pestered and heauy in the actions of vnderstanding and yeeldable to the command of sensuality and sloth Hence it followeth that it is a great mercy of GOD to be trauailed and euen tired with labour in this life It is a true token of his loue it is a sure signe that hee hath not giuen vs ouer that he is desirous to conuert vs to him Man is like the earth which vnlesse it bee torne vp with the plough vnlesse it bee harrowed digged and raked bringeth foorth wilde weeds and little else Troubles are GODS husbandrie vpon vs. To be spurned by all to bee a marke whereat all men aime their arrowes to be pressed with wants to bee oppressed with wrongs to haue our life perpetually run in a rugged way are good assurances or rather effects both of his loue and of his care They are the whips which make madde sinners sober they are the batterie which enforce obstinate and rebellious hearts to yeeld to the seruice and subiection of GOD they are the arrowes which GOD hath taken out of the quiuer of his mercy and winged with the fire of his Loue. To pierce and to warme our hard icie hearts he hath tempered his arrowes of tribulation with mercy and enflamed them with his Loue. VERS IIII. For thy hand is heauy vpon me day and night and my moisture is like the drought in Summer 1 GODS heauy hand vpon sinners 2 Feare how terrible an enemy it is 3 Her innumerable forces 4 Her cruell charge 5 The sinner vanquished and ready to yeeld 6 But is releeued by Faith 7 Her encouragements 8 Feare not to be feared 9 Hell fire created not onely for punishment but for terrour 10. Who haue greatest cause to feare 11 The number of the Elect not small 12 Wherein the workes of Mercy exceede the workes of Iustice. 13 The multitude and grieuousnesse of sinnes no cause to dismay vs. 14 Mercy not only preserueth vs from the harme of sin but turneth the harme of sinne to our good 15 Sorrow expelleth feare and begetteth ioy 16 A sinner ouercharged with sorrow 17 Her sad encounter 18 Ingratitude an odious offence 19 The sinner ready to sinke vnder sorrow 20 But is erected by Faith and by Hope 21 Their comforts 22 Contrition is the bruising of a soule betweene feare and griefe 23 The multitude of GODS benefits may much assure vs. 24 We must not leaue our repentance vnperfect 25 Sinnes are like a burning ague TO this end didst thou beare a heauy hand ouer me thy punishments did presse me very sore thou didst multiply many miseries without intermission vpon me Thou diddest cast many rugged rubbes in the smoothest passage of my affaires thou didst beat vpon my body with variety of infirmities but especially thou diddest lay an intolerable load vpon my soule My soule thou diddest both charge and torment with a mountanous heape of dolours and feares whereof I was vnable either to sustaine the weight or endure the griefe Before me were the multitude of my sinnes behind me the hideous horrour of them on the one side feares approaching on the other hopes abandoning aboue Iustice threatning beneath vengeance expecting within agony and anguish of soule without terrours disconsolation dread and almost a hellish darkenesse of despaire For thou diddest not only enuiron and assaile me with furious feares but thou diddest heape discomforts vpon me thou diddest cut off the supply of thy sweet consolations thou diddest drie vp or restraine the influence of thy grace wherby I should haue been both animated and aided in my distresse thou wouldest not affoord me one beame of fauor Oh! what a cruell enemie is feare Shee marcheth with inumerable troupes in her traine ranged in order armed at all points and shaking their terrible instruments of death Iustice carrieth the ensigne before her despaire soundeth the loud alarme disconsolation trembling distrust with all the curses threats of the Law with all the examples of GODS weighty wrath present the first charge She marshalleth al creatures in squadrōs against vs al our friends she draweth to her part our secret thoughts she mustereth on her side She hath a thousand treacherous intelligencies within our owne bosome which await but hower and occasion to surprise vs. Thus aduancing her selfe in the pride of her power with a high and horrible voice she cried vnto me Come foorth thou fugitiue Come thou deiected thou reiected traitour tell me Wretch Where now is thy assurance Who shall defend thee whither wilt thou retire Goe too now Goe
obstinacy He raised thee from thy fall by his power he instructed he enlightened thee with his wisdome he brought thee from the tempestuous sea of this world to the port of a calme conscience and planted thee in a land of religious conuersation Yet thou notwithstanding either vnmindfull or vnkind hast exalted thy heart and thereby lost that wisedome which should haue made thy worship and seruice acceptable to the LORD Thou knowing his will hast beene negligent in performing the same albeit thou knowest that Cursed is hee who doeth the worke of the LORD negligently Yea thou hast not done it at all thou hast manifestly and manifoldly transgressed his will and therefore art most worthy to be beaten with many stripes Thou hast forsaken his seruice who is so bountifull that he rewards a cup of cold water with eternall life and thou hast serued sinne which giueth no wages but death but eternall death Oh wofull wages it were far better to goe vnpaid and serue for nothing O Lucifer who saidest in thy heart I will climbe vp into heauen Thou must humble thy selfe so low as hell or else neuer looke to encounter mercy Knowest thou not that rebellious ingratitude giueth limits to mercy where else were iustice Who should receiue iudgement if mercy did alwaies wait vpon sinners Goe to then deiect thy selfe abiect wretch creepe among moathes and wormes abase thy self to the very gates of despaire in regard of this thy obstinate vnkindnesse Open thy vnderstanding draw all pensiue conceits greedily into thy soule and pine away in a consuming langour Sith thou hast lost thy ioy make much of thy sorrow sith thou hast no comfort but in complaints bestow them largely Oh! what a heauie burthen is heauinesse to the soule It is more ponderous then the whole masse of the earth It is more poisonous then the breath of the Cockatrice It murmureth against GOD It prouoketh to blaspheme It prouoketh to despaire It turneth all matter of solace and ioy into mountaines of lead to weigh vs downe It admitteth neither contentment nor quiet But as to many sicke persons all sweet things seeme bitter so to those who are vnder the arrest of heauinesse all meanes either of delight or of comfort are turned to matter of torment and disquiet And verely my miserie did so deepelie drowne my memorie and whole minde in sorrow that all the remembrance of GODs promises lay ouerwhelmed with the thicke throng of discomfortable thoughts and heauinesse would haue altogether ouerborne and beaten me downe had not Faith and her sweet sister Hope come to my reliefe and with most comfortable countenance and speech thus sustained me So so this worketh kindly and as it should this working of the medicine giueth very good assurance of health Alasse weake wretched sinners how are ye deceiued by your sottish sence The poisonous pleasures of sinne which bane the soule you sweetly swallow without distaste but you cannot rellish feare and sorrow the principall expellers of this poison At these you make a sowre face you can no waies enforce them downe Whereas a soule once infected with sinne cannot possibly be recouered to the state of Grace but it must first be bruised and broken betweene feare and griefe as a graine of corne is grinded betweene two milstones And this moouing of the soule betweene feare and griefe referred to GOD maketh a broken and contrite heart which he doth neuer despise And this is that contrition which is the first part of true Repentance O louely feare O sweet sorrow O happy hand which was so heauie vpon thee suffred thee not to lie sencelesse in thy sinnes heaping to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Let it be a comfort a great ioy vnto thee that this heauy hand hath raised and pulled thee out of the ordure of thy sinnes If heretofore thou hast beene vnthankefull be thankfull now and thy former vnthankefullnesse shall not be remembred The multitude of his benefits is so far from dismaying that it may much assure thee For he who hath so loued thee will not now leaue thee He who hath begun his worke in thee will in time expedient expedite the same VVhat is more vsuall in noble natures then to follow their owne fauours then to loue those most vpon whom they haue bestowed greatest benefits to heape many honours vpon such as haue beene first aduanced by them And hath not the most noble nature said that To them who haue more shall be giuen Againe what naturall cause beginneth a worke and leaueth the same vnfinished The vertue of seed ceaseth not in the leafe not in the flower vntill it hath brought foorth seed to a perfect ripenesse The bird neuer forsaketh her yong vntill shee see them able both to flie and to prouide for themselues Doeth nature compell inferiour causes to perfect their effects and shall not the cause of all causes bee mooued by his most infinite goodnesse and loue to finish the worke which hee hath begunne Are not all the workes of the mighty GOD perfect Hath not the same infinite goodnesse and loue sayd It is my worke to doe the will of him that sent mee that I should make perfect his worke Feare not then hee who hath begun to loue thee will neuer change but will persist to loue thee to the end the same goodnesse that moued him to conferre many gifts and blessings vpon thee will mooue him to perfect all by giuing thee euerlasting life For wherefore did he turne thy heart from sinne wherefore did hee prouoke thee to Repentance but because hee purposed to make thee cleane But as thou doest expect that GOD will not leaue his worke vnfinished in thee so breake not off thy worke in the middest with him Thou hast attayned to contrition in a moderate degree but rest not there proceed now to confesse thy sinnes which is the second part of true Repentance For sinnes are like a burning aguâ— which commonly breaketh foorth at the lippes So long as the heat remayneth within it searcheth and anguisheth all the entrailes but when it breaketh foorth at the lippes it is an assured signe of health Goe with vs then and wee will bring thee before his presence Acknowledge there thy sinnes Hide none of thy transgressions from him Leaue feare behinde for milde and mercifull is the LORD hee turneth to those who turne vnto him but take sorrow with thee and season thy confession therewith Sorrow will make thy confession not only not offensiue but pleasing to him VERSE V. I will acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hid 1 The second forme of Repentance 2 The cause of GODS seuerity against vs. 3 How we should present our selues to GOD. 4 A Confession 5 Betweene great and infinite there stands no proportion 6 Faith and hope our guides and companions to GOD. 7 Whereto a sinner is like 8 How offensiue sin is to GOD. 9 How we must satisfie 10 How we commonly
his vnrulie childe will he also forbeare his vngracious seruant But thou art not onely a LORD but a LORD of Maiestie A LORD must bee feared Maiestie must bee reuerenced both obeyed If hee who contemneth humane maiestie be guiltie of treason what shall bee done to him who despiseth and dishonoureth the diuine omnipotent Maiestie alwayes iealous of derision and neglect whose frone no creature is able to endure Dare vile dust subiest to dispersion by euery puffe presume to prouoke a LORD of such terrible Maiestie Therefore seeing I haue displeased so good a Father so great a LORD seeing I haue so lewdly wasted all the partes of my life so notably ruined all the powers of my soule that I am no wayes able either to recouer the one or to repaire the other Whither shall I turne mee What shall I say If I looke vpon Mercy I thinke my selfe vnworthy of the least of her fauours If vpon vpon Iustice I condemne my selfe to the most seuere sentence that it can pronounce But then againe I returne to Mercy and prostrating my selfe at het feete with sorrow in my heart and teares in my eyes I thus addresse my desires vnto her O mild mercy I acknowledge my self vnworthy of thee vnworthy either to enioy or to behold thee But because I haue iudged and condemned my selfe protect me that I be not arreigned at the bar of Iustice answere thou the charge of her accusation couer me with thy shield against her blowe stand betweene her and me I beseech thee O gentle mercy my sorrow-beaten soule applieth it selfe to thee hoping in despaire and perseuering in hope My sins are such as for number can not for nature should not be rehearsed all my teares are not sufficient to cleanse one spotte of them or to quench one sparke of the fury which they haue kindled Alasse I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea My iniquities are multiplyed and I am not worthy to behold the height of heauen by reason of the multitude of my iniquities And thou O Father of Mercy and LORD of Iustice whose goodnesse canne neuer bee either exhausted or diminished I doe not intend to contend with thee in Iudgement but I lay hold vpon the horne of thy Altar of grace Here I rest here onely I repose my assurance For if thou shouldest keepe a true registrie of our sinnes If thou shouldest exactly examine them according to the seuere law of thy Iustice If thou shouldest perpetually reteine in mind the offences for which wee are sorrowfull and which thy goodnesse hath promised to forgiue If thou shouldest cast them into the ballance of thy Iustice and weigh them to a graine or if thou shouldest heape them together against the triall of thy inflexible Iudgement What then shall become of vs Who can stand before thee Who can endure thy heauy charge For assuredly all reasonable creatures as well Angels as men considered in their proper nature may sinne Whatsoeuer creature participating of reason doth not sinne it is not by condition of nature but by a speciall gift of grace The reason is because sinne is nothing else but a declination from the streight rule whereby an act is to bee performed and that as well in naturall acts as in artificiall and also in morall But there is no act which is not subiect to such deflection vnlesse the rule thereof depends vpon the will of the Agent And therefore because the will of GOD only is the rule of what he doeth as not ordeined to any higher end onely in the will of GOD there can be no sinne In other inferiour wills there may bee because they giue not the rule to their actes but are to bee directed by the will of GOD whereon they should depend as vpon their last and highest end Now in that some Angels neuer sinned they had therein supportance by grace and besides they drew no originall eyther weakenesse or corruption from those which fell But the nature of man is so depraued by disobedience of our first parents that originall sinne inherent in our very substance makes vs not onely inclineable but headlong to all actuall sinne Insomuch as albeit many are preserued by grace from offences of highest quality yet all are so obnoxious to infinite infirmities that wee dayly slippe wee dayly fall that nothing is more naturall to vs then dayly to fall that the Iust fall seuen times a day Yea if the best of our actions should bee exactly examined they will appeare so full either of staines or of defectes that we rather merit reproofe and punishment thereby then either curtesie or reward All our actions are euill and the best seeme better then they are And this was a principall cause wherefore man was redeemed rather then Angels For all Angels perished not by the fall of some the fall of some Angels was no impeachment to those which stood because no naturall imperfection or infection was deriued from the one to the other But by the fall of our first parents all mankind was inuolued in destruction as being Siens of that corrupted tree Runnells flowing from that poysonous spring If man had not beene redeemed the whole stocke race and kinde of man must haue beene damned And againe The Angels fell meerely by malice of their will but the first man was tempted and prouoked and his posteritie dayly fall by inclination of their Nature Nothing is imputed to Angels but their proper sinne but to man is imputed the sinne of another And therefore O LORD of infinite goodnesse Let these reasons which mooued thee to redeeme mee mooue thee also to heare mee let sinne no more hinder thee from hearing then it did from redeeming For if sinne bee an impediment that prayers cannot bee heard neuer shall any mans prayer approch thine eare For we are all borne sinners wee liue and we shall die sinners wee cannot contend with thee in iudgement wee cannot dispute our righteousnesse against thee If thou wilt bee onely a iudge to obserue and examine our actions if thou wilt call vs to triall at the barre of thy iustice of necessity we must perish none can stand before thee and say I am innocent Wherefore we decline from thy court of iustice and desire to be heard in thy court of mercy wee stand before thy mercy for if mercy were not with thee sinners could hope for nothing from thee which is a higher court then thy court of iustice For otherwise wee could not appeale from iustice to mercy because no appeale can be made but to a higher court LORD we appeare before thy high court of mercy wee acknowledge that all of vs are sinners and that if mercy were not with thee we could not hope for anything from thee We humbly acknowledge that we haue done nothing perfectly well and our imperfect doing of any thing well is no thanke to vs it is thy free gift but if thou close not thy eyes against our offences we
I beseech you brethren that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto GOD which is your reasonable seruing of GOD. Many persisting in sinne doe pray fast giue almes and exercise other workes of deuotion But those are dead offerings they want the life of grace These men preferre matters of deuotion before those which perteine to obedience and band a most dangerous and frequent errour in religion First offer thy selfe a liuing sacrifice of righteousnesse then mayest thou safely trust in the LORD I will speake this plainely in a word sacrifice thy will and trust in the LORD The will is a most inward facultie of the soule a mistresse a Queene Whosoeuer offereth this he offereth the best and highest thing in his kingdome He sacrificeth his sonne Isaac euen that which he most deerly loueth This doth the Chaldee paraphâ—ase in these words declare Tame your concupiscences and it shall be reputed to you as a sacrifice of righteousnesse Doest thou trust in GOD expectest thou saluation by him Tame thy concupiscencies and then thy trust is pure and truely grounded then feare nothing hope then in the great mercies of GOD this trust will then procure thee present grace and glory in the end Otherwise thou hast no true ground of thy trust otherwise thy trust is a dangerous security euen as Iob sayth The hope of the wicked is an abhomination of the soule O GOD faithfull in thy promise and fearefull in thy reuenge My soule fixeth the eyes of her faith vpon thy word neuer so soone spoken as sure to bee performed Howsoeuer externall matters fall I will neuer bee pulled from assurance in thy word my soule shall alwayes confidently expect performance of thy promise albeit thou seemest slow albeit thou seemest altogether to abandon me The mountaines of my misdeedes haue tumbled vpon mee drawing after them thy importable wrath which is also followed with many sad afflictions I groane vnder my sinnes I pant and tremble vnder thy wrath helpe LORD with thy powerfull hand for I am vnable to stand vnder this heauie charge But touching my afflictions according to the measure of stripes which storme vpon my backe I will looke backe alwayes to thee and say O most mercifull most Iust GOD in whom mercie and Iustice is one I humbly bow I prostrate my selfe wholly to thy holy will But equall my forces to my afflictions giue me patience proportionable to my paynes as my troubles encrease encrease therewith also my courage and my trust Gentle LORD I quietly endure thy heauie hand I patiently expect thy fauourable forbearance I expect vntill like an expert Phisition thou shalt wholly remoue the cause that is my sinnes and thy wrath and then the effects which are my miseries will suddenly vanish I call to my consideration thy word I fixe thy promises both liberall and sweet before the eye of my vnderstanding This is the proppe whereto I leane this is the pillar whereon I stand by this all the forces of my soule are sustained All the forces of my soule embrace thy word euen as the iuie embraceth a tree by fastning rootes into the body thereof From hence I will assuredly expect to bee released from all these euils I haue no trust but in thy goodnesse and trueth So long as this anchore holdeth I shall bee safe from shipwracke in all the tempests of temptations in this life All the reasons which bind mee to loue thee compell mee also to trust in thee For in whom should I trust but in him who so loued mee in him who hath heaped so manie benefits vpon mee in him who hath suffered so grieuously for mee In him who hath so often called so long expected so carefully perswaded mee In him who is so mercifull pitifull louing gentle patient and ready to forgiue In him who is a Father an Almighty Father A Father to loue mee Almighty to helpe mee A Father that hee will Almighty that hee can doe good vnto mee A Father that hath greater care and prouidence ouer his spirituall children then any Father can haue ouer his carnall Lastly in whom should I trust but in him who hath commanded me to approch to him to trust in him And hath promised mee many fauoures and rewardes if I will so doe VERS VI. My soule flieth to the LORD before the morning watch I say before the morning watch 1 TWO lights of our vnderstanding 2 Our weakenesse not so great as wee pretend 3 Our owne indeuour must be added to the working of the LORD and that in two points 4 In swiftnesse 5 In timelinesse 6 We are not perfect at the first and wherefore 7 A prayer 8 Wherefore we are to resort to GOD. 9 Ioy answereth desire as rest answereth motion 10 In afflictions we must especially addresse our selues to GOD and wherefore 11 Also whensoeuer we sinne and wherefore 12 How dangerous it is to perseuere in sinne 13 Examples and reasons proouing the same 14 A sinner vpon hope is little better then a sinner vpon despaire 15 Times not well imployed are often shortned 16 Deferring of repentance will hearden our hearts 17 How GOD may answer late repenting sinners 18 How fearefull it is to trust to late repentance 19 It is a long walke to happinesse and by many steppes 20 The cause of the fall of Angels 21 We finde rest onely in GOD and wherefore BVT do not so looke for the LORD O my soule that thou remaine without motion in thy selfe stand not looking like a sencelesse statue but applie the forces wherewith GOD hath originally endowed thee for hee that made thee without thy selfe without thy selfe will not saue thee Thou hast two lights two eies of thy vnderstanding faith and reason Faith is wrought in thee by his word reason is naturally planted in thee as he worketh extraordinarily by his word so nature is his ordinary power But nothing is more comfortable contenting then when both concur agree together Thou doest often complaine of weakenesse but examine thy selfe well and thou shalt not finde so great cause to complaine of thy weakenesse as of thy will thy weakenesse will not appeare so great if thy endeuour be anâ—werable to thy power And therefore O my soule as thou lookest for the LORD so looke that thou adde thy owne endeuour Especially looke that thou bee diligent and that in two points in swiftnesse Flie to the LORD and in timelinesse before the morning watch It was commanded in the Law that the Paschall Lambe should bee eaten in haste Whereby is signified with what feruour of spirit with what hungry hast wee must applie our desires to our heauenly repast otherwise it will neuer either fill or content vs. Doe not linger lazily as Lot did in Sodome bee not slow paced to forsake the world which is no better then a denne of theeues a stable of beasts a puddle with swine a dunghill with snakes yea a part of Hell bee not heauie and dull