into the dungeon of habite and nature Insomuch as I haue not more naturally desired to eate drinke and rest then to sinne they haue made me scornefull and odious to all the world This depth of sinne hath drawne vpon me another depth and that is of afflictions and calamities the attendants of sinne For sinne onely prouoketh thy wrath and thy wrath draweth many punishments vpon vs. As sinne is the onely cause so are punishments the effects of thy wrath Impiety and impunitie goe seldome together thy wrath will not permit them quietly to concurre in one subiect Punishment is so naturall for sinne that if sinne bee not smitten with the sword of chasticement in this life it is in danger to be smitten in the life to come with the sword which guardeth the passage into paradise For this cause thy hand hath beene exceeding heauy vpon me My indignity hath stirred thine indignation I haue sinned and thou hast smiâ—â—en I am inuolued in troubles as in a deluge the storms of disquiet beat stifly vpon me I am so deeply drowned in aduersities and miseries that I am scarce either bold or able to looke towards thee And yet One depth calleth another For these depths of sinne and of calamities haue drawne vpon me another depth of astonishment and trembling For when I call to my consideration thy infinite hate against sinne the extreame seueritie of thy iustice and rage of thy wrath neuer incensed but by sinne and the greater the sinne is the more incensed Terrour seazeth vpon my soule and it faintlie sincketh into the darke and deepe cauernes of anguish dread and almost despaire It is no ordinary matter that doeth perplex me not the crosses and trauerses of this world but being oppressed with my owne guiltinesse and sharply assaulted with the terrour of despaire I haue iust cause to feare that thou hast vtterly forsaken me that thou hatest and abhorrest me for my sinne These troubles are most terrible these touch not my externall affaires but the internall and eternall state of my soule Against external calamities some remedies may be found but against internall biting of vniust sinnes and expectation of thy iust and eternall reuenge there can be found neither remedie nor rest This wound is incurable but by thy hand And now againe these depths haue called another depth For it is not with a lofty looke not with a careles negligent conceit but out of the depth of humility sorrow that I cry vnto thee A little sorrow is not sufficient for me my sorrow must be great so great as it may make a great sound in thy eares Whosoeuer cryeth to thee with great sorrow griefe may wel be said to cry Out of the depth But this cry must be soft without noise of words it must be in the secret retreits of the heart no voice no souÌ„d in any wise added Contrition is an inward griefe seated in the heart it neuer breaketh forth before confessioÌ„ confession must open a passage for it This sorrow hath depressed my sincking soule down so low as it seemes to be led through all the torments which vnrepentant sinners must endure So as out of this depth also I cry vnto thee Oh! that I could meet thine Angell in this fierie valley as the children of Israel did in the valley of weeping that I might extinguish these flames with my teares that I might turne them into riuers of teares Lastly not onelie from the outward gates of my lips not onelie from the vnstable wagging messenger of my tongue apt vpon euerie sudden passion to riot for I am not one of those who honour thee with their lips but their heart is farre from thee but out of the depth of my heart from the very bottome of a troubled soule I cry vnto thee Assuredly the heart of man is exceeding deepe it hath many hidden roomes and retreits It conteineth many secret matters whereto the vnderstanding can neuer approach it chambreth many secret sinnes whosoeuer cryeth from this depth vnto thee hee fetcheth his cry farre he cannot but make a forceable battery against thine eares Out of these depths of sinne of afflictions of astonishment and feare out of the depth of humility and sorrow and out of the very depth of my heart I cry vnto thee As Ionas cryed to thee not only out of the depth of the sea but out of the depth of the whales belly so out of all these depths I stretch forth my voice to thee for helpe I cry not for helpe to the world I want no externall comforts and none can giue internall but thou Alasse who will aske an almes of a begger what comfort from confusion what comfort from them who no more vnderstand one another then did the builders of Babell Itis the world which hath betrayed me it is the world which hath vndone me It setteth vs to gather strawes as Pharao did the children of Israel and scourgeth vs when we haue done I will not cast the Anchor of my rest in the stormy vnstable sea of the world It is like a beautifull flower but stincking like a faire reede but of no strength It is rightly termed an hypocrite without faire but within full of corruption and vanitie In sensuall matters it seemeth good but all is nothing but painting and lies Caine who was the first builder of a city vpon earth was the first man who lost his habitation in heauen But onely vnto thee doe I call who art both enclinable to heare and able to helpe Being buried and lost in these bottomlesse depths I find nothing in the world but terrours and despaire of reliefe nothing in my selfe but trembling and dismay no hope of help but only from thee And therfore with all deiection of soule I addresse my spirit to call vpon thee I beseech thee most gentle Father heare my voice Let my humble prayer ascend from the low vale of miserie and teares to thy high throne of maiesty and glory let the secret groanes of my soule and the open cries of my voice haue accesse to thy presence heare I say the inward sorrow and griefe of my heart and the outward confession of my mouth I haue grieuously offended thee by shaking off thy subiection and bearing my selfe rebellious against thee by exposing my selfe to all euill and opposing my selfe against any good When thou wert to me as the sunne is to the earth infusing heat light and life into it I was to thee as the earth is to the sunne sending vp grosse vapours whereby tempests are raised and the sunne obscured I haue offended other men either positiuely by wronging some in their estates or estimations and by wringing and inclining others by my example to euill or else priuatiuelie in not affoording them that good which both by actions and examples I might and should I haue offended the blessed Angels and Saints who are no lesse grieued at sinne then they ioy at conuersion from sinne who as
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
seeke for some mantle to veile thy obscene darkenesse For thou canst not with any conscience in case thou hast any approach into the presence of the LORD What expectest thou to be releeued by him Thinkest thou he will fauour thee Nay Is it possible that hee should forbeare thee Seest thou not that he also is set against thee That his hand is rigorous vpon thee And how can it be otherwise For GOD is iust a hard dealer a seuere exacter of accompts Looke into the examples of his iustice How he condemned his angels irreuocablie for one only sinne how for one only sinne not onlie Adam but all his posteritie and in a manner all creatures were cursed If thou conceiuest comfort by reason of some mercie which followed this iustice then compare this iustice and mercy together by the continuall course of their effects See how in all ages both the greatest and most flourishing parts of the world haue lien buried in infidelity See how in those few parts ouer which the light of trueth hath displaied her beames many millions haue bin blinded either by ignorance or by superstition and errour See how many yea how most of those who haue receiued true knowledge either by delicacie or other viciousnesse of life reape no benefit thereby So as it is apparantlie true that many are called and few are chosen that the way to saluation is so difficult and the gate so strait that it is passable for very few Few indeed For how many were in the whole world when it was ouerwhelmed with waters How many in Sodome and the cities adioining to it when they perished with fire How many among the chosen people of GOD when Elias could not espie one How many when they were often captiuated and finally ruined and dispersed Yea seest thou not the iustice of GOD to be so implacable that when flourishing nations are vtterly rooted out infants and innocents who haue not actually offended are swallowed in the common calamity for the offences of their progenitors Compare I say these effects of iustice and mercy together and thou shalt plainely finde that the first hath farre exceeded the last that there are many vessels of the one and few of the other Now if thou hopest to be one of those few then consult with thine owne conscience how cleare and vncorrupt thou findest thy actions how seuerely thou hast restrained thy euill inclinations how strongly how violently thou hast endeauoured to mainetaine a vertuous and religious life No no thou art none of those few who with perpetuall strong striuing shall wrestle through that narrow passage Thou hast beene vnconstant both in thy iudgement and in thy actions like a loose tooth not onely vselesse but troublesome and painefull Thou hast beene a slander to the Church and a staine to thy profession Thou hast beene a derision to the euill a shame and sorrow to the good an offensiue example to the weake The earth casteth thee vp heauen receiueth thee not GOD is displeased with thee and all creatures are bent to oppresse thee Goe to then abandon hope and yeeld thy selfe captiue to despaire Thou hast no other remedie against thy feares but to relinquish hope Cease to hope and feare will no longer torment thee for whosoeuer hopeth for no good he feareth no euill These words she doubled with a terrible voice and all the hoste cryed aloud Despaire and Die Woe is me I am vndone Alas wretch that I am Which way shall I turne mee Whither shall I flie What shall I doe I am assailed with feares by feares I am betrayed my enemies are within and without Who shall deliuer who shall defend me I am as a naked tree in a wide plaine beaten with many bitter stormes I am as drie open ground parched with the burning beames of the Sunne I can finde none to protect mee none to comfort mee and my owne strength and courage vtterly faileth Out alasse who so liueth in feare he is daily condemned daily vnder the executioners hand No man is assured whom an euill conscience holdeth in feare O! who is able to endure these confusions Who can either resist or rule the violence of these feares Thus whilest I was readie to haue yeelded my selfe to the tyrannie of despaire loe Faith from heauen did sodainly cast a glorious beame of her beautie vpon mee and with a sober sweetnesse began in this sort partly to reprooue and partly to instruct me What said she Art thou such a nouice in my Schoole such a faint and raw souldier in spirituall combate Hast thou no more dexteritie in handling thy weapons Come stand vp take courage I will teach thee both thy fence and thy fight Come I say and looke thy terrour in the face It seemeth a Serpent to deuoure thee but be not dismayed step boldly to it and take it by the taile and it will forthwith turne to a rod of correction What Art thou so much afraid of feare which is so highly commended which is so straitely commanded to thee God loueth feare Hee accepteth hee preserueth he honoureth hee blesseth he neuer forsaketh them that feare him Feare is the beginning of righteousnesse the first step to wisedome It bringeth with it iudgement and righteousnesse It expelleth sinnes It is the bridle of sinnes it is the sword that cutteth in sunder not onely the sinewes but the very hartstrings of sinne What deemest thou that GOD hath created hell fire onely to punish damned sinners and the Diuell No verily but rather to keepe sinners from damnation to raise them to repentance and to restraine them from sin For so much as a man feareth the punishment that he hath deserued so much more carefully wil he both repent and auoid those faults which he hath committed He that feareth ruine is neither easily nor often oppressed therewith They haue greatest cause of feare who feare least who walke in their owne wayes with a sober securitie who loosely and licentiously pursue vanities who are flintie hearted without trembling or touch of the threatnings of GOD who perseuere in sinne either boldly or sencelesly and then say What euill haue I done Let these feare It is fearefull for these to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD. Ouer the neckes of these hangs a terrible sword alwayes shaking alwayes bent and ready to strike the lesse they feare it the more sure the more sore and heauie will it fall These are obiects to GODS iustice and wrath these are abiects from his mercie and grace But repentant sinners who rise with feare and run with griefe to the LORD of mercie and say vnto him LORD be mercifull to me a sinner Let such bee confident For he who hath in mercie called them will assuredly in mercy receiue them They are not a few onely who haue beene receiued this is a false surmise of feare let heauen let earth let hell be searched and there shall not one
an instrument of eight strings For that Dauid was the Authour of this Psalme it is nothing doubted not only because it hath beene both anciently and generally so receiued but because diuers passages of the Psalme doe plainely seeme to import no lesse For therein is liuely expressed a most exquisite sense of sorrow and griefe agreeable as well to the greatnesse both of the person and sinne of Dauid as to the large measure of grace which afterward he did obtaine It maketh mention also of stratum a kinde of couch vsed by men of eminent dignity which as Dauid had defiled with adulterous embracements so did hee there chiefly exercise his sorrow so did he there plentifully powre foorth his teares Verely as the sinnes of Princes are neuer small so their great sinnes require a great and high degree of repentance Now in this life we are neuer at perfect peace we are trauayled with continuall conflicts wherin some armour is of necessary vse But in these spirituall combats sorrow sighes groanes and teares are the onely armour of defence the onely weapons of aduantage by which wee atchieue true victory and triumph For this cause it is sayd that the iust shall flourish as a Palme tree For as the Palme tree doeth flourish best vnder greatest weight so vnder many difficulties and oppressions the iust must mount to their highest hopes And therefore because by these armes Dauid did preuayle not onely against his outward enemies not only against his inward troubles and perplexities but against the wrath and vengeance of Almighty GOD because by these meanes his griefe was turned into ioy because hee beganne with bitter anguishes and ended in exultation and triumph this Psalme is entitled To him that vanquisheth therefore also it was appointed to bee sung vpon an instrument of eight strings called Octaua vpon which as S. Hierome sayth they vsed to sing Psalmes of triumph and ioy And so this Psalme falleth naturally into two principall parts as in the Table following doeth appeare In this Psalme of Dauid is conteyned his sorrow and conflict wherein is expressed a fearefull apprehension of GODS Iustice vers 1. an humble petitiō for his mercy that vnder many reasons whereof some are drawn from himselfe namely from his weakenesse v. 2. troubles in body v. 2. soule v. 3. GOD and namely from his mercy ver 4. wisedome ver 5. iustice ver 6. power ver 7. Victory and Ioy in regard of his reconciliation with GOD ver 8. and 9. the confusion of his enemies ver 10. VERS 1. O LORD rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chastise me in thy displeasure 1 EVery sinne is infinite and wherefore 2. Punishments in this life not to be feared and wherefore 3 Eternall wrath how fearefull it is 4 The paine of losse 5 The paine of sence 6 The fearefull representations of a guilty conscience 7 Which turneth the trembling soule to GOD. O Most glorious GOD infinite in Maiesty to be both honoured and obeyed infinite also in might to be feared The greater thy Maiesty is the greater are my offences against it to bee esteemed and the greater punishment may thy Almightinesse inflict As thy Maiestie is infinite so is euery offence against it infinite so is infinite punishment due to such offence This infinite Maiestie haue I many wayes most grieuously offended and therefore haue iust cause to feare thy grieuous displeasure thy grieuous punishment euen equall to my sinne and that is infinite I feare not thy reproofe I feare not thy corection I dayly expect it I dayly desire it because dayly I deserue it For I know that dayly I offend and I know that thy diuine Iustice will not suffer offences to remaine vnpunished If thy Iustice punisheth only in this life then is it fatherly then mercifull then is it iustice tempered with mercy but if it punisheth in the life to come then is it extreame Iustice then extreme rigor and reuenge then is it as a rod of yron vpon a potters vessell The one is among men and oftentimes by them the other is in the company and by the office of Deuils The first is a gentle instruction a chasticement a correction the last a seuere and finall execution This rodde of thy correction I kisse I embrace thy chasticements vpon my knees If I were exempt from thy Fatherly chasticement then were I exempt from being thy childe For thou scourgest euery childe whom thou receiuest But I feare thy fury I tremble at thy extreame displeasure I desire to feele thee as a louing Father but not as an angry and inflexible Iudge Rebuke me not O LORD with thy violent voice let not thy angry arme beat stiffely vpon me It will consume me as a flaming furnace It will swallow me as a deuouring gulfe It will driue me as a torrent into the headlong descent of eternall death damnation What strength can stand vnder thy Almighty arme What courage can behold thy fierce bended brow and not bee astonished not stroke downe with terrour LORD I now feele thy anger in a moderate measure I now feele thy temporary and temperate wrath which I am not able to endure but heereby I am further led to esteeme the ful charge of thy fury how vnable I shall be to endure thy eternall indignation How little a portion haue we of him but who can vnderstand his fearefull power Assuredly the generall floud the destruction of Sodome all thy punishments which haue beene shall be or can be inflicted in this life are to bee deemed but as a few gentle drops in regard of the full tempest of thy eternall wrath In that day of thy wrath when we shall stand forth at the barre of thy Iudgement What soule can sustaine thy angrie eye whose sight will pierce to the very center of our hearts and rippe vp euery festred corner of our consciences What other accusers What other euidence will thy iustice require certainely if thy voice was terrible when thou gauest thy Law if thy chosen people were then afraide how terrible will it bee when thou shalt demand an accompt of thy Law when thou shalt giue sentence for the breach therof against thine enemies Depart from me yee cursed Out alasse What a punishment of losse is this to be banished from thy face whose beauty cannot be expressed which the Angels insatiably desire to behold the sight wherof is the full perfection of all pleasure and abundance the true ioy and rest of our soules What death is so grieuous as this departing But whither O LORD doest thou command to depart Into euerlasting fire Out alasse This is a cruel curse indeed Whom wil it not appal whom will it not astonishwith feare What Into euerlasting fire without either intermission or end Alasse Who can abide with the deuouring fire Who can dwell with the euerlasting flames This is the very habitation of thy wrath in this place thy fury doth
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