sinne that now am before thée I am the chiefe which I speake not Lord for fashion but from the depth of an oppressed and wearied Conscience thou knowest It is time for thée now to lay to thy hand for they haue destroyed thy law within my soule They euen mine enemies thine enemies my sinnes and villanies haue destroyed thy law I am brought euen hard to deaths dore and Sathan yea truely many Sathans and many fiends and furies and concupiscences and Legions of Diuels in me haue almost made an end of mée My soule is a pray vnto them O Lord deliuer mée and bée mercifull vnto me Deliuer my soule from the iawes of the Lyons Deliuer me for Iesus Christs sake sprinckle his bloud ouer my scorched Conscience yet if thou suffer me to lye a while in these flames Lord grant mee patience and I willingly suffer Thy will bée done I know thou wilt deliuer me for thou hast promised and canst not lye and thou art able readily For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ A wrestling with hardnes of heart and a betaking of the Soule vnto Gods dispose OH mercifull Lord God I am vtterly ashamed confounded I am grieued at the very heart my Soule is heauie and full of sorrow my bones are dryed and my sight fayleth me because of my sinnes I lye in the midst of my cruell enemies and the snares of Hell doe hold my heart in heauinesse it grieueth me to confesse it grieueth me very sore the remembrance of mine iniquities is a vexation vnto my soule the shame of thē which yet I haue not shamed to cōmit in thy sight carelesly commonly presumptuously and péeuishly doth euen astonish and amaze my wounded and languishing conscience Yet I must confesse and will not deny vnto thée Oh my God I haue sinned excéedingly Ah Lord God shew me thy countenance and turne thy louing and fauourable face towards me giue eare vnto my prayers and consider my meditations my mournfull meditations how I mourne in my selfe and am vexed Héere Oh Lord yet vouchsafe to heare my request vouchsafe to heare the confession of my sinfull and vngodly life of my wanton and wicked behauiour of my vile and abhominable sinnes and transgressiōs wherby I haue dismayed my heart daunted my courage of faith and godlinesse euen without thée dammed my selfe body and soule Heare I most humbly beséech thée most louing Father of heauen who neuer disdainest nor scornest them that come vnto thée Heare my sinnes my sinnes my sinnes Alas how can I repeate them how can I remember them they are moe in number then the haires of my head and my heart hath failed mée I am euen already in the hell and I lye couered with them and blinded O God I cannot sée thy face If not now euen when thou wilt If thou neuer wilt I know it not for who hath knowen thy mind O Lord or who hath béene thy Counceller Yet seeing I know not whether thou wilt shine vnto mée in the face of Iesus Christ or no I will therefore trust in thee and rest vpon thée bequeath my soule vnto thée though thou kill mée And now according to my duty I will confesse if hatefull heart filled with sin do say not for my duties sake yet for the ease of my stomacke and if I so hate my selfe and enuy mine owne ease yet euen for spite to my corrupted conscience I will confesse my wickednesse and I will lay open my abhominations that I may delight in their remembrance not that I delight in them but that I abhorre them and my selfe for them and therein I take delight Wherefore I confesse vnto thine eternall Maiestie fréelie without constraint willingly without compulsion gladly and ioyfully ioyfully that so much grace is left vnto me to confesse but sorrowfully to my soule and woe worth my soule that euer I haue so abused defaced wounded it but I confesse I confesse where shall I begin I confesse I haue sinned against Heauen and against thée against Earth against thée against my selfe and against thee against all men and against thée against the whole course and order of nature and against thée against my creation and against thée against my redemption and against thée against my Iustification and against thée against my Sanctificatiō Preseruation Faith Hope Charitie godlynesse vertue all grace that euer was giuen me and it hath béene giuen in great measure and against thée against thée Oh heavenly Father and thy Maiestie mercy and glory and power and Iustice and goodnesse I haue offended and trespassed most haynously villanously Oh Lord pardon me Oh Lord forgiue me forgiue my pride and arrogancy forgiue my negligēce contempt and security forgiue my idlenes and vanity forgiue my prophanes impietie forgiue my vncleanenesse and vnchastity forgiue my oppression iniury forgiue my grosse and godlesse and shamefull and vnnaturall and vnmeasurable and vnsatiable wickednesse Accept my confession accept my contrition accept my acknowledgement accept my iudgement and condemnation of my selfe for mine owne conscience hath condemned me and my ouer-many and out-crying sinnes haue witnessed against me if thou Oh mercifull Iudge pronounce the sentence of damnation against mée it is thy mercy that thou hast staied thy fierce wrath ten thousand times deserued vengeāce thus long yea verily that thou didst not forthwith passe thine irreuocable sentence it is thy great mercie If now thou wilt do it and shew mee mercy no more thou mayest do it in very equitie of Iustice thou hast my confession it doth me good that I haue béen vexed therewith would it might please thée I might be more vexed vntill my hatred be perfect against vngodlinesse thy will be done I commit my selfe into thy hands Do with me as seemeth good in thine owne eies thou art a gracious God Death is my desert I am euen glad and it reioyceth me that yet in one thing I can be obedient vnto thèe euen in yéelding my soule to thy holy will though it bee to throwe downe to hell Hell is my right and my portion the enheritance that I haue deserued If I be cast thereinto I must bée content But yet there is hope I deale with a mercifull Iudge well let there be no hope Take my confession O God of my soule do thy pleasure if I dye I die worthie of a thousand deaths none more worthy Alas my soule alas my soule Come swéet Iesus come quickly the pit is déepe it is bottomlesse despaire hath taken hold vpon me and it draweth me Lord shall I be damned indéed oh take the sacrifice of a contrite spirit oh remember the bloud of Iesus Christ oh wash me and cleanse me and thou shalt find no wickednesse in me Lord shal I be damned that sometime haue trusted in thée and haue hoped in thy holy name I commit my soule into thine hands oh remember thy son Christ and so I commit it
THE SOVLES Lamentations and loue to God Preces Lachrymae Dumps and teares of REPENTANCE Aut ora aut abi Aut Poenitendum aut pereundum LONDON Printed by Tho Purfoot An 1614. To the Christian READER THinke not good Christian READER that these Prayers may only be appropriated vnto my selfe They are not onelie the Anatomie of my Soule and the discouery of my life but whatsoeuer poenitent true hearted Christian shall light vpon them I doubt not but he will thinke they were deuized ordained of God for him By them thou maist find the Scripture verified which saith To the weake I become as weake that I may winne the weake 1. Cor. 9 22. Or rather that Whether wee be afflicted it is for your consolation and saluation or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation saluation 2. Cor. 1.6 If God bring some to the gates of death for the comfort of others what account wee all ought to make joyntly of our selues and what possible comfort to minister one vnto another severally in temptations in afflictions in pouerties in necessities in all the worlds jniuries wherewith wee are vexed euery day thou seest Seeing also wee esteeme nor to discouer our nakednesse and to set our jnfirmities vnto the view of men for his servants sakes that their ioy may be full knowing that if they be weake so are wee if they be strong so are we if they be sinfull so are we if they be poenitent so are we Let God be glorified and let euery sorrowfull soule triumph in Christ vpon the view of our weaknes For he that refused not vs refuseth none of his that come vnto him call vpon him faithfully turne from jniquity and worship him in spirit and in truth This one thing I entreat of thee Aske not my name it will not profit thee I am thy fellow seruant let that suffice thee In thy praiers remeÌ„ber me for a while if thou know mee and know me by thy selfe and it shall satisfie me to the full I doe will pray for thee Our Lord Iesus Christ be with thy Spirit Amen To the Sinner CHristian Sinner bee not offended at the passions of these Praiers Thou wilt not thou canst not if euer thou hast felt either thy sinnes or thy sauiour the one to afflict and affright thee the other to ease refresh thee There is no greater burden then the burden of sin There is no greater ioy then the ioy of the holy Ghost giuen and inspired of God through Jesus Christ our Lord The one is hell and the other is Heauen here on Earth The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare And so contrary The hart that is possessed with The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding no doubt reioyceth with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Adde hereunto Jf the deare Saints of God especially the holy Prophet Dauid forced not as it were to shunne themselus in the eye of the world that they might satisfie their Consciences and glorifie God Jt ought not to seeme strange to any sanctified soule that the Author hereof hath made himselfe in a manner a gazing stocke to the world to Angels and to men To become weake vnto the weake that he might winne the weake all to all that at the least hee might gaine some Jt is no matter what shame be poured on the face of a sinfull miserable and mortall man so that one soule thereby may be gained to Christ And J like exceedingly of that excellent resolution of supereminent Saint Augustine Confitebor infirmitates meas oraturis pro me fratribus Be thy discretioÌ„ what it will this is mine in God And so I wish thee the comfort of heart in the Sauâ—oâ—r of the world of whome I am sure thou hast great need as well as I. Thine in truth and charity B L. DEVOVT PRAYERS ¶ A Confession lamentation and submission to God O Lord my God I haue sinned and done wickedly I haue grieuouslie sinned done excéeding wickedly my sinnes are in number infinite and most abhominable in nature Oh good Lord I haue prouoked thine excellent Maiestie and thy strong power and thine vpright Iustice to condemne me bodie and soule sodainly Surely it is of thy mercy that I am not already coÌ„sumed I haue deserued presently euen now Lord before the next nioment to bée deliuered vp into the hands of hell and of the Prince of darknesse the Tyrant of the soule of man Satan the Deuil For I haue serued him and neglected thée I haue from my youth obeyed him and despised thy Maiesty oh most glorious mightie and terrible God thy power and thy Iustice I haue despised and set at naught And yet if this were all I had committed but small offence in respect of that which I haue done For thy mercy thy mercie oh Lord thy compassions oh good God thy compassions infinite and vnspeakable and vnconceiuable euermore alluring me calling me back eueÌ„ beséeching me my Conscience bearing witnesse to refraine from iniquitie I haue cast behind me and most vile wretch then whom there is none liueth more wretched that shall be saued I haue troden and trampled vnder my féet True it is my God and my mercifull Redéemer it is most true that when thou hast offered mee grace I haue refused it when thine Angell hath stood on my right hand and Satan on the left I haue reiected thine Angell and turned aside vnto Sathan I haue leaned vnto the left hand and not vnto the right So I haue traiterously misused thy Maiestie haue shewed my selfe a notorious wilfull and vnrepentant rebell yea as a swift Roe of the Forrest or as a Dromedarie of Midian or as a wild Asse of the Wildernes that snuffeth vp wind at pleasure I haue runne hastily and headlong from the right and high way of life into by-paths of death and destruction I haue entred league with sins and haue trauailed quietly hand in hand with the Princes of euerlasting darknesse I haue suffered my selfe to be led by them vnto the bottomles pit therein I had almost plunged my selfe vnawares I was euen cleane gone from thy presence and remembred thée no more Then euen then oh sweet God when I was held in chaines of darknes thou didst send thine Angell and deliuer me What shall I giue vnto thée How shall I be thankfull I will praise thée with ioyfull lips I will sing to thée froÌ„ the ground of my heart Accept the sacrifice of praise I will take the cup of saluation and pray vnto thée Behold I come vnto thée right humbly oh Lord heare me oh Lord heare me O Lord despise me not If thou makest as though thou hearest not I die and what profite is there in my bloud Spare me good Lord spare me Heare and forgiue I present vnto thée Christ Iesus hée came into the world to saue sinners of whom not S. Paul but I euen I the slaue of
into thy mercifull hands again For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ A comfortable conceit vpon review of the soule vnder Gods protection And an earnest entreatie for godly perseuerance I Committed my soule into thy hands oh Lord thou GOD of mercie render it restore it now nay thine it is and kéepe it I beséech thee and let mée haue a sight of it Oh thanks bée vnto thy diuine Maiestie and vnspeakable mercy that yet once againe thou hast washed and cleansed it that thou hast sprinckled the bloud of Iesus Christ ouer it that thou hast adorned and beautified it with glorious grace and hast not taken thine holie Spirit from me Lord pardon my vnthankfulnes Goe my soule vnto thy God at all times for he loueth thée he hath once loued thée and he loueth thée for euer Goe vnto him and tye thy selfe be not separated oh my soule He is thy God he is thy Creator he is thy redéemer he is thy Sauiour O worship thou him in the beautie of holinesse Oh mercifull Lord God haue pittie yet againe on my distressed forlorne and forsaken soule It is wonderfully wounded vnto the death Oh saue me saue me oh Lord why am I thus why art thou angry with me for euer I will hope in thy holy name oh let me not go away ashamed because I haue put my trust in thée Who euer trusted in thée and was confounded And shall I Surely thou wilt heare mee thou wilt helpe me thou wilt comfort me My heart telleth mée thy spirit beareth witnesse vnto me that I shall bee relieued and comforted and made glad and excéeding ioyfull with the light of thy countenance Behold euen as the eyes of a seruant doe looke vnto the hand of his maister and the eyes of a maiden vnto the hand of her Mistres euen so mine eyes wayt vpon thée my God vntill thou haue mercy vpon me Make spéed O Lord and be not slack it is time it is high time I beséech thee Lord let me beg my soule out of the hands of Satan for Iesus sake and draw my soule oh louing Father vnto Iesus Christ let him command Satan to yéeld it vp againe Seeing he hath no title no interest why should hee haue any possession oh that it were wholy imployed in thy seruice Heare then Lord and forgiue all my sinnes past my Rose-coloured and bloud-red sinnes remember thy mercies in Iesus Christ my only Sauiour most louing Redéemer to whome with thée and the holie Ghost one God Almighty eternall and most mercifull bee praise and glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ An excellent wrestling with Iesus Christ OH swéet Iesu Christ sonne of God sonne of the Father lord of life sonne of Dauid redéemer of the world haue mercy vpon me miserable sinner I haue defaced the glorious Image after which I was created I haue peruerted my wayes and deliuered my soule into the power of Satan I was held captiue and bound in the chaines of euerlasting darkenes yet thou Oh Lord didst redéeme mée with thy most precious bloud thou didst deliuer me and set me at libertie thou diddest offer vp thine owne body vpon the crosse and submit thy selfe vnto the death for my sake and this my redemption thou didst seale in my heart by the most comfortable gift of Faith and other Christian vertues attending therevpon so that I gaue my selfe to loue thée and chéerefully to serue thée and call vpon thée then didst thou answere me againe and filledst my heart with gladnes yea swéet Iesu thou knowest that my heart within mée hath leaped and daunced for ioy of thy louing coūtenance and vnspeakable mercies May it please thee I know it doth please thée Oh mercifull Redéemer to continue thy louing kindnes towards mée I know and I confesse for if I deny I am a lyer that I haue notwithstanding thy tender loue towards me in redéeming my sinfull and wretched soule greatly and notoriously abused and contemned thy goodnes wantonly and wickedly kicked and spurned against thy holie grace the seale of mine eternall election and redemption wonderfully and strangely oh good Christ thou knowest most villanously presumptuously and almost despightfully defacing and rasing out the print thereof by most heinous transgressions heaped vp together encreasing in great measure in most vile and abhominable sort so that I had almost lost faith and fallen from grace But continuall and euerlasting praise bée giuen to thée thou hast lifted me vp frō the gates of death from the pit of hell and power of the Diuell The slye and subtill snares of damnation were spread vnder me and I stumbled and fell and now was hell and death and damnation preparing a triumph ouer my soule now was the Diuell stepping with his gréedy téeth to teare and loe thou sonne of God thou sauiour of men thou strong and mighty by thy mighty power whereby thou art able to subdue all things vnto thy selfe didst pluck me out of his téeth and deliuer me What shall I render vnto thy Maiestie thy power thy goodnesse thy mercie thy most vndeserued true Lord and most true compassion and pittie What shall I render vnto thée for all the good that thou hast done vnto me Surely I will confesse vnto thée my wickednes and be sorrie for my sinne I will magnifie and praise thy name for euer I will speake of thy louing kindnesse and make mention of thy saluation Oh Lord who is like vnto thée that deliuerest me from him that is to strong for mée and spoileth mee My soule shall make her boast of thée and shal not be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me Moreouer oh my Iesus I will not cease to pray vnto thee dispose me therevnto I most humbly beséech thée for without thée I can doe nothing Oh let my prayer come before thée and enter into thy presence Let me neuer be so mightily ouercome and so shamefully ouerthrowne as I haue béene Giue me thy constant spirit bréed in my heart and Conscience a deadly hatred and desperate enmity of sinne and wickednesse let me neuer be reconciled vnto them againe Oh let my soule loue thy most precious blood by which it is washed and cleansed from most vile corruptions Let me die oh Lord and depart this life before I so contemptuously as indeede I haue done tread and trample it as it were vnder my profane féet Oh let me die first I vnfainedly desire thée my swéet Sauiour For why should I liue to dishonour thée in such sort Why should I liue still to prouoke thy wrath and mine owne vnquietnesse I haue profaned thy sanctified and sanctifying blood I haue buffeted thée on the face I haue whipped and scourged thée most cruelly I haue by most odious impiety crucified thée afresh vnto my selfe Ah sinnefull wretch laden with iniquity heauie laden Oh laden oh when wilt thou refresh me quicken me in thy righteousnesse and clense me from all my
my conscience vexed mine affection enflamed my presumption encreased I yéeld I fall I sinne I dye Oh God oh good God oh gracious God heare me oh spirit oh holy spirit oh comfortable spirit thy name is the comforter oh come and assist me O Iesu sweet Iesu Iesu that deliuerest vs from the wrath to come Come heare me come helpe me come saue me come stand by me Rebuke Satan rebuke sinne I beséech thee my Sauiour my gentle Sauiour rebuke my sinfull soule that resteth vpō thée reforme my soule that longeth for thée Suffer mee not to bée tempted aboue my strength of my self I haue no strength Bee thou my strength my castle and deliuerer at this time and at all times in my perplexities assaults and temptations So be it euen so bee it so I trust and so I rest Iesu that deliuerest vs from the wrath to come Amen ¶ A prayer for grace and diligence to pray OH most mercifull God and louing Father I confesse acknowledge my negligent and carelesse behauiour towards thée as in all the course of godlinesse so chiefly in deuotion and godly praier Haue mercy vpon me and forgiue my securitie I haue hindred many good things from my selfe that I haue not prayed for I haue thereby vilified thy heauenly blessings and riches of thy mercie I haue brought leauenesse vnto my soule Oh gracious God stirre vp my dull and dead spirit and quicken me in thy holinesse that my breast being set on fire and enflamed with thy manifold mercies and graces I may diligently direct my petitions vnto thée and so obtaine according to my necessitty Open mine eies O Lord that I may sée my wants clearly touch my heart that I may pray vnto thee faithfully feruently continually Heare me oh good God and quicken me according to thy mercie Oh disperse mine iniquities as a cloud after a great raine Now after the time that thou hast visited my sinne vpon me returne returne I beséech thée in great compassion My soule is afraid of thy iudgements I am beaten backe with feare of thy wrath when I thinke to pray my heart is cold within me I am astonied and sodainly cast downe LORD lift me vp to thy throne in prayer thou that hast lift me vp from the gates of death Where is thy liuely spirit Swéet God Iesus my Sauiour promised me the comfortable spirit In his name I beséech thée send it into my heart It will teach me and warne me to pray so shal I be sure to obtaine my prayers Heare me O Lord for my Sauiour Iesus sake to whome with thée and the holie Ghost be all honor glorie and praise Amen ¶ A thankfull acknowledgement of diuine mercies in Iudgements OH most mightie Lord God Creator Gouernour and possessour of Heauen and earth Wisedome is about thy throne and thy kingdome is established in iudgement Whatsoeuer pleaseth thee that dost thou in heauen and in earth and in all déepe places Thou beholdest and considerest the waies of men and thou rewardest euery man according to his workes Thou callest for punishment and it runneth like the swift lightning vpon the transgressors Thou commandest vengeance and vengeance entreth into all places the stately pallaces of Princes and the beggarly cottages of the poore There is nothing hid frō the brightnesse of thy presence Thine eyes in euery place a thousand times brighter then the Sunne behold the euill and the good There is nothing can be deliuered from the fircenes of thy wrath It burneth like fire euen to the bottome of hell Thou dost correct the wicked with the vengeance of eternall fire Thou dost chasten thine own children whē they goe astray and wander in the pathes of the vngodly with the corrections of men Infamy pouerty sicknesse of bodie weaknes of mind imprisonment banishment persecution and temporall death Oh Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name how woonderfull are thy iudgements in all the world And yet for all this how few there are euen a very few that consider thy worke that is done vnder the Sunne that ponder thy iudgements though they be vpon themselues Oh palpable blindnesse oh dull forgetfulnes oh great security oh grosse impietie thou smitest and no man regardeth thou punishest and no man considereth thou layest thy iudgements to the view of all men and no man layeth them vnto his heart Blessed is hee whome thou instructest by punishment and guidest in the way of iudgement Surely this is a great mercy and it passeth all thy workes O teach me thy iudgements thy louing corrections haue made me glad To me thou hast reuealed mercy in iudgement thou hast assured consolation by correction Why so For I prayed vnto thée in the sorrowes of my soule Correct mee O Lord yet in thy judgement not in thy fury c. So I prayed for I was content to beare thy punishment because I had sinned against thée This my prayer thou hast graciously granted vnto me thou hadst respect vnto the humble suite of a sinner Therefore in thy fury thou didst not correct me with violent fire which doth deuoure the Aduersary with euerlasting paines thou didst not reward mee as I deserued but in iudgement thou hast punished me with the corrections of men Infamy pouerty sicknesse weaknes and such like and so thou hast graunted my petition thou Lord hast receiued my prayer thou hast chastned me with thy Children least I should be condemned with the reprobate And thus to me thou hast reuealed mercy in iudgement Thus thou hast assured consolation by correction Héere is thy mercy oh mercifull God to graunt mee my request this was thy mercie to giue eare in this thing vnto a sinner this was thy great mercie I grant it I confesse it I professe it I praise thy name for it Oh Iehoua This is the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse oh God my heart is ready my heart is ready I will sing giue prayse Awake my glorie awake my grace awake my soule all the secrets of my Soule awake I my selfe will awake right early Reioyce my deere Soule in the Lord thy God and againe I say reioyce Oh righteous Father thou hast executed thy iustice and extended thy mercy vpon me both together Who can declare thy noble Acts and shew forth all thy prayse who can doe as thou dost can a Man can a Saint can an Angell can any powre and Principality any throne or dominion bring good out of euill swéet out of sowre honor out of shame life out of death out of vengeance mercy as thou dost To thée therefore oh Iehoua and to thée alone shall all flesh come shall all creatures in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth be subiect to thée shall my soule and all the secrets of the same be dutifull and obedient from henceforth and for euermore I will sing vnto thée among much people and will not be ashamed I will speake of thy praises in the congregations my Soule
shall make her boast of thée and I will euer remember this that in wrath thou thinkest vppon mercy I will remember and not forget euen so be it oh Father of heauen through Iesus Christ thy onely Son in whom thou art well pleased my onely Sauiour in whome I am fully comforted So be it ¶ A Meditation sealing Eternall Election by the consideration of good Education O Most gracious God and louing Father who in thy sonne Iesus Christ before the world was made diddest predestinate foreappoint some men to life and some to death some to glory and some to contempt some to saluation and some to condemnation euen of thy good pleasure I giue thée most humble and hearty thankes that thou hast chosen me to life glory and saluatiō fréely and of thine owne accord when it might haue pleased thée to reprobate mee for euer Euē so Father because it was thy good pleasure a tast of this loue and fauour thou hast giuen me by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Hereby I am assured that I am predestinate vnto eternall life that I haue faith in the death bloodshed of Iesus Christ O Lord encrease my Faith Moreouer this thine ancient loue eternall and without beginning is manifested to me more perfectly for that it pleased thée that I should not only be borne of godly parents embracing thy truth but also by them bee brought vp and trained from my child-hoode in a course of godlinesse and vertue that so comming vnto riper yeares I might bee grounded established in thy holy waies Oh mercifull father my consciēce and sinnes doe testifie against me that I haue not deserued the least of thy mercies that thou hast enriched me withall from my youth vp much lesse this so great and inestimable a grace to bee followed with thy louing kindnesse and attended vppon by thy grace through good education all my life long to this present houre For to confesse a truth I haue not ceased to prouoke thée continually I haue not ceased to transgresse against thy holy Maiesty in thought word and déed euery day yea Lord in great and grieuous sort early and late in child-hood in youth in middle age ignorantly and wittingly weakly and presumptuously in such sort O Father that it is maruaile I am not already consumed already condemned Yet for all this thy louing fauour hath accompanied me euermore and now I perceiue the good fruit of godly education Oh my God what shal I render vnto thée how shall I bee thankefull what recompence dost thou looke for behold I will thanke thée in Christ Iesus thy beloued Sonne and my blessed Sauiour I will trust in thy mercie for euer through him I will liue in thy feare by his power I will serue thée with an vnfeigned heart and glorifie thée in my body and in my soule by the working of his grace and spirit all the daies of my life Oh continue forth thy louing kindnes towards me from henceforth and for euer that being conducted and guided through this vale of misery after I haue a little recouered my strength in bodie and spirit performed my duty patiently suffred and endured the appointed crosse for me I may in the end receiue the end of my faith and hope euen the saluation of my soule and at that great day the glorification of both body and soule through the same my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with thée and the holy Ghost be eternall and equall praise for euer Amen ¶ In weeping mourning and bitter anguish a confession and prayer OH Lord God what shal I say vnto thée O father of Heauen how shall I entreat thée I am horriblie affraid of thy iudgments I am wonderfully abashed at thy glorious presence I am vtterly ashamed of mine own basenes vilenesse wretchednesse dust ashes flesh and blood filth and froth swill and sinne that I am who shall giue me accesse and entrance before thy Maiestie who shall helpe me to entreat for thy mercy The blood of thy Son I haue polluted and profaned the holy spirit of grace I haue refused and despighted I confesse my wickednesse and I am sorie for my sinne The remembrāce therof is grieuous vnto me the burthen thereof is intollerable Albeit my due desert is hell death and damnation Yea and perpetuall vexation and terrour of heart vntill the sentence of destruction and eternall confusion be executed vpon me a spirit of vnquietnesse to trouble mee like the spirit of Saul from henceforth euen for euer Yet I will hope in the multitude of thine vnspeakable mercies vouchsafed to all sinners in their déepest distresse and miserie In most humble wise as it becommeth an inferiour vassall to his puissant and Almighty prince and leige Lord as it becommeth a Malefactor to an vpright and most wise Iudge as it becommeth a very disobediēt stubborne seruant to his carefull Maister and finally a prodigall and wilfull Child to his most kind and louing Father I submit my selfe wholly distasted of mine owne deserts and vtterly detesting mine owne abhominable conceits words and workes against thy holy will and commandement in the wound of conscience and frō the depth of a mind throughly grieued with my rebellions I most submissely and earnestly call and cry vnto thy most gracious Maiesty and mercy for pardon and forgiuenes of my hainous crimes and innumerable transgressions in all humility and tribulation of spirit beseeching thy fatherly goodnes to lay them vpon the backe of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ that All-sufficient Redéemer Reconciler and Sauiour of all those that put their trust in his most absolute merits and perfect obedience O my God my sure trust is in him that he will be pleased to accept me for one of those whome he calleth in the Gospell labouring and heauie laden with their sinnes to be relieued and eased Not for any other reason but because hee is the right hand of thy mercy reached out vnto fainting and languishing sinners whereof I am one Wherfore oh deare Father of Heauen despize me not approaching to the throne of grace in his only name but let me be possessed with the spirit of assurāce of faith sprinckled in my heart from an euil conscience that I may find grace to helpe me now in this time of néed I doe féele certainly I do find the gnawing Worme eating vp my heart the venome of thine arrowes drinking vp my spirit the rigour of thy iudgements perplexing my thoughts the seuerity of thy punishment astonishing and amazing my weake and féeble wits so that I know not either what course to take to ease my selfe either what words to vse to entreat thy mercie O Lord God great and fearfull bee not as a Lyon vnto mee doe not set me as a marke to shoot at for thou neuer failest to hit where thou aymest thou hittest full and home thy shot is of an Archer of perfect strēgth thy strokes are deadly strokes thine arrowes are venomed with the fire of
wrath that burneth for euer Who is able to abide wilt thou still hold my sinnes before my face wilt thou still encrease the sorrowes of my heart Alas what is my strength What is my faith that thou tryest me Surely thou canst find nothing in me but exceeding weaknesse a daunted Spirit a dispairing soule The thought of all my sinnes since my youth vp being now set in order before me doth quench the light of the assured faith which I hoped was within mee O good Father prooue mee but this once and withdraw thy punishment from me Let not this fit of thy lasting indignation make an end of mee I know assuredly thou hast and daily dost forgiue sinne greater and more hainous sinne then mine For in the very depth of my disobedience I haue alwaies restrained the vnbridled affection and surely thou hast neuer suffered me to this houre to giue my full and whole consent to any sinne whereinto I haue fallen since I was borne In consideration whereof sithence I haue the sure testimony of a good conscience that I am one of thy chosen I humbly entreat thy Maiesty to encline thine eare to my supplication and to deale with mée as with a sonne remembring himselfe and returning vnto thée in wéeping great mourning Let the griefe of my heart and the teares of mine eies be accepted for all that I can do and lay all the burden of my transgressions late and long since past vpon the backe of my blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ who for such as I am dyed and suffered the bitter cup of thy wrath O be thou pacified and well pleased in him who suffered the Iust for the vniust and endured causeles and vndeseruedly all extremities to the end thou O righteous father shouldst be pacified and well pleased with all penitent belieuing sinners notwithstanding the multitude magnitude and turpitude of their transgressions Were mine abhominations now to be committed though I might conceale thē from the world I would not performe them in the presence of thy Maiesty because thou art a God of pure eyes and canst not behold iniquity I feare thee I loue thée I doe reuerence before thée I adore thy purity integrity thy perfection I am desirous to bée like vnto thée O thou that dwellest in the heauens My soule hath desire and a longing to please thee perseuere in thy waies and to be renued in righteousnes and true holines after thy blessed Image When my sinnes are forgiuen and my transgressions wiped out of the score of thy iudgements then shall mercy embrace mee and louing kindnesse compasse mée euery morning then shall my faith worke by thy loue shed abroad in my heart through the holy Ghost then shall my wonted strength and much more also possesse enarme my soule against all my deadly foes then shall I be clensed and made fit for euery good worke So shall the Comfort of my heart bée restored vnto mée againe and I will serue thée in Spirit and truth all the daies of my life And doe render vnto thée in the meane time nothing doubting of thy frée pardon all honour glory praise power dominiō thanks now and for euermore Amen ¶ A De-profundis full of hope and godly resolution OH Lord my God the comforter of all the chosen from whose only throne procéedeth ioy gladnesse peace and comfort and euerlasting felicitie in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore without whose chéerefull countenance and pleasant aspect nothing is amiable no Soule is ioyfull vouchsafe to shine into my woefull heart euen pined confumed with griefe through my dayly complayning miserably rent and torne in péeces through continuall mourning day night perplexed and distracted vnto the very death through perpetuall tribulation and anguish without ceasing I know that one fauourable aspect of thy grace vpon me can restore me to vnspeakable gladnesse Oh that it were thy pleasure to afford it me to bring mée backe from the graue which I behold as it were already opened for my transgressions In truth my griefe is not cōceiued of me yet it doth astonish me I find my selfe in farre worse case then euer in my life neuer was I pierced so much at the heart roote I haue not heretofore receiued so déepe and desperate and deadly wound in my conscience If thou Lord vouchsafe to rid me out of this thraldome and euen hellish captiuity being fast bound in the chaines of dānable thoughts O my Lord my good God my heart tongue shall sing for euer vnto thy prayse I will publish thy mercies I will teach thy iudgements vnto thy people I will praise thée in the great congregation I will wholy consecrate and deuote my selfe vnto thée all the daies of my life Oh Father of heauen giue bestow fréely vppon mée the most excellent gift of an vnfained Faith that my sinnes are forgiuen me for thy déere sonne Iesus Christs sake let me fully be assured thereof by the Spirit the comforter Indéed it doth not belong vnto mée I confesse I confesse I will not deny For I haue behaued my selfe more like a reprobate and damned creature then one of thy children Surely such Carrion curs as I am that trample the blood of Iesus Christ and despise the spirit of grace so sinfully so shamefully so often so odiously so presumptuously so intollerably as I haue done are not worthy the least crum of thy mercifull comfort yet Lord sith I am but dust and ashes and through the frailty of the old Adam I haue thus abused thy goodnes refusing and vexing thy holy spirit for which damnable insolency I am now most wofully distracted and almost bereft of my small wits the déepe thoughts whereof doe so dangerously assault mee O my Father and my God contend not with me any longer I shal surely despaire and bée damned if thou send me not ayd and peace of Conscience spéedily How can I lye in these scorching flames Oh consider mine exceding weaknesse Oh good Samaritane powre wine and oyle into my bléeding wounds Oh swéet Iesu let me not be cast away because I haue put my trust in thée I will not let thée go vntill thou blesse me Now blessed Sauiour many of my prayers haue béene refused let this be accepted sith thou hast giuen me a time to repent with most humble thāks giue me leaue to accept it Cast me not out of thy presence I desire to be at rest in my spirit that I may go chéerfully forward in the holy seruice What shall I say how shall I entreat good Lord haue mercy vpon me Oh let thy tender mercies comfort my distressed and heale my wounded heart one drop of thy mercy swéet Iesu swéet Iesu mercy or no mercie all honour and glory and praise and powre might and Maiestie be ascribed vnto thée for euer and euer Amen ¶ A true penitents confession and petition for grace O MOST mighty Prince Potentate