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
wickednesse shall haue no opportunitie to vndermine my weakenes If a building be weak and the walls decline a smal force is suâ—ficient to prostrate it to the ground But our weake nature detorted from originall Iustice and much empaired by frequencie of sinne is alwaies prone and enclinable to euill the Imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth And therefore I will auoid all outward occasions that may attract me to euill among which familiar conuersing with euill men is the chiefe For if two contraries be applied together the stronger must necessarilie destroy the weaker But as we are more enclinable to vice then to vertue so vice is more strong in the wicked then vertue in the good whereby it followeth that the societie of euill men is most dangerous to the good and that as an hundred sound men shall sooner take the plague from one infected person then he recouer his health by them so the good are more often peruerted by the wicked then the wicked conuerted by the good For this cause GOD loueth nor to see his children among the wicked For this cause hee commanded his people that they should not ioyne in marriage with the Gentiles Exo. 34. For this cause also he commaunded them to destroy the inhabitants of the countrey which they were to possesse lest by societie in their conuersation they should be drawne into societie of their sinnes as afterwards they were indeed Elihu marueiled at Iob and the Apostle at the Philippians that among the wicked they could liue well Lot who liued in Sodome needed the hand of an Angel to draw him foorth Saint Peter being in the company of the other Apostles confessed the LORD to be the Sonne of GOD but denied him in Caiphas house when he stood among the wicked by the fire GOD commanded that no man should touch any creature that was vncleane and that whosoeuer touched a dead body he shoud be vncleane But no creature is so vncleane as a sinner no death is like to the death of sinne And therefore I will auoid wicked men as the most vncleane of liuing creatures and the most loathsome of those that are dead I will not regard either kindred or kind acquaintance I will esteeme all the wicked alike I will cast off my neere friends I will pull out my eyes I will cut off my hands rather then they shall draw me to euill I will rather liue in desarts and caues rather with dragons and vipers then in the society of those that are euill I will not touch these pitchy companions I will not in the least matters haue to deale with them If a small rupture in a bancke be not timelie stopped it will weare greater and all the valley will be surrownded thereby Of the seede of a serpent commeth the cockatrice and of small beginnings dangerous effects may ensue I will not therefore bee negligent in smallest matters I will not contemne any enemy He that despiseth small things by lâ—ttle and little shall decay The wine saith the Prophet is mixed with water Verely as wine mingled with water looseth both sweetnes strength so the good loose credit vertue by society with the euill But as a man who standeth vpon firme ground will cast foorth boords and lines to saue such as are in danger of drowning and yet will not approach so neere as to be drowned with them so I will affoord the wicked what helpes I can for their safety but will haue an eie that they fasten not vpon mee that they draw me not into their destruction Away from me also all yee mine enemies who intend any wickednesse against mee take away your malice for your mischiefe is at an end The LORD is now at peace with me hee hath put vp the sword of his iustice he hath giuen to me his mercifull hand In vaine shall you now either attempt against mee or insult ouer me It is not onely vanity but iniquity which now you shall contriue against me You shall neuer effect your euill intentions Hate me you may but harme me you cannot You shall neuer preuaile against him who hath preuailed against the Almighty My teares haue ouercome the Omnipotent the voice of my teares hath vanquished the inuincible These luke-warme droppes haue quenched GODS anger qualified his iustice recouered his mercy won his loue True teares are the language of heauen they speake strongly to GOD he heareth them well No voice hath more free and familiar accesse to him none is more acceptable none better vnderstood Hee who often regardeth not the voice of the tongue will alwaies heare the voice of our teares The voice of the tongue is framed in the mouth but the voice of teares proceeds from a heart surprised either with ioy or with griefe Hee who regardeth onely the heart doth much regard this language of the heart Therefore in all the anguishes of my soule I will vse few words heereafter but powre forth my sorrow in silent teares whensoeuer I sin I will write my supplication for pardon with teares whensoeuer I would obtaine any curtesie or fauour from GOD I will addresse my desire with teares Teares are too mighty Orators to let any suit fall When teares crie vnto GOD when hee is importuned by teares he will presently grow familiar with vs. They haue so perswading a silence so conquering a complaint that by entreating they command by yeelding they ouercome When they seeme most pitifull then are they most powerfull when they seeme most forsaken then are they most victorious This dew of deuotion neuer falleth but it is an assured signe of a beautifull day euen of GODS fauour to cleere vpon vs. Vpon what face soeuer it droppeth it maketh the same amiable in the eies of GOD. I will not therefore giue ouer my weeping my face must bee still adorned with these liquid pearles the Angels shall still bathe themselues in these streames of my eies vntill death damme vp the springs they shall not cease running But heerein vse some caution O my soule for that thy teares may be profitable that they may be more acceptable to GOD they must not proceede from a softnesse and tendernesse of nature but thou must powre foorth thy very heart in teares They must not proceed from any worldly respect not from feare of death or of hell not absolutely from loue of thy selfe but from loue towards GOD and from griefe for offending so good a Father so great a Lord so pure a perfection and glorie This loue is the fire wherwith these siluer drops are melted in the furnace wherewith the flowers of deuotion and grace are distilled into teares This loue is the sun which resolueth dark pitchie clouds into raine which resolueth thicke foggie mists into dew and maketh the ayre pleasant and cleere Without this loue teares are nothing but excrementall water they are nothing worth if they be not warmed and
from the tyrannie of feare or desire Happie is heonly who in soule liues contented and he most of all vnhappie whom nothing doth content But this quiet is neuer attained but by remission of sinnes whosoeuer hath this mouthfull he is fully satisfied he doth not hunger after other things he no more regardeth either the fauours or persecutions of this life then doth a dead lumpe of flesh This is both truely and aptly termed A stood of peace A very flood indeed in regard both of the quality and of the abundance For it quencheth the flames of our appetites and desires then which we haue none more deadly enemies none which more torture and teare our hearts especially if they be of such things as either possibly or easily we cannot attaine But these appetites are drowned and extinguished in this flood they are either satisfied or silenced by the iustice of this peace This peace can no man vnderstand but he that enioyeth it because it exceedeth whatsoeuer the vnderstanding is able of it selfe to comprehend Againe happinesse and miserie are perfect contraries But sinners because they are vpon their way to miserie are already miserable they are already in hell or rather haue a hell within them And therefore it followeth that penitents because they are vpon their way to felicitie are alreadie happie already in heauen or rather haue a heauen within them For there are two wayes out of this world one through the pleasures of sinne to eternall miserie the other through the sorrowes of repentance to eternall glory Blessed are they who are in this sorrowfull way for onely they trauaile to eternall happinesse They are blessed I say by faith and by hope For they haue not the full fruition of felicitie but they enioy it by faith and by hope and therfore by faith and by hope they are blessed This onelie is the difference betweene Saints in heauen and sinners that repent vpon earth the one haue their happinesse in hand the other in hope they are at their iourneyes end these are vpon their way they haue their blessed estate in possession these in election Neuerthelesse they are truely blessed euen as a Bishop elect hath both the title and honour of a Bishop albeit he be not stalled in his place Verely as sinne is no small or ordinarie matter so is forgiuenesse of sinne no ordinarie blessing Sinne is so hainous a thing that it is a lesse euill to destroy all the creatures in the world then to commit one sinne against GOD. Yet such is the power of repentance that by meanes thereof GOD will not onely forgiue our sinnes but he will forget them Hee will so deale with penitent sinners either as if hee had neuer seene their sinnes or as if he had perpetually forgot them Hee will neuer either behold or remember their sinnes to iudge them Marueilous is the mercy and goodnesse of GOD towards sinners that repent The more they remember their sinnes the more doth he forget them the readier they are to acknowledge their offences the readier is he to couer and conceale them It is a verie great blessing to haue our sinnes couered because nothing is more hardly kept secret then sinne Sinne is not couered by cunning contriuance not with the vaine veile of colourable excuses the more we endeauour by these meanes to couer it the more doth it manifest and bewray it selfe Adam did hide himselfe but his sinne hee could not hide hee couered his bodie with figge tree leaues but could finde no couering for his sinne The more hee endeauored to hide himselfe the more did his transgression appeare the very hiding of himselfe did bewray his sinne For if he had not sinned hee would neuer haue shrunke aside he should neuer haue beene attached either with shame or with feare For this cause also GOD said to Cain If thou doest euill sinne lieth at the doore For assuredly sinne will not keepe house It will not lie quiet in a corner It will abroad It will stand at the doore It will manifest it selfe to all that goe by At the first it is discouered by our owne feares and by our great diligence to conceale it afterward by our loose carelesnesse Lastly by our boldnesse and impudency in committing euill Besides it is of nature to multiply and encrease vntill it cannot be contained in secret vntill it can no more be hidden then the Sunne vntill by the tumorous turpitude thereof it doth first manifest and then ruine and destroy it selfe Onely Repentance is of force to couer sinnes First because it cutteth off the encrease it drieth vp the springs from whence it swels and ouerflowes and whereby especially it bewrayes it selfe Secondly because it is alwayes accompanied with loue for Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Loue maketh the penitent and the innocent of like condition VERS II. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile 1 IT seemeth that Repentance is a deitie and wherefore 2 Wherefore Angels after sinne cannot be blessed 3 Man may and wherefore 4 The greatest praise and power of Repentance 5 without Repentance GOD cannot be mercifull and wherefore 6 Wherefore GOD imputeth no sinne to the penitent 7 How a penitent sinner may expostulate with GOD. 8 In what sort we must iudge our selues 9 Hypocrites the worst of all sinners 10 Confession how necessary it is 11 GOD is mercifull in forgiuing yet hard and seuere in taking accompts 12 Dissimulation doubleth our sinne 13 One sinne sufficient to ensnare vs. 14 A true accompt of our sinnes required DIuine Repentance What shall I say of thee How shall I worthily either extoll or esteeme thee Shall I say thou art a vertue or shall I terme thee some Deitie Assuredly it seemeth that thou art a Deitie and that GOD hath imparted a part of his Dominion vnto thee It seemeth that thou art his Lieutenant vpon earth and that he hath inuested thee with his owne authoritie because the same power which GOD exerciseth in heauen the same doest thou exercise vpon Earth For as GOD maketh blessed in Heauen so doth Repentance vpon Earth Only GOD maketh the iust blessed in Heauen and Repentance maketh sinners blessed vpon Earth because after sin no man is blessed but by Repentance And therefore the Angels that did sinne shall neuer be blessed because they cannot repent Their will is inflexible they are immoueable from that which once they apprehend his heart is as strong as stone and as the Smithes stithe broken it may bee but it will neuer bend That which death is to man the very same is sinne to Angels As man after death cannot profitably repent so cannot Angels repent after sinne But the hope of mans blessednesse consisteth in this that his will is flexible that his minde may turne to abhorre that which once with pleasure hee did embrace that he is capable of Repentance This is a branch of chasticing Iustice
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
we bring all we lie to the holie Ghost which is a most fearefull and heauy sinne One hooke sufficieth to take the fish one snare to fetter the soule But the Deuill is a most cunning angler a verie expert fowler he casteth manie baites he pitcheth manie snares in our pathes If we remaine intangled in any one if by sincere repentance we free not our selues from all we shall be sure to be his prey If we acknowledge not our sinnes we acknowledge not GODS mercies in forgiuing our sinnes we we are vnworthie to haue that debt remitted which we are vnwilling to confesse So much as we conceale of our sins so much do we adde ingratitude to iniurie and despight Wee double the wrong that wee haue done if to disability for discharge we adde falshood in our accompt Let vs first make our true accompt then we shall find GOD so easie as rather to offer then to be entreated not only to forbeare what we are not ready but to forgiue what wee are not able to discharge VERS III. Whilest I helde my tongue my bones consumed through my dayly complayning 1. WE cannot be ignorant of our sinnes 2. Originall sinne the seed of all actuall sinne 3. Dull sence of sinne makes vs slow and heauy to confesse them 4. Whereby the soule is more deepely soyled 5. Too much sence of sin makes vs either fearefull or ashamed to confesse them 6. The sottery of sinners in concealing their sinne 7. Want of confession how dangerous it is 8. It draweth variety of punishments vpon vs. 9. Wee often complaine but not as we should 10. Punishments to what end they are sent 11 Wherefore GOD called Adam and not the Diuell 12. GODS violent voyce in calling sinners 13. Whereto sinners may be compared 14. It is a great mercy of GOD to bee trauayled in this life and wherefore 15. Troubles are GODS husbandry c. I MY selfe haue heeretofore beene either negligent or ashamed to confesse my sinnes For I could not bee altogether ignorant the checke of my owne conscience did often aduertise me that my soule was drenched in two Stygian streames of corruption originall and actuall the one deriued to me by descent the other proceeding from my proper will For by reason of the fall of our first parent his bloud was atteint and corruption was so fast fixed in his nature that hee transmitted that leprosie to all who euer descended from him This is the seede of all actuall sinnes this is in power all sinnes in the world Not onely if wee act the wicked motions thereof but if we yeeld consent vnto them if without consent we take pleasure in thinking of them then they turne to actuall sinnes But these delights haue so swarmed in my soule that I could not but feele the viperous brood within me I haue so often entertayned them with consenâ— so often eyther in deed or by endeuour brought them foorth into action that I could not but see the hideous heape And yet I alwayes wanted either remembrance or disposition to cast vp my reckoning and to confesse them Sometimes the Diuell did stupifie and benumme my soule and then I had little or no feeling of my sinne then sinne lay concealed in me then either I entertayned no thought or else was dull and carelesse to acknowledge my sinnes But as how much the longer any filthy liquor standeth in a vessell so much the more is the vessell fouled and stayned and so much the more hardly can the foule staines bee rubbed cleane So the longer time that poysonous sinne remayned in my bosome with a quiet and vncontrouled custome the more was my vnhappy soule soyled therewith the more deepe staines were printed therein and the more hard to be defaced Sometimes I was so sensible of my sinnes so apprehensiue both of the number deformity of them that I became thereby either ashamed or afrayd to confesse them to the LORD to desplay them before those beautifull eyes which are much offended with such impure obiects The shame and the feare which the Diuell tooke away when I committed sinne hee restored againe when I should confesse them And as an expert captaine who besiegeth a fort doeth first blocke vp all passages by which it may receiue any ayd so the Diuell did in such sort beset and besot my soule that he stopped all the wayes by which repentance might relieue it I was easily perswaded not to stirre the vnsauory puddle not to digge the filthy dunghill of my sinnes to the bottome For who can answer the iust charge Who dares thinke vpon the iust punishment for his offences In this life hee may expect whole armies of euils and death which is to others the port of their tempestuous nauigation to him will seeme a gulfe both of intolerable and eternall torments So I sottishly sought to hide my sinnes in my own obliuion I did foolishly flatter my selfe that thou O LORD wouldest neuer remember what I did forget that my offences locked vp in my owne silence should bee close shut from thy knowledge or regard I vainely thought that by not speaking or not thinking of my sinnes I should most readily extinguish the memory of them But as fire the lesse vent it hath the more furiously it burneth And as a festred and rotten sore not opened and cleansed which the Patient doth not vnfold to the Chyrurgian and both desire and endure his helpe putrefieth and enflameth the more and the more doeth the corruption both penetrate and spread So my sinnes whilest they were smothered within my owne conscience whilest they were not by confession layd open to thee did not onely more terribly anguish and torment me but did deeply infect the very substance of my soule The contagion of sinne did spread like a leprosie ouer euery part the strongest vertues were infected therewith all the faculties were drawne to a habite of euill They did not only anguish me but they did waste and consume me they drew thy heauie iudgements vpon me the dangers which they brought vpon mee were no lesse then was the disquiet For I felt in my soule besides the sharpe sting of my conscience the heauie blowes and more heauie threats of thine indignation Many calamities thou didst also cast vpon my body vpon the issue of my affaires And so sharpelie didst thou visit mee both outwardlie and within that failing or at least fainting in body and minde I sunke downe vnder the charge and melted my languishing soule into moane My calamities daily encreased and therewith also my complaints I complayned dayly but duly rightly I did not complaine For I saw into what miseries I was deiected I saw to what mischiefe I did bend my pace but I neither endeuoured nor intended to cut off either the cause of the one or course of the other I did not search into the state of my soule I did not vnderstand it I did not lay it open before thee I did not blame I
For there is not one among the sonnes of Adam but his necessities require that hee pray often to thee both for pardon and reliefe Whosoeuer thinketh that he hath no need deceiueth himselfe and in very truth stands most in need Then doe we begin to bee iust when wee begin to see our owne vnrighteousnesse and the further wee proceede in the one the more shall wee encrease in the other And they shall pray vnto thee and onely vnto thee because thou onely forgiuest sinne Remission of sinnes is so great a worke that it is a case reserued onely to thee thou onely forgiuest sinne who onely art offended by sinne No creature whether in heauen or vpon earth hath priuiledge to pardon the least sinne the forgiuenesse of the least sinne requireth no lesse vertue then the creation of all the world In creation nature is giuen in iustification grace which in many degrees exceedeth nature If no man bee of power to giue nature to things much lesse is any man of ability to giue grace When the king of Syria sent Naaman his seruant to the king of Israel that hee should cure him of his leprosie the king of Israel tore his garments and said Am I a GOD that I should cure a man of his leprosie But assuredly if no power but of GOD was able to cure a bodily leprosie no inferiour power can cleanse the loathsome leprosie of the soule For this cure must all men resort to GOD. But this they must doe in a seasonable time they must apprehend occasion which no wise man either fearing thee or louing himselfe will suffer to escape For as opportunitie at some times of our life is fairely offered to all so if it bee not taken when it comes it can neuer be ouertaken when it is gone This time is whilest thy treasures are opened whilest thou maist be approached whilest thou maiest bee found whilest thou proclaymest thy pardon whilest thou repellest no man whilest thou inuitest all whilest thou almost entreatest sinners loaden and perplexed with their heauie charge to come to thee for releefe If in this time they pray vnto thee the floud of thy furie shall not inuolue them they shall not be swallowed in the rauenous gulfe of thine indignation But if they suffer this time to slippe if they be so held down with sensual either pleasure or sloath that they will not awake out of the slumber of sinne that they will not arise and pray vnto thee another time shal then succeed when the full streames and stormes of thy displeasure shall violently breake foorth and sodainely enwrappe all those who either through negligence which is ill or through obstinacy which is worse perseuere in their licentious life And the longer it be before these flouds come vpon them with the greater fury will they fall Euen as riuers the greater distance they runne from their springs the more waters they gather with the greater violence they run Or as the longer a man to be drawing a bowe the neerer he drawes the arrow to the head and with the greater strength it flieth from his hand At that time they who now may haue easie accesse shall not be able to approch thee they shal be driuen away they shall be commanded with a sad bitter curse to depart from thee Thou who now keepest open house wil then perpetually shut vp doores thou who now artfull of pity plentifull in reliefe wilt then finally iudge and afterwards eternally punish Pharaoh did hardly oppresse and detaine the people of Israel a long time no intreatie no punishment could mooue him to permit them to depart he pursued them with an army euen into the sea But when he saw the waters comming vpon him he acknowledged the power of GOD and said Let vs flie for the LORD fighteth for them Then he repented then he would haue gone back but it was too late The water flouds came vpon him too fast sentence of death had then passed against him then GODS wrath and the waters came vpon him together When the floud-gates of GODS fury are opened vpon vs it will so violently driue vs both from his fauour and face that it will be impossible for vs to approach him Againe they who let slip the time of their youth of their health and of their strength and with varietie of delaies driue off to reconcile themselues to GOD vntill by age or by sickenesse they become weake vntill they arriue to the last period of their liues they are in danger to deceiue themselues They are in great danger that either their hearts will be so hardened with long custome of sin that true repentance cannot sinke into them or else that the feeblenesse of age the paines of sickenesse the dismaidnes of death the horrour of sinne the terrour of iustice and a thousand like perplexities as so many floud-gates will rush vpon their soules and altogether ouerwhelme them so as they shall not be able to approach neere to GOD. For being rowled in these streames it cannot but be doubtfull at the least that they who in former times were forgetfull of GOD should then be forgetfull of themselues that they who had no will to repent whilest they had power to sinne when they are vnable to sinne should haue a very weake either will or ability to repent that GOD will then as little regard their cries as they did formerly regard his callings Not vpon any change in him but by reason of defect in themselues Because their complaints and cries at that time and happilie their sobs sighes and teares are not a voluntary motion of the will but a violent enforcement vpon necessitie They are rather effects of amazement or of despaire then of any liuely and powerfull repentance Verely it is little better then desperation to sinne vpon confidence of repentance in times to ensue There is little either proofe or thanke in the amendement of our will when we are past either the pleasure or the power to proceed in sinne VERS IIII. Thou art a place to hide mee in thou shalt preserue me from trouble thou shalt compasse mee about with songs of deliuerance 1. THe effects of repentance in regard of the penitents 2 The protection of GODS Mercy 3 The protection of his power 4 The protection of his prouidence 5 As GOD hath manifested himselfe to vs three of his attributes are most excellent his goodnesse his wisedome and his power 6 And of these his goodnesse is most excellent and glorious 7 GOD communicates his goodnesse and wherefore 8 A thankesgiuing 9 The goodnesse of GOD an assured defence 10 The debility of humane forces 11 How sustained 12 The goodnesse of GOD not only defendeth but maketh victorious 13 A short prayer 14 The godly are free from the delights of this world 15 Free also from the dangers 16 They cannot perish and wherefore BVT as for me I will speedily and in good time runne vnto thee as vnto
side walled with rockes aboue beaten with terrible tempests You must be not onlie skilfull but carefull of your course you must alwaies beare your hand on the helme your eie on the compasse lest it come to passe that you neuer escape If you doe not this for the loue of GOD doe it then for the loue of your selues whereunto by all rules of reason and nature you are stronglie bound If you doe not loue or regard your good at lest bee not in loue with your euill The loue of miserie is farre worse then miserie it selfe Assuredly in case you continue in this carelesse course in case you still beare your selues either desperate in running from GOD or dull and heauie in comming to him in case neither his benefits can allure nor his chasticements enforce you to a change of life he will cast his plagues vpon you so thicke as haile which will make you more miserable then you can imagine VERS XI Great plagues remaine for the vngodly but who so putteth his trust in the LORD mercy embraceth him on euery side 1. GODS heauie hammers vpon obstinate sinners 2 The multitude of GODS punishments 3 The seuerity of them 4 It is most easie for GOD to pardon sinnes and wherfore 5 It is not possible but that penitent persons should be forgiuen 6 The confidence of true penitents 7 Their saciety 8 Their ioy 9 Albeit the contray appeares 10 Penitents enioy most perfect pleasure in this life and wherefore 11 The pleasures of the wicked are worse then brutish 12 Penitents aâ—e blessed in their chasticements 13 The first reason hereof 14 The second reason 15 The afflictions of this life are both momentany and light 16 A short prayer CErtainely if you wil not embrace this friendly aduice If you esteeme these warnings to be of no weight If blinded either with dulnesse or with malice you perseuere in your sinnes If neither benefits nor scourges can hold you in obedience If neither promises nor threats can any deale mooue you If you can be reteined in order neither by hope nor by feare If like vntamed beasts you still wildlie runne through the thorny thickets of all vices and esteeme euerie lustfull thing lawfull to be done hee hath heauier hammers to breake your obstinacie to bridle your boldnesse and pride and to beate downe your rebellion against him Verely not the starres in the firmament not the sands of the earth not all the creatures in heauen and vpon earth are so manie in number so vnresistable in force as are the punishments which the obstinate shall endure Their infelicity houereth ouer their heads their curse traceth them step by step vntill it shall ouertake them in hell Here the most pleasant retreits are full of hideous hurlements nothing but terrours torments and teares without intermission or end Here is griefe without remedie complaint without pity repentance without mercy Here death alwaies liueth and life alwaies dieth death here life are immortall together life in dying and death in enduring Here both body and soule shall eternally liue in eternall death they shall liue together in a double death and both eternall the death of sinne and the death of punishment due to sinne On the other side they who contemne the vanitie of the world and apply themselues onlie to GOD they who repent them of their sinnes be they neuer so great if they doe not despaire shall vndoubtedlie be receiued to pardon and mercy For this is most easie for GOD to doe by reason of his goodnesse and the greatnesse of his mercies in comparison wherof all the sinnes of the world are nothing so little as a point in regard of the largest circumference as one sparke of fire in comparison of the vast Ocean So as if the greatest sinner in the world be penitent If he desire and sue for mercie all the water in the sea cannot so easilie extinguish one sparke of fire as the mercies of GOD will abolish his sinnes Verelie if a good man will be mercifull to his beast our good GOD will much more bee mercifull to his creature to his seruant to his childe Yea it is not possible but that mercy should be imparted to them that repent For the infinite mercies of Almightie GOD abound in all places they fill all things if they be not excluded and locked foorth But nothing excludeth mercie but impenitencie and hardnesse of heart And therefore if a man be penitent mercie will foorthwith enter because the impediment is remooued because nothing then remaineth in the soule which may resist or repell mercie If the window be opened the roome will be light and if the floudgates be vnbarred the streames will presentlie ouerflow But they who haue receiued mercy who are vnder the protection and guard of grace in what assurance doe they stand how boldlie do they walke with what confidence are they caried in all the passages of their life Mercy encreaseth confidence and coÌ„fidence againe encreaseth mercy As guiltines is the cause of feare so from mercie proceedeth confidence As all wickednesse is full of feare so the iust is confident as a Lion And whosoeuer receiueth mercie they shall be filled therewith They shall be so filled as they shall ouerflow they shal be enuironed with mercy on euery side And being vnder the peace protection of mercie hauing firme trust that their sins are forgiuen O good GOD to what felicitie are they aduanced what treasures are there in heauen which shall not be opened and imparted to them They shal be placed by the side of GOD they shall be apparrelled and adorned with so great glory so great happines shal be heaped vpon them as the spirit of man is vnable to apprehend much lesse to expresse The desire the hope the full faith and assurance hereof cannot but worke in them incredible ioy before they attaine the full fruition euen whilest they are vpon their passage to it Oh! with what cheerefulnesse with what delight doe they either remooue or surmount all difficulties which lie before them Howsoeuer their trauaile seemeth troublesome and hard yet the loue of their iourneyes end maketh it not onely tolerable but delightfull The onely thought of the end of their trauaile seasoneth all the meanes with sweetnesse through which they are enforced to wrestle to that end It may be conceiued indeed that the iust are plagued and that the wicked chiefly flourish in this life It seemeth to be so but it is not so It is so onely in appearance and shew but in very deed it is not so They are either blinded with grosse mists of ignorance or abused with deceiuable colours and shewes who thinke it so It appeareth so only to those who are so rowled vp in flesh and bloud that they esteeme nothing good or euill but that which appertaineth to the body Assuredly they whose sinnes are forgiuen enioy the most perfect pleasure euen in this life which in this sort doeth plainely appeare As the inward
Their thoughts being once acquainted with this reall trueth they neither desire nor regard the supplie of shadowes They cannot but bee strangers to worldly delights in which they see nothing but some scattered crummes and hungry morsels of the heauenly banket O LORD of hostes how great are the pleasures which they enioy who are reconciled by repentance to thee which albeit they be properly receiued into the soule yet sometimes they are so great that as riuers encreased by the fall of raine ouerflow their bankes so they cannot be contayned within the soule but are imparted also to the bodie I will therefore reioyce in the mercies of my GOD I will place all my pleasure in the contemplation of those felicities which he reserueth in his treasurie of heauen to enrich to adorne to crowne the iust This shal be the food of my thoughts the ambition of my highest hopes and desires Vpon confidence that I am in the fauour of GOD I will accompt GOD himselfe to be mine because his loue is mine For to whomsoeuer he giueth his loue he giueth himselfe because loue is no guift vnlesse the louer be giuen therewith Yea loue is no loue vnlesse he that loueth be no lesse liberall to impart that which hee is then that which he hath vnlesse I haue the partie I can neuer haue his loue To this ioy I inuite you all who stand sworne to the seruice of the LORD who loue his goodnesse who reuerence his iustice All ye who are vpright both in action in hearâ— I inuite you to two things First that you reioyce Secondly that you reioyce not in your selues not in any thing that the world affoords but onely in the LORD You I say who walke not in the crooked and craggie wayes of sinne but in the right path of righteousnesse who in this passage commit your selues altogether to the power and goodnesse of GOD. All you I inuite to reioyce to power forth your spirits into ioy and that for two causes First because you enioy a sweet quiet of conscience which is to you a perpetuall feast Secondly because you expect both an end and a reward of all your trauailes You expect that in short time you shall exchange the thornes and thistles of this wretched life for the flowers of eternall felicitie that the sweat of afflictions shall bee wiped from your faces and that you shall bee both clothed and crowned with heauenly honour Assuredly gold runneth not so pure out of the flames of the furnace to be cast into the image of some great Prince or to serue for the ornament of some rich iewell as the soule of one who loueth GOD doth beautifully sort out of the miseries of this world to behold to participate to be fully satisfied with the glorious presence and maiesty of GOD. But all the wicked I forbid to reioyce Away hence you may freely depart because you haue no part in this ioy you haue time little enough to lament For albeit sinners reioyce in doing ill and take most delight in worst things yet is not this the ioy that I meane This is no true ioy this is no ioy at all It is only a fained and forced appearance of ioy It is as the ioy of hypocrites short and sowre It is but a flash to lighten them to their death First because it proceedeth from an euil conscience which hath so many thornes as it hath thoughts alwaies pricking sometimes tearing the soule and crying out in the midst of their mirth Oh impure pleasure Oh vnlawful ioy Oh iust reuenge that must ensue Secondly because it is both short and the symptome of a deadlie disease For they ioy at their sinnes which will eternally ruine both their bodies and soules they ioy in that condition of life for which they cannot sufficientlie lament Therfore the ioy of sinners is like the witlesse laughter of fooles when they are lashed like the sencelesse laughter of mad men when they either doe or suffer some mischiefe like the sicke laughter of some diseased persons euen when they lie at the point of death When Dolphins leape and plaie in the sea it is a sure signe of tempests approaching and when the wicked sport and solace in their sins it is an infallible argument of their ruine at hand If Epicures reioice who deny that GOD doth either order or regard the affaires of this world If Athiests reioice who are of opinion that the soule and bodie determine together It maie beare some appearance of ioy But when they reioice in their sinnes who beleeue the immortalitie of the soule who know both the iustice and power of GOD who know how horrible it is to fall into his hands after separation from him by sinne It beareth no shadow of ioy It is a plaine token of a minde either sencelesse or madde So then it is proper to you onelâ—e O yee righteous to bee glad it is neither lawfull nor possible for any other truely to reioyce But because this your ioy is the treasure of your soules you must in any case be carefull to place it well As treasures must be safely laide vp so your ioy must bee lodged safe and that cannot be but onely in GOD. For if you place it in honour riches beautie power or any other faire fauour of this world it cannot be safe because these things are transitory and subiect to variations and dangers because they will passe away and perish in a moment And therefore the ioy that riseth from them is neuer dureable and many times lesse then the griefe which they cause when they forsake vs. As they who ioy in GOD need not feare any euill because all their euils are conuerted to their good so should they not hope for any good from the world because the Diuell GODS professed enemie is the great Prince of the world and will endeuour to conuert that good to their euill Goe too then reioyce onely in GOD who forgiueth your iniquities who doeth tolerate and conceale your weakenesses who liberally imparteth his mercies to you Settle all your delights vpon him settle all your pleasures and wishes in the loue of his goodnesse For hee imbraceth you with a fatherly loue and will then chiefely stand by you when all other comforts and supports will forsake you Ioyne no partener with him in the small possession of your ioy Ioy onely in him whom you shall alwayes finde aboue you powerfull beneath you plentifull before you watchfull behinde you carefull on this side bountifull on that side mercifull on all sides wonderfull Reioyce not in your owne worthinesse but in his infinite goodnes who driueth all dangers from your bodies and soules who so prouideth for you that you want nothing necessarie for this life and doe assuredly expect blessed abundance in the life to come Reioice onely in him who doeth comfort and relieue you in your passage through this world and will conduct you to the ioy of his
hope in the LORD 12 The despaire of Cain was a greater sinne then the murther of his brother 13 An vnreasonable reasoning with GOD. 14 An obiection answered 15 The crie of our sinnes is the greatest obstacle against the crie of our complaint 16 The condition whereon we may be heard 17 An humble complaint and confession 18 No distance can hinder the hearing of GOD and wherefore 19 A resolution to perseuere 20 How pleasing petitions of sinners are to GOD. LORD I do often ingeminate this petition because no plenty no weight of words is sufficient to expresse the anguish of my soule For it is no light either sorrow or danger that is lighted vpon me I complaine not of the malice or fraud of my enemies not of any wordly losse or euill which happily may bee either auoyded or well endured I complaine not also of sinnes esteemed of inferiour nature not of the slippes of youth not of imperfections of age not of errours and escapes either ordinary or vnknowe to my selfe against which appliances are easilie entertained But my soule being a nest of sinne and goared with the sting of conscience is now oppressed with such heauie cogitations with such mortall wounds and with such terrible assaults of despaire that I feele that as it seemeth to mee which no man feeleth but my selfe that I can see nothing but that thou hast not onlie couered thy countenance but cast mee off and away for euer Great are my externall oppressions but these are the terrours which thunder vpon me this is the loade vnder which I labour this is the labour wherein I sweate euen the threats of thy Law and guiltines of my grieuous sinnes Alasse I haue lost my selfe in a labyrinth of doubts I am in such extreame miserie that I haue not wherewith to foster my famished soule The violence of my greefe hath so oppressed me that hope can now do no more It hath done enough in keeping my heart from breaking And herein I susteine the more cruell combate because my quarrell is against my selfe because I haue no challenge but against my own soule Oh! that I could so hate it as the loue of thee requires Oh! that I were so angrie therewith as thou mightest be appeased with me Sometimes I haue beene desirous to run away but then vaine thought I must runne from my selfe my disease is fast fixed in my bones I haue linked together the chaine of my owne miseries I haue voluntarilie run into the awaitments of death The enemie pitched snares in my pathes but I despised them and walked secure I was violently swaied with the inclination of my appetites I flattered my selfe that in youth it was a fault to be without fault I said with my selfe why thinkest thou vpon the end before thou approachest the middest Euerie part of our age hath both errours and amendments proper to it GOD seeth it well but he doth not regard it he is most easie to forgiue and I may heereafter conuert when I will Thus I thought vntill custome challenged mee for her slaue I strugled to breake from her but shee held me fast I could not shake off the yoake which had beene long buckled about my necke I could not be ridde of the bridle which I had willingly taken betweene my teeth I willingly consented and therefore am I worthily lost Whither then shall I flie for I am fast bound and my refuge is farre off How shall I free my selfe from the iawes of death from the gripes of hel For alasse I finde that there is no sinne which I haue not both seriously and sauourly committed All my faculties both inward and outward I haue defiled all my sences I haue feasted I haue surfetted with pleasure All thy benefits I haue either buried or else abused to thy dishonour euen as thou diddest complaine by thy Prophet The siluer and gold which I haue giuen thee thou diddest conuert to serue Baal What hath beene all the course of my life but a net of errours a confused Babylonian building of treasons pride auarice riot lust swearing lying hate enuie murmuring flattering detracting disobedience blasphemie and other innumerable euils I haue been ouerborne with the violent storm of my passions which I haue let loose without any limits neuer endeuouring either to abate or diuert their fury I haue beene laced and buckled in the snares of the Diuell I haue pursued my inordinate appetites in all things like a beast without respect to the Law of iustice or of reason I haue liued worse then an Ethnick as if I were perswaded either that there is no GOD or that he neither regardeth vs in this present life nor rekoneth with vs in the life to come My trauailing phantasies haue made a long voiage in waies both dangerous and vnknowne Before me hath gone my aduerse will to that which is good behind a pleasing remembrance of that which was euill On this side want of patience in aduersitie on that side too much hautinesse in prosperitie On euery side wounds and skarres stamped into the substance of my soule by custome of sinne I haue often worne a burthened conscience and yet felt no tortures within me and therein was I miserable indeed For therein I was either stupid or dead I carried a sencelesse soule in a liuing bodie euen as it must needes be a dead and senceles hand which can hold fire without feeling any sting of heat None are more dead then they who can beare fire in their hand or sinne in their conscience without sence of smart But out wretches the houre will come when the remembrance of sinne will so much the more sharpely teare by how much it was lesse grieuous before Assuredlie if we could conceiue the terror of our generall accompt we would not faile to accompt euerie day O dead sencelesse soule where are thy complaining cries where are thy teares to bath the bruises which thy sinnes haue made wherefore doth not thy leaden heart melt wherefore doth not thy yron eies breake foorth into riuers of teares as did the rocke which Moses smote with his rod O LORD GOD sweet and gentle to all those who call vpon thee Remember that I am but dust and supplie I beseech thee my drie defects Breath forth thy spirit that the waters may flow that teares of true contrition accompanied with the saddest groanes of my soule may plentifully breath foorth Or if by thy iust iudgement I can finde no passage for teares of my eyes let me not be depriued of groanes of my heart let my heart sweat bloudie teares Or if I bee vnworthy of that yet let me loue groanes and teares let me earnestly desire them let me ardently sue to thee in my prayers for them Alasse what auaileth it that many of my sinnes are not knowen to others when they are well knowen to my selfe Miserable that I am if I lightly regard this bosome witnesse this witnesse that cannot keepe counsaile long but will discouer
my secrets to all the world The longer time I haue liued the more I finde my life couered and ouergrowen with sinne euen as a riuer the further it runneth from the head the more waters it gathereth and the greater doeth the streame encrease or as a man riding in dustie waies the further hee rideth the more dust he gathereth vpon him I can finde in my selfe no light of goodnesse no calme of righteousnesse I haue bin so loaden with the yron yoake of the Diuell the troupes of my sinnes so muster vpon mee that out of the depth of my miserable estate I am enforced with sighes groanes and teares to cry vnto thee Oh! I am a most grieuous sinner I thinke my selfe the most grieuous sinner in the world I think my self which I tremble to speake a more grieuous sinner then the Diuell himselfe For albeit the Diuell participateth of all sinnes whereto he draweth miserable men yet of his owne nature he is not a glutton not a drunkard not sloathfull not libidinous not coueteous of riches or honoâ—s or any other worldly thing For because nothing is affected with that which is not agreeable to the nature thereof it followeth that a spirituall substance cannot bee affected with goods properly corporall but onely with those which are spirituall But in affecting spirituall goods there can bee no sinne vnlesse the rule of a superiour be thereby transgressed and this is by the sinne of pride in being disobedient to a superiour and in affecting a singular excellencie But consequently enuie may ensue by enuying the good of others whether in GOD or in man as a hindrance to their proper ends But so enuy must not be taken for a passion but for a will wrestling against anothers good And hereby it appeareth that the Diuell properly and in his owne nature sinneth onely in pride and in enuie which onely are pure spirituall sinnes But besides these I haue committed so manie other sinnes that I am both vnable and vnworthy particularlie to confesse them much more vnworthy to receiue pardone for them I haue made so great ruine and waste in all the faculties of my soule that it seemeth impossible they should be repaired Oh wretch what haue I done what did I entend to haue done The law accompted those beasts vncleane which did not chew the cudde not lesse vncleane cleane are they who will not ruminate and consider either the condition of their present state or what in future is either necessarie or in aduenture to ensue But alasse I neuer thought on my danger vntill all hope of remedie was past I neuer regarded my steps vntill I was in the snares of hell And now what death can I feare when I haue lost the life of my soule without which any other life is death and which maketh death a pleasant passage to life Being deepely wounded with the greatest griefe what sence can I haue of ordinary euill my deepe miseries haue drowned both my minde and my memorie in so deepe sorrow that all hope of reliefe is ouerwhelmed with the thicke throng of present discomforts And yet I will not cast downe my hope in the LORD I will not despaire of his gracious helpe For he hath not cast me downe to cast mee away hee hath not thus terrified mee to the end I should abandone all hope to the end I should be swallowed vp in the monstrous mouth of despaire but rather he calleth mee to him to the end that I should call vpon him The first worke that the LORD did in the conuersion of Saint Paul was the casting of him to the ground whereby thou doest instruct vs O LORD that our deiection in our selues is the first step of our aduancing to thee And assuredly thou wouldest neuer haue giuen me this grace to be sorrowfull if thou haddest not therewith intended to giue me life And therefoâ—â— albeit I bee cast downe to the verie gates of hell yet will I call vpon thee to raise mee againe albeit I bee crushed and broken to pieces yet will I call vpon thee to heale mee I can neuer bee so low driuen neuer so ouercharged with sorrow or with feare but still I will call vpon thee for comfort For what other remedie haue wee feeble wretches tossed in the vaste gustie sea of this world beaten with most raging tempests driuen among so many rockes and shelues so many infernall monsters gaping to deuoure vs what other remedie haue wee I say but to call and crie to thee with the distressed disciples awake LORD least wee perish Assuredly if out of these depths of danger and distresse we cry not out to thee for helpe then are we neere the greatest depth that can bee then are wee slipping into the depth wherein Cain was eternally swallowed then are wee readie to roare out his cursed complaint my sinnes are greater then can be forgiuen It is true Cain indeede thy sinne in it selfe was very great but in comparison of the infinite goodnesse of GOD it was not great Thy sinne might haue bin pardoned well enough but thy opinion and conceit that it did exceede the mercies of GOD that impious opinion so long as it stood could not be forgiuen Thy despaire was a greater sinne then the murther of thy brother thy despaire was the cause wherefore the murther of thy brother could not bee forgiuen Thy damnable repentance left no place for repentance to life The same trace followed they whom the Prophet described to speake in this manner Our sinnes are vpon vs and in them we consume how then should wee liue But O Omnipotent GOD is this a good reasoning with thy goodnesse My sinnes are vpon me how then shall I liue Desirest thou then the death of a sinner desirest not thou rather that sinners should liue I know rightwell that my sinnes are vpon me But I expect againe thy mercie vpon my sinnes My iniquities I know are gone ouer my head but they haue not ouergone thy goodnesse They are a burthen too heauie for me to beare and therefore I resort to thee who hast promised to ease me My sinnes shall neuer driue me to despaire but rather to repaire to thee for reliefe But is it not vsuall that GOD listneth not to sinners that he turneth away his eare and will not heare them Yes verelie But this is by reason of the cry of their sinnes this is when the cry of their sinnes drowneth the cry of their complaints Fauorable LORD stop thine eare I beseech thee against the crie of my sinnes but graciously incline it to the cry of my complaint Silence my sinnes LORD for a while bid them stand aside vntill I haue fullie confessed them to thee vntill I haue manifested my contrition for them and then let them appeare againe if they will for then they shall not appeare alone They shall be then accompanied with my teares and my griefe which will abate if not abolish their crie They shall not then prouoke thy
sinners desire rather to prouoke his iustice then to inuoke his mercy By this redemption wee are not onely deliuered both from the guilt and eternall punishment of our sinnes but wee are also enriched with the righteousnesse of our Redeemer All the merits of his penury trauailes watchings groanings sweat teares and bloud are our rich treasure All his innocence and righteousnesse is ours For the righteousnesse of the second Adam is no lesse ours then was the transgression of the first Adam wee no lesse participate of the innocencie and sanctity of the one for our saluation then of the disobedience of the other for our damnation And therefore as Iacob being apparelled with the garments of his elder brother Esau procured a blessing which by right of birth was not his due so if wee bee clothed with the righteousnesse of our Redeemer wee shall obtaine a blessing whereto wee can otherwise pretend no right In offering this sacrifice and in presenting these merits what can we feare GOD is our Redeemer it is GOD who iustifieth who can condemne GOD is our patron and Aduocate If GOD bee on our side who can bee against vs This is he to whom all the Prophets witnesse That through his name all that beleeue in him should receiue remission of sinnes This is the true liuing Temple of GOD of whom the Temple of Salomon was but a figure This is the Altar whereon all the prayers which we offer to GOD are acceptable to him This is our only Priest our only Sacrifice our only Temple our only Altar whereby we are made acceptable to GOD. I will make this which I haue said a little more familiar by an example Albeit a man hath deserued nothing of his Prince whereby he may claime either respect or reward yet if his father haue performed great seruices If he hath spent his trauailes his estate his life in his Princes employment the sonne may no lesse both boldly and iustly sue for reward then if in his owne person he had deserued it Our case is not vnlike for all who are in the state of grace are the adoptiue sonnes of IESVS CHRIST hee is their Father their second Adam they are his sonnes and consequently his lawfull heires Not as if hee had died intestate but by his last will and testament which hee made the euening before his death at his last supper and soone after confirmed it with his blood By this testament he gaue vs his bloud and thereby hath made vs heires of all the merits for shedding his bloud Hereby wee haue good right to demand the reward due to all his labors and to the losse of his bloud and that with full assurance not only in regard of mercy which drew him so liberally to lay foorth his bloud but also of Iustice which thereby is largely satisfied For whatsoeuer he either did or endured in this world all the sharpe stony steps which he trode was in no part for himselfe but altogether for vs. For vs he was incarnate and borne for vs he sustained many contemptible both indignities and wants for vs hee fasted watched and prayed for vs hee did groane weepe and bleed Lastly for vs he died which was the accomplishment of our redemption Of all this he hath made vs heires in his last will and testament and that by his free goodnesse and grace For he was innocent and needed not to discharge any thing for himselfe neither had hee any neede of vs to encrease by that meanes either his greatnesse or his glory VERS VIII And hee shall redeeme Israel from all his sinnes 1 A contemplation of GOD in his diuine Maiestie 2 A contemplation of him in his humane abasement 3 How pleasing the obedience of our Redeemer was to the Father and for what cause 4 Two sacrifices obserueable in our Redeemer and which was most acceptable 5 The merit of these oblations perteine to vs and wherefore 6 Of the Priesthood and intercession of our Redeemer 7 Of the narrow capacity of our hearts and GODS inestimable abundance 8 Our redemption extendeth to all people and to all sinnes 9 How this is true 10 How sinnes are said to be impardonable 11 How GOD is said to blind men 12 GOD confineth sinners within certaine limits 13 How notwithstanding our sinnes we may be assured of pardon 14 To whom the rich treasure of redemption pertaineth 15 Our redemption dischargeth not only from sinne and eternall punishment but from miseries of this life 16 GOD conuerteth our miseries to good 17 How calamities may bee broken and a glorious conquest obtained 18 He who commandes his will is more powerfull then many kings and wherefore 19 We cannot iustly complaine of externall accidents and wherefore 20 A Prayer 21 An oblation 22 A thankesgiuing COme with me then and I will carrie you to the toppe of a high watch-tower where you may behold marueilous things Here with great humilitie reuerence of your soules lift vp your eyes aboue the clouds and aboue all the heauens surmount all the companies of Cherubin and Seraphin and aduance to the highest throne of Maiestie There fasten your thoughts vpon the most pure diuine substance which there keepeth state that beautifull light that vnapproachable light which no mortall eye did euer behold That glorious LORD in whom are the beauties and perfections of all creatures in farre greater excellencie then in themselues Him who with the bare inclination of his will created all things Him whose bright Maiestie as we are vnable to behold so without the light thereof we are blind Him whose wisedome power beauty Maiestie greatnesse cannot bee expressed cannot be comprehended Who remaining vnmoueable giueth motion to all things who gouerneth all things yet applieth himselfe to nothing who vseth all things and needeth nothing who changeth his workes and yet remaineth constant in his counsailes whom all the starres all the Saints and Angels praise and adore At whose presence the pillars of heauen tremble who poiseth the whole masse of the earth with three fingers and in whose sight all nations are as if they were not Him whose happinesse is such that it cannot be either encreased or diminished Insomuch as his glory will be nothing the more if all men should be saued and praise him nor any deale the lesse if all should be damned and curse him When thou hast stayed there awhile and feasted thy desires vpon this high substance descend againe by the same steps as if it were vpon Iacobs ladder and behold the same substance couered and disguised not onely with humane flesh but with all the miseries incident to humane flesh not onely as a seruant the basest sort of men but as a most contemptible seruant suffering both such miseries and such indignities as greater could not be endured and offering himselfe in loue to vs and obedience to his father euen to death euen to the most painefull and ignominious death of the crosse This obedience of
be committed which by this redemption is not discharged And this is true in regard of sufficiencie but in regard of efficacie it perteineth only to the elect who are the Church the true house and familie of Israel But there can bee no offences either for number so great or for qualitie so grieuous but this redemption is sufficient for them Can this redemption which is of infinite value bee restreined to any limits of offences Shall not hee whose arme is neuer shortned be alwayes able to forgiue Shall not he who forgaue to one debtor 10000. talents be alwayes willing to forgiue verely in case that debtor had owed more talents vpon his submission more had bin forgiuen Such is the pitie of almighty GOD towards miserable men that hee neuer reiecteth their vnfained repentance albeit a sinner be at the height of euill let him in singlenesse and sinceritie of soule turne to the LORD and he shall be embraced If you finde in the Scriptures any sinnes termed vnpardonable as the sinne against the holy Ghost the sinne vnto death for which wee are forbidden to pray you must not vnderstand it as if they could not bee pardoned in case the sinner did vnfainedly repent for this were no better then bitter blasphemie But such sinnes are said to bee vnpardonable because they deserue blindnesse and hardnesse of heart and to bee depriued of the effectuall ayde of Grace because the sinner neuer either turneth or stoppeth but alwayes runneth forward from badde to worse Let their eyes bee blinded that they see not and euer bowe downe their backes Let them fall from one wickednesse to another and not come into thy righteousnesse Not that GOD doeth positiuely blinde any man or bowe downe their backes but priuatiuelie in that hee doeth not enlighten and direct them His sufficient ayde hee denieth to none but by reason of some eâ—ther heinousnesse or obstinacie in sinne hee denyeth his most speciall and effectuall ayde to some Hereupon their sinnes are sayde to bee vnpardonable because albeit they might repent yet they did not Wherefore O man to bridle thy broad bouldnesse in sinne vnderstand that there are certaine periods and bounds which when sinners exceede GOD leaueth them destitute sometimes by denying his effectuall ayde sometimes by abridging the terme of their life For the bloudie and deceitfull man shall not liue out halfe their dayes When the number of sinnes prefixed by GOD are once exceeded when the measure runneth ouer when the sinner hath digged his owne pitte Death shall come hastily vpon him and take from him both the present and future life at once Verely hee that hath appointed barres for the proud waues of the sea hath also set limits and termes to thy sinnes hee hath prefixed limits for his effectuall grace but his aboundant redemption is alwayes sufficient And therefore O feeble sinner albeit thou hast offended the most High and conspired against his Maiestie albeit thou hast forsaken his Law and forgotten his benefits albeit thou hast harlotted with thy owne humours and fouled his honour vnder thy feete in a word albeit thou hast merited more torments then hell canne afford yet neuer despaire neuer bee terrified by thy weake suspicions But abstaine from thy sinnes let thy will abhorre them and then approach with trust to the throne of mercie and assuredly thou shalt finde grace not onely sufficient but effectuall for all thy sinnes For then thy Redeemer by his inualuable blood will free thee from the seruitude of sinne whereto thou haddest voluntary sould thy selfe then will hee take vpon him the paine which thou haddest incurred then discharge the obligation which thou haddest forfeited But herewith thou must bee incorporate into the family of Israel namely the Church of GOD thou must with Nathaniel be an Israelite indeede in whom is no guile for to these onely this redemption pertaineth Thou must earnestly endeauour first to bridle thy sensuall appetites and by degrees to mortifie them Thou must serue GOD in righteousnesse and both constantly and closely adhere to him by loue So shalt thou bee rightly disposed to participate of thy redemption so shall riuers of heauenly riches flowe into thy soule But whosoeuer is a stranger to this house of GOD or liuing therein is no part thereof whosoeuer I say doeth eyther obstinately or carelesly perseuer in sinne and neuer regard to disingage himselfe by repentance hee shall neuer participate of the infinite treasure of this redemption the floudes of GODS mercies and of the merits of his Redeemer shall neuer enter or approach his soule they are sufficient but not effectuall for his discharge And further so ample and aboundant is this redemption that thereby the LORD will deliuer his people not onely from their sinnes and from eternall punishments due to their sinnes but hee will finally free them from the miseries and calamities which in this life driue in their faces Or if hee deferre this deliuerance for a time yea if hee stay vntill hee deliuer them at once from the calamities of the world and from the world it selfe yet is hee present with them all the meane time hee refresheth them with his spirit he sprinckleth the diuine dewe of his Grace vpon them which maketh aswell their life as the calamities of their life not onely tolerable but sweete For they who beleeue although they be faint and feeble hearted yet they know that neither death nor the diuell shall preuaile against them because GOD is their Redeemer This is the office of GOD thus will hee haue to doe with sinners to abolish their sinnes to abolish either their miseries or the sence of their miseries and to create in them rigâ—teousnesse and life And furthâ—â— the LORD doth not only eyther end or ease our miseries but he doeth more he conuerteth them to our good It is a propertie of the greatest goodnesse to change the nature of euill and to conuert it into good If a vine bee not pruned it runneth out into superfluous stemmes and branches and growes feeble and fruitlesse in the end Bee content therefore that thy desires be pruned with afflictions It is painefull to bleede but it is mortall to wither In this life pascimur patimur wee are so nourished with the blessings of GOD that therewith also wee are nurtured with his crosses And shall I tell thee O my friend shall I acquaint thee with an infallible experience how all the calamities of this life may not onely bee endured but vtterly broken how thou mayest obtaine a most glorious conquest This is worth the knowing and by assistance of grace not vneasie to bee done The Apostle findeth in one man two the spirit and the flesh the minde and the members the soule and the body These are so chained together as they make but one and yet so contrary as they make two They are so contrary as the life of the one is the death of the other the raising vp
to kindle O desire of my soule thou knowest my tribulations my thoughts lie naked in thy sight thou seest how for thee my heart sorroweth my breast sigheth mine eie weepeth my body fainteth and my soule languisheth And wherfore tariest thou wherfore dost thou prolong my longing wherefore dost thou martyr me with delay VVhy sufferest thou me thus long to be vexed Is the cause heereof in thee or is it in my selfe Are thy mercies spent is thy louing kindnesse at an end wilt thou no more bee intreated by sinners or am I only cancelled out of thy conceit No no I doe not so feelinglie want thee I doe not so ardentlie desire thee as my case requires Verelie the cause is in my selfe and not in thee There is some trespasse in my teares my sorrow is seasoned with some sinne thou seest some cause for which I cannot see thee else wouldest thou not thus estrange thy selfe else thus thou wouldest not giue me ouer I am rather vnworthy to entertaine thee then thou vnwilling to come vnto mee VVell then I will still stir vp the coales of my dull deuotion I will heape on more fewell I will not cease blowing vntill it rise to a full and constant flame I will not entreat onely but I will importune thee I will wrestle with thee as Iacob did with the Angel I will not let thee goe vntill thou blesse me VERS IIII. Turne thee O LORD and deliuer my soule Oh saue me for thy mercies sake 1 A Prayer 2 The pleasures of this life how vnprofitable they are 3 The great distance betweene GOD and a sinner 4 How brought together 5 How grieuous it is to be separate from GOD. 6 An earnest desire of the soule after GOD. 7 The absence of GOD worse then his anger 8 How GOD is to be desired 9 What mooueth GOD to pitie and relieue 10 The great mercy of GOD. 11 To whom his mercy is properly due 12 Mercy to sinners is a due 13 GOD is most liberall and wherefore 14 How wee should desire GOD to turne to vs his face O Come mercifull LORD come and turne vpon me thy fauourable face come exercise vpon me the worke of mercie Regard me not as sinfull but as sorrowfull for my sin punish not my offences but pity the weaknesse from whence they proceed pity the distresse whereinto they haue cast me pitifullie regard my weakenesse and distresse For I feele my soule plunged in a vast sea of sinne I feele how fast it sinketh how violentlie it is swallowed I haue greedily grasped at the floating comforts of this life but I finde no stay in them I finde they rather pester then releeue me I finde them like a flash of lightning in a darke stormy night which serueth to shew the present infelicity and to increase the horror of ensuing darknesse And therefore doe I now streine out my voice and stretch foorth my hand vnto thee for helpe Gladlie would I turne to thee but I am not able for there is so great a distance betweene a sinner and thee that by his owne forces he cannot return and come neere thee Depart from thee and adhere to euill of our selues we may but we cannot forsake euill and turne to thee but by thy speciall power No man by his proper vertue is able to saue and consequently to iustifie himselfe thy grace must alwaies preuent him thou must first call him before he be able to cal vpon thee The beginning of our conuersion must be from thee from thy preuenting and inciting grace And therefore turne to me and then shall I be turned to thee Turne vnto me not by any change in thy selfe for thou art immutable but turne to me by thy goodnesse and grace and I will turne to thee by repentance and amendment of life Oh! how grieuous is it to bee separated and estranged from thee what good can comfort what euill will not annoy when thou art turned away Thou art the rock of my faint faith the anchor of my wauering hope the center of my languishing desire and loue In thee I trust vpon thee I relye I am so earnest in desiring thee that I neither desire nor almost thinke vpon any other thing But where art thou In what cloud doest thou hide thy selfe what meanest thou to suspend thy comfort so long to punish my desire so much with delay Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Albeit thou art angrie with me yet would not I haue thee depart from me I had rather enioy thee angrie then not at all because thou art most extreamely angrie when thou turnest from vs. When thou art angrie and present then doest thou instruct vs then reforme vs but when thou turnest from vs then thou giuest vs ouer then thou leauest vs to innumerable and vnauoidable euils Albeit my friends forsake me albeit my enemies persecute me albeit all the societies of men and of Diuels tumult against mee yet doe not thou forsake me doe not thou depart from me For woe to them from whom thou departest But take heed O troubled soule and consider well what thou requirest of the LORD Art not thou a sinner a grieuous sinner is not GOD a searcher of sinnes a grieuous punisher of grieuous sinnes Doest thou not pray to him to turne away his face from thy sinnes Did not holy Iob say where shall I hide me from thy countenance because I haue sinned And wouldest thou haue him turne his face to thee being a most heynous sinner Yes yes I know well enough what I desire I know that GOD hath more faces then one He hath a face of Maiestie which no man can see and liue This face I cannot see He hath a face of iustice This face I would not see It is terrible to sinners this face is vpon them who doe euill to destroy their memoriall from the earth But hee hath another face of compassion and mercie And this face is like the Sunne exceeding full both of beautie and of vertue This face hee hideth from sinners This face I desire to be displayed vpon me be it neuer so cloudie neuer so angrie the anger of this face is to make sinners pure LORD make this face to shine vpon mee and be mercifull to mee LORD this face doe I seeke oh hide not thou thy face from mee nor cast away thy seruant in displeasure Come come gracious LORD with-hold no longer O water of life O shower of our saluation distill into mee one drop of thy dewe Seeing I am nothing without thee let me taste the benefit of being thine I desire thee and not thine for thy selfe not for thy gifts I desire thee onely not thee for any thing nothing for thee nothing with thee nothing beside thee Come deliuer my soule from the chaines of sinne wherewith I am bound to satisfie the rigour of thy iustice by eternall death and damnation Deliuer me from long custome
of sinne deliuer mee both from the pleasures and cares of this world which are cables to tye me fetters to hold mee captiue from turning to thee Deliuer my soule and saue me First deliuer my soule from present distresse then addresse me in the right way of thy saluation It is true that there is no desert no goodnes in me that should any wayes mooue thee to pitie or relieue mee For I haue loosely abandoned thee I haue trayterously conspired against thine honour I am altogether vnworthy but in wrath and reuenge to bee regarded of thee But I entreat thee by thine infinite goodnesse which is sufficient to abolish all the sinnes in the world euen in the lowest descent of humilitie for thy mercies sake I beseech thee to saue mee LORD I crie to thee in the confidence of thy mercies and not of my merits whereto no saluation but eternall death and destruction is due And if thou wilt not absolutely be entreated yet this word mercie is a maine argument to mooue thee or to assure me at the least that thou wilt saue me For thou art merciful both inwardly in thy selfe outwardly to others It is thy proper nature to beê merciful it is more proper for thee to do good to impart thy selfe to al things then it is for the Sun to enlighten then for the fire to giue heat thou canst not but exercise the actions of mercie But vpon whom vpon righteous persons what needeth that For they haue no miserie because they haue no sinne which only is misery which onely needeth mercie Is it then vpon small offenders is it to a certaine degree and measure of sinne Why but thou art exceeding mercifull infinite in mercie no lesse infinite in mercie then in nature for thou art mercy Verely as the rich man oweth his reliefe to the poore and the greater his riches are the greater is his debt as also the more poore a man is the more right hee hath to demaund reliefe euen so the greater thy mercies are the more must thou exercise the same vpon miserable sinners and the more miserable and sinfull a man is the more boldly may he come to thee for mercie The miserable sinner ouercharged with sinnes may confidently make his suit vnto thee to doe thy duty to exercise thy action to take away his misery to impart to him thy mercie that where sinne abounds grace also may more then abound Men doe therefore giue sparingly or at the least in some measure because the more they giue the lesse they reteine but thy treasure cannot be either exhausted or diminished thou departest with nothing by imparting to others by giuing abundantly thou hast nothing the lesse Thou art a fountaine of pitie and mercie from whence innumerable streames proceede the waters whereof are infinite both in quantitie and in vertue as well to cure our wounds and infirmities as to wash away our filthines and refresh our weakenesse O infinite fountaine how canst thou bee dried O sweetnesse O sacietie of desires what languishing soule came euer to thee and was not both cured and clensed and fully refreshed Doubtlesse O Lord thou art exceeding mercifull and wilt both readily and largely distribute thy mercies among offenders Thou wilt deliuer them saue them if they turne vnto thee if with penitent hearts they desire thy mercie Thou art more liberall to giue then they can be either desirous or willing to receiue VERSE V. For in death no man remembreth thee and who will giue thee thankes in the pit THE wisedome of GOD bindeth our assurance 2. To what end man was created 3. The time of life limited for repentance 4 Paine causeth forgetfulnesse of any thing but of it selfe 5. As after death repentance is vnprofitable so at the instant of death it is very doubtfull 6. The discommodities of late repentance AND it is not onely thy mercie which bindeth my reason but also thy wisedome For I am thy creature the worke of thy hands the worke which thy wisedome hath framed to some end Thy wisedome hath framed nothing in vaine nothing but to some end without attayning which end it should not perish But it is all one if I had beene created for nothing and in vaine and if I should not attaine to the end for which I was created To what end then did thy Wisedome create mee in this World Certainely that I should know thee and that by knowing thee I should loue thee and that in louing thee I should neuer cease to remember thee neuer cease to praise thee neuer cease to sorrow when I offend thee To this end I was created and I am desirous to accomplish this end I am desirous to be an instrument for extolling thy praise and setting foorth thy glory But in case I die thus charged with sinne before thou turnest thy mercie to me before I turne to thee by repentance what honor will thereby rise to thee what benefit to my selfe How shall I then partake of thy goodnesse How shall I publish and praise the same For so long as we enioy the benefit of life We nay repent we may leaue our sinnes we may returne to the state of grace But after death followeth iudgement when no error can be either repented or repaired but euery man shall suffer according as hee hath done In this liâ—e we may both dispose our selues and incite others to blazon thy praise but in the dungeon of death who will thanke thee who will thinke on thee who will sing thy praises in the bosome of Hell This is not a proper place for the sweet harmony of thy praise for the ioyfull memoriall of thy name Thy praise consisteth in a thankefull publication of thy grace goodnesse and mercie But this is the house of horror heere thy full furie and vengeance inhabite here can bee neither thankfull nor ioyfull remembrance of thee It is familiar to the pleasures of this life if they be great to cause vs to forget both thee and our selues But we are far lesse sensible of pleasure then of paine paines are more sharpe to vs in a high degree then pleasures are sweet Sharpe paines doe so strongly affect the bodie they doe so viòlently possesse the minde that it cannot once thinke of any other thing Who may then remember thee as he should being vnder the hand of thy terrible wrath Who shall either loue thee or laud thee in the ouglie den of death where the eies are possessed with hideous hurlemeÌ„ts the eares with desperate fruitles wailings all the faculties and parts both with intolerable and endlesse torments VVhere nothing is either suffered or done but effects of thine implacable wrath Assuredlie they are cursed by thee who are condemned to this place and heere againe they curse and blaspheme thee For this cause the wiseman exhorteth vs to turne to thee to forsake our sinnes and to make our prayers before thy face But what is it to do all these
the Sonne was farre more pleasing to the Father then the disobedience of the first man was offensiue his glory by this obedience is farre aboue the offence by the sinnes of all men the odour of this sacrifice offered with the fire of loue vpon the altar of the crosse was more sweete then the fume of all the sinnes of the world was noisome To vnderstand this we must conceiue that as nothing is so hatefull to GOD as vice so nothing is so precious as vertue and sanctitie How acceptable then may we thinke this sacrifice to be wherein so many vertues were conspicuous in the highest degree of perfection Here was most perfect obedience Here was most earnest zeale of the glory of the Father to satisfie the offence and contempt against his diuine Maiesty What need I speake of his high humility by which he would be accounted worse then Barabbas what of his most perfect patience both in iniuries and in torments what of his admirable fortitude and perseuerance wherewith as a giant without stop or stay he performed his enterprise But aboue all his loue was most illustrious his loue I say both of the saluation of man of his Fathers glory This loue made his wil so ready his desire so great that he was prepared to endure not onely the crosse but a thousand deaths beside in case the iustice of his Father had so required Hee loued much more then he suffered and was ready to haue suffered much more then he did if it had beene so appointed Wherfore if we consider a part what he suffred what he was prepared in desire to haue suffred wee may discern two most acceptable sacrifices one partly seen in that which he suffered another altogether inuisiâ—â—e which was his will to haue suffered more then he did And there is no doubt but that the holy Father who principally respecteth the heart did more accept the inward sacrifice of his will then he did the sacrifice of the passion which he did outwardly both act indure And seeing it is necessary that so great oblations merit a reward it followeth that the father must reward the sonne Otherwise he should be either vnable or vniust both which are impossible But there can be no recompence but either in giuing that which one hath not or in forgiuing that which he oweth neither of which could bee done to our redeemer For what could be giuen to him who wanted nothing what forgiuen him who neuer offended Therefore it is necessary seeing a reward is due and seeing it could not be giuen to himselfe that it bee giuen to some other for him to some other for whom hee will require it But for whom should hee require it if not for those for whom hee merited it and to whom hee hath made himselfe an example wherefore hath he commanded them to imitate his righteousnesse if they shall not be partakers of his reward whom should hee more iustly appoint for his heires then his parents his brethren his children who are grieuous debtors and for whom hee hath vndertaken payment Assuredly the father will driue no man from him who commeth to him in the gloriâ—â— name of this redeemer he shall alwayes finde redemption farre aboue his debt Our redeemâ—r so loueth 〈◊〉 that hee maketh perpetuall interceâ—sion for vs the father so loueth him that he is neuer wearied neuer molested with his intercession This is hee to whom the LORD sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for euer But stay a while pound these spices somwhat more O my soule dwell a little vpon perusall of this rich piece what busines is this which is done with so great solemnitie wherfore did the LORD sweare was it not sufficient for him who is truth to haue giuen his word wherefore also doth he adde that hee will not repent can the LORD repent of any thing that hee saith or doeth Assuredly no. But all this is to confirme our confidence that whatsoeuer petitions and importunities are offered in that sacred name the eternall Father will neuer bee wearie to heare them neuer vnwilling to grant them Men doe often repent of their promises when the performance of them is either aboue their power or to their disaduantage But the high wisedome of the father cannot be ouertaken with such ouersight hee will neuer repent him of his promise as knowing right well both what he promised and for whose sake Hee hath consecrated his sonne to be a Priest for euer Hee is alwayes in his sight hee alwayes sheweth that holy humanitie those deepe and wide woundes which he receiued for our sake This is his perpetuall representation this the perpetuall intercession which hee maketh for vs LORD open my mouth to praise thee who hast opened so many mouthes as thou hast receiued wounds to pray to thy father for mee Blessed be such a redeemer blessed be such an intercessour blessed bee such prouidence and such power either to preuent our miseries or to preuaile against them Cursed be our distrust cursed our negligence whereby the benefit of our redemption is often lost The father hath deliuered the keyes of his infinite treasure to his sonne and our brother to our flesh and blood He hath opened them he hath power to dispose them so largely as he please and is pleased to doe it so largely as he can but wee often faile either in will to desire or in capacitie to receiue them Indeede the capacitie of our hearts is so narrow and straite that it seemeth a small thing would satisfie our desires For when wee pray wee so pray that it seemeth a little would content vs our heauinesse is such that wee know neither how nor what to desire So they who are in heauinesse would bee content with a little comfort they who are in pouertie would be glad but of a little reliefe But GOD thinketh not this enough For hee giueth aboue all that wee can aske or receiue no man either can or dare aske so much as he is both willing and ready to giue As wee slenderly beleeue so wee slenderly aske but GOD rayneth plentifully vpon the little poore sparkes of our prayers and if we can awaite the time will recompence our stay with inestimable aboundance GOD is the first who loueth and the last who leaueth he neuer forsaketh vs vnlesse wee â—â—rst giue ouer to trust in him and pray vnto him This it is to bee GOD euen to redeeme and deliuer and that with greater Maiestie and glory then can bee conceiued GOD is plenteous in all his workes but in none so plenteous as in his great worke of redemption It was a merueilous redemption whereby the people of Israel was freed from the seuere seruitude of Egypt but it was not like this whereof I speake it was but a type and figure thereof This redemption is vniuersall it hath discharged not one people alone but all the world There is no sinne not onely committed but possible to