sinne that now am before thée I am the chiefe which I speake not Lord for fashion but from the depth of an oppressed and wearied Conscience thou knowest It is time for thée now to lay to thy hand for they haue destroyed thy law within my soule They euen mine enemies thine enemies my sinnes and villanies haue destroyed thy law I am brought euen hard to deaths dore and Sathan yea truely many Sathans and many fiends and furies and concupiscences and Legions of Diuels in me haue almost made an end of mée My soule is a pray vnto them O Lord deliuer mée and bée mercifull vnto me Deliuer my soule from the iawes of the Lyons Deliuer me for Iesus Christs sake sprinckle his bloud ouer my scorched Conscience yet if thou suffer me to lye a while in these flames Lord grant mee patience and I willingly suffer Thy will bée done I know thou wilt deliuer me for thou hast promised and canst not lye and thou art able readily For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ A wrestling with hardnes of heart and a betaking of the Soule vnto Gods dispose OH mercifull Lord God I am vtterly ashamed confounded I am grieued at the very heart my Soule is heauie and full of sorrow my bones are dryed and my sight fayleth me because of my sinnes I lye in the midst of my cruell enemies and the snares of Hell doe hold my heart in heauinesse it grieueth me to confesse it grieueth me very sore the remembrance of mine iniquities is a vexation vnto my soule the shame of thē which yet I haue not shamed to cōmit in thy sight carelesly commonly presumptuously and péeuishly doth euen astonish and amaze my wounded and languishing conscience Yet I must confesse and will not deny vnto thée Oh my God I haue sinned excéedingly Ah Lord God shew me thy countenance and turne thy louing and fauourable face towards me giue eare vnto my prayers and consider my meditations my mournfull meditations how I mourne in my selfe and am vexed Héere Oh Lord yet vouchsafe to heare my request vouchsafe to heare the confession of my sinfull and vngodly life of my wanton and wicked behauiour of my vile and abhominable sinnes and transgressiōs wherby I haue dismayed my heart daunted my courage of faith and godlinesse euen without thée dammed my selfe body and soule Heare I most humbly beséech thée most louing Father of heauen who neuer disdainest nor scornest them that come vnto thée Heare my sinnes my sinnes my sinnes Alas how can I repeate them how can I remember them they are moe in number then the haires of my head and my heart hath failed mée I am euen already in the hell and I lye couered with them and blinded O God I cannot sée thy face If not now euen when thou wilt If thou neuer wilt I know it not for who hath knowen thy mind O Lord or who hath béene thy Counceller Yet seeing I know not whether thou wilt shine vnto mée in the face of Iesus Christ or no I will therefore trust in thee and rest vpon thée bequeath my soule vnto thée though thou kill mée And now according to my duty I will confesse if hatefull heart filled with sin do say not for my duties sake yet for the ease of my stomacke and if I so hate my selfe and enuy mine owne ease yet euen for spite to my corrupted conscience I will confesse my wickednesse and I will lay open my abhominations that I may delight in their remembrance not that I delight in them but that I abhorre them and my selfe for them and therein I take delight Wherefore I confesse vnto thine eternall Maiestie fréelie without constraint willingly without compulsion gladly and ioyfully ioyfully that so much grace is left vnto me to confesse but sorrowfully to my soule and woe worth my soule that euer I haue so abused defaced wounded it but I confesse I confesse where shall I begin I confesse I haue sinned against Heauen and against thée against Earth against thée against my selfe and against thee against all men and against thée against the whole course and order of nature and against thée against my creation and against thée against my redemption and against thée against my Iustification and against thée against my Sanctificatiō Preseruation Faith Hope Charitie godlynesse vertue all grace that euer was giuen me and it hath béene giuen in great measure and against thée against thée Oh heavenly Father and thy Maiestie mercy and glory and power and Iustice and goodnesse I haue offended and trespassed most haynously villanously Oh Lord pardon me Oh Lord forgiue me forgiue my pride and arrogancy forgiue my negligēce contempt and security forgiue my idlenes and vanity forgiue my prophanes impietie forgiue my vncleanenesse and vnchastity forgiue my oppression iniury forgiue my grosse and godlesse and shamefull and vnnaturall and vnmeasurable and vnsatiable wickednesse Accept my confession accept my contrition accept my acknowledgement accept my iudgement and condemnation of my selfe for mine owne conscience hath condemned me and my ouer-many and out-crying sinnes haue witnessed against me if thou Oh mercifull Iudge pronounce the sentence of damnation against mée it is thy mercy that thou hast staied thy fierce wrath ten thousand times deserued vengeāce thus long yea verily that thou didst not forthwith passe thine irreuocable sentence it is thy great mercie If now thou wilt do it and shew mee mercy no more thou mayest do it in very equitie of Iustice thou hast my confession it doth me good that I haue béen vexed therewith would it might please thée I might be more vexed vntill my hatred be perfect against vngodlinesse thy will be done I commit my selfe into thy hands Do with me as seemeth good in thine owne eies thou art a gracious God Death is my desert I am euen glad and it reioyceth me that yet in one thing I can be obedient vnto thèe euen in yéelding my soule to thy holy will though it bee to throwe downe to hell Hell is my right and my portion the enheritance that I haue deserued If I be cast thereinto I must bée content But yet there is hope I deale with a mercifull Iudge well let there be no hope Take my confession O God of my soule do thy pleasure if I dye I die worthie of a thousand deaths none more worthy Alas my soule alas my soule Come swéet Iesus come quickly the pit is déepe it is bottomlesse despaire hath taken hold vpon me and it draweth me Lord shall I be damned indéed oh take the sacrifice of a contrite spirit oh remember the bloud of Iesus Christ oh wash me and cleanse me and thou shalt find no wickednesse in me Lord shal I be damned that sometime haue trusted in thée and haue hoped in thy holy name I commit my soule into thine hands oh remember thy son Christ and so I commit it
THE SOVLES Lamentations and loue to God Preces Lachrymae Dumps and teares of REPENTANCE Aut ora aut abi Aut Poenitendum aut pereundum LONDON Printed by Tho Purfoot An 1614. To the Christian READER THinke not good Christian READER that these Prayers may only be appropriated vnto my selfe They are not onelie the Anatomie of my Soule and the discouery of my life but whatsoeuer poenitent true hearted Christian shall light vpon them I doubt not but he will thinke they were deuized ordained of God for him By them thou maist find the Scripture verified which saith To the weake I become as weake that I may winne the weake 1. Cor. 9 22. Or rather that Whether wee be afflicted it is for your consolation and saluation or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation saluation 2. Cor. 1.6 If God bring some to the gates of death for the comfort of others what account wee all ought to make joyntly of our selues and what possible comfort to minister one vnto another severally in temptations in afflictions in pouerties in necessities in all the worlds jniuries wherewith wee are vexed euery day thou seest Seeing also wee esteeme nor to discouer our nakednesse and to set our jnfirmities vnto the view of men for his servants sakes that their ioy may be full knowing that if they be weake so are wee if they be strong so are we if they be sinfull so are we if they be poenitent so are we Let God be glorified and let euery sorrowfull soule triumph in Christ vpon the view of our weaknes For he that refused not vs refuseth none of his that come vnto him call vpon him faithfully turne from jniquity and worship him in spirit and in truth This one thing I entreat of thee Aske not my name it will not profit thee I am thy fellow seruant let that suffice thee In thy praiers remeÌ„ber me for a while if thou know mee and know me by thy selfe and it shall satisfie me to the full I doe will pray for thee Our Lord Iesus Christ be with thy Spirit Amen To the Sinner CHristian Sinner bee not offended at the passions of these Praiers Thou wilt not thou canst not if euer thou hast felt either thy sinnes or thy sauiour the one to afflict and affright thee the other to ease refresh thee There is no greater burden then the burden of sin There is no greater ioy then the ioy of the holy Ghost giuen and inspired of God through Jesus Christ our Lord The one is hell and the other is Heauen here on Earth The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare And so contrary The hart that is possessed with The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding no doubt reioyceth with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Adde hereunto Jf the deare Saints of God especially the holy Prophet Dauid forced not as it were to shunne themselus in the eye of the world that they might satisfie their Consciences and glorifie God Jt ought not to seeme strange to any sanctified soule that the Author hereof hath made himselfe in a manner a gazing stocke to the world to Angels and to men To become weake vnto the weake that he might winne the weake all to all that at the least hee might gaine some Jt is no matter what shame be poured on the face of a sinfull miserable and mortall man so that one soule thereby may be gained to Christ And J like exceedingly of that excellent resolution of supereminent Saint Augustine Confitebor infirmitates meas oraturis pro me fratribus Be thy discretioÌ„ what it will this is mine in God And so I wish thee the comfort of heart in the Sauâ—oâ—r of the world of whome I am sure thou hast great need as well as I. Thine in truth and charity B L. DEVOVT PRAYERS ¶ A Confession lamentation and submission to God O Lord my God I haue sinned and done wickedly I haue grieuouslie sinned done excéeding wickedly my sinnes are in number infinite and most abhominable in nature Oh good Lord I haue prouoked thine excellent Maiestie and thy strong power and thine vpright Iustice to condemne me bodie and soule sodainly Surely it is of thy mercy that I am not already coÌ„sumed I haue deserued presently euen now Lord before the next nioment to bée deliuered vp into the hands of hell and of the Prince of darknesse the Tyrant of the soule of man Satan the Deuil For I haue serued him and neglected thée I haue from my youth obeyed him and despised thy Maiesty oh most glorious mightie and terrible God thy power and thy Iustice I haue despised and set at naught And yet if this were all I had committed but small offence in respect of that which I haue done For thy mercy thy mercie oh Lord thy compassions oh good God thy compassions infinite and vnspeakable and vnconceiuable euermore alluring me calling me back eueÌ„ beséeching me my Conscience bearing witnesse to refraine from iniquitie I haue cast behind me and most vile wretch then whom there is none liueth more wretched that shall be saued I haue troden and trampled vnder my féet True it is my God and my mercifull Redéemer it is most true that when thou hast offered mee grace I haue refused it when thine Angell hath stood on my right hand and Satan on the left I haue reiected thine Angell and turned aside vnto Sathan I haue leaned vnto the left hand and not vnto the right So I haue traiterously misused thy Maiestie haue shewed my selfe a notorious wilfull and vnrepentant rebell yea as a swift Roe of the Forrest or as a Dromedarie of Midian or as a wild Asse of the Wildernes that snuffeth vp wind at pleasure I haue runne hastily and headlong from the right and high way of life into by-paths of death and destruction I haue entred league with sins and haue trauailed quietly hand in hand with the Princes of euerlasting darknesse I haue suffered my selfe to be led by them vnto the bottomles pit therein I had almost plunged my selfe vnawares I was euen cleane gone from thy presence and remembred thée no more Then euen then oh sweet God when I was held in chaines of darknes thou didst send thine Angell and deliuer me What shall I giue vnto thée How shall I be thankfull I will praise thée with ioyfull lips I will sing to thée froÌ„ the ground of my heart Accept the sacrifice of praise I will take the cup of saluation and pray vnto thée Behold I come vnto thée right humbly oh Lord heare me oh Lord heare me O Lord despise me not If thou makest as though thou hearest not I die and what profite is there in my bloud Spare me good Lord spare me Heare and forgiue I present vnto thée Christ Iesus hée came into the world to saue sinners of whom not S. Paul but I euen I the slaue of
filthinesse oh clense me I shall be cleane whiter thē snow clearer then glasse acceptable to the righteous Iudge God our Father louing and mercifull who neuer refuseth thée oh Christ his welbeloued Son I beseech thée I beseech thée restore mee make glad my heart againe render now thy grace which I haue lost by my trespasse and from presumptuous sinnes oh Lord keepe me set Angells about me to draw me by violence from such vngodlinesse If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane and thou art mercy it selfe and yet hitherto none hath trusted in thée and béen sent away empty and thou art able For all power is giuen to thée in heauen and in earth and at the name of Iesus euery knée must bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth now I commit my cause vnto thy diuine wisedome and vnspeakable mercy now I craue pardon now I craue grace and continuance therein and in thy good time thou wilt not fayle to giue oh Lord strengthen my patience and increase my faith for thine is the Kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ A comfortable confession and Supplication O Lord God great and fearfull most mighty and full of strength Behold how I mourne in my prayer and am vexed my sorrowes are gone ouer my head my sinnes are bound vp in a bundle to be layd vppon mée nay to be repeated my soule is payned and pined away through my dayly complainyng and yet thou oh righteous Iudge continuest holy and iust in thy iudgements Thy punishments are inflicted vpon me thine arrowes sticke fast in mée thou hast wounded me sore but in mercy thou hast chastened me my rebellious haue deserued much more nay infinite and yet it pleaseth thy Maiestie to be mercifull vnto me euen so Father because it is thy good pleasure to saue sinners of whom I am the chiefe O God of mercies and compassions of Father and Spirit of all comfort and consolation heare thy seruant that putteth his trust in thee heare and giue eare thy mercies haue drawne me vnto thée and thine innumerable compassions haue constrained me to acknowledge vnto thée Holy holy holy true in promise faithfull in mercy full of kindnes long suffering and of great goodnes wonderfull in pity and most wonderfull thou sparest when we deserue punishment and in thy punishment thou art not cruell but seuere nay rather gentle and mercifull euen gentlenes and mercy and méekenes and patience and tender loue and kindnes it selfe I see it I find it I confesse it I giue thanks for it What shall I render to thée I will thanke thée for thou hast wounded and thou hast cured and thou hast healed me thou hast suffered me to slip into the gates of hell and thou hast deliuered me Oh ye that feare the Lord magnifie ye the lord with me oh let vs come before him in the beautie of holinesse for hee hath regarded the contemned estate of a sinner and he onely forgaue my sinne my soule doth testifie make her boast of the Lord I sought him early and late in the day time and in the night season this was my dutie this was my necessity for a while he hid his face from me and I was troubled for a while he was angrie and I consumed for a while he held my sins before me and I was amazed ashamed and confounded but he turned his mercie toward me and I receiued comfort I conceiued hope I perceiued that of very faithfulnesse hee caused me to suffer griefe O magnifie the Lord with mee He woundeth and maketh whole againe he afflicteth and he deliuereth out of affliction he hath shewed me sorrowes and yet in the multitude of the sorrowes that I had in my heart his comforts haue refreshed my soule What comforts Christ my Redeemer my Sauiour my King and my God Verily a King Hee hath taken my sins my presumptuous sins and defaced them Hee hath entred into my soule and dispossessed Satan Legions of Deuils hee hath chased and gotten himselfe the victorie Reioyce in the Lord thy King oh my soule he ruleth in the midst among thine enemies They are brought to nothing that sought to destroy thée Iesus is in the midst of thée euen in thy heart and in thy soule to saue he sitteth there euen there also in thy conscience Oh my redéemed soule betwéene the Cherubins Behold thy king behold and be glad his traine is with him his Angels minister vnto him about thee they stand to driue away the fiends of hell and to defend thée Why then art thou so sad oh my soule what aileth thée Canst thou not rest vpon thy sauiour thy horne and thy buckler and the strong God of thy saluation O put thy trust in God be strong and of a good courage and he shall establish thy heart euen Iesus that deliuereth thée from the wrath to come hee shall so establish thine heart and saue thée O blesse his holie name Oh praise him and magnifie him for euer he onely is the Lord he onlie is the King and there is none but he Oh Iesu I adore and worship thée Oh Christ I praise giue thanks vnto thée Oh Redéemer I confesse vnto thée mine is the shame thine is the glorie mine is the weaknes thine is the power the kingdome the dominion and rule ouer sinne and Satan death and hell Sit still while thou art there behold I scorne at sin and Satan they cannot enter Auant Satan Iesus is the Lord thou hadst miserablie spoiled me but loe my Redeemer is come Auant Satan Swéet Iesu mightie Lord my king thy mercie is swéet thy might is inuincible the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of holinesse holinesse the life of the soule the seale of life the earnest of inheritance in the kingdome of Heauen O King in my heart sit still rule still liue still And of a truth will God dwell with man I thanke thée I honour thée I adore thée Oh King liue for euer Amen Amen ¶ A verie devout and zealous complaint against Inconstancy Hyppocrisie I Said I would forsake my wickednesse and eschew mine iniquitie in thy sight I resolued from a perfect and vpright heart oh my GOD thou knowest to giue an euerlasting farewell to my sinne I promised thy most sacred and excellent Maiestie from the ground of my grieued Conscience that I would neuer returne as a Dog to my vomit or a Sow that is washed to the wallowing in the myre But alas how weake how faithlesse how inconstant how forgetfull am I how soone am I caried aside and turned out of the way how is my soule become a snare to take my selfe how is my body a verie bondslaue to the silthy desires of my soule how am I altogether corrupt and abhominable as before I hate my sinne and I commit my sinne I abhorre my rebellion and yet yéeld to my rebellion How is my soule pained and my
pit I am spoyled of robbers I am robbed of thy robes mortification and sanctification The spoilers are my sinnes my concupiscences my corruptions within me They oh Iesu euen they haue spoiled mee dis-robed me of thy graces disfurnished mee of thy riches and vertues Oh good Samaritan while I am weltring in my bloud Oh while I am in my bloud despise me not passe not by me haue pittie and compassion vpon me Bring thy bloud thy most precious bloud precious because not to be valued at any price better then the balme of Gilead powre it into my wounds it is wine it is oyle it hath a sauing vertue O saue me my Sauiour Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee I thirst for thée I long for thée I faint for thée Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me I haue hoped in thy holie name For why art thou the sonne of Dauid Is it not because of thy sure mercies to Dauid and to his seed for euer And who is the séed of Dauid are not they that call vpon thée that rest in thée that haue no other saluation but thée the séed of Dauid O then I haue no helper no sauiour no redéemer but thée oh Lord of life O Prince of peace oh GOD my righteousnes I haue none but thée I am then the seed of Dauid performe to me the holy things of Dauid the promises of eternall life O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane purge me oh Physition of the soule purge mee and make mee cleane let thy blood wash mee throughly and I shall be cleane I haue deserued thy iust conceiued fury no reason thou shouldst heare saue but thine owne mercy thine own loue I appeale vnto them wherefore hast thou called me and taught me thy truth In vain O let it not be in vaine Wherefore do I beléeue thée to be sauiour of sinners in vaine O let it not be in vain But if I be not saued I belieue in vaine Lord heare my praier and let my sorrowfull sighing come before thée So I trust I will not distrust Helpe my vnbeliefe I will lay my saluation on thy shoulders oh Christ Iesu For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ An humble suite for a liuely fayth OH Almighty God and most mercifull Father thou knowest my sorrowes and my rowling repentances within me how I am grieued and vexed that I haue transgressed against thée oh Lord thou knowest The terrors and troubles of my heart are all open before thy Maiestie whom that I haue prouoked to take swift vengeance vppon me I confesse yea oh mighty Monarche of heauen and earth I confesse freely and willingly that damnation of body and soule is my due and the rather for that by mine iniquities best knowen vnto thy sacred Maiestie I haue refused Faith in the blood of thy Sonne Iesus Christ I haue hardned my heart and encreased my contempt against him Now Lord séeing it hath pleased thée to call to my remembrance and consideration my transgressions to giue me grace to confesse and acknowledge them in a detestation of them to seeke and sue for thy Sonne Iesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased I beseech thée oh Father good Father as thou hast loued mankind fréely so giue me the most excellent and comfortable gift of Faith in the death and passion of Iesus Christ that I may beleeue stedfastly to my comfort in him that he is the Sauiour Redeemer not onely of others but of me also euen of me oh Father thy Creature though miserably deformed by sinne Oh send thy holy spirit of grace into my heart that I beeing dead stinking in the graue of my wickednesse yet may arise and liue to thée and thy glory for euer through the powerfull might of Iesus Christ by an vnfained and setled faith in my heart Oh heauenly Father I am almost swallowed vp of despaire thy punishment doth so amaze me Oh deliuer my soule from that fearfull monster I am ashamed and confounded before thee my sins are so many since my youth vp now thou callest thē to thy remembrance and I cannot answere one for a Thousand I will therefore lay mine hand vpon my mouth and kéepe silence before thée wayting for thy deliuerance and for faith in Iesus Christ oh send me faith liuely and working and comforting that I may goe forward couragiously in the path of sanctification all my life long Grant this oh Father that I may glorifie thy name and reioyce in thée and in thy sauing health Iesus Christ my onely Lord Redéemer and Sauiour To whom with thée and that desired and longed for holy Ghost thrée persons and one Coequall and Coeternall God be all glorie and praise and Dominion and Maiestie and thanksgiuing from henceforth and for euermore Amen ¶ A gladsome thanksgiving for the tast of Gods mercie ETernall GOD whose habitation is in heauen and whose wōderfull and gratious prouidence in all the world thanks be giuen to thy most sacred Maiestie that being so high thou hast respect vnto the lowly that being so powerfull and mighty thou hast regard to my misery Oh gratious and most louing Father in Iesus Christ my Sauiour hath it pleased thee indéed to take the prey from the mighty my soule from Satan and to let the iust captiuitie goe frée my sinnefull soule and body indéed and truth snared and captiued of the Prince of darknes to be loosed from the chaines of hell infirmitie enormity presūptiō custome of iniquitie it is true it hath pleased thée euen so Father because it was thy good pleasure I acknowledge and confesse that this hath procéeded of thine euerlasting and neuer dying mercies I will therefore take vp the cup of saluation that thou hast reached vnto me and drinke it vp health vnto my bones to my bowels to my nauill to my soule I haue sucked the dregs of the cup of trembling but the cup of trembling is taken from me now thou hast refreshed me with chéerefull wine the bloud of Iesus Christ I will make mention of thy righteousnesse alwayes I will sing praise honour vnto thée with my whole heart I was dead but I am aliue I was withered like haye but now I shall flourish as a gréen hearb beyond all hope Loe this this is the portion of thē that turne from iniquity in Iacob and feare the Lord seruing him in vprightnes and truth Thus is the Lord mercifull vnto his seruants whome he hath chosen He kéepeth them that they do not fall for euer Thus is hee mercifull vnto them for his owne sake O King of Kings thou dweller in eternitie séeing so farre it hath pleased thée to visite the distressed estate of a sinner and to lead me in the path of righteousnesse thou art vnchangeable one and the same and hast neuer vsed to repent thée of thy compassions heare me and giue eare
my conscience vexed mine affection enflamed my presumption encreased I yéeld I fall I sinne I dye Oh God oh good God oh gracious God heare me oh spirit oh holy spirit oh comfortable spirit thy name is the comforter oh come and assist me O Iesu sweet Iesu Iesu that deliuerest vs from the wrath to come Come heare me come helpe me come saue me come stand by me Rebuke Satan rebuke sinne I beséech thee my Sauiour my gentle Sauiour rebuke my sinfull soule that resteth vpō thée reforme my soule that longeth for thée Suffer mee not to bée tempted aboue my strength of my self I haue no strength Bee thou my strength my castle and deliuerer at this time and at all times in my perplexities assaults and temptations So be it euen so bee it so I trust and so I rest Iesu that deliuerest vs from the wrath to come Amen ¶ A prayer for grace and diligence to pray OH most mercifull God and louing Father I confesse acknowledge my negligent and carelesse behauiour towards thée as in all the course of godlinesse so chiefly in deuotion and godly praier Haue mercy vpon me and forgiue my securitie I haue hindred many good things from my selfe that I haue not prayed for I haue thereby vilified thy heauenly blessings and riches of thy mercie I haue brought leauenesse vnto my soule Oh gracious God stirre vp my dull and dead spirit and quicken me in thy holinesse that my breast being set on fire and enflamed with thy manifold mercies and graces I may diligently direct my petitions vnto thée and so obtaine according to my necessitty Open mine eies O Lord that I may sée my wants clearly touch my heart that I may pray vnto thee faithfully feruently continually Heare me oh good God and quicken me according to thy mercie Oh disperse mine iniquities as a cloud after a great raine Now after the time that thou hast visited my sinne vpon me returne returne I beséech thée in great compassion My soule is afraid of thy iudgements I am beaten backe with feare of thy wrath when I thinke to pray my heart is cold within me I am astonied and sodainly cast downe LORD lift me vp to thy throne in prayer thou that hast lift me vp from the gates of death Where is thy liuely spirit Swéet God Iesus my Sauiour promised me the comfortable spirit In his name I beséech thée send it into my heart It will teach me and warne me to pray so shal I be sure to obtaine my prayers Heare me O Lord for my Sauiour Iesus sake to whome with thée and the holie Ghost be all honor glorie and praise Amen ¶ A thankfull acknowledgement of diuine mercies in Iudgements OH most mightie Lord God Creator Gouernour and possessour of Heauen and earth Wisedome is about thy throne and thy kingdome is established in iudgement Whatsoeuer pleaseth thee that dost thou in heauen and in earth and in all déepe places Thou beholdest and considerest the waies of men and thou rewardest euery man according to his workes Thou callest for punishment and it runneth like the swift lightning vpon the transgressors Thou commandest vengeance and vengeance entreth into all places the stately pallaces of Princes and the beggarly cottages of the poore There is nothing hid frō the brightnesse of thy presence Thine eyes in euery place a thousand times brighter then the Sunne behold the euill and the good There is nothing can be deliuered from the fircenes of thy wrath It burneth like fire euen to the bottome of hell Thou dost correct the wicked with the vengeance of eternall fire Thou dost chasten thine own children whē they goe astray and wander in the pathes of the vngodly with the corrections of men Infamy pouerty sicknesse of bodie weaknes of mind imprisonment banishment persecution and temporall death Oh Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name how woonderfull are thy iudgements in all the world And yet for all this how few there are euen a very few that consider thy worke that is done vnder the Sunne that ponder thy iudgements though they be vpon themselues Oh palpable blindnesse oh dull forgetfulnes oh great security oh grosse impietie thou smitest and no man regardeth thou punishest and no man considereth thou layest thy iudgements to the view of all men and no man layeth them vnto his heart Blessed is hee whome thou instructest by punishment and guidest in the way of iudgement Surely this is a great mercy and it passeth all thy workes O teach me thy iudgements thy louing corrections haue made me glad To me thou hast reuealed mercy in iudgement thou hast assured consolation by correction Why so For I prayed vnto thée in the sorrowes of my soule Correct mee O Lord yet in thy judgement not in thy fury c. So I prayed for I was content to beare thy punishment because I had sinned against thée This my prayer thou hast graciously granted vnto me thou hadst respect vnto the humble suite of a sinner Therefore in thy fury thou didst not correct me with violent fire which doth deuoure the Aduersary with euerlasting paines thou didst not reward mee as I deserued but in iudgement thou hast punished me with the corrections of men Infamy pouerty sicknesse weaknes and such like and so thou hast graunted my petition thou Lord hast receiued my prayer thou hast chastned me with thy Children least I should be condemned with the reprobate And thus to me thou hast reuealed mercy in iudgement Thus thou hast assured consolation by correction Héere is thy mercy oh mercifull God to graunt mee my request this was thy mercie to giue eare in this thing vnto a sinner this was thy great mercie I grant it I confesse it I professe it I praise thy name for it Oh Iehoua This is the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse oh God my heart is ready my heart is ready I will sing giue prayse Awake my glorie awake my grace awake my soule all the secrets of my Soule awake I my selfe will awake right early Reioyce my deere Soule in the Lord thy God and againe I say reioyce Oh righteous Father thou hast executed thy iustice and extended thy mercy vpon me both together Who can declare thy noble Acts and shew forth all thy prayse who can doe as thou dost can a Man can a Saint can an Angell can any powre and Principality any throne or dominion bring good out of euill swéet out of sowre honor out of shame life out of death out of vengeance mercy as thou dost To thée therefore oh Iehoua and to thée alone shall all flesh come shall all creatures in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth be subiect to thée shall my soule and all the secrets of the same be dutifull and obedient from henceforth and for euermore I will sing vnto thée among much people and will not be ashamed I will speake of thy praises in the congregations my Soule