an instrument of eight strings For that Dauid was the Authour of this Psalme it is nothing doubted not only because it hath beene both anciently and generally so receiued but because diuers passages of the Psalme doe plainely seeme to import no lesse For therein is liuely expressed a most exquisite sense of sorrow and griefe agreeable as well to the greatnesse both of the person and sinne of Dauid as to the large measure of grace which afterward he did obtaine It maketh mention also of stratum a kinde of couch vsed by men of eminent dignity which as Dauid had defiled with adulterous embracements so did hee there chiefly exercise his sorrow so did he there plentifully powre foorth his teares Verely as the sinnes of Princes are neuer small so their great sinnes require a great and high degree of repentance Now in this life we are neuer at perfect peace we are trauayled with continuall conflicts wherin some armour is of necessary vse But in these spirituall combats sorrow sighes groanes and teares are the onely armour of defence the onely weapons of aduantage by which wee atchieue true victory and triumph For this cause it is sayd that the iust shall flourish as a Palme tree For as the Palme tree doeth flourish best vnder greatest weight so vnder many difficulties and oppressions the iust must mount to their highest hopes And therefore because by these armes Dauid did preuayle not onely against his outward enemies not only against his inward troubles and perplexities but against the wrath and vengeance of Almighty GOD because by these meanes his griefe was turned into ioy because hee beganne with bitter anguishes and ended in exultation and triumph this Psalme is entitled To him that vanquisheth therefore also it was appointed to bee sung vpon an instrument of eight strings called Octaua vpon which as S. Hierome sayth they vsed to sing Psalmes of triumph and ioy And so this Psalme falleth naturally into two principall parts as in the Table following doeth appeare In this Psalme of Dauid is conteyned his sorrow and conflict wherein is expressed a fearefull apprehension of GODS Iustice vers 1. an humble petitiō for his mercy that vnder many reasons whereof some are drawn from himselfe namely from his weakenesse v. 2. troubles in body v. 2. soule v. 3. GOD and namely from his mercy ver 4. wisedome ver 5. iustice ver 6. power ver 7. Victory and Ioy in regard of his reconciliation with GOD ver 8. and 9. the confusion of his enemies ver 10. VERS 1. O LORD rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chastise me in thy displeasure 1 EVery sinne is infinite and wherefore 2. Punishments in this life not to be feared and wherefore 3 Eternall wrath how fearefull it is 4 The paine of losse 5 The paine of sence 6 The fearefull representations of a guilty conscience 7 Which turneth the trembling soule to GOD. O Most glorious GOD infinite in Maiesty to be both honoured and obeyed infinite also in might to be feared The greater thy Maiesty is the greater are my offences against it to bee esteemed and the greater punishment may thy Almightinesse inflict As thy Maiestie is infinite so is euery offence against it infinite so is infinite punishment due to such offence This infinite Maiestie haue I many wayes most grieuously offended and therefore haue iust cause to feare thy grieuous displeasure thy grieuous punishment euen equall to my sinne and that is infinite I feare not thy reproofe I feare not thy corection I dayly expect it I dayly desire it because dayly I deserue it For I know that dayly I offend and I know that thy diuine Iustice will not suffer offences to remaine vnpunished If thy Iustice punisheth only in this life then is it fatherly then mercifull then is it iustice tempered with mercy but if it punisheth in the life to come then is it extreame Iustice then extreme rigor and reuenge then is it as a rod of yron vpon a potters vessell The one is among men and oftentimes by them the other is in the company and by the office of Deuils The first is a gentle instruction a chasticement a correction the last a seuere and finall execution This rodde of thy correction I kisse I embrace thy chasticements vpon my knees If I were exempt from thy Fatherly chasticement then were I exempt from being thy childe For thou scourgest euery childe whom thou receiuest But I feare thy fury I tremble at thy extreame displeasure I desire to feele thee as a louing Father but not as an angry and inflexible Iudge Rebuke me not O LORD with thy violent voice let not thy angry arme beat stiffely vpon me It will consume me as a flaming furnace It will swallow me as a deuouring gulfe It will driue me as a torrent into the headlong descent of eternall death damnation What strength can stand vnder thy Almighty arme What courage can behold thy fierce bended brow and not bee astonished not stroke downe with terrour LORD I now feele thy anger in a moderate measure I now feele thy temporary and temperate wrath which I am not able to endure but heereby I am further led to esteeme the ful charge of thy fury how vnable I shall be to endure thy eternall indignation How little a portion haue we of him but who can vnderstand his fearefull power Assuredly the generall floud the destruction of Sodome all thy punishments which haue beene shall be or can be inflicted in this life are to bee deemed but as a few gentle drops in regard of the full tempest of thy eternall wrath In that day of thy wrath when we shall stand forth at the barre of thy Iudgement What soule can sustaine thy angrie eye whose sight will pierce to the very center of our hearts and rippe vp euery festred corner of our consciences What other accusers What other euidence will thy iustice require certainely if thy voice was terrible when thou gauest thy Law if thy chosen people were then afraide how terrible will it bee when thou shalt demand an accompt of thy Law when thou shalt giue sentence for the breach therof against thine enemies Depart from me yee cursed Out alasse What a punishment of losse is this to be banished from thy face whose beauty cannot be expressed which the Angels insatiably desire to behold the sight wherof is the full perfection of all pleasure and abundance the true ioy and rest of our soules What death is so grieuous as this departing But whither O LORD doest thou command to depart Into euerlasting fire Out alasse This is a cruel curse indeed Whom wil it not appal whom will it not astonishwith feare What Into euerlasting fire without either intermission or end Alasse Who can abide with the deuouring fire Who can dwell with the euerlasting flames This is the very habitation of thy wrath in this place thy fury doth
raigne Our abhominable sins inflame thy wrath and thy wrath inflameth this fire against vs. Heere thou hast no presence of compassion none of comfort none but simply of indignation and wrath Heere thy wrath will bee so inexorable that if all the Angels if the whole court of heauen should intreat thee prostrate vpon their faces for one drop of water to refresh one part of a tormented sinner for a very short moment of time they should not obtaine thou wouldest not bee entreated LORD let me neuer heare this terrible voice let me neuer feele this weight of thy wrath albeit I haue iust cause to feare it For I haue beene ouercome I haue yeelded to the sway of my sottish sensuality I haue disobeyed thee I haue rebelled against thee I haue deserued I haue prouoked thy displeasure against mee And now my conscience quaketh and formeth many fearefull representations to my soule Mee thinkes I see thee come furiously vpon me thy wrath me thinkes is euen now ready to strike But stay patient LORD hold thy hand forbeare a while giue mee leaue to collect my astonished and dispersed thoughts to erect my soule and direct it to thee Before thou commest in iustice to ouerwhelme mee with thy wrath In Iustice heare what I haue to say for my selfe Regard the silent sobs which my feeble soule surprised with feare sendeth foorth regard the broken voice which my trembling tongue addresseth to thee VERS II. Haue mercy vpon mee O LORD for I am weake heale me LORD for my bones are troubled 1 THe first weakenesse of a sinner 2 Wherefore the fall of man repaired and not of Angels 3 A second weakenesse 4 A third weakenesse 5 When misery may sue to Iustice when to Mercy 6 The minde worketh bodily effects 7 How the goodnesse of GOD is said to hurt 8 A prayer HAue mercy vpon me O LORD Haue mercy vpon mee Hold thy hand O mercifull LORD Oh my GOD What wilt thou doe What Wilt thou make proofe of thy prowesse against my weakenesse thinkest thou that I am come to combate with thee to defie thy fury to wrestle with thy wrath LORD I am weake I am wretchedly weake because my weakenesse is inclinable to euill I am weake in resisting outward prouocations weake in resisting the pleasures of mine owne appetites and desires This weakenesse is miserable in me but hath alwaies been strong to mooue thee to mercy For wherefore else hast thou repaired the sinne of man and not of Angels Verely because man sinned through weakenes of nature but the sinne of Angels proceeded meerely from malice of will For with the more frailty a sinne is committed the lesse doth it participate of will and the lesse voluntary a sinne is the readier is thy mercy to relieue And therefore seeing thou forgauest Adame whose nature was entire forgiue me also I beseech thee whose nature is corrupt and enclineable to euill seeing also thou wert mercifull to him who charged his fault vpon another be fauouable O LORD to me who accuse and condemne only my selfe For this cause therefore I will speake vnto my LORD albeit I am but dust and ashes LORD thou hast made me and thou knowest of what temper I am made For no man is ignorant of his proper work Thou hast not made my nature of brasse my sinewes are not of yron nor my strength of steele but thou hast made me of fraile flesh yeeldable to all occasions of euill My soule thou hast placed in this case of clay as in a boate driuen with the strong tyde of sensuall appetites which cannot be caried against that streame but by great labor by strong striuing with armes and with Oares LORD I do not lay forth this weaknes of mine to excuse my sin but to encline thee to mercy For the LORD is merciful to them that feare him because he knoweth wherof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust I haue sinned indeed but rather through weaknes then either malice or proud presumption rather through a vicious and corrupt disposition infused as an inheritance from my ancestors then through hellish either haughtinesse or hate originally in my â—elfe Wherefore then hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Wilt thou vse thy strength against a leafe against dry stubble Wilt thou pursue a smoke a shadow a thing of nothing Haue mercy vpon me O LORD for I am weake Not only to fall but much more in rising from my fall in repairing my state in recouering thy loue and fauour againe This I can no waies doe by my naturall strength no wayes without thy speciall power I am able to offend thee to fetter my feete in the snares of sinne to bring my selfe into danger of thy wrath but to appease thee to free releeue my selfe I am altogether vnable I can cast my selfe into the deepe pit of perdition but come forth and returne backe by my owne forces I cannot And therefore I still straine my voyce vnto thee Haue mercy vpon me O LORD for I am weake Weake in falling weake in rising but most weake I am either to encounter or endure thy wrath Gracious GOD I prostrate my selfe at the feete of thy mercy I creepe vnder the wing of thy compassion I deale not with thy iustice I tremble to thinke of it It is with thy mercy and compassion that I haue to doe Correct mee in fauour but not in furie to my instruction scourge me but not to my destruction Alas my weakenesse hath made mee sinfull and my sinnes haue made me miserable and my misery now sueth to thy mercy If my misery were without sinne then I would plead it before thy iustice thy iustice would then relieue my case but for that it proceedeth from my sinne I lay my plea at the barre of thy mercy Haue mercy vpon mee O LORD for I am weakâ— I am not able to beare thy iustice I am not able to behold it I am so farre vnable to endure the force of thy wrath that the feare thereof hath almost vndone me It hath possessed euery part of my body It maketh my feeble flesh to tremble it doeth torment my very bones For vnfained feare and griefe of minde will soone worke effects in the body because the body and the soule are so firmly and familiarly knit together that whatsoeuer ioy or griefe happeneth to the one it is forthwith communicated to the other euen as in two roomes ioined together whatsoeuer motion or stirre is in the one it is easilie sensible in the other Blessed LORD thou art alwayes good thou hurtest no man vnlesse himselfe be in the blame vnlesse it be through his owne default For as the Sun beame is cleare and comfortable in it selfe and so is it to the eye that is sound yet to a sore eye it is very grieuous not through any default in the Sunne but by the diseased disposition of the eye so albeit thou
in thy selfe art perfectly good and doest nothing but good yet to a sinner thou art grieuous thy goodnesse can doe no other then trouble and torment him not through any euill influence from thee but by reason of euill disposition in himselfe And therfore O gracious goodnesse O mercifull LORD O louer of mankinde not onely in pity pardon my weakenesse but in power remoue it that I may bee strong and able to enioy thy goodnesse that thy goodnesse be not greeuous vnto me LORD I resort vnto thee not only as to a Iudge for pardon but as to a Physitian for cure My weakenesse hath taken a deepe surfet of sinne and it is now growne to a desperate disease All the faculties of my soule are infected and the poyson is dispersed through all the members of my body I can feele no strength I can feele no quiet not onely my feeble parts but they that are most strong are troubled alike Haue mercy vpon mee and heale mee O GOD Haue mercy vpon my imperfection and heale my infection I humbly entreat thee Let thy mercie extend not only to pardon mee but to heale mee not onely to pardon my sinnes that are past but to make mee strong and able against sinnes heereafter For what good will pardon doe mee if presently I returne to my sinne againe What will it auaile that I bee washed if foorthwith I plunge my selfe in the mire LORD I present my selfe vnto thee in the lowest degree of humility and griefe my eies charged with teares my breast with sighes my tongue with complaints my whole bodie with disquiet Let thine indignation now cease looke vpon mee with a more calme countenance Helpe me vp and I will rise hold me vp and I will stand comfort and confirme my sin-oppressed sences Haue mercy vpon me and heale me giue me thy health and strength that vnder confidence of thy mercy I may boldly looke thy iustice in the face VERS III. My soule is also sore troubled but LORD how long wilt thou delay 1 THE torments of the soule how great they are 2 The effects of vnfayned contrition 3 A resort to GOD. 4 How offensiue sin is to GOD. 5 Wheâ—efore sinne is the cause of trouble 6 A prayer 7 The cause of GODS delay 8 The remedie AND yet the trouble of the bodie might bee borne well enough a mans courage may suffice to beare out any bodily griefe but who can beare the vexation of the soule The paine of the body is but the body of paine the sorrow of the soule is the soule of sorrow Now thy terrours haue also surprised my soule Not onely my body is cruelly crushed both with the sence of my sin and feare of thy wrath but my soule also is very grieuously afflicted with the one and affrighted with the other This soule which thou hast created to praise thee is astonished to behold thee astonished to thinke on thee this soule which is the breath of thy mouth is vnable to endure the breath of thy displeasure this soule which thou hast created to represent thy likenesse hath no liking no power to sustaine thy presence The loue thereof is extinguished with feare it hath neither roome nor respite to hope in thee In thee it dares not rest assured in any other thing it cannot For assuredly whensoeuer earnest and vnfained contrition seazeth vpon the soule it disturbeth all ioy it taketh away pleasure in any thing but teares it permitteth not to thinke on any thing but what is terrible And as they who are in danger of shipwracke cast ouer board their rich and best esteemed Merchandises to saue their liues so they who are tossed with the tempest of GODS anger to saue their soules doe not onelie abandon but hate those things which formerly were either most delightfull or deere vnto them Out alas how am I oppressed into what perplexities is my poore sorrow-beaten soule plunged how is it abandoned how are all the powers thereof laide waste The vnderstanding is darkened the will dazled the memory confounded the courage broken and beaten downe dread and amazement haue dulled my sences But aboue all my conscience is goared with the sting of sinne It anguisheth it lanceth it stretcheth it teareth it crucifieth the very heart of my soule It stirreth all vpside downe Verely I finde it to be very true That the heart of a sinner is as the raging sea which neuer hath rest The waues whereof are alwaies in motion and one alwaies dashing against another I leade a life euer dying and I feele a death neuer ending all my choice is concluded in this whether I will stand still without helpe or stirre any waies without hope And as a fearefull Doue shaketh at the roaring of thunder and shrinketh into some obscure hole supposing it self most safe when it is least seene so my amazed soule trembling at the dreadfull sound of thy threats looketh about for some place of retreit either to defend or to hide it from thy furious face It would flie from thee but it knoweth not whither it would be protected against thee but it knoweth not by whom O my GOD I cannot flie from thee but by flying to thee And therefore I flie from thee offended to thee appeased I flie from thee through the gate of thy iustice and I flie to thee thorow the gate of thy mercie I flie from a iust reuenging Iudge to a mercifull and indulgent father whose goodnes is infinite whose mercie is a spring a streame an Ocean that cannot be exhausted the goodnes no lesse liberall then the mercie is abundant O sweetnesse of desiâ—e O safetie of soules open to me thy distressed suppliant Let thy fauour receiue me running from thy furie Let thy pitie protect mee against thy seueritie comfort my troubled soule with one gentle cast of thy countenance for I shall neuer recouer againe either my safetie or my quiet vntill I recouer thy most louing and louely looke For sinne is so offensiue so odious vnto thee that wheresoeuer thou findest it thou canst not affoord a kinde countenance thou must needes turne away thine amiable eies thou wilt not displaie thy beautie vpon so filthie a dunghill And this is the cause why wee are so troubled For when thou turnest away thy face they shall be troubled Assuredlie the vexation of my soule can haue neither end nor ease vntill thou turnest to mee thy appeased countenance All other appliancies are as the handling of vlcers and wounds they doe but draw more humours to my sore they rather inflame then any waies asswage it But how long O LORD how long will thine indignation how long O LORD shall my anguish endure how long wilt thou with-hold thy comfort from me Thou who hast alwaies beene slowe to wrath art thou slow now to lay downe thy wrath Thou who hast euer beene patient art thou now become inflexible Is thine anger no lesse hard to quench now then heeretofore it hath beene
safetie he will not suffer on any condition the grieuous sores of his soule to be touched This sinner the Diuell claspeth close in his armes he holdeth him fast locked in his power imprisoned vnder his streight arrest This sin requireth a hideous cry Out of this depth the next fall is into despaire This is not onely a very deepe pitt but a great stone rowled ouer the mouth so as any cry can hardly be heard Of all sins this maketh vs most of the condition of Diuells who euer despaire to be forgiuen This is the verie mouth of hell from hence there is no fall but into the inward entrailes of hell out of which no crie shall euer be heard This Psalme conteineth an euident prophesie of the Messias in setting foorth his plentifull redemption and that he should redeeme Israel that is the Church from all their sinnes Which wordes in full sence were vsed by an Angel to Ioseph in telling him that the childs name should be IESVS because hee shoulâ— saue his people from their sinnes It is rightly ranged among the penitentialls and is fit to be seriously said by such as weakely sincke vnder the weight of their sinnes as are feeble spirited against the terrour oâ— GODS Iustice as are either inwardly or outwardly lashed for their euill and are readie to faint vndeâ—â—he sad charge of griefe and of feare Because these can find neither comfort nor hope in rigid and seuere Iudgement let them out of the depth of their miseries out of the depth of their sinnes and from the depth of their heaâ—ts implore GODS mercy without any confidenâ—e in themselues but onely in his goodnesse and in his plentifull redemption For albeit the Psalme begâ—nneth with extreme anguish and anxiety of minde yet it endeth with cheerefull assurance and trust The whole Psalme falleth into two principall parts and those againe into others as in the Table following appeareth In this Psalme is conteined a deepe sinking vnder the charge of sinne whence are drawen crying complaints to GOD ver 1. 2. Reasons which should moue GOD to heare and those taken 1. From the generall weakenesse and corruption of man ver 3. 2. From the mercy which is with GOD ver 4. a rising into confidence and trust whereby occasioned in the complaynant patient awaiting with trust in GODS promise ver 5. timely and swift resort to GOD ver 6. to others an exhortation to trust in GOD with reasons for the same viz. his mercy v. 7. his plenteous redemption v. 7. A promise to bee deliuered from sin v. 8. VERS I. Out of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O LORD LORD heare my voice 1 THE depth of sinne 2 By impure thoughts 3 By wicked words 4 By sinfull actions 5 What holdeth vs in the depth of sinne 6 The depth of afflictions and miseries 7 The depth of astonishment and feare 8 The depth of humility and sorrow 9 The depth of the heart 10 The depths out of which a sinner must crie 11 The comforts of the world 12 To whom we must call for comfort 13 A sinner offendeth GOD. 14 He offendeth other men 15 He offendeth the Angels and Saints 16 He offendeth against Hell 17 He offendeth all creatures 18 Especially he offendeth his owne soule 19 A prayer 20 The losse that a sinner incurres 21 A complaint for the same 22 An incitement to teares 23 Godly teares how esteemed by GOD. 24 When we must giue ouer weeping O Iust GOD no lesse terrible in thy iustice then vnresistible in thy power and will when I descend into the secrets of my conscience and call my memory to an accompt I find my selfe plunged very deepe in sinne and the yoake of the Diuell so heauy vpon me that I am not able to lift vp my loaden head scarce able to aduance my voice vnto thee LORD I haue grieuously sinned against thee I haue grieuously prouoked thy wrath against mee I haue not onely foolishly disobeyed thee but proudly rebelled against thee I haue forsaken thee and delighted to liue among bruit and sauage beastes I made my selfe a bed of thornes I slept among hornets and scorpions amidst these torments and dangers I expected rest I am as one most wretchedly wrecked who hauing lost all his rich loading hath hardly escaped naked to the shore My sottish soule poysoned with taste of things sensuall hath taken pleasure to wallow in impure thoughts day and night as swine take pleasure to wallow in mire or dogs in carion insomuch as nothing else hath beene delightfull nothing else easie for me to do But I haue found this liquerice liquor to resemble milke which is sweete in taste but soone groweth sowre and readily conuerteth into hurtfull humors These beginnings were neglected and happily contemned at the first but since they haue prooued the sparkes of that flame wherin I consume the seedes of all my huge haruest of sinne As for my words I will not say with the Prophet Woe is me that I haue beene silent but woe is me that I haue spoken because I am a man of vncleane lips But oh that a coale or rather a ball of fire would flame from thy Altar to scoure the rotten rust which hath deepelie ouergrowne all the instruments of my speech Alasse how many vaine and foolish how many false how many foule things haue I belched foorth of this vnsauorie mouth wherewith I now offer to speake vnto thee How hath my tongue galloped to destruction euen vpon credite euen for companie and fellowshippe of others without any sensible pleasure or profit to my selfe O my GOD who will endure the breath from a man whose stomacke hath bin stuffed with onions or garlicke or if it were possible the fountaine were pure yet the poisonous passage must infect the waters I know not how to speake vnto thee either pleasinglie or without offence but me thinkes I heare thee hourelie thundering against me Wherefore doest thou presume to assume my Name within thy leprous lips Touching actuall sinnes I haue so heaped them together I haue so runne like a blind man stumbling and tumbling from sinne to sinne I haue so descended the steps of sinne from one degree to another from foolishnesse and leuity to carelessenesse from carelessenesse to boldnesse from boldnesse to contempt from contempt to a brauerie and boasting in my sinne I am so fallen from frequency of actions to custome from custome to habite from habite to nature that I am now plunged in the deepe gulfe of sinne which hath no bottome but the bottomelesse pit of hell Out of this gulfe it is impossible for mee by the force of my owne armes to wrestle Flattering Dalilah euen the whorish daliancies and pleasures of this life haue cut away the haires of my strength And now the infernall Philistins haue made me captiue they haue put out the eyes of my vnderstanding they haue fettered me with many cords and chaines of wilfull transgressions they haue throwne me
must despaire we cannot be saued For our life resteth in remission of our sinnes that thou hast couered or rather buried them that thou wilt neuer obiect them against vs. All haue gone out of the way we are all become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one But wherefore is a sinner sayd to bee vnprofitable Verely all things are vnprofitable which serue not to the end for which they were created Now man was created to the glory of GOD but a sinner so long as he remayneth in sin is altogether vnprofitable for that end And how should man be pure who springeth from a rotten root How should there not be sin in man apparelled with filthy flesh when his seruants were not stable and when hee charged his Angels with folly All the wayes of the LORD are mercy and Iustice. No other way hath hitherto been knowne to attaine felicity By the way of iustice our great Sauiour only hath gone none other but hee could euer say Which of you could reprooue me of sinne By the way of Iustice hee hath merited for himselfe and for vs for himselfe the glory of his humanity for vs Grace heere and heerafter Glory But by the way of mercy all we must walke because we haue walked in the wayes of sinne because by nature we are children of wrath VVithout mercy and iustifying Grace wee cannot be saued The doore of the entrance to the Oracle in Salomons temple was made of wood of the Oliue tree which being a type of mercy did shadow to vs that no man can enter the holiest place but thorow the doore of mercy And albeit GOD holdeth in his hand both iustice and mercy yet by his antecedent will he desireth all men to be saued His iudgement is exalted by his mercy he delighteth to spare sinners hee reioyceth at occasions to shew his mercy he esteemeth himself more glorious by shewing mercy then by exercising his power In his mercy if I may so speake hee seemeth to goe beyond himself for his mercy is ouer all his workes In mercie hee would haue vs like vnto him Bee yee mercifull as your heauenlie Father is mercifull Hee enioynes vs not to imitate his power whereto Lucifer proudlie aspiring was deiected into hell Nor his wisedome which Adam vainlie affecting was elected out of Paradise but his mercie which wee humblie practising may bee erected into heauen As it is mercie whereof wee stand most in neede so is mercy chiefly required of vs. But the readiest way to attaine mercy is by acknowledgement of our sinnes He that acknowledgeth not his sinnes acknowledgeth himselfe vnworthy of mercy vnworthy to be acknowledged of GOD He who hideth or excuseth his sinnes struggleth against the streames of Grace and debarreth himselfe of all hope of pardon he doth vainelie search after GOD who will not search into himselfe and freelie confesse what there he findes Alasse How manie are held in the yron chaines of sinne and the deuill who neither bewaile nor confesse nor see their miserie who ignorant of their owne estate suppose they walke a full pace the right way to heauen Such were the Israelites whom the Prophet thus reprooued for like affected ignorance How canst thou say that I am not polluted neither haue I followed Baalim Behold thy wayes in the valley and know what thou hast done O blind and foolish man who wilt endeauour to iustifie thy selfe open thy eyes which the deuill hath closed and behold thy wayes in the valley of thy life Assuredly thou shalt finde it full of contempt against GOD of iniuries against others of impurities and vanities in thy selfe Thou shalt espie many grieuous sinnes which others happily haue espied before thou shalt find many Monsters lurking in thy bosome which awaite opportunitie sharpely to assaile thee Verily it is a greater fault to conceale or defend a fault then it is to commit it And now O holy GOD now I haue confessed to thee my owne sinnes in particular and generally the sinfulnesse of all what wilt thou doe how is it thy pleasure to deale with me Shall thy wrath still contend with thy mercie against me shall my sinnes surmount thy goodnesse shall my sinnes be stronger to condemne me then thy mercies to saue mee O my hope Are thy benefits become so chargeable to thee doest thou loose any thing by giuing to me Wherefore then withholdest thou thy mercy in displeasure or tell mee what els requirest thou from me Requirest thou griefe why that is such that I would I had died when I did displease thee Requirest thou punishment Loe here my poore perplexed bodie binde it scourge it satisfie thy indignation thereon but so as thou forbearest not to affoord thy mercie LORD I desire not honour not authoritie not riches not any thing created all these cannot satiate my desire without thy mercy all is pouertie I desire only thy mercie giue me thy mercie and I shall be satisfied VERSE IIII. For there is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared 1 THe greatnesse of GODS mercy 2 He is desirous to pardon 3 The very thought of mercy hath a powerfull operation 4 The power of hope 5 Her encouragement to the sinner 6 The sinners dulnesse 7 Hope giueth assurance of mercy 8 Three things most like to hinder mercy 9 Sinnes can be no impediment 10 Iustice can be no impediment 11 The ordinance of the Law is no hinderance to mercy 12 The goodnesse of GOD assureth his mercy 13 The same is assured by his Loue. 14 His promise doth binde him to bee mercifull 15 His power doth also assure his mercy 16 Albeit wee often sinne yet GOD is bound by his promise to be mercifull 17 By reason of our sinnes we are rather capable then vnworthy of mercy 18 Wherefore GOD hath commanded vs to trust in him 19 A praise of GOD for his mercies 20 One caution to be respected if we expect mercy 21 A second caution 22 Wherefore GOD is to be feared 23 Hope and feare how conioyned 24 Feare a temperature betweene despaire and presumption 25 A prayer for feare O Mild Father how sweet is thy spirit who will not loue who will not laud thee Albeit thy displeasure be daily prouoked yet it is thy pleasure it is thy glory not only to forbeare but to forgiue sinners thy mercie is so great that thou neuer desirest the death of a sinner Thou knowing how weake we are how inclineable to euill wilt not try all our actions by the try touch of thy iustice but like a gracious Father wilt dissemble many of our imperfections and powre forth large streames from the euer-flowing and ouer-flowing fountaine of thy mercie both to cleanse and to cure them Thy nature is goodnesse thy propertie is to haue mercie thou art easie thou art readie thou art desirous to pardon No man is so readie to intreat thee as thou art easie to be intreated Thou art alwaies readie to giue and
more is he enflamed with this desire and the greater difficulties will hee vndertake to atchieue it euen as the greater a fire is the greater heat it casteth foorth and the more matter it is able to consume But GOD is so good that in comparison of him none other can be said to bee good all goodnesse is attributed onely to him And therefore the more hee exceedeth in goodnesse the more desirous is he to communicate himselfe As he hath made himselfe like vnto thee so will he make thee like vnto him hee will not cease to informe to reforme conforme transforme thee dayly vntill hee hath vnited thee to him He communicateth himselfe to all creatures in their degree but in most especiall manner to man Assuredly it is not so naturall for light things to mount vpwards for heauie things to draw downward for the heauens to mooue round as it is for the goodnesse of GOD to doe good For the propertie of all creatures is accidentally in them but the property to good is essentially in GOD. GOD is an essentiall goodnesse So simple pure and immutable is his substance that no accident can adhere vnto it whatsoeuer is in GOD is GOD. Againe his loue may perswade thee that hee will bee mercifull For hee did not beginne to loue thee when first thou wert borne not when the world was created but thou diddest sleepe in his bosome euen from eternitie His loue to thee is no lesse ancient then the ancient of dayes euen then himselfe Who as hee is from eternitie so from eternitie hath hee loued his elect When his naturall Sonne was begotten then wert thou adopted for his Sonne and euer since hee hath cast vpon thee a fatherly eye alwayes remembring what glory hee hath appointed for thee The Scriptures much commend an ancient friend Loe here is an ancient Friend indeed a friend who hath loued thee from all eternitie Verely if immemoriall possession maketh a right thou hast now a good title to his loue thou hast now prescribed it for thine owne and hereby thou hast a good claime to his mercie And because likenesse is not onely a signe but a cause of liking and loue hee hath formed thy soule according to his Image for as nothing vpon earth resembleth him more by nothing hee canne more easily bee knowen And hence it is that the substance or essence of the soule cannot bee vnderstood because it is like the diuine substance which no man in this life can vnderstand Hence also proceedeth the admirable capacity thereof which all the creatures and riches of this world can no more fill then a graine of mustard can fill the world And further he hath bound himselfe by his promise and word that in case thou conuert and repent thou shalt neuer bee ruined by thy sinne And therefore seeing GOD hath made so large a promise seeing hee is now become a debtor of mercy seeing hee hath made his gift his debt Dare any sinner despaire Say I pray thee What is the worst that a sinner can feare Eternall damnation By whose appointment By the authority and command of Almighty GOD. But the same GOD who inflicteth this paine hath giuen a supersedeas hee hath giuen thee his warrant that if thou repent thou shalt not be damned Take heede they bee his wordes they are spoken to all sinners bee they neuer so great Wilt thou not beleeue them wilt thou not giue credite to Almighty GOD verely thou must For GOD is faithfâ—ll in all his wordes By these three by the goodnesse by the loue and by the promise of GOD thou mayest rest assured of his will to shew mercy Adde hereto that hee is omnipâ—tent that his will is his power that no man can reâ—ist his wâ—ll that he can as easily doe as will and there can bee nothing added to thy assurance Men do often faile in their word because they eyther change in will or are defectiue in power but because GOD can bee neither changed nor resisted he will assuredly make good his word But happily thou wilt say I know well that GOD is both mighty and true and I nothing doubt of the performance of his word But when hee hath once forgiuen a sinner it seemeth to be a discharge of his promise In case the sinner fall againe is GOD bound againe to forgiue him Verely yes For GOD hath commanded vs to forgiue our brother so often as hee shall offend and hath further added that If wee forgiue wee shall bee forgiuen Whereby it followeth that if wee bee not wearie to forgiue others GOD will neuer bee wearie in forgiuing vs that by enioyning reuengfull man to forgiue others hee hath therereby enioyned himselfe to forgiue them What Dost thou thinke that GOD will not be more mercifull then man Shall man forgiue sooner and oftner then GOD It cannot bee For because mercie proceedeth from goodnesse and goodnesse is originally in GOD who can be so mercifull as hee He who forgaue 10000. talents what may wee thinke he will not forgiue And therefore Albeit thou hast sinned neuer so grieuously neuer so often forgiue others and aske forgiuenesse meekely and mercy will follow For wherefore is remission of sinnes promised if sinners may not enioy it Do sinnes make thee vnworthy of mercy No. But rather by reason of thy sinnes mercie pertaineth to thee Wherefore neuer distrust but turne to the LORD who hath promised mercy and who hath commaunded thee to trust in his promise O the great vertue of hope As the sunne spreadeth light and heat to all the earth so grace streameth from her countenance to all who behold her O sacred hope to whose presence heauinesse dares not approach Although the weight of sinne doeth grieuously oppresse mee yet will I trust in the mercie of the LORD because hope hath emboldned me and because hee hath commanded me so to doe But wherefore hath hee so commanded Verely because hee desireth to saue mee for so hee hath sayd Because he trusted in me I will deliuer him O most mercifull LORD With what wordes shall I prayse thee for thy exceeding mercies who doest deliuer vs for no other reason but because wee trust in thee LORD thou art in greatnes infinite in vertue Omnipotent in goodnesse chiefe in wisedome inestimable in counsailes terrible in iudgements iust in cogitations secret in word true in workes holy in mercy plentifull patient towards sinners and pitifull when they repent For such I confesse thee for such I praise and glorifie thy Name Powre I beseech thee thy light into my heart and thy words into my mouth that my thoughts may alwaies meditate on thy mercies and that my tongue may ouerslow with praises for the same That I may not only in my selfe be fruitfull of thankes but stir vp others to doe the like O giue thankes vnto the LORD for hee is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer O giue thankes vnto the GOD
of all GODS for his mercy endureth for euer O thanke the LORD of all LORDS for his mercy enduâ—eth for euer whâ—ch onely doeth great wonders for his mercy endureth for euer c. Ps. 136. But take heed O my soule For reuerence of the dreadfull maiestie of GOD beware of two things whereof hope hath not forgotten to giue thee warning One is that thou expect mercy onely from the LORD for with him is mercy Trust not in any worthinesse in thy selfe who art a dunghill couered with snow a filthie vessell which corrupteth all liquors that are powred into it a barke set in the gustie sea of this world beaten with all stormes and incursions of weather Trust not in any trumperies of the world for no quiet can be expected from that which is alwaies in motion and change which is alwaies busied like the spider in making artificiall nets to take flies If thou pursuest the comforts of the world thou art one of those of whoÌ„ the Prophet Ieremie speaketh that they should serue strange gods who would not suffer theÌ„ to rest day nor night Assuredlie the conscience shall neuer find comfort nor rest but when altogether stripped of all other confidence it committeth it selfe naked to the mercy of GOD. The other is that hereby thou beest not imboldned to sinne but rather held in bridle by feare Vpon any condition be not bold to sinne because the mercy of GOD is readie to forgiue If therby thou beest imboldned thy transgressions are the greater Feare alwaies to offend such inuincible mercy feare the iustice which will punish the contempt of that mercie Feare to offend thy iudge feare to offend him who onely is able to pardon thy offence Prostrate thy selfe and liue in awe of â—hat maiestie in whose mercy thou hast placed thy hope respect him with dutie from whom thou expectest all thy good As thy desires are guided by hope so let them be followed with feare The more thou hopest feare the more both at one time and without measure in both Neither feare abating hope nor hope enfeebling feare But maugre all feare let thy hope mount to the highest pitch and maugre all hope let feare stoope to the lowest downe come If any other could forgiue sins then thou mightest happlyappeale to him and the more lightly esteeme the maiestie of GOD but because this iudiciary power resteth onely in GOD because he hath shut vp all within mercie thou must needes feare him and tremble to offend him If a souldier hath offended one captaine he may serue vnder the colours of another He who hath lost the fauour of his king may liue vnder protection of another euen as when the Gentiles conceiued that one of their gods was offended with them they endeauoured to reconcile the fauor of others But when thou shalt offend thy only omnipotent GOD to whom wilt thou resort for reliefe Who will not feare the king of nations who albeit he aboundeth with mercy yet is not he disarmed of iustice Albeit grace reigneth with him yet is not the law abolished Thou must liue in feare not to offend the Law but to trust to be saued only by mercie The Law must continue for a holy obedience to those who beleeue to be saued by mercy By this meanes hope is alwaies accompanied with feare hope apprehendeth mercie in the end feare bridleth offence in the passage to the end Of the righteousnesse of the Law nothing can follow but either despaire or presumption in the first whereof the deuill was plunged but the nature of man is most inclineable to the second feare is a temperature betweene them both To this vertue despaire is contrary on the one side and presumption on the other Despaire hath too much feare presumption too little take away both and feare will remaine accompanied with hope If thou fearest without hope thou sinckest into despaire and art like some miserable worldling who forsaking some part of his estate departeth with his life If thou hopest without feare thou mountest like Icarus to thy deadly downefall To feare GOD is to reuerence and worship him to acknowledge that he is plentifull in mercie and goodnesse Take away mercie and take away feare for he that expecteth not good feareth no euill O LORD of all mecy Grant I beseech thee that my soule may feare thee because thou art no lesse worthy of feare then of loue For as thou art a GOD of mercie so thou art a GOD of maiestie as thou art infinitelie mercifull so art thou infinitely iust as thy workes of mercie are innumerable so is there no number of thy workes of iustice And which is most fearefull the vessels of wrath doe farre exceed the vessels of mercy And therfore O LORD so work in my heart that I may feare thee for the height of thy iustice for the depth of thy iudgements for the glory of thy maiesty for the immensitie of thy greatnesse and power for the multitude of my sinnes for my inconsiderate boldnes in sinning and aboue all for my rebellion in resisting thy holy inspirations VERS V. I looke for the LORD my soule doth wait for him in his word is my trust 1 THe hungry desire of a penitent sinner 2 A bridle vpon that violent desire 3 Sodaine repentance not alwayes sincere 4 The causes wherefore GOD deferreth to heare vs. 5 We are often deceiued in thinking GOD slow 6 How strongly GOD knocketh and calleth 7 Wherefore he is not heard 8 How he may be heard 9 How GOD feasteth those who entertaine him 10 We must patiently looke and wait for the LORD 11 To the very last end of our life 12 Iniuries to be quietly taken 13 Troubles to be contemned 14 A short praise of patience 15 It must be ioyned with trust 16 Trust must be accompanied with faith and then is it most assured 17 Whereon this Trust must be grounded 18 That the word of GOD cannot faile nor deceiue 19 A Caution what to doe that we may boldly trust 20 An assured laying hold vpon GODS word 21 A prayer and resolution for patience and trust BVt how long wilt thou suspend thy mercie and grace How long shall I bee as if I were either not remembred or little regarded how long shall this hungry appetite torment my soule looke vpon me O LORD and let me haue some sence of thy mercie LORD I desire not the aboundance and dainties of thy children but will remaine satisfied with a few cast crummes from thy table Behold LORD I come to thee as a poore hungrie whelpe to a rich mans table I see what thou eatest and how richlie thou feedest thy children I looke thee in the face I obserue thy countenance I manifest my desires by all the gestures and behauiours I can I vse many prouocations to moue thee to bestow some meane morsell vpon me But when O LORD when wilt thou regard me Now gracious GOD euen now I pray thee to fauour me with some
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
of Repentance The parts are set forth in the Table next adioyning This Psalm declareth The power and dignity of repentance in that it maketh a man blessed ver 1. The maner namely that it be without hypocrisie ver 2. with trouble sorrow and contrition ver 3. 4. confession ver 5. 6. The effects in regard of the godly namely encouragement to call vpon GOD ver 7. the penitents thēselues viz. safety ver 8. ioy ver 8. the wicked viz. instruction to be guided by vnderstanding ver 9. 10. to whom is also assured great plagues for sinners ver 11. mercy for the righteous ver 12. VERS I. Blessed is he whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered 1 RIches honour power c. make not men happy by their owne nature 2 Because they doe not satisfie 3 Because they are deceitfull 4 Because they are inconstant 5 They make not Blessed in regard of indisposition in our selues 6 How they are blessings and to whom 7 How and to whom they are heauy curses 8 Worldly matters more often hinder then helpe for attayning felicity 9 Who onely is blessed in this life 10 Whether it be not a greater Blessednesse not to sinne then to haue sinne pardoned 11 Wherefore happinesse consists in forgiuenesse of sinnes 12 Another reason 13 The difference betweene the blessednesse of Saints in heauen and of repentant sinners vpon earth 14 Forgiuenesse of sinne is no ordinarie blessing and wherefore 15 It is a very great blessing to haue our sinnes couered and wherefore 16 How hard it is to hide sinne and wherefore 17 Onely repentance couereth sinne and wherfore WHom may we esteeme blessed in this life The rich the honourable the mighty the politicke and wise Alasse miserable are they who esteeme themselues happy by being any or all of these There is neither trust nor taste in these false felicities whether we regard their owne nature or whether many indispositions in our selues In their proper nature they doe not satisfie vntill they cloy there is alwayes somewhat wanting in them vntill they ouercharge vs with boysterous abundance and then they satisfie least of all If any solid goodnesse were in them then would they in some degree satisfie All other things giue some satisfaction drinke quencheth thirst meat appeaseth hunger apparell expelleth cold but these are so far from quieting the desire that they make it more vnrestfull and stirring They are a dropsie they are a dogges appetite they may fill but they neuer satisfie vntill they haue made vs like drunkards the next day after a riotous feast dull and heauy vnable to speake or thinke of our surfet without loathing Againe they are deceitfull fayrer in shew then in substance they are found they seeme better to those who want them then to those who enioy them they promise many pleasures but they come clogged with innumerable cares They make vs liue in wishing and in repenting in wishing the future and repenting somewhat that is past in loathing what wee haue tasted and longing for that which we desire in vaine remembring what is gone and doubtfull expecting what is to ensue As for euery present it is like a waue one alwayes dashing and driuing forth the other Lastly they are not constant for they often leaue vs they are not of continuance for certainely we must leaue them Nothing is more certaine as that wee shall leaue them nothing more vncertaine as whether they will not leaue vs first In regard of indisposition of our selues if we bee attached with sickenesse if payned in body if disquieted in minde wee can finde no felicity in them But especially if wee endure the combate of conscience If our conscience be crushed with the weight if stung with the malice of sinne they are so farre from yeelding either comfort or quiet that they are like oyle cast into the fire to extinguish or abate the flame They are like the drinking of hot wines to qualifie a burning feuer or like the eating of hony to asswage the boyling of a chollericke stomacke a little pleasing in the taste but much increasing both the paine and danger of the disease These are blessings indeed but not in themselues not for themselues not indifferently to all They are blessings in their right vse they are blessings to a higher end they are blessings onely to those who should haue beene blessed without them If they bee not rightly vsed if not vsed to their true end if so vsed that they drawe or diuert vs from our true end then are they heauy curses then should we haue beene blessed neuer to haue knowen them Art thou wicked and yet wise But GOD taketh the wise in their craftinesse and the counsaile of the wicked is made foolish Doest thou beare thy selfe proud vpon confidence of thy power GOD scattereth the proud and putteth downe the mighty Art thou vngodly and yet honourable and rich But the glory of the wicked turneth to their shame And what hope hath the hypocrite when hee hath heaped vp riches if GOD taketh away his soule Doubtlesse the riches of the wicked are rackes and torments their honours heauie vanities their power a tempestuous puffe their pleasures sharp feuers of the mind their serious exercises childrens plaies They dazel ignorant eies with exernall shewes but inwardly they endure many grieuous gripes they are attended and resorted to by manie but no otherwise then flies flocke to hony mice to corne vultures to a carcasse The multitude pursue their owne prey they follow the fortunes of men not their persons Well then let worldly matters goe and come They may helpe and they may hinder they doe more often hinder then helpe vs in attaining felicity Often times we haue no greater impediment to felicitie in this world then the world it selfe He onely is blessed in this life whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is buried in the tombe of obliuion But stay my soule and pawse heere a while gather a flower or two in thy way pownd these spices a little more Is he only blessed or is he chieflie blessed whose sinnes are forgiuen Is not hee more blessed who sinneth not at all Is it not a greater blessing neuer to sinne then to haue sinnes pardoned Yes verely But this is beyond the nature of man It is the cursed condition of man to offend I will neuer esteeme him blessed I will neuer beleeue him who saith he hath no sinne For in many things we offend all We deceiue our selues we are sencelesse of our sinnes and being senceles we are immoueable we are desperatelie sinnefull if we say we haue no sinne And therefore he onely is blessed whose transgressions are forgiuen and whose sinne is couered None other in this world can truely and directly be termed blessed For this is a principall propertie of true happines to bring quiet and contentment to the soule to set it aboue the region of wishing and of wants to free it
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
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
GOD died for man then that all men should haue perished O! the LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and trueth reseruing mercie for thousands and forgiuing iniquitie and sinne And therfore O distressed men whensoeuer you approach to GOD for mercie neuer distrust neuer think your importunitie displeasing or the opportunitie not fit Neuer think that you offer him a matter which eyther hee will bee vnwilling or hath beene vnaccustomed to doe but rather that you present him with occasion of acquiring praise and to doe that which is most agreeable both to his glory and to his nature It is his nature and propertie to haue mercy Not that other perfections are not also proper to him but this hee hath in greatest estimation for this especially hee will bee praysed Assuredly if his mercie were not infinite if it were little and limited which might receiue diminution or increase then were something imperfect in GOD but nothing in him canne bee imperfect therefore his mercy is infinite without eyther measure or end Goe vnto him any person at any time you shall alwayes finde that with him is mercy The fountaine of his mercy and grace which springeth from his fatherly heart can neuer be either stopped or spent the waters thereof are of singular vertue not only to cleanse the filthinesse of sinne but to enrich soules with heauenly beauty Neuer feare that you cannot bee refreshed with these streames I will tell you what you shall doe and you neede not feare Detest your sinnes and trust in the LORD and his mercies will ouerflow hee will bee infinitely succourable to you His goodnesse will wipe away all sorrow that you haue beene â—â—â—ners and make you reioyce that euer you fell as hauing made triall that as your offences surmount all measure so his mercies and grace exceed your offences yea it is not possible that GOD should denie his mercy to penitent sinners who trust in him for then he should not make good his word then he should denie himselfe which is not possible for him to doe But if they trust without repentance they doe not then trust but presume But as I haue tolde you O yee seruants of the LORD repent your sinnes and trust in him and then perswade your selues that with GOD is no anger nothing but mercy and loue because he cannot but loue those who beleeue in him And therefore if any calamity fall vpon you it is in mercy endure it patiently and hope to bee deliuered when GOD shall thinke fit If you haue committed any sinne yet with GOD is mercy trust to this mercy and you shall neuer be indamaged by your sinnes Albeit to your sence hee appeareth to bee angrie regard not your sence but stedfastly beleeue that in heauen and vpon earth there is nothing but mercy if you should die for it neuer suffer this trust to be wrested from you Beleeue not your sence but beleeue the word which hath sayd that with the LORD is mercy for those who trust in him Write this promise in your heart that if you truly trust in his mercy you shall not perish albeit all sence reason and experience should perswade the contrary In your selues you shall find nothing but wrath in the Diuell nothing but malice in the world nothing â—ut either dulnesse or madnesse but firmely beleeue that with thy LORD there is nothing but mercy O mercifull GOD bee sinners neuer so vngentle neuer so gracelesse thou art greeued to see them perish And if at any time they turne towards thee thy mercy is ready to meet them thou art ready to impart thy selfe vnto them thou didst neuer despise any who called vpon thee O comfortable words Giue me grace gracious GOD to taste once againe the sweetnesse of them Neuer did any call vpon him and was despised Blessed LORD is not this thy word wilt thou not make it good wilt thou not do as thou hast sayd LORD thou hast made vs of nothing we are feeble flesh VVe daily sinne we dayly aske pardon Shall we now be despised and neuer any despised before Our sinnes indeed are great but thy mercies exceed all greatnesse and measure Our sinnes are many but there is no number of thy mercies Our sinnes after forgiuenesse are many times renued but thy mercies are not limited either to number or time For with the LORD IS mercy At all times mercy nothing but mercy mercy neuer either exhausted or with held The second foundation of your trust must be vpon the merits of our Redeemer For with GOD there is not onely mercy but plenteous redemption The plenty and riches of this redemption is the innocent and precious bloud of IESVS CHRIST which as it maketh a treasure of innumerable riches so can wee not doubt either of his power or of his will to distribute the same His power dependeth vpon his will and his will is guided by his loue wherewith he offered his bloud for our redemption This loue enforceth his will and his will is alwayes followed by his power So as being largely assured of his loue wee must nothing doubt either of his will or of his power And the better to assure vs heereof hee was not sparing but rather seemed prodigall in expence of his most blessed bloud Physitions prescribe bleeding in a moderate measure but our redeemer out of his vnmeasurable loue made a profuse effusion of all that hee had One drop of his bloud in regard of the inestimable value thereof might haue sufficed for redeeming many worlds but to make our redemption plentifull hee did not reserue one drop to himselfe His bloud his precious bloud euery drop of his precious bloud was poured foorth for our redemption After that his externall parts were emptied of bloud by sweating scourging crowning and nailing His internall and vitall parts were also drayned by the stroke of a speare For in that water flowed foorth without any tincture of bloud it was an euident proofe that all the bloud was spent A little bloud will giue colour to much water and therefore if any little bloud had remayned the water must haue been somewhat coloured thereby This is the treasure this the ransome wherewith sinners are redeemed This most precious bloud was shed without measure to the end that be our sinnes neuer so grieuous so many so often repeated wee should heere finde a plenteous redemption whensoeuer with penitent mindes we craue benefit therof VVho will despaire who can doubt of his deliuerance VVhen GOD of his owne will hath so plentifully redeemed vs. VVho can suspect that he will be lesse willing to distribute this treasure then hee was to amasse it Assuredly there is no default in GOD if sinners be damned for hee desireth not the death of a sinner there is no default in GOD for not giuing but there may bee default in sinners for not desiring GOD desireth that his mercy bee magnified aboue his iustice but
himselfe but in the proper nature his house bee turned to a prison so albeit the body of man was once a pleasant habitation yet when by sinne it was turned to a prison the soule findeth therein many miserable molestations A prison is a place horrid and vncleane wherein the companions are theeues murtherers and other malefactours the place commonly a sinke whither all the filth of a city doth draine And albeit a childe bornâ— and brought vp in a prison and neuer acquainted with other life will laugh and desport and not onely take contentment but delight in that place yet if an honest man who knoweth liberty chance to come there how is he annoyed with the filth How with the vile society which he is constrained to endure What friends what suit will hee make for his discharge So they who neuer looked out of their body are well pleased with the euill qualities thereof But they who haue conuersed in a heauenly life and yet are gayled in this prison of mud and tied to the society of a thousand disordred appetites as so many malefactors how vnquiet are they how wary how desirous to be at liberty Heereupon one cried Bring my soule out of prison and I will prayse thy name And another I desire to bee dissolued And againe Who shall deliuer me from this body of death Out of the deepest dungeon of this prison O LORD I crie vnto thee deepely couered with naturall corruption deepely ouerwhelmed with actuall transgressions deepely charged both with sence and feare of thy wrath I streine foorth my voice vnto thee LORD thou art alwayes farre distant from sinners and now out of this deepe distance I doe not weakly desire thee but with deepe sighes and groanes from the depth of my heart I call vnto thee I haue sinned and thou hast punished I haue displeased thee and thou hast disquieted me according to the greatnesse of my sinnes thy punishments haue beene great vpon mee Out of this depth both of infirmities and of calamities with an inflamed spirit I lift vp my voyce hands eyes and soule vnto thee Heare me O LORD who doest no sooner heare then helpe Oh! let the complaint of my sobbing soule haue accesse to thy gentle audience Looke not vpon my sinnes and vpon thy iustice but looke vpon my miseries and vpon thy mercies turn away thy face from me as I am sinfull but regard me as I am sorrowfull for my sinnes Despise not O LORD the worke of thy hands For thou knowest of what mettall we are made thou knowest the bad temper thereof thou knowest not only our weakenesse but our prone inclination to euill Insomuch as if thou shouldest examine our actions by the exact ballance and then smite them by the seuere sword of thy Iustice all must despaire wee must all bee damned For there is none so innocent vnder heauen who canne eyther answere thy Iustice or endure it Not one canne stand before thee in Iudgement not one canne answere one for a thousand But thou wilt not bee so rigid and seuere against thy feeble creatures For with thee abideth not onely Iustice but also Mercie not onely Iustice for obstinate sinners but Mercie for the penitent Thou art aboue measure milde and fauourable to all that repent thou canst not deny thy Mercie from any who desire it from an humble heart And therefore albeit my sinnes presse heauie vpon me albeit they trouble my soule with many terrours yet will I worship thee with a dutifull and obedient feare I will hope in thee but not cease to feare I will hope but not presume and therefore must I feare I will hope in regard of thy goodnesse I will feare in regard of my owne euill I will hope in thee for thy mercies and I will feare thee for thy iustice Vpon these two wings will I flie vnto thee with these two eyes will I looke for thee but my trust addresseth it selfe especially to thy mercy â—f this mercy thy word hath giuen assurance thy word expresseth much fatherly affection thy word is full of many sweet promises of remission of sinnes and therefore my trust laieth hold vpon thy word For were it not a dishonour to a King would not people speake shrewdly of him if hauing promised his pardon hee would execute men for the same offence Assuredly whatsoeuer some Kings may doe thou canst not thou canst not denie thy word because thou canst not denie thy selfe Thy iustice will not suffer thee either to reuoke or lightly to regard the promises of thy mercy in case we apprehend them in seasonable time And therefore I will not be either betrayed by pleasures or benummed by sluggish sloath I will not suffer time to passe vntill time shall be altogether past When there cannot possibly be any harme in haste I will not aduenture vpon the dangers of delay O LORD my maker Quicken me with thy inciting grace that I may with all speed addresse my selfe both to entreat and to embrace thy mercy that I may timely begin to attend vpon thee For albeit no part of my life should be either shortned or mispent Albeit I should be most couetously carefull to imploy euery minute thereof yet is man too mortall to attaine performance of the least part of his duty to thee And although I bee not presently releeued although for a long time thou with-holdest thy helpe let not my hope be wearied in wayting for thee let me both patiently and constantly expect thy pleasure And so must all doe who sincerely serue thee who put their trust in thy word and so they shall neuer be disappointed of their hope For not only thy Mercy is most faithfully assured by thy word but thy Iustice also is plentifully satisfied by the inualuable blood of our Redeemer which is so noble and precious in thy sight that there neither are nor can be any sinnes for expiation of which it doeth not suffice It openeth the gate of grace to all that repent it excludeth none it sufficeth for all Let no man feare the multitude of his sinnes this Mercy and this Redemption doe infinitely surmount them they infinitely ouerballance the sinnes of all men in case they repent LORD thou art a great Physition thou knowest all our sicknesses and art most expert in all sorts of remedies Whatsoeuer our diseases are neuer so grieuous neuer so desperate thou hast variety of remedies in store and knowest right well how to applie them thy Mercie and thy Redemption thou hast alwayes at hand Wherefore with all feare and reuerence which my weakenesse is able to apprehend I resort now to thy throne of Grace most humbly entreating thy Mercie and the benefit of thy plentifull redemption Repell mee not from thy presence I beseech thee vntill I bee reconciled to thy fauour For I am no stranger to thy house I am one of thy people a citizen and member of that Church which thou hast so aboundantly redeemed Grant mee O gracious