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
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
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
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