bitte betweene their teeth binde their iawes with iron hookes lay the whippes of chastisement vpon their backes Tame their vnbrideled wantonnesse breake their obstinate either fury or dulnesse that by repentance they may turne vnto thee Deliuer mee from the innumerable insupportable plagues which thy Iustice hath addressed for the wicked partly in this life but most especially in the life to ensue And because I haue reposed my confidence in thee enuiron me with thy mercies that being free both from dangers and feares I may reioyce onely in thee and with purity and integritie of heart adore and prayse thee all the dayes of my life Prayse and Glory and Wisedome and Strength Dominion Riches and Power bee vnto our GOD for euermore PSALME C. XXX DAVIDS TEARES PSALME CXXX OVt of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O LORD LORD heare my voice 2 Oh let thine eares consider well the voyce of my complaint 3 If thou LORD wilt bee extreame to marke what is done amisse O LORD who may abide it 4 For there is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared 5 I looked for the LORD my soule doeth wait for him in his word is my trust 6 My soule fleeth vnto the LORD before the morning watch I say before the morning watch 7 O Israel trust in the LORD for with the LORD there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption 8 And hee shall redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Of the title and parts of this PSALME 1 THe title giuen to this Psalme is common to fifteene Psalmes together 2 Wherfore these fifteene Psalmes are entitled Psalmes of degrees 3 The most followed opinion 4 What was figured by the stepps of the Temple and consequently by these Psalmes of degrees 5 Many excellencies of this Psalme 6 The more deepe we are suncke into sinne the more forceably we must cry 7 The degrees or steps of a sinner falling and sincking from GOD. 8 This Psalme conteineth a plaine prophecy of the Messias 9 It is a Penitentiall Psalme and wherefore 10 The parts thereof THis Psalme is intitled a Psalme of degrees or of ascending A title not proper to this Psalme alone but common to fifteene together whereof the first is the 120. the last the 134. But wherefore they are termed Psalmes of degrees as writers doe much vary in their opinions so all agree that it is not much materiall to know for that it pertaineth not to any point of doctrine but to some ceremonie in singing them whatsoeuer it was Some are of opinioÌ„ that they are so entiled because the Leuits or Priests did sing them in some conspicuous place wherto the ascent was by steps or degrees Others that because they are very short they are compared to so many degrees Others that they tooke that name from the tunes wherwith they were appointed to be sung which might be in a kinde of graduall ascending Others that they serued to distinguish the parts of the diuine seruice vsed by the Iewes and to bring the same as it were by steps to an end But the most followed opinion is that they were so called â—ecause they were sung vpon the fifteen steps of the ascent to the Temple at such time as the high Priest entred the Sanctum Sanctorum Now because as Saint Paul saith all things happened to the Iewes in figures these steps of the Temple and consequently these Psalmes of degrees are a type and shadow of our ascending to the eternall Temple and habitation of GOD which is not by a start but by many degrees rising alwaies from one vertue to another vntill we arriue at the happy end of our hope euen to the vision of Almightie GOD. The same also was figured by the ascent to the glorious seat of Solomon which consisted of six steps or degrees And likewise by the ladder which the strong wrestler Iacob saw in a vision extending from earth to heauen which could not but consist of very many steps wherby we are giuen to vnderstand that no man can attaine this happy height no man can climbe the ladder at the top whereof the LORD doth stand but by degrees of many vertues whereof euery one hath many steps But hereof more shall be said vpon the sixt verse of this Psalme This is an excellent Psalm for any man who is charged with crosses and calamities of this life For it leadeth vs to the true cause of our calamities namely our sins And therby directeth vs to the true remedy by crying to GOD. Not vpon trust of any worthines or worth in our selues but vpon humble acknowledgement of our miserable weakenesse trusting only in the mercy of GOD whereof he hath made many liberall promises and in the vnmeasurable merits of our Redemption It further teacheth vs to expect the LORD patiently neuer to suspect him neuer to respect any other thing And albeit he deferre his reliefe yet we must still preferre our complaints and both earlie and earnestlie addresse our selues to him nothing doubting but that with him is mercy that his redemption is plenteous and largly sufficient for all our sins But the more deepe we are sunke in sin the more forceably must we cry euen as the more inueterate a disease is the more strong must be the medicine For assuredly as the righteous approaching daily to GOD aduance into heaueÌ„ by degrees so sinners falling from GOD since downward by degrees into many deepe dangers and the deeper he sincketh in sinne the deeper he diues into danger vntill at last he plung into the horrible pit of hell The first step of his deep falling is a deliberate consent to motiues of sinne Next ensueth his busie endeauour in searching time and opportunitie to accomplish the sinne And then it is time to cry vnto GOD. After this the act followeth and that requireth a greater crie Then frequencie of acts draweth into custome and the longer the custome hath beene the deeper is the descension albeit the sinner be not alwaies sensible thereof and the harder is he to bee raised againe euen as a beast lying in the mire although it seemeth to lie at ease yet the longer it lyeth the deeper it sinketh and the more hardly can it struggle foorth And therefore this degree cryeth for a vehement cry Now beneath this another followeth when the sinner reioyceth and boasteth of his sinne and then he is sunke exceeding deepe beyond the bounds of feare and of shame two strong reines against disordred desires When the Diuell hath gained this point of a sinner hee hath then brought him into a sad and sencelesse securitie he is then so farre from crying to GOD that scarce any cry will stirre him The next ensueth when the sinner will defend his sinne and endeauour to make others to be of his manner and whosoeuer falleth into this profunditie he falleth thereby into contempt He contemneth GOD he contemneth his own soule he contemneth al remedies he contemneth all meanes of his
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
white there is no sinner so Aethiopian blacke but by the blowes of aduersitie will change his hue VVhat knowest thou not that holy men the ancient worthies of the world sailed for the most part with the winde in their face And haddest thou rather be euer without GOD then with aduersity to attaine him A good rider will exercise his horse daily to keepe him in breath and to holde him able to performe good seruice and so GOD dealeth with those whom hee hath conuerted to his seruice A Bee drowned in honie put into vineger reuiueth a-againe and so GOD dealeth with those whom hee intendes to conuert Their soules stifled in the pleasures of this world must with sharpe medicines be reduced to life Both those must patiently looke and wait for the LORD Patience is a great part of discretion An impatient sicke man maketh a cruell Physition It is a preseruatiue of other vertues as ashes preserue fire from extinguishing so patience preserueth other vertues from languishing and decay Other vertues without patience are like desolate and friendlesse widowes Patience is a hid treasure deepely couered with silence It is a most acceptable sacrifice to GOD. without patience wee shall not enioy the promises of GOD without patience wee enioy not our selues For without it we haue neither dominion nor possession in our owne soules because by patience we possesse our soules But patience must bee coupled with trust which rightly laide vpon GOD hath euer beene in steade of merit For it giueth both vnderstanding in this present life and the holy mountaine of GOD euen eternall life in the world to come But this trust is not a naked expectation of somewhat to ensue it resteth not onely vpon the verity of the promises of GOD but vpon the interest that wee haue in them and so it is accompanied with faith For as Amber hath no smell of it selfe but mingled with muske smelleth most sweetly so trust of it selfe is altogether vnsauoury but put faith to it and nothing is either more pleasant or more assured Who soeuer is well acquainted with this trust the more violent tempests beat vpon him the more will he trust Euen as the more strokes are set with a hammer vpon a naile the more stiffely doeth it sticke Albeit he were with Daniel in the Lions denne albeit with Ionas in the VVhales belly yet would hee trust Of this trust the VVise man hath made a kinde of generall Proclamation in these words Be it knowen to all nations and people that no man euer trusted in GOD and was confounded O GOD most faithfull in thy promise O most mercifull LORD was neuer man hitherto confounded who trusted in thee And shall I most meeke GOD be the first It cannot bee Peraduenture I am not so sorrowfull for my sinnes as others haue bin peraduenture I am not so assured in trust yet my desire is to bee no lesse sorrowfull no lesse assured then they My will is good I would faine bee an vnfained penitent Blessed LORD If neither my sorrow nor my trust be so perfect as they should bee thy goodnesse may easily either encrease them or supplie their defect And therefore most lowly I entreat thee to sincke my soule more deepe into sorrow that thereby I may more strongly rise into true trust and then I shall not be confounded Now this trust must not bee grounded vpon any imaginarie or seeming power not vpon riches honour or anie other vanishing vanitie of the world but vpon the word of GOD which abideth for euer All things vnder the Moone are like the Moone it selfe inconstant and changing euery day yea heauen and earth shall passe but the word of the LORD shall neuer passe And therefore O distressed soule forsake not the veritie to follow vanitie Trust not to the course comforts of the world more bitter then the waters of Hiericho Such bitter waters make barren land the ground will neuer be fruitfull that is watered with them But trust in his word euen in the infallible promises of GOD which will neuer deceiue So surely as thou findest sanctitie in his woâ—kes so surely shalt thou finde veritie in his wordes If GODS word could deceiue then could GOD lie but this is repugnant to his nature this he cannot doe As he cannot die as he cannot erre so hee cannot lye But haply thou wilt say that GOD is Omnipotent and may doe whatsoeuer he will It is true GOD is Omnipotent But I will tell thee what GOD cannot doe GOD cannot lye either by himselfe or by his messengers If GOD could lye by himselfe then were he not GOD for GOD is trueth Neither is he thereby the lesse Omnipotent it iâ— impotencie and not Omnipotencie to lie If hee could lye by his messengers then some contrarietie might be espied in the holy Scriptures which hitherto could not bee found Assuredly the word of the LORD is more immoueable then the poles of heauen then the centre of the earth Let the heauens be foulded together let the earth dissipate into dust let the nature of all things dissolue the word of the LORD shall constantly remaine O infallible O vnresistable veritie without either actiue or passiue deceit O true GOD O essentiall veritie who canst no lesse cease to be true then to bee whose diuine wordes can neuer fall without effect As they giue the wounde so also the salue to cure it bee it neuer so deadly LORD thou hast promised remission of sinnes if vnfainedly wee abhorre them thou hast promised thy grace if by griefe and sorrow we be truely disposed to receiue it I haue thy word and that is thy selfe I here arrest thy gracious word and therewith thy selfe I will neuer release this debt I will neuer discharge thee without performance Wherefore O redeemed soule approach with trust to the throne of grace approach without feare albeit thou hast offended albeit thy sinnes haue prouoked wrath Hee hath obliged himselfe by his word he hath made himselfe thy debter by his promise neuer doubt but hee will truely discharge his credite but he will faithfully performe whatsoeuer he hath mercifully promised Trust in his word hope in hiâ— mercie but take this with thee Vnlesse thou repent thy sinnes vnlesse thou cleanse thy heart vnlesse thou wash it with teares of contrition thy trust will deceiue thee thy hope will faile thou shalt neuer attaine thy expected desire In vaine doth he trust in the promise of GOD who doth not repent and forsake his sinnes The trust of an obstinate sinner who pastureth in his sinnes and thinkes to bee saued without repentance is no true trust but proud presumption Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and put thy trust in the LORD First offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse which cannot bee done so long as thou continuest in sinne and then put thy trust in the LORD But what is this sacrifice of righteousnesse It is thus described by the Apostle
FLY FROM EVEL DOE GOOD DAVIDS teares By Sr John Hayward knight Doc. of Lawe LONDON Printed by John Bill 1623. TO THE READER HAuing finished my SANCTVARIE and finding it to haue taken roote and life for some continuance I could not conceiue any better imployment of those houres which I haue resolued to sequester for exercises in this kinde then in making my conceptions legible vpon those Psalmes of DAVID which liuely describe both the forme and the force of true repentance Partly in regard of the generall dignity of the whole Booke of Psalmes largely extolled by many but chiefly in regard of the eminent excellency of these Penitentiall Psalmes which heereafter I entend particularly to declare And heerein I aime at no priuate end but designe and resigne my endeuors wholly to the Glory of the All-powerfull GOD to whom Glory is so proper that nothing is more repugnant to reason then either not to attribute it to him or to seeke to draw it to our selues For albeit GOD who is all fulnesse and perfâ—ction cannot receiue accesse or increase yet by praysing and blessing his exteriour workes we enlarge and spread his glory to others This praise and glory because we cannot incorporate into his essence whereto no addition can bee made we are sayd to attribute to his NAME For the NAME of a thing is separate and externall from the thing which it serueth to signifie and neither a part nor of the substance therof But we on the other side are inwardly hollow and empty and alwaies wanting some amendment Wherefore we haue enough to doe to labour in repairing that We must not play our part for exteriour shewes but inwardly within our selues where no eies shine but our owne Otherwise we shal be like to an Egge long couered with salt the shell wherof wil be faire and sound but the inward substance altogether consumed Or like an vnwise hunger-starued beggar more desirous of a faire garment then of necessary meat Hee who seekes himselfe abroade who regardes more what hee is to to others then to himselfe who doth honestly because he would be so esteemed shall neuer produce profitable effect As the intention is vaine so wil be the euent But if constantly wee pursue reason and piety let approbation of others follow if it please as neither vainly desired so not rigidly to be contemned Much lesse must they expect any benefit by their trauailes who retire themselues to priuate studies For they liue not out of themselues they study not other mens humours they applie not their thoughts to the time And this is the reason wherfore many well esteemed for sufficiency whose vertue forbids them to be base hang vnder the wheele and cannot aduance Yea sometimes it happeneth that whilest they are most honestly busied men of scornefull and beggarly ignorance separate from all imitable qualities or endeauours will be nimble to nippe from them such small matters as they haue I confesse I haue beene bitten by some such Vipers who thinke nothing sufficient that they haue nothing dishonest that they doe But I enuie not the grauell in any mans throat It sufficeth for mee that I haue attained a quiet contented life free either from anguish in my selfe or enuie at others free either from wishing great matters or wanting some small a life fit for serious cogitations The rich compositions of Ancient times I reuerence and admire they doe not only satisfie but astonish mee I see them not to the depth but I see them so farre that I conceiue the farthest reach of our age cannot neerely approach them Of my owne productions neuer any did fully content mee and the approbation of others is no warrant to my owne iudgement tender and seuere in what I doe They may happily bee somewhat sprinkled ouer but throughly died I conceiue they are not And in case any thing be excusable in them it is not in regard of themselues but in comparison of some other form-lesse vnsinewie writings whereto notwithstanding I finde good allowance to bee giuen Assuredly knowing my owne ignorance and defects I wonder much at the constant assurance of many others But modestie forbids vs to speake good or ill of our selues I haue heere vndertaken a difficult taske in writing vpon these high parts of Scripture I did put forth two of these psalmes at the first for an assay as before I did the like in my Sanctuary And finding some acceptation I haue now added a third and intend to proceede in some of the rest And wherein I finde no encouragement from others I will remaine satisfied with my owne contentments For by entertayning my thoughts in these sweet retreits how many tedious and friuolous cogitations haue I auoyded How many indignities and discontentments haue I therein buried Let others hungerly hunt after fauour and wealth the common drudgery of the world let them spend their spirit and honestie in vnciuill vnderminings I desire and pray that this heauenly harmony may alwayes ring in my eares that I may close the last period of my life with one of these songs of Sion Nunquid Zimri pax c. HOM. Il. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TAM grauis ille mihi nigri quam limina ditis Ore aliud qut fert aliud sub pectore celat AS dale of death so doe I hate that kinde whose tongue from thought whose mouth dissents from minde DAVIDS TEARES PSALME VI. O LORD rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure 2 Haue mercy vpon me O LORD for I am weake O LORD heale me for my bones are vexed 3 My soule is also sore troubled but LORD how long wilt thou punish me 4 Turne thee O LORD and deliuer my soule Oh saue mee for thy mercies sake 5 For in death no man remembreth thee and who will giue thee thankes in the pit 6 I am weary of my groning euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares 7 My beauty is 〈◊〉 for very trouble and worne away because of all mine enemies 8 Away from me all yee that worke vanity for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping 9 The LORD hath heard my petition the LORD will receiue my prayer 10 All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall bee turned backe and put to shame suddenly Of the title and parts of this PSALME 1 THE inscription of this Psalme 2. The Authour thereof 3. Wherefore Dauid watered his bed with teares 4 Our conflicts in this life and the weapons thereof 5 Wherefore the iust are sayd to flourish like a palme tree 6 Wherefore this Psalme is intituled To him that vanquisheth 7. The parts of this Psalme THis is the first of those Psalms which are called Penitentiall and according to the version of Saint Hierome and of Felix beareth this inscription or title A Psalme of Dauid to him that vanquisheth pro octaua 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
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
to kindle O desire of my soule thou knowest my tribulations my thoughts lie naked in thy sight thou seest how for thee my heart sorroweth my breast sigheth mine eie weepeth my body fainteth and my soule languisheth And wherfore tariest thou wherfore dost thou prolong my longing wherefore dost thou martyr me with delay VVhy sufferest thou me thus long to be vexed Is the cause heereof in thee or is it in my selfe Are thy mercies spent is thy louing kindnesse at an end wilt thou no more bee intreated by sinners or am I only cancelled out of thy conceit No no I doe not so feelinglie want thee I doe not so ardentlie desire thee as my case requires Verelie the cause is in my selfe and not in thee There is some trespasse in my teares my sorrow is seasoned with some sinne thou seest some cause for which I cannot see thee else wouldest thou not thus estrange thy selfe else thus thou wouldest not giue me ouer I am rather vnworthy to entertaine thee then thou vnwilling to come vnto mee VVell then I will still stir vp the coales of my dull deuotion I will heape on more fewell I will not cease blowing vntill it rise to a full and constant flame I will not entreat onely but I will importune thee I will wrestle with thee as Iacob did with the Angel I will not let thee goe vntill thou blesse me VERS IIII. Turne thee O LORD and deliuer my soule Oh saue me for thy mercies sake 1 A Prayer 2 The pleasures of this life how vnprofitable they are 3 The great distance betweene GOD and a sinner 4 How brought together 5 How grieuous it is to be separate from GOD. 6 An earnest desire of the soule after GOD. 7 The absence of GOD worse then his anger 8 How GOD is to be desired 9 What mooueth GOD to pitie and relieue 10 The great mercy of GOD. 11 To whom his mercy is properly due 12 Mercy to sinners is a due 13 GOD is most liberall and wherefore 14 How wee should desire GOD to turne to vs his face O Come mercifull LORD come and turne vpon me thy fauourable face come exercise vpon me the worke of mercie Regard me not as sinfull but as sorrowfull for my sin punish not my offences but pity the weaknesse from whence they proceed pity the distresse whereinto they haue cast me pitifullie regard my weakenesse and distresse For I feele my soule plunged in a vast sea of sinne I feele how fast it sinketh how violentlie it is swallowed I haue greedily grasped at the floating comforts of this life but I finde no stay in them I finde they rather pester then releeue me I finde them like a flash of lightning in a darke stormy night which serueth to shew the present infelicity and to increase the horror of ensuing darknesse And therefore doe I now streine out my voice and stretch foorth my hand vnto thee for helpe Gladlie would I turne to thee but I am not able for there is so great a distance betweene a sinner and thee that by his owne forces he cannot return and come neere thee Depart from thee and adhere to euill of our selues we may but we cannot forsake euill and turne to thee but by thy speciall power No man by his proper vertue is able to saue and consequently to iustifie himselfe thy grace must alwaies preuent him thou must first call him before he be able to cal vpon thee The beginning of our conuersion must be from thee from thy preuenting and inciting grace And therefore turne to me and then shall I be turned to thee Turne vnto me not by any change in thy selfe for thou art immutable but turne to me by thy goodnesse and grace and I will turne to thee by repentance and amendment of life Oh! how grieuous is it to bee separated and estranged from thee what good can comfort what euill will not annoy when thou art turned away Thou art the rock of my faint faith the anchor of my wauering hope the center of my languishing desire and loue In thee I trust vpon thee I relye I am so earnest in desiring thee that I neither desire nor almost thinke vpon any other thing But where art thou In what cloud doest thou hide thy selfe what meanest thou to suspend thy comfort so long to punish my desire so much with delay Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Albeit thou art angrie with me yet would not I haue thee depart from me I had rather enioy thee angrie then not at all because thou art most extreamely angrie when thou turnest from vs. When thou art angrie and present then doest thou instruct vs then reforme vs but when thou turnest from vs then thou giuest vs ouer then thou leauest vs to innumerable and vnauoidable euils Albeit my friends forsake me albeit my enemies persecute me albeit all the societies of men and of Diuels tumult against mee yet doe not thou forsake me doe not thou depart from me For woe to them from whom thou departest But take heed O troubled soule and consider well what thou requirest of the LORD Art not thou a sinner a grieuous sinner is not GOD a searcher of sinnes a grieuous punisher of grieuous sinnes Doest thou not pray to him to turne away his face from thy sinnes Did not holy Iob say where shall I hide me from thy countenance because I haue sinned And wouldest thou haue him turne his face to thee being a most heynous sinner Yes yes I know well enough what I desire I know that GOD hath more faces then one He hath a face of Maiestie which no man can see and liue This face I cannot see He hath a face of iustice This face I would not see It is terrible to sinners this face is vpon them who doe euill to destroy their memoriall from the earth But hee hath another face of compassion and mercie And this face is like the Sunne exceeding full both of beautie and of vertue This face hee hideth from sinners This face I desire to be displayed vpon me be it neuer so cloudie neuer so angrie the anger of this face is to make sinners pure LORD make this face to shine vpon mee and be mercifull to mee LORD this face doe I seeke oh hide not thou thy face from mee nor cast away thy seruant in displeasure Come come gracious LORD with-hold no longer O water of life O shower of our saluation distill into mee one drop of thy dewe Seeing I am nothing without thee let me taste the benefit of being thine I desire thee and not thine for thy selfe not for thy gifts I desire thee onely not thee for any thing nothing for thee nothing with thee nothing beside thee Come deliuer my soule from the chaines of sinne wherewith I am bound to satisfie the rigour of thy iustice by eternall death and damnation Deliuer me from long custome
things bâ—fore thy face euen in this life in which time thy face shineth vpon vs in which time wee walke before thy face and may easilie obtaine thy mercie But the wicked after death are cast behind thy backe they are drowned in perpetuall obliuion neuer to be remembred either for pardoÌ„ or forbearance They are as the handfull behind the backe of the Mower which no man gathereth When hay falleth before the face of the Mower it maie be gathered vp againe but when it falleth behind his backe it is not regarded it is cast awaie and perisheth During this life whilest wee are before thy face we may easilie be recouered and restored to mercie but afterdeath no hope of reliefe no expectation but of iudgment The LORD commanded that if any man had sold a house in a walled city within a yere he should haue power to redeeme it But after the yere his power to buy it againe was cut off Now if for the pleasures of sin we haue sold our eternall habitatioÌ„ not made with hands we haue power to redeem it by repentaÌ„ce during the yere of our life that tearm expired we haue no abilitie to recouer it again Then shall that of the Prophet take place Doest thou shew wonders among the dead or shall the dead rise againe and praise thee shall thy louing kindnes be shewed in the graue or thy faithfulnes in â—estruction shall thy wondrous works be shewen in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land where all things are forgotten Assuredlie as after death teares are fruitlesse repentance vnprofitable as after death no mercy is to be expected nothing but misery nothing but wrath so is it doubtful very daÌ„gerous that our teares sighes groanes are of little force at the verie neere approach of death whether by age or by extremities of disease For at that time when our powers are either distracted or spent when wee lie either struggling or panting vnder the arrest of death when no part is free either from the sence or feare of his cruell gripe we may well be said to be in death or at least wise in such a condition and state as doth lesse participate of life then of death And therfore it is doubtfull at the least lest at that time we shall not remember thee lest our repentance at that time shal be too late A good husband will repaire his house whilest the weather is faire and not deferre vntill Winter shall approach a carefull Pilote will furnish his ship whilest the seas are calme and not staie till tempests are in rage and a prouident man will repent his sinnes in the seasonable time of health and strength and not protract vntill he be in the very armes and embracements of death when manie occasions may cut from him either his mind or power or time to repent For we haue iust cause to feare that if we would not when we might we shall not be able when we would that by our will to doe euill we maie happilie loose the power to doe good that in trouble and necessitie we shall not find that helpe which in prosperitie and peace we did not endeauour to prouide This hath our Sauiour declared by a familiar example For that no king making warre with one stronger then himselfe but will indeauour to haue peace whilest his enemie is farre off And not expect vntill the sword shall threaten his throat Darest thou then O vnfortunate worme O improuident sinner Who makest war against the omnipotent LORD who hath all the powers in heauen earth and hell at his command darest thou I say deferre the making of thy peace with him vntill the point of his furious approach Vntill the very houre of his encounter How vaine is thy confidence How sottish thy sence Wherefore wilt not thou make thy peace in time whilest he is far off Wherfore wilt thou not intreat his mercy before thou coÌ„mest to feele his power Assuredly the day will come when thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber from one auoidance to another to hide thee and yet shalt find neither couert nor defence Alas who dares trust to the broken reede of extreame sickenesse or age bruised by originall but altogether broken by our actuall sinnes Repentance is often vnprofitable euen in the best time and state of our life by reason of defect of a right intention therefore we haue good cause not to trust to this late and last time of repentance For if Esau could not finde repentance albeit hee sought it with Teares how reasonable may wee suspect our extreame late seeking for repentance Not because true repentance is euer too late but because late repentance is seldome true as proceeding rather from feare then from loue from necessitie rather then from willingnesse and desire rather outwardly pretended then intended from the heart LORD turne to me and deliuer my soule Enlighten my vnderstanding from this grosse darkenesse free my desires from these massie yron fetters of â—inne That I may turne to thee in the seasonable time of sanity and strength and not deferre the waighty worke of my repentance vntill either by long custome of sinne or by debilitie of bodie and minde I shall not be able to thinke on thee VERS VI. I am weary of my groning euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares 1. ASsurance from the Iustice and power of GOD. 2 Iustice requireth not a double condemnation 3 The arraignment of a conscious soule 4 When sinnes hurt vs. 5 A true resolution 6 The vertue of perseuerance 7 Repentance must be answerable to our fall 8 Teares a precious liquor and wherin chiefly to be bestowed 9 An incitement for teares 10 When teares are profitable 11 A prayer addressed with teares NOT onely thy mercy and wisedome may mooue thee to saue me not onely doe I relie and rest vpon them but I haue found a hony combe in the mouth of a Lion thy iustice and thy power which were so terrible to me affoord me also great comfort and assurance For tell mee if thy iuâ—tice findeth a man condemned and vnder execution what will it then doe Surely it will prosecute no further it will put vp the sword and be at peace Thy iustice requireth not a double condemnation it sufficeth that an offender hath iudgement once thou neuer iudgest them whom thou findest iudged But I am now iudged alreadie I haue preuented thy iudgement by iudging my selfe Behold O searcher of hearts how my sinfull soule hath beene arraigned at the barre of mine owne iudgement how by the euidence of my conscience it is found guilty of many grieuous offences against thee against many men and against it selfe How it is committed close prisoner to sorrow How by solemne sentence it is enioined neuer to cease groaning neuer to cease weeping vntill it hath procured thy pardon Loe now I am come to thy presence and put vp my penitent
melted with this heat of loue For as water taken from pits and welles vpon the earth is not so fruitfull to make hearbes thriue as raine water which falleth from heauen Insomuch as some plants growing in the middest of waters will wither and die for want of raine so teares which proceede from terrene respects make not the soule so flourishing and fruitfull in grace as teares which fall for the loue of GOD. Such were the teares of the sinfull woman who watered her masters feet with her teares who with the teares of her body cleansed her soule For to her many sinnes were forgiuen not principally in regard of her teares but because shee loued much VERS IX The LORD hath heard my petition the LORD will receiue my prayer 1 HOW easie GOD is to heare and to pardon 2. No sooner can wee dispose our selues to aske but wee receiue from GOD some taste of his fauour 3. Wherefore sometimes GOD deferreth for a time 4. Inequality betweene GODS disposition and ours 6. The trophee of repentant Teares 7. Our miseries turned to medicines 8. The world how to be esteemed 9. The experience of GODS liberality and loue what it worketh 10. Experience surmounteth reason 11 The condition of our assurance 12. When GOD cannot be intreated 13. What giueth wings to our prayers what weigheth them downe O Incredible clemency and mercy How commeth it O LORD that thou art so ready to heare vs so easie to pardon vs did my sorrow sit so neere thy heart wert thou so stricken with the wounds of my soule by seeing them bleed so fast at mine eyes Thou hast now finished my feares assured my hopes perfected my ioyes satisfied my desires Oh! how good is the LORD Is any like vnto the most high who comforteth the afflicted healeth the wounded reuiueth the dead Is any other like vnto him Learne O ye feeble soules how amiable the LORD is how mercifull how mild how hee visiteth his seruants how hee neuer disdayneth to impart himselfe to them Scarce O LORD can we dispose our selues to craue forgiuenesse scarce open our lips scarse addresse our selues to sue to thee for mercy but we receiue some taste of thy fauour When we are comming to thee slowly and farre off thou runnest to meete vs thou embracest vs in the armes of thy loue thou giuest vs the comfortable kisses of peace Or if thou doest deferre thy comfort and consolations for a time it is to send them in greater abuÌ„dance it is that the long absence thereof with little hope and great desire should make thy presence the more esteemed O infinite inequality betweene my disposition and thine I am rash in offending thee and thou art ready to remit mine offences I runne apace to dishonour thee and thou hastest more fast to receiue me to grace I haue searched all places euen the bottome of the sea euen the bowels of the earth to minister foment and food to my sensuall desires And when these pleasures had poysoned my soule when I was in a maze of troubles vnder a Masse of dangers when I was at the very point to perish in a moment thou diddest pierce the heauens and come downe for my deliuerance Thou diddest not only deliuer me and set me free but thou diddest comfort and reuiue my languishing soule euen as a hot Bath refresheth the limbs of a poore tired traueller Behold now the Trophee of my repentant teares see how my sorrow triumpheth ouer my sinnes My hope which was weighed downe with the leaden plumets of sinne is now at liberty now full of liuely courage and ioy The LORD hath heard my petition I haue not sorrowed and prayed in vaine I haue obtained pardon I haue receiued grace he hath not been strange of his fauour he hath not been sparing of his mercy towards me All my former discomforts and miseries are turned to the nature of medicines They haue been like bitter Pils to purge superfluous and corrupt humors they haue been like Aloes and VVormewood to weane me from the teaâ—es of this world O world which hast bewitched so many blinded so many Thou wert nothing at thy beginning thy light is but a shadow thou art but a smoke in thy greatest height in shew somewhat but in substance nothing Thou art sweet to fooles thou art either bitter or without rellish to wise men VVhosoeuer loueth thee neuer knew thee whosoeuer knoweth thee doth either loath or contemne thee And because now I haue large experience both of the liberality and loue of GOD I will not hereafter be dismayed I will not be discouraged I will assume assurance that whensoeuer I call vpon him the LORD will receiue my prayer Albeit I see nothing but punishments and the worst of punishments feares albeit I finde no comfort yet will I hope I will rather thinke that all my sences are mistaken then faile in hope I will first let goe my life before I will let goe my hope My reason may be vanquished but by experience is stronger then reason my experience cannot be ouercome Approued experience will not be encountered by reason it prescribeth rules and limits to reason it is guided by no Law but by it selfe It hath armed me against all despaires discouragements or distrusts Albeit reason may discourse that I haue so often prouoked the wrath of GOD and wearied his patience that he cannot but now reiect my prayer yet experience doth warrant mine infirmity that the goodnesse of GOD is such that whatsoeuer petitions and importunities I offer he will neuer be weary to heare them neuer vnwilling to grant them that the more we draw of this fountaine the fuller are the waters and the sweeter their taste All this is vnder one condition if wee abandon our sinne For onely our sinne onely our perseuerance in sinne doeth hinder the approach of our prayers to GOD. GOD is neuer inexorable but when man is incorrigible when man will not be amended then cannot GOD bee entreated Wee haue sinned and prouoked thee to wrath therefore thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through Lam. 3. For when we come to entreate him armed with those weapons wherewith wee did offend him when our hearts are bathed in vncleannesse when our hands smoke with the blood of our sinnes how should he heare our prayers how should he not abhorre them So long as the broken Iron remaineth in a wound it is but a vaine labour to applie plaisters to cure it Of no greater force aâ—e our prayers and all other religious actions or endeauours so long as sinne remaineth in the wounds of our will so long as the pleasure of sinne sticketh fast in our purposes and desires For as we can neuer qualifie our thirst with drinke whilest our stomacke is stuffed with such bilious humours as by drinking enflame the greater thirst so our soules shall neuer bee refreshed with the goodnesse and mercie of GOD whilest it is full of the poysonous purpose
of sinne Such a soule is a soile which the more dewe it receiueth the more weedes it bringeth forth But if wee be grieued for our sinnes If we groane vnder their weight if we wrestle against their malice and power albeit the clouds were of Iron and the heauens of brasse our penitent praiers will pierce them The LORD will receiue our prayers Verelie a religious life giueth spirituall wings to our prayers It maketh them flie like lightning to the presence of GOD. But â—inne weigheth them downe and so much the more by how much the more our life is reprooueable VERS X. All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddenly 1 OVR enemies shall bee confounded and how 2. The wicked when chiefly vexed at the prosperity of the godly 3. They shall be extreamely confounded at the mercy of GOD and wherefore 4. Delay in sinne maketh the conuersion to grace more hard 5. GOD turneth to the wicked and to the godly in a different sort 6. A short prayer 7. How sinners must seeke 8. And what they shall finde 9. A resolution not to stay one houre in sin AND what now shall mine enemies doe They shall bee altogether confounded First with vexation at my happy estate afterwards with shame at their owne repulse at their sudden ouerthrow at their perpetuall deiection They shall be anguished to see their hopes and expectations faile to see my misery changed to felicity to see their iniury so much the more cruell because vniust turne to my honour to see him whom they thought to ruinate whom they had fully destined to death more highly aduanced then euer hee was before They are generally vexed with the prosperous condition of any man but more especially if hee be godly but most grieuously if they professe to prosecute him with open hate The prosperity of such a man is more grieuous to them then their owne calamitie But when they shall further see that he hath not onely auoided their attempts but preuailed against them that the omnipotent arme of the LORD dasheth them downe that mountaines of misery do ouerwhelme them the more apparant their fall shall be to all men the more shamefull will it bee to themselues And further the exceeding mercy and goodnesse of GOD shall extremely confound them For the more gracious and mercifull the LORD is in hearing and receiuing sinners the more they shall be confounded if they continue obstinate in their euill if they will not repent and turne vnto him They shall be confounded I say because when they nothing doubt of the goodnesse of GOD yet do they either not esteeme it or suppose to haue it at pleasure and will For nothing shall more confound sinners then that knowing as well the riches of GODS mercies as his gracious goodnesse which openeth to all which inuiteth all which intreateth all to participate therof Yet they remaine either altogether carelesse or heauy and dull in comming to him they either proudly contemne or with false flateries and hopes delay to repent which the longer they deferre the more incapable are they made of Grace For as a brand newly quenched will readily take fire but the longer it remaineth extinguished the more hardly can it be kindled againe so in a sinner the first decaying and dying of grace may easily be quickened but the longer he continueth dead in sin the harder will he be reuiued to Grace Alas they ioyed at my griefe and iested at my groning they made themselues merry with my misery and built the trophees of their victory vpon my ruines and disgrace They did swim in the delights of this world whilest I bathed my selfe with teares whilest I chastised and euill entreated my rebellious flesh But now Oh shame they shall be turned to another straine Their ioy shall be turned to smart and sorrow their pride to contempt their insolencie to ignominie and reproach And as the LORD hath sodainely turned his fauour to me so his fury shall sodainely be turned to them The wrath of the LORD like a sodaine tempest will strike in their faces It will astonish them it will cast them downe it will consume them Before thunder goeth lightning saith the wiseman and no lesse truely may it be said that after lightning commeth thunder What is lightning but the flashes of pleasure in this life beautifull but short The pleasures of this life are like the momentary flashes of lightning sodainely gone and seruing for nothing but to increase the terrour of ensuing darkenes And the more bright the lightning is the more deepe is the darkenesse the more dreadfull the thunder which is sodainely to ensue Assuredly they shall be turned indeed For if they will not turne vnto thee thou wilt turne them to confusion and shame O most mercifull most iust GOD most powerfull most prone and ready to helpe How louing a Father art thou to forsaken Orphanes how fauourable a Iudge to distressed sinners how sure a friend to those who loue thee to those who trust in thee They shall finde thee liberall aboue their deserts aboue the highest of their desires a measurer of thy gifts not by their worthinesse but by thine owne goodnesse Come hither all feeble sinners whose consciences are afraid of your owne suspicions who euer thinke you shall be damned come learne of me what sinners may find and how sinners must seeke learne by my affections to obtaine the like effects Rise earelie in the morning of thy good motions let them not sleepe too long in sloath Search thine owne soule diligently let faith bee thine eye hope thy guide loue thy light search whether thou canst finde the LORD within thee If thou findest him not there If thou findest that thy sinnes haue chased him away laie thy soule vpon the racke of repentance Wring groanes from thy heart and teares from thine eyes stretch it from heauen to earth vntill perforce thou force it to cry O GOD Feare no encounters for GOD out of GOD desire no comforts let the desire of him either extinguish or ouerrule the desire of all other things Whosoeuer cannot finde GOD hee doeth not thus seeke him whosoeuer hath not the like ioy to mine he neuer had the like sorrow and desire As for me who feele my selfe freed from this both pressing and piercing weight from this loathsome load of sinne who feele my selfe cheered with the liuelie light of grace I will not remaine hereafter one houre in sinne one houre in the hatred of my Creator I will forget all things and among them my selfe and thinke of him who thus hath saued me As the highest heauen draweth all the inferiour with the sway thereof albeit they haue naturally a contrary course so my reason enabled by grace shall draw all my appetites the whole frame of my inward man albeit they haue properly a contrary inclination Gracious GOD addresse all the instruments of my voice to sing praises to thee
extenuate our sinnes 11 How we excuse them 12 Temptations cannot excuse vs and wherefore 13 To whom we are obliged to confesse 14 The conscience of man is GODS Kingdome and Consistorie 15 We should not be ashamed that men take knowledge that we haue sinned 16 Pleasures of the body what they are like 17 Our confession must be entire 18 Our lightest sinnes must be confessed 19 Our sweetest sinnes must be confessed 20 One sinne sufficient to vndoe vs. THen I aduanced my selfe to the second forme of repentance From contrition I proceeded to acknowledgement and confession of my sinnes Because I saw it was a childish weakenesse rather to perish by the disease then to empty the stomacke of dangerous humours to suffer sores rather to putrefie and spread then to endure the cleansing and curing of them rather to endure a perpetuall toothach then to haue the tooth pulled foorth And seeing it was for this cause that GOD was so seuere against mee namely for that I would not acknowledge my sinnes seeing by no other meanes I could wrestle out of those difficulties wherinto his displeasure had cast me I forthwith resolued to turn to my GOD and to turne forth my heart vnto him to powre out all the putrefaction of my soule before his pure eyes to open my Conscience and giue a vent to those filthy fumes which had almost stifeled my soule which were more loathsome more infectious then is the damp of dead putrified bodies In a word to say with holy Iob If I haue hid my sinne as Adam concealing my iniquity within my bosome So I presented my selfe before his diuine Maiesty with the same countenance wherewith a poore distressed patient full of impostumes Fistulaes and vgly vlcers presenteth himselfe to an expert Chyrurgian And being prepared to endure both the paine of the corosiue and point of the lance I thus addressed my speech vnto him O LORD my GOD most rich most liberall most mercifull GOD who sitting aboue the Seraphims with thy eyes farre brighter then the Sun piercest all depthes and discouerest all things naked and open to thy view Thou O LORD who art so powerfull and yet so pitifull to that which thou hast made that thou hearest and regardest miserable sinners Graciously behold be fauourably attentiue to me I beseech thee Behold mee thy miserable creature not in anger not in iustice but in compassion and mercy not as a seuere Iudge but as a skilfull and carefull Physician not to punish my infirmities but graciously to cure them O mercifull GOD no lesse infinite in Mercy then in Maiestie In goodnesse and in greatnesse vnmeasurable alike Behold my exceeding great miseries my exceeding great but not infinite miseries not such as can beare any proportion against thy mercies For betweene great and infinite there standeth no proportion O infinite goodnes mercie I am in a most miserable estate yet how to better it caÌ„not tel My doubtfull and perplexed thoughts doe wildely wander in a maze of amazement And this is nothing else in effect but to beat out with what torments I am likest to perish Alas O my GOD wilt not thou relieue mee in these extremities wilt not thou release me O infinite goodnes With al humilitie I entreate thy ayd not vpon any coÌ„fidence in my selfe but faith hope two twins of thy brest who neuer yet haue either let fall or bin denied any suit haue guided mee hither and set me before thee Loe they remaine still present with mee They encourage me they assure me that the more miserable we feele our selues to be the more fit we are to receiue thy mercies and the more standeth it with thy iustice to afford vs the same O thou who art both liberall and rich relieue my pouertie O most mercifull and powerfull LORD release my miseries Heare my distressed soule full of wretchednesse but fuller of guiltinesse groaning at thy gate of mercie See how fowlie it is defiled with euill how deepely corruption hath tainted the verie substance thereof how the stamps of sinne by reason of long custome are so firmely imprinted therein as it is a hard matter to deface them I am like an vncleane beast that hath long wallowed in the proper dung whereby both the beautie hath beene defiled and a loathsome taste is fixed in the flesh Alasse I am plunged in sinne as in a sea wherein I neither see banke nor feele bottome wherin my vaine soule at the same time both floateth with the leuity and is drawne downe with the leaden weights of sin O GOD of my saluation my impure soule hath hitherto beene much troubled much endangered and almost stifeled by enclosing her corruptions and not giuing a free passage for them to breake foorth But now I confesse my sinnes I confesse how grieuously I haue offended thy maiestie I haue broken all thy commandements as if they had beene cobwebs and my verie best thoughts haue beene poysoned with taste of things sensuall The poysonous breath of my thoughts euaporated from my sensuall soule hath beene more offensiue and noysome to thee then the dampes that arise from bodies halfe putrefied in their graues Of all thy debtors I confesse that my accompts are greatest that thou hast most to reckon with mee but giue mee respite for repentance and I will satisfie if not thy iustice by payment yet thy mercie by acknowledgement Haue patience a while and by confession I will pay thee all LORD I will not hide my offences for then wilt thou display them I will lay them open that thou maiest hide them I will acknowledge them that thou maiest take no knowledge of them I will not conceale my miserable defects and defections from thee lest thereby I loose first thy pitie and then thy reliefe I will neuer goe about either to abuse or to auoid thee by denying or â—uppressing my sinnes I will no waies extenuate no waies excuse them I will not extenuate them either by fauourable comparing them with the sinnes of other men or by vnderualuing them in their owne nature I will not excuse them by casting the blame vpon any other vpon the malice and power of the Diuell vpon the witchcraft of the world vpon the soft flatteries of the flesh These are the vaine veyles which our first parents vsed The woman gaue it me the serpent deceiued mee But they cannot suffice to shadow our sinnes For they are not able to compell the will they can no wayes enforce the soule Allure it they may but enforce it they caÌ„not they may knock at our gates but they caÌ„not breake in vnles we open to entertaine theÌ„ And therefore I will neuer endeauour to excuse that which my owne conscience conuinceth I will sincerely acknowledge my sinnes I will take the whole blame vpon my selfe I will not transferre any part thereof to any other For my conscience is so torne with the bitings of sinne my soule is so stretched vpon the racke of sorrow that I am
liberality towards me Let others blesse the time of their birth the time wherein some prosperous aduenture did befall the time wherein either they atchieued some great aduantage or else escaped some disastrous euill But I will blesse this happie houre the most happy that possiblie could happen to mee O my GOD encrease the pleasure which I haue conceiued in being displeased with my selfe for displeasing thee Let mee take so great contentment and delight in repentance as euer I did in committing sinne So shall my felicitie approach if not equall the felicitie of thine Angels So shall I bee aduanced from the low condition of my griefe to the high and glorious state of thy grace O eternall GOD O true light of our eies If this be the effect of troubles and griefe if this be the worst of them I will bow my backe and set my shoulder to the load I will not onely endure calamities but I will reioyce in them I will humbly intreate GOD that I may neuer want these assurances both of his loue and of his care I will earnestly inuite them to come vpon me to affoord me their help either in returning or retaining me to GOD. Assuredly a life without aduersities is like a standing puddle a dead sea as tempests preserue water and aire from putrefaction so doe troubles the mind He that neuer tasted of troubles knoweth not himselfe and seemeth to be little regarded of GOD. He knoweth not himselfe because he neuer made proofe what he is able to doe he seemeth little regarded of GOD as a person without courage aud heart vnworthy of combate vnfit for triall He that neuer knew aduersitie is ignorant of the greatest part of the affaires of this life He is exceeding miserable in this that hee neuer knew what misery meant Great vertues delight in trouble as valiant souldiers doe in warre O most louing most rich most liberall LORD How can we be able I will not say to expresse but to vnderstand to imagine thy sweet gentlenesse and loue I did no sooner thinke to returne vnto thee but thou were vpon the way to meet me I did no sooner say that I would confesse my offences but thou diddest open thine armes to receiue mee to mercie I did no sooner call to mind the paines which my sinnes did merit but thou diddest accord to remit the same I expected thy rebukes and thy roddes but I receiued thy kisses I looked that thou wouldest haue thundered foorth thy threats that thy angrie arme would haue dashed mee to dust but thou diddest encounter mee with thy embracements thou diddest entertaine mee with a sumptuous feast Thou diddest more reioice to doe mee good then I heauie beast did to receiue it O fauourable LORD How much more ready art thou to pardon then to punish How much more ready to grant thy pardon then wee to desire it Verelie no louing father can so graciously receiue his childe cast downe at his feet and in the lowest descent of submission crauing his fauor as thou hast graciously receiued me VERS VII For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found but in the great water floodes they shall not come nigh him 1 THE effect of Repentance in regard of the godly 2 All creatures to be entreated to ayde vs in praysing GOD. 3 Especially all the Saints in heauen who haue beene sinners vpon earth 4 Also all the godly vpon earth 5 Who by examples of Mercy shall bee encouraged to resort to GOD. 6 Remission of sinnes is a case reserued onely to GOD. 7 Remission of the least sinne requires no lesse vertue then the creation of the world 8 Resort to GOD must bee in a seasonable time 9 The seasonable time in regard of GOD. 10 The great difference betweene the seasonable time and the time ensuing 11 The seasonable time in regard of our selues 12 The dangers which wee incurre by deferring repentance 13 The doubtfull estate of those who repent very late 14 Late repentance little auailable not by any change in GOD but by defects in our selues 15 It is little better then desperation to sinne vpon confidence of repentance FOR this cause my heart hoppeth with in mee for ioy my spirit is enflamed and my blood boileth with a holy heat both to extoll and extend thy praise My soule glorieth onely in thy goodnes and grace It blameth it accuseth nothing but it selfe It complaineth it crieth out against none but it selfe It is my will it is my actions it is my selfe that I haue lamented But GOD hath beene gracious to mee it is in his grace that I will reioyce Hee hath opened mine eyes to see my owne deformities and defects he hath touched my heart with shame and with griefe hee hath vnlocked my lippes both to confesse my faults and to craue compassion if not so soone as it was requisite yet before it was altogether too late Although I haue lost much time yet hath he not suffered me to lose all although I did not apprehend the first offers of occasion yet did not hee permit it wholly to slip away Praise the LORD O â—y soule whilest I liue will I praise the LORD yea so long as I haue any being will I sing praises to my God c. But because I am not able sufficiently to praise thee I will intreat the ayd of all thy creatures let them all ioine with mee in the sweet harmonie of thy praise Let all thy wind instruments tune to this consort Let euery thing that hath breath praise the LORD Especially I incite to this holy office all thy blessed Saints in heauen who did heeretofore in like sort participate of thy grace and now participate of thy glorie For so many Saints as are now in heauen so many sinners haue beene vpon earth there neuer was nor shall be any but one who may say which of you can reprooue me of sin They all needed thy grace to repent they all receiued thy gift to be forgiuen Let them all bee examined Let them answere freely by whose power they are saued they will all acknowledge It was not our sword and our bow but thy hand and the strength of thy arme that hath gotten vs the victory Also all the godly vpon earth shall praise thee for this example of thy compassion and loue For that thou hast declared thy selfe so prone to pardon so readie to releeue so rich and plentifull in thy reliefe For that thou art not onely easilie entreated to remit our sinnes but prone and bountifull in heaping thy graces and fauours vpon vs. They shall also be encouraged heereby to flie vnto thee to pray vnto thee When their sinnes and offences lie heauie vpon them when they are enuironed and oppressed with distresse they shall neuer despaire neuer distrust to bee both released and releeued by thee Yea euen the most righteous and iust shall for this cause addresse their prayers to thee
cast it into a drunken dreame They soare aboue the sphere of earthly delights they neuer stoope vpon so course carrion but aspire to prey vpon Angels food And they are no lesse free from the dangers of the world then from the delights no more troubled with the feare of the one then with desire of the other They may bee hated but harmed they cannot bee they may bee persecuted but they cannot perish For nothing killeth the soule but sinne sin only is the sword that killeth the soule that soule which sinneth shall die But nothing is sinne vnlesse it be voluntary Take away the will and all actions are equall and therefore a soule doth not perish vnlesse it will vnlesse voluntarilie it committeth euill So it followeth that they cannot perish because they will not Because they will not returne to their sinnes they cannot incurre the penaltie of sinne And this they will not doe because their spirit is gouerned by thy grace because their will is subiect to thy will because thy will and their will are twisted together as it were into a fast twined threed VERS IX I will informe thee and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe and I will guide thee with mine eye THE effects of Repentance in regard of the wicked 2 GOD is most intelligible yet hardest to be vnderstood 3 GOD directeth the vnderstanding 4 Correcteth the will 5 Not only instructeth but leadeth with his hand 6 Enlightneth and guideth with his eie 7 To what end GOD fixeth his eies vpon the righteous 8 The eies of the LORD are working eyes 9 They make a soule both beautifull and rich 10 The incredible goodnesse of GOD. 11 The eyes of the LORD not onely teach but enable 12 A heauenly voice 13 Our eyes must also be firmely fixed vpon GOD. 14 But first they must be made cleane COME hither now all ye who want vnderstanding the very forme and essence of man and I will instruct you I will instruct you in that which is most intelligible and yet hardest to bee vnderstood For as nothing is more visible then GOD yet nothing lesse seene by reason of his exceeding brightnesse so nothing is more intelligible then GOD yet nothing lesse vnderstood by reason of his surpassing greatnesse Come hither I say all yee who know not the trueth all ye who wander out of the right way come hither to me come all ye who are desirous to attaine a happie life whereto all the passage of our life is nothing else but a toylesome trauaile I will enforme you in the pure trueth which experience of mine owne errours hath taught mee I will direct you in the right way which after long wandring I haue beaten out I will point vnto you the cleare Sunne of Life which after many stiffe stormes hath disclosed to me a most louely light whose bright beames haue dispelled all darke pitchie cloudes of despaire and reduced my thoughts to a quiet calme All yee who would taste the great goodnesse of GOD who would be made happie by remission of your sinnes ye who would obtaine his ayde in your necessities his comfort in your distresse heare mee whom experience hath taught Or rather heare the LORD himselfe Listen well what hee saith vnto you and lodge vp his words carefully in your breasts Come vnto me thou miserable man If thou hast any care of thine owne estate If thou hast any loue and desire of thine owne safetie come vnto me and thou shalt see what I will doe for thee I will enforme thy vnderstanding in what errours and in what dangers thou passest thy life and how thou maiest in best manner amend the one and auoid the other I will instruct thee to know the euill which I hate and the good which I require the miseries which awaite the one and the happinesse which is prepared for the other But because men do not commonly offend through want of vnderstanding but through peruersenesse of will For that the knowledge may well bee furnished partly by the benefit of nature and partly by instructions from other men but both these are not of power to rectifie the will and restraine the appetite They may point out the way but they cannot giue either appetite or strength to trauaile therein they may set good meate before thee but they cannot giue a stomacke to eate Come therefore vnto mee and I will not onelie direct thy vnderstanding but I will correct the appetites and inclinations of thy will I wil not onely informe thy iudgement to discerne what is best but I will conforme thy will to embrace and execute what thou doest discerne I will not onely remooue errours from thy knowledge but disorders also and dulnesse from thy desires And because the way which thou pacest is both difficult and darke full of intricate turnings full of rough and broken places wherein thou maiest easily wander or fall full of stoppes to impeach thee full of snares to entangle thy feet some of pride some of auarice some of riot some of lust and other trumperies of the world so as none can escape but by my illustration and aid I will therefore lead thee vpon my hand I will both stay and direct thy steppes I will conduct thee to eternall felicitie and life I will not commit this charge to my Angels but as I did lead my people of Israel in the day by a pillar of a cloud and in the night by a pillar of fire so day and night I will be thy guide In the day of prosperitie with my grace of moderation in the night of aduersitie with my grace of comfort these two pillars shall neuer forsake thee I will remooue all impediments from before thee I will make thy passage both streight and smooth Let great persons of the world send their harbengers before them to make their iournalls both easie and safe But I my selfe will leuell thy way I will remooue and auoide all hinderances I will make thy walke both pleasant and plaine Anchore not thy minde to things of this world Let not thy thoughts bee troubled either with hope or with feare Arrest thy selfe wholy vpon mee and I will take the charge into my hands I will haue a care ouer thee as a father hath ouer his child I will neuer turne my countenance from thee thou shalt walke alwayes in my sight I will firmely fixe mine eyes vpon thee I will watch ouer thee so as nothing shall faile which may aduance thee to a happy life Mine eye shall enlighten thee mine eye shall direct thee mine eye shall furnish thee with all supplies vntill thou arriue at the place where thou shalt want nothing but what thou wouldest not haue where thy aboundance shall equall thy desires O sweete wordes and what frozen heart can receiue them and not bee melted into delight and not bee enflamed with the loue of his creator What Wilt thou fixe thine eyes vpon vs indeede Yes verely The
eyes of the LORD are ouer the righteous The eyes of the LORD are vpon them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy But to what end To deliuer their soules from death and to feede them in the time of dearth Good And so it seemeth that they shall neither perish nor want For they shall bee deliuered from death and fedde in the time of dearth Thine eye is so fixed vpon them that whosoeuer toucheth them to harme them hee toucheth the apple of thine eye All sweete saciety is plentifully powred from thine eyes Assuredly the eyes of the LORD are working eyes grace streameth from his eyes as light and heat streame from the sunne The sunne doeth not so much both adorne and enrich the earth with his illustrous beames as the eyes of the LORD by their influence both enrich and adorne the soule of man as they make it radiant both in pure beauty and in plentie of good workes O mercifull GOD how sweete is thy Spirit What comforts and delights breathe hourely from thee How art thou so enamoured with our sinnefull soules that thou wilt not turne the eyes of thy Maiesty from them How come they so deare vnto thee that neither danger nor want can seize vpon them LORD I am astonished at this vnmeasurable goodnesse my thoughts are so ouerwhelmed and confounded therewith that I am enforced to crie vnto thee What is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him I did once goe astray ouer carried with the company of ordinary men But since the LORD hath vouchsafed to cast his countenance vpon me since he hath turned to me his amiable eie of compassion and grace I haue not only beene instructed what to doe but enabled to performe the same New forces new life hath beene infused into me I haue not only been directed which way to walke but I haue beene guided and supported in that way And now me think this heauenly voice perpetually soundeth in mine eares FEare not behold as I haue infused a soule into thy body so will I infuse my spirit into thy soule to guide all the actions and motions therof that as thou hast a naturall life by the one so thou mayest haue a spirituall life by the other This spirit shall cleere thy vnderstanding encline thy will rule and moderate all thy steps And further mine eye shall not be off thee my hand shall continually support thee euen as yea much more then a carefull mother beareth a vigilant eie and hand ouer her tender childe going in places where it is both easie and dangerous to receiue a fall When I heare this voice I fixe likewise mine eies immoueablie vpon my guide euen as a diligent pilot fixeth his eyes vpon the starre whereby hee steereth the course of his nauigation As the moone receiueth her light from the sun so shall my eyes receiue both their light and their life from those gracious eies I will first make them cleane and then turn them like chrystall glasses to reflect the impression of those glorious lights I will put my selfe into the conduct of him who only both is able and hath promised to guide me to eternall happines I will carefully obserue those louely and liuely lookes which doe so carefully preserue me VERS X. Bee yee not like to horse and mule which haue no vnderstanding whose mouthes must be holden with bitte and bridle lest they fall vpon thee 1 OVR nature requires that wee bee guided by GOD. 2 Other creatures haue some likenesse of GOD and wherein 3 Man beareth his image and how 4 This should mooue vs to applie our selues to GOD. 5 Wherein we should declare a difference betweene vs and bruit beasts 6 To be a man to halfes is the worst condition and wherefore 7 Foure degrees of Sinne. 8 Contempt not pardonable and wherefore 9 The first motions of Grace to be embraced 10 No creatures degenerate from their proper nature but man 11 The cause thereof 12 Wherefore in the creation no mention is made of the goodnesse of man 13 How man transformeth himselfe into a beast 14 The deformitie of Sinne in that it transformeth vs into beasts 15 What we are if wee vse not reason and what if wee abuse it 16 How we may be best transformed 17 The seruices which commonly we pursue 18 The loue of our selues should moue vs to goodnesse 19 The loue of miserie is worse then miserie it selfe BE ruled by me then doe as I haue done O my friend take it from my experience for the best Range thy selfe in order and bee guided by his Grace Haue recourse to him in due time whilest hee permitteth whilest he inuiteth whilest he entreateth thee to come Now he gently calleth thee into the right-way of saluation now hee courteously offereth both his direction and aide Heare him regard him obey him If thou wilt not doe this in respect of him doe it at least in respect of thy selfe in respect of thine owne benefit in respect of the condition of thine owne nature Doe I say accordingly as thou art and as the nature of thy being requires Thou art a man endued with reason and vnderstanding wherein GOD hath engrauen his liuely image In other creatures there is some likenesse of him some footsteps of his diuine nature but in man he hath stamped his image Some things are like to GOD in that they are some in that they liue some in their excellent propertie and working But this is not the image of GOD. His image is onely in that we vnderstand which is so neere a resemblance of him that nothing in all his creatures can so cleerely expresse him For as GOD doeth vnderstand and loue himselfe so man by his intellectuall power is both apt and inclinable to vnderstand and loue him And the more perfectly man doeth vnderstand and loue GOD the more liuely doeth he expresse his image Seeing then that thou art of so noble a nature that thou bearest in thine vnderstanding the image of GOD so gouerne thy selfe as is fit for a creature of vnderstanding Bee not a man onely in name and in outward feature but in conditions of mind a beast plunging thy selfe in those brutish pleasures and desires whereby the flesh vanquisheth and destroyeth the spirit Bee not like the brute beasts which want vnderstanding either wilde and vnruly or else heauie and dull the one whereof must alwaies haue the snaffle betweene their teeth the other the spurre vpon their side Be not stiffe necked be not slow paced doe not furiously fling after the pleasures doe not obstinately insist in the customes of a licentious life Be not caried with the sway of thy appetites with the tempestuous rage of thy sensuality without any discourse without any rule or restraint of reason Thinke that thou art a more excellent creature then to be anchored like a beast to earthly thoughts Thinke that thou art bound to
declare that difference which nature hath set betweene thee and bruit beasts not in outward appearance and behauiour but chiefly by the disposition of thy mind Vnderstand thy state vnderstand thy dangers and then expresse some iudgement care and industry how to auoid them For assuredly thou wantest either faith if thou doest not beleeue thy danger or vnderstanding if with all care and diligence thou doest not endeauour to auoid it Aboue all be not halfe a man be not carefull and regular in thy life to halfes for such a one liueth most miserably because he enioyeth neither GOD nor the world He enioyeth not GOD because he hath not grace enough to make him his owne The world he doth not enioy for that hee hath so much taste of grace as to discouer the vanitie and iniquity of his pleasures Thou mayest happily obserue foure degrees of sinne the desire the action the custome the obstinacy or contempt Desire bringeth forth action frequencie of action draweth on custome custome runneth into habite habite into nature from whence proceedeth obstinate contempt Whensoeuer therfore thou fallest into any degree of sinne lie not still beware of custome for this will soone rise into contempt which is not pardonable because so long as contempt standeth it is not possible that the sinne should bee remitted Obstinate impenitencie is said to bee impardonable for that thereby a sinner disesteemeth and despiseth the mercie of GOD which if he would entertaine and embrace then is hee not obstinate then are his sinnes both possible and easie to be forgiuen For no sinne is vnpardonable with GOD when with sinceritie and humility of heart the sinner desireth mercie which contempt will neuer permit him to doe And therefore at the very first summons that GOD shall make range thy selfe readily vnder his obedience Doe not struggle against his directions be not slow in performing his pleasure Doe not either by obstinate rebellion resist or by cold dulnesse extinguish the good motions of his grace enspired into thee Doe not constraine him by afflictions to constraine thee to his seruice as a beast is constrained by bridle and whippes to be seruiceable to man Be not good onely vpon compulsion and feare neither let compulsion and feare deterre thee from goodnesse But be like a sure blade whereof albeit the point bee bowed to the hilts yet will it not so stand but returne foorthwith to the straightnesse againe Weigh thine actions with vnderstanding do them with loue walke cheerefully in the wayes of the LORD bee readie be desirous and ioyfull to be guided by him For GOD who is a spirit respecteth the spirit he desireth he accepteth principally the heart he is better pleased with the manner of our doing then with that which we can possible doe Certainely of all the creatures vnder heauen which haue receiued being from GOD none degenerate none forsake their naturall dignity and being but onely man Onelie man abandoning the dignitie of his proper nature is changed like Proteus into diuers formes And this is occasioned by reason of the libertie of his will which is a facultie that transformeth men into so many things as with violent appetite it doth pursue Hence it proceeded that in the creation of other things GOD approoued them and saw that they were good because he gaue them a stable and permanent nature But of the goodnesse of man no mention at all Mans goodnesse was left vnapprooued at the first because GOD gaue him libertie of will either to embrace vertue and be like vnto GOD or to adhere to sensualitie and be like vnto beasts And as euery kinde of beast is principally inclined to one sensualitie more then to any other so man transformeth himselfe into that beast to whose sensualitie he principallie declines For as the first matter is apt to receiue the impression of any forme so man by reason of his affection and will is apt to be transformed into any beast This did the ancient wisemen shadow foorth by their fables of certaine persons changed into such beasts whole crueltie or sottery or other brutish nature they did expresse And what else did others signifie by seeking for a man with a candle in the greatest assemblies of a most populous city but that all were degenerated into beasts Run to and fro saith the Prophet Ieremie by the streets of Ierusalem and behold now and know and enquire in the open places thereof if ye can finde a man And againe the same Prophet saith Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge And againe The Pastors are become beasts and haue not sought the LORD therefore haue they no vnderstanding And hereby thou maiest discerne O man the deformitie of thy most seemely sinnes which raseth the image of GOD out of thy soule and transformeth it into the image of beasts For Man being in honour and without vnderstanding is compared to the foolish beasts and is made like vnto them O sonnes of Adam created after the image of GOD adorned with many naturall and supernaturall gifts Doe not abandon your selues Doe not abandon reason to embrace sensualitie doe not cast off the dignitie of your condition and state to follow the base fashion of beasts Euery thing naturally loueth the life You haue no similitude with beasts but GOD hath created you to his owne image to the end you should loue him GOD hath endued you with reason to make you differ from beasts vse it and vse it well If you doe not vse it then are you beasts If you vse it not well but abuse it then are you worse then beasts then are you deuills If it pleaseth you not to be as you are I will tell you how you shall best transforme your selues endeauour to resemble GOD to transforme your selues into him by imitation so much as it is possible of his sanctity and puritie Euen as he hath said be ye holy as I am holy This is a blessed change this is the greatest perfection that can be either wrought or wished to a reasonable creature What man will desire or endure to serue his enemie his fellow or his seruant The Diuell is your enemie the flesh your fellow the world your seruant The first seruice is vnprofitable for it affoordeth no wages but death the second vncertaine for you are alwayes menaced to be turned out of dores the third is most base and vaine for suppose you could atchieue all the world what is it A needles point a moat a mite a nothing You are now in your passage through a wide and wilde forrest wherein you may be easily lost wherein easily you may lose the vse of that sunne which should both enlighten and direct you to your iourneyes end You are trauersing through an intricate labyrinth out of whose entaglements you can neuer winde neuer free your feet vnlesse you follow that pathe which GOD hath lined foorth vnto you You aâ—e sailingin a dangrous sea beneath paued with shelues on euerie
vertues and faculties of the soule are capable of greater pleasure then the outward partly because they are more noble and diuine and partly because their obiect is more excellent which is GOD himselfe and all goodnesse So the more perfect those powers and faculties are the more perfect pleasure they apprehend in their proper obiects which is euident by all outward and bodily sences But penitent persons whose sinnes are forgiuen haue the inward capacitie of their soules more perfect and cleere then other men Because nothing either defileth or defaceth the inward vertues of the soule but onely sinne neither is there any meanes to purge the one or repayre the other but by repentance Heerehence it followeth that penitents only enioy pure pleasure in this life as proceeding from the purest and highest faculties of the soule much cleansed by repentance from corruptions of sinne But the pleasures of the wicked proceede onely from the outward sences common to them with bruit beasts and so much inferiour to the pleasure of beasts by how much they participate of sinne It is true indeed that their sensuall appetites present to them a thousand pleasures but the reckoning being cast what pleasures are they pleasures tempered with vice which hold them still in a restlesse feauer pleasures sweet for a moment but leauing a long and loathsome taste behinde them pleasures onely to couer dangerous hookes pleasures which carry their punishments with them As for their inward vertues and powers they are so dulled and dimmed and sometimes stupefied and benummed with custome of sinne that they affoord no pleasure at all But either lie as sottishlie sencelesse or else expresâ—â— life only by vpbrayding the polluted pleasures of the flesh It cannot bee denied that many penitents are almost alwaies vnder correction that the scourge is almost alwaies vpon their backes but heerein also I esteeme them blessed For Blessed is the man who is chasticed of the LORD The reasons whereof are mainelie two First for that this correction proceedeth from the loue of GOD either as a gentle bridle to restraine them from licentiousnesse of sinne or as a forge hammer and file to consume the consuming rust of sin For as a man will file and scoure that instrument or vessell which he regardeth to make it bright as beat and brush that garment which he affecteth to make it cleane So GOD chastiseth that person whom he loueth either to purge or to preserue him from the soile of sin If GOD scourgeth the iust if hee debarreth if hee depriueth them of health riches honour or any other fauour of the world it is onely for loue vnto them It is to make them onely to loue him For GOD is a iealous GOD so loueth those that are his that he will not endure them to loue any thing but himselfe vnlesse it be for his sake GOD esteemeth not himselfe loued enough if the loue of any other thing be ioyned with the loue of him The sence of this loue of GOD doth so inflame their loue towards him as they become sencelesse of any worldly accidents or affaires The second reason is for that albeit they bee neuer so much chastised yet are they neuer forsaken but in the middest of their miseries mercy shall encompasse them They are neuer cast off neuer cast away but are alwayes guarded by the mercies of GOD the mercies of GOD wil defend them for the present and deliuer them in very good time For the present it doth enable them not onely willingly but ioifully and desirously to suffer the momentany afflictions of this life For the future it prepareth for them an eternall crowne of glory to which the short afflictions of this life are an ordinary and almost necessary passage The afflictions of this life are both naturally momentany and by grace light but the glory whereto they lead is both eternall and of exceeding weight As the grace of GOD maketh the afflictions of this life light so without that speciall grace the nature of man is altogether vnable either to beare or to behold the weight of glory which shall succeed We haue a naturall inclination to it but all our naturall abilities forces are insufficient either to attaine or to sustaine it O LORD of this eternall weight of glory Let me suffer corosiues cauterizes cuttings lancings and burnings in this life so that I be both comforted and defended by thy mercy so that I may bee prepared and guided to thy glory so that I may bee deliuered from the great plagues which the wicked shall endure The more bitter the potion is the more medicinable and healthfull will it be the more sharpe the file is the lesse rust will it leaue behind The more a garment be brushed and beaten with roddes the lesse it remaines defiled with dust VERS XII Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the LORD and be ioyfull all ye that are true of heart 1. TO whom it is proper to iudge of the pleasure of the righteous 2 A true Iudgement touching worldly pleasures 3 Pleasures of the soule dilated often to the body 4 They who haue the fauour of GOD haue GOD himselfe 5 Who are inuited to reioyce 6 For what causes 7 How gloriously the soules of them who loue GOD sort out of the miseries of this world 8 Who are forbidden to reioyce 9 The ioy of the wicked no true ioy and wherefore 10 The ioy of the righteous must not be placed in worldly matters and wherfore 11 But it must be lodged onely in GOD. 12 No limits to be prescribed to this ioy 13 Theologicall vertues consist not in a mediocritie like Morall vertues 14 The attaining worldly felicities is laboursome the enioying often loathsome 15 We cannot ioy in earthly and in heauenly things together 16 A short prayer 17 Feare and ioy how combined I Suppose there are not manie who haue not often tasted the ioy and pleasure of the soule after some measure of repentance but happily not sufficient to arrest a iust Iudgement of them For when two things are compared together the difference is best vnderstood by the iudgement of those who haue had best experience of both For as a sicke man whose palate is affected with vicious humours cannot well iudge of the taste and rellish of meates so wicked men whose mindes are infected with the poison of sinne cannot rightly iudge of the pleasure of the righteous This is proper to them whose soules haue a true taste not any wayes depraued Now many haue had good experience of the disposition and state of the soule both in fruition of the world and in a penitent life But let them say in which they tooke the greatest pleasure The first is tearmed by some a meere Vanitie by others no better then dunge All esteeme the felicities of this world not onely vaine but exceeding vile and base in regard of the ioyes which succeed and proceed from true repentance
Their thoughts being once acquainted with this reall trueth they neither desire nor regard the supplie of shadowes They cannot but bee strangers to worldly delights in which they see nothing but some scattered crummes and hungry morsels of the heauenly banket O LORD of hostes how great are the pleasures which they enioy who are reconciled by repentance to thee which albeit they be properly receiued into the soule yet sometimes they are so great that as riuers encreased by the fall of raine ouerflow their bankes so they cannot be contayned within the soule but are imparted also to the bodie I will therefore reioyce in the mercies of my GOD I will place all my pleasure in the contemplation of those felicities which he reserueth in his treasurie of heauen to enrich to adorne to crowne the iust This shal be the food of my thoughts the ambition of my highest hopes and desires Vpon confidence that I am in the fauour of GOD I will accompt GOD himselfe to be mine because his loue is mine For to whomsoeuer he giueth his loue he giueth himselfe because loue is no guift vnlesse the louer be giuen therewith Yea loue is no loue vnlesse he that loueth be no lesse liberall to impart that which hee is then that which he hath vnlesse I haue the partie I can neuer haue his loue To this ioy I inuite you all who stand sworne to the seruice of the LORD who loue his goodnesse who reuerence his iustice All ye who are vpright both in action in hearâ— I inuite you to two things First that you reioyce Secondly that you reioyce not in your selues not in any thing that the world affoords but onely in the LORD You I say who walke not in the crooked and craggie wayes of sinne but in the right path of righteousnesse who in this passage commit your selues altogether to the power and goodnesse of GOD. All you I inuite to reioyce to power forth your spirits into ioy and that for two causes First because you enioy a sweet quiet of conscience which is to you a perpetuall feast Secondly because you expect both an end and a reward of all your trauailes You expect that in short time you shall exchange the thornes and thistles of this wretched life for the flowers of eternall felicitie that the sweat of afflictions shall bee wiped from your faces and that you shall bee both clothed and crowned with heauenly honour Assuredly gold runneth not so pure out of the flames of the furnace to be cast into the image of some great Prince or to serue for the ornament of some rich iewell as the soule of one who loueth GOD doth beautifully sort out of the miseries of this world to behold to participate to be fully satisfied with the glorious presence and maiesty of GOD. But all the wicked I forbid to reioyce Away hence you may freely depart because you haue no part in this ioy you haue time little enough to lament For albeit sinners reioyce in doing ill and take most delight in worst things yet is not this the ioy that I meane This is no true ioy this is no ioy at all It is only a fained and forced appearance of ioy It is as the ioy of hypocrites short and sowre It is but a flash to lighten them to their death First because it proceedeth from an euil conscience which hath so many thornes as it hath thoughts alwaies pricking sometimes tearing the soule and crying out in the midst of their mirth Oh impure pleasure Oh vnlawful ioy Oh iust reuenge that must ensue Secondly because it is both short and the symptome of a deadlie disease For they ioy at their sinnes which will eternally ruine both their bodies and soules they ioy in that condition of life for which they cannot sufficientlie lament Therfore the ioy of sinners is like the witlesse laughter of fooles when they are lashed like the sencelesse laughter of mad men when they either doe or suffer some mischiefe like the sicke laughter of some diseased persons euen when they lie at the point of death When Dolphins leape and plaie in the sea it is a sure signe of tempests approaching and when the wicked sport and solace in their sins it is an infallible argument of their ruine at hand If Epicures reioice who deny that GOD doth either order or regard the affaires of this world If Athiests reioice who are of opinion that the soule and bodie determine together It maie beare some appearance of ioy But when they reioice in their sinnes who beleeue the immortalitie of the soule who know both the iustice and power of GOD who know how horrible it is to fall into his hands after separation from him by sinne It beareth no shadow of ioy It is a plaine token of a minde either sencelesse or madde So then it is proper to you onelâ—e O yee righteous to bee glad it is neither lawfull nor possible for any other truely to reioyce But because this your ioy is the treasure of your soules you must in any case be carefull to place it well As treasures must be safely laide vp so your ioy must bee lodged safe and that cannot be but onely in GOD. For if you place it in honour riches beautie power or any other faire fauour of this world it cannot be safe because these things are transitory and subiect to variations and dangers because they will passe away and perish in a moment And therefore the ioy that riseth from them is neuer dureable and many times lesse then the griefe which they cause when they forsake vs. As they who ioy in GOD need not feare any euill because all their euils are conuerted to their good so should they not hope for any good from the world because the Diuell GODS professed enemie is the great Prince of the world and will endeuour to conuert that good to their euill Goe too then reioyce onely in GOD who forgiueth your iniquities who doeth tolerate and conceale your weakenesses who liberally imparteth his mercies to you Settle all your delights vpon him settle all your pleasures and wishes in the loue of his goodnesse For hee imbraceth you with a fatherly loue and will then chiefely stand by you when all other comforts and supports will forsake you Ioyne no partener with him in the small possession of your ioy Ioy onely in him whom you shall alwayes finde aboue you powerfull beneath you plentifull before you watchfull behinde you carefull on this side bountifull on that side mercifull on all sides wonderfull Reioyce not in your owne worthinesse but in his infinite goodnes who driueth all dangers from your bodies and soules who so prouideth for you that you want nothing necessarie for this life and doe assuredly expect blessed abundance in the life to come Reioice onely in him who doeth comfort and relieue you in your passage through this world and will conduct you to the ioy of his
heauenly kingdom whereof you shall neuer bee disposseâ—sed Reioice I say in him who is the very Ocean of ioy from whom all ioyes of the soule are deriued who onely giueth true ioy and full ioy and perfect ioy and ioy which shall neither end nor abate Of which ioy the onely hope is sufficient both to refresh and sustaine vs in all the trauerses of this life which incomparably exceedeth not onely all humane ioy that can be found but whatsoeuer can be either guessed or imagined And therefore I will not prescribe any limits to your ioy because it must not be moderate it cannot bee contained in any meane compasse If worldly ioy exceede golden meane then is it vicious but it is not so in spiritual ioy no more then it is in loue from whence it proceedes All morall vertues consist in a mediocritie which is limited by prudence But it is not so in loue or in any other diuine vertue As there is no mediocritie or meane in louing of GOD so is there not in reioicing in him The more we loue the more we reioyce and the more excessiue our loue and ioy is the more doe they draw to their perfection Wherefore then doe wee not with a holy scorne cast behinde vs the base vanishing pleasures of this world and bend all our endeauours after these heauenly felicities Or rather wherefore doe we with a sleepie sensualitie cast behind vs these heauenly felicities and bend all our endeuours after the base vanishing pleasures of this world Alasse Wherefore doe wee forsake the liuing springs and digge broken pits that will hold no water Is it out of opinion of safetie or is it for idle ease Goe wee then to the dead sea of this world let vs draw of their muddie waters of honour riches authoritie or any other witcherie of the world Certainely it will bee with great paine with great care and many times with great danger And then what followeth the atteining of them is not so laboursome as they are loathsome many times when they are atchieued Onely out of these liuing springs out of these sauing waters wee may alwaies draw both with safetie and with ioy Away then yee painted pleasures of this world mine eyes are dazeled with the blaze of too bright a Sunne to admit the beames of your pale light I am wholly inherited by a higher ioy which hath taken so absolute a conquest ouer all my powers that neither my sence can discerne nor my minde conceiue any other obiect As a man cannot looke with one eye vpon heauen and another vpon the earth so can hee not diuide his minde to ioy both in earthly and in heauenly things at once hee must die to the one if he intend to liue in the other Lord take from me all pleasure take away all patience in the flashie felicities of this life Let nothing stoppe let nothing hinder me from entring into thy house to behold thy bright and pure beautie to bewaile the deformitie of my sinnes which haue banished mee so farre from thy fauour to deplore my weakenesse and to implore thy grace to compose my behauiour and dâ—spose all my abilities to doe thee seruice O my GOD marshall my vnruly appetites traine them in thy discipline binde them vnder the commaund of reason and grace Let not my soule be chained in me but let it aspire to thee For in mee it is but in a prison in thee it is in paradise Reconcile and combine in mee two contrary affections feare and ioy That as a tired trauailer ranging in a wilde desert reioyceth to see the first cracke of day and yet is not altogether free from feare of the darkenesse and dangers of the night so albeit my errours past bee fearefull to mee yet let me entertaine a sweete hope to enioy those approaching ioyes whereof there is neither saciety nor end Thus cleansed by thy mercy and furnished with thy grace I renounce my will I offer it a sacrifice to thee I yeeld my selfe wholly to thy obedience O my GOD doe not refuse mee Prayse and Glory and Wisedome and Strength Dominion Riches and Power bee vnto our GOD for euermore A SVMMARY PRAIER O Omnipotent GOD most manifest and yet most secret and hid O bountifull Giuer and yet seuere exacter Thou O LORD who sitting aboue the Seraphims seest all things and in all things mayest bee seene Thou who art most powerfull and yet so pitifull that thou releeuest miserable and vile sinners O most glorious incomprehensible GOD encline thine eye fauourably to my distresse fauourably regard my poore petition which breaking from a broken soule must needs make an vntunable sound There is nothing O LORD which my soule more desires nothing is more due and delightfull to thee then that I should Loue thee Thou hast created mee to loue thee thou hast commanded mee to loue thee in this loue thou hast placed my felicity and my peace In this loue consist all good things which we enioy vpon earth and the greatest part of those which we hope for in heauen But no man can loue thee vnlesse hee know thee the knowledge of thee is necessary to beget this loue because wee cannot truely loue thee vnlesse wee vnderstand that all causes of loue are perfectly in thee O true delight of our hearts I cannot liue vnlesse I loue thee and I cannot loue thee vnlesse I know thee What then shall I do to atteine this knowledge The knowledge that wee haue comes by our sences which are as gates through which the representation of things sensible enter into our vnderstanding But neither can thy greatnesse enter through so narrow passages neither can wee imagine any representation whereby our vnderstanding may apprehend thee Thou hast formed all creatures in number weight and measure their nature and vertues are limited thou hast giuen them their bounds which they cannot exceed and therefore our vnderstanding is able to embrace them But thou art infinite thy being is boundlesse Nothing is aboue thee nothing beyond thee nothing wide of thee nothing without thee our vnderstanding cannot comprehend the confines of thy being As thou art infinite in power so art thou in nature thy nature is no lesse infinite in extent then eternall in continuance No man hath hitherto beene able to vnderstand the essence and nature of his owne soule whose offices and operations hee dayly discernes and this is because it beareth thy Image And how then shall I be able to vnderstand thee If my ignorance bee so dull and heauy in my selfe how shall I be of capacity to know thee O noble nature O infinite essence O incomprehensible Maiesty How shal I know thee For I cannot see thee My sight is dimme and thou art a light which canst not be approached Thou art most high and so must hee be whosoeuer shall attaine thee Who then will giue me the eyes of an Eagle that I may beholde this Sunne Who will giue mee wings
that as a Doue I may approach this height But yet will I not thus giue ouer the chase the more hard it is the more hardly will I pursue it There is no wisedome but in knowledge of thee there is no rest but in louing thee there is no ioy but from beholding thy beauty I will not liue without this knowledge which is the originall both of loue and of ioy My eyes are dimme yea darke and blinde but grace will enlighten me Grace will effect that which Nature cannot And albeit I know thee very little and obscurely at the first yet is it better so to know thee then perfectly to know all things besides Albeit I cannot fully know thee yet will I aspire to such measure as I may and this will I loue and heerewith my soule shall rest content euen as a bird is content with the water which she taketh in her bill albeit shee bee not able to take the whole fountaine Yea thy grace will assist mee that if I shall but begin to loue thee a little thou wilt discouer thy selfe more plainly to my knowledge euen as thou hast sayd He that loueth me shall bee loued of the Father and I will loue him and manifest my selfe vnto him And to this end thou hast opened two bookes to the two eyes of my vnderstanding Faith and Reason To the eye of my Faith thou hast opened the booke of the sacred Scriptures wherein thou doest manifest thy merueiles and vnfold thy mysteries to beget in vs a loue and reuerence of thy Maiestie To the eye of my Reason thou hast opened the booke of thy creatures which in their perfections manifest thy beauty and thy goodnesse in their vse For this visible world this fabricature of creatures is a faire Booke wherein all men may read and thereby learne what thou art euery creature being so many letters to declare the excellencie of their maker Some declare thy beauty some thy greatnes some thy power some thy wisedome some thy prouidence all with different sweet sounds in a well tuned harmony set foorth thy goodnes and glory They are as a bright glasse wherein wee may behold thee that as thou art a glasse in heauen wherin all thy creatures are seene so are thy creatures a glasse vpon earth wherein we may behold and know thee They are trumpets of thy honor witnesses of thy worth bellowes of our loue spurres to our dulnes and Iudges of our vnthankefulnes They alwayes beat at our vnderstanding to instruct vs some part of thy perfections and shall we be so senceles that we cannot behold in them the Maiesty of their Creatour Shall we be like witlesse children who turne ouer bookes to please their phantasie in viewing pictures and colours but neither can read one letter nor vnderstand what the pictures represent O wasters of time we take pleasure onely in beholding thy signes but nothing regard what is signified and taught Assuredly we haue good cause to feare that which the Wise man threatneth that all creatures shall rise in armes against them who will not vnderstand O Father of light suffer not I beseech thee such an Aegyptian mist to enwrap my head that in neither of these bookes that neither by Faith nor by Reason I can discerne thee Enlighten my eyes that I may see thee enlarge my heart that I may know thee loue thee and adore thee not onely by Faith as thou hast reuealed thy â—elfe in thy word but by euidence of nature by plaine inuincible demonstration of Reason as thou art declared by thy workes That I may praise thee not only for the vse of thy creatures but for attayning by them to some knowledge of thee We cannot now see thee but couered with the veile of thy greatnes The dampie fogges of my sinnes wherein hitherto I haue liued doe altogether obscure thee No lesse then it hapneth vpon the first eruptions of fire from the mountaine Aetna the smoake whereof so darkeneth the confining countries that one man cannot see another But O fountaine of light dispell these filthy fumes with a gracious cast of thy countenance and then I shall be both able and desirous to beholde thee Make mee blessed by forgiuenes of my offences Couer my â—innes O LORD and thereby thou shalt Discouer thy selfe To this end remooue both from my tongue and from the most secret retreates of my soule all odious hypocrisie that by thy grace I may sincerely without faining or fainting in spirit repent my sinnes that I may applie my selfe to thy worship and seruice not in outward shew of pietie onely but with all the most inward sences and forces of my soule that I may not wilfully endeuour either to couer my sinnes by dissimulation or to extenuate them by excuse whence intolerable anguishes tortures gripes of conscience will certainely ensue But that casting away both vnseasoned pride and vnseasonable shame two great impediments to repentance I may freely lay open the very bowels of my soule and truely touch euery vntuned string of my heart before thee knowing right well that the more ready we are to confesse our offences the more ready thou wilt bee to forgiue them and the more diligent we are to conceale our sinnes the more powerfull thou wilt declare thy selfe both openly to publish and sharply to punish them In all temptations inward or outward wherewith my soule is dayly trauayled defend mee with thy inuincible ayd especially when furiously they assaile me when tempestuously they breake vpon mee Then O LORD stand firmely by me then couer me with thy mighty arme lest ouerflowing the bankes of thy protection they ragingly oppresse me and driue me like water-floods from all sight and sence of thee For thou LORD art my reliefe in all my necessities in all my dangers thou onely art able both powerfully to deliuer and safely to place me And therefore so season my soule with thy heauenly Grace that it settle neither confidence nor delight in any of thy creatures but that it be fixed onely vpon thee in whom it shall perpetually find both secure rest and perfect ioy Informe my vnderstanding to know thee Conforme my wil to obey thee Confirme my steps in the way of thy Commandements which will lead me to eternall blessednesse Set thy eye of fauour vpon me that by the gracious influence thereof I may be both directed strengthened in that way and neither turne aside nor make stay vpon any desires or delights of the world like bruit beasts empty of vnderstanding Haue mercy vpon all miserable men who stiffely sticke in the mire either of ignorance or of false opinions or else of worldly pleasures or cares thinking very seldome and little either of thee or of their own deplorable estate and stopping their eares to all aduice which soundeth against their sensuality If they will not be guided by thy gentle hand If thy fatherly benefits or promises can nothing auaile vse some seuerity vpon them Put a sharpe
hope in the LORD 12 The despaire of Cain was a greater sinne then the murther of his brother 13 An vnreasonable reasoning with GOD. 14 An obiection answered 15 The crie of our sinnes is the greatest obstacle against the crie of our complaint 16 The condition whereon we may be heard 17 An humble complaint and confession 18 No distance can hinder the hearing of GOD and wherefore 19 A resolution to perseuere 20 How pleasing petitions of sinners are to GOD. LORD I do often ingeminate this petition because no plenty no weight of words is sufficient to expresse the anguish of my soule For it is no light either sorrow or danger that is lighted vpon me I complaine not of the malice or fraud of my enemies not of any wordly losse or euill which happily may bee either auoyded or well endured I complaine not also of sinnes esteemed of inferiour nature not of the slippes of youth not of imperfections of age not of errours and escapes either ordinary or vnknowe to my selfe against which appliances are easilie entertained But my soule being a nest of sinne and goared with the sting of conscience is now oppressed with such heauie cogitations with such mortall wounds and with such terrible assaults of despaire that I feele that as it seemeth to mee which no man feeleth but my selfe that I can see nothing but that thou hast not onlie couered thy countenance but cast mee off and away for euer Great are my externall oppressions but these are the terrours which thunder vpon me this is the loade vnder which I labour this is the labour wherein I sweate euen the threats of thy Law and guiltines of my grieuous sinnes Alasse I haue lost my selfe in a labyrinth of doubts I am in such extreame miserie that I haue not wherewith to foster my famished soule The violence of my greefe hath so oppressed me that hope can now do no more It hath done enough in keeping my heart from breaking And herein I susteine the more cruell combate because my quarrell is against my selfe because I haue no challenge but against my own soule Oh! that I could so hate it as the loue of thee requires Oh! that I were so angrie therewith as thou mightest be appeased with me Sometimes I haue beene desirous to run away but then vaine thought I must runne from my selfe my disease is fast fixed in my bones I haue linked together the chaine of my owne miseries I haue voluntarilie run into the awaitments of death The enemie pitched snares in my pathes but I despised them and walked secure I was violently swaied with the inclination of my appetites I flattered my selfe that in youth it was a fault to be without fault I said with my selfe why thinkest thou vpon the end before thou approachest the middest Euerie part of our age hath both errours and amendments proper to it GOD seeth it well but he doth not regard it he is most easie to forgiue and I may heereafter conuert when I will Thus I thought vntill custome challenged mee for her slaue I strugled to breake from her but shee held me fast I could not shake off the yoake which had beene long buckled about my necke I could not be ridde of the bridle which I had willingly taken betweene my teeth I willingly consented and therefore am I worthily lost Whither then shall I flie for I am fast bound and my refuge is farre off How shall I free my selfe from the iawes of death from the gripes of hel For alasse I finde that there is no sinne which I haue not both seriously and sauourly committed All my faculties both inward and outward I haue defiled all my sences I haue feasted I haue surfetted with pleasure All thy benefits I haue either buried or else abused to thy dishonour euen as thou diddest complaine by thy Prophet The siluer and gold which I haue giuen thee thou diddest conuert to serue Baal What hath beene all the course of my life but a net of errours a confused Babylonian building of treasons pride auarice riot lust swearing lying hate enuie murmuring flattering detracting disobedience blasphemie and other innumerable euils I haue been ouerborne with the violent storm of my passions which I haue let loose without any limits neuer endeuouring either to abate or diuert their fury I haue beene laced and buckled in the snares of the Diuell I haue pursued my inordinate appetites in all things like a beast without respect to the Law of iustice or of reason I haue liued worse then an Ethnick as if I were perswaded either that there is no GOD or that he neither regardeth vs in this present life nor rekoneth with vs in the life to come My trauailing phantasies haue made a long voiage in waies both dangerous and vnknowne Before me hath gone my aduerse will to that which is good behind a pleasing remembrance of that which was euill On this side want of patience in aduersitie on that side too much hautinesse in prosperitie On euery side wounds and skarres stamped into the substance of my soule by custome of sinne I haue often worne a burthened conscience and yet felt no tortures within me and therein was I miserable indeed For therein I was either stupid or dead I carried a sencelesse soule in a liuing bodie euen as it must needes be a dead and senceles hand which can hold fire without feeling any sting of heat None are more dead then they who can beare fire in their hand or sinne in their conscience without sence of smart But out wretches the houre will come when the remembrance of sinne will so much the more sharpely teare by how much it was lesse grieuous before Assuredlie if we could conceiue the terror of our generall accompt we would not faile to accompt euerie day O dead sencelesse soule where are thy complaining cries where are thy teares to bath the bruises which thy sinnes haue made wherefore doth not thy leaden heart melt wherefore doth not thy yron eies breake foorth into riuers of teares as did the rocke which Moses smote with his rod O LORD GOD sweet and gentle to all those who call vpon thee Remember that I am but dust and supplie I beseech thee my drie defects Breath forth thy spirit that the waters may flow that teares of true contrition accompanied with the saddest groanes of my soule may plentifully breath foorth Or if by thy iust iudgement I can finde no passage for teares of my eyes let me not be depriued of groanes of my heart let my heart sweat bloudie teares Or if I bee vnworthy of that yet let me loue groanes and teares let me earnestly desire them let me ardently sue to thee in my prayers for them Alasse what auaileth it that many of my sinnes are not knowen to others when they are well knowen to my selfe Miserable that I am if I lightly regard this bosome witnesse this witnesse that cannot keepe counsaile long but will discouer
iustice but helpe to inuoke thy mercies for me Assuredly O my soule the crie of thy complaint hath no greater obstacle then the cry of thy sinnes vntill by repentance the barre be remooued And therefore if thou wouldest haue the LORD to heare the voice of thy complaint first drowne thy sins with teares of repentance then cast away their dead carcasses from thee Away with all the trumperies of the world away with the vanities of pride auarice surfet reuenge away with all impediments of sinne For vnlesse thou abandon thy vanities thou shalt vainely implore the Omnipotent to heare thee He cannot heare a voice proceeding from a heart and lips loaden with iniquities he cannot be mercifull vnlesse thou repent Heare the condition whereupon thou maiest be heard Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vngodly man his cogitations and turne to the LORD and he will haue mercy vpon him Why so thē fauorable LORD So now I here present my selfe before thee not proudly standing vpon my iustifications but with a sad broken spirit from a low deiected heart I humbly turne and breath forth my complaints before thee Hitherto my daies haue I vnprofitably wasted I haue hitherto spent my time in purposing but neuer beginning to pursue But now I turne and come vnto thee stooping and staggering vnder the importable fardage of my flesh euerie where I finde enemies I am grieuous to my selfe both within and without I haue many complaints to present to thee and now sue for a fauouble hearing Shut not thine eares neither hold them as indifferent but inclineable and fauourable to my petitions LORD I acknowledge to thee all my impurities and earnestlie entreate both thy comfort cure Behold how the necessitie of my miserable estate draweth sighes from my heart teares from my eies and complaints from my tongue Yeeld LORD a fauorable eare declare thy selfe so farre from dispising as attentiuely to listen to the voice of my complaint And albeit thou beest in the highest seat of glory and I in the lowest center of sinne yet be pleased to heare for no distance can hinder thy hearing who by thy goodnesse in all places art present The prayers of those who call vpon thee with their heart shall neuer resolue into winde by reason of any distance of place because thou art neere to all those who call vpon thee faithfully And if my sinnes still thrust themselues betweene thy hearing and my complaint If still they step forth to stop thy eares against my voice if they still make a hideous cry to awake thy iustice to quicken thy wrath to make my prayers not onlie vnacceptable but hatefull to thee chase them awhile with one glorious glance of thy eie close a little thy eie of iustice vntill I haue once againe confessed them to thee and presented to thy gentle hearing my petition for grace For I know rightwell that the petitions and confessions of penitent sinners vpon earth are no lesse pleasing and delightfull to thee then are the praises of thy blessed Angels in heauen VERS III. If thou LORD wilt bee extreame to marke what is done amisse O LORD who may abide it 1. GOD is in all places present and how 2 How after a singular manner hee is present 3 The cordes which hold vs captiue to Hell 4 A confession 5 The torments of Hell not sufficient to punish all our sinnes 6 GOD is not only a Father but a LORD and what kinde of LORD 7 The sinner addresseth himselfe to mercy 8 To the Father of mercy 9 All reasonable creatures may sinne and the reason why 10 Wherefore some Angels did not sinne 11 Wherefore all men are obnoxious to sinne 12 Wherefore man was redeemed rather then Angels 13 All men are sinners by nature 14 GODS court of mercy is higher then his court of Iustice. 15 Wherefore a sinner is sayd to be vnprofitable 16 Two wayes to attaine felicity 17 Our Sauiour onely hath gone the way of Iustice. 18 No man can passe but by the way of mercy 19 GOD delighteth to spare sinners 20 We are enioyned to imitate GOD in his mercy 21 The readiest way to attaine mercy 22 A petition for mercy HEauenly LORD Albeit my oppressed soule lieth buried in the deepe loathsome denne of sin yet is there no centre so deepe but thou mayest easily affoord thy hearing For thou fillest heauen and earth in all places thou art present not onely in regard of thy power but in regard of thy true and reall essence For wheresoeuer any thing is that hath a being there art thou also who art the cause of that being for the cause and the effect are necessarily together they doe necessarily cohere the cause doeth necessarily support the effect But after a more singular maner thou art present with those who pray vnto thee euen as the great Prophet Moses doeth in these words assure What nation is so great to whom the GODS come so neere as the LORD our GOD is neere vnto vs in whatsoeuer we call for to him What then shall I say now I am in so neere distance before thee Alasse I am come to speake for my selfe but I canne speake nothing but that which is against me If the holy Patriarch Abraham in speaking to thee did call to mind that hee was but dust and ashes If hee was so humble If hee bare such awfull reuerence to thy Maiestie when hee entreated for others what shall I poore miserable sinner doe when I am about to entreat for my selfe what Dust and Ashes Nay a bottomlesse depth of sinnes and of miseries to whom delight in sinne the power of the diuell and the violence of custome haue beene in stead of three cords or rather cables to hold mee captiue to hell O most high and powerfull Creator when I turne my eyes into my selfe when I make a priuie search in my owne conscience I finde the multitude and varietie of my sinnes to bee such that I esteeme my selfe vtterly vnworthy whom thou shouldest not onely helpe but heare because in comparison of my sinnes the miseries are nothing which I endure I haue so deepely offended thee that in reason I can expect no fauour from thee For what day what hower hath passed in all my life wherein I haue not deserued a world of torments Insomuch as albeit thou shouldest discharge vpon mee all the horrours of hell yet should the greatest part of my offences remaine vnpunished Thou hast spared mee but I haue not spared thee thou hast spared to strike mee with the sword of Iustice but I haue not spared to smite thee with the fist of iniquitie Thou hast shewed thy selfe a Father to mee but I haue not behaued my selfe as a child How shall I looke so good a Father in the face beeing so lewd a child as would disthrone and destroy that good Father if I could Suppose the Father will bee content to forgiue yet it is doubtfull that the LORD will not Hee that forbeareth
his vnrulie childe will he also forbeare his vngracious seruant But thou art not onely a LORD but a LORD of Maiestie A LORD must bee feared Maiestie must bee reuerenced both obeyed If hee who contemneth humane maiestie be guiltie of treason what shall bee done to him who despiseth and dishonoureth the diuine omnipotent Maiestie alwayes iealous of derision and neglect whose frone no creature is able to endure Dare vile dust subiest to dispersion by euery puffe presume to prouoke a LORD of such terrible Maiestie Therefore seeing I haue displeased so good a Father so great a LORD seeing I haue so lewdly wasted all the partes of my life so notably ruined all the powers of my soule that I am no wayes able either to recouer the one or to repaire the other Whither shall I turne mee What shall I say If I looke vpon Mercy I thinke my selfe vnworthy of the least of her fauours If vpon vpon Iustice I condemne my selfe to the most seuere sentence that it can pronounce But then againe I returne to Mercy and prostrating my selfe at het feete with sorrow in my heart and teares in my eyes I thus addresse my desires vnto her O mild mercy I acknowledge my self vnworthy of thee vnworthy either to enioy or to behold thee But because I haue iudged and condemned my selfe protect me that I be not arreigned at the bar of Iustice answere thou the charge of her accusation couer me with thy shield against her blowe stand betweene her and me I beseech thee O gentle mercy my sorrow-beaten soule applieth it selfe to thee hoping in despaire and perseuering in hope My sins are such as for number can not for nature should not be rehearsed all my teares are not sufficient to cleanse one spotte of them or to quench one sparke of the fury which they haue kindled Alasse I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea My iniquities are multiplyed and I am not worthy to behold the height of heauen by reason of the multitude of my iniquities And thou O Father of Mercy and LORD of Iustice whose goodnesse canne neuer bee either exhausted or diminished I doe not intend to contend with thee in Iudgement but I lay hold vpon the horne of thy Altar of grace Here I rest here onely I repose my assurance For if thou shouldest keepe a true registrie of our sinnes If thou shouldest exactly examine them according to the seuere law of thy Iustice If thou shouldest perpetually reteine in mind the offences for which wee are sorrowfull and which thy goodnesse hath promised to forgiue If thou shouldest cast them into the ballance of thy Iustice and weigh them to a graine or if thou shouldest heape them together against the triall of thy inflexible Iudgement What then shall become of vs Who can stand before thee Who can endure thy heauy charge For assuredly all reasonable creatures as well Angels as men considered in their proper nature may sinne Whatsoeuer creature participating of reason doth not sinne it is not by condition of nature but by a speciall gift of grace The reason is because sinne is nothing else but a declination from the streight rule whereby an act is to bee performed and that as well in naturall acts as in artificiall and also in morall But there is no act which is not subiect to such deflection vnlesse the rule thereof depends vpon the will of the Agent And therefore because the will of GOD only is the rule of what he doeth as not ordeined to any higher end onely in the will of GOD there can be no sinne In other inferiour wills there may bee because they giue not the rule to their actes but are to bee directed by the will of GOD whereon they should depend as vpon their last and highest end Now in that some Angels neuer sinned they had therein supportance by grace and besides they drew no originall eyther weakenesse or corruption from those which fell But the nature of man is so depraued by disobedience of our first parents that originall sinne inherent in our very substance makes vs not onely inclineable but headlong to all actuall sinne Insomuch as albeit many are preserued by grace from offences of highest quality yet all are so obnoxious to infinite infirmities that wee dayly slippe wee dayly fall that nothing is more naturall to vs then dayly to fall that the Iust fall seuen times a day Yea if the best of our actions should bee exactly examined they will appeare so full either of staines or of defectes that we rather merit reproofe and punishment thereby then either curtesie or reward All our actions are euill and the best seeme better then they are And this was a principall cause wherefore man was redeemed rather then Angels For all Angels perished not by the fall of some the fall of some Angels was no impeachment to those which stood because no naturall imperfection or infection was deriued from the one to the other But by the fall of our first parents all mankind was inuolued in destruction as being Siens of that corrupted tree Runnells flowing from that poysonous spring If man had not beene redeemed the whole stocke race and kinde of man must haue beene damned And againe The Angels fell meerely by malice of their will but the first man was tempted and prouoked and his posteritie dayly fall by inclination of their Nature Nothing is imputed to Angels but their proper sinne but to man is imputed the sinne of another And therefore O LORD of infinite goodnesse Let these reasons which mooued thee to redeeme mee mooue thee also to heare mee let sinne no more hinder thee from hearing then it did from redeeming For if sinne bee an impediment that prayers cannot bee heard neuer shall any mans prayer approch thine eare For we are all borne sinners wee liue and we shall die sinners wee cannot contend with thee in iudgement wee cannot dispute our righteousnesse against thee If thou wilt bee onely a iudge to obserue and examine our actions if thou wilt call vs to triall at the barre of thy iustice of necessity we must perish none can stand before thee and say I am innocent Wherefore we decline from thy court of iustice and desire to be heard in thy court of mercy wee stand before thy mercy for if mercy were not with thee sinners could hope for nothing from thee which is a higher court then thy court of iustice For otherwise wee could not appeale from iustice to mercy because no appeale can be made but to a higher court LORD we appeare before thy high court of mercy wee acknowledge that all of vs are sinners and that if mercy were not with thee we could not hope for anything from thee We humbly acknowledge that we haue done nothing perfectly well and our imperfect doing of any thing well is no thanke to vs it is thy free gift but if thou close not thy eyes against our offences we
to forgiue to giue vs thy goodnesse and forgiue vs our euill Thou canst not denie vs thy mercie whensoeuer we repent and turne to thee This Ocean of mercie hath neither bottome nor bound it cannot be fathomed it cannot be surmounted No sooner can a sinner call mercie to his mind but he is sencible of the working thereof For it breaketh and disperseth the hell of remorse which did chill his heart with astonishment and feare the dampes of pensiuenesse vanish away the punishment which hung ouer his head is chased farre off Or if any punishment be inflicted it is not the punishment of a iudge but the chasticement of a Father it is both temporall and tempered with mercie which maketh it not onely tolerable but easie and sweete In this Ocean of mercy I will cast the anchor of my hope ride securely against al rage of wheather here hope will hold mee firme and immoueable against all approaches O heauenlie hope whose face heauinesse cannot endure how wonderfull is thy sweetnesse and thy power What louely lookes doest thou cast vpon those whom thou encountrest what vnspeakeable ioyes doest thou kindle in their hearts who entertaine thee Loe she came vnto me attended with many comforts and with a diuine countenance and voice vsed these speeches Come feeble wretch I will lead thee into the Sanctuary of the LORD and place thee before his mercie-seate Come I say enter bouldly I will excuse thee Thou shalt finde him alone expecting thy comming Away with all worldly comforts it is no lesse dangerous for a soule to be pestred with them in time of troubles then it is for a shippe to be ouerburthened with rich merchandise in a tempestuous sea It is he onely who knoweth how to deliuer thee how to saue thee cast thy selfe on him and he will helpe thee Thus shee said but finding me heauie and little moued her sacred lippes began againe in this manner to infuse her selfe into my dull earthy spirit What said hee doest thou any thing doubt of the great mercies of GOD wilt thou still sucke sorrow out of euery vaine surmise why search the Scripture and thou shalt there finde mercie so much extolled so faithfully promised and so often and strangely practised vpon sinners that he seemeth too obstinate who will not submit himselfe lowly to embrace sure confidence therein But goe too I see I must take a little more paines I will therefore descend to particulars with thee Three things if any thing are most like to withhold GOD from exercising his mercie 1. The greatnesse of sinnes 2. His righteousnesse and iustice 3 The institution and ordinance of his law But neither any nor all these are able to hinder the forgiuenes of sins needs must GOD be merciful notwithstanding these impediments to such as are sorrowfull for their misse-liuing 1. For thy wickednes cannot either extinguish or abate his mercie in case thou be penitent and beare a constant mind to amend Otherwise the condition of all men were dangerous For when men offend if GOD were not mercifull if hee were hard and vnwilling to exercise his mercie what should they doe how should they order themselues to auoid despaire For despaire is nothing else but want of true trust in the mercie of GOD to remit sinnes But doubtlesse it is not so he is mercifull and alwaies readie to forgiue Sunes are so farre from being an impediment to mercie that they are the proper obiect thereof without which mercy hath no action for take away sinnes and where then is pardoning mercy Many glorious Saints in heauen are witnesses hereof who were once grieuous sinners vpon earth This also did Ionas know rightwell and for this cause he was vnwilling to bee a messenger from GOD of his wrath against the Nineuites For I knew said he that thou art a gracious GOD and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of the euill And obserue weake sinner whosoeuer thou art who for the greatnesse of thy sinnes art caried downe to the gates of despaire obserue how GOD dealt with these condemned Nineuites Hee suspended his sentence of condemnation and could not proceede to execution thereof so soone as they manifested their repentance Feare not then the greatnesse of thy sinnes for they are not neere so great as his mercy his mercy is farre aboue thy neede 2. The iustice of GOD can be no impediment For iustice requires no more then a recompence for a trespasse and forthwith the offence to be forgiuen But thy redemption is made thy reckoning is abundantly paide there remaineth nothing for thee to discharge This redemption is of such power and grace that it not onely satisfieth GODS iustice but winneth him to great fauour and loue Doe but remember who is the priest and what is the sacrifice and thou shalt finde the iustice of GOD easily answered for it was more that GOD died then all man-kind had perpetually perished This is such an offering as if euery houre euery minute it were newly offered And therefore it is called an eternall redemption because by it all true penitents are redeemed for euer All therefore who are penitent and haue a full purpose neuer to offend and a trust by GODS grace to continue in that purpose may bee assured that by this redemption they shal be forgiuen This redemption is the very strength of repentance hereby the iustice of GOD is no obstacle to his mercie 3. Now touching his ordinance of the law Of a troth the law was fearefull and seuere and therefore is termed the law of death euery soule that sinneth shall die But this seueritie is past and done A new law is made the law of grace the law of mercie and of life Repent and the kingdome of heauen is at hand This is a milde law but in any case the condition must bee performed Thou must applie thy selfe to repentance in any case GOD will not bee mercifull vnlesse sinners repent Notwithstanding if at any time through weakenesse thou offend doe not fall from him into despaire but trust in him sticke stiffelie and constantlie to him and so shall thy trust support his mercy in thee and againe his mercy shall support thy trust euen like a proppe against a wall which holdeth vp the wall and is againe sustained by the wall The impediments of mercy being thus remoued it remaineth plaine that mercy may easily bee obtained and that for diuers respects and especially these First for that the goodnesse of GOD assureth his mercy For to one who is good nothing is more naturall then to doe good which is the proper action of goodnesse But because no greater good can be done to another then to make him good it followeth that it is most proper to one who is good to make others good to communicate his goodnesse to others vntill he hath made them so good as himself And this is so farre true that the more goodnesse any one hath the
crummes of thy loue wherto with all my soule I aspire But stay impatient soule be not so violent in thy desire GOD hath long expected thy repentance and canst thou not a while expect his mercie As he hath delayed his anger so it is reason thou shouldest awaite albeit he delay his fauour Hee was slow to wrath and wouldest thou haue him sodaine in mercie He did not presentlie strike when thou diddest offend he did not make payment ouer the naile and must he needes at the very first presenting thy selfe applie himselfe to thee He hath a long time bin calling thee to repentance and thinkest to thou haue his mercy at the very first cal How often hath his iustice taken the whip in hand to chastice thy sinnes but mercie hath met her and wrested away the scourge If iustice had continued her course no house of Aegypt no habitation of sinners but had rung with loude lamentation for their dead and wouldest thou haue all his graces at pleasure and command Iustice hath proceeded slowlie that sinners might haue time to repent and must mercie foortwith gallop to them Nay soft sodaine repentance is not alwaies sincere if it be sincere it will be of coutinuance shew the sinceritie of thy repentance by thy perseuerance perseuere and doubtlesse thou shalt obtaine In case GOD deferreth to heare thee it is for one of these three causes Either to make his gifts more highly esteemed or else because he delighteth in thy companie because he taketh pleasure that thou shouldest conuerse with him talke with him sue to him because he so delighteth in thy resort to him as hee will not loose it by a speedy dispatch Or else it is because he entendeth to giue to thee in a larger measure He stoppeth the streames that the waters may swell but in the end he will powre them foorth not as it is fit for thee to aske but as it is fit for him to giue Or happily thou art deceiued O blinde soule he seemeth to delay when hee doeth but expect the most conuenient time when he doth but await vntill thou beest ready to receiue Assuredly GOD is so mercifull that he doeth not onely heare sinners who wait for him but he calleth vpon them hee awayteth to be entreated by them Obserue what hee sayth Behold I stand at the doore and knocke If any man heare my voice and open the gate vnto me I will enter into him and suppe with him and he with me Listen I pray thee how strongly hee knocketh how loud hee calleth Runne open to him the gates of consent of thy will open thy doores which the loue of this world hath barred against him Away for shame VVhat wouldest thou suffer any meane friend to stand thus long wayting at thy doore List list Out vpon thee there is such a hideous noise within thee that thou canst not heare Auarice ambition pride enuie hate and a thousand worldly cares keepe such a yeelping with their monstrous mouthes that the sweet voice of the LORD cannot be heard thy hearing is stopped by their horrible howlings as if it were with a ring of belles at thy eares But if thou wilt heare his calme calling silence these hagges quiet thy disordered desires banish the choaking cares of this world resigne thy will keepe silence and peace within doores and then thou maiest say with holy Iob Thou shalt call me and I will answer thee Neuer feare that he will proue a chargeable guest he bringeth all his prouision with him he will richly feede and feast thee of his owne VVhen thou hast but once tasted of his fare thou shalt neuer hunger more after the course seruices of this world his banquet only as well for daintinesse as for plenty will largely suffice Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it Not the mouth of thy body for a small thing may fill that but the mouth of thy soule namely thy desire which nothing can fill but GOD. VVhen GOD had created man according to his Image the Scripture sayth that he rested from his worke hauing finished his perfectest piece in whom it seemeth that heauen and earth were knit together And certainly a reasonable soule created after the image of GOD hath no rest but in GOD the appetite thereof will neuer rest in any other thing The vessell which is capable of GOD cannot be filled with any other substance A soule is no more satisfied with bodily matters then a body can be satisfied with winde because there is no conueniency between the one the other O my soule bee content patiently to looke and wait for the LORD as hee hath looked and waited for thee Doe not as Heliseus did when hee smote the waters with the mantle of Elias and because they deuided not at the very first stroke hee began to distrust and sayd Where is the GOD of Elias Bee not like the Leopard which if it taketh not his prey at two or three leapes giueth ouer the pursuit This is a common disease of the sonnes of Adam if they haue not releefe presently from GOD they resort to the world and sometimes with Saul to the Diuell for helpe But thou O my soule perseuere with patience fasten thy thoughts vpon the end without regard what happeneth by the way What auayleth it to haue a goodly hope of haruest in the blade if it be blasted or otherwise destroyed in the eare What profit is it that trees blossome fairely if they neuer atteine perfection in the fruit The Crabbe is easily taken because it creepeth forward and backward and euery way so they who sometimes sinne sometime repent then sinne againe are easily made a prey to the Diuell But they who wayt on the LORD shall renue their strength they shall mount vp with wings as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not be faint Esay 40. in fi Wait therfore and looke for the LORD with constancie and fortitude to the end of thy life to thy very last breath VVisedome is the eie of life patience the staffe Take this staffe in thy hand and walke on thy way thou shalt neuer giue ouer neuer be weary but cheerefully looke towards heauen and say As the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hand of her mistresse euen so our eyes wayt vpon the LORD our GOD vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Ps. 123. If any man wrong thee swallow it with patience for vengeance is the LORDS In case thou reuenge the LORD shall finde nothing to chastice VVhen Mary Magdalene was vniustlie reprooued by a censorious pharisee she held silence but what lost she thereby The LORD tooke her part and answered for her If trifling troubles be cast in thy way neuer regard them they are but tokens of loue which GOD disperseth amongst his friends Pitch be it neuer so blacke beat it to powder and it wil turn
I beseech you brethren that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto GOD which is your reasonable seruing of GOD. Many persisting in sinne doe pray fast giue almes and exercise other workes of deuotion But those are dead offerings they want the life of grace These men preferre matters of deuotion before those which perteine to obedience and band a most dangerous and frequent errour in religion First offer thy selfe a liuing sacrifice of righteousnesse then mayest thou safely trust in the LORD I will speake this plainely in a word sacrifice thy will and trust in the LORD The will is a most inward facultie of the soule a mistresse a Queene Whosoeuer offereth this he offereth the best and highest thing in his kingdome He sacrificeth his sonne Isaac euen that which he most deerly loueth This doth the Chaldee paraphâ—ase in these words declare Tame your concupiscences and it shall be reputed to you as a sacrifice of righteousnesse Doest thou trust in GOD expectest thou saluation by him Tame thy concupiscencies and then thy trust is pure and truely grounded then feare nothing hope then in the great mercies of GOD this trust will then procure thee present grace and glory in the end Otherwise thou hast no true ground of thy trust otherwise thy trust is a dangerous security euen as Iob sayth The hope of the wicked is an abhomination of the soule O GOD faithfull in thy promise and fearefull in thy reuenge My soule fixeth the eyes of her faith vpon thy word neuer so soone spoken as sure to bee performed Howsoeuer externall matters fall I will neuer bee pulled from assurance in thy word my soule shall alwayes confidently expect performance of thy promise albeit thou seemest slow albeit thou seemest altogether to abandon me The mountaines of my misdeedes haue tumbled vpon mee drawing after them thy importable wrath which is also followed with many sad afflictions I groane vnder my sinnes I pant and tremble vnder thy wrath helpe LORD with thy powerfull hand for I am vnable to stand vnder this heauie charge But touching my afflictions according to the measure of stripes which storme vpon my backe I will looke backe alwayes to thee and say O most mercifull most Iust GOD in whom mercie and Iustice is one I humbly bow I prostrate my selfe wholly to thy holy will But equall my forces to my afflictions giue me patience proportionable to my paynes as my troubles encrease encrease therewith also my courage and my trust Gentle LORD I quietly endure thy heauie hand I patiently expect thy fauourable forbearance I expect vntill like an expert Phisition thou shalt wholly remoue the cause that is my sinnes and thy wrath and then the effects which are my miseries will suddenly vanish I call to my consideration thy word I fixe thy promises both liberall and sweet before the eye of my vnderstanding This is the proppe whereto I leane this is the pillar whereon I stand by this all the forces of my soule are sustained All the forces of my soule embrace thy word euen as the iuie embraceth a tree by fastning rootes into the body thereof From hence I will assuredly expect to bee released from all these euils I haue no trust but in thy goodnesse and trueth So long as this anchore holdeth I shall bee safe from shipwracke in all the tempests of temptations in this life All the reasons which bind mee to loue thee compell mee also to trust in thee For in whom should I trust but in him who so loued mee in him who hath heaped so manie benefits vpon mee in him who hath suffered so grieuously for mee In him who hath so often called so long expected so carefully perswaded mee In him who is so mercifull pitifull louing gentle patient and ready to forgiue In him who is a Father an Almighty Father A Father to loue mee Almighty to helpe mee A Father that hee will Almighty that hee can doe good vnto mee A Father that hath greater care and prouidence ouer his spirituall children then any Father can haue ouer his carnall Lastly in whom should I trust but in him who hath commanded me to approch to him to trust in him And hath promised mee many fauoures and rewardes if I will so doe VERS VI. My soule flieth to the LORD before the morning watch I say before the morning watch 1 TWO lights of our vnderstanding 2 Our weakenesse not so great as wee pretend 3 Our owne indeuour must be added to the working of the LORD and that in two points 4 In swiftnesse 5 In timelinesse 6 We are not perfect at the first and wherefore 7 A prayer 8 Wherefore we are to resort to GOD. 9 Ioy answereth desire as rest answereth motion 10 In afflictions we must especially addresse our selues to GOD and wherefore 11 Also whensoeuer we sinne and wherefore 12 How dangerous it is to perseuere in sinne 13 Examples and reasons proouing the same 14 A sinner vpon hope is little better then a sinner vpon despaire 15 Times not well imployed are often shortned 16 Deferring of repentance will hearden our hearts 17 How GOD may answer late repenting sinners 18 How fearefull it is to trust to late repentance 19 It is a long walke to happinesse and by many steppes 20 The cause of the fall of Angels 21 We finde rest onely in GOD and wherefore BVT do not so looke for the LORD O my soule that thou remaine without motion in thy selfe stand not looking like a sencelesse statue but applie the forces wherewith GOD hath originally endowed thee for hee that made thee without thy selfe without thy selfe will not saue thee Thou hast two lights two eies of thy vnderstanding faith and reason Faith is wrought in thee by his word reason is naturally planted in thee as he worketh extraordinarily by his word so nature is his ordinary power But nothing is more comfortable contenting then when both concur agree together Thou doest often complaine of weakenesse but examine thy selfe well and thou shalt not finde so great cause to complaine of thy weakenesse as of thy will thy weakenesse will not appeare so great if thy endeuour be anâ—werable to thy power And therefore O my soule as thou lookest for the LORD so looke that thou adde thy owne endeuour Especially looke that thou bee diligent and that in two points in swiftnesse Flie to the LORD and in timelinesse before the morning watch It was commanded in the Law that the Paschall Lambe should bee eaten in haste Whereby is signified with what feruour of spirit with what hungry hast wee must applie our desires to our heauenly repast otherwise it will neuer either fill or content vs. Doe not linger lazily as Lot did in Sodome bee not slow paced to forsake the world which is no better then a denne of theeues a stable of beasts a puddle with swine a dunghill with snakes yea a part of Hell bee not heauie and dull
to resort to GOD. Breake off all dangerous delayes whereby the Diuell endeuoureth to deuoure all thy time but as a Doue hasteth her flight from the pursuit of an Eagle so earely and in good time begin to take wing and dispatch thy selfe from the world to flie to the LORD Bee not taken sleeping as was the slothfull seruant but addresse thy selfe to the LORD As GOD doth helpe right earely so right earely seeke for his helpe euen before the morning watch I say before the morning watch All effects conuert to their cause to receiue from thence their last perfections The chicken so soone as it creepeth foorth of the shell will resort vnder the wings of the hen The Lambe so soon as it is brought foorth will apply it selfe to the teats of the damme it will know her it will follow her among all the flocke But tell me reasonable man what reason hast thou not to doe that which thou seest vnreasonable beasts performe Thou art not perfect thou wantest many things This doth the restlesse appetite of thy nature conuince alwaies desiring somewhat and neuer fully content GOD would not make thee perfect at the first not because he was sparing but because he knew it fittest for thy good not as denying but as suspending his plentie not to make thee poore but humble not because thou shouldest alwaies want but because thou shouldest alwaies depend vpon him LORD thy workes are perfect and I am the worke of thy handes I am fearefully and wonderfully but not perfectly made Thy hands haue made me and fashioned me but stay not here gracious LORD proceede still to perfect thy worke O giue me vnderstanding that I may learne thy commandements I was created vnperfect like a blind whelpe but open thou the eyes of my soule and therewith infuse thy light that I may discerne my defects and resort to thee daily to adde something toward perfecting thy worke For of whom should I desire that which I want but of him who hath giuen me that which I haue There is no doubt but he who hath giuen the beginning will also knit vp and finish the end LORD If thou beest my beginning and my end whom else should I desire If all the good which I either haue or expect floweth from thy most liberall hand vpon whom else should I depend if thou beest my Father my king my Lord my creator my preseruer my gouernour my redeemer if I dailie receiue not my preseruation onely but some part of perfection from thee to whom else should I hastily flie Seruants follow their masters for a small reward and wherefore am not I diligent and readie both to serue and obserue thee who hast deserued so much and reserued farre greater matters for me O my LORD since I haue so iust causes and reasons to resort vnto thee wherefore is not my soule and all the abilities thereof enflamed with desire of thee wherefore doe I not take the wings of the morning and flie vnto thee O my hope my glory my delight O my beginning my perfection my end O my GOD when shall I truely long after thee when shall I hasten to approach thee when shall I finde all impediments remooued which hold me from thee when shall I find all that dead in me which is not delightfull to thee when will the houre come wherein nothing shall liue in me but thy selfe when wilt thou violently rauish me When inebriate me with desire of thee when shall I be whollie thine when wilt thou transforme mee wholly into thee when shall I see the day wherein I shall be one spirit with thee and neuer after be deuided from thee I beseech thee O my GOD giue me wherwith to pay that which I owe thee that albeit I cannot thus enioy thee yet with all my heart I desire thee and with all my endeauours aspire vnto thee because as in no other thing there is perfect ioy so our desires and endeauours should aime at nothing else For ioy answereth desire as rest answereth motion as rest is when motion ceaseth so then is ioy when nothing is desired But because in matters of this world desire hath no perfect rest it followeth that it hath in them no perfect ioy but as thou only fillest our desires so in thee onely is perfect ioy And therefore grant to my soule I humbly intreat thee such large proportion of ioy in thee that my ioy may enflame my desire to be with thee and my desire may draw my endeauours to flie vnto thee That my ioy in thee may be such that I propound nothing interially to my desires nothing exterially to my endeauoures but onely to enioy thee Especiallie O my soule when thou art whipped with any affliction addresse thy selfe foorthwih to the LORD So soone as thou feelest his stripes on thy backe make no stay for this may procure thee a dreadfull if not a deadly blow but presently start vp and flie vnto him For assuredlie at these times he worketh vpon thee to aduance thee towards thy perfection at these times he contriueth thee to some speciall end for himselfe The godlie are termed liuely stones for a spirituall building but a stone must bee squared and hewen and by many sad strokes made fit or else will not serue for a beautifull building No doubt is made of the saluation of Dauid who liued alwayes vnder the rode but of the saluation of Solomon who liued alwaies in prosperity and peace much question is made For doubtlesse as it is more dangerous sailing in fresh waters then in salt so a prosperous life is more obnoxious to perils then a life trauersed with many troubles The more the people of Israel were oppressed the more they encreased the more the waters of the deluge swelled the neerer was the Arke eleuated towards heauen and calamities of this life are not only sure signes of the fauour of GOD but meanes also to procure the same For they stirre men to resort to GOD and neuer to giue ouer their swift pursuite vntill the dawning of diuine comforts open vpon them aswell to dispell the thicke damps and mists of their miseries as both to enlighten and refresh their soules ouerclouded with heauinesse and to erect them by hope to secure quiet and ioy Also whensoeuer thou fallest into any sin do not lie still either pleasuring or sleeping therein but early arise and flie to the LORD haste thee presentlie rather cut the knot then stay to vntie it Seeke the LORD whilest he may be found call vpon him whilest he is neere But when is he more neere then at the present Novv When may he more easily be found when better called vpon then at the very Novv euen Novv when he calleth to thee Now is the acceptable time Now is the day of Saluation All agree that after sinne there is no hope of felicitie no hope of eternall life but by repentance Herein all are agreed but
of many steppes Signifying that no man can attaine that happy height no man can approch him who standeth at the toppe but by many degrees of vertues whereof euery one also hath many steppes Consider with mee but a few of these and namely the mortifying of all affections either vicious or impertinent and vaine then the treading in all the steps of humility patience meekenesse mercifulnesse temperance obedience feare fortitude true discretion pure intention sobrietie modesty externall composition sweetnesse to others seueritie against our selues and all other vertues required and verely thou shalt finde it a long ladder indeede and that which will require a long time to climbe This climbing or walking is otherwise termed an edification or building For as a great building cannot be mowlded vp in an instant but first the foundation must bee layde then the walles erected and lastly the roofe and floores framed so in this spirituall building a sure foundation must bee layd vpon earth if we intend to raise it to reach into heauen And therefore it is a point of extreame either blindnesse or madnesse to aime at this end this happie end this last end and not to obserue the meanes appointed to attaine it This is thought to bee the cause of the fall of Angels euen because they aspired to their highest end without due obseruing the meanes For as sparkes strooke from a flint if they flie vpward they extinguish but if they bee caried downeward they take fire and burne so those Angels which humbled themselues and embraced the meanes attained to glory but they who proudly presumed by their owne abilities suddenly to attaine it not onely failed thereof but were deiected into hell In like maner wee all desire happinesse there is not any who would not bee happie but wee regard not the meanes appointed for that end Wee will not worke wee will not walke wee will not addresse our forces to the workes nor our feete to the waies which bring to happinesse We will not take either time or paines but thinke to mount to heauen at a leape at a iumpe at the last time of our age at the last minute of our life by a few short wishes rather then prayers But blessed is the man O LORD whose strength is in thee in whose heart are thy wayes They shall goe from strength to strength and vnto the GOD of gods appeareth euery one of them in Sion Wherefore O my soule howsoeuer others either linger or giue ouer betake thou thy selfe speedily to the LORD For to whom else shouldest thou resort he is thy prefection thy last end the rest and satisfaction of all thy desires Thou doest naturally desire nothing but him the desire of worldly things is but a disease Goe too then tumble vpon the bed of honour riches or pleasure thou shalt neuer find rest because thou cariest thy disease within thee ridde thee of thy sickenesse and thou shalt finde rest onely in GOD. The reason is plaine GOD made thee only for himselfe and therefore being thy last end thou canst not find quiet but onely in him Againe GOD onely is agreeable to thy nature thou art his image thou art breathed from him No worldly thing hath any proportion with thy nature and therefore can not giue thee true satisfaction A horse is not satisfied with flesh nor a Lion with grasse because such foode agreeth not with the nature of those beasts No lesse can a spirit be satisfied with corporall things because they are not conformable thereto The gifts and graces of GOD are conformable to thy nature they only giue thee both nourishment and delight Pride and enuy are spirituall things but they no more nourish a soule then poison nourisheth a body God only is agreeable to thy Nature GOD onely filleth thy desire And yet neither by filling thy desire hee doeth extinguish it neither by enflaming thy desire he ceaseth to fill it Wherefore O my soule Loose not time but since he hath created thee Remember thy maker in the dayes of thy youth Since thou hast no satisfaction but from him take the wings of the morning and flie vnto him VERS VII O Israel trust in the LORD for with the LORD there is mercie and with him is plenteous redemption 1. THe inuincible force of hope 2 GOD vseth to lay aduersities on his seruants and seemeth little to regard them and wherefore 3 It is a fearefull slate to liue free from troubles 4 The secret thoughts of diuers princes 5 Worldly things are like shadowes and wherefore 6 Whereon our trust must be grounded 7 How the mercies of GOD may be esteemed 8 In two respects mercy in GOD is preferred before Iustice. 9 GOD is most rich in his workes of mercy 10 Wherefore mercy is said to be naturall and proper to GOD. 11 What we shall doe that we may not feare 12 To whom there is nothing but mercy from GOD. 13 How ready GOD is to impart himselfe to sinners 14 The plenty and riches of our redemption 15 The treasure and ransome of sinners 16 In whom is the default that sinners are damned 17 The benefits of our redemption 18 An example of our right to these benefits 19 What our Sauiour is to vs. 20 Our title to the merits of our redeemer O Heauenly hope there is no labour no calamitie albeit daily storming daily encreasing but by thee is made tolerable Without thee many would faint and fall vnder their heauie burthens but thou suppliest not only strength to endure but courage to beare ouer all extremitie This was figured by the windowe in Noahs Arke which was made aboue towards heauen signifying that in that cruell calamitie reliefe was to bee expected onely from thence Death triumpheth ouer all earthly things but thou triumphest ouer death thou art more victorious then death And therefore albeit Iacob was dying yet his hope died not when he said I will looke for thy saluation O LORD Here hence holy Iob also in his greatest extremities said I know that my Redeemer liueth and though wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see GOD. Wherfore O my soule doe not onely flie to the LORD vpon the wings of thy hope doe not thou onely rest assured vpon confidence in his worde but perswade all others to do the like O my friendes O all ye of the house and Church of GOD Trust in the LORD Attend for succours only from him for he is both ready and most assured Albeit your distresse bee great and fearefull albeit you be not presently heard albeit you seeme to bee forsaken yet trust in the LORD Against all hope hope in him euen when your case seemeth desperate and forlorne euen vnto death stand steadie as a rocke and trust in the LORD It is a familiar fashion with our LORD to suffer his friends and faithfull seruants to sweat vnder the sad burthens of aduersities and to seeme as if he neither heard their prayers nor
the Sonne was farre more pleasing to the Father then the disobedience of the first man was offensiue his glory by this obedience is farre aboue the offence by the sinnes of all men the odour of this sacrifice offered with the fire of loue vpon the altar of the crosse was more sweete then the fume of all the sinnes of the world was noisome To vnderstand this we must conceiue that as nothing is so hatefull to GOD as vice so nothing is so precious as vertue and sanctitie How acceptable then may we thinke this sacrifice to be wherein so many vertues were conspicuous in the highest degree of perfection Here was most perfect obedience Here was most earnest zeale of the glory of the Father to satisfie the offence and contempt against his diuine Maiesty What need I speake of his high humility by which he would be accounted worse then Barabbas what of his most perfect patience both in iniuries and in torments what of his admirable fortitude and perseuerance wherewith as a giant without stop or stay he performed his enterprise But aboue all his loue was most illustrious his loue I say both of the saluation of man of his Fathers glory This loue made his wil so ready his desire so great that he was prepared to endure not onely the crosse but a thousand deaths beside in case the iustice of his Father had so required Hee loued much more then he suffered and was ready to haue suffered much more then he did if it had beene so appointed Wherfore if we consider a part what he suffred what he was prepared in desire to haue suffred wee may discern two most acceptable sacrifices one partly seen in that which he suffered another altogether inuisiâ—â—e which was his will to haue suffered more then he did And there is no doubt but that the holy Father who principally respecteth the heart did more accept the inward sacrifice of his will then he did the sacrifice of the passion which he did outwardly both act indure And seeing it is necessary that so great oblations merit a reward it followeth that the father must reward the sonne Otherwise he should be either vnable or vniust both which are impossible But there can be no recompence but either in giuing that which one hath not or in forgiuing that which he oweth neither of which could bee done to our redeemer For what could be giuen to him who wanted nothing what forgiuen him who neuer offended Therefore it is necessary seeing a reward is due and seeing it could not be giuen to himselfe that it bee giuen to some other for him to some other for whom hee will require it But for whom should hee require it if not for those for whom hee merited it and to whom hee hath made himselfe an example wherefore hath he commanded them to imitate his righteousnesse if they shall not be partakers of his reward whom should hee more iustly appoint for his heires then his parents his brethren his children who are grieuous debtors and for whom hee hath vndertaken payment Assuredly the father will driue no man from him who commeth to him in the gloriâ—â— name of this redeemer he shall alwayes finde redemption farre aboue his debt Our redeemâ—r so loueth 〈◊〉 that hee maketh perpetuall interceâ—sion for vs the father so loueth him that he is neuer wearied neuer molested with his intercession This is hee to whom the LORD sware and will not repent thou art a Priest for euer But stay a while pound these spices somwhat more O my soule dwell a little vpon perusall of this rich piece what busines is this which is done with so great solemnitie wherfore did the LORD sweare was it not sufficient for him who is truth to haue giuen his word wherefore also doth he adde that hee will not repent can the LORD repent of any thing that hee saith or doeth Assuredly no. But all this is to confirme our confidence that whatsoeuer petitions and importunities are offered in that sacred name the eternall Father will neuer bee wearie to heare them neuer vnwilling to grant them Men doe often repent of their promises when the performance of them is either aboue their power or to their disaduantage But the high wisedome of the father cannot be ouertaken with such ouersight hee will neuer repent him of his promise as knowing right well both what he promised and for whose sake Hee hath consecrated his sonne to be a Priest for euer Hee is alwayes in his sight hee alwayes sheweth that holy humanitie those deepe and wide woundes which he receiued for our sake This is his perpetuall representation this the perpetuall intercession which hee maketh for vs LORD open my mouth to praise thee who hast opened so many mouthes as thou hast receiued wounds to pray to thy father for mee Blessed be such a redeemer blessed be such an intercessour blessed bee such prouidence and such power either to preuent our miseries or to preuaile against them Cursed be our distrust cursed our negligence whereby the benefit of our redemption is often lost The father hath deliuered the keyes of his infinite treasure to his sonne and our brother to our flesh and blood He hath opened them he hath power to dispose them so largely as he please and is pleased to doe it so largely as he can but wee often faile either in will to desire or in capacitie to receiue them Indeede the capacitie of our hearts is so narrow and straite that it seemeth a small thing would satisfie our desires For when wee pray wee so pray that it seemeth a little would content vs our heauinesse is such that wee know neither how nor what to desire So they who are in heauinesse would bee content with a little comfort they who are in pouertie would be glad but of a little reliefe But GOD thinketh not this enough For hee giueth aboue all that wee can aske or receiue no man either can or dare aske so much as he is both willing and ready to giue As wee slenderly beleeue so wee slenderly aske but GOD rayneth plentifully vpon the little poore sparkes of our prayers and if we can awaite the time will recompence our stay with inestimable aboundance GOD is the first who loueth and the last who leaueth he neuer forsaketh vs vnlesse wee â—â—rst giue ouer to trust in him and pray vnto him This it is to bee GOD euen to redeeme and deliuer and that with greater Maiestie and glory then can bee conceiued GOD is plenteous in all his workes but in none so plenteous as in his great worke of redemption It was a merueilous redemption whereby the people of Israel was freed from the seuere seruitude of Egypt but it was not like this whereof I speake it was but a type and figure thereof This redemption is vniuersall it hath discharged not one people alone but all the world There is no sinne not onely committed but possible to
of the one is the ruine of the other whereupon the Scripture saith that hee who loseth his life shall saue it That is hee who loseth his sensuall life shall saue his spirituall life Betweene these two men there is such a perpetual combate that therupon the life of man is termed a warfare betweene these two men all the maine businesse of this life consistes Now then beate downe this mortall and bodily man breake thy vnbrideled appetites set aside thy carnall pleasures and desires and thou shalt liue peaceably and at sweet content no worldly troubles shall molest thee Thou complainest of externall oppositions but thy enemies are within thy proper passions make warre against thee Vanquish these enemies and thy complaints will cease He is a great LORD who commandes himselfe hee who commandes his owne will is more powerfull then many great kings Many great kings cannot make their enemies to be friendes but this is done by commanding thy will For wherefore are iniuries and aduersities troublesome to thee beâ—ause thou canst not endure them thou esteemest them thy enemies therefore they perplexe thee But bee friendes with them and loue them and then they will not molest thee then they will bee pleasant to thy taste thou wilt be gladde then and glory in them If worldly troubles bee grieuous to thee the fault is in thy selfe it is in thy power to loue them doe but cutte off the desires of the world and thou wilt neuer complaine of any worldly thing Complaine of thy inward desires thou mayest but of externall accidents thou canst not iustly complaine because they cannot hurt thee vnlesse thou wilt If any thing seemes grieuous to thee take thy selfe in hand chastice thy inward enemies and thou shalt bee quiet As moathes consume the cloath and wormes the wood wherein they breede So thy owne concupiscences consume thy heart They gnawe thy bowels like the vipers broode and worke out their birth by thy torment and death It is most infallible that no man is wronged but by himselfe Thou art thine owne enemie Master thy selfe and thou shalt haue calme quiet and ioy of spirit As swine will not wallow in drie clay so distempered passions will not tumult in a mortified mind Open my lippes O LORD my GOD that my voyce may vent foorth those prayses to thee which the boyling desire of my heart canne possibly frame that it may exhaust the very spirit of my soule in praysing thee for this inestimable benefit of my redemption Abase me to the knowledge of my selfe abase mee in the knowledge of my selfe to the end that I may aduance to the knowledge of this great misery LORD I haue nothing in my selfe to offer to thee either in recompence of all the good which thou hast done vnto me or in satisfaction of all the euill which I haue done against thee Whatsoeuer I haue is already thine as flowing from thy plentifull hand wherefore I offer them wholly to thee to be directed to thy seruice And not onely all that I haue but I offer my selfe to bee thy perpetuall seruant That heereafter I no more bend or binde my selfe to accomplish my will but thine that I seek not my owne pleasure or aduantage but what is pleasing and acceptable to thee LORD I prostrate my selfe before thy feet I yeeld my selfe wholly into thy holy hands deale with me as a Lord deales with his vassall or slaue dispose of me euen as thou wilt But because all this is no more then nothing I approach with trust to thy throne of grace and present to thee the most precious oblation the most rich treasure that can be found in heauen or in earth namely the life death bloud labours vertues and merits of my Redeemer which albeit they were proper to him in regard of his passion yet in regard of his satisfaction they are more mine then his I offer to thee I say his base birth his extreme pouerty his trauailes and banishment his precious teares his blessed bloud his baptisme his temptation all the contradictions and rude reuilings of his enemies all the sowre sorrowes and torments of his passion the whippes the crowne of thornes the nailes the speare the crosse and the tombe I offer to thee his infinite zeale of thy glory his perfect obedience to thy will his ardent loue towards vs. I offer to thee his incredible humility his inuincible patience and gentlenesse and all other glorious vertues which sparkled in him as starres in the firmament as precious stones in a princes crowne I offer to thee all his merits not as a treasure of others but as my owne riches by inheritance His workes were finite but the merits of his workes are infinite I offer him wholly to thee hee is wholly mine in that his loue is mine For when he gaue me his loue he gaue me himselfe sith loue is no gift vnlesse the giuer be giuen with it yea it is no loue vnlesse it be as liberall of that which it is as of that which it hath O holy CHRIST the repayrer of our life the sweetnesse of our soule the refuge against our calamities what flintie heart regarding what thou hast suffered will not be enflamed with the fire of thy loue will not aduance into hope of thy mercy And blessed be thou O All-powerfull and All-mercifull GOD who hast giuen vs such right and interest in him that wee may make this oblation to thee both in thankefulnesse for ALL thy benefits and in full satisfaction for ALL our sinnes I beseech thee O LORD for his sake forgiue ALL my sinnes who for our sake endured ALL the punishments of my sinnes I will not enquire into the depth of this mystery but I will embrace it with the loue of my will The more incomprehensible it is the more worthy is it the LORD who is incomprehensible not onely in himselfe but in his workes He hath so loued vs that he hath done many things for vs which farre exceed the faculty of our vnderstanding by which hee hath much more deserued our loue then by those things which wee are able to vnderstand Prayse and Glory and Wisedome and Strength Dominion Riches and Power bee vnto our GOD for euermore A SVMMARY PRAYER O Almightie GOD the beginning the end in whom the beginning and the end are one when thou diddest fashion and create man his soule thou diddest frame as of a most diuine matter thy proper breath so in a most diuine forme euen in thy owne Image For this glorious guest thou diddest prepare the palace of his body not onely commodious for vse but curiously both framed and furnished for delight But afterwardes by reason of his transgression this palace was turned to a prison whereby it was much changed in condition For as if a man for some offence be committed prisoner to his owne house hee becommeth soone weary of the place wherein hee tooke much pleasure before especially if not onely in regard of
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