wrath that burneth for euer Who is able to abide wilt thou still hold my sinnes before my face wilt thou still encrease the sorrowes of my heart Alas what is my strength What is my faith that thou tryest me Surely thou canst find nothing in me but exceeding weaknesse a daunted Spirit a dispairing soule The thought of all my sinnes since my youth vp being now set in order before me doth quench the light of the assured faith which I hoped was within mee O good Father prooue mee but this once and withdraw thy punishment from me Let not this fit of thy lasting indignation make an end of mee I know assuredly thou hast and daily dost forgiue sinne greater and more hainous sinne then mine For in the very depth of my disobedience I haue alwaies restrained the vnbridled affection and surely thou hast neuer suffered me to this houre to giue my full and whole consent to any sinne whereinto I haue fallen since I was borne In consideration whereof sithence I haue the sure testimony of a good conscience that I am one of thy chosen I humbly entreat thy Maiesty to encline thine eare to my supplication and to deale with mée as with a sonne remembring himselfe and returning vnto thée in wéeping great mourning Let the griefe of my heart and the teares of mine eies be accepted for all that I can do and lay all the burden of my transgressions late and long since past vpon the backe of my blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ who for such as I am dyed and suffered the bitter cup of thy wrath O be thou pacified and well pleased in him who suffered the Iust for the vniust and endured causeles and vndeseruedly all extremities to the end thou O righteous father shouldst be pacified and well pleased with all penitent belieuing sinners notwithstanding the multitude magnitude and turpitude of their transgressions Were mine abhominations now to be committed though I might conceale thē from the world I would not performe them in the presence of thy Maiesty because thou art a God of pure eyes and canst not behold iniquity I feare thee I loue thée I doe reuerence before thée I adore thy purity integrity thy perfection I am desirous to bée like vnto thée O thou that dwellest in the heauens My soule hath desire and a longing to please thee perseuere in thy waies and to be renued in righteousnes and true holines after thy blessed Image When my sinnes are forgiuen and my transgressions wiped out of the score of thy iudgements then shall mercy embrace mee and louing kindnesse compasse mée euery morning then shall my faith worke by thy loue shed abroad in my heart through the holy Ghost then shall my wonted strength and much more also possesse enarme my soule against all my deadly foes then shall I be clensed and made fit for euery good worke So shall the Comfort of my heart bée restored vnto mée againe and I will serue thée in Spirit and truth all the daies of my life And doe render vnto thée in the meane time nothing doubting of thy frée pardon all honour glory praise power dominiō thanks now and for euermore Amen ¶ A De-profundis full of hope and godly resolution OH Lord my God the comforter of all the chosen from whose only throne procéedeth ioy gladnesse peace and comfort and euerlasting felicitie in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy at whose right hand there are pleasures for euermore without whose chéerefull countenance and pleasant aspect nothing is amiable no Soule is ioyfull vouchsafe to shine into my woefull heart euen pined confumed with griefe through my dayly complayning miserably rent and torne in péeces through continuall mourning day night perplexed and distracted vnto the very death through perpetuall tribulation and anguish without ceasing I know that one fauourable aspect of thy grace vpon me can restore me to vnspeakable gladnesse Oh that it were thy pleasure to afford it me to bring mée backe from the graue which I behold as it were already opened for my transgressions In truth my griefe is not cōceiued of me yet it doth astonish me I find my selfe in farre worse case then euer in my life neuer was I pierced so much at the heart roote I haue not heretofore receiued so déepe and desperate and deadly wound in my conscience If thou Lord vouchsafe to rid me out of this thraldome and euen hellish captiuity being fast bound in the chaines of dānable thoughts O my Lord my good God my heart tongue shall sing for euer vnto thy prayse I will publish thy mercies I will teach thy iudgements vnto thy people I will praise thée in the great congregation I will wholy consecrate and deuote my selfe vnto thée all the daies of my life Oh Father of heauen giue bestow fréely vppon mée the most excellent gift of an vnfained Faith that my sinnes are forgiuen me for thy déere sonne Iesus Christs sake let me fully be assured thereof by the Spirit the comforter Indéed it doth not belong vnto mée I confesse I confesse I will not deny For I haue behaued my selfe more like a reprobate and damned creature then one of thy children Surely such Carrion curs as I am that trample the blood of Iesus Christ and despise the spirit of grace so sinfully so shamefully so often so odiously so presumptuously so intollerably as I haue done are not worthy the least crum of thy mercifull comfort yet Lord sith I am but dust and ashes and through the frailty of the old Adam I haue thus abused thy goodnes refusing and vexing thy holy spirit for which damnable insolency I am now most wofully distracted and almost bereft of my small wits the déepe thoughts whereof doe so dangerously assault mee O my Father and my God contend not with me any longer I shal surely despaire and bée damned if thou send me not ayd and peace of Conscience spéedily How can I lye in these scorching flames Oh consider mine exceding weaknesse Oh good Samaritane powre wine and oyle into my bléeding wounds Oh swéet Iesu let me not be cast away because I haue put my trust in thée I will not let thée go vntill thou blesse me Now blessed Sauiour many of my prayers haue béene refused let this be accepted sith thou hast giuen me a time to repent with most humble thāks giue me leaue to accept it Cast me not out of thy presence I desire to be at rest in my spirit that I may go chéerfully forward in the holy seruice What shall I say how shall I entreat good Lord haue mercy vpon me Oh let thy tender mercies comfort my distressed and heale my wounded heart one drop of thy mercy swéet Iesu swéet Iesu mercy or no mercie all honour and glory and praise and powre might and Maiestie be ascribed vnto thée for euer and euer Amen ¶ A true penitents confession and petition for grace O MOST mighty Prince Potentate
into thy mercifull hands again For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ A comfortable conceit vpon review of the soule vnder Gods protection And an earnest entreatie for godly perseuerance I Committed my soule into thy hands oh Lord thou GOD of mercie render it restore it now nay thine it is and kéepe it I beséech thee and let mée haue a sight of it Oh thanks bée vnto thy diuine Maiestie and vnspeakable mercy that yet once againe thou hast washed and cleansed it that thou hast sprinckled the bloud of Iesus Christ ouer it that thou hast adorned and beautified it with glorious grace and hast not taken thine holie Spirit from me Lord pardon my vnthankfulnes Goe my soule vnto thy God at all times for he loueth thée he hath once loued thée and he loueth thée for euer Goe vnto him and tye thy selfe be not separated oh my soule He is thy God he is thy Creator he is thy redéemer he is thy Sauiour O worship thou him in the beautie of holinesse Oh mercifull Lord God haue pittie yet againe on my distressed forlorne and forsaken soule It is wonderfully wounded vnto the death Oh saue me saue me oh Lord why am I thus why art thou angry with me for euer I will hope in thy holy name oh let me not go away ashamed because I haue put my trust in thée Who euer trusted in thée and was confounded And shall I Surely thou wilt heare mee thou wilt helpe me thou wilt comfort me My heart telleth mée thy spirit beareth witnesse vnto me that I shall bee relieued and comforted and made glad and excéeding ioyfull with the light of thy countenance Behold euen as the eyes of a seruant doe looke vnto the hand of his maister and the eyes of a maiden vnto the hand of her Mistres euen so mine eyes wayt vpon thée my God vntill thou haue mercy vpon me Make spéed O Lord and be not slack it is time it is high time I beséech thee Lord let me beg my soule out of the hands of Satan for Iesus sake and draw my soule oh louing Father vnto Iesus Christ let him command Satan to yéeld it vp againe Seeing he hath no title no interest why should hee haue any possession oh that it were wholy imployed in thy seruice Heare then Lord and forgiue all my sinnes past my Rose-coloured and bloud-red sinnes remember thy mercies in Iesus Christ my only Sauiour most louing Redéemer to whome with thée and the holie Ghost one God Almighty eternall and most mercifull bee praise and glorie for euer and euer Amen ¶ An excellent wrestling with Iesus Christ OH swéet Iesu Christ sonne of God sonne of the Father lord of life sonne of Dauid redéemer of the world haue mercy vpon me miserable sinner I haue defaced the glorious Image after which I was created I haue peruerted my wayes and deliuered my soule into the power of Satan I was held captiue and bound in the chaines of euerlasting darkenes yet thou Oh Lord didst redéeme mée with thy most precious bloud thou didst deliuer me and set me at libertie thou diddest offer vp thine owne body vpon the crosse and submit thy selfe vnto the death for my sake and this my redemption thou didst seale in my heart by the most comfortable gift of Faith and other Christian vertues attending therevpon so that I gaue my selfe to loue thée and chéerefully to serue thée and call vpon thée then didst thou answere me againe and filledst my heart with gladnes yea swéet Iesu thou knowest that my heart within mée hath leaped and daunced for ioy of thy louing coūtenance and vnspeakable mercies May it please thee I know it doth please thée Oh mercifull Redéemer to continue thy louing kindnes towards mée I know and I confesse for if I deny I am a lyer that I haue notwithstanding thy tender loue towards me in redéeming my sinfull and wretched soule greatly and notoriously abused and contemned thy goodnes wantonly and wickedly kicked and spurned against thy holie grace the seale of mine eternall election and redemption wonderfully and strangely oh good Christ thou knowest most villanously presumptuously and almost despightfully defacing and rasing out the print thereof by most heinous transgressions heaped vp together encreasing in great measure in most vile and abhominable sort so that I had almost lost faith and fallen from grace But continuall and euerlasting praise bée giuen to thée thou hast lifted me vp frō the gates of death from the pit of hell and power of the Diuell The slye and subtill snares of damnation were spread vnder me and I stumbled and fell and now was hell and death and damnation preparing a triumph ouer my soule now was the Diuell stepping with his gréedy téeth to teare and loe thou sonne of God thou sauiour of men thou strong and mighty by thy mighty power whereby thou art able to subdue all things vnto thy selfe didst pluck me out of his téeth and deliuer me What shall I render vnto thy Maiestie thy power thy goodnesse thy mercie thy most vndeserued true Lord and most true compassion and pittie What shall I render vnto thée for all the good that thou hast done vnto me Surely I will confesse vnto thée my wickednes and be sorrie for my sinne I will magnifie and praise thy name for euer I will speake of thy louing kindnesse and make mention of thy saluation Oh Lord who is like vnto thée that deliuerest me from him that is to strong for mée and spoileth mee My soule shall make her boast of thée and shal not be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me Moreouer oh my Iesus I will not cease to pray vnto thee dispose me therevnto I most humbly beséech thée for without thée I can doe nothing Oh let my prayer come before thée and enter into thy presence Let me neuer be so mightily ouercome and so shamefully ouerthrowne as I haue béene Giue me thy constant spirit bréed in my heart and Conscience a deadly hatred and desperate enmity of sinne and wickednesse let me neuer be reconciled vnto them againe Oh let my soule loue thy most precious blood by which it is washed and cleansed from most vile corruptions Let me die oh Lord and depart this life before I so contemptuously as indeede I haue done tread and trample it as it were vnder my profane féet Oh let me die first I vnfainedly desire thée my swéet Sauiour For why should I liue to dishonour thée in such sort Why should I liue still to prouoke thy wrath and mine owne vnquietnesse I haue profaned thy sanctified and sanctifying blood I haue buffeted thée on the face I haue whipped and scourged thée most cruelly I haue by most odious impiety crucified thée afresh vnto my selfe Ah sinnefull wretch laden with iniquity heauie laden Oh laden oh when wilt thou refresh me quicken me in thy righteousnesse and clense me from all my
pit I am spoyled of robbers I am robbed of thy robes mortification and sanctification The spoilers are my sinnes my concupiscences my corruptions within me They oh Iesu euen they haue spoiled mee dis-robed me of thy graces disfurnished mee of thy riches and vertues Oh good Samaritan while I am weltring in my bloud Oh while I am in my bloud despise me not passe not by me haue pittie and compassion vpon me Bring thy bloud thy most precious bloud precious because not to be valued at any price better then the balme of Gilead powre it into my wounds it is wine it is oyle it hath a sauing vertue O saue me my Sauiour Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee I thirst for thée I long for thée I faint for thée Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me I haue hoped in thy holie name For why art thou the sonne of Dauid Is it not because of thy sure mercies to Dauid and to his seed for euer And who is the séed of Dauid are not they that call vpon thée that rest in thée that haue no other saluation but thée the séed of Dauid O then I haue no helper no sauiour no redéemer but thée oh Lord of life O Prince of peace oh GOD my righteousnes I haue none but thée I am then the seed of Dauid performe to me the holy things of Dauid the promises of eternall life O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane purge me oh Physition of the soule purge mee and make mee cleane let thy blood wash mee throughly and I shall be cleane I haue deserued thy iust conceiued fury no reason thou shouldst heare saue but thine owne mercy thine own loue I appeale vnto them wherefore hast thou called me and taught me thy truth In vain O let it not be in vaine Wherefore do I beléeue thée to be sauiour of sinners in vaine O let it not be in vain But if I be not saued I belieue in vaine Lord heare my praier and let my sorrowfull sighing come before thée So I trust I will not distrust Helpe my vnbeliefe I will lay my saluation on thy shoulders oh Christ Iesu For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ An humble suite for a liuely fayth OH Almighty God and most mercifull Father thou knowest my sorrowes and my rowling repentances within me how I am grieued and vexed that I haue transgressed against thée oh Lord thou knowest The terrors and troubles of my heart are all open before thy Maiestie whom that I haue prouoked to take swift vengeance vppon me I confesse yea oh mighty Monarche of heauen and earth I confesse freely and willingly that damnation of body and soule is my due and the rather for that by mine iniquities best knowen vnto thy sacred Maiestie I haue refused Faith in the blood of thy Sonne Iesus Christ I haue hardned my heart and encreased my contempt against him Now Lord séeing it hath pleased thée to call to my remembrance and consideration my transgressions to giue me grace to confesse and acknowledge them in a detestation of them to seeke and sue for thy Sonne Iesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased I beseech thée oh Father good Father as thou hast loued mankind fréely so giue me the most excellent and comfortable gift of Faith in the death and passion of Iesus Christ that I may beleeue stedfastly to my comfort in him that he is the Sauiour Redeemer not onely of others but of me also euen of me oh Father thy Creature though miserably deformed by sinne Oh send thy holy spirit of grace into my heart that I beeing dead stinking in the graue of my wickednesse yet may arise and liue to thée and thy glory for euer through the powerfull might of Iesus Christ by an vnfained and setled faith in my heart Oh heauenly Father I am almost swallowed vp of despaire thy punishment doth so amaze me Oh deliuer my soule from that fearfull monster I am ashamed and confounded before thee my sins are so many since my youth vp now thou callest thē to thy remembrance and I cannot answere one for a Thousand I will therefore lay mine hand vpon my mouth and kéepe silence before thée wayting for thy deliuerance and for faith in Iesus Christ oh send me faith liuely and working and comforting that I may goe forward couragiously in the path of sanctification all my life long Grant this oh Father that I may glorifie thy name and reioyce in thée and in thy sauing health Iesus Christ my onely Lord Redéemer and Sauiour To whom with thée and that desired and longed for holy Ghost thrée persons and one Coequall and Coeternall God be all glorie and praise and Dominion and Maiestie and thanksgiuing from henceforth and for euermore Amen ¶ A gladsome thanksgiving for the tast of Gods mercie ETernall GOD whose habitation is in heauen and whose wōderfull and gratious prouidence in all the world thanks be giuen to thy most sacred Maiestie that being so high thou hast respect vnto the lowly that being so powerfull and mighty thou hast regard to my misery Oh gratious and most louing Father in Iesus Christ my Sauiour hath it pleased thee indéed to take the prey from the mighty my soule from Satan and to let the iust captiuitie goe frée my sinnefull soule and body indéed and truth snared and captiued of the Prince of darknes to be loosed from the chaines of hell infirmitie enormity presūptiō custome of iniquitie it is true it hath pleased thée euen so Father because it was thy good pleasure I acknowledge and confesse that this hath procéeded of thine euerlasting and neuer dying mercies I will therefore take vp the cup of saluation that thou hast reached vnto me and drinke it vp health vnto my bones to my bowels to my nauill to my soule I haue sucked the dregs of the cup of trembling but the cup of trembling is taken from me now thou hast refreshed me with chéerefull wine the bloud of Iesus Christ I will make mention of thy righteousnesse alwayes I will sing praise honour vnto thée with my whole heart I was dead but I am aliue I was withered like haye but now I shall flourish as a gréen hearb beyond all hope Loe this this is the portion of thē that turne from iniquity in Iacob and feare the Lord seruing him in vprightnes and truth Thus is the Lord mercifull vnto his seruants whome he hath chosen He kéepeth them that they do not fall for euer Thus is hee mercifull vnto them for his owne sake O King of Kings thou dweller in eternitie séeing so farre it hath pleased thée to visite the distressed estate of a sinner and to lead me in the path of righteousnesse thou art vnchangeable one and the same and hast neuer vsed to repent thée of thy compassions heare me and giue eare
my conscience vexed mine affection enflamed my presumption encreased I yéeld I fall I sinne I dye Oh God oh good God oh gracious God heare me oh spirit oh holy spirit oh comfortable spirit thy name is the comforter oh come and assist me O Iesu sweet Iesu Iesu that deliuerest vs from the wrath to come Come heare me come helpe me come saue me come stand by me Rebuke Satan rebuke sinne I beséech thee my Sauiour my gentle Sauiour rebuke my sinfull soule that resteth vpō thée reforme my soule that longeth for thée Suffer mee not to bée tempted aboue my strength of my self I haue no strength Bee thou my strength my castle and deliuerer at this time and at all times in my perplexities assaults and temptations So be it euen so bee it so I trust and so I rest Iesu that deliuerest vs from the wrath to come Amen ¶ A prayer for grace and diligence to pray OH most mercifull God and louing Father I confesse acknowledge my negligent and carelesse behauiour towards thée as in all the course of godlinesse so chiefly in deuotion and godly praier Haue mercy vpon me and forgiue my securitie I haue hindred many good things from my selfe that I haue not prayed for I haue thereby vilified thy heauenly blessings and riches of thy mercie I haue brought leauenesse vnto my soule Oh gracious God stirre vp my dull and dead spirit and quicken me in thy holinesse that my breast being set on fire and enflamed with thy manifold mercies and graces I may diligently direct my petitions vnto thée and so obtaine according to my necessitty Open mine eies O Lord that I may sée my wants clearly touch my heart that I may pray vnto thee faithfully feruently continually Heare me oh good God and quicken me according to thy mercie Oh disperse mine iniquities as a cloud after a great raine Now after the time that thou hast visited my sinne vpon me returne returne I beséech thée in great compassion My soule is afraid of thy iudgements I am beaten backe with feare of thy wrath when I thinke to pray my heart is cold within me I am astonied and sodainly cast downe LORD lift me vp to thy throne in prayer thou that hast lift me vp from the gates of death Where is thy liuely spirit Swéet God Iesus my Sauiour promised me the comfortable spirit In his name I beséech thée send it into my heart It will teach me and warne me to pray so shal I be sure to obtaine my prayers Heare me O Lord for my Sauiour Iesus sake to whome with thée and the holie Ghost be all honor glorie and praise Amen ¶ A thankfull acknowledgement of diuine mercies in Iudgements OH most mightie Lord God Creator Gouernour and possessour of Heauen and earth Wisedome is about thy throne and thy kingdome is established in iudgement Whatsoeuer pleaseth thee that dost thou in heauen and in earth and in all déepe places Thou beholdest and considerest the waies of men and thou rewardest euery man according to his workes Thou callest for punishment and it runneth like the swift lightning vpon the transgressors Thou commandest vengeance and vengeance entreth into all places the stately pallaces of Princes and the beggarly cottages of the poore There is nothing hid frō the brightnesse of thy presence Thine eyes in euery place a thousand times brighter then the Sunne behold the euill and the good There is nothing can be deliuered from the fircenes of thy wrath It burneth like fire euen to the bottome of hell Thou dost correct the wicked with the vengeance of eternall fire Thou dost chasten thine own children whē they goe astray and wander in the pathes of the vngodly with the corrections of men Infamy pouerty sicknesse of bodie weaknes of mind imprisonment banishment persecution and temporall death Oh Lord our gouernour how excellent is thy name how woonderfull are thy iudgements in all the world And yet for all this how few there are euen a very few that consider thy worke that is done vnder the Sunne that ponder thy iudgements though they be vpon themselues Oh palpable blindnesse oh dull forgetfulnes oh great security oh grosse impietie thou smitest and no man regardeth thou punishest and no man considereth thou layest thy iudgements to the view of all men and no man layeth them vnto his heart Blessed is hee whome thou instructest by punishment and guidest in the way of iudgement Surely this is a great mercy and it passeth all thy workes O teach me thy iudgements thy louing corrections haue made me glad To me thou hast reuealed mercy in iudgement thou hast assured consolation by correction Why so For I prayed vnto thée in the sorrowes of my soule Correct mee O Lord yet in thy judgement not in thy fury c. So I prayed for I was content to beare thy punishment because I had sinned against thée This my prayer thou hast graciously granted vnto me thou hadst respect vnto the humble suite of a sinner Therefore in thy fury thou didst not correct me with violent fire which doth deuoure the Aduersary with euerlasting paines thou didst not reward mee as I deserued but in iudgement thou hast punished me with the corrections of men Infamy pouerty sicknesse weaknes and such like and so thou hast graunted my petition thou Lord hast receiued my prayer thou hast chastned me with thy Children least I should be condemned with the reprobate And thus to me thou hast reuealed mercy in iudgement Thus thou hast assured consolation by correction Héere is thy mercy oh mercifull God to graunt mee my request this was thy mercie to giue eare in this thing vnto a sinner this was thy great mercie I grant it I confesse it I professe it I praise thy name for it Oh Iehoua This is the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse oh God my heart is ready my heart is ready I will sing giue prayse Awake my glorie awake my grace awake my soule all the secrets of my Soule awake I my selfe will awake right early Reioyce my deere Soule in the Lord thy God and againe I say reioyce Oh righteous Father thou hast executed thy iustice and extended thy mercy vpon me both together Who can declare thy noble Acts and shew forth all thy prayse who can doe as thou dost can a Man can a Saint can an Angell can any powre and Principality any throne or dominion bring good out of euill swéet out of sowre honor out of shame life out of death out of vengeance mercy as thou dost To thée therefore oh Iehoua and to thée alone shall all flesh come shall all creatures in heauen and in earth and vnder the earth be subiect to thée shall my soule and all the secrets of the same be dutifull and obedient from henceforth and for euermore I will sing vnto thée among much people and will not be ashamed I will speake of thy praises in the congregations my Soule
shall make her boast of thée and I will euer remember this that in wrath thou thinkest vppon mercy I will remember and not forget euen so be it oh Father of heauen through Iesus Christ thy onely Son in whom thou art well pleased my onely Sauiour in whome I am fully comforted So be it ¶ A Meditation sealing Eternall Election by the consideration of good Education O Most gracious God and louing Father who in thy sonne Iesus Christ before the world was made diddest predestinate foreappoint some men to life and some to death some to glory and some to contempt some to saluation and some to condemnation euen of thy good pleasure I giue thée most humble and hearty thankes that thou hast chosen me to life glory and saluatiō fréely and of thine owne accord when it might haue pleased thée to reprobate mee for euer Euē so Father because it was thy good pleasure a tast of this loue and fauour thou hast giuen me by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Hereby I am assured that I am predestinate vnto eternall life that I haue faith in the death bloodshed of Iesus Christ O Lord encrease my Faith Moreouer this thine ancient loue eternall and without beginning is manifested to me more perfectly for that it pleased thée that I should not only be borne of godly parents embracing thy truth but also by them bee brought vp and trained from my child-hoode in a course of godlinesse and vertue that so comming vnto riper yeares I might bee grounded established in thy holy waies Oh mercifull father my consciēce and sinnes doe testifie against me that I haue not deserued the least of thy mercies that thou hast enriched me withall from my youth vp much lesse this so great and inestimable a grace to bee followed with thy louing kindnesse and attended vppon by thy grace through good education all my life long to this present houre For to confesse a truth I haue not ceased to prouoke thée continually I haue not ceased to transgresse against thy holy Maiesty in thought word and déed euery day yea Lord in great and grieuous sort early and late in child-hood in youth in middle age ignorantly and wittingly weakly and presumptuously in such sort O Father that it is maruaile I am not already consumed already condemned Yet for all this thy louing fauour hath accompanied me euermore and now I perceiue the good fruit of godly education Oh my God what shal I render vnto thée how shall I bee thankefull what recompence dost thou looke for behold I will thanke thée in Christ Iesus thy beloued Sonne and my blessed Sauiour I will trust in thy mercie for euer through him I will liue in thy feare by his power I will serue thée with an vnfeigned heart and glorifie thée in my body and in my soule by the working of his grace and spirit all the daies of my life Oh continue forth thy louing kindnes towards me from henceforth and for euer that being conducted and guided through this vale of misery after I haue a little recouered my strength in bodie and spirit performed my duty patiently suffred and endured the appointed crosse for me I may in the end receiue the end of my faith and hope euen the saluation of my soule and at that great day the glorification of both body and soule through the same my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with thée and the holy Ghost be eternall and equall praise for euer Amen ¶ In weeping mourning and bitter anguish a confession and prayer OH Lord God what shal I say vnto thée O father of Heauen how shall I entreat thée I am horriblie affraid of thy iudgments I am wonderfully abashed at thy glorious presence I am vtterly ashamed of mine own basenes vilenesse wretchednesse dust ashes flesh and blood filth and froth swill and sinne that I am who shall giue me accesse and entrance before thy Maiestie who shall helpe me to entreat for thy mercy The blood of thy Son I haue polluted and profaned the holy spirit of grace I haue refused and despighted I confesse my wickednesse and I am sorie for my sinne The remembrāce therof is grieuous vnto me the burthen thereof is intollerable Albeit my due desert is hell death and damnation Yea and perpetuall vexation and terrour of heart vntill the sentence of destruction and eternall confusion be executed vpon me a spirit of vnquietnesse to trouble mee like the spirit of Saul from henceforth euen for euer Yet I will hope in the multitude of thine vnspeakable mercies vouchsafed to all sinners in their déepest distresse and miserie In most humble wise as it becommeth an inferiour vassall to his puissant and Almighty prince and leige Lord as it becommeth a Malefactor to an vpright and most wise Iudge as it becommeth a very disobediēt stubborne seruant to his carefull Maister and finally a prodigall and wilfull Child to his most kind and louing Father I submit my selfe wholly distasted of mine owne deserts and vtterly detesting mine owne abhominable conceits words and workes against thy holy will and commandement in the wound of conscience and frō the depth of a mind throughly grieued with my rebellions I most submissely and earnestly call and cry vnto thy most gracious Maiesty and mercy for pardon and forgiuenes of my hainous crimes and innumerable transgressions in all humility and tribulation of spirit beseeching thy fatherly goodnes to lay them vpon the backe of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ that All-sufficient Redéemer Reconciler and Sauiour of all those that put their trust in his most absolute merits and perfect obedience O my God my sure trust is in him that he will be pleased to accept me for one of those whome he calleth in the Gospell labouring and heauie laden with their sinnes to be relieued and eased Not for any other reason but because hee is the right hand of thy mercy reached out vnto fainting and languishing sinners whereof I am one Wherfore oh deare Father of Heauen despize me not approaching to the throne of grace in his only name but let me be possessed with the spirit of assurāce of faith sprinckled in my heart from an euil conscience that I may find grace to helpe me now in this time of néed I doe féele certainly I do find the gnawing Worme eating vp my heart the venome of thine arrowes drinking vp my spirit the rigour of thy iudgements perplexing my thoughts the seuerity of thy punishment astonishing and amazing my weake and féeble wits so that I know not either what course to take to ease my selfe either what words to vse to entreat thy mercie O Lord God great and fearfull bee not as a Lyon vnto mee doe not set me as a marke to shoot at for thou neuer failest to hit where thou aymest thou hittest full and home thy shot is of an Archer of perfect strēgth thy strokes are deadly strokes thine arrowes are venomed with the fire of
of mind with no lesse griefe and sorrow of a perplexed heart most submisly deuoutly and feruently beséecheth thy supereminent far most excéeding excellent Highnes to send out thy most mighty and powerfull spirit to ayd and assist mee in these assaults Oh let thine Angels pitch their tents round about me to discomfite all those that haue euill will at my soule Of thy goodnesse beate them backe that annoy me I am sore troubled and hindered in that course of godlines wherein I would walke Oh let me runne the way of thy Commandements and set my heart at liberty My soule hath a desire and a longing to be pertaker of thy strength I know none so weak yet none so desirous to bee strong in thée Oh my God set me not against thée as a marke my building is of the clay my foundation is in the dust How can I choose if thou deliuer me into the hand of tempters but fall away presently Arise O God of my Saluation and let mine enemies be put to flight let me not be ouerthrowne because I haue hoped in thy holy name Let no temptatiō ouercharge me because my trust is onely in thy mighty hand and out-stretched arme Were it that I rested in my selfe at all or that I did not wholy renoūce mine owne strength which is very féeblenesse it selfe I should not dare to call vpon thée but sith I am wholy discouraged and cast downe in my selfe and indéed I labour with temptations and am heauy laden with many sinnes I presume in all possible obiection and prostration of my soule and body from a broken and a contrite spirit which thou neuer vsest to despise to entreat thy fauour and fatherly protection that according to his most gracious promise I may be refreshed and eased by thy blessed Son my onely hope and Sauiour I doe very well know and in all dutifull thankfulnes vpon mine owne experience I acknowledge that the holy spirit the comforter proceeding from you both is of All-sufficient and inuincible force and wisedome to withstand and confound all those that come against my soule Be they neuer so many Legions of vncleane and wicked spirits yet one only comfortable Influence and Inspiration of that your mighty and victorious spirit of Grace is fully able to mortifie and kill all the venemous contagions and infections wherewith they haue empoysoned my séely soule Wherfore O Father of eternall mercies who lookest vpon the abiect and forlorne offenders with a louing and compassionate aspect who art woont to be entreated of broken hearted wretches I beseech thée I beséech thée with distilling teares I humbly heartily and earnestly beseech thee hide not thy face withdraw not thy helping hand from me but in tender consideration of my excéeding griefe and distraction of mind for my sinnes past mine apparant frailnes and admirarable weaknesse to resist assaults and temptations to come be present with me thou guide and gouernour of my life to smite the enemie at his approach Enter into me O spirit of power and rule within mee mightily Kéepe the Sconse the Fortresse the Bulwarke the Castle of my heart vnite and knit my will and thoughts vnto thée and enable me with a garrison of heauenly graces that I may not onely defend my selfe but plague them that hate and hurt my soule For I am thy seruant and so wil be for euer All other fréedome is but bondage and slauery thy onely seruice is perfect fréedome and therefore vnto that doe I betake my selfe Receiue me O Lord and cast me not away I will fight in thy field and dwell in thy house all the daies of my life because to feare thée and loue thée and liue after thy will is my whole delight and perfect ioy And glory be vnto thée O God most high euen all glory honour and praise now and for euermore Amen ¶ A petition for a feeling Conscience I Am now determined and fully resolued Lord God eternall most gracious and mercifull Father to giue an euerlasting farewell to all mine impious and presumptuous designes Haue mercy vpon me haue mercy vpon me ayd and assist me with thy constant Spirit There is no beginning there is no ending there is no procéeding in a godly course without thy speciall helpe Satan by the world and originall corruption is able to ouerthrow the strongest soule But the strength of one of thine Angels is farre beyond all power of Satan How much more the powerfull inspiration of the spirit of grace Now Lord I am perswaded by the same that I am fully reconciled vnto thée that my many and mighty sinnes are vtterly defaced and rased out of the Booke of the memoriall of thy most iust iudgements Wherfore in assured confidence of thy manifold mercies and full assuranre of thy louing fauor in all humility and lowlines of heart I submit my selfe to thy most mighty Maiesty beséeching the same to look vpon my misery whereinto I haue plunged my selfe by my follie and put the most holy spirit of Comfort Christian courage and Constancy vpon me And let it rule within me to the ouerthrowing of the kingdome of Sinne and Satan in my Heart and Conscience in my Life and Conuersation continually It is well knowne vnto thée and I doe acknowledge that such and so great are and haue béene mine enormities from time to time that they are able to breake the stoutest heart the remembrance