instruct all the faculties of my mind to loue thee to feare thee to place my full felicitie in the knowledge and obedience of thy will Praise and glorie and wisedome and strength dominion riches and power bee vnto our GOD for euermore A SVMMARY PRAYER OMnipotent and eternall GOD whose iustice cannot suffer sinnes vnpunished whose mercy would not suffer sinnes vnpardoned I beseech thee so to moderate thy scourges with mercy that I may bee able to abide them For if thou openest the floud-gates of thy fury vpon me the force therof must needes ouer-beare mee and driue me downe headlong to death I know O LORD that thy chastisements are necessary for vs in this life I decline them not I craue no forbearance at thy hand I rather craue that thou wilt not forbeare me Deale heerein according to thy wisedome not to my will not as shall bee most for mine ease but as thou esteemest best for my good This onely I desire that in all thy punishments I may not finde thee an angry Iudge but a most kinde and carefull Faâ—her that thou wilt correct mee but not giue mee ouer to death That I may finde both comfort and strength in thy stripes and that as thy rodde doeth chastice me so thy staffe may sustaine mee For I am weake O Almighty GOD I am so weake that I am altogether vnable either not to deserue thy wrath or to endure it My offences haue proceeded from my weakenesse and they againe haue made mee more weake they haue made so many mortall woundes in my soule that I approach neere vnto death I languish vnder my imminent danger my owne putrefaction is loathsome to my selfe and the very sight of thy frowne doeth terribly torment mee My weake soule is so ouercharged both with feare and with griefe that it can neither lift vp it selfe nor quietly lie still neither lift vp it selfe against the power of thy wrath nor lie still vnder the weight thereof more horriblie heauie then the flaming Mountaine Aetna But haue mercy vpon mee and heale mee O gracious LORD O my GOD open to me the ouer-flowing Fountaine of thy euer-flowing mercy from whence alwayes streame both the safe and present and onely remedy against the malice and maladies of sinne If thou doe not this I am vndone I must presently perish I am so farre from standing against thy wrath that my owne weakenesse will draw me downe Ah my GOD wherefore doest thou so long hold backe thy helpe Wherefore hast thou cut off thy comforts from me Wherefore art thou so angry Wherefore so seuere Wilt thou turne away thy face foreuer Returne O most mercifull Father for thy infinite mercies sake I beseech thee returne to thy accustomed clemency again Turne to mee the appeased eyes of thy mercy let mee againe beholde thy gracious quiet countenance which my offences haue caused thee to turne away Deliuer my soule from these miseries deliuer it from the importable burthen both of thy seuerity and of my sinnes Saue me for I lie quaking vnder the cruell gripes of destruction Saue mee LORD or of necessity I must perish Which if I doe if vnseasonable death seaze vpon mee then shall I no more prayse thy Name then shall I neuer make a thankefull memoriall of thy blessed benefits But giue me O good Father time to repent as thou hast giuen mee a purpose to prayse thee so giue mee power and opportunity for the same If needes thou wilt exercise the rigour of thy Iustice why then doe it vpon those whose hearts are hardened with obstinate impiety who willingly and wilfully perseuere in their sinnes who are nothing touched either with reuerence of thy Maiesty or with regard of their owne safety But I heauily labour vnder the load of my sinnes I refuse not to vndergoe the hard taske of repentance for them It displeaseth me much that euer I displeased thy Maiesty by my sinnes my grieuous sinnes torment and teare the most inward sences of my soule they are most grieuous most intolerable to me This is not vnknown to thee who knowest our secrets better then our selues This appeareth by the sad groanes which break froÌ„ my pained soule this appeareth by the plenty of teares which my heart boyling in anguish and griefe doeth euaporate and distill through the conduicts of my eyes But especially this appeareth by the vnlouely state of my body which is become like a withered weed so wasted with sorrow that it hath neither beauty to please others nor strength to sustaine it selfe But howsoeuer it is with me I will neuer lay downe my hope I will neuer despaire or distrust in thy mercies I haue alwaies had so good triall of thy fauourable hearing of thy liberall reliefe that in all my temptations in all the anguishes of my soule I will rest vpon thy goodnesse and grace with assured confidence that thou wilt heare my prayer if not so soone as I desire yet at such time as shall be most expedient for me For oftentimes it is more expedient that I should be exercised for a time then presently eased I will also rest assured that my malicious enemies who vniustly work or wish my destruction shall neuer preuaile against mee That their Counsailes shall bee confounded their practises disappointed and themselues turned to ignominy and reproach Prayse and Glory and Wisedome and Strength Dominion Riches and Power bee vnto our GOD for euermore PSALME XXXII DAVIDS TEARES PSALME XXXII BLessed is he whose vnrighteousnesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered 2 Blessed is the man vnto whom the LORD imputeth no sin and in whose spirit there is no guile 3 For while I held my tongue my bones consumed away through my daily complaining 4 For thy hand is heauy vpon mee day and night and my moisture is like the drought in Summer 5 I will acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hid 6 I said I will confesse my sinnes vnto the LORD and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne 7 For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest be found but in the great water floods they shall not come nigh him 8 Thou art a place to hide mee in thou shalt preserue me from trouble thou shalt compasse mee about with songs of deliuerance 9 I will informe thee and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe and I will guide thee with mine eye 10 Bee yee not like to horse and mule which haue no vnderstanding whose mouthes must bee holden with bitte and bridle lest they fall vpon thee 11 Great plagues remaine for the vngodly but who so putteth his trust in the LORD mercy embraceth him on euery side 12 Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the LORD and bee ioyfull all ye that are true of heart Of the title and parts of this PSALME 1 THe title of this Psalme and the reason thereof 2 All worldly knowledges
from the tyrannie of feare or desire Happie is heonly who in soule liues contented and he most of all vnhappie whom nothing doth content But this quiet is neuer attained but by remission of sinnes whosoeuer hath this mouthfull he is fully satisfied he doth not hunger after other things he no more regardeth either the fauours or persecutions of this life then doth a dead lumpe of flesh This is both truely and aptly termed A stood of peace A very flood indeed in regard both of the quality and of the abundance For it quencheth the flames of our appetites and desires then which we haue none more deadly enemies none which more torture and teare our hearts especially if they be of such things as either possibly or easily we cannot attaine But these appetites are drowned and extinguished in this flood they are either satisfied or silenced by the iustice of this peace This peace can no man vnderstand but he that enioyeth it because it exceedeth whatsoeuer the vnderstanding is able of it selfe to comprehend Againe happinesse and miserie are perfect contraries But sinners because they are vpon their way to miserie are already miserable they are already in hell or rather haue a hell within them And therefore it followeth that penitents because they are vpon their way to felicitie are alreadie happie already in heauen or rather haue a heauen within them For there are two wayes out of this world one through the pleasures of sinne to eternall miserie the other through the sorrowes of repentance to eternall glory Blessed are they who are in this sorrowfull way for onely they trauaile to eternall happinesse They are blessed I say by faith and by hope For they haue not the full fruition of felicitie but they enioy it by faith and by hope and therfore by faith and by hope they are blessed This onelie is the difference betweene Saints in heauen and sinners that repent vpon earth the one haue their happinesse in hand the other in hope they are at their iourneyes end these are vpon their way they haue their blessed estate in possession these in election Neuerthelesse they are truely blessed euen as a Bishop elect hath both the title and honour of a Bishop albeit he be not stalled in his place Verely as sinne is no small or ordinarie matter so is forgiuenesse of sinne no ordinarie blessing Sinne is so hainous a thing that it is a lesse euill to destroy all the creatures in the world then to commit one sinne against GOD. Yet such is the power of repentance that by meanes thereof GOD will not onely forgiue our sinnes but he will forget them Hee will so deale with penitent sinners either as if hee had neuer seene their sinnes or as if he had perpetually forgot them Hee will neuer either behold or remember their sinnes to iudge them Marueilous is the mercy and goodnesse of GOD towards sinners that repent The more they remember their sinnes the more doth he forget them the readier they are to acknowledge their offences the readier is he to couer and conceale them It is a verie great blessing to haue our sinnes couered because nothing is more hardly kept secret then sinne Sinne is not couered by cunning contriuance not with the vaine veile of colourable excuses the more we endeauour by these meanes to couer it the more doth it manifest and bewray it selfe Adam did hide himselfe but his sinne hee could not hide hee couered his bodie with figge tree leaues but could finde no couering for his sinne The more hee endeauored to hide himselfe the more did his transgression appeare the very hiding of himselfe did bewray his sinne For if he had not sinned hee would neuer haue shrunke aside he should neuer haue beene attached either with shame or with feare For this cause also GOD said to Cain If thou doest euill sinne lieth at the doore For assuredly sinne will not keepe house It will not lie quiet in a corner It will abroad It will stand at the doore It will manifest it selfe to all that goe by At the first it is discouered by our owne feares and by our great diligence to conceale it afterward by our loose carelesnesse Lastly by our boldnesse and impudency in committing euill Besides it is of nature to multiply and encrease vntill it cannot be contained in secret vntill it can no more be hidden then the Sunne vntill by the tumorous turpitude thereof it doth first manifest and then ruine and destroy it selfe Onely Repentance is of force to couer sinnes First because it cutteth off the encrease it drieth vp the springs from whence it swels and ouerflowes and whereby especially it bewrayes it selfe Secondly because it is alwayes accompanied with loue for Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Loue maketh the penitent and the innocent of like condition VERS II. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile 1 IT seemeth that Repentance is a deitie and wherefore 2 Wherefore Angels after sinne cannot be blessed 3 Man may and wherefore 4 The greatest praise and power of Repentance 5 without Repentance GOD cannot be mercifull and wherefore 6 Wherefore GOD imputeth no sinne to the penitent 7 How a penitent sinner may expostulate with GOD. 8 In what sort we must iudge our selues 9 Hypocrites the worst of all sinners 10 Confession how necessary it is 11 GOD is mercifull in forgiuing yet hard and seuere in taking accompts 12 Dissimulation doubleth our sinne 13 One sinne sufficient to ensnare vs. 14 A true accompt of our sinnes required DIuine Repentance What shall I say of thee How shall I worthily either extoll or esteeme thee Shall I say thou art a vertue or shall I terme thee some Deitie Assuredly it seemeth that thou art a Deitie and that GOD hath imparted a part of his Dominion vnto thee It seemeth that thou art his Lieutenant vpon earth and that he hath inuested thee with his owne authoritie because the same power which GOD exerciseth in heauen the same doest thou exercise vpon Earth For as GOD maketh blessed in Heauen so doth Repentance vpon Earth Only GOD maketh the iust blessed in Heauen and Repentance maketh sinners blessed vpon Earth because after sin no man is blessed but by Repentance And therefore the Angels that did sinne shall neuer be blessed because they cannot repent Their will is inflexible they are immoueable from that which once they apprehend his heart is as strong as stone and as the Smithes stithe broken it may bee but it will neuer bend That which death is to man the very same is sinne to Angels As man after death cannot profitably repent so cannot Angels repent after sinne But the hope of mans blessednesse consisteth in this that his will is flexible that his minde may turne to abhorre that which once with pleasure hee did embrace that he is capable of Repentance This is a branch of chasticing Iustice
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
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
enforced to cry nothing else but O my sinnes I charge I accuse I condemne onlie my selfe O my GOD I haue grieuouslie sinned my sinnes haue deepelie prouoked thy heauie wrath I acknowledge them to thee with a free confession LORD I appeare before thee no other then I am euen a most poore desolate and distressed sinner I can neither boast nor take comfort in any goodnesse in my selfe but I lay open before thee my sinnes And it is vnto thee that I will confesse my sinnes vnto thee against whom onely I haue sinned vnto thee who onelie art able to forgiue my sinnes vnto thee who onelie art able to iudge of my confession For it is not alwaies thy pleasure that we blazon our owne blame that our sinnes be rung out to the eares of all men that they be set foorth vpon the stage of the world If penitentlie we confesse our sinnes vnto thee thy compassion will couer them It will couer them from thy iustice it will couer them both from the scandall and scorne of other men thou wilt freelie forgiue both the sin and the shame Assuredlie the conscience of man is thy little kingdome It is thy peculiar Consistory and Court There thou sittest there thou examinest there thou iudgest With this kingdome thou wilt not depart thou wilt not impart it to any other None can know the secrets of the soule none can absolutely either discerne or command the inward working thereof but thy selfe Whosoeuer will presume either to know or command the working of the spirit whosoeuer will determine of the last end and state of soules further then thou hast plainlie reuealed he vsurpeth thy throne he wresteth thy scepter out of thy hand As thou onely art able to iudge of our confession as thou onlie both knowest and forgiuest sinnes so vnto thee will I euer acknowledge my sinnes Yet will I not be ashamed that the world also take knowledge that men also thinke that I haue done amisse I will not forbeare to abase my selfe by reason of my sinnes euen in open view to sorrow to lament to be sowre and seuere against my selfe to abhorre the world and all her sorceries to loath the poisonous pleasures of the bodie which are like to moathes that consume the garment wherein they breed to chastice and tame my filthy flesh for rebelling against thee by whose power it was made by whole prouidence it doeth consist for conspiring the destruction of my soule which keepeth it from stincking from turning to most course and loathsome carrion I will neuer beare the world in hand that my offences are either few or light I will by confession make them knowne to thee I will by sorrow and some measure of satisfaction make them knowne to the world No shamefastnesse shall retaine me from mourning at any time from making a sad and seuere reckoning with my body from holding a sharpe hand vpon it For assuredlie either we must lament in this life with profitable teares for a time or else with fruitlesse and endlesse teares in the life to come either in this world we must tie our selues to some moderate paine or else be chained both to intolerable and eternall paines in the world to come Neither will I acknowledge my offenees in part but I will make an entire confession and expose all my transgressions before thee Not only my great sinnes but my vnrighteousnesse which seeme of lesser moment not onely the euill which I haue done but the good which in dutie I should haue done I will discouer all my vnrighteousnesse vnto thee I will doe as the lepers were commanded to doe when they came to be clensed by the Priest I will not only wash my garments but will haue all my haire euen my lightest and loosest offences That thou who numbrest our haires when thou shalt take a view of my sinnes shalt not finde one haire of them which I haue not runne ouer with the razor of confession I will not doe as Saul did who being commanded to slay all the Amalekites and all the cattell that pertained to them destroyed all that was vile nought worth but saued the King the great King Agag and the fattest sheepe and oxen aliue I will not make away my vulgar and vnprofitable sinnes onely and saue the principall and aduantageable aliue but I will set the sword of confession to them all I will not make reseruation of some sweet sinne and then say with Naaman the Syrian The LORD bee mercifull to me in this But I will sweepe the house cleane or else can it neuer be furnished and adorned with thy graces and thereby made fit to entertaine thee I will cleanse my conscience of all defilements One drop of poison tainteth a whole tunne of wine and one mortall sinne infecteth all the faculties and vertues of the soule One snare is sufficient to entrappe the fowle one hooke to take the fish one leake to sincke a ship one sparke of fire to prostrate a whole City and one sinne sufficeth to draw both bodie and soule to destruction I will therfore discharge my selfe by confession of all I will powre forth my heart as water before thee VERS VI. I said I will confesse my sinnes vnto the LORD and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinnes 1. PArticular enumeration of our sinnes is impossible 2 How sharpe sinnes are and how heauie of digestion 3 Secret sinnes are most dangerous and wherefore 4 The readinesse of GOD to accept our confession 5 GOD often accepts our purpose for performance 6 Which maketh our want of repentance vnexcuseable 7 Contrition ioyned with a will to confesse is sufficient 8 The necessity of a contrite heart and wherefore 9 For remission of sinnes what is required from vs what from GOD. 10 Neither of which require any long trace of time 11 How plentifull GOD is in mercy 12 A thankesgiuing for the same 13 The soule cheereth by meanes of confession 14 The ioyfull effects of sorrow and troubles to penitent sinners 15 A life without aduersities whereto it is like 16 Many benefits that we receiue by troubles 17 How ready GOD is to receiue to mercy BVT what a maze doe I begin to tread How shall I euer winde my selfe out of this knotty labyrinth Verily if I should make a particular rehearsall of all my sinnes I should neuer bee able to finish that taske I should neuer roule the stone ouer that hill I should no sooner mount it a little but it would alwaies tumble againe down to the bottome I should euer finde my worke new to begin I may well say with Iudas I haue sinned but either number or truly estimate my sinnes I cannot If I could number the starres of Heauen or the sands of the earth or the drops of water that are in the Sea or the moments of time since time began yet am I out of hope to enumerate my sinnes because they are no fewer in variety then they are in
number in number equall to those which I haue sayd but farre exceeding them in variety The summe of them is the manifold breach of euery branch of thy Commandements whereof many of the most haynous sticke stiffe in my conscience like sharpe stitches in a sicke mans side whereof the pleasure lieth heauy in my Soule like sweet meats of extreame hard digestion The most especiall of these are either blasphemous and prophane or light and vaine vsing of thy most blessed Name vile and vaine behauiour and speech vnthankefulnes couetousnesse cruelty pride ambition anger malice enuie riot sloath violence hypocrisie flatterie c. These particulars I vnfold before thee in euery of these I haue many times offended yea many times whereof I was neuer sensible For what man knoweth how oft hee offendeth More also would I acknowledge to thee if more I could call to my remembrance and therefore O cleanse thou me from my secret sinnes Which assuredly are so much the more dangerous in that they lurke within mee secret and vnseene awaiting aduantage alway to intrap mee and finally to breake foorth to my destruction But see the milde mercies of our GOD see the greatnesse of his goodnesse towards vs see how prone he is to pardon our sinnes how ready to reconcile vs to his fauour For I did but say I will confesse my sinnes and so he forgaue the wickednesse of my sinne I had scarce addressed my heart to confesse my sins scarce let one teare drop from my breast but I obtained fauour and forgiuenesse of him I sayd I will confesse my sinnes and thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne Oh! that wee were such seruants to thee as thou art to vs a LORD so ready so willing to confesse our sinnes as thou art fauourable to forgiue them Thou regardest not the measure but the trueth of our repentance not the extension but the intension not how ceremonious it is but how sincere Our purposes thou takest oftentimes for full performances oftentimes thou acceptest our designments for deeds thou who art a spirit regardest only the spirit the outward actions are many times supplied by thy grace And this especially maketh vs vnexcusable if we doe not repent because pardon may be so easily obtained because it requireth so little paines To obtaine pardon of all our sinnes a full confession is not alwaies necessarie but a full and sufficient griefe is required If the griefe be sufficient it is of force to abolish sinnes Such is the vertue of a true contrite heart that if it be ioined onelie with a will and endeuour to confesse it blotteth out it wipeth away the guiltines of sinne so as the sinner shall neuer be damned if he returne not to his wickednesse againe But confession of sinnes with all the workes of satisfaction which a man can either effect or imagine without a contrite heart are nothing auaileable nothing worth A contrite heart is so necessarie for the remission of sinnes that without it no man hath euer beene saued no sinnes haue beene euer remitted For as GOD is offended onely with the heart so with the heart onelie is he pleased he desireth nothing but the heart Sonne giue me thy heart Nothing offendeth GOD but the heart take away the will and intention of the heart and all our actions are indifferent and therfore from the heart must satisfaction proceed The medicine must be applied where the disease is setled the sinner must vse iustice vpon the same part where sinne was first hatched and where it raignes Euen as offenders are commonlie punished or branded vpon the same parts of their bodies wherewith they did offend Because we sinne with the heart GOD requireth the punishment of the heart which is done by full and true contrition To obtaine remission of our sinnes something is required on our part and something from GOD. From vs sorrow and detestation of our sinnes and a liuely Faith in our great SALVATION from GOD the imparting of his grace neither of which require any long trace of time both of them may be done in an instant For the sorrow of contrition requireth no determinate continuance of time but as a man is damned by one peruerse act of his will so by one contrarie act of his will hee is made fit on his part to bee iustified Otherwise it would follow which the mercy of GOD will neither allow nor endure that the way of saluation through shortnesse of time should bee blocked vp against sorrowfull sinners and that at what time soeuer a sinner doeth truely mourn he should not be releeued As for the grace which proceedeth from GOD much lesse doeth it either require or beare the very least protraction of time For because his vertue is infinite it is not included it is not excluded by any compasse or measure of time If there bee no defect of sorrow in vs there is neuer defect of grace in him hee doeth iustifie a sinner and restore him to his fauour in a very instant euen whensoeuer hee is rightly disposed by sorrow to receiue his grace GOD is so plentifull in mercies and so prone to impart them to vs that wee neede but to open our hands and they shall bee filled euen as wee neede but to open our eyes to enioy the bright beauty of the Sunne The Grace of GOD is so farre from defect that it preuenteth our dull desires it knocketh at our heauy hearts it worketh in our sluggish spirits wee can neuer bee so ready to entertaine it as that is to enter When our sinnes expell GOD out of our soules hee will not goe farre he will stand at the doore he will there knock and hourely expect to be receiued againe Blessed bee thou O omnipotent GOD who so aboundest in mercie and in loue who art so easie to bee intreated for great offences so ready to bee receiued of those who did despitefully both driue and for a long time keepe thee out of their gates Oh! how vndue on thy part how vndeserued on our is thy goodnesse how farre beyond all expectation all hope Certainely wee can neuer bee left so drie and emptie of thy grace but out of thy plenty or rather plenitude and fulnesse wee may easilie againe be stored O searcher of soules I haue so far as my weaknesse sufficeth confessed my sinnes vnto thee I haue disgorged my stomacke stuffed with loathsome and dangerous humours I haue discouered those vnseemely soares which heeretofore I endeuoured to conceale And now mee thinke I beginne to reuiue my feare now beginneth to change into hope As heeretofore I desired to auoid thee as a sharpe searcher as a seuere iusticer of my offences so now I runne after thee and cast my selfe into thy armes as my onely assured refuge and defence Blessed be the houre wherein I was first enlightned first emboldned to acknowledge my sinnes In this houre haue I receiued a singular testimony a sweet taste both of thy loue and care and
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
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
into the dungeon of habite and nature Insomuch as I haue not more naturally desired to eate drinke and rest then to sinne they haue made me scornefull and odious to all the world This depth of sinne hath drawne vpon me another depth and that is of afflictions and calamities the attendants of sinne For sinne onely prouoketh thy wrath and thy wrath draweth many punishments vpon vs. As sinne is the onely cause so are punishments the effects of thy wrath Impiety and impunitie goe seldome together thy wrath will not permit them quietly to concurre in one subiect Punishment is so naturall for sinne that if sinne bee not smitten with the sword of chasticement in this life it is in danger to be smitten in the life to come with the sword which guardeth the passage into paradise For this cause thy hand hath beene exceeding heauy vpon me My indignity hath stirred thine indignation I haue sinned and thou hast smiâ—â—en I am inuolued in troubles as in a deluge the storms of disquiet beat stifly vpon me I am so deeply drowned in aduersities and miseries that I am scarce either bold or able to looke towards thee And yet One depth calleth another For these depths of sinne and of calamities haue drawne vpon me another depth of astonishment and trembling For when I call to my consideration thy infinite hate against sinne the extreame seueritie of thy iustice and rage of thy wrath neuer incensed but by sinne and the greater the sinne is the more incensed Terrour seazeth vpon my soule and it faintlie sincketh into the darke and deepe cauernes of anguish dread and almost despaire It is no ordinary matter that doeth perplex me not the crosses and trauerses of this world but being oppressed with my owne guiltinesse and sharply assaulted with the terrour of despaire I haue iust cause to feare that thou hast vtterly forsaken me that thou hatest and abhorrest me for my sinne These troubles are most terrible these touch not my externall affaires but the internall and eternall state of my soule Against external calamities some remedies may be found but against internall biting of vniust sinnes and expectation of thy iust and eternall reuenge there can be found neither remedie nor rest This wound is incurable but by thy hand And now againe these depths haue called another depth For it is not with a lofty looke not with a careles negligent conceit but out of the depth of humility sorrow that I cry vnto thee A little sorrow is not sufficient for me my sorrow must be great so great as it may make a great sound in thy eares Whosoeuer cryeth to thee with great sorrow griefe may wel be said to cry Out of the depth But this cry must be soft without noise of words it must be in the secret retreits of the heart no voice no souÌ„d in any wise added Contrition is an inward griefe seated in the heart it neuer breaketh forth before confessioÌ„ confession must open a passage for it This sorrow hath depressed my sincking soule down so low as it seemes to be led through all the torments which vnrepentant sinners must endure So as out of this depth also I cry vnto thee Oh! that I could meet thine Angell in this fierie valley as the children of Israel did in the valley of weeping that I might extinguish these flames with my teares that I might turne them into riuers of teares Lastly not onelie from the outward gates of my lips not onelie from the vnstable wagging messenger of my tongue apt vpon euerie sudden passion to riot for I am not one of those who honour thee with their lips but their heart is farre from thee but out of the depth of my heart from the very bottome of a troubled soule I cry vnto thee Assuredly the heart of man is exceeding deepe it hath many hidden roomes and retreits It conteineth many secret matters whereto the vnderstanding can neuer approach it chambreth many secret sinnes whosoeuer cryeth from this depth vnto thee hee fetcheth his cry farre he cannot but make a forceable battery against thine eares Out of these depths of sinne of afflictions of astonishment and feare out of the depth of humility and sorrow and out of the very depth of my heart I cry vnto thee As Ionas cryed to thee not only out of the depth of the sea but out of the depth of the whales belly so out of all these depths I stretch forth my voice to thee for helpe I cry not for helpe to the world I want no externall comforts and none can giue internall but thou Alasse who will aske an almes of a begger what comfort from confusion what comfort from them who no more vnderstand one another then did the builders of Babell Itis the world which hath betrayed me it is the world which hath vndone me It setteth vs to gather strawes as Pharao did the children of Israel and scourgeth vs when we haue done I will not cast the Anchor of my rest in the stormy vnstable sea of the world It is like a beautifull flower but stincking like a faire reede but of no strength It is rightly termed an hypocrite without faire but within full of corruption and vanitie In sensuall matters it seemeth good but all is nothing but painting and lies Caine who was the first builder of a city vpon earth was the first man who lost his habitation in heauen But onely vnto thee doe I call who art both enclinable to heare and able to helpe Being buried and lost in these bottomlesse depths I find nothing in the world but terrours and despaire of reliefe nothing in my selfe but trembling and dismay no hope of help but only from thee And therfore with all deiection of soule I addresse my spirit to call vpon thee I beseech thee most gentle Father heare my voice Let my humble prayer ascend from the low vale of miserie and teares to thy high throne of maiesty and glory let the secret groanes of my soule and the open cries of my voice haue accesse to thy presence heare I say the inward sorrow and griefe of my heart and the outward confession of my mouth I haue grieuously offended thee by shaking off thy subiection and bearing my selfe rebellious against thee by exposing my selfe to all euill and opposing my selfe against any good When thou wert to me as the sunne is to the earth infusing heat light and life into it I was to thee as the earth is to the sunne sending vp grosse vapours whereby tempests are raised and the sunne obscured I haue offended other men either positiuely by wronging some in their estates or estimations and by wringing and inclining others by my example to euill or else priuatiuelie in not affoording them that good which both by actions and examples I might and should I haue offended the blessed Angels and Saints who are no lesse grieued at sinne then they ioy at conuersion from sinne who as
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
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
be committed which by this redemption is not discharged And this is true in regard of sufficiencie but in regard of efficacie it perteineth only to the elect who are the Church the true house and familie of Israel But there can bee no offences either for number so great or for qualitie so grieuous but this redemption is sufficient for them Can this redemption which is of infinite value bee restreined to any limits of offences Shall not hee whose arme is neuer shortned be alwayes able to forgiue Shall not he who forgaue to one debtor 10000. talents be alwayes willing to forgiue verely in case that debtor had owed more talents vpon his submission more had bin forgiuen Such is the pitie of almighty GOD towards miserable men that hee neuer reiecteth their vnfained repentance albeit a sinner be at the height of euill let him in singlenesse and sinceritie of soule turne to the LORD and he shall be embraced If you finde in the Scriptures any sinnes termed vnpardonable as the sinne against the holy Ghost the sinne vnto death for which wee are forbidden to pray you must not vnderstand it as if they could not bee pardoned in case the sinner did vnfainedly repent for this were no better then bitter blasphemie But such sinnes are said to bee vnpardonable because they deserue blindnesse and hardnesse of heart and to bee depriued of the effectuall ayde of Grace because the sinner neuer either turneth or stoppeth but alwayes runneth forward from badde to worse Let their eyes bee blinded that they see not and euer bowe downe their backes Let them fall from one wickednesse to another and not come into thy righteousnesse Not that GOD doeth positiuely blinde any man or bowe downe their backes but priuatiuelie in that hee doeth not enlighten and direct them His sufficient ayde hee denieth to none but by reason of some eâ—ther heinousnesse or obstinacie in sinne hee denyeth his most speciall and effectuall ayde to some Hereupon their sinnes are sayde to bee vnpardonable because albeit they might repent yet they did not Wherefore O man to bridle thy broad bouldnesse in sinne vnderstand that there are certaine periods and bounds which when sinners exceede GOD leaueth them destitute sometimes by denying his effectuall ayde sometimes by abridging the terme of their life For the bloudie and deceitfull man shall not liue out halfe their dayes When the number of sinnes prefixed by GOD are once exceeded when the measure runneth ouer when the sinner hath digged his owne pitte Death shall come hastily vpon him and take from him both the present and future life at once Verely hee that hath appointed barres for the proud waues of the sea hath also set limits and termes to thy sinnes hee hath prefixed limits for his effectuall grace but his aboundant redemption is alwayes sufficient And therefore O feeble sinner albeit thou hast offended the most High and conspired against his Maiestie albeit thou hast forsaken his Law and forgotten his benefits albeit thou hast harlotted with thy owne humours and fouled his honour vnder thy feete in a word albeit thou hast merited more torments then hell canne afford yet neuer despaire neuer bee terrified by thy weake suspicions But abstaine from thy sinnes let thy will abhorre them and then approach with trust to the throne of mercie and assuredly thou shalt finde grace not onely sufficient but effectuall for all thy sinnes For then thy Redeemer by his inualuable blood will free thee from the seruitude of sinne whereto thou haddest voluntary sould thy selfe then will hee take vpon him the paine which thou haddest incurred then discharge the obligation which thou haddest forfeited But herewith thou must bee incorporate into the family of Israel namely the Church of GOD thou must with Nathaniel be an Israelite indeede in whom is no guile for to these onely this redemption pertaineth Thou must earnestly endeauour first to bridle thy sensuall appetites and by degrees to mortifie them Thou must serue GOD in righteousnesse and both constantly and closely adhere to him by loue So shalt thou bee rightly disposed to participate of thy redemption so shall riuers of heauenly riches flowe into thy soule But whosoeuer is a stranger to this house of GOD or liuing therein is no part thereof whosoeuer I say doeth eyther obstinately or carelesly perseuer in sinne and neuer regard to disingage himselfe by repentance hee shall neuer participate of the infinite treasure of this redemption the floudes of GODS mercies and of the merits of his Redeemer shall neuer enter or approach his soule they are sufficient but not effectuall for his discharge And further so ample and aboundant is this redemption that thereby the LORD will deliuer his people not onely from their sinnes and from eternall punishments due to their sinnes but hee will finally free them from the miseries and calamities which in this life driue in their faces Or if hee deferre this deliuerance for a time yea if hee stay vntill hee deliuer them at once from the calamities of the world and from the world it selfe yet is hee present with them all the meane time hee refresheth them with his spirit he sprinckleth the diuine dewe of his Grace vpon them which maketh aswell their life as the calamities of their life not onely tolerable but sweete For they who beleeue although they be faint and feeble hearted yet they know that neither death nor the diuell shall preuaile against them because GOD is their Redeemer This is the office of GOD thus will hee haue to doe with sinners to abolish their sinnes to abolish either their miseries or the sence of their miseries and to create in them rigâ—teousnesse and life And furthâ—â— the LORD doth not only eyther end or ease our miseries but he doeth more he conuerteth them to our good It is a propertie of the greatest goodnesse to change the nature of euill and to conuert it into good If a vine bee not pruned it runneth out into superfluous stemmes and branches and growes feeble and fruitlesse in the end Bee content therefore that thy desires be pruned with afflictions It is painefull to bleede but it is mortall to wither In this life pascimur patimur wee are so nourished with the blessings of GOD that therewith also wee are nurtured with his crosses And shall I tell thee O my friend shall I acquaint thee with an infallible experience how all the calamities of this life may not onely bee endured but vtterly broken how thou mayest obtaine a most glorious conquest This is worth the knowing and by assistance of grace not vneasie to bee done The Apostle findeth in one man two the spirit and the flesh the minde and the members the soule and the body These are so chained together as they make but one and yet so contrary as they make two They are so contrary as the life of the one is the death of the other the raising vp