of Heauen and Earth Lord God of hostes inuincible incomprehensible Spirit whose wisedome is infinite whose power vnresistable whose mercie vnspeakeable haue mercy vppon me most wofull Captiue Caitife enthralled to sinne to Satan to the powers of darknesse to the sorrowes of soule to the tribulations and anguish of a guilty Conscience by my most heinous offences and criminous enormities most ridiculous and absurd vanities wherein once I found some fond delight but now I find no souÌ„d comfort only discontentmeÌ„t indignation woe and shame I am abashed and confounded and in a wonderfull perplexed agony that I should so déepely so deadly so often offend thy most excellent Maiestie who art a God of pure eyes and canst not behold iniquity For albeit such is the drouzie dulnes of our cursed corruption that wée cannot and the saucy presumption of our wilful inclination that we will not set thée before our eyes when we are tempted to sinne and moued to transgression yet certaine is it that thine eare of ielousie heareth all things and thine eye of ielouzie séeth all things and nothing is hid from the brightnes of them ten Thousand times brighter then the Sun but whatsoeuer worke is in our hands whatsoeuer word in our mouthes whatsoeuer thought or imagination in our hearts thou O Lord knowest it altogether And as all our ways works are all naked and open before thy sight thou louest righteousnes and hatest iniquity therefore when we are sinfull yet thou continuest holy excellent in glory vpright in iustice Almighty in power as thou many times sparest when we deserue punishment so thou many times woundest with thy iust reuenge when wee feele it not till afterwards we flatter our selues in our own sight till our abhominable sinnes be found out till thou reprooue vs sharply and seuerely set before vs the things that we haue done till thou makest a Catalogue and roll of our offences settest our secret sinnes in order before vs and presentest thy selfe withall a iust reuenger our manifold breaches of thy holy Commandements and manifest conteÌ„pt of thy blâ—…ed word of thy iust iudgements and of thy louing mercies consider not in our hearts our most accursed and damnable estate wherein wee dayly plunge our selues most odiously and abhominable yea though our sinnes be not of the smallest but great and grieuous and heynous and enormous abhominatioÌ„s yet either such is the grosse darknesse and palpable blindnes of our minds and vnderstandings or such is the deadnes of our infected consciences that wee runne on still from one iniquity to another till we sodainly fall into thy heauie displeasure till thine indignation and fiery wrath breake forth like fire vpon vs and we be not able to quench it Hence is it that wee are plunged into many fearefull gulfes of desperation Wée are affrighted with many vgly sights of our sinnes hence we are wounded at the very heart with many distrustfull thoughts of thy mercies and as many desperate imaginations of thy vengeance The paines of hell get hold vpon vs and the feare of thée doth vndoe vs before either wée stand in awe of thy Maiesty or séeke after thy mercy Oh my God and Sauiour I confesse vnfainedly this my case so I haue transgressed so little I haue regarded so I am oppressed Wherefore O Father of mercies and God of all consolation who hast appoynted repentance for sinners who dwellest in eternity and yet in the humble and contrite spirit In the name of thy holy and blessed and onely beloued sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath promised ease to all that labouring and heauy laden come vnto him who cannot breake the bruized Reed and will not quench the smoaking flaxe I most humbly and earnestly beséech and entreat thy fatherly goodnes to forgiue me all my sins to lay them vpon his backe the true scape-goat and send them into the wildernes the land of obliuion that my Conscience through faith in his most precious bloud and meritorious sacrifice may bée fully discharged of them all O Prince of peace send peace into my heart the peace that passeth vnderstanding that peace which thou gauest for a Legacy to thy Disciples wheÌ„ before thy death thou diddest make promise of that spirit the Comforter O holie spirit of Comfort the onely ioye of thine elect let thy blessed presence so chéere and glad my soule that being assured of thy sauing health I may delight to serue thée and to sanctifie my selfe more and more with all allacrity and pleasure of my spirit attending on thy will walking in thy wayes all the residue of this my pilgrimage mortalitie Grant this O Father Sonne and holy Ghost holie blessed and eternall Trinity the Author of Life the giuer of grace the God of power whose wisedome is péerelesse whose dominion is endles whose mercie is bottomlesse To whom be all praise honour and glorie for euer and euer world without end Amen ¶ A speciall forme of submission and supplication to the Almighty IT cannot bee denied oh Lord GOD almighty it is too well knowne to thée and too too lamentably experienced in our selues that we are nothing else but a sinke and swill and puddle of sinne a masse and lumpe of rebellion That there is no light in our vnderstanding no good inclination in our good will no grace in our life we haue erred and straied from thy waies euer since we were borne through the originall Concupiscence and Corruption wherein wee are conceiued we haue neuer ceased to breake thy holie Commandements and to runne headlong into all manner of disobedieÌ„ce When the tempter is ready wee are fit to bee tempted as he is neuer vnready so wee alwaies are tempted and taken in most dangerous and deadly gins Woe and alas to our most weake féeble soules wherin there is neither power nor will nor wisedome to withstand the fierce and violent assaults of the spiritual wickednesses that fight against vs that entrench and encampe themselues round about vs when wee thinke that all is safe then rush they vpon vs as the Philistims did vppon Sampson we through dalliance with this wanton Delilah of our owne flesh and filthy vanitie of this wicked world are lulled a sléep in carnall security and haue lost our spirituall strength of Faith hope and godlinesse and so are taken and bound and blinded and lead away Captiues held in thraldome and scorned of those wicked and hellish fiends who greatly delight in the destruction and confusion of thy children which thirst and long after our eternall damnation In tender and bitter consideration whereof most lamentably complaining vnto thy most excellent and incomprehensible Maiesty oh Lord God of hoasts thy most distressed and forlorne seruant and adopted sonne sheweth and openeth his grieuances and being tyred wearied and ouerburdened with most cunning crafts subtile sleights as also most outragious tyrannies and impetuous violences of his implacable infernall foes in all humility and lowlinesse
THE SOVLES Lamentations and loue to God Preces Lachrymae Dumps and teares of REPENTANCE Aut ora aut abi Aut Poenitendum aut pereundum LONDON Printed by Tho Purfoot An 1614. To the Christian READER THinke not good Christian READER that these Prayers may only be appropriated vnto my selfe They are not onelie the Anatomie of my Soule and the discouery of my life but whatsoeuer poenitent true hearted Christian shall light vpon them I doubt not but he will thinke they were deuized ordained of God for him By them thou maist find the Scripture verified which saith To the weake I become as weake that I may winne the weake 1. Cor. 9 22. Or rather that Whether wee be afflicted it is for your consolation and saluation or whether wee bee comforted it is for your consolation saluation 2. Cor. 1.6 If God bring some to the gates of death for the comfort of others what account wee all ought to make joyntly of our selues and what possible comfort to minister one vnto another severally in temptations in afflictions in pouerties in necessities in all the worlds jniuries wherewith wee are vexed euery day thou seest Seeing also wee esteeme nor to discouer our nakednesse and to set our jnfirmities vnto the view of men for his servants sakes that their ioy may be full knowing that if they be weake so are wee if they be strong so are we if they be sinfull so are we if they be poenitent so are we Let God be glorified and let euery sorrowfull soule triumph in Christ vpon the view of our weaknes For he that refused not vs refuseth none of his that come vnto him call vpon him faithfully turne from jniquity and worship him in spirit and in truth This one thing I entreat of thee Aske not my name it will not profit thee I am thy fellow seruant let that suffice thee In thy praiers remeÌ„ber me for a while if thou know mee and know me by thy selfe and it shall satisfie me to the full I doe will pray for thee Our Lord Iesus Christ be with thy Spirit Amen To the Sinner CHristian Sinner bee not offended at the passions of these Praiers Thou wilt not thou canst not if euer thou hast felt either thy sinnes or thy sauiour the one to afflict and affright thee the other to ease refresh thee There is no greater burden then the burden of sin There is no greater ioy then the ioy of the holy Ghost giuen and inspired of God through Jesus Christ our Lord The one is hell and the other is Heauen here on Earth The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare And so contrary The hart that is possessed with The peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding no doubt reioyceth with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious Adde hereunto Jf the deare Saints of God especially the holy Prophet Dauid forced not as it were to shunne themselus in the eye of the world that they might satisfie their Consciences and glorifie God Jt ought not to seeme strange to any sanctified soule that the Author hereof hath made himselfe in a manner a gazing stocke to the world to Angels and to men To become weake vnto the weake that he might winne the weake all to all that at the least hee might gaine some Jt is no matter what shame be poured on the face of a sinfull miserable and mortall man so that one soule thereby may be gained to Christ And J like exceedingly of that excellent resolution of supereminent Saint Augustine Confitebor infirmitates meas oraturis pro me fratribus Be thy discretioÌ„ what it will this is mine in God And so I wish thee the comfort of heart in the Sauâ—oâ—r of the world of whome I am sure thou hast great need as well as I. Thine in truth and charity B L. DEVOVT PRAYERS ¶ A Confession lamentation and submission to God O Lord my God I haue sinned and done wickedly I haue grieuouslie sinned done excéeding wickedly my sinnes are in number infinite and most abhominable in nature Oh good Lord I haue prouoked thine excellent Maiestie and thy strong power and thine vpright Iustice to condemne me bodie and soule sodainly Surely it is of thy mercy that I am not already coÌ„sumed I haue deserued presently euen now Lord before the next nioment to bée deliuered vp into the hands of hell and of the Prince of darknesse the Tyrant of the soule of man Satan the Deuil For I haue serued him and neglected thée I haue from my youth obeyed him and despised thy Maiesty oh most glorious mightie and terrible God thy power and thy Iustice I haue despised and set at naught And yet if this were all I had committed but small offence in respect of that which I haue done For thy mercy thy mercie oh Lord thy compassions oh good God thy compassions infinite and vnspeakable and vnconceiuable euermore alluring me calling me back eueÌ„ beséeching me my Conscience bearing witnesse to refraine from iniquitie I haue cast behind me and most vile wretch then whom there is none liueth more wretched that shall be saued I haue troden and trampled vnder my féet True it is my God and my mercifull Redéemer it is most true that when thou hast offered mee grace I haue refused it when thine Angell hath stood on my right hand and Satan on the left I haue reiected thine Angell and turned aside vnto Sathan I haue leaned vnto the left hand and not vnto the right So I haue traiterously misused thy Maiestie haue shewed my selfe a notorious wilfull and vnrepentant rebell yea as a swift Roe of the Forrest or as a Dromedarie of Midian or as a wild Asse of the Wildernes that snuffeth vp wind at pleasure I haue runne hastily and headlong from the right and high way of life into by-paths of death and destruction I haue entred league with sins and haue trauailed quietly hand in hand with the Princes of euerlasting darknesse I haue suffered my selfe to be led by them vnto the bottomles pit therein I had almost plunged my selfe vnawares I was euen cleane gone from thy presence and remembred thée no more Then euen then oh sweet God when I was held in chaines of darknes thou didst send thine Angell and deliuer me What shall I giue vnto thée How shall I be thankfull I will praise thée with ioyfull lips I will sing to thée froÌ„ the ground of my heart Accept the sacrifice of praise I will take the cup of saluation and pray vnto thée Behold I come vnto thée right humbly oh Lord heare me oh Lord heare me O Lord despise me not If thou makest as though thou hearest not I die and what profite is there in my bloud Spare me good Lord spare me Heare and forgiue I present vnto thée Christ Iesus hée came into the world to saue sinners of whom not S. Paul but I euen I the slaue of
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