whose liuely image I do acknowledge in my selfe for I am he that hath most vniustly forsaken thee my louing father and haue riotously consumed my substance and by obeying the appetites of my flesh haue disobeyed thy commandements and by breaking of them haue fallen into the most filthie prison of sinne being brought to extreame miserie out of which I know none other that can helpe me but onely thou my Almighty God whom I haue forsaken Receiue therefore O Lord mercifully the humble that desireth pardon of thee whom thou hast so patiently looked for euen vntill this present houre Alas I am not worthy to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee nor once to call thee father but for so much as thou art a true father in deed may it please thee to view me with thy fatherly compassionate eyes for thy onely sight is powerfull to raise the dead and it is that which causeth all those that wander out of the way to returne againe to themselues For this repentance and sorrow for my sinnes I had not had if thou hadst not beheld me with thy mercies eye When I went wandring afarre off from thee thou didst looke downe euen from heauen vpon me and didst open mine eyes that I might see my selfe and take a view how full fraught I was with infinite sinnes and euen at this instant thou commest to receiue me againe giuing me knowledge and mindfulnesse of mine innocencie which I haue lost I do not request thy most sweete embracings and kisses nor the rich garment that was wont to cloth me neither yet the ring of mine ancient dignitie I sue not to be receiued againe into the state and dignitie of thy sonnes but thou shalt do very much for me in case it may please thee to number me amongest thy bondslaues and so to marke me with thy signe and to fetter me with thy chaines that I may neuer after runne away from thee Againe it shall neuer grieue me to be in this life one of the most abiect slaues in thy house so that I may neuer be separated from thee Suffer me not gracious Lord to runne the erring steps that I haue formerly done for thou didst consecrate me for thy temple and I made my selfe an habitation for the Diuell Thou gauest me armour and didst bind me to be thy true knight and I haue gone traiterously to thy enemies side vsing thine owne weapons against thee thou didst espouse my soule vnto thee in perpetuall charitie and I haue proued disloyall following the loue of vanities more then thy truth and esteemed a creature more then the Creator But now Lord incline thee vnto me I beseech thee O father of mercy graunting me the fauour of thine onely begotten Sonne and the remedie of his most grieuous passion and death graunt me also thy holy spirit that it may cleanse my heart and confirme it in thy grace any fauour that through mine ignorance I do neuer runne againe into my late banishment from whence thy louing kindnesse hath called me backe but that I may continue in thy obedience euen from this present houre of my repentance vnto the last houre of my transitorie life To thee O my Lord be perpetuall glorie honour power and dominion world without end OF THE THREE SORTS OF MEN ALL DIVERSLY affected in things concerning God Men are either OPEN WICKED Licentious and prophane liuers professed enemies of the Law of the Lord Iob 21.14.15 These are borne but after the flesh therefore sauour they onely the things of the flesh and remaine as they are by nature childreÌ„ of wrath Ioh. 3.6 1. Cor. 2.16 Ephe. 2.3 These are neither chosen of God nor called being neither of the Church nor in the same Psal 11.5 Reu. 22.14 1. Cor. 5.12 In these sinne daily increaseth inwardly and outwardly till righteousnesse in theÌ„ be vtterly extinct Psal 36.1.2.3.4 To these the law if it be sent cometh in tables of stone for such is the nature of hearts but they receiue it not the tables are broken before they come at them for these dance as it were about the golden calfe of their owne impietie know not what is become of Moses they breake and violate all Exod. 32. Yet vnto such the Law is giuen and lieth vpon them as a curse and condemnation 1. Tim. 1.9 Deut. 27.15 26. These keepe not the Law neither are they kept by the Law but breake forth into all sinne and wickednesse Iob 24.13 c. Psal 73.8 9. These hate the Law and professe their hatred Psal 2.3 Iob 22.17 These are naked yet without shame though all men see their filthinesse they hide it not Ier. 6.15 and 8.12 These call not vpon God Psal 14.4 These accustomed to do euill neither change â—hemselues nor â—heir actions Ier. 13.23 These are strangers not children â—or yet seruants â—n the houshold â—f faith Ephes 2.12 Psal 58 3. These go not out â—o meete the â—ridegroome â—either come to â—â—e wedding â—â—ough they be â—uited Mat. 22. â—5 These are â—â—rknesse both before God and the world Pro 4.19 These though sicke vnto death yet like the mad man possessed of diuels Mar. 5 2 3 c. which raued and felt not nor diâ—cerned his owne miserie they seeke no remedie for their disease Prouerb 14.16 23.34 35. These do the euill which they loue and would do Iob 20 12.13 Prou 2.14 These expect no saluation either by themselues or by any other Isa 22.13 These die by Moses sword as the Idolaters Exod 32. the Madianites Numb 31. the Amorites Sihon Ogh and the like These both shall perish and be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord their portion shall be with the diuels in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death Mat. 25.30.41 24.51 Iob 13.16 2. Thes 1.8.9 Reue. 20.10.13.15 The wicked shall turne into hell Psal 9.17 The reioycing of the wicked is short the ioy of Hypocrites is but a moment Iob 20.5 HYPOCRITES Outwardly relâ—gious but inwardly wicked hating Gods Law and the true righteousnesse Isay 29.13 Mic. 3.11 These seeme to be renewed and born againe of the Spirit they are inlightned boast of heauenly grace yet continue they stil in their old naturall corruption vnwashed from their filthinesse Heb. 6 4. Isa 65.5 Ioh. 8 41.22 Pro. 30.12 These are called but not chosen are in the Church for a while but not of it Mat. 22.14 1. Ioh. 2.19 In these righteousnesse increaseth outwardly but sin liueth inwardly and aboundeth Isa 1.11 c. Ier. 3.4.5 To these God giueth the stonie tables and they receiue them but Moses face so shineth that they cannot looke vpon him vnlesse he veile his countenance They outwardly keepe the law rest therein they also teach others to keepe it yet are themselues transgressors of it the inward power and end thereof they cannot see Exod. 34.29 30 c. 2. Cor. 3.13 14. Rom. 2.17 22 23 c. These though they keepe not the Law yet
are kept by the Law and restrained by terrour thereof from open wickednesse Math. 23.13.16.23.25 These hate the Law but professe to loue it Psal 78.36 37. These ashamed of their nakednes couer it with fig-leaues or spiders webs of their own externall righteousnesse Isa 59.5.6 These crie but God heareth them not Isa 1.15 These change their words and workes but not themselues Gen. 4.3 28.8.9 Hos 7.16 These are in the house but as seruants not as children Iohn 8.35.36 Galat. 4.22 c. These go with their lampes but without oile they come to the feast but want the wedding garment Mat. 25 3. 22 11.1◠These are light before the world but darknesse before God Mat. 6.2 5.16 Isa 58.2.3.8 These though they see and know their sicknesse yet like to King Asa they seeke not the Lord in their disease but to the Physitians or with salues and medicines of their own making thinke to cure themselues 2. Chro. 16 12. Ioh 5.40 Hos 5.13 These do not the euill which they loue but the good which they loue not Nū 14.2.4.40 These expect saluation by themselues and their owne righteousnes Rō 10 3. Ier. 2.35 These vnder Moses conduct perish by Gods hand in the desert and come not into the Land of promise These both shall perish and be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord their portion shall be with the diuels in the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death Mat. 25.30.41 24.51 Iob 13.16 2. Thes 1.8.9 Reue. 20.10.13.15 The Hypocrites hope shall perish Iob 8.13 The reioycing of the wicked is short the ioy of Hypocrites is but a moment Iob 20.5 SAINTS that rightly beleeue and obey Gods word with their vtmost power the friends of the Lord. Psal 119.3.5 10.11 c. These are borne anew not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh or of man but of God therefore they sauour the things of God mind heauenly things being children of Wisedome Ioh. 6.13 3.3 Luke 7.35 These are called and chosen of God are both in of the Church and so continue Ephes 1.4 c. Iob 17.9 In these sinne dieth and righteousnesse reuiueth daily both inwardly and outwardly Rom. 6.2 3 4 c. To these the law is not giuen or it lyeth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on them 1. Tim. 1.9 for they haue the Gospell the Law and Ministerie of the Spirit and Gods word is written in fleshly tables of their hearts within and without by the finger of God and they all behold as in a mirrour the glorie of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same image frō glorie to glorie as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2. Cor 33.18 Eze. 11 19 Heb 8.10 These are the right keepers of the Law in spirit which sometime also were kept of the Law til Faith came Psal 119.33 34. Gal. 3.23 25. These loue the Law and professe their loue Psalme 119.97 Rom. 7.22 These haue their nakednesse couered of Christ and by the garments of his righteousnes Reuel 3.18 and 16.15 These call vpon God and he answereth them Ier. 29.12.13 These change both their actions and themselues or rather are changed of the Lord Rom. 12.2 These are no more strangers but children of Gods familie wherein they abide for euer Gal. 4.28 1. Ioh 3 These go to meete the bridegroom with oyle in their lamps are arrayed with the wedding robe Mat. 25.4 These are light both before God and the world Ephes 5.8 Mat. ◠16 Phil. 2.15 These see their sinnes and feele thēselues wounded by those fierie serpents but lift vp their eyes to the serpent of brasse they seek to Christ onely the Physitian of their soules Nūbers 21.8 9. Ioh. 3.14 15. These loue good and desire to do it yet do the euill which they hate Rom. 7.15 These expect saluation onely by Christs righteousnesse not by themselues Phil. 3.9 Rō 3 24.28 These after Moses death are brought by Iesus into the rest of Canaan the rest that remaineth for the people of God Heb. 4.8.9 These shall enter into the ioy of their Lord shall liue and reigne with him in heauen and with his holy Angels for euermore Amen Mat. 25.21.34.46 The Saints shall be preserued for euer Psal 37.28 And men shall say Verily there is fruite for the righteous doubtlesse there is a God that iudgeth in the earth Psal 58.11 A prayer vnto God the Father THou that rulest in the highest reignest for euer onely canst do all things God the gouernor of heauen and earth at whose becke all creatures tremble and the pillars of heauen shake O heauenly God perfect workman and Potter I wretch made out of clay or rather of filthy mudde with feare and trembling come before the throne of thy maiestie I acknowledge and confesse my wickednesse I know that I am nothing yea that I am meere abomination and horror in thy sight if thy grace and mercie do faile me without thee I thinke no goodnesse without thee I do no good thing without thee I am a contemptible creeping worme I cannot be saued without thine assistance my saluation dependeth on thy hands I giue thee thanks O God and in especiall for this for that thou hast giuen me that knowledge that I may see and know that I am nothing vnable to do any thing without thee Thou art the Potter I the clay such as thou wilt haue me be such canst thou forme and fashion me if thou makest me blessed thou shewest thy mercy and grace if thou castest me into perdition thou shewest thy iustice and executest thy iudgement neither is it my duty to contradict thee why or for what reason thou doest it For thou hast mercy vpon him whō thou louest these things I meditate with my selfe ô Lord and I feare thy iudgements Since therefore all my safetie and saluation dependeth on thee and consisteth in thy hand and power and sith thou hast shewed thy selfe a mercifull and long-suffering God to the whole world and hast testified the same indeed in that thou wouldest thy onely Sonne Iesus Christ the innocent should die for our offences and expiate our sinnes with his bloud on the Crosse Finally since thou hast taught vs in all our perturbations to call vpon thee and aske thy grace and mercy for that thou wilt giue vs all things which we shall aske in the name of thy Sonne I come vnto thee being drosse and a lumpe of day O mercifull and celestiall Potter beseeching thee most humbly that thou wilt vse thy mercie and make of this vnworthy matter a vessell of eternall glorie Vouchsafe also of thy meere grace to fixe my mind on perfect faith assured hope and chaste and holy loue that being iustified by these thy gifts I may become vpright perfect good and holy according to thy good will both in the midst and end of my life as also at the latter day of iudgement O mercifull
Anna shed Who in her sonne her solace had forgone Then I to dayes and weekes to moneths and yeeres Do owe the hourely rent of stintlesse teares If loue if losse if fault if spotted fame If danger death if wrath or wreck of weale Entitle eyes true heyres to earned blame That due remorse in such euents conceale That want of teares might well enrole my name As chiefest Saint in Calendar of shame Loue where I lou'd was due and best deseru'd No loue could ayme at more loue-worthy mark No loue more lou'd then mine of him I seru'd Large vse he gaue a flame for euery sparke This loue I lost this losse a life must rue Yea life is short to pay the ruth is due I lost all that I had and had the most The most that will can wish or wit deuise I least perform'd that did most vainely boast I staynd my fame in most infamous wise What danger then death wrath or wreck can moue More pregnant cause of teares then this I proue If Adam sought a veyle to scarfe his sinne Taught by his fall to feare a scourging hand If men shall wish that hils should wrap them in When crimes in finall doome come to be scand What Mount what Caue what Center can conceale My monstrous fact which euen the birds reueale Come shame the liuery of offending minde The vgly shroud that ouer-shadoweth blame The mulct at which foule faults are iustly fin'd The dampe of sinne the common sluce of fame By which impostum'd tongues their humours purge Light shame on me I best deseru'd the scourge Cains murdring hand imbrude in brothers bloud More mercy then my impious tongue may craue He kild a riuall with pretence of good In hope Gods doubled loue alone to haue But feare so spoyld my vanquisht thoughts of loue That periur'd oathes my spitefull hate did proue Poore Agar from her pheere inforc't to flie Wandring in Barsabian wildes alone Doubting her child through helplesse drought would dye Laid it aloofe and set her downe to moue The heauens with prayers her lap with teares she fild A mothers loue in losse is hardly stild But Agar now bequeath thy teares to me Feares not effects did set a-floate thine eyes But wretch I feele more then was feard of thee Ah not my Sonne my soule it is that dies It dies for drought yet hath a spring in sight Worthy to die that would not liue and might Faire Absoloms foule faults compar'd with mine Are brightest sands to mud of Sodome Lakes High aymes yong spirits birth of royall line Made him play false where Kingdoms were the stakes He gaz'd on golden hopes whose lustre winnes Sometime the grauest wits to grieuous sinnes But I whose crime cuts off the least excuse A Kingdome lost but hop't no mite of gaine My highest marke was but the worthlesse vse Of some few lingring howers of longer paine Vngratefull child his Parent he pursude I Gyants warre with God himselfe renude Ioy infant Saints whom in the tender flower A happy storme did free from feare of sinne Long is their life that die in blisfull hower Ioyfull such ends as endlesse ioyes begin Too long they liue that liue till they be nought Life sau'd by sinne base purchase dearely bought This lot was mine your fate was not so fearce Whom spotlesse death in Cradle rockt asleepe Sweet Roses mixt with Lillies strew'd your hearce Death Virgine white in Martyrs red did steepe Your downy heads both Pearles and Rubies crown'd My hoary locks did female feares confound You bleating Ewes that wayle this woluish spoyle Of sucking Lambs new bought with bitter throwes T'inbalme your babes your eyes distill their oyle Each heart to tombe her child wide rupture showes Rue not their death whom death did but reuiue Yeeld ruth to me that liu'd to die aliue With easie losse sharpe wrecks did he eschew That Sindonlesse aside did naked slip Once naked grace no outward garment knew Rich are his robes whom sinne did neuer strip I rich in vaunts displaid prides fairest flags Disrob'd of grace am wrapt in Adams rags When traytor to the sonne in Mothers eyes I shall present my humble sute for grace What blush can paint the shame that will arise Or write my inward feeling in my face Might she the sorrow with the sinner see Though I despisde my griefe might pitied be But ah how can her eares my speech endure Or sent my breath still reeking hellish steeme Can mother like what did the Sonne abiure Or heart deflowr'd a Virgins loue redeeme The Mother nothing loues that Sonne doth loath Ah loathsome wretch detested of them both O sister Nymphes the sweet renowned paire That blesse Bethania bounds with your abode Shall I infect that sanctified ayre Or staine those steps where Iesus breath'd and trode No let your prayers perfume that sweetned place Turne me with Tygers to the wildest chase Could I reuiued Lazarus behold The third of that sweet Trinity of Saints Would not abstonisht dread my senses hold Ah yes my heart euen with his naming faints I seeme to see a messenger from hell That my prepared torments comes to tell O Iohn O Iames we made a triple cord Of three most louing and best louing friends My rotten twist was broken with a word Fit now to fuell fire among the Fiends It is not euer true though often spoken That triple twisted cord is hardly broken The dispossed Diuels that out I threw In IESVS name now impiously forsworne Triumph to see me caged in their mew Trampling my ruines with contempt and scorne My periuries were musicke to their dance And now they heape disdaines on my mischance Our Rocke say they is riuen O welcome howre Our Eagles wings are clipt that wrought so hie Our thundring Cloud made noise but cast no showre He prostrate lies that would haue seal'd the skie In womans tongue our runner found a rub Our Cedar now is shrunke into a shrub These scornefull words vpraid my inward thought Proofes of their damned prompters neighbours voice Such vgly guests still wait vpon the nought Fiends swarme to soules that swarue from vertues choice For breach of plighted truth this true I try Ah that my deed thus gaue my word the lie Once and but once too deare a once to twice it A heauen in earth Saints neere my selfe I saw Sweet was the sight but sweeter loues did spice it But sights and loues did my misdeed withdraw From heauen and Saints to hell and Deuils estrang'd Those sights to frights those loues to hates are chang'd Christ as my God was templed in my thought As man he lent mine eyes their dearest light But sinne his temple hath to ruine brought And now he lightneth terrour from his sight Now of my late vnconsecrate desires Profaned wretch I taste the earned hires Ah sinne the nothing that doth all things file Out-cast from heauen earths curse the cause of hell Parent of death author of our exile The wrecke of soules the wares that
that beareth me such a cankred malice that he careth not to increase his owne paine so that he may worke me any spirituall yea or corporall harme Fourthly I must print that saying of Christ in my minde He that perseuereth vnto the end shall be saued for not he that beginneth nor he that continueth for a moneth or a yeare or a short time but onely he that perseuereth vnto the end of his life shall be saued Wherfore the same cause that moued me to beginne ought also to moue me to continue that the reward and crowne of my good resolution be not cut off by any want of perseuerance Let not the cries of mine enemies moue me let me with Saint Paul say The world is crucified to me and I to the world And with Dauid It is good for me to cleane vnto God Finally let me imitate the ensample of Christ that perseuered on the crosse vnto death for my sake though often called vpon to come downe Fiftly I must consider that in what state so euer of grace or merit of damnation I beginne the next life I must and shall vndoubtedly perseuer in it according to the words of Salomon Wheresoeuer the tree falleth there shall it be whether it be towards South or North that is towards heauen or hell for both the paine of this continueth for euer and the ioy of the other is also euerlasting If therefore I will perseuer in heauen let me perseuer in the way that leadeth vnto it and neuer forsake the painefulnesse of it vnto the iourneyes end The passions of this life are not condigne and comparable to the future glorie and it is extreame follie for auoiding a short and transitorie paine to hazard the losse of euerlasting ioy and put my selfe in perill of perpetuall bondage in sarre more extreame and endlesse torments The sinners perseuer still in wickednesse and seruice of the Diuell The worldlings perseuer in pursuing vanities and following the world yea and that with most seruile toile and base drudgerie and not without many bodily and ghostly harmes how much more ought a true seruant of God perseuer in Gods seruice and not seeme by forsaking him in the way to condemne him for a worse maister then the world or the Diuell whom many thousands serue to the end to their owne damnation Let me remember that the first Angell for want of perseuerance became a diuell Adam for want of the same was thrust out of Paradise and Iudas of an Apostle became a prey of hell Finally there be many thousands in hell fire burning that beganne very good courses and for a time went forward in the same and yet in the end for want of perseuerance were damned for euer What good a soule loseth by mortall sinne THe grace of the holy Ghost The friendship and familiaritie with God All morall vertues infused and gifts of Gods Spirit The inheritance of the kingdome of heauen The portion of Gods children and patronage of his fatherly prouidence which he hath ouer the iust The peace and quietnesse of a good and quiet conscience Many comforts and visitations of the holy Ghost The fruite and merits of Christs death and passion What misery the soule gaineth by mortall sinne COndemnation to eternall paine To be quite cancelled out of the booke of life To become of the child of God the thrall of the diuell To be changed from the temple of the holy Ghost into a denne of theeues a nest of vipers and a sinke of all corruption How a Soule is prepared to iustification by degrees Faith setteth before one eyes God as a iust Iudge Angrie with the bad Mercifull to the repentant Of this faith by the gift of Gods Spirit ariseth a feare by consideration of Gods iustice and Our ownâ— sinnes This feare is comforted by hope grounded in Gods mercie and the Merits of Christ Of this hope ariseth loue and charity to Christ for Louing vs without desert Redeeming vs with so many torments Of this loue followeth sorrow for offending Christ of whom we haue bene so mercifully Created Redeemed Sanctified Called to by Faith Of this sorrow ariseth a full purpose to auoid all sinne which God aboue all things detesteth The diuell aboue all things desireth Aboue all things hurteth the soule A short Meditation of mans miseries VVHat was I O Lord what am I what shall I be I was nothing I am now nothing worth and am in hazard to be worse then nothing I was conceiued in originall sinne I am now full of actuall sinne I may hereafter feele the eternall smart of sinne I was in my mother a lothsome substance I am in the world a sacke of corruption I shall be in my graue a prey of vermine When I was nothing I was without hope to be saued or feare to be damned I am now in a doubtfull hope of the one and in a manifest danger of the other I shall be either happie by the successe of my hope or most miserable by the effect of my danger I was so that I could not then be damned I am so that I can scarce be saued what I haue bene I know to wit a wretched sinner what I am I cannot say being vncertaine of Gods grace what I shall be I am ignorant of being doubtfull of my perseuerance O Lord erect my former weaknesse correct my present sinfulnesse direct my future frailtie from passed euill to present good and from present good to future glorie sweete Iesus A deuout prayer to desire pardon and remission of our sinnes O Most mightie Lord and Creator of all things when I thinke with my selfe how grieuously I haue offended thine infinite Maiestie with my sinnes I wonder at mine owne follie when I consider what a louing and bountifull father I haue forsaken I accurse mine ingratitude when I behold how I am fallen from such a noble libertie into such a miserable bondage I condemne my selfe for an inconstant foole and know not what other thing I may set before mine eyes but onely hell and damnation for so much as thy iustice from which I cannot flie putteth a great tetror into my conscience but contrariwise when I consider thy great mercie which as the Prophet witnesseth exceedeth all thy workes then do I feele forthwith a fresh and pleasant aire of hope to refresh and strengthen againe my weake and sorrowfull soule Wherefore should I then dispaire to obtaine pardon of him who hath so often times in the holy Scriptures inuited sinners to repentance saying I desire not the death of a sinner but that he should liue and be conuerted Moreouer thine onely begotten Sonne our sweete Sauiour Iesus Christ hath reuealed vnto vs by many parables how ready and willing thou art to graunt pardon vnto all such as are penitent for their sinnes This he signifieth vnto vs by the Iewell lost and found againe By the strayed sheepe brought home againe vpon the shepheards shouldiers and much more by the comparison of the prodigall sonne