and looke vpon mee through thy sonne Iesus Christ and please thy selfe with me Grant that I béeing continually couered with his obedience as with a cloake may be euer acceptable in thy sight accompanie me the whole race of my mortall life with his and thy most sacred and wise grace that so it may appeare to the ioye of my sorrowfull heart and peace of my conscience as also to the sight and perfect knowledge of men that thou art mercifull vnto mee of a truth that thou hast lifted me vp that in thy wrath thou didst punish me but in thy mercy hast compassion on me because I haue hoped in thy holy name and haue waited for thy saluation And as for me my God performe the worke of comfort which thou hast begunne in mee and encrease the ioy of my spirit from day to day and bring me forth into the light a mirrour of thy mercies a spectacle of thine vnspeakable and rich compassions through Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen ¶ The Sinners deniall of himselfe and lowlie petition to bee accepted of God and receiued into his conduct O Almightie God Father of mercies and God of all consolations I haue now séene and had experience in déed and truth that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing For the very fountaine is corrupted euen my heart within me the fountaine of all my actions I find it indéed full of filthinesse in it selfe full of rebellion against thée hating thy most excellent Maiestie and euen wishing that thou werest no God at all that it might the more francklie and fréely set on fire the whole course of nature in me and so draw me body and soule into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Fier that neuer goeth out I doe heere therfore fréely acknowledge and confesse that my destruction is sought mightily maynly by my selfe but my Saluation is of thée I doe vnfainedly repent me of my wicked heart and as héeretofore I haue in vprightnes truth dedicated and deuoted the same vnto thy heauenly protection as thou knowest so now in like manner I wholy resigne my selfe into thy hands beséeching thée to take this vngodly heart and frame it anew to make it pliable and fit for thy selfe I know thou hast no néed of my seruice for thou canst command the stones and they will arise and prayse thée But yet seeing I wholy deny my selfe and betake my life to the good gouernmēt of thy Sonne Iesus Christ my blessed Sauiour I beséech thée oh Lord I beseech thée accept the soule of thy servant Let me now sée and experience the power of Christ against Satan I haue experienced mine owne power which is weaknesse not able to encounter with the strong man The life that héereafter I shall liue let me liue it wholy oh mercifull Father by the faith in the death of Iesus Christ and let Christ liue in me by his gracious and sanctifying spirit that from henceforth I may vnfainedly detest and abhorre my former wickednes and may be renewed as a garment and receiue the Kingdome of Christ in my conscience as a Child euen so Father of heauen so be it For thou hast magnified thy mercies in me and so magnifie them for euer Thou hast disappointed Satan of my soule and so disappoint him still of a truth I perceiue that thou art faithfull and true in thy promises and louest thy Children with an euerlasting loue Glory and honour and great worship and all power might and Maiestie be ascribed vnto thée For thou art worthy oh GOD most high Amen ¶ In the instant and vrgent assault of Temptation a very earnest prayer LOrd why abhorrest thou thy seruant why hidest thou thy face frō me Heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place thou possessor of heauen and earth thou maker of all things thou louer of men thou sauer of soules heare and giue eare and let my prayer enter into thy presence The tempter is ready my heart is weake my soule is wicked I shall cōspire against thee with Satā I shal enter a league with death and hell I am fettered in the chaines of eternall damnation Oh Lord God Almighty strong and mercifull heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place Behold mine owne desires are confederate against me and mine inward affections conspire together to ouerthrow mee Now euen now am I ready to be taken away now my sinful body vexeth my simple soule now my simple soule enthralleth her selfe to my sinfull body Now heare and helpe oh God of heauen my Sauiour sayd it I surely find it The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Satan is strong hee is very strong he hath strengthened mee against my selfe Oh strength of Israel strength of thy Chosen strength of thy Children strengthen me for my selfe as Satan hath strengthened me against my selfe If thou my God my rocke my refuge will saue who can destroy If thou wilt deliuer who shall imprison If thou wilt but say the word let the iust captiuitie goe frée giue mee the soule oh Satan that I haue loued for euer that I haue elected before the world that my sonne hath redéemed with his precious bloud what Satan What sinne What death What hell What hatred what curse what law what guilty conscience what despaire what damnation can hold it backe Thou art Almighty thou art All-sufficient mighty against all that resist thy might and therfore all these sufficient for all that band themselues against thy sufficiency and therefore for these For these O Lord God most mercifull and louing Father whether they be in mee or about mee thou art Almighty thou art all-sufficient Wicked sinne a guiltie conscience a despairing soule these are within me O God dispossesse them Lawe and curse hatred and hell death and diuell and damnation it selfe these are about me Oh Lord disperse them Arise Lord and let thine enemies be scattered let these that hate thée flée before thée Oh deliuerer of the captiues helper of the afflicted relieuer of the oppressed comforter of the grieued my temptation is at hand my temptation is at hand I fall I fall Lord lift me vp Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me Where art thou my God Oh my soule what doest thou where art thou my God My soule whither wilt thou what haue I done vnto thee why doest thou betray me But where art thou my God Oh heare me now I call O helpe me now I cry vnto thée The assault is grieuous the violence is villanous the danger is desperate oh wretched creature that I am Who shall deliuer me from this body of death Oh I am weake hearted I am soule sicke I am faint spirited I finde no meanes of resistance Now I fall now I yéeld now I am tempted now I am taken now I consent now I runne headlong vpon mine owne damnation Oh my breast is pinched my heart is pained my soule afflicted my infirmitie surprized
pit I am spoyled of robbers I am robbed of thy robes mortification and sanctification The spoilers are my sinnes my concupiscences my corruptions within me They oh Iesu euen they haue spoiled mee dis-robed me of thy graces disfurnished mee of thy riches and vertues Oh good Samaritan while I am weltring in my bloud Oh while I am in my bloud despise me not passe not by me haue pittie and compassion vpon me Bring thy bloud thy most precious bloud precious because not to be valued at any price better then the balme of Gilead powre it into my wounds it is wine it is oyle it hath a sauing vertue O saue me my Sauiour Iesu the sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee I thirst for thée I long for thée I faint for thée Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me I haue hoped in thy holie name For why art thou the sonne of Dauid Is it not because of thy sure mercies to Dauid and to his seed for euer And who is the séed of Dauid are not they that call vpon thée that rest in thée that haue no other saluation but thée the séed of Dauid O then I haue no helper no sauiour no redéemer but thée oh Lord of life O Prince of peace oh GOD my righteousnes I haue none but thée I am then the seed of Dauid performe to me the holy things of Dauid the promises of eternall life O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon me If thou wilt thou canst make me cleane purge me oh Physition of the soule purge mee and make mee cleane let thy blood wash mee throughly and I shall be cleane I haue deserued thy iust conceiued fury no reason thou shouldst heare saue but thine owne mercy thine own loue I appeale vnto them wherefore hast thou called me and taught me thy truth In vain O let it not be in vaine Wherefore do I beléeue thée to be sauiour of sinners in vaine O let it not be in vain But if I be not saued I belieue in vaine Lord heare my praier and let my sorrowfull sighing come before thée So I trust I will not distrust Helpe my vnbeliefe I will lay my saluation on thy shoulders oh Christ Iesu For thine is the kingdome the power and the glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ An humble suite for a liuely fayth OH Almighty God and most mercifull Father thou knowest my sorrowes and my rowling repentances within me how I am grieued and vexed that I haue transgressed against thée oh Lord thou knowest The terrors and troubles of my heart are all open before thy Maiestie whom that I haue prouoked to take swift vengeance vppon me I confesse yea oh mighty Monarche of heauen and earth I confesse freely and willingly that damnation of body and soule is my due and the rather for that by mine iniquities best knowen vnto thy sacred Maiestie I haue refused Faith in the blood of thy Sonne Iesus Christ I haue hardned my heart and encreased my contempt against him Now Lord séeing it hath pleased thée to call to my remembrance and consideration my transgressions to giue me grace to confesse and acknowledge them in a detestation of them to seeke and sue for thy Sonne Iesus Christ in whom thou art well pleased I beseech thée oh Father good Father as thou hast loued mankind fréely so giue me the most excellent and comfortable gift of Faith in the death and passion of Iesus Christ that I may beleeue stedfastly to my comfort in him that he is the Sauiour Redeemer not onely of others but of me also euen of me oh Father thy Creature though miserably deformed by sinne Oh send thy holy spirit of grace into my heart that I beeing dead stinking in the graue of my wickednesse yet may arise and liue to thée and thy glory for euer through the powerfull might of Iesus Christ by an vnfained and setled faith in my heart Oh heauenly Father I am almost swallowed vp of despaire thy punishment doth so amaze me Oh deliuer my soule from that fearfull monster I am ashamed and confounded before thee my sins are so many since my youth vp now thou callest thē to thy remembrance and I cannot answere one for a Thousand I will therefore lay mine hand vpon my mouth and kéepe silence before thée wayting for thy deliuerance and for faith in Iesus Christ oh send me faith liuely and working and comforting that I may goe forward couragiously in the path of sanctification all my life long Grant this oh Father that I may glorifie thy name and reioyce in thée and in thy sauing health Iesus Christ my onely Lord Redéemer and Sauiour To whom with thée and that desired and longed for holy Ghost thrée persons and one Coequall and Coeternall God be all glorie and praise and Dominion and Maiestie and thanksgiuing from henceforth and for euermore Amen ¶ A gladsome thanksgiving for the tast of Gods mercie ETernall GOD whose habitation is in heauen and whose wōderfull and gratious prouidence in all the world thanks be giuen to thy most sacred Maiestie that being so high thou hast respect vnto the lowly that being so powerfull and mighty thou hast regard to my misery Oh gratious and most louing Father in Iesus Christ my Sauiour hath it pleased thee indéed to take the prey from the mighty my soule from Satan and to let the iust captiuitie goe frée my sinnefull soule and body indéed and truth snared and captiued of the Prince of darknes to be loosed from the chaines of hell infirmitie enormity presūptiō custome of iniquitie it is true it hath pleased thée euen so Father because it was thy good pleasure I acknowledge and confesse that this hath procéeded of thine euerlasting and neuer dying mercies I will therefore take vp the cup of saluation that thou hast reached vnto me and drinke it vp health vnto my bones to my bowels to my nauill to my soule I haue sucked the dregs of the cup of trembling but the cup of trembling is taken from me now thou hast refreshed me with chéerefull wine the bloud of Iesus Christ I will make mention of thy righteousnesse alwayes I will sing praise honour vnto thée with my whole heart I was dead but I am aliue I was withered like haye but now I shall flourish as a gréen hearb beyond all hope Loe this this is the portion of thē that turne from iniquity in Iacob and feare the Lord seruing him in vprightnes and truth Thus is the Lord mercifull vnto his seruants whome he hath chosen He kéepeth them that they do not fall for euer Thus is hee mercifull vnto them for his owne sake O King of Kings thou dweller in eternitie séeing so farre it hath pleased thée to visite the distressed estate of a sinner and to lead me in the path of righteousnesse thou art vnchangeable one and the same and hast neuer vsed to repent thée of thy compassions heare me and giue eare
bodie pined by reason of my sinne I haue fasted and watched and praied and wept and confessed and craued pardon many times carefullie zealouslie vehementlie and haue receiued comfort conceiued hope of thy constant spirit and yet my sinne remaineth O vile wretch O slaue of sinne O drudge of transgression O vassall of Satan that I am what shall I doe whither shall I flie to whome shall I resort for deliuerance If I say vnto my bodie doe not yéeld it resisteth If I say to my soule be not ouercome it denieth I am wholie euill and there is no good thing in me And yet my soule is more abhominable then this for it flattereth me as though it would be obedient to thy spirit oh God but it dissēbleth with me It is a very hypocrite in nothing constant in nothing stedfast but in hypocrisie and in deceipt it promiseth and it performeth not Why art thou so wicked oh my soule why art thou so false vnto me why dost thou suffer Satan thine enemie murderer to poyson thée and so to kill thée Oh miserable soule why wilt thou dye oh Iesus my life why am I departed from thée Oh Iesus come vnto me whom my soule loueth One depth calleth another the depth of misery the depth of mercy My misery is déepe but thy mercie is bottomlesse I know no end therof What then be of good cheere my soule go seeke thy sauiour follow after him Thy sinnes are many and thou canst not number them they are heynous and odious and thou canst not esteeme the abhomination of them but he hath numbred them and he knoweth their quality and his mercies are without number measure Infinite and not definite to any persons thou art not excepted to any times this day thou shalt be accepted as it is written At what time soeuer c. oh put thy trust in God and in the mercie of the most high thou shalt not miscarry he is the helpe of thy countenance and thy God Trust to him rest in him depend vpon him follow after him wrestle with him pray vnto him and leaue him not till hee bestow a blessing till he change thy heart and make it new be not faint neither forgetfull without him thou shalt haue no rest and in him thou shalt find rest and ease and comfort and ioy and eternall life and euerlasting felicitie thou knowest my Soule when thou art with him thou art quiet and glad because of the light of his countenance whē thou art from him thou art sad because thou art from thy ioy Oh séeke thy Redéemer forget not thy Sauiour his mercie is thy life oh life grant mercie Oh Christ saue I am a Leaper if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane I am the Publican oh Lord bee mercifull vnto me a sinner a great sinner a grieuous sinner the chiefe of sinners Truth oh truth oh faithfull and true oh swéet Iesu who hath néed of thy mercie as I haue Thou canst not bestow it on a more néedy begger One drop of thy mercie swéet Iesu sweet Iesu Amen Amen ¶ The dumpe or dampe of despaire whereout the sinner labouring pittifully complaineth and cryeth vnto Christ Iesus to be refreshed and comforted DAy by day haue I cryed vnto the Lord and in the night when I was waking I thought vpon his mercies and called for them For I saw the vglie shape and innumerable multitude of my sinnes crying vengeance day and night I perceiued I was afflicted my soule was heauie and my bodie pined away I cherished my flesh and it would not remaine it rotted and decayed For the anger of the Lord the indignation of the most high I brought my life down vnto the ground and my sorrows were encreased in my heart For I was pained within me and straightned in my owne bowels then spake I to the Almighty and sayd as the Prophet taught me When thou with rebukes doest chasten man for sinne thou makest his beautie to consume away as it were a moath fretting a garment I said My wounds stincke and are corrupt through my foolishnes and I said Thine arrowes sticke fast in me and thy hand presseth mee sore For I prayed daily and yet my sinne remained and the punishment of my sinne was hard vpon me The Almightie had couered his face with glorie and I was troubled I found no rest in my selfe no refuge in any creature Then I stood amazed in the presence of my God For I could not speake my sinnes were vnfolded and layed open in his sight he remembred them So I drew néerer and néerer vnto the pit and accompted my selfe among the wicked I was silent before the high Maiestie and most excellent glorie for I could not speake yea my heart wandred too and fro and I sought to hide me from his presence But it would not be The eye of iealouzie séeth all things and the eare of iealouzie heareth all things and my sinnes were bound vp in a bundle before him and the punishment for them lay sore vpon me Then I said againe Lord doest thou so correct thine own children Where shall the wicked appeare Surely they shall vanish away like smoake when thou appearest to them in glorie But I said of my selfe I am cast out of thy presence and I am numbred with the reprobate generation Neuerthelesse when I saw I could not lie hid neither could auoid the righteousnesse of the righteous Iudge neither yet was able to pacifie my vexed conscience because I found no meanes in my selfe to forsake mine owne iniquitie wherewith I am cloathed as with a cloake When I perceiued indéed and knew throughly the most poore wretched and miserable estate of my soule inclinable to no goodnes but most vehemently with might and maine striuing against it I came trembling vnto the Lord Iesus I made my complaint and powred out my supplication before him in this manner Oh Iesu Christ the onlie Sauiour annointed of the high God Lord of life of consolation and eternitie Redéemer of the world reconciler of man vnto God priest and mediatour for euer cloathed with the flesh of man to deliuer man from hell beneath Oh mercie and goodnesse and compassion it selfe thou makest friendship betwéene life and death mortalitie and immortality corruption and incorruption Heare me O Lord and cast me not away wherefore didst thou die but for sinners why didst thou come into the world but to saue sinners To what purpose didst thou deliuer thy selfe into the hands of sinners Was not this the cause of thy obedient life and cruell death the wretchednes of sinners Why then oh Iesu I am a sinner Why art thou absent from me Thou camst not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance call me then vnto thée and draw me For I cannot come of my selfe I cannot come when I am called except I bee drawen without thée I can doe nothing I cannot come vnto thée Call me draw me come for me I lie in the
shall make her boast of thée and I will euer remember this that in wrath thou thinkest vppon mercy I will remember and not forget euen so be it oh Father of heauen through Iesus Christ thy onely Son in whom thou art well pleased my onely Sauiour in whome I am fully comforted So be it ¶ A Meditation sealing Eternall Election by the consideration of good Education O Most gracious God and louing Father who in thy sonne Iesus Christ before the world was made diddest predestinate foreappoint some men to life and some to death some to glory and some to contempt some to saluation and some to condemnation euen of thy good pleasure I giue thée most humble and hearty thankes that thou hast chosen me to life glory and saluatiō fréely and of thine owne accord when it might haue pleased thée to reprobate mee for euer Euē so Father because it was thy good pleasure a tast of this loue and fauour thou hast giuen me by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Hereby I am assured that I am predestinate vnto eternall life that I haue faith in the death bloodshed of Iesus Christ O Lord encrease my Faith Moreouer this thine ancient loue eternall and without beginning is manifested to me more perfectly for that it pleased thée that I should not only be borne of godly parents embracing thy truth but also by them bee brought vp and trained from my child-hoode in a course of godlinesse and vertue that so comming vnto riper yeares I might bee grounded established in thy holy waies Oh mercifull father my consciēce and sinnes doe testifie against me that I haue not deserued the least of thy mercies that thou hast enriched me withall from my youth vp much lesse this so great and inestimable a grace to bee followed with thy louing kindnesse and attended vppon by thy grace through good education all my life long to this present houre For to confesse a truth I haue not ceased to prouoke thée continually I haue not ceased to transgresse against thy holy Maiesty in thought word and déed euery day yea Lord in great and grieuous sort early and late in child-hood in youth in middle age ignorantly and wittingly weakly and presumptuously in such sort O Father that it is maruaile I am not already consumed already condemned Yet for all this thy louing fauour hath accompanied me euermore and now I perceiue the good fruit of godly education Oh my God what shal I render vnto thée how shall I bee thankefull what recompence dost thou looke for behold I will thanke thée in Christ Iesus thy beloued Sonne and my blessed Sauiour I will trust in thy mercie for euer through him I will liue in thy feare by his power I will serue thée with an vnfeigned heart and glorifie thée in my body and in my soule by the working of his grace and spirit all the daies of my life Oh continue forth thy louing kindnes towards me from henceforth and for euer that being conducted and guided through this vale of misery after I haue a little recouered my strength in bodie and spirit performed my duty patiently suffred and endured the appointed crosse for me I may in the end receiue the end of my faith and hope euen the saluation of my soule and at that great day the glorification of both body and soule through the same my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome with thée and the holy Ghost be eternall and equall praise for euer Amen ¶ In weeping mourning and bitter anguish a confession and prayer OH Lord God what shal I say vnto thée O father of Heauen how shall I entreat thée I am horriblie affraid of thy iudgments I am wonderfully abashed at thy glorious presence I am vtterly ashamed of mine own basenes vilenesse wretchednesse dust ashes flesh and blood filth and froth swill and sinne that I am who shall giue me accesse and entrance before thy Maiestie who shall helpe me to entreat for thy mercy The blood of thy Son I haue polluted and profaned the holy spirit of grace I haue refused and despighted I confesse my wickednesse and I am sorie for my sinne The remembrāce therof is grieuous vnto me the burthen thereof is intollerable Albeit my due desert is hell death and damnation Yea and perpetuall vexation and terrour of heart vntill the sentence of destruction and eternall confusion be executed vpon me a spirit of vnquietnesse to trouble mee like the spirit of Saul from henceforth euen for euer Yet I will hope in the multitude of thine vnspeakable mercies vouchsafed to all sinners in their déepest distresse and miserie In most humble wise as it becommeth an inferiour vassall to his puissant and Almighty prince and leige Lord as it becommeth a Malefactor to an vpright and most wise Iudge as it becommeth a very disobediēt stubborne seruant to his carefull Maister and finally a prodigall and wilfull Child to his most kind and louing Father I submit my selfe wholly distasted of mine owne deserts and vtterly detesting mine owne abhominable conceits words and workes against thy holy will and commandement in the wound of conscience and frō the depth of a mind throughly grieued with my rebellions I most submissely and earnestly call and cry vnto thy most gracious Maiesty and mercy for pardon and forgiuenes of my hainous crimes and innumerable transgressions in all humility and tribulation of spirit beseeching thy fatherly goodnes to lay them vpon the backe of thy deare sonne Iesus Christ that All-sufficient Redéemer Reconciler and Sauiour of all those that put their trust in his most absolute merits and perfect obedience O my God my sure trust is in him that he will be pleased to accept me for one of those whome he calleth in the Gospell labouring and heauie laden with their sinnes to be relieued and eased Not for any other reason but because hee is the right hand of thy mercy reached out vnto fainting and languishing sinners whereof I am one Wherfore oh deare Father of Heauen despize me not approaching to the throne of grace in his only name but let me be possessed with the spirit of assurāce of faith sprinckled in my heart from an euil conscience that I may find grace to helpe me now in this time of néed I doe féele certainly I do find the gnawing Worme eating vp my heart the venome of thine arrowes drinking vp my spirit the rigour of thy iudgements perplexing my thoughts the seuerity of thy punishment astonishing and amazing my weake and féeble wits so that I know not either what course to take to ease my selfe either what words to vse to entreat thy mercie O Lord God great and fearfull bee not as a Lyon vnto mee doe not set me as a marke to shoot at for thou neuer failest to hit where thou aymest thou hittest full and home thy shot is of an Archer of perfect strēgth thy strokes are deadly strokes thine arrowes are venomed with the fire of