crummes of thy loue wherto with all my soule I aspire But stay impatient soule be not so violent in thy desire GOD hath long expected thy repentance and canst thou not a while expect his mercie As he hath delayed his anger so it is reason thou shouldest awaite albeit he delay his fauour Hee was slow to wrath and wouldest thou haue him sodaine in mercie He did not presentlie strike when thou diddest offend he did not make payment ouer the naile and must he needes at the very first presenting thy selfe applie himselfe to thee He hath a long time bin calling thee to repentance and thinkest to thou haue his mercy at the very first cal How often hath his iustice taken the whip in hand to chastice thy sinnes but mercie hath met her and wrested away the scourge If iustice had continued her course no house of Aegypt no habitation of sinners but had rung with loude lamentation for their dead and wouldest thou haue all his graces at pleasure and command Iustice hath proceeded slowlie that sinners might haue time to repent and must mercie foortwith gallop to them Nay soft sodaine repentance is not alwaies sincere if it be sincere it will be of coutinuance shew the sinceritie of thy repentance by thy perseuerance perseuere and doubtlesse thou shalt obtaine In case GOD deferreth to heare thee it is for one of these three causes Either to make his gifts more highly esteemed or else because he delighteth in thy companie because he taketh pleasure that thou shouldest conuerse with him talke with him sue to him because he so delighteth in thy resort to him as hee will not loose it by a speedy dispatch Or else it is because he entendeth to giue to thee in a larger measure He stoppeth the streames that the waters may swell but in the end he will powre them foorth not as it is fit for thee to aske but as it is fit for him to giue Or happily thou art deceiued O blinde soule he seemeth to delay when hee doeth but expect the most conuenient time when he doth but await vntill thou beest ready to receiue Assuredly GOD is so mercifull that he doeth not onely heare sinners who wait for him but he calleth vpon them hee awayteth to be entreated by them Obserue what hee sayth Behold I stand at the doore and knocke If any man heare my voice and open the gate vnto me I will enter into him and suppe with him and he with me Listen I pray thee how strongly hee knocketh how loud hee calleth Runne open to him the gates of consent of thy will open thy doores which the loue of this world hath barred against him Away for shame VVhat wouldest thou suffer any meane friend to stand thus long wayting at thy doore List list Out vpon thee there is such a hideous noise within thee that thou canst not heare Auarice ambition pride enuie hate and a thousand worldly cares keepe such a yeelping with their monstrous mouthes that the sweet voice of the LORD cannot be heard thy hearing is stopped by their horrible howlings as if it were with a ring of belles at thy eares But if thou wilt heare his calme calling silence these hagges quiet thy disordered desires banish the choaking cares of this world resigne thy will keepe silence and peace within doores and then thou maiest say with holy Iob Thou shalt call me and I will answer thee Neuer feare that he will proue a chargeable guest he bringeth all his prouision with him he will richly feede and feast thee of his owne VVhen thou hast but once tasted of his fare thou shalt neuer hunger more after the course seruices of this world his banquet only as well for daintinesse as for plenty will largely suffice Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it Not the mouth of thy body for a small thing may fill that but the mouth of thy soule namely thy desire which nothing can fill but GOD. VVhen GOD had created man according to his Image the Scripture sayth that he rested from his worke hauing finished his perfectest piece in whom it seemeth that heauen and earth were knit together And certainly a reasonable soule created after the image of GOD hath no rest but in GOD the appetite thereof will neuer rest in any other thing The vessell which is capable of GOD cannot be filled with any other substance A soule is no more satisfied with bodily matters then a body can be satisfied with winde because there is no conueniency between the one the other O my soule bee content patiently to looke and wait for the LORD as hee hath looked and waited for thee Doe not as Heliseus did when hee smote the waters with the mantle of Elias and because they deuided not at the very first stroke hee began to distrust and sayd Where is the GOD of Elias Bee not like the Leopard which if it taketh not his prey at two or three leapes giueth ouer the pursuit This is a common disease of the sonnes of Adam if they haue not releefe presently from GOD they resort to the world and sometimes with Saul to the Diuell for helpe But thou O my soule perseuere with patience fasten thy thoughts vpon the end without regard what happeneth by the way What auayleth it to haue a goodly hope of haruest in the blade if it be blasted or otherwise destroyed in the eare What profit is it that trees blossome fairely if they neuer atteine perfection in the fruit The Crabbe is easily taken because it creepeth forward and backward and euery way so they who sometimes sinne sometime repent then sinne againe are easily made a prey to the Diuell But they who wayt on the LORD shall renue their strength they shall mount vp with wings as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not be faint Esay 40. in fi Wait therfore and looke for the LORD with constancie and fortitude to the end of thy life to thy very last breath VVisedome is the eie of life patience the staffe Take this staffe in thy hand and walke on thy way thou shalt neuer giue ouer neuer be weary but cheerefully looke towards heauen and say As the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hand of her mistresse euen so our eyes wayt vpon the LORD our GOD vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Ps. 123. If any man wrong thee swallow it with patience for vengeance is the LORDS In case thou reuenge the LORD shall finde nothing to chastice VVhen Mary Magdalene was vniustlie reprooued by a censorious pharisee she held silence but what lost she thereby The LORD tooke her part and answered for her If trifling troubles be cast in thy way neuer regard them they are but tokens of loue which GOD disperseth amongst his friends Pitch be it neuer so blacke beat it to powder and it wil turn
melted with this heat of loue For as water taken from pits and welles vpon the earth is not so fruitfull to make hearbes thriue as raine water which falleth from heauen Insomuch as some plants growing in the middest of waters will wither and die for want of raine so teares which proceede from terrene respects make not the soule so flourishing and fruitfull in grace as teares which fall for the loue of GOD. Such were the teares of the sinfull woman who watered her masters feet with her teares who with the teares of her body cleansed her soule For to her many sinnes were forgiuen not principally in regard of her teares but because shee loued much VERS IX The LORD hath heard my petition the LORD will receiue my prayer 1 HOW easie GOD is to heare and to pardon 2. No sooner can wee dispose our selues to aske but wee receiue from GOD some taste of his fauour 3. Wherefore sometimes GOD deferreth for a time 4. Inequality betweene GODS disposition and ours 6. The trophee of repentant Teares 7. Our miseries turned to medicines 8. The world how to be esteemed 9. The experience of GODS liberality and loue what it worketh 10. Experience surmounteth reason 11 The condition of our assurance 12. When GOD cannot be intreated 13. What giueth wings to our prayers what weigheth them downe O Incredible clemency and mercy How commeth it O LORD that thou art so ready to heare vs so easie to pardon vs did my sorrow sit so neere thy heart wert thou so stricken with the wounds of my soule by seeing them bleed so fast at mine eyes Thou hast now finished my feares assured my hopes perfected my ioyes satisfied my desires Oh! how good is the LORD Is any like vnto the most high who comforteth the afflicted healeth the wounded reuiueth the dead Is any other like vnto him Learne O ye feeble soules how amiable the LORD is how mercifull how mild how hee visiteth his seruants how hee neuer disdayneth to impart himselfe to them Scarce O LORD can we dispose our selues to craue forgiuenesse scarce open our lips scarse addresse our selues to sue to thee for mercy but we receiue some taste of thy fauour When we are comming to thee slowly and farre off thou runnest to meete vs thou embracest vs in the armes of thy loue thou giuest vs the comfortable kisses of peace Or if thou doest deferre thy comfort and consolations for a time it is to send them in greater abuÌ„dance it is that the long absence thereof with little hope and great desire should make thy presence the more esteemed O infinite inequality betweene my disposition and thine I am rash in offending thee and thou art ready to remit mine offences I runne apace to dishonour thee and thou hastest more fast to receiue me to grace I haue searched all places euen the bottome of the sea euen the bowels of the earth to minister foment and food to my sensuall desires And when these pleasures had poysoned my soule when I was in a maze of troubles vnder a Masse of dangers when I was at the very point to perish in a moment thou diddest pierce the heauens and come downe for my deliuerance Thou diddest not only deliuer me and set me free but thou diddest comfort and reuiue my languishing soule euen as a hot Bath refresheth the limbs of a poore tired traueller Behold now the Trophee of my repentant teares see how my sorrow triumpheth ouer my sinnes My hope which was weighed downe with the leaden plumets of sinne is now at liberty now full of liuely courage and ioy The LORD hath heard my petition I haue not sorrowed and prayed in vaine I haue obtained pardon I haue receiued grace he hath not been strange of his fauour he hath not been sparing of his mercy towards me All my former discomforts and miseries are turned to the nature of medicines They haue been like bitter Pils to purge superfluous and corrupt humors they haue been like Aloes and VVormewood to weane me from the teaâ—es of this world O world which hast bewitched so many blinded so many Thou wert nothing at thy beginning thy light is but a shadow thou art but a smoke in thy greatest height in shew somewhat but in substance nothing Thou art sweet to fooles thou art either bitter or without rellish to wise men VVhosoeuer loueth thee neuer knew thee whosoeuer knoweth thee doth either loath or contemne thee And because now I haue large experience both of the liberality and loue of GOD I will not hereafter be dismayed I will not be discouraged I will assume assurance that whensoeuer I call vpon him the LORD will receiue my prayer Albeit I see nothing but punishments and the worst of punishments feares albeit I finde no comfort yet will I hope I will rather thinke that all my sences are mistaken then faile in hope I will first let goe my life before I will let goe my hope My reason may be vanquished but by experience is stronger then reason my experience cannot be ouercome Approued experience will not be encountered by reason it prescribeth rules and limits to reason it is guided by no Law but by it selfe It hath armed me against all despaires discouragements or distrusts Albeit reason may discourse that I haue so often prouoked the wrath of GOD and wearied his patience that he cannot but now reiect my prayer yet experience doth warrant mine infirmity that the goodnesse of GOD is such that whatsoeuer petitions and importunities I offer he will neuer be weary to heare them neuer vnwilling to grant them that the more we draw of this fountaine the fuller are the waters and the sweeter their taste All this is vnder one condition if wee abandon our sinne For onely our sinne onely our perseuerance in sinne doeth hinder the approach of our prayers to GOD. GOD is neuer inexorable but when man is incorrigible when man will not be amended then cannot GOD bee entreated Wee haue sinned and prouoked thee to wrath therefore thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through Lam. 3. For when we come to entreate him armed with those weapons wherewith wee did offend him when our hearts are bathed in vncleannesse when our hands smoke with the blood of our sinnes how should he heare our prayers how should he not abhorre them So long as the broken Iron remaineth in a wound it is but a vaine labour to applie plaisters to cure it Of no greater force aâ—e our prayers and all other religious actions or endeauours so long as sinne remaineth in the wounds of our will so long as the pleasure of sinne sticketh fast in our purposes and desires For as we can neuer qualifie our thirst with drinke whilest our stomacke is stuffed with such bilious humours as by drinking enflame the greater thirst so our soules shall neuer bee refreshed with the goodnesse and mercie of GOD whilest it is full of the poysonous purpose
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
they ioy at the conuersion of sinners so are they sorrowfull at their conuersation in sinne I haue which is strange offended hell For the more the multitude of the damned are the more doe their torments increase For which cause the rich man intreated Abraham to send Lazarus to conuert his brethren not for any loue to them but that his owne torments by their damnation should not be enlarged I haue offended all creatures by diuerting them from their proper end For when man by sinne is turned from GOD whilest other creatures serue him they are also turned with him from GOD. For they were created for the seruice of them who should serue GOD but they are diuerted from this their proper end when they are seruiceable to them who serue not GOD. For which cause the Apostle saith that all creatures expect when the sonnes of GOD shall be reuealed and that they groane with vs and trauaile in paine But especially I haue offended against my owne soule which being dispoiled by sinne of the grace and fauour of GOD remaineth blind naked wounded poore pitilesse and miserable Assuredly it is true that no man is hurt but by himselfe For onelie sinne our owne viperous brood is properly euill take away sin and all externall euills produce good effects Because when sinne is away GOD is present but when the soule is possessed with sinne all good things perish all euils flourish and ouergrow And as sinne is an offence against GOD and against all his creatures so by sin we incurre the hostility of GOD and of all his creatures wherof Ismael was a type of whom it is sayd that his hand was against all and the hands of all against him Therfore O LORD sweet and gentle to all them who call vpon thee I haue great cause to call to thee alowde but in vaine shall I call vnlesse thou heare me vnlesse thou encline thy mercifull eare Heare mee O LORD Who hearest the afflicted and troubled calling vpon thee heare my voice giue mee strength so to cry to thee that my voice may be heard For as all the droppes of raine which fall vpon the earth are originally drawen out of the sea which is both the fountaine and receipt of all waters so all the goodnesse which is in man is deriued from thee who art the foundation and receipt of all goodnesse O Infinite goodnesse infuse thy selfe into me Breath foorth thy spirit and the waters will flow LORD the desiring of thy graces is the beginning of obteyning them and therefore with fieâ—ie and inflamed sighes I entreat thee Breath foorth thy spirit to mooue me to send to thee a full flood of boyling teares and to crie to thee with vnspeakable groanes Alasse It is the most bitter part of my misery that I know how infinite the losse is that maketh mee miserable I haue lost the beauty of the world the highest marke of a good mans ambition I haue not only lost him but incurred his hostility without whom there is no ioy the breath of whose fauour is the breath of life whose presence is the greatest felicity in Heauen whose departure is the most grieuous punishment in Hell And now mine eyes tell me that euery thing is attired in sorrow mine eares perswade me that all sounds are tuned to mournfull notes all things seeme to inuite mee to weepe If I see any thing that beareth some resemblance of ioy it is to me like the spoiles of a vanquished kingdome in the eye of a captiue prince scornes of his misery and whetstones of his sorrow O my LORD I cannot hide me from thee but I haue hid thee from me Thou seest mee but I see not thee Thou seest all my actions both light and yet darke but I see no beame of thy beauty no spark of thy fauour appeareth to me O my GOD Why doest thou leaue me in this distressed case In how wilde a chase doe my perplexed thoughts wander My vnderstanding is darke my will either crooked or weake my imagination vnquiet my appetite disordered I feele so many deathes as I liue dayes For dayly yea hourely my oppressed conscience enditeth me for many grieuous offences and my owne knowledge enforceth the euidence to be true wherupon my iudgement condemneth mee to eternall death vnlesse a pardon can be obtayned To this end my eyes are enioyned to a fresh shower of teares my breast to a new storme of sighes and my soule to remaine in the most deepe dungeon of sorrow and griefe and out of this depth like a most miserable prisoner neuer to cease calling vpon thee neuer to cease crying and crauing for thy pardon O my soule weepe bloudy teares if it be possible fill heauen and earth with cries groanes and sighes plunge thy selfe into a sea of teares to wash thy sinnes and to extinguish the wrath of GOD against them for what anger is so fierie that teares cannot quench as Pharao and all his hoste was drowned in the waters so may the Diuell and all thy sins be stifled with teares The weeping for sinne is the wiping them away Drie earth bringeth foorth vnprofitable weedes and hurtfull Serpents and a soule neuer watered with teares bringeth foorth much vanity and vncleannesse As raine fructifieth the earth so teares make a barren soule fruitfull Godly teares are of two sorts some proceed from griefe for our sinnes others from loue ioy and desire of GOD. Both which he so highly esteemeth that he will not suffer one of them to be lost he preserueth them in his treasury with great regard to water therewith the garden of our good purposes and endeuours For as good seedes and plants without raine so are good thoughts and endeuours without this heauenly dew of deuotion But be not satisfied O my soule with once or twise weeping Bee not weary of bewayling thy sinnes cease not to weepe vntill GOD shall wipe away teares from thy eyes O happy eyes which shall bee wiped with that heauenly hand Not only their teares shall be perpetually dried but their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy And according to the multitude of their sorrows his comforts will refresh their soules Goe too then vnfruitfull soule write all thy sinnes with teares in the large volume of thy heart read them ouer againe and againe wash them with a few more droppes of deuotion let thy words be watered with teares and warmed with sighes and againe addresse to thy suite and say VERS II. Oh let thine eares consider well the voyce of my complaint 1 INgemination of our prayers often requisite and wherefore 2 A complaint 3 A most cruell combate 4 How a sinner flattereth himselfe 5 Vntill he be able to breake loose 6 A confession 7 The most miserable state of a sinner 8 It nothing auayleth that our sinnes are knowen only to our selues 9 In what sence a man may bee sayd a greater sinner then the Diuell 10 The sinner deeply deiected 11 Hee resumeth
more is he enflamed with this desire and the greater difficulties will hee vndertake to atchieue it euen as the greater a fire is the greater heat it casteth foorth and the more matter it is able to consume But GOD is so good that in comparison of him none other can be said to bee good all goodnesse is attributed onely to him And therefore the more hee exceedeth in goodnesse the more desirous is he to communicate himselfe As he hath made himselfe like vnto thee so will he make thee like vnto him hee will not cease to informe to reforme conforme transforme thee dayly vntill hee hath vnited thee to him He communicateth himselfe to all creatures in their degree but in most especiall manner to man Assuredly it is not so naturall for light things to mount vpwards for heauie things to draw downward for the heauens to mooue round as it is for the goodnesse of GOD to doe good For the propertie of all creatures is accidentally in them but the property to good is essentially in GOD. GOD is an essentiall goodnesse So simple pure and immutable is his substance that no accident can adhere vnto it whatsoeuer is in GOD is GOD. Againe his loue may perswade thee that hee will bee mercifull For hee did not beginne to loue thee when first thou wert borne not when the world was created but thou diddest sleepe in his bosome euen from eternitie His loue to thee is no lesse ancient then the ancient of dayes euen then himselfe Who as hee is from eternitie so from eternitie hath hee loued his elect When his naturall Sonne was begotten then wert thou adopted for his Sonne and euer since hee hath cast vpon thee a fatherly eye alwayes remembring what glory hee hath appointed for thee The Scriptures much commend an ancient friend Loe here is an ancient Friend indeed a friend who hath loued thee from all eternitie Verely if immemoriall possession maketh a right thou hast now a good title to his loue thou hast now prescribed it for thine owne and hereby thou hast a good claime to his mercie And because likenesse is not onely a signe but a cause of liking and loue hee hath formed thy soule according to his Image for as nothing vpon earth resembleth him more by nothing hee canne more easily bee knowen And hence it is that the substance or essence of the soule cannot bee vnderstood because it is like the diuine substance which no man in this life can vnderstand Hence also proceedeth the admirable capacity thereof which all the creatures and riches of this world can no more fill then a graine of mustard can fill the world And further he hath bound himselfe by his promise and word that in case thou conuert and repent thou shalt neuer bee ruined by thy sinne And therefore seeing GOD hath made so large a promise seeing hee is now become a debtor of mercy seeing hee hath made his gift his debt Dare any sinner despaire Say I pray thee What is the worst that a sinner can feare Eternall damnation By whose appointment By the authority and command of Almighty GOD. But the same GOD who inflicteth this paine hath giuen a supersedeas hee hath giuen thee his warrant that if thou repent thou shalt not be damned Take heede they bee his wordes they are spoken to all sinners bee they neuer so great Wilt thou not beleeue them wilt thou not giue credite to Almighty GOD verely thou must For GOD is faithfâ—ll in all his wordes By these three by the goodnesse by the loue and by the promise of GOD thou mayest rest assured of his will to shew mercy Adde hereto that hee is omnipâ—tent that his will is his power that no man can reâ—ist his wâ—ll that he can as easily doe as will and there can bee nothing added to thy assurance Men do often faile in their word because they eyther change in will or are defectiue in power but because GOD can bee neither changed nor resisted he will assuredly make good his word But happily thou wilt say I know well that GOD is both mighty and true and I nothing doubt of the performance of his word But when hee hath once forgiuen a sinner it seemeth to be a discharge of his promise In case the sinner fall againe is GOD bound againe to forgiue him Verely yes For GOD hath commanded vs to forgiue our brother so often as hee shall offend and hath further added that If wee forgiue wee shall bee forgiuen Whereby it followeth that if wee bee not wearie to forgiue others GOD will neuer bee wearie in forgiuing vs that by enioyning reuengfull man to forgiue others hee hath therereby enioyned himselfe to forgiue them What Dost thou thinke that GOD will not be more mercifull then man Shall man forgiue sooner and oftner then GOD It cannot bee For because mercie proceedeth from goodnesse and goodnesse is originally in GOD who can be so mercifull as hee He who forgaue 10000. talents what may wee thinke he will not forgiue And therefore Albeit thou hast sinned neuer so grieuously neuer so often forgiue others and aske forgiuenesse meekely and mercy will follow For wherefore is remission of sinnes promised if sinners may not enioy it Do sinnes make thee vnworthy of mercy No. But rather by reason of thy sinnes mercie pertaineth to thee Wherefore neuer distrust but turne to the LORD who hath promised mercy and who hath commaunded thee to trust in his promise O the great vertue of hope As the sunne spreadeth light and heat to all the earth so grace streameth from her countenance to all who behold her O sacred hope to whose presence heauinesse dares not approach Although the weight of sinne doeth grieuously oppresse mee yet will I trust in the mercie of the LORD because hope hath emboldned me and because hee hath commanded me so to doe But wherefore hath hee so commanded Verely because hee desireth to saue mee for so hee hath sayd Because he trusted in me I will deliuer him O most mercifull LORD With what wordes shall I prayse thee for thy exceeding mercies who doest deliuer vs for no other reason but because wee trust in thee LORD thou art in greatnes infinite in vertue Omnipotent in goodnesse chiefe in wisedome inestimable in counsailes terrible in iudgements iust in cogitations secret in word true in workes holy in mercy plentifull patient towards sinners and pitifull when they repent For such I confesse thee for such I praise and glorifie thy Name Powre I beseech thee thy light into my heart and thy words into my mouth that my thoughts may alwaies meditate on thy mercies and that my tongue may ouerslow with praises for the same That I may not only in my selfe be fruitfull of thankes but stir vp others to doe the like O giue thankes vnto the LORD for hee is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer O giue thankes vnto the GOD
white there is no sinner so Aethiopian blacke but by the blowes of aduersitie will change his hue VVhat knowest thou not that holy men the ancient worthies of the world sailed for the most part with the winde in their face And haddest thou rather be euer without GOD then with aduersity to attaine him A good rider will exercise his horse daily to keepe him in breath and to holde him able to performe good seruice and so GOD dealeth with those whom hee hath conuerted to his seruice A Bee drowned in honie put into vineger reuiueth a-againe and so GOD dealeth with those whom hee intendes to conuert Their soules stifled in the pleasures of this world must with sharpe medicines be reduced to life Both those must patiently looke and wait for the LORD Patience is a great part of discretion An impatient sicke man maketh a cruell Physition It is a preseruatiue of other vertues as ashes preserue fire from extinguishing so patience preserueth other vertues from languishing and decay Other vertues without patience are like desolate and friendlesse widowes Patience is a hid treasure deepely couered with silence It is a most acceptable sacrifice to GOD. without patience wee shall not enioy the promises of GOD without patience wee enioy not our selues For without it we haue neither dominion nor possession in our owne soules because by patience we possesse our soules But patience must bee coupled with trust which rightly laide vpon GOD hath euer beene in steade of merit For it giueth both vnderstanding in this present life and the holy mountaine of GOD euen eternall life in the world to come But this trust is not a naked expectation of somewhat to ensue it resteth not onely vpon the verity of the promises of GOD but vpon the interest that wee haue in them and so it is accompanied with faith For as Amber hath no smell of it selfe but mingled with muske smelleth most sweetly so trust of it selfe is altogether vnsauoury but put faith to it and nothing is either more pleasant or more assured Who soeuer is well acquainted with this trust the more violent tempests beat vpon him the more will he trust Euen as the more strokes are set with a hammer vpon a naile the more stiffely doeth it sticke Albeit he were with Daniel in the Lions denne albeit with Ionas in the VVhales belly yet would hee trust Of this trust the VVise man hath made a kinde of generall Proclamation in these words Be it knowen to all nations and people that no man euer trusted in GOD and was confounded O GOD most faithfull in thy promise O most mercifull LORD was neuer man hitherto confounded who trusted in thee And shall I most meeke GOD be the first It cannot bee Peraduenture I am not so sorrowfull for my sinnes as others haue bin peraduenture I am not so assured in trust yet my desire is to bee no lesse sorrowfull no lesse assured then they My will is good I would faine bee an vnfained penitent Blessed LORD If neither my sorrow nor my trust be so perfect as they should bee thy goodnesse may easily either encrease them or supplie their defect And therefore most lowly I entreat thee to sincke my soule more deepe into sorrow that thereby I may more strongly rise into true trust and then I shall not be confounded Now this trust must not bee grounded vpon any imaginarie or seeming power not vpon riches honour or anie other vanishing vanitie of the world but vpon the word of GOD which abideth for euer All things vnder the Moone are like the Moone it selfe inconstant and changing euery day yea heauen and earth shall passe but the word of the LORD shall neuer passe And therefore O distressed soule forsake not the veritie to follow vanitie Trust not to the course comforts of the world more bitter then the waters of Hiericho Such bitter waters make barren land the ground will neuer be fruitfull that is watered with them But trust in his word euen in the infallible promises of GOD which will neuer deceiue So surely as thou findest sanctitie in his woâ—kes so surely shalt thou finde veritie in his wordes If GODS word could deceiue then could GOD lie but this is repugnant to his nature this he cannot doe As he cannot die as he cannot erre so hee cannot lye But haply thou wilt say that GOD is Omnipotent and may doe whatsoeuer he will It is true GOD is Omnipotent But I will tell thee what GOD cannot doe GOD cannot lye either by himselfe or by his messengers If GOD could lye by himselfe then were he not GOD for GOD is trueth Neither is he thereby the lesse Omnipotent it iâ— impotencie and not Omnipotencie to lie If hee could lye by his messengers then some contrarietie might be espied in the holy Scriptures which hitherto could not bee found Assuredly the word of the LORD is more immoueable then the poles of heauen then the centre of the earth Let the heauens be foulded together let the earth dissipate into dust let the nature of all things dissolue the word of the LORD shall constantly remaine O infallible O vnresistable veritie without either actiue or passiue deceit O true GOD O essentiall veritie who canst no lesse cease to be true then to bee whose diuine wordes can neuer fall without effect As they giue the wounde so also the salue to cure it bee it neuer so deadly LORD thou hast promised remission of sinnes if vnfainedly wee abhorre them thou hast promised thy grace if by griefe and sorrow we be truely disposed to receiue it I haue thy word and that is thy selfe I here arrest thy gracious word and therewith thy selfe I will neuer release this debt I will neuer discharge thee without performance Wherefore O redeemed soule approach with trust to the throne of grace approach without feare albeit thou hast offended albeit thy sinnes haue prouoked wrath Hee hath obliged himselfe by his word he hath made himselfe thy debter by his promise neuer doubt but hee will truely discharge his credite but he will faithfully performe whatsoeuer he hath mercifully promised Trust in his word hope in hiâ— mercie but take this with thee Vnlesse thou repent thy sinnes vnlesse thou cleanse thy heart vnlesse thou wash it with teares of contrition thy trust will deceiue thee thy hope will faile thou shalt neuer attaine thy expected desire In vaine doth he trust in the promise of GOD who doth not repent and forsake his sinnes The trust of an obstinate sinner who pastureth in his sinnes and thinkes to bee saued without repentance is no true trust but proud presumption Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and put thy trust in the LORD First offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse which cannot bee done so long as thou continuest in sinne and then put thy trust in the LORD But what is this sacrifice of righteousnesse It is thus described by the Apostle