Maiestie such is y e nature of my corruption as giues me no other expectation whiles I looke vpoÌ„ mine owne desert but when againe with the humble eye of a penitent heart I beholde the bleeding wounds of the blessed bodie of thy dearely beloued sonne Iesus Christ and see in his merite a present helpe for all my hurte in his death my life and in his loue my eternall consolation how can I despaire of one droppe of comfort where I see a fountaine of so much grace as quencheth y e thirst of all y t come vnto it ioyeth y e harts of all that taste of it and reuiueth the soules of all that drinke of it No my deare Lord in him alone I humbly beseech thee looke vpon mee in his woundes let me hide me till in his merite thy mercie heale mee I dare not speake to thee let him onely speake for me beholde his goodnesse and not my wickednesse looke on him that hath pleased thee and for his sake forget mee that haue offended thee it is I that haue deserued death for my sinnes but it is he that hath dyed for theÌ„ and since hee hath satisfied thy iustice in him let mee begge mercy mercy good Lord Lord of all mercy be merciful vnto me in Christ his passion forgiue mee in his loue looke vpon me let his bloode wash mee cleane from my sins and his kindnesse be a Mediatour for my comfort that being by him redeemed to thy seruice I may in his loue liue to thy glorie and in the comfort of thy holy spirite in the blessing of his merit and ioy of thy mercie I may sing to thy holie Maiestie the eternall Halleluiah Amen O Blessed Lord father of all goodnesse mercie who seest the very thoughts of men before they be effected and knowest the world before it was created O incomprehensible GOD whose vnsearchable wisdome is vnspeakeable in all goodnesse who hast made the heauens for thy beloued and beholdest on earth the teares of thy afflicted who onely canst doe all things at thy good pleasure art plesed in nothing but goodnes sweete Lord y t hast mercy ouer al thy works and art the onelie worker of all mercie who hast commaunded al to come vnto thee hearest all that cry vnto thee and helpest all that trust in thee deare god among the humble heartes of those peniteÌ„t soules that with the teares of true repentance in the faith of thy sonnes merit fly onely to thy sacred mercy I most humbly beseech thee vouchsafe thy gratious eare to y e grieuous complainte of my tormented spirit oh Lord that hast enlightened my soule w t the shining beames of thy grace that hath taken awaie the scales from mine eyes that would not let mee see the heauen of thy holy loue hast in the pretious blood of thy deare beloued sonne Iesus cleansed mee from my sinnes and in the sweetenes of thy loue giuen me a taste of thy selfe hast reformed my soule to thy seruice anewe moulded my minde to thy mercy sweete Lord I humbly beseech thee let not all this good be lost in me that thou hast done for me giue mee not ouer to my selfe that sinne doe not ouercome me but keepe mee so vnder thy winges that no wicked spirit may haue power ouer mee Thou knowest my teÌ„ptations oh deliuer me from them rebuke those wicked spirits that I may be ridde of them and confound their illusions that I be not deceiued by them O Lord coÌ„sider my miseries I am a wretched sinner dust and ashes fâ—â— of nothing but corruptioÌ„ weaknes iniquity thou art a glorious God spirit life creator of al coÌ„fort only ful of al power goodnes glory sweet Lord therfore in thy pitty looke vpon me make me strong in thee y t am weak in my selfe wise in thee y t am foolish in my selfe holy in thee y t am wicked in my selfe be merciful vnto me helpe mee plague theÌ„ y t seeke y e hurt of mysoule confound them y t seeke to drawe me from thy loue From the loue of this worlde from the delight of sinne and from the assaults of the diuell good Lord deliuer mee from presumptuous sinnes and despaire of thy mercy sweete Iesu preserue mee Hate me not for my sinnes but pittie mee for thy selfe oh saue me for I am thy seruant beholde the sorrowes of my soule I haue roared for the very disquiet of my heart oh blesse mee with the peace of thy holie spirite that I may sing to the glory of thy mercy Amen O Blessed God father of all power mercy comfort whose graces are infinite and whose glory is vnspeakeable O God of all goodnesse who canst not be but good whose goodnesse is almighty whose power is ful of mercy sweet Lord that seest the misery of man without the comfort of thy grace the weakenes of man without y e assistance of thy holy spirit and the sorrowe of man without the ioy of thy loue let not the burthen of sinne lie so heauie vpon the wounded conscience of thy wretched creature that harty praiers may obtain no hearing true repentance may gaine no comfort nor bitter teares moue any compassion let not the wicked fiend so hauÌ„t y e soule of a sinner y t he haue no thought of thy grace let not the cares of this world y e feare of death the sorrow of sinne nor the suggestion of the diuell driue him into despaire of thy mercy looke on him whome thou hast made hear him whom thou hast called and saue him whom thou hast redeemed heale the heart that is wounded and comforte the soule that is full of sorrowe in thy power fight for mee against the enemy that doth assault my soule in thy goodnesse cure me of thei ll wherwith he hath infected mee and in thy mercie defende mee from the temptations wherewith hee seeketh to destroy mee Thou art my life oh let mee liue in thee thou art my loue let me neuer be from thee thou art my Lord let me liue but to thee thou art my God oh let mee euer be with thee I haue sinned and woe is mee but I am sory well is mee for in the sorrowe of my sinne is my hope of thy mercie and in the hope of thy mercie is the ioy of my soule Thou biddest mee repent and I shall haue mercie aske and I shall haue knocke and it shall be opened vnto mee O my deare God with the deepe sighes of vnfained sorrowe and the true teares of my hearts repentance haue I knocked at the gates of thy gratious mercie begging an almes from y e hand of thy blessed bountie one crumme of comfort from the table of thy mercie one looke of pittie from the eye of thy loue one droppe of thy bloode to cleanse mee from my sinnes one droppe of thy grace to feede the lampe of my loue and one looke of thy loue to make me liue for euer Sweete Iesu
and the soules that thou hast comforted I can say to my selfe oh my soule why art thou so disquieted within mee knowing the goodnesse of thy God and then in the teares of true repentance on the knees of my hearte in the humilitie of my soule cry vnto thee O deare God remember not the sinnes of my youth forgiue mee all my offences cleanse mee from my iniquities take me againe vnto thy grace O Lord let me feele a little of y t louing kindnesse wherwith thou dost glad the heart of thy beloued let me think w t thy seruant Paul y t all the treasure of this world is but trash compared to the rich iewell of thy loue O sweete Christ so comfort me w t thy selfe y t in the gladnesse of thy goodnesse I may sing with thy seruant Simeon whē he had the in his arms Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seen thy saluation Blessed were his eyes y t so liued to beholde thee and blessed were my soule if it could so liue to embrace thee but my deare GOD since the corruption of sinne will not suffer mee in this world to beholde thee I humbly beseech thee mortifie the delight of sinne in mee that it may haue no power to drawe mee from thee that when I haue finished the daies of the imprisonment of my soule in this darkesome caue of this my wretched carkas being freed from the hell of sinne by the merit of thy mercie in the libertie of my loue I may see the ioy of my soule and in the ioy of thy gratious goodnesse I may sing to thy glorious maiestie the only endlesse Halleluiah Amen O Glorious God who from y e heauēly throne of thy holy mercie beholdest all the dwellers vpon y e earth and seest the essence of euery substance which no shadowe can hide from thy sight O God of al true wisdome and goodnesse who seest the very hearts of all creatures and knowest the thoughts of all y e world yea before the worlde was in the aboūdāce of thy mercie cast one look of thy gratious eye vpon the sorowfull soule of thy vnworthie seruant vnworthie I confesse my selfe to appeare before thy presence so hideous is the horrour of my sinne in thy sight yet when I knowe that from corruption thou canst looke for no perfection and that mercie in iustice sheweth the glorie of thy goodnesse I had rather say with thy seruant Dauid If my sinnes were as red as scarlet thou canst make me as white as snow then to cry out with Cain my sins are greater thē I can bear O my dear Lord thou hast called al vnto thee that are laden thou wilt ease them and to thee I come so laden with sinne in my soule that I can scarce looke vp to thy mercie hear mee therefore I humbly beseech thee and in the greatnesse of thy mercie ease me of this heauie burthen of my sinne O Lord I confesse to thee I was conceiued and borne in sinne and in transgressions of thy commandemēts haue I wasted the weary daies of my life yet sweete Lord when I knowe thy wisdome beholdeth the weakenesse of my corruption and thy mercie considereth the sorrowe of my repentance I am emboldened in thy worde to come vnto thee and on the knees of my heart to cry vnto thee O Lord haue mercie vpon mee beholde the worke of thine own hands lose not whome thou hast redeemed regenerate whom thou seest corrupted heale him whome sinne hath wounded and performe the grace that thou hast promised that being cured of sinne and with thy grace comforted in the loue of my hart ioy of my soule I may sing to thy glorie the eternall Halleluiah Amen THe lord he is my sheepheard that doth feede My soule full sweetely by the riuer side And will not let mee nibble on a weede Where hee doth knowe there may my hurt abide He will not let the Wolfe come neere the folde Where he hath laide His louing flocke to rest Nor will hee let them bide the bitter colde But sweetly warmes them from his sunny breast Along the pastures faire and fresh and greene He leades them forth for their best liues behoue Nor euer yet was there confusion seen Of any flocke that hee doth fairely loue Hee doth not robbe them of a locke of wooll But kindely calles them to their fairest folde Nor doth he vse the cunning how to cull The fat from leane nor yoūg ones frō the old But all alike hee loues whom he doth keepe And if that any stray out of the plaine Vpon his shoulders hee brings home that sheep And sings for ioy to haue his lambe againe The winters worme nor yet the summers flie Can once anoy the smallest lambe of his But they shall still encrease and neuer die But euer liue in euerlasting blisse He giues them water from the liuing rocke Where neuer yet did harmefull thought arriue Yea hee so dearely lou'd his little flocke That hee did die to saue his sheepe aliue But shall oh Lord this sinfull soule of mine So many waies with miseries opprest Become a lambe of that faire flocke of thine And feede with them when they are fairely blest Then when I heare my louing sheepeheard call My faithfull soule vnto her fairest folde I will forsake these worldly pleasures all And only ioy my Iesus to beholde FINIS THe foole hath saide within his heart Hee thinks there is no God But hee shall finde for his desart The Lord his heauie rodde For when the Lord beginnes to frowne But with an angry eye Then Sathans power shall all goe downe And all his dogges shall die And then the reprobate shall finde There is a God indeede Who at his pleasure with a winde Can shake thē like a reede And by the rootes can teare them vp And fling thē down again And make them taste the fiery cuppe Of euerlasting paine For though a while God lets them liue And in their brauery bide Yet in the end his hand will giue A plague to all their pride Till when he lets them walke the path Their wickednesse hath trod Vntill by feeling of his wrath They know there is a God And then too late they howle and cry And gnash their teeth for grief And euer liue and euer die And neuer haue reliefe When they shall see before their face The ougly shapes of sinne That on the earth in euery place They tooke their pleasurs in Where euery diuell shall haue power The damned to disease And not a minute of an hower Shall giue thē hope of ease While in the heauens the chosen folke Without althought of strife Shall sit aboue the mountaine rocke Of euerlasting life And virgins with the Angels sweete Shall sit and play and sing And mercie grace and truthe shall meete To glorifie their king And my poore soule that hath no ioy But in my liuing Lord Shall ioy to see
THE SOVLES HEAVENLY EXERCISE Set downe in diuerse godly Meditations both prose and verse by Nicholas Breton Gent. ¶ Imprinted at London for VVillam Leake 1601. TO THE Right honorable William Rider Lord Maior of the citie of London RIght Honorable I haue read that newely after the Coronation of Alexander the greate diuers of his subiectes as well of the Nobilitie as meaner condition did present his greatnesse with such giftes as their abilities could purchase to manifest the na ture of their loue or seruice among all which a poore Mason not so rich as cunning in his Arte and yet as willing as any in some token of his seruice to make some manifestation of his humble loue brought into the Court a bagge full of stones but what they were or how they were wrought was not knowen to anie neither would hee let any man see them till hee was brought vnto the Emperour where vpon a table hee laid before him his owne Image but in so deade a colour as if hee were to be laid in his graue with these words written vpon his breaste Talis eris Diuers of his Court at the beholding thereof began to frowne at the poore Mason that hee durst at such a time of pleasing triumphes present his Maiestie with a picture of such melancholy but the Emperour taking by the inspiration of Gods holy spirit a gratious apprehension of the poore mans loue not only did thankfully accept the present which he caused to be set vp in his owne chamber euer after as a cōtinual glasse for him euening morning at all houres to looke vpon but after a bountifull reward entertaining him for his owne Mason vsed these wordes of him vnto al those that did attend in his presence Here are many of yee that I am beholding to for many tokens of your loue and seruice but chiefely vnto this man for some of yee haue beene sent by your fathers some by your friends some from your own spirits with such thinges as ye haue presented but this man neither from father friend nor from himselfe but onely from God of heauen was sent vnto mee not with a toy to delight mee nor a Iewell to enrich mee but with a continual warning not to sinke in the delight of vanitie nor to trust in the drosse of this worldly treasure but in the greatest of my greatnesse to humble my selfe to him that is greater than I who hauing made me greate can bringe mee to nothing at all and whatsoeuer I am or may be doth she we mee what in the end I shall be Thus farre of this historie I haue set downe for my purpose Your Lordship newly stept vp vnto the state of Honour I know shall be followed with many friends and gratified with many presents which I know you will not receiue vnthankfully but among all I beseech you not to refuse at the hands of an humble heart the passionate meditations of a patient spirite which in the Euening and Morning and at all houres if your Lordshippe wil vouchsafe at your leasure to looke vpon yee shall see that whosoeuer hath come to you and whatsoeuer is brought you GOD that set mee to worke hath sent mee vnto you to present you with such a glasse as will shewe the great comfort of his grace By which I humbly beseech his eternall Maiestie to guide your thoughtes wordes and deedes to his infinite glorie the contentment of her Maiestie the increase of your owne Honour and the comfort of all that loue you among whome the least worthie to bee named I humbly rest Your Honours in all humblenesse N. B. THE SOVLES EXERCISE A prayer for the Lord Maior In the Morning OH blessed gratious most merciful glo rious good GOD whose only eye of mercie beholdeth all the dwellers vpon y e earth out of the bounty of thine only blessing dost elect thy creatures to thy seruice my deare GOD that tookest Moses out of the water to leade thy people through y e wildernesse Dauid from y e sheepefolde to sway the scepter ouer thy people Israell and Ioseph from the prison to be gouernor ouer many people now out of meane estate hast aduanced me among many thy most vnworthy seruant vnder y e scepter of my gratious Soueraigne to sway the sword of iustice ouer this thy blessed city let not sweet Lord this great blessing of thy goodnesse be lost in my vnthankfulnesse but so inspire my hart and soule w t y e grace of thy holy spirit y t by the rules of thy direction I may discharge the care of my duty by thy mercy my soueraigns boūty cōmitted vnto mee y t thy name may be glorified her Maiesty pleased thy people preserued Blessed God blesse I beseech thee all thy people of this cyty land but especially thy gratious and chosen seruant and our most gratious and Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth inspire her with the speciall grace of thy holy spirit that in the wisdome of thy will she may direct the course of her happie daies and by the mercy of her Iustice she may so carry the Scepter of her gouernement that thy glory may be encreased her Maiesty admired and vnder thee her people be blessed Blesse oh GOD all her honorable Counsell that they may vnfainedly discharge the care of their dueties in the true honour of their places Blesse the preachers of thy holy worde with the true knowledge and deliuery of thy holy word and giue them that inwarde care of thy holy will that by the faithfulnesse of their loues vnto thee they may be lights of good life vnto thy people Blesse all the Magistrates not only of this place but wheresoeuer w t a good and dutifull care of their charge committed vnto them and giue me in the grace of thy holy spirit that true feeling of thy goodnesse that in the sway of Iustice I may not swarue from thy lawe but with continuall care of thy will I may so discharge the duety of my seruice that in all my courses I may seeke to glorifie thy holy name the contentment of my gratious Soueraigne and the benefit of this thine and her citie Oh gratious GOD holde thy hande of mercie ouer it destroy it not with Sodome and Gomorrah for the sinnes that raigne in it but like Niniue reforme it and in thy mercie preserue it make many good gouernours ouer it and thy people obedient vnto authoritie oh gratious God encrease the happie daies of our gratious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth not as thou didst Hezekiahs with fifteene yeares but many fifteens continue her faithfull and honourable Counsellours this and all her cities and townes discreete and carefull Magistrates and euery where true louing obedient subiects preserue not only this city but the whole Realme w t y t gratious plentie and blessed peace wherein it now liueth and giue me grace to my vttermost power to labour for the preseruation of this place Oh Lord let not this
my aduancement make me vnthankfully forget thee but acknowledgeing thy goodnesse be euer mindefull of thy mercie neither let the pride of authoritie the masse of treasure nor any worlds felicitie haue power to draw mee from thee but that thankfully accepting thy blessings and carefully discharging y e duty of thy seruant whensoeuer it shall please thee to call mee I may willingly leaue the worlde for thy loue oh god heare mee I humbly beseech thee be thou a wall vnto this citie to defende it from foraine force and blesse it with that ioyfull peace that may cōtinue the concorde of thy people Graunt this oh God and whatsoeuer else thy glorious Maiesty in thy gratious mercy shall thinke needefull for mee that after I haue passed my pilgrimage in this vale of misery I may by the merite of thy mercy obtaine a place in that true Paradise where with thy Saintes and Angels in the traine of thy beloued though the least in thy kingdome in thy heauenly Ierusalem I may be one of thy blessed citizens where in the ioy of my soule I may sing to thy glory Amen Another for the Euening OH gratious God with most humble thākfulnesse to thy holy glorious Maiesty for thy heauenly preseruation of mee this day and all the daies of my life I humbly beseech thee receiue me with all the Magistrates and members of this citie into the heauenly guard of thy holy grace be thou a continuall watch ouer it that none of thy people doe perish in it awake those that sleepe in their sinnes and take them againe vnto thy grace confound the deuises of the wicked that seeke the destruction of thy people Blesse the labours of the vertuous preserue my gratious Soueraigne and withall her faithfull Counsellours and louing obedient subiects blesse mee and my house make vs and continue vs thy humble and faithfull obedient seruants and in the peace of thy mercie receiue vs into the Almightie hād of thy holy preseruation y t waking or sleeping vprising downelying going forth and comming in being preserued by thine only goodnesse wee may glorifie thy holy name thorough our only Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Amen O Almighty God and heauenly father from the hande of whose onelie bounty floweth the Riuer of all comfort and in y e foūtain of whose grace is foūd y e only water of life D eternall God father of all mercy and God of all glory who knewest mee before I was hast made me that I am and art not ignorant what I shall be in y e worke of thine only will to the only glory of thy holy name how shall I vile and wretched worme of this earth wicked sinfull creature of this world humble my selfe enough at the feete of thy mercy to offer vp vnto thy holy Maiesty with y e teares of my heart the sacrifice of my soule Sweete Lord I am foule and polluted with iniquitie am therfore ashamed to come before thee I haue beene a Rebell to thy lawes and am therfore worthy to be banished from thy presence Yea I haue so delighted in sinne that I am afraide of thy iudgement Oh Lord I am full of feare my sinnes are before mee my conscience doth condemne me and thy Iustice falleth heauily vpō mee and whither then shall I fly to helpe mee if to heauen I knowe the Aungels will abhorre mee if to the worlde it will but further infect mee and if to hell it will but torment mee Is there then no helpe for me Yes sweet Lord in iudgemēt hath Iustice her grace but in mercie hath Iustice her glorie in y e glorie therefore of thy mercie I humbly beseech thee looke vpon me of nothing thou madest me being worse then nothing without thee let me ioy in nothing but thee be thou the strēgth of my hart against the enemies of my soule and the life of my loue in the ioy of my spirit that being defēded by thy mighty arme and preserued by thy bolie spirite in y e gladnesse of my hart I may sing to thy glory Amen MOst mercifull and Almighty glorious euerliuing and euerlouing God y e comfort of thy sorowfull the ioye of thy faithfull life of thy beloued heare I humbly beseech thee the humble praiers of a penitent sinner from the high Throane of thy holy mercy cast one good looke of thy comfortable pitty vpon the wounded soule of thy vnworthy seruant O deere Lord thou knowest my sins and my sorrows are not hid from thee what shall I doe to be ridde of this foule euil no Surgeon can launce it Phisicke can cure it nor salue can heale it Oh the wounde of sinne that corrupteth the heart cankreth the flesh and eates into the very soule is there no way to kill it shall thy seruant liue in it and his life die in it sweete Lord say no for thou only canst say no thou hast conquered the author of it thou hast a remedy against it canst wholly consume it sweete Christ therefore that knowest my hurte hast my helpe heare my cry send me comfort in thine vnspeake able good nesse looke mercifully vpon me with one droppe of thy deare blood wash me cleane frō my iniquities with one spark of thy grace enter into my soule and rebuke the wicked fiend that he follow me no more saue me out of the y e claws of the serpent keepe from the assaults of the diuell and deliuer mee from the malice of the wicked Let me humbly seeke thee truely finde thee faithfully loue thee and continually liue to thee make mee hate the worlde for thy loue and forsake my selfe to follow thee dissolue me intoteares to fill the bottle of thy mercie consume me into sighs to make a sacrifice to thy glory make me nothing my selfe to be wholly thy seruant do with me what thou wilt so I may be to thy holy will Let me die to sinne liue to grace that in y e true fruits of repentance I may glorifie thy holy name and in the ioy of my soule I may sing to thy glory Amen O most mercifull and almighty God Lord of all comfort loue and life in whose holy sight is no mārighteous whose wrath no man is able to abide whose power no man is able to resist O glorious king before the feete of whose eternall maiestie the very Angels doe tremble the powers of Heauen doe shake and the mountaines are readie to melt how shal this sinfull and wretched soule of mine that with so many horrible sinnes hath offended the glory of thine vnspeakeable goodnes presume before the seate of thy sacred pittie w t the least hope of thy mercy In my selfe is nothing but sin ini quity both hatefull in thy sight to my sin belōgeth nothing but horror cōfusion by y e iudgemēt of thy vnpartiall iustice and how then can I looke for any thing in my selfe but hel dānation Dear god I cōfesse vnto thy diuine
enemies thou tookest Ionas out of the Whales belly oh take mee out of the whale of this hellish world thou sauest all that trust in thee oh saue mee that trust onely but in thee in thee sweete Lord the onely life of my loue whole ioy of my heart heare me therfore I beseech thee and in thy mercie helpe me among the number of thy elected let mee be one of thy belooued that in the traine of thine Aungels though y e least in thy kingdome yet in the ioy of my soule I may sing to thy glorie Amen ETernall power of eternall peace holy and almightie glorie of incomprehensible Maiesty most mercifull and only good God who hast made all thinges by thy power by thy mercie preseruest them and by thy wisdome dost gouern them sweete Lord deare life liuing loue who hast created all thinges for man and man only for thy seruice who lettest nothing be idle that may worke to thy glory and art thyselfe euer in working to the only glorie of thy goodnesse who causest the windes to blowe the clowdes to raine and y e earth to giue her increase and all for the seruice of man and him only aboue all creatures thou hast blessed with reason to iudge betwixt good and euill and hauing gouernment ouer all things on earth to be gouerned only by thy most gratious goodnesse sweete Lord that seest the very senselesse creatures all in their natures holde the due of their obedience in their seruice to thy glorie onely man to whom the mercie of thy holie Maiystie hath giuen a spirit of higher blessing wherwith to glorify thy holy goodnesse and for that thou hast done for him askest nothing but to acknowledge thy bounty and to giue thankes to thy glory yet seest how this creature of thy loue framed nearest to thine owne image in forgetfulnesse of thy grace is become vnthankfull to thy glorie giues ear to illusiōs breaks thy commaundement and runnes headlong to destruction without the greater holde of thy mercie yet in that thou hatest nothing y t thou hast made delightest not in the death of a sinner but art glorious in thy mercy sweete Iesu suffer not Sathan nor any wicked spirit so to gouerne in the worlde as to drawe thy people from thee but blesse them with thy holy spirite that they may knowe thee for and all the creatures therein power to giue their encrease yea and themselues to the seruice of man giue him power in the humilitie of his soule and thankfulnesse of heart to giue thy gratious Maiesty some fruits of thy blessing yea w t all that he hath to giue himselfe wholly to thy ser who was made only by thee and for thee Let him not liue in corruption that was framed in perfection thou art his GOD and hee is thy creature thou art his father make him thy childe thou art his Lord keepe him thy seruant thou art his euer life oh let him not die for euer no creature on earth that liueth only to it selfe but all to thy glorie and shall onely man liue onely to himselfe and so be vnthankfull to thy goodnesse sweete Lord forbid hatefull be that nature of iniquitie that draweth man out of Paradise and throweth him headlōg into hell fie on that accursed fiend that so be witcheth the soule with the delight of sin and wo be to vnhappy man that so forgetteth y e godnes of his God but yet sweete Iesu my Lord my master my father my king and my God looke I humbly beseech thee vpon thy wretched creature thy vnworthy seruant thy vngodlie childe and thy rebellious subiect in thy mercy looke vpon mee looke vpon myrepentance not my rebellions my sorrowes not my sinnes my teares not mine iniquities heale my woūds for they are corrupted and wash me cleane for I am fowly infected keeps mee from the in chaunting charmes of all wicked spirites and in the wisdome of thy holy spirite deliuer mee from the illusions of the wicked fiende make sinne hatefull vnto my soule and in the wisdome of thy grace make the whole ioy of my life oh let mee loue thee aboue my selfe aud hate my selfe but in thy loue let mee not see the labour of all thinges and thy labour in all thinges and my selfe idlely doe nothing that may glorifie thy goodnesse the earth giues mee of her fruite and shall I giue thee no fruite thou hast in heauen a place for mee and shall I not seeke the way to thee O my deare GOD haue mercie vvpon mee better had I neuer beene borne then to liue to be borne away frō thee What is the whole world to mee if I loose mine owne soule in what case is my soule if I want the blessing of thy grace haue mercy therefore vpon mee I beseech thee and preserue my soule for I am thy seruant make mee to labour in the vertuous vineyard of thy holy will◠and by the inspiration of thy holy spirit bring forth of my heart the humble fruites of thy holy loue that in profiting my neighbour in the blessing of thy grace I may glorifie thy holy Maiesty and in the ioy of my soule in the peace of thy mercie I may sing to thy glory Amen O Glorious God of all power and pittie to whose onely mercie belongeth the title of eternal Maiesty who by the wisdome of thine owne will hast framed all things to thy seruice and workest in them all to the glorie of thine only worthinesse O deare GOD that art the true substance of comfort to the humble soules of thy beloued and seest the sorrowes of thy humble seruautes when thou withdrawest thy hande of thy mercie in the glorious goodnesse of thy grace I beseech thee thinke on the number of thy afflicted creatures amonge whome most needefull though most vnworthie thy mercie let this poore wretched wounded and afflicted soule of mine begge one beame of thy blessed pittie to reuiue this dolefull and halfe deade heart of my almost despairing spirite oh strengthen my faith in thy holie worde washe mee cleane from my sinnes and make mee to feele the ioye of thy mercie let thy worde bee a Lanthorne to my feete and a lighte vnto my pathes and teach mee the way that I shall walke in for I betake my selfe wholly vnto thee let mee say with thy seruant Dauid O thar my waies were made so direct that I might not offend my God O deare Lord great was his happinesse in thy grace that had such a feeling of thy blessing to haue such a loathing to the worlde for thy loue blessed and ten times blessed were my soule had it such a feeling of thy grace but I may rather cry woe is mee that euer I was borne to liue so long in the sinke of so much sinne that looking on the filth of my soule I am ashamed to looke vp toward thy mercy yet when againe I remember the Leapers that thou hast cleansed the sins that thou hast pardoned
shall ope and bodies rise And hell shall shake and fiendes shall roare And soules ascende vnto the skies To sing thy glory euermore And oh that that sweete time were come That Saints and Aungels might accord While earth and hell are striken dumbe To sing thine onely glory Lord. For here alas While here wee liue Or rather die by hurt of sinne The pleasures that The world doth giue Doe but the way to hell beginne Where by abundance growes excesse And so forgetfulnesse of grace Or else by want so great distresse As brings the soule in desperate case Which while the heart tormented stands In helpelesse cares calamitie Helde all too harde in sorrowes hands Doth long to be at libertie That by the blessing of thy grace Deliuered from this earthly hell It may beholde thy blessed face Where all contentments euer dwell For truely loue in only thee Doth liue all comfort ioy and blisse And where thou art not what can bee But shewes what shame and sorrowe is And since in thee doth only liue The ground of the eternall good And thou alone canst only giue The faithfull soule her heauenly foode Vouchsafe me leaue to thee to cry Oh let my teares thy mercie moue Who for thy loue would gladly die Come liue with mee and be my loue But I am vile and foule and blacke Vnworthy obiect for thine eyes Yea worthy to be beaten backe Euen from the blessing of the skies But thou canst make mee white as snowe By one pure droppe of thy deare sonne And being purified so Thou wilt forget what I haue done Had I a heauen to entertaine Thy holy presence it were thine But thou a king and I a swaine Take pittie on this loue of mine Thy greatnesse was in goodnesse such As did the poorest loue embrace And is not thy worde true in tutch That humble loue gets heauenly grace Wherefore on knees of humble heart Let mee thy gratious mercie moue Put all my sinfull shame apart And liue with mee and be my loue For thou art wise though I am fond And thou canst make mee wise in thee And thou art free though I am bond And thou alone canst make me free Thou art all good and I so ill I know not how to come to thee But worke mee wholly to thy will Then be my loue and liue with mee IN sorrowes deepe my spirit all appalde Seing the worlde an only sinke of sinne Vnto the Lord of heauen for mercy cald And in her teares did thus her suit beginne If euer Lord a poore repentant wretch Whose bleeding heart can hardly speake for grief But from his soule those sobbing sighes doth fetch That may in silence sue for thy reliefe My gratious Lord and euerlasting God In pittie looke a little on my paine Beholde my faith forbe are thy heauie rodde And let thy mercie heale my soule againe I must confesse I haue offended sore That gratious will and glorious loue of thine I see my sinnes are euermore before This wretched soule and wicked eyes of mine Nor day nor night my spirit taketh rest For feare of thy too much deseru'd displeasure Such bitter sorrowes boyle within my breast As prooue my torments haue no little measure But Lord that seest how I am wo begon me The deadly hurt wherin my hart doth dwel In thy sweete mercy once but looke vpon mee Say but thou art my helpe and I am well WHen that I felt my soule with sorrow sokē My wofull minde with miseries opprest My pining heart with bitter passions broken And euery way my spirit all distressed Vpon my knees vnto my God I went And in my teares I told him of my griefe And with a heart almost in peeces rent Repentance sued to pittie for reliefe When to his eares my praiers did ascende And from his holy hill his mercie heard me And to my soule such comfort did descend That I did see that mercy did regard mee For I did finde how hope bad feare depart My heartie sorrowe had obtained grace And I did feele such comfort in my heart That sodaine ioy was set in sorrowes place When God he knowes that with no little ioy My soule was rauisht with his sacred loue That bad my heart abandon all annoy I should in heauen a sweter comfort proue Oh God sweete God more sweet then can be thought When hope is least that giues thy comfort most Whose mercie hath so with thy iustice wrought As will not see thy faithfull seruants lost Among thy Saintes and Angels that does it About thy throne to glorifie thy name Vouchsafe me grace to say Amen to it Although vnworthy once to heare the same FINIS