seeke for some mantle to veile thy obscene darkenesse For thou canst not with any conscience in case thou hast any approach into the presence of the LORD What expectest thou to be releeued by him Thinkest thou he will fauour thee Nay Is it possible that hee should forbeare thee Seest thou not that he also is set against thee That his hand is rigorous vpon thee And how can it be otherwise For GOD is iust a hard dealer a seuere exacter of accompts Looke into the examples of his iustice How he condemned his angels irreuocablie for one only sinne how for one only sinne not onlie Adam but all his posteritie and in a manner all creatures were cursed If thou conceiuest comfort by reason of some mercie which followed this iustice then compare this iustice and mercy together by the continuall course of their effects See how in all ages both the greatest and most flourishing parts of the world haue lien buried in infidelity See how in those few parts ouer which the light of trueth hath displaied her beames many millions haue bin blinded either by ignorance or by superstition and errour See how many yea how most of those who haue receiued true knowledge either by delicacie or other viciousnesse of life reape no benefit thereby So as it is apparantlie true that many are called and few are chosen that the way to saluation is so difficult and the gate so strait that it is passable for very few Few indeed For how many were in the whole world when it was ouerwhelmed with waters How many in Sodome and the cities adioining to it when they perished with fire How many among the chosen people of GOD when Elias could not espie one How many when they were often captiuated and finally ruined and dispersed Yea seest thou not the iustice of GOD to be so implacable that when flourishing nations are vtterly rooted out infants and innocents who haue not actually offended are swallowed in the common calamity for the offences of their progenitors Compare I say these effects of iustice and mercy together and thou shalt plainely finde that the first hath farre exceeded the last that there are many vessels of the one and few of the other Now if thou hopest to be one of those few then consult with thine owne conscience how cleare and vncorrupt thou findest thy actions how seuerely thou hast restrained thy euill inclinations how strongly how violently thou hast endeauoured to mainetaine a vertuous and religious life No no thou art none of those few who with perpetuall strong striuing shall wrestle through that narrow passage Thou hast beene vnconstant both in thy iudgement and in thy actions like a loose tooth not onely vselesse but troublesome and painefull Thou hast beene a slander to the Church and a staine to thy profession Thou hast beene a derision to the euill a shame and sorrow to the good an offensiue example to the weake The earth casteth thee vp heauen receiueth thee not GOD is displeased with thee and all creatures are bent to oppresse thee Goe to then abandon hope and yeeld thy selfe captiue to despaire Thou hast no other remedie against thy feares but to relinquish hope Cease to hope and feare will no longer torment thee for whosoeuer hopeth for no good he feareth no euill These words she doubled with a terrible voice and all the hoste cryed aloud Despaire and Die Woe is me I am vndone Alas wretch that I am Which way shall I turne mee Whither shall I flie What shall I doe I am assailed with feares by feares I am betrayed my enemies are within and without Who shall deliuer who shall defend me I am as a naked tree in a wide plaine beaten with many bitter stormes I am as drie open ground parched with the burning beames of the Sunne I can finde none to protect mee none to comfort mee and my owne strength and courage vtterly faileth Out alasse who so liueth in feare he is daily condemned daily vnder the executioners hand No man is assured whom an euill conscience holdeth in feare O! who is able to endure these confusions Who can either resist or rule the violence of these feares Thus whilest I was readie to haue yeelded my selfe to the tyrannie of despaire loe Faith from heauen did sodainly cast a glorious beame of her beautie vpon mee and with a sober sweetnesse began in this sort partly to reprooue and partly to instruct me What said she Art thou such a nouice in my Schoole such a faint and raw souldier in spirituall combate Hast thou no more dexteritie in handling thy weapons Come stand vp take courage I will teach thee both thy fence and thy fight Come I say and looke thy terrour in the face It seemeth a Serpent to deuoure thee but be not dismayed step boldly to it and take it by the taile and it will forthwith turne to a rod of correction What Art thou so much afraid of feare which is so highly commended which is so straitely commanded to thee God loueth feare Hee accepteth hee preserueth he honoureth hee blesseth he neuer forsaketh them that feare him Feare is the beginning of righteousnesse the first step to wisedome It bringeth with it iudgement and righteousnesse It expelleth sinnes It is the bridle of sinnes it is the sword that cutteth in sunder not onely the sinewes but the very hartstrings of sinne What deemest thou that GOD hath created hell fire onely to punish damned sinners and the Diuell No verily but rather to keepe sinners from damnation to raise them to repentance and to restraine them from sin For so much as a man feareth the punishment that he hath deserued so much more carefully wil he both repent and auoid those faults which he hath committed He that feareth ruine is neither easily nor often oppressed therewith They haue greatest cause of feare who feare least who walke in their owne wayes with a sober securitie who loosely and licentiously pursue vanities who are flintie hearted without trembling or touch of the threatnings of GOD who perseuere in sinne either boldly or sencelesly and then say What euill haue I done Let these feare It is fearefull for these to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD. Ouer the neckes of these hangs a terrible sword alwayes shaking alwayes bent and ready to strike the lesse they feare it the more sure the more sore and heauie will it fall These are obiects to GODS iustice and wrath these are abiects from his mercie and grace But repentant sinners who rise with feare and run with griefe to the LORD of mercie and say vnto him LORD be mercifull to me a sinner Let such bee confident For he who hath in mercie called them will assuredly in mercy receiue them They are not a few onely who haue beene receiued this is a false surmise of feare let heauen let earth let hell be searched and there shall not one be found I confidently say not any one who returned to the LORD and was not receiued Neuer thinke that the iustice of GOD is greater then
whereto we can attribute no greater either praise or power then that it worketh the same vpon earth which GOD himselfe worketh in heauen by making men happie by deliuering them from eternall perdition and by bringing them to vnspeakeable and endlesse ioy And herein it is singular and eminently alone herein all other vertues are but handmaides to attend it For albeit loue be exceeding powerfull albeit the fire of loue bee of merueilous force to consume sins yet doth it neuer attaine this effect but by vertue of Repentance In this action of loue Repentance is the principall worker loue is a testimonie and declaration not a proper cause of remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes is rather the cause of loue then loue the cause of remission of sinnes It is a very hard thing which GOD cannot doe But herein hath GOD restrained his power GOD cannot be mercifull vnlesse sinners repent without repentance it is impossible that sinners should be pardoned because it is impossible without repentance to abandon euill and turne to GOD. For sinne is nothing else but an auersion from GOD and a conuersion to creatures an auersion from an inestimable and immutable good and a conuersion to a vaine and variable euill This sinne is neuer pardoned but by forsaking creatures and by applying our selues againe to GOD by turning againe from euill to good by inward loathing the transitory euill whereto by pleasure wee did adhere and by fixing our delight vpon that infinite good which will neuer either varie or faile But this is a proper worke of repentance this is repentance it selfe Whosoeuer is thus conuerted in soule he is truely penitent hee is blessed in this life the LORD will impute no sinne vnto him And the reason is because he imputeth sinne to himselfe hee preuenteth the imputation of the LORD by imputing sinne to himselfe he chargeth iudgeth condemneth himselfe and therefore he shall neuer be either condemned or questioned by the LORD For a superiour Iudge will neuer examine that offence which hee knoweth to be both examined and iusticed by his commission But GOD hath giuen to sinners not onely commission but command to examine and iudge themselues which if they will vnpartially doe hee hath promised that hee will neuer iudge them that hee will neuer impute sinne to their charge The Iustice of GOD requireth that sinne should be examined condemned and punished but the great mercie of GOD hath made sinners their owne Iudges their owne executioners and tormentors It putteth them in choise either to iudge and condemne their sinne or to bee iudged and condemned for their sinne either to put sinne to death in this world or to die for sinne in the world to come But blessed is hee who embraceth this mercie who doeth examine and condemne his sinnes who doeth impute sinne to himselfe that GOD may not impute his sinnes vnto him Blessed is he I say who hauing sincerely iudged himselfe may boldly looke GOD in the face and say vnto him Condemne me not tell me wherefore doest thou thus iudge me Wilt thou proceed against thine owne appointment Wilt thou violate the direct rule of thy iustice Thy iustice requireth but one condemnation and thy mercy hath giuen me power to condemne my selfe This I haue already done I did daily iudge my selfe before thee and now I did securelie expect thee I expect not now to bee iudged by thee For feare of thy iudgment I haue iudged my selfe I haue not stayed for thy sentence I haue preuented it in giuing sentence against my selfe Wherefore then doest thou thus iudge me Thou maiest iudge my iudgement if thou thinkest meet how truely and triely I haue examined my cause before thee and thy causeagainst me What good I haue receiued from thee and what euill I haue returned to thee Iudge my iudgement I say if thou wilt but doe not iudge I pray thee my sinnes For herein especially we must be regardfull that we iudge vprightlie that we giue no false sentence whether by negligence or by partialitie and selfe-loue that our iudgement be not either muzled by the one or misse-led by the other For he only is in this blessed estate who maketh a serious search in his soule who is not deceiued in making his search who dissembleth not what there he findes Blessed is he who deceiueth not himselfe who dissembleth not with GOD. Who deceiveth not himselfe in blinding or abusing his owne iudgement either by a stupendious stupiditie that he hath no sinne or by a negligent enquirie after them or by a fauourable estimation of them or lastly by a false conceite that he may at leisure and in good time repent Who dissembleth not with GOD either in concealing or extenuating any part of his euill but humbling himselfe before his presence laieth open to his view euery vncleane corner within him and as a poore petitioner as one who beggeth for a piece of bread as one who sueth for his very life rather aggrauate then extenuate his wretched condition For it is in singlenesse and sinceritie of soule It is by true sence and acknowledgement of our sinnes that we must both inuocate and obtaine GODS mercy If we flatter our selues that we are innocent If knowing our sinnes we cancell or conceale them as if we could deceiue GOD so easilie as we can blinde the world If to win opinion we compose our behauiour to an outward fashion of pietie and not with the most inward sences of our soule not with the verie heart of our heart acknowledge and bewaile our fault If we doe not rather seeke after righteousnes then make shew thereof If we do not both promise and purpose and endeauour to amend If our mind and our mouth and our outward actions doe not agree we are but hypocrites the worst of all sinners VVe increase wrath we shall neuer come to the presence of GOD. VVolues are neuer more wolues then when they are apparrelled like sheepe It is extreame wickednesse to be empty of all goodnesse and yet aspire to be esteemed good GOD requireth in his Law confession of sinne before the sinner could be purged He commanded also that the high Priest should confesse his owne sins and the sins of the people vpon the head of a Goare and then permit it to escape For assuredlie albeit GOD be exceeding mercifull in forgiuing our debts yet is he hard seuere in taking our accompts That which in deed wee cannot in desire wee are obliged to performe we must by acknowledgement make tender of that debt which otherwise we are vnable to discharge He that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtaine mercy If we dissemble our sinnes we double our punishment because we double our offence Euen as not onely he that stealeth is an offender but he also that concealeth a theft If we dissemble part of our sins if we keepe backe part and say that
heauenly kingdom whereof you shall neuer bee disposseâ—sed Reioice I say in him who is the very Ocean of ioy from whom all ioyes of the soule are deriued who onely giueth true ioy and full ioy and perfect ioy and ioy which shall neither end nor abate Of which ioy the onely hope is sufficient both to refresh and sustaine vs in all the trauerses of this life which incomparably exceedeth not onely all humane ioy that can be found but whatsoeuer can be either guessed or imagined And therefore I will not prescribe any limits to your ioy because it must not be moderate it cannot bee contained in any meane compasse If worldly ioy exceede golden meane then is it vicious but it is not so in spiritual ioy no more then it is in loue from whence it proceedes All morall vertues consist in a mediocritie which is limited by prudence But it is not so in loue or in any other diuine vertue As there is no mediocritie or meane in louing of GOD so is there not in reioicing in him The more we loue the more we reioyce and the more excessiue our loue and ioy is the more doe they draw to their perfection Wherefore then doe wee not with a holy scorne cast behinde vs the base vanishing pleasures of this world and bend all our endeauours after these heauenly felicities Or rather wherefore doe we with a sleepie sensualitie cast behind vs these heauenly felicities and bend all our endeuours after the base vanishing pleasures of this world Alasse Wherefore doe wee forsake the liuing springs and digge broken pits that will hold no water Is it out of opinion of safetie or is it for idle ease Goe wee then to the dead sea of this world let vs draw of their muddie waters of honour riches authoritie or any other witcherie of the world Certainely it will bee with great paine with great care and many times with great danger And then what followeth the atteining of them is not so laboursome as they are loathsome many times when they are atchieued Onely out of these liuing springs out of these sauing waters wee may alwaies draw both with safetie and with ioy Away then yee painted pleasures of this world mine eyes are dazeled with the blaze of too bright a Sunne to admit the beames of your pale light I am wholly inherited by a higher ioy which hath taken so absolute a conquest ouer all my powers that neither my sence can discerne nor my minde conceiue any other obiect As a man cannot looke with one eye vpon heauen and another vpon the earth so can hee not diuide his minde to ioy both in earthly and in heauenly things at once hee must die to the one if he intend to liue in the other Lord take from me all pleasure take away all patience in the flashie felicities of this life Let nothing stoppe let nothing hinder me from entring into thy house to behold thy bright and pure beautie to bewaile the deformitie of my sinnes which haue banished mee so farre from thy fauour to deplore my weakenesse and to implore thy grace to compose my behauiour and dâ—spose all my abilities to doe thee seruice O my GOD marshall my vnruly appetites traine them in thy discipline binde them vnder the commaund of reason and grace Let not my soule be chained in me but let it aspire to thee For in mee it is but in a prison in thee it is in paradise Reconcile and combine in mee two contrary affections feare and ioy That as a tired trauailer ranging in a wilde desert reioyceth to see the first cracke of day and yet is not altogether free from feare of the darkenesse and dangers of the night so albeit my errours past bee fearefull to mee yet let me entertaine a sweete hope to enioy those approaching ioyes whereof there is neither saciety nor end Thus cleansed by thy mercy and furnished with thy grace I renounce my will I offer it a sacrifice to thee I yeeld my selfe wholly to thy obedience O my GOD doe not refuse mee Prayse and Glory and Wisedome and Strength Dominion Riches and Power bee vnto our GOD for euermore A SVMMARY PRAIER O Omnipotent GOD most manifest and yet most secret and hid O bountifull Giuer and yet seuere exacter Thou O LORD who sitting aboue the Seraphims seest all things and in all things mayest bee seene Thou who art most powerfull and yet so pitifull that thou releeuest miserable and vile sinners O most glorious incomprehensible GOD encline thine eye fauourably to my distresse fauourably regard my poore petition which breaking from a broken soule must needs make an vntunable sound There is nothing O LORD which my soule more desires nothing is more due and delightfull to thee then that I should Loue thee Thou hast created mee to loue thee thou hast commanded mee to loue thee in this loue thou hast placed my felicity and my peace In this loue consist all good things which we enioy vpon earth and the greatest part of those which we hope for in heauen But no man can loue thee vnlesse hee know thee the knowledge of thee is necessary to beget this loue because wee cannot truely loue thee vnlesse wee vnderstand that all causes of loue are perfectly in thee O true delight of our hearts I cannot liue vnlesse I loue thee and I cannot loue thee vnlesse I know thee What then shall I do to atteine this knowledge The knowledge that wee haue comes by our sences which are as gates through which the representation of things sensible enter into our vnderstanding But neither can thy greatnesse enter through so narrow passages neither can wee imagine any representation whereby our vnderstanding may apprehend thee Thou hast formed all creatures in number weight and measure their nature and vertues are limited thou hast giuen them their bounds which they cannot exceed and therefore our vnderstanding is able to embrace them But thou art infinite thy being is boundlesse Nothing is aboue thee nothing beyond thee nothing wide of thee nothing without thee our vnderstanding cannot comprehend the confines of thy being As thou art infinite in power so art thou in nature thy nature is no lesse infinite in extent then eternall in continuance No man hath hitherto beene able to vnderstand the essence and nature of his owne soule whose offices and operations hee dayly discernes and this is because it beareth thy Image And how then shall I be able to vnderstand thee If my ignorance bee so dull and heauy in my selfe how shall I be of capacity to know thee O noble nature O infinite essence O incomprehensible Maiesty How shal I know thee For I cannot see thee My sight is dimme and thou art a light which canst not be approached Thou art most high and so must hee be whosoeuer shall attaine thee Who then will giue me the eyes of an Eagle that I may beholde this Sunne Who will giue mee wings
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
wherein then lieth the difference Not in the summe of the debt but in the dayes of payment All agree that repentance is due but most perswade themselues that the payment may be made at leasure But assuredly there is no time so fit as the present For what stupendious stupiditie is it to deferre the most weightie worke of repentance to a future time whereby besides that the time may bee taken from thee thou shalt daily growe more vnfit to repent For by reason of long continuance and frequencie of acts custome will grow strong and inuincible whereby nature is corrupted grace estranged and the power and tyrannie of the Diuell much confirmed Obserue hereof a familiar example If a childe be brought from a distant country he will perfectly pronounce our language in a very short time If hee be a man of yeeres hee will hardly or neuer rightly pronounce it What is the cause confirmed custome which can hardly be broken we are hardly drawen either to forget or forsake that whereto of long time we haue bin enured And assuredly change of life is no lesse vneasy then change of language and therefore repentance must needs bee so much the harder by how much it is later Oh! how many would gladly forsake their wicked liues but being fast locked and chained in the prison of euill custome they are not able to breake from themselues He who hath a great estate may well endure some wast expence but he who oweth more then hee is worth had neede be a good husband of that which he hath Thou art not well assured to liue one houre and darest thou make to thy selfe a prodigall promise of manie yeeres Such promises haue bin â—he destruction of many a sinner vpon such hope is little better then a sinner vpon despaire for both sinne alike vpon different reasons The desperate sinneth because he thinketh hee must bee damned the presumptuous because he hopeth he may at pleasure repent he sinneth because he despaireth this hopeth because he will sinne Woe to this hope woe to that presumption both are fearefull and dangerous alike GOD hath promised pardon to repentance but he hath not promised either time or abilitie or mind to repent Hee hath alreadie giuen thee a faire time to repent but he hath put times and seasons in his owne power and will assuredly shorten them if they be not well imployed For so in the dayes of Noah he gaue 120. yeeres for man to repent which because they did abuse he strooke off 20 yeeres and raised the deluge in the hundreth yeere Thou art carefull to cure the least hurts of thy bodie forthwith and wilt thou neglect or deferre to remedie the mortall and immortall woundes of thy soule When euery day thy miserable soule is hewen burnt poisoned precipitated torne in pieces when euery day it perisheth a thousand wayes wilt thou be nothing sensible thereof wilt thou be like Pharao who when all Aegypt as wel in the fields as in the houses swarmed with frogges yet would haue prayer deferred vntill to morrow O mad delay nay verely To day heare his voice and harden not your hearts Deferre not repentance vntill to morrow for this will harden your hearts indeed Our life is compared by Iob to the day of a hireling A labourer worketh from morning vntill night and then taketh his rest So thou O sinner labour hard in the workes of repentance whilest thy day lasteth suffer not the darkenesse of death the night of nature to steale vpon thee but earely in the morning of thy health strength and age flie to the LORD attend seriously thy worke and doe not loiter for the night will come when no man can labour If the world calleth thee aside to riches honour pleasures or any other of her entising harlotries tell her thou canst not come thou hast a great important busines in hand and but a small time to performe it thou hast neither leisure nor lust to listen to her When Ioab had defeated Abner and chased his armie with a long execution Abner cried to him Shall the sword deuoure for euer to whom Ioab answered As GOD liueth if thou hadst spoken in the morning the people had gone away euery one from following his brother The like may GOD answer to sinners who all the day of their life beare armes against him and at the night of their death desire to bee at peace As I liue if you had spoke to mee in the morning if in seasonable time you had desired mercy I would haue spared you but now execution is in the heate you come somwhat late you must neuer stand to the courtesie of iustice you come now vpon ineuitable necessitie vpon base seruile feare which neuer iustifieth Your repentance now is not froÌ„ the heart You are now like merchants who when their ship is in danger throw their riches ouerboard but when the tempest is ouer search euery shoare to find them againe Your apprehension of present danger hath perswaded you against your wils to disgorge your consciences and cast vp your pleasures but if the feare blow ouer if you recouer your former estate you will foorthwith returne to your former life Thus may GOD say and thus for the most part it happeneth We neuer examine our great accompt wee neuer addresse our selues to bee at peace with GOD so long as we haue one vanitie vnspent But when time hath beaten from vs both youth pleasure and health when it hath made vs both insociable to others and burthensome to our selues when our attendants are variable sickenesses and paines when the soule loathes her ruinous and excrementall lodging then looking into our consciences which pleasure and sloth had locked before we behold therein the fearefull images of our actions past and withall this terrible sentence engrauen that GOD will bring euery worke to iudgement But how dare wee trust to our repentance at that time when the will by long custome is stiffe and almost inflexible when the vnderstanding partly weakened partly amazed is vnable to behold diuers obiects perfectly Assuredly to neglect GOD to offend him willingly casting our hopes on the peace which wee trust to make at our parting is a high presumption or which is worse a scornefull conâ—â—mpt Of all things that can be desired eternall felicity is the chiefe No man but doeth naturally desire it No man with deliberate reason would lose it for the empire of all the world no merchant is so foolish who would exchange the hope thereof for any aduantage that can be set foorth no man vpon any condition would bee quite cast out of that hope Now the ordinary way which GOD hath appointed to attaine felicitie is a long and laboursome walke a great iourney from vertue to vertue from strength to strength vntill wee appeare before GOD in Sion This was figured by the ladder which Iacob saw in a vision extending from earth to heauen and consisting doubtlesse
of many steppes Signifying that no man can attaine that happy height no man can approch him who standeth at the toppe but by many degrees of vertues whereof euery one also hath many steppes Consider with mee but a few of these and namely the mortifying of all affections either vicious or impertinent and vaine then the treading in all the steps of humility patience meekenesse mercifulnesse temperance obedience feare fortitude true discretion pure intention sobrietie modesty externall composition sweetnesse to others seueritie against our selues and all other vertues required and verely thou shalt finde it a long ladder indeede and that which will require a long time to climbe This climbing or walking is otherwise termed an edification or building For as a great building cannot be mowlded vp in an instant but first the foundation must bee layde then the walles erected and lastly the roofe and floores framed so in this spirituall building a sure foundation must bee layd vpon earth if we intend to raise it to reach into heauen And therefore it is a point of extreame either blindnesse or madnesse to aime at this end this happie end this last end and not to obserue the meanes appointed to attaine it This is thought to bee the cause of the fall of Angels euen because they aspired to their highest end without due obseruing the meanes For as sparkes strooke from a flint if they flie vpward they extinguish but if they bee caried downeward they take fire and burne so those Angels which humbled themselues and embraced the meanes attained to glory but they who proudly presumed by their owne abilities suddenly to attaine it not onely failed thereof but were deiected into hell In like maner wee all desire happinesse there is not any who would not bee happie but wee regard not the meanes appointed for that end Wee will not worke wee will not walke wee will not addresse our forces to the workes nor our feete to the waies which bring to happinesse We will not take either time or paines but thinke to mount to heauen at a leape at a iumpe at the last time of our age at the last minute of our life by a few short wishes rather then prayers But blessed is the man O LORD whose strength is in thee in whose heart are thy wayes They shall goe from strength to strength and vnto the GOD of gods appeareth euery one of them in Sion Wherefore O my soule howsoeuer others either linger or giue ouer betake thou thy selfe speedily to the LORD For to whom else shouldest thou resort he is thy prefection thy last end the rest and satisfaction of all thy desires Thou doest naturally desire nothing but him the desire of worldly things is but a disease Goe too then tumble vpon the bed of honour riches or pleasure thou shalt neuer find rest because thou cariest thy disease within thee ridde thee of thy sickenesse and thou shalt finde rest onely in GOD. The reason is plaine GOD made thee only for himselfe and therefore being thy last end thou canst not find quiet but onely in him Againe GOD onely is agreeable to thy nature thou art his image thou art breathed from him No worldly thing hath any proportion with thy nature and therefore can not giue thee true satisfaction A horse is not satisfied with flesh nor a Lion with grasse because such foode agreeth not with the nature of those beasts No lesse can a spirit be satisfied with corporall things because they are not conformable thereto The gifts and graces of GOD are conformable to thy nature they only giue thee both nourishment and delight Pride and enuy are spirituall things but they no more nourish a soule then poison nourisheth a body God only is agreeable to thy Nature GOD onely filleth thy desire And yet neither by filling thy desire hee doeth extinguish it neither by enflaming thy desire he ceaseth to fill it Wherefore O my soule Loose not time but since he hath created thee Remember thy maker in the dayes of thy youth Since thou hast no satisfaction but from him take the wings of the morning and flie vnto him VERS VII O Israel trust in the LORD for with the LORD there is mercie and with him is plenteous redemption 1. THe inuincible force of hope 2 GOD vseth to lay aduersities on his seruants and seemeth little to regard them and wherefore 3 It is a fearefull slate to liue free from troubles 4 The secret thoughts of diuers princes 5 Worldly things are like shadowes and wherefore 6 Whereon our trust must be grounded 7 How the mercies of GOD may be esteemed 8 In two respects mercy in GOD is preferred before Iustice. 9 GOD is most rich in his workes of mercy 10 Wherefore mercy is said to be naturall and proper to GOD. 11 What we shall doe that we may not feare 12 To whom there is nothing but mercy from GOD. 13 How ready GOD is to impart himselfe to sinners 14 The plenty and riches of our redemption 15 The treasure and ransome of sinners 16 In whom is the default that sinners are damned 17 The benefits of our redemption 18 An example of our right to these benefits 19 What our Sauiour is to vs. 20 Our title to the merits of our redeemer O Heauenly hope there is no labour no calamitie albeit daily storming daily encreasing but by thee is made tolerable Without thee many would faint and fall vnder their heauie burthens but thou suppliest not only strength to endure but courage to beare ouer all extremitie This was figured by the windowe in Noahs Arke which was made aboue towards heauen signifying that in that cruell calamitie reliefe was to bee expected onely from thence Death triumpheth ouer all earthly things but thou triumphest ouer death thou art more victorious then death And therefore albeit Iacob was dying yet his hope died not when he said I will looke for thy saluation O LORD Here hence holy Iob also in his greatest extremities said I know that my Redeemer liueth and though wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see GOD. Wherfore O my soule doe not onely flie to the LORD vpon the wings of thy hope doe not thou onely rest assured vpon confidence in his worde but perswade all others to do the like O my friendes O all ye of the house and Church of GOD Trust in the LORD Attend for succours only from him for he is both ready and most assured Albeit your distresse bee great and fearefull albeit you be not presently heard albeit you seeme to bee forsaken yet trust in the LORD Against all hope hope in him euen when your case seemeth desperate and forlorne euen vnto death stand steadie as a rocke and trust in the LORD It is a familiar fashion with our LORD to suffer his friends and faithfull seruants to sweat vnder the sad burthens of aduersities and to seeme as if he neither heard their prayers nor
raigne Our abhominable sins inflame thy wrath and thy wrath inflameth this fire against vs. Heere thou hast no presence of compassion none of comfort none but simply of indignation and wrath Heere thy wrath will bee so inexorable that if all the Angels if the whole court of heauen should intreat thee prostrate vpon their faces for one drop of water to refresh one part of a tormented sinner for a very short moment of time they should not obtaine thou wouldest not bee entreated LORD let me neuer heare this terrible voice let me neuer feele this weight of thy wrath albeit I haue iust cause to feare it For I haue beene ouercome I haue yeelded to the sway of my sottish sensuality I haue disobeyed thee I haue rebelled against thee I haue deserued I haue prouoked thy displeasure against mee And now my conscience quaketh and formeth many fearefull representations to my soule Mee thinkes I see thee come furiously vpon me thy wrath me thinkes is euen now ready to strike But stay patient LORD hold thy hand forbeare a while giue mee leaue to collect my astonished and dispersed thoughts to erect my soule and direct it to thee Before thou commest in iustice to ouerwhelme mee with thy wrath In Iustice heare what I haue to say for my selfe Regard the silent sobs which my feeble soule surprised with feare sendeth foorth regard the broken voice which my trembling tongue addresseth to thee VERS II. Haue mercy vpon mee O LORD for I am weake heale me LORD for my bones are troubled 1 THe first weakenesse of a sinner 2 Wherefore the fall of man repaired and not of Angels 3 A second weakenesse 4 A third weakenesse 5 When misery may sue to Iustice when to Mercy 6 The minde worketh bodily effects 7 How the goodnesse of GOD is said to hurt 8 A prayer HAue mercy vpon me O LORD Haue mercy vpon mee Hold thy hand O mercifull LORD Oh my GOD What wilt thou doe What Wilt thou make proofe of thy prowesse against my weakenesse thinkest thou that I am come to combate with thee to defie thy fury to wrestle with thy wrath LORD I am weake I am wretchedly weake because my weakenesse is inclinable to euill I am weake in resisting outward prouocations weake in resisting the pleasures of mine owne appetites and desires This weakenesse is miserable in me but hath alwaies been strong to mooue thee to mercy For wherefore else hast thou repaired the sinne of man and not of Angels Verely because man sinned through weakenes of nature but the sinne of Angels proceeded meerely from malice of will For with the more frailty a sinne is committed the lesse doth it participate of will and the lesse voluntary a sinne is the readier is thy mercy to relieue And therefore seeing thou forgauest Adame whose nature was entire forgiue me also I beseech thee whose nature is corrupt and enclineable to euill seeing also thou wert mercifull to him who charged his fault vpon another be fauouable O LORD to me who accuse and condemne only my selfe For this cause therefore I will speake vnto my LORD albeit I am but dust and ashes LORD thou hast made me and thou knowest of what temper I am made For no man is ignorant of his proper work Thou hast not made my nature of brasse my sinewes are not of yron nor my strength of steele but thou hast made me of fraile flesh yeeldable to all occasions of euill My soule thou hast placed in this case of clay as in a boate driuen with the strong tyde of sensuall appetites which cannot be caried against that streame but by great labor by strong striuing with armes and with Oares LORD I do not lay forth this weaknes of mine to excuse my sin but to encline thee to mercy For the LORD is merciful to them that feare him because he knoweth wherof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust I haue sinned indeed but rather through weaknes then either malice or proud presumption rather through a vicious and corrupt disposition infused as an inheritance from my ancestors then through hellish either haughtinesse or hate originally in my â—elfe Wherefore then hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Wilt thou vse thy strength against a leafe against dry stubble Wilt thou pursue a smoke a shadow a thing of nothing Haue mercy vpon me O LORD for I am weake Not only to fall but much more in rising from my fall in repairing my state in recouering thy loue and fauour againe This I can no waies doe by my naturall strength no wayes without thy speciall power I am able to offend thee to fetter my feete in the snares of sinne to bring my selfe into danger of thy wrath but to appease thee to free releeue my selfe I am altogether vnable I can cast my selfe into the deepe pit of perdition but come forth and returne backe by my owne forces I cannot And therefore I still straine my voyce vnto thee Haue mercy vpon me O LORD for I am weake Weake in falling weake in rising but most weake I am either to encounter or endure thy wrath Gracious GOD I prostrate my selfe at the feete of thy mercy I creepe vnder the wing of thy compassion I deale not with thy iustice I tremble to thinke of it It is with thy mercy and compassion that I haue to doe Correct mee in fauour but not in furie to my instruction scourge me but not to my destruction Alas my weakenesse hath made mee sinfull and my sinnes haue made me miserable and my misery now sueth to thy mercy If my misery were without sinne then I would plead it before thy iustice thy iustice would then relieue my case but for that it proceedeth from my sinne I lay my plea at the barre of thy mercy Haue mercy vpon mee O LORD for I am weakâ— I am not able to beare thy iustice I am not able to behold it I am so farre vnable to endure the force of thy wrath that the feare thereof hath almost vndone me It hath possessed euery part of my body It maketh my feeble flesh to tremble it doeth torment my very bones For vnfained feare and griefe of minde will soone worke effects in the body because the body and the soule are so firmly and familiarly knit together that whatsoeuer ioy or griefe happeneth to the one it is forthwith communicated to the other euen as in two roomes ioined together whatsoeuer motion or stirre is in the one it is easilie sensible in the other Blessed LORD thou art alwayes good thou hurtest no man vnlesse himselfe be in the blame vnlesse it be through his owne default For as the Sun beame is cleare and comfortable in it selfe and so is it to the eye that is sound yet to a sore eye it is very grieuous not through any default in the Sunne but by the diseased disposition of the eye so albeit thou
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
of sinne Such a soule is a soile which the more dewe it receiueth the more weedes it bringeth forth But if wee be grieued for our sinnes If we groane vnder their weight if we wrestle against their malice and power albeit the clouds were of Iron and the heauens of brasse our penitent praiers will pierce them The LORD will receiue our prayers Verelie a religious life giueth spirituall wings to our prayers It maketh them flie like lightning to the presence of GOD. But â—inne weigheth them downe and so much the more by how much the more our life is reprooueable VERS X. All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddenly 1 OVR enemies shall bee confounded and how 2. The wicked when chiefly vexed at the prosperity of the godly 3. They shall be extreamely confounded at the mercy of GOD and wherefore 4. Delay in sinne maketh the conuersion to grace more hard 5. GOD turneth to the wicked and to the godly in a different sort 6. A short prayer 7. How sinners must seeke 8. And what they shall finde 9. A resolution not to stay one houre in sin AND what now shall mine enemies doe They shall bee altogether confounded First with vexation at my happy estate afterwards with shame at their owne repulse at their sudden ouerthrow at their perpetuall deiection They shall be anguished to see their hopes and expectations faile to see my misery changed to felicity to see their iniury so much the more cruell because vniust turne to my honour to see him whom they thought to ruinate whom they had fully destined to death more highly aduanced then euer hee was before They are generally vexed with the prosperous condition of any man but more especially if hee be godly but most grieuously if they professe to prosecute him with open hate The prosperity of such a man is more grieuous to them then their owne calamitie But when they shall further see that he hath not onely auoided their attempts but preuailed against them that the omnipotent arme of the LORD dasheth them downe that mountaines of misery do ouerwhelme them the more apparant their fall shall be to all men the more shamefull will it bee to themselues And further the exceeding mercy and goodnesse of GOD shall extremely confound them For the more gracious and mercifull the LORD is in hearing and receiuing sinners the more they shall be confounded if they continue obstinate in their euill if they will not repent and turne vnto him They shall be confounded I say because when they nothing doubt of the goodnesse of GOD yet do they either not esteeme it or suppose to haue it at pleasure and will For nothing shall more confound sinners then that knowing as well the riches of GODS mercies as his gracious goodnesse which openeth to all which inuiteth all which intreateth all to participate therof Yet they remaine either altogether carelesse or heauy and dull in comming to him they either proudly contemne or with false flateries and hopes delay to repent which the longer they deferre the more incapable are they made of Grace For as a brand newly quenched will readily take fire but the longer it remaineth extinguished the more hardly can it be kindled againe so in a sinner the first decaying and dying of grace may easily be quickened but the longer he continueth dead in sin the harder will he be reuiued to Grace Alas they ioyed at my griefe and iested at my groning they made themselues merry with my misery and built the trophees of their victory vpon my ruines and disgrace They did swim in the delights of this world whilest I bathed my selfe with teares whilest I chastised and euill entreated my rebellious flesh But now Oh shame they shall be turned to another straine Their ioy shall be turned to smart and sorrow their pride to contempt their insolencie to ignominie and reproach And as the LORD hath sodainely turned his fauour to me so his fury shall sodainely be turned to them The wrath of the LORD like a sodaine tempest will strike in their faces It will astonish them it will cast them downe it will consume them Before thunder goeth lightning saith the wiseman and no lesse truely may it be said that after lightning commeth thunder What is lightning but the flashes of pleasure in this life beautifull but short The pleasures of this life are like the momentary flashes of lightning sodainely gone and seruing for nothing but to increase the terrour of ensuing darkenes And the more bright the lightning is the more deepe is the darkenesse the more dreadfull the thunder which is sodainely to ensue Assuredly they shall be turned indeed For if they will not turne vnto thee thou wilt turne them to confusion and shame O most mercifull most iust GOD most powerfull most prone and ready to helpe How louing a Father art thou to forsaken Orphanes how fauourable a Iudge to distressed sinners how sure a friend to those who loue thee to those who trust in thee They shall finde thee liberall aboue their deserts aboue the highest of their desires a measurer of thy gifts not by their worthinesse but by thine owne goodnesse Come hither all feeble sinners whose consciences are afraid of your owne suspicions who euer thinke you shall be damned come learne of me what sinners may find and how sinners must seeke learne by my affections to obtaine the like effects Rise earelie in the morning of thy good motions let them not sleepe too long in sloath Search thine owne soule diligently let faith bee thine eye hope thy guide loue thy light search whether thou canst finde the LORD within thee If thou findest him not there If thou findest that thy sinnes haue chased him away laie thy soule vpon the racke of repentance Wring groanes from thy heart and teares from thine eyes stretch it from heauen to earth vntill perforce thou force it to cry O GOD Feare no encounters for GOD out of GOD desire no comforts let the desire of him either extinguish or ouerrule the desire of all other things Whosoeuer cannot finde GOD hee doeth not thus seeke him whosoeuer hath not the like ioy to mine he neuer had the like sorrow and desire As for me who feele my selfe freed from this both pressing and piercing weight from this loathsome load of sinne who feele my selfe cheered with the liuelie light of grace I will not remaine hereafter one houre in sinne one houre in the hatred of my Creator I will forget all things and among them my selfe and thinke of him who thus hath saued me As the highest heauen draweth all the inferiour with the sway thereof albeit they haue naturally a contrary course so my reason enabled by grace shall draw all my appetites the whole frame of my inward man albeit they haue properly a contrary inclination Gracious GOD addresse all the instruments of my voice to sing praises to thee
from the tyrannie of feare or desire Happie is heonly who in soule liues contented and he most of all vnhappie whom nothing doth content But this quiet is neuer attained but by remission of sinnes whosoeuer hath this mouthfull he is fully satisfied he doth not hunger after other things he no more regardeth either the fauours or persecutions of this life then doth a dead lumpe of flesh This is both truely and aptly termed A stood of peace A very flood indeed in regard both of the quality and of the abundance For it quencheth the flames of our appetites and desires then which we haue none more deadly enemies none which more torture and teare our hearts especially if they be of such things as either possibly or easily we cannot attaine But these appetites are drowned and extinguished in this flood they are either satisfied or silenced by the iustice of this peace This peace can no man vnderstand but he that enioyeth it because it exceedeth whatsoeuer the vnderstanding is able of it selfe to comprehend Againe happinesse and miserie are perfect contraries But sinners because they are vpon their way to miserie are already miserable they are already in hell or rather haue a hell within them And therefore it followeth that penitents because they are vpon their way to felicitie are alreadie happie already in heauen or rather haue a heauen within them For there are two wayes out of this world one through the pleasures of sinne to eternall miserie the other through the sorrowes of repentance to eternall glory Blessed are they who are in this sorrowfull way for onely they trauaile to eternall happinesse They are blessed I say by faith and by hope For they haue not the full fruition of felicitie but they enioy it by faith and by hope and therfore by faith and by hope they are blessed This onelie is the difference betweene Saints in heauen and sinners that repent vpon earth the one haue their happinesse in hand the other in hope they are at their iourneyes end these are vpon their way they haue their blessed estate in possession these in election Neuerthelesse they are truely blessed euen as a Bishop elect hath both the title and honour of a Bishop albeit he be not stalled in his place Verely as sinne is no small or ordinarie matter so is forgiuenesse of sinne no ordinarie blessing Sinne is so hainous a thing that it is a lesse euill to destroy all the creatures in the world then to commit one sinne against GOD. Yet such is the power of repentance that by meanes thereof GOD will not onely forgiue our sinnes but he will forget them Hee will so deale with penitent sinners either as if hee had neuer seene their sinnes or as if he had perpetually forgot them Hee will neuer either behold or remember their sinnes to iudge them Marueilous is the mercy and goodnesse of GOD towards sinners that repent The more they remember their sinnes the more doth he forget them the readier they are to acknowledge their offences the readier is he to couer and conceale them It is a verie great blessing to haue our sinnes couered because nothing is more hardly kept secret then sinne Sinne is not couered by cunning contriuance not with the vaine veile of colourable excuses the more we endeauour by these meanes to couer it the more doth it manifest and bewray it selfe Adam did hide himselfe but his sinne hee could not hide hee couered his bodie with figge tree leaues but could finde no couering for his sinne The more hee endeauored to hide himselfe the more did his transgression appeare the very hiding of himselfe did bewray his sinne For if he had not sinned hee would neuer haue shrunke aside he should neuer haue beene attached either with shame or with feare For this cause also GOD said to Cain If thou doest euill sinne lieth at the doore For assuredly sinne will not keepe house It will not lie quiet in a corner It will abroad It will stand at the doore It will manifest it selfe to all that goe by At the first it is discouered by our owne feares and by our great diligence to conceale it afterward by our loose carelesnesse Lastly by our boldnesse and impudency in committing euill Besides it is of nature to multiply and encrease vntill it cannot be contained in secret vntill it can no more be hidden then the Sunne vntill by the tumorous turpitude thereof it doth first manifest and then ruine and destroy it selfe Onely Repentance is of force to couer sinnes First because it cutteth off the encrease it drieth vp the springs from whence it swels and ouerflowes and whereby especially it bewrayes it selfe Secondly because it is alwayes accompanied with loue for Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Loue maketh the penitent and the innocent of like condition VERS II. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile 1 IT seemeth that Repentance is a deitie and wherefore 2 Wherefore Angels after sinne cannot be blessed 3 Man may and wherefore 4 The greatest praise and power of Repentance 5 without Repentance GOD cannot be mercifull and wherefore 6 Wherefore GOD imputeth no sinne to the penitent 7 How a penitent sinner may expostulate with GOD. 8 In what sort we must iudge our selues 9 Hypocrites the worst of all sinners 10 Confession how necessary it is 11 GOD is mercifull in forgiuing yet hard and seuere in taking accompts 12 Dissimulation doubleth our sinne 13 One sinne sufficient to ensnare vs. 14 A true accompt of our sinnes required DIuine Repentance What shall I say of thee How shall I worthily either extoll or esteeme thee Shall I say thou art a vertue or shall I terme thee some Deitie Assuredly it seemeth that thou art a Deitie and that GOD hath imparted a part of his Dominion vnto thee It seemeth that thou art his Lieutenant vpon earth and that he hath inuested thee with his owne authoritie because the same power which GOD exerciseth in heauen the same doest thou exercise vpon Earth For as GOD maketh blessed in Heauen so doth Repentance vpon Earth Only GOD maketh the iust blessed in Heauen and Repentance maketh sinners blessed vpon Earth because after sin no man is blessed but by Repentance And therefore the Angels that did sinne shall neuer be blessed because they cannot repent Their will is inflexible they are immoueable from that which once they apprehend his heart is as strong as stone and as the Smithes stithe broken it may bee but it will neuer bend That which death is to man the very same is sinne to Angels As man after death cannot profitably repent so cannot Angels repent after sinne But the hope of mans blessednesse consisteth in this that his will is flexible that his minde may turne to abhorre that which once with pleasure hee did embrace that he is capable of Repentance This is a branch of chasticing Iustice
liberality towards me Let others blesse the time of their birth the time wherein some prosperous aduenture did befall the time wherein either they atchieued some great aduantage or else escaped some disastrous euill But I will blesse this happie houre the most happy that possiblie could happen to mee O my GOD encrease the pleasure which I haue conceiued in being displeased with my selfe for displeasing thee Let mee take so great contentment and delight in repentance as euer I did in committing sinne So shall my felicitie approach if not equall the felicitie of thine Angels So shall I bee aduanced from the low condition of my griefe to the high and glorious state of thy grace O eternall GOD O true light of our eies If this be the effect of troubles and griefe if this be the worst of them I will bow my backe and set my shoulder to the load I will not onely endure calamities but I will reioyce in them I will humbly intreate GOD that I may neuer want these assurances both of his loue and of his care I will earnestly inuite them to come vpon me to affoord me their help either in returning or retaining me to GOD. Assuredly a life without aduersities is like a standing puddle a dead sea as tempests preserue water and aire from putrefaction so doe troubles the mind He that neuer tasted of troubles knoweth not himselfe and seemeth to be little regarded of GOD. He knoweth not himselfe because he neuer made proofe what he is able to doe he seemeth little regarded of GOD as a person without courage aud heart vnworthy of combate vnfit for triall He that neuer knew aduersitie is ignorant of the greatest part of the affaires of this life He is exceeding miserable in this that hee neuer knew what misery meant Great vertues delight in trouble as valiant souldiers doe in warre O most louing most rich most liberall LORD How can we be able I will not say to expresse but to vnderstand to imagine thy sweet gentlenesse and loue I did no sooner thinke to returne vnto thee but thou were vpon the way to meet me I did no sooner say that I would confesse my offences but thou diddest open thine armes to receiue mee to mercie I did no sooner call to mind the paines which my sinnes did merit but thou diddest accord to remit the same I expected thy rebukes and thy roddes but I receiued thy kisses I looked that thou wouldest haue thundered foorth thy threats that thy angrie arme would haue dashed mee to dust but thou diddest encounter mee with thy embracements thou diddest entertaine mee with a sumptuous feast Thou diddest more reioice to doe mee good then I heauie beast did to receiue it O fauourable LORD How much more ready art thou to pardon then to punish How much more ready to grant thy pardon then wee to desire it Verelie no louing father can so graciously receiue his childe cast downe at his feet and in the lowest descent of submission crauing his fauor as thou hast graciously receiued me VERS VII For this shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found but in the great water floodes they shall not come nigh him 1 THE effect of Repentance in regard of the godly 2 All creatures to be entreated to ayde vs in praysing GOD. 3 Especially all the Saints in heauen who haue beene sinners vpon earth 4 Also all the godly vpon earth 5 Who by examples of Mercy shall bee encouraged to resort to GOD. 6 Remission of sinnes is a case reserued onely to GOD. 7 Remission of the least sinne requires no lesse vertue then the creation of the world 8 Resort to GOD must bee in a seasonable time 9 The seasonable time in regard of GOD. 10 The great difference betweene the seasonable time and the time ensuing 11 The seasonable time in regard of our selues 12 The dangers which wee incurre by deferring repentance 13 The doubtfull estate of those who repent very late 14 Late repentance little auailable not by any change in GOD but by defects in our selues 15 It is little better then desperation to sinne vpon confidence of repentance FOR this cause my heart hoppeth with in mee for ioy my spirit is enflamed and my blood boileth with a holy heat both to extoll and extend thy praise My soule glorieth onely in thy goodnes and grace It blameth it accuseth nothing but it selfe It complaineth it crieth out against none but it selfe It is my will it is my actions it is my selfe that I haue lamented But GOD hath beene gracious to mee it is in his grace that I will reioyce Hee hath opened mine eyes to see my owne deformities and defects he hath touched my heart with shame and with griefe hee hath vnlocked my lippes both to confesse my faults and to craue compassion if not so soone as it was requisite yet before it was altogether too late Although I haue lost much time yet hath he not suffered me to lose all although I did not apprehend the first offers of occasion yet did not hee permit it wholly to slip away Praise the LORD O â—y soule whilest I liue will I praise the LORD yea so long as I haue any being will I sing praises to my God c. But because I am not able sufficiently to praise thee I will intreat the ayd of all thy creatures let them all ioine with mee in the sweet harmonie of thy praise Let all thy wind instruments tune to this consort Let euery thing that hath breath praise the LORD Especially I incite to this holy office all thy blessed Saints in heauen who did heeretofore in like sort participate of thy grace and now participate of thy glorie For so many Saints as are now in heauen so many sinners haue beene vpon earth there neuer was nor shall be any but one who may say which of you can reprooue me of sin They all needed thy grace to repent they all receiued thy gift to be forgiuen Let them all bee examined Let them answere freely by whose power they are saued they will all acknowledge It was not our sword and our bow but thy hand and the strength of thy arme that hath gotten vs the victory Also all the godly vpon earth shall praise thee for this example of thy compassion and loue For that thou hast declared thy selfe so prone to pardon so readie to releeue so rich and plentifull in thy reliefe For that thou art not onely easilie entreated to remit our sinnes but prone and bountifull in heaping thy graces and fauours vpon vs. They shall also be encouraged heereby to flie vnto thee to pray vnto thee When their sinnes and offences lie heauie vpon them when they are enuironed and oppressed with distresse they shall neuer despaire neuer distrust to bee both released and releeued by thee Yea euen the most righteous and iust shall for this cause addresse their prayers to thee
side walled with rockes aboue beaten with terrible tempests You must be not onlie skilfull but carefull of your course you must alwaies beare your hand on the helme your eie on the compasse lest it come to passe that you neuer escape If you doe not this for the loue of GOD doe it then for the loue of your selues whereunto by all rules of reason and nature you are stronglie bound If you doe not loue or regard your good at lest bee not in loue with your euill The loue of miserie is farre worse then miserie it selfe Assuredly in case you continue in this carelesse course in case you still beare your selues either desperate in running from GOD or dull and heauie in comming to him in case neither his benefits can allure nor his chasticements enforce you to a change of life he will cast his plagues vpon you so thicke as haile which will make you more miserable then you can imagine VERS XI Great plagues remaine for the vngodly but who so putteth his trust in the LORD mercy embraceth him on euery side 1. GODS heauie hammers vpon obstinate sinners 2 The multitude of GODS punishments 3 The seuerity of them 4 It is most easie for GOD to pardon sinnes and wherfore 5 It is not possible but that penitent persons should be forgiuen 6 The confidence of true penitents 7 Their saciety 8 Their ioy 9 Albeit the contray appeares 10 Penitents enioy most perfect pleasure in this life and wherefore 11 The pleasures of the wicked are worse then brutish 12 Penitents aâ—e blessed in their chasticements 13 The first reason hereof 14 The second reason 15 The afflictions of this life are both momentany and light 16 A short prayer CErtainely if you wil not embrace this friendly aduice If you esteeme these warnings to be of no weight If blinded either with dulnesse or with malice you perseuere in your sinnes If neither benefits nor scourges can hold you in obedience If neither promises nor threats can any deale mooue you If you can be reteined in order neither by hope nor by feare If like vntamed beasts you still wildlie runne through the thorny thickets of all vices and esteeme euerie lustfull thing lawfull to be done hee hath heauier hammers to breake your obstinacie to bridle your boldnesse and pride and to beate downe your rebellion against him Verely not the starres in the firmament not the sands of the earth not all the creatures in heauen and vpon earth are so manie in number so vnresistable in force as are the punishments which the obstinate shall endure Their infelicity houereth ouer their heads their curse traceth them step by step vntill it shall ouertake them in hell Here the most pleasant retreits are full of hideous hurlements nothing but terrours torments and teares without intermission or end Here is griefe without remedie complaint without pity repentance without mercy Here death alwaies liueth and life alwaies dieth death here life are immortall together life in dying and death in enduring Here both body and soule shall eternally liue in eternall death they shall liue together in a double death and both eternall the death of sinne and the death of punishment due to sinne On the other side they who contemne the vanitie of the world and apply themselues onlie to GOD they who repent them of their sinnes be they neuer so great if they doe not despaire shall vndoubtedlie be receiued to pardon and mercy For this is most easie for GOD to doe by reason of his goodnesse and the greatnesse of his mercies in comparison wherof all the sinnes of the world are nothing so little as a point in regard of the largest circumference as one sparke of fire in comparison of the vast Ocean So as if the greatest sinner in the world be penitent If he desire and sue for mercie all the water in the sea cannot so easilie extinguish one sparke of fire as the mercies of GOD will abolish his sinnes Verelie if a good man will be mercifull to his beast our good GOD will much more bee mercifull to his creature to his seruant to his childe Yea it is not possible but that mercy should be imparted to them that repent For the infinite mercies of Almightie GOD abound in all places they fill all things if they be not excluded and locked foorth But nothing excludeth mercie but impenitencie and hardnesse of heart And therefore if a man be penitent mercie will foorthwith enter because the impediment is remooued because nothing then remaineth in the soule which may resist or repell mercie If the window be opened the roome will be light and if the floudgates be vnbarred the streames will presentlie ouerflow But they who haue receiued mercy who are vnder the protection and guard of grace in what assurance doe they stand how boldlie do they walke with what confidence are they caried in all the passages of their life Mercy encreaseth confidence and coÌ„fidence againe encreaseth mercy As guiltines is the cause of feare so from mercie proceedeth confidence As all wickednesse is full of feare so the iust is confident as a Lion And whosoeuer receiueth mercie they shall be filled therewith They shall be so filled as they shall ouerflow they shal be enuironed with mercy on euery side And being vnder the peace protection of mercie hauing firme trust that their sins are forgiuen O good GOD to what felicitie are they aduanced what treasures are there in heauen which shall not be opened and imparted to them They shal be placed by the side of GOD they shall be apparrelled and adorned with so great glory so great happines shal be heaped vpon them as the spirit of man is vnable to apprehend much lesse to expresse The desire the hope the full faith and assurance hereof cannot but worke in them incredible ioy before they attaine the full fruition euen whilest they are vpon their passage to it Oh! with what cheerefulnesse with what delight doe they either remooue or surmount all difficulties which lie before them Howsoeuer their trauaile seemeth troublesome and hard yet the loue of their iourneyes end maketh it not onely tolerable but delightfull The onely thought of the end of their trauaile seasoneth all the meanes with sweetnesse through which they are enforced to wrestle to that end It may be conceiued indeed that the iust are plagued and that the wicked chiefly flourish in this life It seemeth to be so but it is not so It is so onely in appearance and shew but in very deed it is not so They are either blinded with grosse mists of ignorance or abused with deceiuable colours and shewes who thinke it so It appeareth so only to those who are so rowled vp in flesh and bloud that they esteeme nothing good or euill but that which appertaineth to the body Assuredly they whose sinnes are forgiuen enioy the most perfect pleasure euen in this life which in this sort doeth plainely appeare As the inward
bitte betweene their teeth binde their iawes with iron hookes lay the whippes of chastisement vpon their backes Tame their vnbrideled wantonnesse breake their obstinate either fury or dulnesse that by repentance they may turne vnto thee Deliuer mee from the innumerable insupportable plagues which thy Iustice hath addressed for the wicked partly in this life but most especially in the life to ensue And because I haue reposed my confidence in thee enuiron me with thy mercies that being free both from dangers and feares I may reioyce onely in thee and with purity and integritie of heart adore and prayse thee all the dayes of my life Prayse and Glory and Wisedome and Strength Dominion Riches and Power bee vnto our GOD for euermore PSALME C. XXX DAVIDS TEARES PSALME CXXX OVt of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O LORD LORD heare my voice 2 Oh let thine eares consider well the voyce of my complaint 3 If thou LORD wilt bee extreame to marke what is done amisse O LORD who may abide it 4 For there is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared 5 I looked for the LORD my soule doeth wait for him in his word is my trust 6 My soule fleeth vnto the LORD before the morning watch I say before the morning watch 7 O Israel trust in the LORD for with the LORD there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption 8 And hee shall redeeme Israel from all his sinnes Of the title and parts of this PSALME 1 THe title giuen to this Psalme is common to fifteene Psalmes together 2 Wherfore these fifteene Psalmes are entitled Psalmes of degrees 3 The most followed opinion 4 What was figured by the stepps of the Temple and consequently by these Psalmes of degrees 5 Many excellencies of this Psalme 6 The more deepe we are suncke into sinne the more forceably we must cry 7 The degrees or steps of a sinner falling and sincking from GOD. 8 This Psalme conteineth a plaine prophecy of the Messias 9 It is a Penitentiall Psalme and wherefore 10 The parts thereof THis Psalme is intitled a Psalme of degrees or of ascending A title not proper to this Psalme alone but common to fifteene together whereof the first is the 120. the last the 134. But wherefore they are termed Psalmes of degrees as writers doe much vary in their opinions so all agree that it is not much materiall to know for that it pertaineth not to any point of doctrine but to some ceremonie in singing them whatsoeuer it was Some are of opinioÌ„ that they are so entiled because the Leuits or Priests did sing them in some conspicuous place wherto the ascent was by steps or degrees Others that because they are very short they are compared to so many degrees Others that they tooke that name from the tunes wherwith they were appointed to be sung which might be in a kinde of graduall ascending Others that they serued to distinguish the parts of the diuine seruice vsed by the Iewes and to bring the same as it were by steps to an end But the most followed opinion is that they were so called â—ecause they were sung vpon the fifteen steps of the ascent to the Temple at such time as the high Priest entred the Sanctum Sanctorum Now because as Saint Paul saith all things happened to the Iewes in figures these steps of the Temple and consequently these Psalmes of degrees are a type and shadow of our ascending to the eternall Temple and habitation of GOD which is not by a start but by many degrees rising alwaies from one vertue to another vntill we arriue at the happy end of our hope euen to the vision of Almightie GOD. The same also was figured by the ascent to the glorious seat of Solomon which consisted of six steps or degrees And likewise by the ladder which the strong wrestler Iacob saw in a vision extending from earth to heauen which could not but consist of very many steps wherby we are giuen to vnderstand that no man can attaine this happy height no man can climbe the ladder at the top whereof the LORD doth stand but by degrees of many vertues whereof euery one hath many steps But hereof more shall be said vpon the sixt verse of this Psalme This is an excellent Psalm for any man who is charged with crosses and calamities of this life For it leadeth vs to the true cause of our calamities namely our sins And therby directeth vs to the true remedy by crying to GOD. Not vpon trust of any worthines or worth in our selues but vpon humble acknowledgement of our miserable weakenesse trusting only in the mercy of GOD whereof he hath made many liberall promises and in the vnmeasurable merits of our Redemption It further teacheth vs to expect the LORD patiently neuer to suspect him neuer to respect any other thing And albeit he deferre his reliefe yet we must still preferre our complaints and both earlie and earnestlie addresse our selues to him nothing doubting but that with him is mercy that his redemption is plenteous and largly sufficient for all our sins But the more deepe we are sunke in sin the more forceably must we cry euen as the more inueterate a disease is the more strong must be the medicine For assuredly as the righteous approaching daily to GOD aduance into heaueÌ„ by degrees so sinners falling from GOD since downward by degrees into many deepe dangers and the deeper he sincketh in sinne the deeper he diues into danger vntill at last he plung into the horrible pit of hell The first step of his deep falling is a deliberate consent to motiues of sinne Next ensueth his busie endeauour in searching time and opportunitie to accomplish the sinne And then it is time to cry vnto GOD. After this the act followeth and that requireth a greater crie Then frequencie of acts draweth into custome and the longer the custome hath beene the deeper is the descension albeit the sinner be not alwaies sensible thereof and the harder is he to bee raised againe euen as a beast lying in the mire although it seemeth to lie at ease yet the longer it lyeth the deeper it sinketh and the more hardly can it struggle foorth And therefore this degree cryeth for a vehement cry Now beneath this another followeth when the sinner reioyceth and boasteth of his sinne and then he is sunke exceeding deepe beyond the bounds of feare and of shame two strong reines against disordred desires When the Diuell hath gained this point of a sinner hee hath then brought him into a sad and sencelesse securitie he is then so farre from crying to GOD that scarce any cry will stirre him The next ensueth when the sinner will defend his sinne and endeauour to make others to be of his manner and whosoeuer falleth into this profunditie he falleth thereby into contempt He contemneth GOD he contemneth his own soule he contemneth al remedies he contemneth all meanes of his
into the dungeon of habite and nature Insomuch as I haue not more naturally desired to eate drinke and rest then to sinne they haue made me scornefull and odious to all the world This depth of sinne hath drawne vpon me another depth and that is of afflictions and calamities the attendants of sinne For sinne onely prouoketh thy wrath and thy wrath draweth many punishments vpon vs. As sinne is the onely cause so are punishments the effects of thy wrath Impiety and impunitie goe seldome together thy wrath will not permit them quietly to concurre in one subiect Punishment is so naturall for sinne that if sinne bee not smitten with the sword of chasticement in this life it is in danger to be smitten in the life to come with the sword which guardeth the passage into paradise For this cause thy hand hath beene exceeding heauy vpon me My indignity hath stirred thine indignation I haue sinned and thou hast smiâ—â—en I am inuolued in troubles as in a deluge the storms of disquiet beat stifly vpon me I am so deeply drowned in aduersities and miseries that I am scarce either bold or able to looke towards thee And yet One depth calleth another For these depths of sinne and of calamities haue drawne vpon me another depth of astonishment and trembling For when I call to my consideration thy infinite hate against sinne the extreame seueritie of thy iustice and rage of thy wrath neuer incensed but by sinne and the greater the sinne is the more incensed Terrour seazeth vpon my soule and it faintlie sincketh into the darke and deepe cauernes of anguish dread and almost despaire It is no ordinary matter that doeth perplex me not the crosses and trauerses of this world but being oppressed with my owne guiltinesse and sharply assaulted with the terrour of despaire I haue iust cause to feare that thou hast vtterly forsaken me that thou hatest and abhorrest me for my sinne These troubles are most terrible these touch not my externall affaires but the internall and eternall state of my soule Against external calamities some remedies may be found but against internall biting of vniust sinnes and expectation of thy iust and eternall reuenge there can be found neither remedie nor rest This wound is incurable but by thy hand And now againe these depths haue called another depth For it is not with a lofty looke not with a careles negligent conceit but out of the depth of humility sorrow that I cry vnto thee A little sorrow is not sufficient for me my sorrow must be great so great as it may make a great sound in thy eares Whosoeuer cryeth to thee with great sorrow griefe may wel be said to cry Out of the depth But this cry must be soft without noise of words it must be in the secret retreits of the heart no voice no souÌ„d in any wise added Contrition is an inward griefe seated in the heart it neuer breaketh forth before confessioÌ„ confession must open a passage for it This sorrow hath depressed my sincking soule down so low as it seemes to be led through all the torments which vnrepentant sinners must endure So as out of this depth also I cry vnto thee Oh! that I could meet thine Angell in this fierie valley as the children of Israel did in the valley of weeping that I might extinguish these flames with my teares that I might turne them into riuers of teares Lastly not onelie from the outward gates of my lips not onelie from the vnstable wagging messenger of my tongue apt vpon euerie sudden passion to riot for I am not one of those who honour thee with their lips but their heart is farre from thee but out of the depth of my heart from the very bottome of a troubled soule I cry vnto thee Assuredly the heart of man is exceeding deepe it hath many hidden roomes and retreits It conteineth many secret matters whereto the vnderstanding can neuer approach it chambreth many secret sinnes whosoeuer cryeth from this depth vnto thee hee fetcheth his cry farre he cannot but make a forceable battery against thine eares Out of these depths of sinne of afflictions of astonishment and feare out of the depth of humility and sorrow and out of the very depth of my heart I cry vnto thee As Ionas cryed to thee not only out of the depth of the sea but out of the depth of the whales belly so out of all these depths I stretch forth my voice to thee for helpe I cry not for helpe to the world I want no externall comforts and none can giue internall but thou Alasse who will aske an almes of a begger what comfort from confusion what comfort from them who no more vnderstand one another then did the builders of Babell Itis the world which hath betrayed me it is the world which hath vndone me It setteth vs to gather strawes as Pharao did the children of Israel and scourgeth vs when we haue done I will not cast the Anchor of my rest in the stormy vnstable sea of the world It is like a beautifull flower but stincking like a faire reede but of no strength It is rightly termed an hypocrite without faire but within full of corruption and vanitie In sensuall matters it seemeth good but all is nothing but painting and lies Caine who was the first builder of a city vpon earth was the first man who lost his habitation in heauen But onely vnto thee doe I call who art both enclinable to heare and able to helpe Being buried and lost in these bottomlesse depths I find nothing in the world but terrours and despaire of reliefe nothing in my selfe but trembling and dismay no hope of help but only from thee And therfore with all deiection of soule I addresse my spirit to call vpon thee I beseech thee most gentle Father heare my voice Let my humble prayer ascend from the low vale of miserie and teares to thy high throne of maiesty and glory let the secret groanes of my soule and the open cries of my voice haue accesse to thy presence heare I say the inward sorrow and griefe of my heart and the outward confession of my mouth I haue grieuously offended thee by shaking off thy subiection and bearing my selfe rebellious against thee by exposing my selfe to all euill and opposing my selfe against any good When thou wert to me as the sunne is to the earth infusing heat light and life into it I was to thee as the earth is to the sunne sending vp grosse vapours whereby tempests are raised and the sunne obscured I haue offended other men either positiuely by wronging some in their estates or estimations and by wringing and inclining others by my example to euill or else priuatiuelie in not affoording them that good which both by actions and examples I might and should I haue offended the blessed Angels and Saints who are no lesse grieued at sinne then they ioy at conuersion from sinne who as
iustice but helpe to inuoke thy mercies for me Assuredly O my soule the crie of thy complaint hath no greater obstacle then the cry of thy sinnes vntill by repentance the barre be remooued And therefore if thou wouldest haue the LORD to heare the voice of thy complaint first drowne thy sins with teares of repentance then cast away their dead carcasses from thee Away with all the trumperies of the world away with the vanities of pride auarice surfet reuenge away with all impediments of sinne For vnlesse thou abandon thy vanities thou shalt vainely implore the Omnipotent to heare thee He cannot heare a voice proceeding from a heart and lips loaden with iniquities he cannot be mercifull vnlesse thou repent Heare the condition whereupon thou maiest be heard Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vngodly man his cogitations and turne to the LORD and he will haue mercy vpon him Why so thē fauorable LORD So now I here present my selfe before thee not proudly standing vpon my iustifications but with a sad broken spirit from a low deiected heart I humbly turne and breath forth my complaints before thee Hitherto my daies haue I vnprofitably wasted I haue hitherto spent my time in purposing but neuer beginning to pursue But now I turne and come vnto thee stooping and staggering vnder the importable fardage of my flesh euerie where I finde enemies I am grieuous to my selfe both within and without I haue many complaints to present to thee and now sue for a fauouble hearing Shut not thine eares neither hold them as indifferent but inclineable and fauourable to my petitions LORD I acknowledge to thee all my impurities and earnestlie entreate both thy comfort cure Behold how the necessitie of my miserable estate draweth sighes from my heart teares from my eies and complaints from my tongue Yeeld LORD a fauorable eare declare thy selfe so farre from dispising as attentiuely to listen to the voice of my complaint And albeit thou beest in the highest seat of glory and I in the lowest center of sinne yet be pleased to heare for no distance can hinder thy hearing who by thy goodnesse in all places art present The prayers of those who call vpon thee with their heart shall neuer resolue into winde by reason of any distance of place because thou art neere to all those who call vpon thee faithfully And if my sinnes still thrust themselues betweene thy hearing and my complaint If still they step forth to stop thy eares against my voice if they still make a hideous cry to awake thy iustice to quicken thy wrath to make my prayers not onlie vnacceptable but hatefull to thee chase them awhile with one glorious glance of thy eie close a little thy eie of iustice vntill I haue once againe confessed them to thee and presented to thy gentle hearing my petition for grace For I know rightwell that the petitions and confessions of penitent sinners vpon earth are no lesse pleasing and delightfull to thee then are the praises of thy blessed Angels in heauen VERS III. If thou LORD wilt bee extreame to marke what is done amisse O LORD who may abide it 1. GOD is in all places present and how 2 How after a singular manner hee is present 3 The cordes which hold vs captiue to Hell 4 A confession 5 The torments of Hell not sufficient to punish all our sinnes 6 GOD is not only a Father but a LORD and what kinde of LORD 7 The sinner addresseth himselfe to mercy 8 To the Father of mercy 9 All reasonable creatures may sinne and the reason why 10 Wherefore some Angels did not sinne 11 Wherefore all men are obnoxious to sinne 12 Wherefore man was redeemed rather then Angels 13 All men are sinners by nature 14 GODS court of mercy is higher then his court of Iustice. 15 Wherefore a sinner is sayd to be vnprofitable 16 Two wayes to attaine felicity 17 Our Sauiour onely hath gone the way of Iustice. 18 No man can passe but by the way of mercy 19 GOD delighteth to spare sinners 20 We are enioyned to imitate GOD in his mercy 21 The readiest way to attaine mercy 22 A petition for mercy HEauenly LORD Albeit my oppressed soule lieth buried in the deepe loathsome denne of sin yet is there no centre so deepe but thou mayest easily affoord thy hearing For thou fillest heauen and earth in all places thou art present not onely in regard of thy power but in regard of thy true and reall essence For wheresoeuer any thing is that hath a being there art thou also who art the cause of that being for the cause and the effect are necessarily together they doe necessarily cohere the cause doeth necessarily support the effect But after a more singular maner thou art present with those who pray vnto thee euen as the great Prophet Moses doeth in these words assure What nation is so great to whom the GODS come so neere as the LORD our GOD is neere vnto vs in whatsoeuer we call for to him What then shall I say now I am in so neere distance before thee Alasse I am come to speake for my selfe but I canne speake nothing but that which is against me If the holy Patriarch Abraham in speaking to thee did call to mind that hee was but dust and ashes If hee was so humble If hee bare such awfull reuerence to thy Maiestie when hee entreated for others what shall I poore miserable sinner doe when I am about to entreat for my selfe what Dust and Ashes Nay a bottomlesse depth of sinnes and of miseries to whom delight in sinne the power of the diuell and the violence of custome haue beene in stead of three cords or rather cables to hold mee captiue to hell O most high and powerfull Creator when I turne my eyes into my selfe when I make a priuie search in my owne conscience I finde the multitude and varietie of my sinnes to bee such that I esteeme my selfe vtterly vnworthy whom thou shouldest not onely helpe but heare because in comparison of my sinnes the miseries are nothing which I endure I haue so deepely offended thee that in reason I can expect no fauour from thee For what day what hower hath passed in all my life wherein I haue not deserued a world of torments Insomuch as albeit thou shouldest discharge vpon mee all the horrours of hell yet should the greatest part of my offences remaine vnpunished Thou hast spared mee but I haue not spared thee thou hast spared to strike mee with the sword of Iustice but I haue not spared to smite thee with the fist of iniquitie Thou hast shewed thy selfe a Father to mee but I haue not behaued my selfe as a child How shall I looke so good a Father in the face beeing so lewd a child as would disthrone and destroy that good Father if I could Suppose the Father will bee content to forgiue yet it is doubtfull that the LORD will not Hee that forbeareth