sunne riseth higher and higher ouer it vntill it appeare but as a point so as soone as thine anger was risen ouer me O Lord my life my goods and my greatnesse did by little vanish turne to nought so that now behold I am but as the haye spread vpon the ground without grace and without colour they bind it vp in bottles to feede their sheep and al those glorious flowers which before were so sweet fragrant are now bound vp togither with the thistle and hemlocke But what shal I therfore giue ouer all hope Not so my God for thy might is immense and shall neuer decay Thy mercy is infinite shall extend ouer all those that trust in thee One age succeedeth another but the memorial of thy louing kindness shall endure for euer One generation goeth and another generation succeedeth and all shall recount thy praise and magnifie thy goodnes Thou shalt at length arise O Lord and be mercifull vnto Sion for the time approacheth Behold I see it at hand The Riuers doe not sēd so much water into the wide bosome of the Ocean as thy bountie will showre bounty and graces vpon the face of this land Open your hearts O yee people open your hearts wide for the liberall hand of my God will fill you with a holy zeale vvhich shall purifie you and make you as faire beaten gold For the edifice of Sion O Lord is the refuge for thy seruants this is it they loue so well this is it they desire so ardently this is it where they waite for thy mercie this is the temple O Lord which thou wilt destroy in three daies and in three daies build againe to be the mansion of life eternall the seate of saluation the store-house of grace the temple of eternitie Then my God shall the nations stand amazed and the kings of the earth shall tremble at the brightnes of thy glorie What corner of the earth shall bee so secret but that thither also shall spread the fruit of thy blessed comming What people shall there bee so remote from the sunne so confined in darknes which shall not open their eyes to behold the glorious lustre of saluation which shall shine vnto them The heauen shall encrease the number of his lampes to giue light at thy glorious entrance into the world and kings shall come from far to doe homage to the King of Kings and Lord of heauen and earth For hee hath exalted his throane in Sion with great and magnificent preparation there shall men see him enuironed with glory and obscuring the Sun Moon with the brightness of his countenance But wherfore hast thou O Lord so highly exalted the throne of thy glory Is it to this end that thou mightest contemne the humble prayers of thy faith full seruants and to neglect all the world which is nothing in comparison to thy greatness Ah nay my Lord. Thou hast therefore set thy self in a place so eminent to the end that all the inhabitants of the earth might see acknowledge thee to bee their God and to run to thee for grace and mercy for thou art euer ready prest to incline to the humble call of thy seruants and neuer disdainest their pitifull request Look now vpon them al arraignd like poore prisoners condemned to the chaine who attend the view of some King to bee by him deliuered at the day of his coronation Euen so deliuer these O Lord who are sold vnder the slauery of sinne and at the turne of thine eye all their irons shall fall from them Then shall they be heard to chaunt out the song of glory to the victorious king their voice shall bee heard throughout all the parts of the earth and the memoriall of thy singular bounty and infinite mercy shall bee engrauen in mens harts to remain from generation to generation to all posteritie The Earth shall melt away the waters shall be dried vp the aire shal vanish the heauens shall passe away and be no more but the memoriall of thine aboundant kindnes O eternall God shall endure for euer Thou art the euerlasting God who hast daind to cast down thine eyes from heauen to behold the neathermost parts of the Earth to take notice of their torments who lye fast bound in the depth who hast heard their groanings and immediately runne to their succour to vnbinde and set at liberty these poore prisoners and their whole posteritie Death hath vanquished them by the strength of sin and had shutte them vp in darke dungeons but the Lord of life hath conquered death and hath giuen full deliuerance That so they might declare thy praise O Lord in Sion and proclaim thy clemencie in Hierusalem But though euery one of them had an hundred tongues though their voice were as strong as thunder yet would they not bee able to reach vnto the greatness of thy glory though all the parts of the world conspire in one to represent in their motions some part of thy might and infinite bounty yet can they reach no further for these are depths and the depths of depths which haue no bottom nor bound and which wee are not able to see but a far off Let it then suffice O my God that thy people assembled revnited both in body and minde doe vvith humble deuotion offer vp vnto thee the wil they haue to honour thee for the effect is not able to approach to that which to thee is due Let it be acceptable in thy sight O Lord that the kings of the earth doe prostrate themselues at thy feet and do tender that homage and seruice which is due to thee as to their soueraigne Lord. They shall lay down their scepters on the earth and their crownes at their feet and shall present an innocent conscience as a sacrifice of an humble deuotion I will bee the first O my God that wil prostrate my self before thee to worship and serue thee with my whole heart On thee onely will I fixe my thoughts to thee will I consecrate my spirit Quicken it O Lord that beeing purified with the sacred ardour of thy loue it may as a most pure mirrour receiue in it the image of thy incomprehensible beauty and perfection and may feele in it selfe the reflexion of thy sincere amitie vntill thy infinite beautie shall associate it vnto the number of thine elect to be with them coheir of euerlasting life Now my God doe I feele that thou hast enlightened my soule with thy grace and haue first felt the fauor which thou wilt bestowe vpon the sons of men My spirit hath already seen a far off how thou wilt come to redeeme the world but it feareth it shall dye before thy comming and this is the cause why it hath cried vnto thee saying Tell me O Lord what shall be thee course of mine age when thou wilt ende my dayes Cut not off the thread of my life O
countenance when casting thine eye vpon vs thou shalt pierce the bottome of our hearts and discouer al the secrets of our impure consciences Our abhominable sins will draw down vpon our heads thy iust indignation and thine anger once kindled against vs wil violently cast and plunge vs into that horrid and griefly gulfe of hopelesse tormēts and endlesse misery O then let the sorrowfull sobs of a trembling heart preuent thy fury and indignanation and before thy sin-reuenging hand be stretched out for my ruine and destruction giue eare vnto my feeble fainting voice which with woful laments crieth vnto thee Haue mercy O Lord haue mercy vpon me Alas my God what wilt thou doe Wilt thou proue the strength of thy forces vpon mine infirmities and will thy matchlesse might wrestle with my weaknes Is it to contend with thy puissance that I present my selfe before thee Oh no it is thy clemencie O Lord to which I flye for succour she it is vnder whose wings I shrowde my selfe as the onely shielde and Sanctuarie which can preserue me from the rigour of that iust doome which I haue most iustly deserued Lord vouchsafe me a calme and mercifull aspect And since I haue made haste to flye vnto thy Mercy-seate make no long tarrying O my God but send mee succour and deliuer me from so many euills which haue compassed and hemm'd me in on euery side and wherwith I haue been so sore assailed that my bones are bruised and broken and my feeble body languisheth But well were it if my body alone were oppressed by these cruell encounters my very soule is euen ouerlayed with anguish and heauiness This soule O Lord which hath sometime been enflamed with the zeale of thy glorie and hath sung of thy praise in the great Congregation is now become desolate deiected destitute of comfort and depriued of all courage as the fearefull doue at the voice of thy thunder hasteth to hide her selfe in her hole so is she ready to flye into the most obscure darknes from the terror of thy fearfull indignation But how long shall thine anger continue O Lord Come O come my God and cast downe thine eye of pitty and compassion vpon mee which is sufficient to deface and abolish not my sinnes alone but euen the sinnes of the whole world My soule is plunged in the filth foule puddle of iniquitie shee sticketh fast in the bottom the floods run ouer her vnto thee O Lord doth shee stretch out her hand O plucke her out and bring her againe into the wayes of thy sauing health Saue her O Lord euen for thy boundlesse bounty and thy matchlesse mercies sake True it is that merite shee hath none and how should shee expect succour from him whom shee hath so shamefully forsaken and against whose honour shee hath so treacherously conspired The price of such a forfeit is not grace and fauour but hell and neuer-dying death But who shall praise thee O Lord in the pit or who shall sing of thy name amongst the dead There is the house of mourning weeping howling Who hath there any feeling saue only of vnsupportable torments and hopelesse miseries whereas on the contrarie thy praise consisteth in the publishing of thy infinite louing kindnes bounty and clemency 6 And now behold on the one side true Repentance intercedeth on the other side humble Prayer importuneth for me both of them hauing sworne neuer to depart from me vntill they haue procured a recōciliation for me Thou hast seen my teares O Lord and heard my sighes euery day wash I my cheekes with teares at the remembrance of my sinnes and water my couch euerie night with the streames of of water that gush out of mine eyes Yea what is it that Repentance commandeth and I obserue not 7 Mine eyes are cast down as trembling at the terror of thine angry countenance I doe not answere to the reproach of mine enemies and their contumelious taunts I patiently put vp as a iust punishment for my faults Euen in their sight doe I walke with sack-cloth and ashes vpon mine head and confession in my mouth I lye prostrate at the foote of thine aultar I macerate and fight against the flesh which hath betraied my soule to sinne and all my griefe is but a sport vnto mine enemies they come about mee but to laugh at mee and the drunkards make songs on me But now since it hath pleased thee to haue mercy on me I wil say vnto them Away away from mee all ye children of iniquitie and cease henceforth to reioice at my miserie the Lord hath heard my prayer my teares haue quencht his anger and loe now hath hee restored me ioy and peace with the full fruition of his bounty the glorious splendour of his grace hath shined vpon me and loe the darke clouds and threatening tempests which hanged ouer my head are in a trice all dispearsed and gone No sooner had I opened my lippes to call vpon him for succour yea no sooner had my heart resolued to cry to him for mercie but straight I perceiued his grace spread ouer me to comfort and refresh my languishing soule no lesse then the benumd members of a wearied pilgrim are suppled and refresht by a warme bath after his toilsome trauell O incredible clemencie how ready art thou O Lord to forgiue I runne to offend thee and thou flyest to bestowe thy grace on mee I haue employed all the daies of my life to finde out by sea and by land matter for my ambition couetousnes lustes and inconstancy and when I had plunged ruined my selfe in my pleasures thou in a moment camst downe and didst deliuer mee So that now behold how I triumph ouer my sins which base and abiect doe follow the trophees of my repentance since it hath found fauour in thy fight And now also my hope which before was as it were strangled with my many misdeedes being reuiued and his spirits quickened doth promise and assure vnto mee more then all the Empires of the world opening vnto mee the highest heauens where after the blessed end of an hopefull life in this world I shall enioy the full fruition of diuine immortalitie What will then become of mine enemies when they shall see my felicitie Their meed shall bee confusion of face and disquietnes of soule they shal flye with distraction and amazement to see him so highly exalted vvhome they had sought to lay so lowe These are they that made a mock at mine ashes that derided my fastings that reioyced at my teares and whilest I through abstinence did fight against the flesh the bitter enemy of my soule did euen swim in the delights of this bewitching world but lo the arme of the Lord is stretched out to beate downe their insolency O my God giue them a feeling of their offences and cause them to know acknowledge the extreame danger wherein they are that so they may
saluation which shineth vnto them out of thy word I cease not my God to warne them but they render mee euill for good and make a mocke of whatsoeuer I doe to please thee and bee an example to them they traduce and slander mee in the open streets and impose vpon mee a thousand wrongful imputations I confesse O Lord I now beginne to lose patitience But O my God repaire mine infirmitie and forsake me not for else I shall stumble as a little child at the first precipice that shall lye in my way Increase in mee O Lord strēgth courage to ouercom my affliction and keep mee vnder the shadow of thy wings giuing me euermore constancie and perseuerance and bee vnto mee as a tender-hearted mother which can not but tender him her dugges as oft as her babe cries for it Nourish mee then O Lord vvith the milke of thy sacred loue that so encreasing from strength to strength I may bee able to walke night and day in thy pathes which leade vnto that saluation the hope whereof shineth in thy promises that if my sinne present it selfe to stoppe mee in my way I may open the floudgates of mine eyes and neuer shutte them vntill I haue drowned and sunke it with my teares Psalme 51. Miserere mei Deus HAue mercy vpon me my God according to thy great clemencie and for thy boundless mercies sake forgiue me the punishment which I haue iustly deserued For if thou expect vntill my fastings watchings and prayers shal satisfie for my sinne alas Lord when can this bee My trespasse reacheth frō earth vnto heauen and surpasseth in immensitie of greatnes Who then is able to compasse it or bring it down saue only thy sacred mercie which as far surpasseth the measure of our sinnes as the greatness of thy iustice is beyond ours It is thy mercie O Lord which compasseth this vniuerse which holdeth togither the whole frame of this world which otherwise is readie to dissolue and fall vpon our heads to burie through his ruine the memory of our sinnes to destroy from before thy face our ingrate disloyall and felonious race which disclaimeth her birth creation and preseruation all which it holdeth of thy bountie O then let this mercifull bounty which shineth in thy Diuinitie now extend it selfe vnto me not sparingly or niggardly but fully and plentifully As thou didst once cause the waters to passe their bounds and couer the toppes of the highest mountaines to extirpate and sweepe away the wicked inhabitans of the earth so now cast out the torrent of thy mercie vpon mee O Lord not to swallow mee vp but to bathe mee and clense mee from my wickednesse But let it not content thee O Lord once to haue made mee cleane and to say how thou hast regenerated and washed me in the bloud of thy chaste and innocent lamb for thou diddest not make me so white and pure but thou maiest now finde mee as foule and vncleane I haue plunged my selfe into the depth of filth I am so besmeared and so disfigured that thou wilt not acknowledge mee for thine Yea it maketh me demaund sometimes of my selfe vvhether I be hee whom thy hands haue created and my heart is so ful of shame and confusion that it dareth not resolue me O my God thou hast created me of durt clay and behold I am become such as I was before thou spreddest thine hand ouer me I haue despoyled me of my strength and my beauty to reuest my selfe in mire and filth But wherefore O Lord dost thou not forme and fashion mee anew Is thy hand shortned is thy willingness to shewe mercie to thy creature fallen away Oh thou that art Almightie Oh thou that art euen goodnes it selfe wherfore art thou so slack O Lord thine own worke is become obstinate against thee and taketh pleasure in disfiguring and disforming it selfe be thou as obstinate against thy worke to make it faire and perfect in despight of it But O my God I will no longer stand out in mine owne conceit against thee hold and take mee to thee turne me as thou wilt put a new print vpon this clay renew it put a new stampe vpon it for loe it is prest to follow thy will But when thou hast fashioned me anew do not then leaue me to my self O Lord Put thy bridle within my mouth that it may through abstinence allay that gourmandizing which fouleth it through chastitie it may coole the shamelesse heates of lustes which enflame it through humilitie it may beate downe that pride and arrogance which biting enuie hath bred in it that cōpassionate charitie may driue from it hatefull and greedy couetize that a care to serue and worship thee my bee as a spurre alwaies in the sides of lazie and fetarde negligence For otherwise O my God too much haue I proued how I shall bee handled by these troopes of vices which enuiron mee They will deface and throwe downe in such sort thy handie work that when thou shalt come thou shalt finde onely the shells and shiuers all broken and bruised I haue known them too well these are they that haue brought me to that state wherin I now stand and loe they stand in aray round about me reproaching mee and vpbrayding mee with these blottes wherewith they themselues haue defiled mee and making me guilty of those iniuries which they haue done me I haue sinned I confesse O my God I haue sinned loe I offer vnto thee the bottome of my heart take a view of my whole life I haue sinned in the fight of heauen and earth and all the world is witness of my fault But if I had not sinned how could thy mercy be shewed how wouldest thou acquite thee of thy promises of grace which thou hast so long before proclaimed by the mouth of thy holie Prophets When thou shalt come to sit vpon thy eternall throne of iustice who would feare thee if we were all iust But that men may know and acknowledge thy greatness it is meete that when we shal appear before thee wee cast downe our selues humbly vpon our face and cry O sweet Lord we will not stand in our owne defence before thee our fault is too manifest but behold our pardon is in our hand thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs loe it is signed with thy bloud sealed with thy image which for our redemption hath been printed in the infirmitie of our flesh Thinkest thou my GOD that when I shall appear before thee I will put any confidence in mine owne innocencie or dare to iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas I know Lord I was no sooner borne but I sinned my mother looked to bee deliuered of a childe and loe a lumpe of sinne How much better had it beene if such fruite had prov'd abortiue which shameth the tree that bare it the earth that nourished it and the ayre that breathed vppon it I did nourish my selfe with
Lord at the first or second turne of the spindle and take mee not away in the middle of my course Let me liue O my God vntill the time come wherein thou shalt open the treasures of thy graces to bestowe among men the largesse of saluation or at least if thou hast so determined of mine ende that my life may not continue till then remember my posteritie and let him spring of my race that by his comming shall redeeme and sanctifie the earth I know O Lord that thou hast from the beginning fashioned the heauen and the earth and whatsoeuer is good and excellent in the world is the worke of thine hands But all the vniuersal shall wax old as doth a garment they vanish away and shall be no more to be found it hath been created and it shall bee dissolued it hath had a beginning and must haue an ende But thou O Lord art from euerlasting and thou shalt continue the same for euer Time and continuance which consume all things doe onely serue to confirme thy being and to publish thy diuinitie and men do liue vpon the earth that they may contemplate on the one side thine incomprehensible greatnesse and on the other side their owne infirmitie Man goeth from place to place the same land doth change her inhabitants one driueth out another and all is renewed in a moment but thou my GOD art yesterday and to day and the same for euer Euery province of the earth can reckon vp great numbers of Kings which haue raigned one after another but the the heauen and the earth doe continually sing that thou hast euer been God alone alwaies admirable alone and that thy goings out and thy commings in haue euer beene vvithout change Now O Lord when I shall depart hence I doe verely beleeue that I shal taste of that sweet fruit which shall heale vs of this contagious maladie which hath been deriued from our first Parents for eating the forbidden fruit of death and sinne For our children shal come after vs and thou O Lord shalt continue our posteritie vntill wee shall come to appeare togither before thy face not to receiue a rigorous doome but by the merit and intercession of thy beloued Son to enter into that inheritance of euerlasting blessednesse which shall be giuen to all thy faithfull by the adoption of the sonnes in the family of thy seruant Dauid Psalme 130. De profundis OVt of the deepe bottome of the depth I cryed vnto thee my God lost couered in the fearefull cauernes of the earth I called vppon thy name Hearken vnto my voice giue eare vnto my prayer For all hope of succour was gone I looked about mee and behold nothing but horrour and fearfulness yet haue I not lost courage but waited for that which thou hast promised to all those who liue in feare of thy name and are obedient to thy commandements Bow down then O Lord a fauourable eare to my complaint If sinne haue interposed it selfe betweene thee and me to exasperate thee against mine offences and to mooue thee against my prayer which I make vnto thee driue it out of the sight of thine eye of mercie or rather O Lord close for a while thine eye of iustice vntil the eare of thy clemencie haue receiued my confession the humble request which I make vnto thee For I come not to stand vppon mine owne iustification but vpon thy gentleness and bounty If thou shouldst keepe a register of our faults and cal vs to a strict account for them who could endure O Lord the rigour of thy iudgement What day is there of my whole life that deserueth not a whole age of torments Thou mightest bring vpon mee all the punishments of hell and yet the greater part of my sinnes remain vnpunished But thou art ready to receiue to mercie the sinner that commeth to thee with confession in the mouth and contrition in the heart No sooner hath he looked toward thy mercie but he feeleth it work in him breaking and dissoluing sinne which had frozen his heart with feare and amazement The punishment vvhich hangeth ouer his head departeth farre from him carying away with it this miserable carefulnes which is a hel to the coÌ„sciences contaminated with iniquitie For this cause O Lord would I neuer vtterly forsake thy lawe but haue alwaies attended when it would please thee to bee gracious vnto me For hee that is ill aduised and desperate in his sin and abandoneth his soule as past recouerie doth like to the abhominable vsurer who because he hath suffered some losse of goods goes and hangs himselfe My soule hath not done so for euen then when she felt thine hand heauie vpon me exacting part of the punishment which my faults had merited yet did shee still hold fast the hope in thy promises When the stripes vvere multiplyed vpon my back I cryed vnto thee O Lord Thy wil be done only giue me as much strength as affliction Measure my paine according to my vigour and if thou encrease my â—orment augment my couâ—age and so hast thou dealt with me O Lord. Let all true Israelites therfore both day night but their coÌ„fidence in God â—ook vpon him and to him â—lone for all their succour â—or his succour is readie â—nd neuer faileth those that with integritie of conscience and puritie of wil call vpon him Though their trouble be great terrible as soone as the Lord doth incline his eare to their cry so soone shall they finde themselues deliuered For he aboundeth with mercie and neuer faileth to succor those who make their recourse to him Insomuch that his bountie taketh away all the sorrow that we had for beeing sinners and makes vs as it were reioice that we had fallen as at the cause for which wee haue had such trial of his mercy for if our faults surmount measure his grace exceedeth all imagination Wee haue deserued a long and hard captiuitie but loe he hath deliuered vs and set vs at most sweet libertie wee haue blinded the eyes of our vnderstanding and lo â—ee commeth to illighten â—s O Israel ye haue sinned against the Lord yee haue made a mocke at his lawe and sported your selues in â—he breach of his commandements and forgotten his â—ounty so plentifully powâ—ed vpon you He hath freed thee from miserable bondage he hath â—ed thee with bread from â—eauen hee hath made â—â—reames to gush out of the â—ard rocke to giue thee drinke he hath giuen thee the most delicious garden of the earth for thine habitation he hath made a couenant with thee made thee know his will But ye haue conspired against his honour gone a whoring after strange Gods and troden his lawe vnder your feet in a word ye haue merited all the punishments of hell and yet still doth he offer himselfe most graciously vnto thee he will redeeme thee with the price of his
all time and occasion of repentance For those that runne vnto sinne and doe voluntarily neglect to repent when they know their fault and haue time to repent deferring to cry for mercy or to make a deluge flow from their eyes vntil the end of their liues it is greatly to bee feared that they deceiue themselues and that true repentance will hardly after so long time enter into their hardened hearts that their teares and weeping will be but the wayling of men in desperation and that thy mercie will lend but a deaf eare to their too late repentance But as for mee I come vnto thee in an acceptable time as to my refuge and the marke whereat my hope aimed and my onely comfort in my tribulation which had enuironed me euen as the feare seiseth vpon him who is condemned to a shameful end O then let mee taste of that ioy which hee hath in his heart who is freed from his chaines enlarged out of prison and healed of his paine wherein his enemy had long time held him captiue And on the contrarie let the enemie of my soule bee confounded with shame when hee shall see me so deuoutly calling vpon my God for aide who in the very turning of his eye can free me from that voluntarie seruitude which I had vowed vnto wicked pleasure When I was on me He hath not onely exalted mee aboue other creatures giuing me the vse of diuine reason but also amongst men hath hee exalted me into the throne of honour and magnificence so that nothing was remaining for the accomplishing of my felicitie but onely to know my owne felicitie and after I had forgotten mine owne estate hee did enlighten mee by his holy light and gaue mee both time and will to lament my life passed and to amend it for the time to come Be warned then by mee O my friends and whilst it is time runne vnto him for grace for hee himselfe doth call you into the way of saluation and bee not like the selfe-wilde Mule which hath no vnderstanding or iudgement but kicketh against him that pricketh her to make her go right whose mouth must bee held with bit and bridle whose sides must feele the sharpe remembrance of the spurre And so if at the first summons which the Lord shall send to cause you returne into his wayes you will not be obedient to his will hee shall raine vpon you such a haile of miseries as shall make you more miserable then miserie it selfe You see the starres that glitter in the heauens and the sand stretched vpon the shoare but neither hath the heauens so many starres nor the sea so much sand as are the plagues and punishments which remaine for the obstinate sinners Their owne wickednes hangeth ouer their heads mischiefe attends at their heeles vntill they fall headlong into that gulf the very remembrance whereof is full of horrour the sweetest retraites whereof are but plaints cries shreekes and sorrowfull sobbes where is paine without end griefe without remedie repentāce without mercy where they are alwaies dying and neuer dead where the bodie liueth onely to die and the soule only to suffer torments where the soule feeleth nothing but sinne and the bodie nothing but paine On the contrarie they who flye vnto the Lord and the couert of his grace who shielde themselues vnder his mercy and put their trust in his bountie who follow his cōmandement and are zealous to doe his will vnto what height of happinesse doe they aspire What thing is there so precious in heauen that shal be hid from them they shall sit by their God and all enuironed with glorie shall bee inuested with greater happinesse then the spirit of man is able to conceiue the least part therof much lesse my faultring tongue able to expresse I will bee glad therefore and reioice O my God to think how great good thou hast laide vp in the heauens wherewith to crown the iust And I inuite you all to reioice with me who haue sworn vnto the words of our Sauiour and loue the straight path of his iustice Here must you attend the recompence of your trauell here shall you bee placed in honour and glory here shall you chaunge your rude thornes of the world for the beautifull flowre-delice of heauen O how gracious and sweet repose shall you then find after the sweat of your afflictions The golde is not more pure and glorious after it hath beene refined in the furnace and made readie to receiue the stampe and image of a great Prince or serue for an ornament to some rich cabinet then the heart of him who loueth his God when it commeth pure out of the furnace of the worlds miseries to bee decked with splendor and glorie What is there that can content mee in this world What shall stay or hinder me from entring into the house of the Lord to liue for his seruice How shal I forget to deplore all the dayes of my life my sinnes which had put his grace so farre from mee Reconcile then in mee O my God these two Passions of repentance and consolation that as the wandring Pilgrim hauing lost his waye in the wilderderness reioyceth when he seeth the day to dawne and yet forgetteth not the obscure darknes whence hee is yet scarce freed and can not as yet wholy cast off the feare which he had of so tedious a night so I may euer retaine some horrour of my faults passed and yet haue a certaine and ioyfull hope of eternall happiness which thou hast purchased for mee with the precious price of the bloud of thy most deare sonne Oh how great is this loue when the Mr. spareth not the life of his onely Son to redeeme his slaue And now since I haue been formed and fashioned by thy hands purchased and redeemed with thy bloud and purified and clensed by thy mercy I will offer vp my selfe before thee as a sacrifice of obedience cast mee not away O my God Domine ne in furore Psalme 38. IT is high time for me O Lord to turne again vnto thee and againe as an humble suppliant to implore thy mercy For I feele thine anger to waxe hote against mee Alas my God wilt thou chastise mee in thine anger and make mee to feele the violence of thy iust indignation which my sinnes haue prouoked against mee The flame hath euen consumed mee and the fire of thy fury hath eaten me vp and I am ready to vanish away into smoake For I feele O my God the arrowes of thy vengeance sticke fast in me and and I am pressed down vnder thy heauy hand The remorse terrours of my conscience do astonish me and bruise mee like flashes of lightning and thunderbolts euill commeth vpon mee as a snare and one mischiefe ouer-taketh another No sooner is warre ended but Pestilence assaults mee and in the ende Death hath taken from me my dearest pledge which I haue in this
sinne when I was yet in my mothers wombe I sucked it in with her milke and lo it is so growen vp with me that it ouer-shadoweth my head and casteth a miste before mine eyes But when I see the eyes of my bodie so seeled with sin which compasseth me I opē the eyes of my soule and begin to discerne a far off the rayes of thine infallible trueth and acknowledge the marueilous secrets of wisedome which thou hast manifested to me Then my soule abandoning the impuritie of my bodie lifteth it selfe to heauen vieweth the circuite thereof and casting her eye vpon the book of life there doth she peruse the treatie of the newe Couenaunt which thou hast made with men and after returning into her miserable bodie doth fill it with hope of ioy promising it assured victorie ouer sinne For shee hath learned in heauen that thou wilt take a branch of odoriferous hysope in thine hand wilt sprinkle vpon me the water of purification thou wilt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow there shal no more sportes of sinnes appeare in me What pure lee shall this bee O Lord which made of the cinders of my sinnes consumed by the fire of thy loue with the water of those teares which my repentance hath distilled from my heart and in the sun of thy grace shall wash away our weeping and shall breede in vs spiritual ioy and in the end shall whiten in the puritie and candor of iustice to make vs hereafter shine as the starres in the firmament Then shall no sound enter into our eares but of that ioifull trumpet of saluation which shall proclaime grace and mercie to all that will receiue them Then shall wee see our carcasses which were consumed with rottenness rise vp out of their beds to be partakers of this vniuersall ioy wherevnto thou hast inuited the vvhole world But that I may appeare before thee in such honourable attire as is befitting such honourable magnificence treade downe O my God all my faults vnder foote burie them in the centre of the earth that no eye may bee able to see them make an euerlasting separation betwixt me and mine iniquitie which at this present I forsake and from whom I vow an irrevocable diuorce Receiue my soule which I offer vnto thee make it pure and cleane renewe in my heart such a spirite as shall conceiue nothing but truth and holiness Make it O Lord God a temple for thy holy spirit to dwell in that henceforth all my thoughts may breath out nothing but the praises of my God that thy will bee alway imprinted in my breast and thy glorie written in my lippes When thou hast so reuested and adorned mee with pietie and integritie then shall I bee assured that nothing can separate mee from thy presence and then as the true eagle looketh right vpon the sunne so will I fixe my eyes vppon the face of thine eternitie and shall beholde in thy maruellous and glorious countenance all the perfections which I am not able now to conceiue O let thy sacred spirite neuer more dislodge from my hart for hee it is which vpon the wings of zealous loue shall carrie me into thy bosome there to make me partaker of thine heauenly ioyes Make me then euermore to taste the sweetnes of this immortall life saue mee speedily from the rockes of this world which on euerie side threaten shippewracke And as the Mariner now comne vnto the hauen crowneth the maste of his shippe with garlands in signe of safetie so crown me my God with the precious giftes of thine holy spirit for pledges of euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast promised mee I say of thy spirit which raigneth among thy faithfull which giueth faith to thine elect loue to thy beloued and hope to them whom thou hast predestinated And so whilst my soule shal abide in this exile waiting when thou shalt call him home I will teach thy wayes vnto the wicked by following which they may please thee and will direct them how to passe through the darknesse of this world without stumbling at such offences as daily offer themselues they shall beleeue mee and so be conuerted vnto thee O father of light they shall receiue thy faith into their hearts and shall walke in thine obedience I know O Lord that some will against my voice stoppe their eares and obstinately persist in their vices they will conspire my death and seeke to drench their barbarous crueltie with my bloud Deliuer me from their hands O God and preserue mee that I may declare thy iustice and pronounce their condemnation I will foretell their wretchednes and they shall feele it yea as soon as I haue made an ende of speaking it thy hand shall smite them and no sooner shal thy hands haue smitten them but they shal be broken like a Potters vessell and come to sodaine destruction Then shalt thou open my lippes and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise declare thy victory the aire shall bee calme the winde shall cease the riuers shall stay their course to hearken to my voice whilst it shall chaunt resound the maruellous actes of the eternall God For thy praise shall euer be the sacrifice which I will offer vnto thee and which shall bee euer acceptable in thy sight I would ere this haue filled thine aultars with the bloud of beasts I would haue slaine a thousand oxen a thousand sheep to thine honour but bloud doth stinke in thy nostrils thou art not pleased with flesh the smoke of such offerings doth but vanish in the ayre and can not ascend vp vnto thee it is the voice alone of a righteous man vvhich findeth passage into heauen and therin is presented vnto thee Oh how acceptable a sacrifice before thee is a hart pierc't with repentance an hart humbled and deiected in the knowledge of its sins neuer shall such a one be reiected For the way to ascend vnto thee is to descēd in our selues to touch the heauens we must fall down grouelling vpon the earth to bee heard of thee wee must bee silent and to bee crowned in thy kingdome wee must suffer paine and affliction in this vvorld These are the sacrifices by which wee must make an attonement to thee and enter into that couenaunt which thou hast appointed And if thou wilt O Lord that we offer oxen and buls that wee make thine aultar fatte with the bloude of beasts if thou wilt that by the death of the innocent holocaust wee shall represent the death and innocencie of him whom thou hast destinied for the redemption of our soules if the figuring of that which is to come in the person of that immaculate lamb bee acceptable in killing of Sheepe and Rammes O then look downe with thy eye of pitie vpon thy poore people comfort thy distressed Sion giue courage to her poore inhabitants that they may repayre the
decayed walles of thy holy citie and build vp thy temple though not with that glory which thou deseruest yet with as great as the riches of this world will retch vnto Thither then shal all thy faithfull flocke come from all parts to sacrifice vnto thee and there shalt thou accept the propitiation for their sins But O my God it is neither the bloud nor death of beasts which can wash away their offences the expiation of their disobedience and stubbornnesse is prepared from all eternitie This is that inestimable sacrifice that immaculate holocaust which shall take away the veile dispell the darknesse breake the partition wall to make vs see face to face the truth of our saluation to make the bright beames of mercie shine vpon vs and to resume vs vnto the communion of that eternall happinesse from vvhich wee of our selues had fallen O most merciful God which hast opened the eyes of mine vnderstanding to see the mysterie of my saluation make me O Lord by a liuely faith to taste of that fruite which flourished vpon the tree of the Crosse and shall quicken with his iuice mortified soules preserue and heale vs for euer from that miserie and calamitie which hath so miserably fallen vpon the race of man hath been deriued from the first to the last through their disobedience Psalme 102. Domine exaudi O Lord I haue long cryed vnto thee for mercie and am still to attend on thee for succour The ayre is filled with my cryes the windes haue carried the voice of my complaint to the ende of the earth and thine eare which heareth mee from the depth of hell doth not hearken vnto my prayer which pierceth vnto the very heauens Wilt thou then O Lord be only deafe to mee and shall all the world heare my moane before thee No no my God thou hast been absent from mee too long to reiect me now when I come vnto thee for succour Turne not away thy face from mee O Lord now when so many thousands of griefes lay hold on mee and so many mischiefes assault me Alas I haue placed all my hope of rising in the milde looke of thy countenance I haue forsaken the world to draw neere vnto thee I haue abandoned the children of the earth to ioin my selfe to the Maister of heauen and wilt thou now forsake mee O doe not so good Lord but assist and strengthen my weakness all the dayes of my life that as soone as I shall lift my voice vnto thee so soone I may feele the comfort of thy presence and let thy grace speedily descend vpon mee as an Eagle hasteth to succour her yong For vnlesse thou assist me how shal I be able to fight against the enemies of my soule My strength faileth me and my life dayly consumeth as a smoake that vanisheth away into nought the same eye that seeth it rise out of the fire seeth it also dispersed in the same moment seeth both its beginning and its ende man may looke after it and loe not so much as the trace therof it selfe He that hath noted the small branches cutte off the trees and laide in the sunne how soone they lose both sappe and verdeur may suppose hee seeth my bones which are dryed vp and fallen away and fit for nothing but a Tombe A Tombe no doubt might make me happy if a small graue could stay the course of my most extreame miserie Hee that hath seene the grasse cut down in the medowes how it fadeth changeth his liuely hewe withereth let him looke vpon my face so wan and pale that I looke like death it selfe My heart is scorched in the midst of my entralls and my bloud is dryed vp within my veines because I remember not to put bread within my mouth and forget to take my daily repast My mouth serueth mee but to lament and crye and the voice of my daily complaints is so strong that it spendeth all the rest of my vigour so that my bodie consuming with heauiness falleth away by little and little now my bones appear most wofully through my skin Why then doe I care to remaine any longer in this bodie the subiect of my misery Why doe I watch to preserue this life which wrestleth against so many miseries which is cleane spent with so many afflictions Were it not much better for mee with the ende of my life to ende my miseries The Pellicane that in the solitarie deserts of Egypt tormenteth her selfe vvith grief to haue slain her yong ones besprinkles them with her owne bloud to restore them that life which she had taken frō them is not more sorrowful thē I nor maketh more grieuous moane then I. Hath not my sin procured the death of my dearest child which I loued more then my selfe And now that I haue already spent all my teares the bloud is readie to spring forth of my eies least my plaints should faile in so woefull a case But the Pelican redeemeth her young by the price of her bloud and I miserable wretch shall bee vtterly depriued of the child which I so tenderly affect I forsake the day and the light and confine my selfe in the obscure darknes as a dolefull Owle which goeth not out of her hole vntill the night with his sable mantle haue couered the earth I watch continually and take no rest I seeke to hide me from mischiefe which commeth vpon mee as an armed man I am quite discomfited my courage faileth mee I doe nothing but search for a corner to hide me in euen as a solitarie sparrow which beaten with winde and raine doth seek some couerture where shee may shrowde her selfe from the raine and also receiue some heate from the sunne Mine enemies seeing me thus deiected reuile mee and make a mocke of my misery they that vvere wont to make much of me in stead of condoling with me in mine affliction haue conspir'd against me What shall wee then account of the goods of this world when the greatest riches a man can attaine vnto is to haue many friends and yet friends are so double that they make small reckoning of violating their faith Behold my glorie is decayed the floure of my beautie is fallen away and withered for I haue cast ashes vpon my bread and mingled my drinke with teares But shall I for this bee still a laughing stocke to this wicked race of infidels I am come indeed before thy face in the day of thy displeasure thou hast laide vpon me the arme of vengeance and it hath beaten me downe and laid me in the dust I had magnified my self among men and loe now am I brought lowe O vaine presumption to what height hast thou made mee mount to giue mee the greater fall Alas what could I finde in my selfe which could breed in my hart so high a selfe-conceit As the shadow of a body decreaseth by little and little according as the
bloud from the slauerie of sin to which thou hadst of thine own accord bound thy selfe Behold him who himselfe payeth the ransome for those that haue betrayed him vvho taketh vppon himselfe the punishment of our backsliding and the paiment of our forfeit With what words shall we render him thankes Open my lippes my God my Creator my Redeemer that my voice may bee lifted vp in that measure as mine heart is enflamed with a boyling affection to giue thee praise and thankes and to abase my selfe in the knowledge of my self that I may rouse vp my spirits in the knowledge of that sacred mysterie whereby wee are reincorporated with thee and admitted againe to thy couenant to enter into this blessed participation of glorie wherein all those shall triumph who shall be partakers of the merite of the passion of thy welbeloued Sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Psalme 143. Domine exaudi O Lord man is weary in the ende of all things the continuance of his course putteth him out of breath too much seeing dimmeth and dazeleth his eyes the clatering sound deafeth his eares but the more I crye unto thee the stronger is my voice my courage increaseth and my prayer is the more pleasing to mee and all because I begin my daily petitions with Lord heare my prayer and giue eare to my supplication for in praying to thee my God consisteth al my comfort This is my prayer O Lord which doth coniure thy clemencie to expiate my sinnes not by the rigour of thy punishment but by the effect of thy grace whereby thou hast abolished cast away from thy soueraigne and powerfull might and maiesty the memory of mine offences Deale not then in iustice with thy seruant neither giue him ouer to the rigour of thy lawe for of all men â—â—uing that shal appeare before the seate of thy iudgement no man shall bee iustified no man shall escape this fearefull condemnation the punishment whereof is horrible and the horrour immortall Alas O Lord who can iustifie himselfe before thee It is thou that art offended it is thou that shalt accuse vs it is thou that hast seene our faults and wilt beare witnesse it is thou that wilt iudge vs. When the accuser shall be witness and the witnesse iudge what shall then become of the guiltie what cause shall serue to cleare him But I will not stand out O Lord to come to this issue I will arme me with thy grace and oppose that as a buckler to thy iustice Thy grace is procured by the acknowledgement of our faults humbling of our spirit Loe I lye prostrate before thy feete confessing my sinne O Lord haue mercie vpon me My sinne O my God the capitall enemie of my soule hath so discomfited and beaten me down that I goe groueling vppon the earth not daring to lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen For as soone as I lift vp mine eyes loe the light shineth vpon mee to bring vnto light all my manifold offences which accuse my conscience And I feele withall shame to couer my face a face vnworthy to looke vp vnto heauen the king whereof it hath so grieuously offended a face too cowardly to cast vp his eyes to those places where are so many thunders and lightning prepared for the destruction of guiltie sinners My spirit then hath led me into the darknesse and hath buried mee in the graue as one that is dead My soule within mee is heauie my heart is troubled euen like him vvho walking loftie with hye bent lookes falleth vnawares into the bottome of some pitte presently his soule is troubled he loseth his vnderstanding he vexeth and tormenteth himselfe he knoweth neither what to will or what to do vntill his spirits returning vnto him he beginneth to consider his estate and the place wherein hee is and the manner of his fall then hee beginneth by little and little to regaine the toppe and with great paine and labour to winde himselfe out of the place into which he so easily fell so I hauing called to minde as much as is possible things past and hauing entred into a profound meditation of the workes of thine hands and hauing exactly considered the perfection of all things which thou hast created then calling to minde the estate wherein thou hast created me and then proposing to my selfe that wherein now I finde my selfe as it were ouerwhelmed vnder the ruine of sinne I curse to my self the houre wherein my mother conceiued me and the day that first opened my eye-liddes to make me see heauen and earth the witnesses of mine infirmitie and in the ende finding nothing in this world that could comfort mee in this distresse I addresse my selfe yet further vnto thee I fall down on my knees before thee and stretch out my hands and armes to thee and my soule thirsting after thy grace doth attend with as great desire as the thirstie and scorched earth doth expect a gracious raine in the heat of summer Help me then and that soone O my GOD for I am alreadie cleane out of breath my heart faileth loe how I fall into a swoun Wilt thou Lord delay till death hath seised on mee I am euen alreadie at Deaths doore if thou make not hast for my senses decay by little and little my soule is as it were in a trance and my body without motion If thou O Lord be farre from mee if thou hide thy face from mee I shall bee like vnto those that goe downe into the depth of Hell Pale death will sit vpon my face and seize on my senses and which is worst spirituall death will slay my soule fill it with fright and horrour and vtterly depriue it of the knowledge of thy singular bountie and the hope of grace which shineth in thy miracles as a glittering starre in the obscure darkness of the night Cause mee then to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy betimes and in the morning vvhen the sunne beginneth to rise vpon the earth let thy mercie also rise vpon me to enlighten mine ignorance and conduct mee in the wayes of thy commandements Yet let it not O Lord bee wholly like the sunne which at the ende of his course goes to plunge himselfe in the sea hiding for a time his light from silly men but let it assist mee perpetually be as indiuidual a guide vnto my soule as is my soule vnto my bodie for the life of my soul doth more strictly depend vpon thy mercy then the life of my bodie doth vpon my soule O then let her neuer forsake mee but let her light alwaies direct my goings in thy wayes that I neuer wander out of that path through which alone I must come vnto thee For otherwise my spirit which is entangled amongst the briers and brambles of this world and wandereth in the thickets were neuer able to finde out the right way but posting along at aduenture might