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
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
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 his mercie Nothing can bee sayd in GOD greater or lesser because whatsoeuer is in him is his very selfe There was neuer sinner in this world who hath not had a sweet taste of his mercy neither was there euer righteous person who hath not beene touched with his iustice His iustice and his mercie are extended to all For all the wayes of the LORD are mercie and trueth Besides mercie bestoweth so many and so great good things vpon the righteous that her workes farre exceed the workes of iustice Neuer trouble thy selfe about the small number of the elect Assuredly they are not a few but almost innumerable whom the LORD will receiue to mercy Mercy will be no lesse milde then iustice rigorous mercy will no lesse finde a meanes to saue then iustice to condemne As the number of the elect is knowne only to GOD so both the time and maner of their calling must onely be referred to him But what mooueth thee to doubt and distrust thine estate the multitude and grieuousnesse of thy sinnes Trouble not thy selfe for the multitude and grieuousnesse of thy sinnes because the mercy of the LORD doeth infinitely surmount them Behold how two contraries applied together if the one far exceed the other the greater must needs consume the lesse But the mercies of GOD infinitely exceed al the sins in the world All the sinnes of the world are more easily consumed by the mercie of GOD then is a droppe of water in a hot fiery furnace then a sparke of fire is extinguished in the sea Doe but applie now this mercie to thy sinnes and the infinitenes of the one must needs consume the multitude of the other But loe shee hath already applied her selfe Shee hasted to meet thee shee hath already kissed thee she holdeth thee close in her embracements Yea when thou didst fall she was present with thee albeit thou diddest not discerne so much shee layed her hand vnder thee to keepe thee from harme and to raise thee againe Thou art a vessell both brittle and weake thou must needs haue beene dashed to pieces or much bruised with thy fall vnlesse mercie had laid vnder her hand This is a great signe that thou art elect but it is not all For mercie hath not onely preserued thee from the harme of sinne but she hath turned thy sinne to thy good For thereby she hath made both thee more humble in thy opinion and more heedfull in thy wayes The fall of the reprobate is like the fall of an elephant they rise not againe but impudently make light esteeme of their sinnes and sometimes with a flintie forehead boast of them But though the elect fall into the bottome of the sea yet the same whale which swallowed them vp must againe cast them vpon the land Arise therefore and strengthen thy heart thou hast found how weake thine owne forces are humble thy selfe vnder the Almighty arme of the LORD For humility is the foundation of all vertues the lowest ground-worke of repentance Humble thy selfe therefore with sorrow for thy sinnes past and circumspection for thy life to come If thou canst so humble thy selfe with sorrow then neuer feare this sorrow is the greatest ioy to a godly mind that can be the more of this sorrow thou findest within thee the lesse cause thou hast to feare And to this examination now I leaue thee to what degree of submisse sorrow thou canst descend for assuredly to the same pitch of assurance thou shalt be exalted This said she glanceth gloriously into heauen leauing me well confirmed against feare but altogether exposed to heauinesse and griefe For when I presented to my rememberance either the vaine or vile and base pleasure of my sinnes the good which I did loose the euill which thereby I did incurre how my most meeke GOD by the goodnesse of his owne nature was mooued was prouoked was inforced by my ingratitude to be wroth I was forth with ouercharged with heauinesse which did trouble and torment me day and night which bereaued mee of all ioy and was extreamely burdensome to me She rushed vpon me with her sad troupes she cried out most bitterly and said How now presumptuous wretch Wither art thou carried Into what vaine hopes doest thou run Supposest thou thy selfe to be rapt vp into the third heauen to be already placed in Abrahams bosome Alas deceiued caitiffe thy faith is but a fantasie thy hope a proud presumption of spirit thy comforts but a dreame of a deluded imagination Thou conceiuest that GOD is mercifull it is true exceeding mercifull infinite in his mercies But knowest thou not how odious an offence ingratitude is How it stoppeth the streames how it drieth vp the dew of mercy how no mercy hath influence where ingratitude abides Ingratitude is the summary of all sins no euill no reproach is left vnsaid when a man is charged to be vngratefull No beast is either so fierce or so dull but hath some sence of gratitude and will loue those who are carefull for them The hands which feed the Lions may safely touch their teeth and their pawes Elephants for their food make both their courage and their strength seruile to man So naturall is this vertue that those creatures which want vnderstanding are both apprehensiue and obseruant thereof And so hatefull is ingratitude to the most mercifull GOD that he hath threatened by his holy spirit that Euill shall neuer depart from his house who rewardâ—th euill for good And that the hope of the vnthankefull shall melt away as the winter yee Consider then how vngraciously vngratefull thou hast beene consider this I say and if thy owne heart shall condemne thee thinke what he will doe who is greater then thy heart and who hath euen already opened his mouth to pronounce his arrest He hath created thee according to his owne image he hath placed thee in the paradise of his blessed Church with the water of baptisme he sanctified thee he furnished thee with the knowledge of his trueth putting his word in thy mouth and his will in thy minde with many temporall benefits he did enrich thee not onely for necessitie but for an ornament and delight But thou in the leuitie and vanitie of thy braine diddest runne headlong after thine vnbridled lusts and plunge thy selfe in many deepe sinnes Many outward callings he bestowed vpon thee with many sweet instructions he did aduertize thee but albeit all the floore was moistened with his heauenly dew yet thou like Gedeons fleece remainedst drie thou didst keepe thy selfe like the riuer Nilus within thy bankes when all other riuers did ouerflow He inuited thee and thou diddest excuse thy selfe he sent to compell thee but thou diddest resist At the last he called thee with a violent voice and his vnspeakeable goodnesse broke open the gates of thy
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