2. for to them onelie Christ sayd Ioan. 20. Whose sinnes you shal forgiue they are forgiuen them And therefore Dauid whose consciēce accused him of mortall sinnes which he knew to be greate miseries desired God to haue mercie on him according to his greate mercie 2. Reg. 11. 12. Hee had committed two greate and heinous sinnes for he had committed adulterie vvith Bersabee and to couer it he had killed Vrias her husband and so he stoode in neede of a great mercie 2. O Dauid although thou hadst formerlie been a good King Act. 13. and a man according to God his hart yet I can not excuse thee now from greate sinne and great ingratitude and this thou thy selfe seest and confessest Thow didst violate the wife of Vrias thy faithfull seruant and valiant soldiour and to couer this fault thou addest an other to vvitt the death of this thy innocēt and faithfull soldiour O Dauid doth not the zeale of Vrias thy soldiour confound thee he would not lye vvith his owne wife whilest 2. Reg. 11. 12. The Arke of God and Israel and Iuda dvvelt in pauilions and his Lord Ioab and the seruants of his Lord aboade vpon the face of the earth thou at that tyme lyest with his wife in a soft bed takest thy vnlawfull pleasure with her He exposed his life for thee thy kingdome and the cause of God and thou causest him to be vniustly cruellie murdered and to be sure to kill him thou exposest to danger of death many other soldiours thereby giuest occasiō to the Infidelles to insult ouer the armie of God and to blaspheme the name of God who had eleuated to the dignitie of a King thee who now dealest more traitrously then many of them would haue done 3. And this treacherie crueltie iniustice and ingratitude thou cōmittest ô Dauid after many guiftes of grace nature which God had hestowed on thee Psalm 77. after he had chosen thee and taken thee from the flockes of sheepe from after the ewes with young had made thee of a shephearde a King and of a gouernour of a flocke of sheepe a King Pastour of the people of God after he had honored thee with so many victories first ouer Golias and then ouer the Philistians and Assyrians after he had deliuered thee so often from the hatred enuie and malice of Saul after he had indued thee with the light of prophecie and knowledge of diuine mysteries yea and and with great sanctitie also after he had promised to establish the scepter of Iuda in thy familie Psalm 88. and had begun to fullfill his promise Thou ô Dauid for one filthie and short pleasure ô inconstancie ô leuitie ô ingratitude forgetting all these graces fauours couldst find in thy hart to forsake so good a God and so great a benefactour for so short and so brutish a pleasure and to offend him so greeuouslie who had beene so beneficiall to thee But this thy great fault ô Dauid I need not to aggrauate thou knowest it better then any man else and thou acknowledgest it and therefore for so great a sinne and miserie thou desirest not whatsoeuer but a great mercie 4. God almightie his mercie in it selfe is alwaies great and so great that it is God him selfe for whatsoeuer is in God is God and so infinite as he is but yet this diuine attribute of mercie in its effectes is greater and lesser greater in those to whome many and greate sinnes are forgiuen lesse in those to whom lesser and fewer sinnes are pardoned Dauid therefore desireth God to shew mercie vnto him in effect according as he had shewed to the greater sinners 5. And I ô Lord say so ô sinfull Cstristiā acknowledging my selfe with Dauid a great sinner and if not in the same kind of sinne at least in some other kind as greate or greater and if not in carnall S. Tho. 1.2 q. 73. art 5. at least in spirituall sinnes which are of themselues greater then carnall sinnes as in Schisme Heresie enuy pride ambition hatred of my neighbour and the like doe desire thee to haue mercie on me according to thy great mercie in effect according to that mercie which thou shewedst to Dauid Manasses and other great sinners in the old lawe according to that great mercie thou shewedst to S. Peter S. Mathew S. Paule and S. Marie Magdalen in the new lawe for my sinnes being great doe require a greate mercie Or haue mercie on me according to that great worke of mercie the Incarnatiō to which peraduēture Dauid alluded for out of thy mercie onely not for our merit thou wast incarnate Or haue mercie on me according to that great worke of mercie thy painfull death and Passion which out of mercie and compassiō thou sufferdst for mās redemption And if ô heauenly father out of thy mercie and compassion towards vs thou sparedst not thy owne sonne Rom. 8. though equall consubstātiall vnto thee but for vs all deliueredst him vnto death no doubt thou art readie on thy part for this so extraordinary work of mercie to haue mercie on the greatest sinners Or else thou whosoeuer hast sinned with Dauid say with him haue mercie on me ô God according to thy greate infinite attribute of mercie which is as great as thy selfe who are essentiallie mercie and is so infinite that all the sinnes of the world are but litle drops in regarde of that sea of mercie In this mercie ô Lord that is in thy selfe who art this mercie I principallie hope and next in that great effecte worke of mercie thy Incarnation and bitter passion And if in the Ocean sea I can not want water to wash and coole me If in the sunne I can not want light to illuminate me nor in the fier heate to vvarme me much lesse can I vvant mercie in this Ocean of mercie or light of grace in this sunne of mercie vvhich shineth on the good and the badde or can my cold sinnes make me shiuer for want of heate of charitie in this infinite fier of mercie vvhich consumeth sinnes but saueth soules Et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitatem meam And according to the multitude of thy commiserations take away myne iniquitie 1. MY sinnes ô mercifull God sayth Dauid are not onelie great but also many Prou. 24. for if the Iust finneth seuen tymes in a day venially I who haue of long tyme ledd a sinfull life vvho seldome resisted tentations and as seldome flyed the occasions of sinnes but rather sought for them who haue sinned so often that I may say with Manasses Orat. Manas 2. Par. 33 Peccaui super numerum arenae maris I haue sinned aboue the number of the sand of the sea And as Ecclesiasticus sayd Eccles c. 10. Arenam maris pluuiae guttas dies saeculi quis dinumerauit The sand of the sea and the droppes of rayne and the dayes
of the world who hath nuÌ„bred so may I say my sinnes of mouth harte deed my many sinnes of my fiue senses of the bodie of the faculties powers of my soule vvhich I committed euery day and night euerie hovver and moment in this place in that place and in all places who can recken they are so many that I my selfe can not number them thou onelie ô Lord hast theÌ„ all in thy couÌ„t-booke which one day will be produced against me if in the meane time by my sorrow with thy grace they be not caÌ„celled And whilest I thus multiplied my sinnes vvhat patience vvhat mercie ô Lord didst thou shevv vnto me when I prouoked on my part more and more by often sinning thy wrath and indignation thou extendedst thy patience and mercie for when thou mighst haue iustly takeÌ„ me in my sinnes for theÌ„ by sudden death mighst haue sent me presently to hell there to receaue my iust punishment as thou hast dealt with many no greater yea lesser sinners then I yet thou grauÌ„tedst me lesure and grace to repent and whilest I contemned thy goodnes patieÌ„ce and longanimitie thy benignitie expected me to penance wherfore resoluing by thy grace to multiplie my sinnes no more yea neuer to adde any one mortall sinne to my former I desire thee to pardon my former sinnes and because they are very many to haue mercie on me According to the multitude of thy commiserations and mercies 2. And thou ô Christian who hast multiplied sinnes vpon sinnes vvith Dauid peraduenture more then he desire God vvith him to haue mercie on thee according to the multitude of his mercies 2. Reg. 12. Say vvith him Thou forgauest penitent Dauid penitent Ezechias and penitent Manasses thou pardoneâ—st S. Peter S. Paul S. Matthew S. Marie Magdalene and thousands other great sinners pardon me also ô sweete Lord accordinge to these thy so many mercies Psal 88 commiseratioÌ„s Where are thyne old mercies ô Lord which thou shewedst heretofore to sinners Psal 21 In thee our forefathers though sinners as we haue hoped they haue hoped thou didst deliuer theÌ„ They ried to thee were saued they hoped were not coÌ„founded I cry ô Lord with them heare me as thou didst them I hope with them for mercie let me finde mercie at thy hands as they did and let not me be confounded Are all thy mercies spent are none left for me May I say vnto thee as Esau sayd to his Father Isaac Genes 27. Hast thou not reserued me also a blessing a mercie Hast thou one onelie blessing Father Hast thou no moe blessings nor mercies left for me no I can not say so Thou art ô Lord infinitelie more rich in mercies then Isaac vvas in blessings Thou hast bestowed thousands millions of mercies on sinners and yet thou hast infinite mercies reserued for other sinners that cry vnto thee for mercie Thy mercies are infinite and an infinite number can not be exhausted thy mercies are aboue the sandes of the sea Thy mercie is a sea which can not want the cooling waters of mercies sooner may the sea be dryed vp then the Ocean of thy mercies drawn drye Wherefore I cry with Dauid Haue mercie on me ô God according to thy great mercie because my sinnes are great and according to the multitude of thy commiserations and mercies because my sinnes are many as he cryed peccaui for his sinnes so vvill I send forth from hart and tongue many a peccaui and day and night and howerlie and whensoeuer my sinnes occurre to my memorie I vvill cry peccaui 3. And because I can not safely enough rely in my opinion on my peccauies not knowing whether they proceede from a truly coÌ„trite heart or no I vvill haue recourse to thy infinite mercies ô Sonne of God which are merites in respect of thee as which deserued of thy Father our redemption but in respect of me vvho deserued them not they are mercies And I shall offer vnto thee all the steppes thou vvalkedst on earth for me all the howers thou liuedst for me all the wordes thou spakest all the praiers and exhortations thou madst all thy Theandricke or humane-diuine workes and operations all thy miracles all the drops of sweate thou swetst for me in the garden all those lashes thou enduredst for me at the Piller all the prickes thou feltst in thy coronatioÌ„ with thornes all the pearsinges of the nayles all the panges on the crosse all that shower of bloud which rained froÌ„ the heauenly cloude of thy sacred humanitie yea all the drops of that shower of which euery one vvas a mercie to me of which euery one was such a merit in respect of thee that the least vvould haue been sufficieÌ„t to redeeme a thousaÌ„d worlds And according to this multitude of thy commiserations and mercies take away myne iniquitie And take our all the staynes and blottes which sinne hath left in my soule and crosse and cancell by thy death and passioÌ„ out of thy booke of accountes all the Items and debtes I owe take away my sinnes from my soule from thy eyes from thy memorie that they may not onelie be forgiuen but also forgotten and so buried in perpetuall obliuion 4. For although thou canst not forget any sinnes coÌ„mitted against thee no not S. Marie Magdalens sinnes which were vvashed avvay with many teares of eyes and harte yet when sinnes by true repentaÌ„ce and hartie sorrowe are remitted quite effaced and taken away thou doest no more impute them nor doest thou punish them at least with eternall payne as if thou hadst forgotten them therefore thou hast promised and this promise is my comfort that vvhensoeuer a sinner shall repent himselfe of his sinnes Thou wilt not remember them Ezech. 18. that is so as to punish them or to be offended vvith the sinner for them because by contrition and the grace thereof they are taken away as if they neuer had beene Amplius laua me ab iniquitate mea à peccato meo munda me Wash me more amplie from myne iniquitie and cleanse me from my sinne 1. A Fowle cloth and especiallie if it be also stained requireth much washing and no lesse rubbing and a soule that hath much sinned requireth much washinge by the teares of contrition and much rubbing by the austere workes of pennance King Dauid hauing cried peccaui Domino 2. Reg. 1â— I haue sinned to our Lord for his great and manifold sinnes deserued to heare from Nathan the Prophets mouth Dominus quoque transtulit peccatum tuuÌ„ our Lord also hath taken away thy sinne and so by that peccaui spoken vvith sorrow of heart the malice of his mortall sinnes was washed away yet he not attending so much to Nathans reuelation as to the greatnes of his sinne coÌ„mitted desireth to be more amplie washed to vvitt not onelie from the malice of his mortall sinnes of vvhich he vvill not be secure and of vvhich
reason and sensualitie out of vvhich we his children can not extricate our selues How then ô Lord canst thou expecte of me that am borne lame and crooked to walke so right in the waye of thy cōmandemēts as neuer to halt neuer to stumble neuer to goe awrye neuer to swarue from the rule of reason and thy eternall Lawe Consider ô Lord that this originall sinne by dispoiling me of originall iustice which was the bridle and curbe of sensualitie and which in Adam before his sinne was prepared for me hath caused in me a great pronenesse propension to sensualitie to sinne and vice which being hard to resiste may make some excuse for my manifold sinne 2. And thou ô Christian penitēt sinner alleage also with Dauid thy pronenesse to sinne for thou wast conceiued in sinne as deeplie as he and consequentlie hast contracted thereby the like propēsiō to sinne For this may induce thy mercifull God in that respecte to be the more forward to pardon thee The Angels that fell by sinne could not alleadge this excuse because they had not this pronenesse to sinne so deserued not mercie but seeing thou art conceiued and borne in sinne and hast contracted this propensiō to sinne which is called fomes peccati and which stirreth vp to sinne cry vnto thy Lord Haue mercie on me ô God for behold I am conceiued in sinne and thereby I haue contracted a great pronenesse to sinne which with thy ordinarie grace I can hardlie resiste and without it not at all Haue mercie then vpon me ô mercifull Father excuse thy childes sinne to which he was so much inclined 3. I haue I confesse so much yeelded to this my propension that vvhereas thou hast giuen me reason and grace also sufficient to resiste this propensiō yet I yeelding to it did like the prodigall sonne lauish out prodigally my childs portion both of reason and grace and gaue my selfe to all licentiousnes But thou ô mercifull God art not lesse louing thē vvas that Father I as I hope no lesse penitēt then that his sonne Luc. 15 For as he did so doe I confesse that I haue sinned against heauen and earth and am not vvorthie to be called thy sonne And as he did so doe I return vnto thee againe by sorrow and repentance Embrace me then ô Lord and receaue me in to grace as that Father did his sonne and be not thou ô Eternall Father inferiour to that Temporall Father in mercie and compassion and shew thy selfe as thou art more prone to mercie then I am to sinne more prone to pardon then I vvas to offend Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti incerta occulta sapientiaetuae manifestasti mihi For behold thou hast loued truth the vncertaine and hidden thinges of thy wisdome thou hast made manifest vnto me 1. THou hast ô Lord loued veritie truth and sinceritie of hart in me and that before my falle I was a sincere and true louer of thee and thy lawe no double dealer in any my wordes or actiōs thou hast liked in me and for that cause thou hast reuealed vnto me manie thinges vncertaine to men though not to thee yea altogether hidden to them to witt the mysterie of the Incarnation thy lyfe and death Resurrectiō and Ascension which are the verities of the figures of the old lawe vnder which I liue and which verities thou louest ô Lord before all those shadowes figures for partly by faith partly by spirite of prophecie and reuelation I haue had such knowledge of future thinges that there is almost no mysterie of the new lawe no promise made vnto it vvhich thou hast not reuealed vnto me and which I haue not forseene and fortold also in my psalmes And so thou who hast done me so many fauours vvilt not I hope deny me that grace without vvhich all the reste of thy benefites vvill be cast away and vvill not any vvhitt pleasure me but vvill rather be to my greater damnation And vvhat is that it is remission of my sinnes without the which to haue been good vvill not benefit me without the which the guifte of prophecie and miracles and all other guiftes will not saue me but rather aggrauate my sinnes augment my dānatiō Wherefore ô Lord knowing my selfe to be a great sinner I still crye vnto thee as I did in the beginninge of this my penitentiall psalme Haue mercie on me ô God according to thy great mercie 2. Or saith this Royall Prophet and penitent sinner I might ó Lord in some sorte couer my fault extenuate and excuse my sinnes because as I haue saide in the precedent verse I was conceiued in iniquities and in a greate pronenesse propensiō to sinne but I know thou louest truth that is a sincere harte a true tongue that confesseth the truth And therfore I sincerlye cōfesse that this pronenesse to sinne doth not quite excuse me frō sinne because it could not enforce me against my will I by faith in the Messias who is the waye veritie and lyfe and by his life and death which was reuealed to me and by grace from his death and passion which was not wāting to me hauing had grace sufficiēt by which maugre this pronenesse to sinne I might haue resisted ouercome all tentation to sinne And therefore I will not excuse my selfe by my pronenesse to sinne but ingenuouslie sincerlie and in veritie confessing it I flye onelie to thy goodnes pronenesse to mercie 3. And ó Christian soule say thou also vvith Dauid vnto thy Lord I acknowledge that I haue receaued many benefites and fauours at thy handes Thou hast created me of nothing and made me of nothing something and not what thing soeuer but a reasonable creature resembling thee by the image of thy selfe which thou hast drawne and engraued in me I by sinne as I confesse haue marred what thou hast made and haue blurred slurred blotted and defaced this thy so glorious image But what ô Lord wilt thou therefore abādon thy creature thy owne handworke To haue created me is a great benefit but if thou leaue me to my selfe and in the miserie into which sinne hath plunged me this thy benefite of creation vvill be to me no benefite because better it is not to haue been then to be miserable as sinne maketh me now and vvill make me more miserable herafter in hell into vvhich it will tumbleme vnlesse thou first forgiuest and remittest it Thou then ô Lord who hast done so much for me as to make me vouchsafe to renewe me and to sette a new glosse and hewe on me by thy grace which may vvash avvay my sinne and ridde me of this miserie 4. Thou hast not onelie created me but also conserued me in the being thou gauest me by creation yea thou hast preserued me from manie corporall dangers And great are these benefites in thēselues but vnlesse thou remitte my sinne vvhich maketh me miserable better had it been for me that thou shouldst
before a mercifull father doe neither deny nor excuse nor extenuat my fault thy prophet Nathan 2. Reg. 12. thy vnder Iudge hauing condemned me as guiltie of no lesse then adulterie and murder myne owne conscience hauing pronounced sentence against me crying in my name peccaui but stāding before thee as a cōdēned person I bring in no witnesse to defēd me no slightes nor excuses to hide my faultes as who can hide any thing frō thee whose eyes doe penetrate the most secret corners of our hartes onelie I pleade begge and clayme thy mercie crying Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God Psal 119. for if thou shalt obserue iniquities ô Lord Lord who shall susteine it And therfore Psal 142. enter not into Iudgement with thy once seruāt Dauid examine not his case and cause according to the order of iustice but according to thy mercie I confesse all I haue nothing to say for my selfe but Miserere Haue mercie I hide not my fault nor can I it is too well known vnto thee onely I can saye Miserere Haue mercie 4. Deale not with me ô Lord sayth Dauid according to thy Iustice that would cast me in all lawe but according to thy mercie by that onelie I can be saued Thou art it is true soueraigne Lord of heauen and earth to whom euen Kings and potentates are but vassals but Lords also doe pardon their seruantes vvhen with teares of eyes sorrow of harte they demaund pardon I demaund it in the same manner Apoc. 5. Thou art a a Lion a Lion of the Tribe of Iuda but Lions also will spare them who prostrate themselues before them I prostrat both body soule vnto thee 5. I confesse that by sinne I am become Psal 31 Sicut equus mulas in quibus non est intellectus as a horse and mule which haue noe vnderstanding And my brutish appetites to which I haue been a slaue haue metamorphized me made me so brutish that I am in life and conuersation rather a brute beast then a reasonable creature Psal 35 but yet Men and beasts thou wilt saue ô Lord and in the law deliuered by Moyses though it be a lawe of terrour thou hadst pitie euen of brute beasts and therefore woldst not permit the Iew to plough with an oxe and an asse Deut. 22. Exod. 23. Deut. 14. least the asse should be ouer laboured nor to seethe the kidde in the milke of his damme that seeming crueltie nor in a nest to kill or take the old bird with the younge ones Deut. 22. nor to moosel the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne Haue mercie then on me though by sinne more a beast then they 6. If I were the onelie sinner ô Lord thou shouldst haue lesse reason to pardō mee but seeing all haue sinned and transgressed Psal 13 seeing that all haue declined and that there is not that doth good noe not one if thou shouldst exercise iustice onelie on sinners thou shoulest finde none on whom thou couldst exercise thy mercie If thou shouldst punish all sinners thou shouldst haue none to pardon and so thy most gratefull attribute mercie should neuer showe it selfe And yet none of thy diuine attributes is so gratefull as thy clemencie none doe make thee so popular as thy mercie neither hath thy diuine nature any thing greater then that thou canst remitte sinnes nor more pleasing to men Angelles then that thou wilt If no sinner ô mercifull Lord had euer obtained mercie and pardon at thy handes then might it seeme arrogancie in me to demaund mercie but if many and verie grieuous sinners haue found mercie at thy hands then doe thou vouch safe to pardon me whom by pardoning others thou hast caused to hope for pardō and be not displeased if the burden of my dolefull sonnet be still the same Miserere mei Deus haue mercie on me ô God ô most mercifull God And thou ô Christian soule who hast sinned with Dauid cry peccaui I haue sinned with him cry miserere mei Deus haue mercie on me o God 7. Rue the day and hower yea the many dayes and howers in which thou hast offended God and acknowledge therein thy to too greate ingratitude because in offending him thou hast offended thy creatour by whom thou hast thy naturall being by whom thou liuest and breathest thou hast offēded thy Redeemer who to rāsome thee from death the deuill and sinne became man for thee and suffred the most shamefull and most painfull death of the crosse to giue to thee here in this life a spirituall life and being by grace and in the next life an eternall life and being by glorie Saye vnto him I ought my selfe wholie vnto thee for my creation and I ought my selfe again wholie vnto thee for my redemption and so I but one am twise thine and twyse due vnto thee And if I owe my selfe and consequentlie my all for my creation what shall I giue thee for my redemption What shall I render to our Lord Psal 115. for all thinges that he hath rendred to mee I ame lesse ô Lord then ether of these benefits of creation and redemption yea then the least of thy graces and fauours How vngratefull then was I to offend thee and thereby as much as lay in mee to take from thee who can neuer giue thee sufficient to iniure thee disgrace dishonour thee who can neuer render thee sufficiēt for the least of thy benefitts though I giue all I ame and haue yea though I could giue ten thousand tymes more then I am and haue But seeing I owe more then I am and haue and yet haue also beē so vngratefull as to offēd thee what wilt thou expect of me Thou knowest ô Lord that of an ill vnable debter thou canst expecte nothing but an acknowledgement of the debte an humble demaund of pardon for the offēce and remission of the debte as I doe in Dauids dolefull crye Which I repeate after him Miserere mei Deus Haue mercie on me ô God 8. And ô my not onlie ingratitude but impudencie who being not so much as a vile worme compared vnto thee ô Lord durst offend thyne infinite Maiestie and was not ashamed to commit those my heinous offences not onlie before thee but also against thee which I wold haue shamed to commit before my seruaunt or in presence of the poorest begger as though I had thought there had been no God or that thou vvho madst the eye didst not see or that thou who art euery where hadst not been present I sayd then in effect as the fornicatour or adulterer did in Ecclesiasticus Ecclesiastici 23. Who seeth me darknes compasseth me and the walles couer me and no man beholdeth me whom doe I feare The Highest will not be mindfull of my sinnes O Good God where was then my vnderstanding that I could thinke that I could hide
vipers to make me cry ofteÌ„ to thee for mercie to make me lament my miserie to endeuour alwaies to pacifie thee for my offence and to satisfie thee by vvorkes of penance for the iniuries I haue done against thee Tibi soli peccaui malum coram te feci vt iustificeris in sermonibus tuis vincas cuâ— iudicaris To thee onelie haue I sinned and haue done euill before thee that thou maist be iustified in thy wordes and maist ouercome when thou art iudged 1. I am an absolute King and soueraigne Prince made so by thee ô Lord and by thy goodnes authoritie so I haue no iudge nor superiour on earthe vvhome I need to feare or vvho can call me to an account or punish or pardon me and so in this sence I haue sinned against thee onelie because none but thou can call me to an account none but thou can Iudge punish or pardon me and therefore to thee onelie I confesse my sinne and cry peccaui and of thee onelie I craue pardon 2. I confesse I haue offended against Vrias in causing him to be murdered and against him and his Wife in violating her yea and against Ioab also in coÌ„manding him to expose Vrias to dauÌ„ger 2. Reg. 11. yet thee onelie I haue offended principallie because I haue transgressed thy lawe vvhich forbiddeth murder adulterie all sinne yet thee onelie I haue offeÌ„ded principallie because that which most aggrauateth my sinne is thy diuine maiestie vvhich I haue not feared thy diuine goodnes which I haue not regarded thy infinite power vvhich I haue contemned though thou onelie couldst by thy omnipotencie annihilate me by thy Iustice punish me euen vvith hell fier and by thy goodnes and mercie pardon me And so although I haue sinned against men yet my sinne especially shewed its malice in that by it I haue offended thee so great and so good a God who hast created me and all men who hast redeemed me and all men and vvho hast made me in particular King of thy people and hast taken the crowne froÌ„ Saul his head to put it on myne hast depriued his familie of the scepter to bestowe it on myne 3. To thee onelie haue I sinned because Vrias knew not of the wrong I did him Bersabee vvas consenting and not offended my sinne vvas done secretelie in my secret chamber none but thou ô Lord didst knowe of it and so in this sense also I offended thee onelie But ô inconsiderat vvretch that I vvas vvho chose to coÌ„mit this sinne because men saw me not vvheras I should haue feared to commit it because thou sawest me should haue more feared to commit it before thyne eyes then in the sight of all the vvorld But thou hast dealt Iustly vvith me because the sinne vvhich I thought to conceale from the vvorld thou hast diuulged to all the vvorld according as thou toldst me by the Prophete Nathan Thou hast done this secretlie 2 Reg. 12. but I will doe this word in the sight of Israël and in the sight of the sunne 4. And thou Christian vvho hast sinned with Dauid say also vvith him To thee onelie I haue sinned and doâ—â— euill before thee That is to thee onelie I haue sinned principallie for although I haue sinned against men as against my superiours by disobedience and breach of their commandements against my neigbour by detracting from his good name stealing his goods or killing or wounding his bodie and against myne owne body also by carnall sinnes in vvhich as S. Paules saith wee sinne against our bodie 1. Cor. 6. yea and against myne owne soule also in killing it spirituallie by mortall sinne vvhich depriueth it of the life of grace because as the vviseman saith Sap. 1. the mouth that lyeth to vvitt perniciously and to the notable dommage of an other killeth the soule Yet in all these sinnes I sinned principallie against thee vvho forbadst these thinges and my sinne is much more aggrauated in that it is against thee and thy infinite maiestie then in that it is against men of vvhatsoeuer dignitie they be the circomstance of the person against vvhom vve sinne aggrauating the sinne Say also ô Christian soule vnto thy God To the onelie I haue sinned and done euill before thee WheÌ„ in my secret chamber or in the darke night I sinned and hid my sinnes from the sight of men but not frou thy all-seeing eyes To thee onelie I sinned when in the secrete cabinet of my hart by thought consent resolution or vvill to sinne I offended thy diuine Maiestie for voluntas reputatur pro facto the vvill before God is reputed for the deed To thee onelie I then sinned because thou onelie vvast conscious of these my sinnes vvhich I could coÌ„ceale from men but could not hide them from thy all-pearcing eyes 5. But seeing that ô Lord in all my sinnes euen those that I committed against men I haue principally offended against thy diuine Maiestie hovv shall I dare to appeare before thee and thy dreadfull Tribunall vvho as thou art the partie cheeflie of 〈◊〉 so thou art the Iudge and vvitnes and accuser of all Thou art the supreme Iudge euen of Kinges and Emperours because thou art the soueraigne Lord and King euen of Kinges How shall I auoide such a Iudge vvho is so vvyse that he can not be deceaued so vpright that he vvill not be corrupted how shall I defend my selfe against such a witnes vvho knoweth the truth and neuer saieth but the truth how shall I excuse my selfe against such an accuser vvho because he knoweth all can prooue all he saieth I vvill therefor coÌ„fesse all so auoid all because confession of the fault is a vomit vvhich maketh the sinner cast vp all the fylth of sinne it is a lancing of the sore of sinne vvhich maketh the filthie matter runne out confesse before men and thou art condemned but coÌ„fesse before God and thou shalt be repriued yea quite pardoned 6. I will lay open my faultes that by thee ô Lord they may be couered I vvill confesse all that thou maist pardon all I vvill accuse my selfe that thou maist excuse me I vvill Judge condemne my selfe that thou maist not condeÌ„ne me according to the promise made by thine Apostle 1. Cor. 11. If vve did Iudge our selues we should not be Iudged that is condemned 7. I vvill make myne owne processe against my selfe that shall be to accuse my selfe to beare vvitnes against my selfe and to condemne my selfe and for my selfe I will pleade onelie Miscrere haue mercie vvash me more amplie from myne iniquitie that thou maist be iustified in thy vvords and maist ouercome vvhen thou are Iudged That is that thou hauing promised mercie forgiuenes to all repentant sinners maist iustifie and shew thy selfe to keepe thy promise in forgiuinge me vvho do so hartelie repent my selfe of my sinnes that I rue the tyme and moment that euer I sinned and so maist
ô Lord and to be serued in at that table in Heauen where the Angels are vvaiters and the blessed are commensalls and thy diuinitie is the viande on vvhich they feede by cleare vision and fruition for all eternitie 5. And thou ô penitent Christian confesse vvith Dauid that by sinne thou art slurredd and defiled more then the sovve vvashed in volutabro luti 2 Pet. 2. in the wallowing of mire so as thou needest to cry with Dauid to be sprinkled vvith the blood of the immaculate lambe Christ Iesus by the meanes of the humble and contemptible hyssope of the crosse The blood of Goates and oxen and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled sanctifyeth the polluted to the cleansing of the fleshe hovv much more hath the blood of Christ Heb. 9. vvho by the Holy Ghost offered himselfe vnspotted vnto God cleansed our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God This lauer of this bloud I desire because it cleÌ„aseth the soule from dead workes that is deadlie sinnes vvhich bring death to the soule Sprinkle then and vvash me ô Lord vvith this bloud Apoc. 7. that I maybe on of those happy ones who haue washed their robes and made them vvhite in the bloud of the lambe For vvhereas my soule by sinne is vglie in thy sight and therefore forsaken of thee and diuorced from thee and betrothed to the Diuell after she shall be vvashed in this lauer and restored to her former beautie vvhich she receaued by baptisme she may breake vvith the Diuell and vvith all that is contrarie to thy vvill and pleasure and may be made againe a gratefull spouse vnto thee vvorthie thy loue in this life and thy eternall imbracementes in the next Auditui meo dabis gaudium latitiam exultabunt ossa humiliata To my hearing thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes and the bones humbled shall reioice 1. ANd vvhen thou hast forgiueÌ„ me my sinnes and cleansed my soule from the fylth of them then shall the remorse and worme of conscience the brood of sinne be killed and my conscience no more gnawed vvith it but insteed of it a great calmenes quietnes yea a gladnes of harte shall followe vvhich shall be a coÌ„tinuall banquet to my soule because as the wiseman saith A secure mind Prou. 15. is as it vvere a continuall feaste and the eares of my soule shall alvvayes heare those comfortable wordes vvhich by thy Prophet NathaÌ„ thou vtterdst vnto me â— Reg. 12. And our Lord hath taken avvay thy sinne then to the eares of my vnderstanding thou shalt giue ioy and gladnes then to them nothing shall souÌ„d not melodious nothing not gratefull nothing not coÌ„fortable vvhich shall so comfort my soule that my bones humbled that is the forces and powers of my soule vvhich vvere debilitated and deiected and which were euen faynte vvith feare of thy iudgements shall reioyce and shall recouer their spirituall forces and strength againe by vvhich I shall be made constant couragious to resiste all tentations and to persiste for euer hereafter in thy seruice and so euer enioy the ioye and gladnes of harte vvith which thou feedest and refreshest all thy deuoted freinds and seruantes 2. Demaund thou also ô penitent sinner vvith Dauid the ioye and gladnes of harte and conscience in lieu of the remorse gnawing vvorme bredde by sinne vvhich continually tormenteth the conscience For if euer thou possesse this calme of conscience ioy of harte vvhich God his Spirit imparteth vvhen it giueth testimonie that is a morall certitude to our spirit and conscience that vve are the sonnes of God if sonnes heyres also Rom. 8. heyres trulie of God and coheyâ—es of Christ then the yoke of CHRIST vvill seeme sweete and the burden of his lawe easie and his seruice honour and pleasure then fasting vvill seeme feasting prayer vvill neuer seeme long In almes-deeds we shall seeme rather to receiue then to giue at least it vvill seeme beatius â—are quam accipere a more blessed thinge to giue Act. 20 then to take Then vertue vvill appeare in its owne lustre amiable and vice though seasoned vvith neuer so much corporall pleasure vvill seeme brutish vglie beastlie O Lord let me neuer loose this ioy and gladnes by vertue of vvhich my bones spirituall forces of my soule humbled and vveakned by sinne may reioyce and receaue their forces againe and I thereby may vvalke cherfullie in the vvaies of thy commandements and so vvalking may carrie this ioy and gladnes of harte grounded in grace and the obseruations of thy commandements vvith me to Heauen and euen to those eternall ioyes vvhich there are layde vp in store for all those that departe heÌ„ce with Ioy and gladnes of conscience deuoid of all sinne Auerte faciem tuam à peccatis meis omnes iniquitates meas dele Turne away thy face from my sinnes and wipe away all myne iniquities 1. ANd after my conscience shall haue enioyed this calme quietnes after the storme of sinne shall be appeased vvhich made debate betwixt thee and me and incensed me against thee by malice and prouoked thee against me by anger I beseech thee ô Lord saith Dauid to turne away for hereafter thy face froÌ„ my sinnes There is no child that hath committed a fault but feareth the eyes and face of his Father there is no scholler that hath played the trewant vvho dreadeth not the sight of his Master no theefe that quaketh not at the sight of the Iudge no marueill then if Dauid feared the sterne countenance of God he being his Father vvhom he disobeyed his Master vvhom he had neglected his Iudge vvhom he had slighted and therefore he had reason to desire God to turne avvay his face from his sinnes 2. I know saith Dauid my sinnes can not be hidden from thy all-seeing eyes vvhich reach to the sight of all thinges past present future But yet I desire thee to turne away thy frowning angrie couÌ„tenance from them and not to be displeased any more vvith me for them and to laye aside all cogitation of punishing me for them Thou still remembrest the moste penitent sinners sinnes and offences but yet since they were washed avvay by the teares of contrition and remitted and pardoned by thy grace mercie thou doest not remember theÌ„ so as to be displeased with the penitent sinner for theÌ„ or so as to haue the thought of punishing him at least eternallie Thou seest still the peniteÌ„t sinners sinnes though longe since remitted but thou art no more displeased vvith him for theÌ„ nor doest thou think of punishing him at least eternally for theÌ„ Thou lookest on him still his sinnes past but thou lookest not on him with an angrie but with an amiable looke And in this sence saith Dauid I desire thee after my sinnes are forgiueÌ„ after the ioye of coÌ„science which followeth their forgiuenesse to turne away thyne angrie countenance froÌ„ me
face or forepart of the head can not be hidden but is exposed to the sight of all though in the inferiour members of the body it be seldome marked Euen so the faultes or euill examples of Princes or Superiours vvho are the heades of their subiectes are by by noted vvhen their subiectes faultes are not regarded and therefore it is sayd that Princes faultes are vvritten in their foreheades I saith Dauid am the Heade of my People King of my Kingdome so my faultes of murder against Vrias and adulterie with his vvife are so well knovvne to all my subiectes that they haue not onelie offended thee ô Lord but haue also scandalized them from vvhom they could not be hidden and haue giuen them the euill example to follovv me in my euill vvayes because the People follovveth the example of the King and thinketh they may doe that securelie which they see the Prince doe before them 2. Yea I haue not onely by these my greate sinnes scandalized the Ievvs my subiectes but also the Gentils 2. Reg. 12. and haue caused the enemies of thee my Lord to blaspheme thy name vvherefore hereafter for satisfaction of thee ô Lord and of the vvorld I will teache the vniust thy vvayes the impious by my meanes shall be conuerted to thee For as I haue heretofore accompanied the Ark which was thy mānour house with nables harpes cymbals trumpets and all musicall instruments Yea and haue daunced before it to honour and praise thy name 1. Par. 15. vvhich novv by my sinnes I haue caused to be blasphemed of thy enemies so I vvill again resume this my deuotion and although thou hast forbiddē me to build thy Temple because I haue beene a vvarriour so hauing defiled my hands with bloud am not fit to build it 2. Reg. 7.1 Paral 28. yet I vvill giue the charges of it and of gold I vvill giue a hundred thousand talentes and of syluer a thousand thousand talentes 1. Par. 22. But of brasse and iron there is no vveight for the number is surpassed with the greatnes timber and stones I haue prepared to all the charges I vvill dispose of the offices of the Temple Musicians and their instruments and psalmes and songes 1. Par. 23.24 25. 2. Par. 28. I vvill giue to my sonne Salomon a description of the porche and of the Temple and of the cellers and of the vpper loft and of the chambers in the inner roomes and of the house of the proposition c. And this sayth Dauid I will doe for satisfaction of my sinnes and for the glorie and prayse of thy name vvhich shall be praysed and honoured in this Temple till the Messias shall come And vvhereas I haue scādalized the Gentils they vvhen they shall be conuerted to Christian Religion shall in their churches sing day and night and I in them by the psalmes vvhich I haue composed prayses laudes vnto thee euen to the end of the vvorld Ps 56. I will confesse to thee amongest peoples ô Lord and I vvill say a psalme to thee among the Gentils And I shall teach the vniust amongest Iewes and Gentils thy vvayes vvhich if they follovv they shall attaine to life euerlasting the impious amongest them shall be conuerted vnto thee And this I will doe partlie by my psalmes in vvhich I teach thē to knowe thee to loue thee to feare thee to serue thee In vvhich I shall teach both Ievve and Gentill Christian Religion for I shall treate in them of thy povver Maiestie Iustice mercie and of all thy Diuine attributes yea in them I shall discouer vnto them the Incarnation of the Sonne of God his Conception Esa 11. Esa 9. Natiuitie life and death Resurrection and Ascension and partlie also I shall doe this by the exāples of my good life vvhich hereafter I vvill leade For as Iob vvas an example of patience and vvill be to the end of the vvorld to all that are in affliction So will I be an exāple of penance to all sinners I vvill by my example make them to hope in thy mercie neuer to dispaire of it For if I after so greate sinnes and so many haue found mercie at God his hands vvhat sinner may not hope to finde the like mercie if he be sorrie for thē as I haue beene If I a King would detracte so much tyme from the publique affayres of my Kingdome as seauen tymes in the day to praye and sing laudes vnto God Ps 118 If I vvould rise at middnight to Confesse to God vvhat shall other sinners doe vvho haue no such incumbrances If I a King haue laboured in much sighing If I euery night haue vvashed my bedd and haue vvatered my couch with teares Psal 6. If my eyes haue gushed forth issues of teares will other sinners thinke without teares and sorrow to get remission of their sinnes I Dauid crye then vnto you all who are sinners you who haue followed Dauid in his sinnes follovv him in his repentance and you will find mercie as he hath done 3. O Dauid I must needs confesse that as thou hast sinned greeuouslie so thy sorrovv and satisfaction for thy sinne hath been great as thou hast by thy euill vvorkes dishonoured God his name so by thy good vvorkes alleadged thou hast glorified God and by thy example hast caused also others to glorifie his name as by thy euill exāple thou hast peruerted many so by thy Heauenlie psalmes and wholesome documents in thē thou hast conuerted thousands shalt by them conuerte sinners to the end of the vvorld O great King Prophet thy sinnes indeede haue beene great but thy repentance also and satisfaction through Gods grace hath beene greate so great that J can not easelie say vvhether thou vvast more vnhappie in sinning then thou hast beene happie in repenting yea thy repentance hath beene so greate so honorable to God so beneficiall and exemplare to all the vvorld that I can scarce hold my selfe frō saying ô happie sinne of Dauid See the like speech in the benediction of the paschall candle O foelix culpa que talem at tantum meruit habere Redemptorem which vvas seconded by so rare and so exemplare a repentance and satisfaction 4. Graunte vnto me ô Lord saye so ô repentant sinner that as I haue imitated Dauid in his sinnes so I may follovv him in his repentance and satisfaction I haue by my euill examples yea persuasions allured others to sinne but graunt me ô Lord thy grace and in vertue of it I shall endeauour vvith Dauid to teach by vvord of mouth or by bookes or example the vniust thy wayes the impious thereby shall be conuerted to thee To sollicitate others by persuasion or euill exāple vnto sinne is the office of the Deuill vvho in all his tentations intendeth nothing else but to draw vs to sinne and not onelie to spirituall sinnes as pride enuy and
hatred vvhich he committeth him selfe but also to carnall sinnes vvhich he can not coÌ„mitt though he be guiltie of them in inticing vs. And I ô Lord doe ingeniouslie confesse that I haue beene the Deuills Agent in prouoking others to sinne either by persuasion or euill example by vvhich I haue offended thee ruined them and by the same sinne haue runne myne ovvne soule through to vvound them In this Kind preachers of false doctrine and Princes and superiours vvho coÌ„mand or persuade their subiectes to sinne doe offend and vvho not by euill example 5. Wherefore I ô Lord as heretofore I haue cooperated vvith thy professed enemie the Deuill to peruert others thereby to ruine their soules so hereafter I will serue no such master I will be no instrumeÌ„t nor AgeÌ„t nor factour for him but as I am sorrie for the sinnes past by which I haue offeÌ„ded thee and cooperated with him to the spirituall ruine of my neighbours soule so hereafter if it may please thee to giue me the grace I will be thy instrument thy factour and coadiutour will labour with thee and vnder thee for the conuersion of soules 1. Cor. 3 6. It is a greate sinne by persuasion or ill example to peruert others it is to cooperate vvith the Deuill it is worse then Dauids murder of Vrias because that killed the body this the soule And contrariewise to cooperate vvith God as his instrument and Minister to the conuersioÌ„ of sinners is the noblest office imploiment that can be It is the verie office of CHRIST IESVS the sonne of God who came not to call the Iuste but sinners to penance Mat. 9. Luc. 5. 1. Tim. 1. and as S Paule saith came into this world to saue sinners and therefore he was Incarnate borne liued 33. yeares amongest vs taught vs exhorted vs by wordes and deedes wrought miracles to confirme what he sayd and at length suffered and dyed for sinners and had not beene man S. Tho. 3 pâ—â— 4.1 art 3. nor had desceÌ„ded from Heauen to earth but to saue sinners For as S. Augustin saith nulla fuit causa veniendi Christo Domino Aug. 〈◊〉 9. de verbis Apost nisi peccatores saluos facere tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla est causa medicinae There was no cause of Christ his comming but to saue sinners take away diseases take away wounds of sinne and there will be no cause of a medicine In this we doe Gods will and pleasure who of him selfe will all men to be saued 1. Tim. 2. and to come to the knowledge of the truth For saith he by his Prophet Ezechiel why is the death of a sinner my will Ezech. 18. and not that he conuert from his wayes and liue 7. This worke of the conuersion and Iustification of a sinner Aug. tract 72. in Ioan. to 9. S. Th. 1. 2. q. 113 art 9. is greater then the creation of the world because creation had for its effect this world which is a thing naturall Iustification of a Sinner hath for its effect grace which is a thing supernaturall that is nature this aboue nature that is temporall for Heauen and Earth shall passe in respect of their state qualitie Matth. 24. this of it selfe eternall because it is the seede of glorie which is eternall that is a participatioÌ„ of God as he is Authour of nature this as he is Authour of grace that ordaineth vs to God as he is our naturall end this as he is our supernaturall end and as creatioÌ„ is of nothing so the iustification of a sinner is of no merit of his And although glorie glorification be absolutlie greater theÌ„ the IustificatioÌ„ of a sinner because glorie is greater then grace yet glorie is giuen to the iust vho deserue it by their merites the grace of iustification of a sinner is giueÌ„ to him that deserueth it not and so is a greater guifte fauour because not deserued And although creation iustification glorification be all great workes and doe argue Gods infinite power yet the Iustification of a sinner is a worke of greater yea greatest mercie It is a greater worke to coÌ„uert a sinner theÌ„ to raise a dead man to life because by that miracle a dead body is raised to a teÌ„porall life onely by the conuersion of a sinner the soule is raised from the death of sinne to the life of grace which causeth life euerlasting if by our fault we doe not loose it 8. Seeing then ô God thou hast wrought so great a worke as is the conuersion of a sinner not onely in Dauid but as I hope in me also I will hereafter say so ô penitent sinner to shew my selfe gratefull for so greate a benefite teach with Dauid the vniust thy wayes and I will endeauour to conuert the impious vnto thee They that haue liued in captiuitie doe most coÌ„miserat captiues and prisoners they that haue liued long in banishement take greatest compassion on the banished they that haue beene greeueouslie sicke doe take most pittie on the sicke And I who haue beene a great sinner who haue experieÌ„ced the miserie and dauÌ„ger sinne bringeth with it will hereafter take compassion on sinners I will enflame my selfe with Dauids zeale of soules Ps 68. 3. Reg. 19. This zeale of soules did eate Dauid and coÌ„sumed Elias it shall consume me for I will employ my selfe my taleÌ„tes my labours my endeauours and all I am and haue for the conuersion of sinners 9. This zeale of soules Greg. Hom. 12. super Ezech. as S. Gregorie saith is a most pleasing sacrifice to God it is an holocaust because it consumeth all we are and haue to gaine soules It is Dionys lib. de Eccles Hier. as S. Dionysius the Areopagite saith Diuinorum operum diuinissimum of all the Diuine workes the most Diuine The coÌ„uersion of soules was the office of the sonne of God of his Apostles and all Apostolicall men who haue consecrated themselues to the conuersion of Countries it shall be my office whilst I liue for if I can not cooperate to the conuersion of sinners vvith CHRIST IESVS the principall Sauiour and conuertour of them by preaching teaching or writing of bookes as the Apostles did and as Doctours Pastours the learned ought to doe I will at least doe my indeauour herein by my couÌ„sell good examples knovving that he which maketh a sinner to be conuerted from the errour of his waye Iacobi 5. shall saue his soule from death and couereth a multitude ofo his owne sinnes Dan. 12. Knowing that they who instruct others to iustice shall shine as starres vnto perpetuall eternities This is now my mynd this mind by Gods grace I will carrie to my dying day Libera me de sanguinibus Deus Deus salutis meae exultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam Deliuer me from bloodes ô God the God of my saluation and my tongue shall
svvelling burst as we read in the bookes of numbers And good reason because besides the offence committed against God and the vvrong done to her Husband this sinne maketh issues and successions to inheritance vncertaine and disturbeth families And therefore Dauid fearing least this sinne of blood should also crye vengeance against him he desireth to be deliured froÌ„ it saying in the plurall number Deliuer me from bloods that is not onelie from the bloodie murder of Vrias and his soldiours but also froÌ„ the adulterie vvith Bersabee this sinne also proceeding originallie from the heate of blood And saith Dauid Jf thou vvilt ô Lord deliuer me from these bloods as I hope thou vvilt thou being the God of my saluatioÌ„ my toÌ„gue shall exalte thy iustice that is shall reioice in this iustice and praise thee for it For although the remissioÌ„ of my sinne in respect of my vnworthines be mercie yet it is iustice in respect of CHRISTS passion vvhich I foresee behold because that did merit in rigour of iustice this remission and this iustice I shall praise for euer 6. Say thou also vvith Dauid ô penitent sinner I ô Lord am also guiltie of bloods and therefore I desire thee to deliuer me from bloods for if I be not guiltie of murder adulterie at least I am guiltie of many other sinnes vvhich all may be called bloods or sinnes proceeding from flesh and blood vvhich nourish and pamper coÌ„cupiscence the fountaine of all our sinnes for as S. Iohn telleth vs 1. Ioan. 2. all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eyes the pride of life These be the sources rootes and fountaines from vvhich all our sinnes doe proceede and so all our sinnes are bloods because they flow from concupiscence vvhich is inflamed by the heate of bloud Deliuer me therefore froÌ„ these rootes and I shall be free froÌ„ the braÌ„ches deliuer me from the fountaines and I shall be free froÌ„ the riuers deliuer me froÌ„ concupiscence of the flesh make that chast 1. Cor. 9. or giue me grace to chastise it with S. Paul that it may be chast take froÌ„ me concupisceÌ„ce of eyes huddwincke theÌ„ vvith thy grace that by them no sinne enter into my soule as a glance onelie of the eye caused Dauids adulterie Take from me pride of life giue me an humble heart represse aspiring thoughtes so shall I be free from pride ambition enuye and all other spirituall sinnes vvhich are bloods because they proceede from concupiscence vvhich is kindled by the heate of blood 2. Cor. 2 are the vvorkes of a sensuall man who perceiueth not the thinges which are of the Spirit of God Deliuer me then froÌ„ bloods that is from all sinnes O God the God of saluation because it is beseeming the God of saluation to saue and to haue mercie on sinners Which if thou doest ô Lord I promise with Dauid that my tongue shall exult in the praise of thy iustice for although in respect of vs sinners it be a great grace mercie to deliuer vs from sinne vve hauing nothing to deserue it yet in respect of CHRIST IESVS our God of saluation and Sauiour it is great iustice because he by his death and passion did merit this for vs and if for this his sacred death and passion the more then iust price of our Redemption thou please to deliuer me from bloods and sinnes I shall praise and exalt this thy iustice for euer and my tongue shall neuer be silent in the commeÌ„dation of it Domine labia mea aperies os meum annunciabit laudem tuam Lord thou wilt open my lippes and my mouth shall shew forth thy prayse 1. SInne ô Lord saith Dauid say so vvith him ô penitent sinner had stopped my mouth and made me dumme in thy prayses for vvhâ—lst I vvas in sinne I praised this vvorld but cared not for Heauen I praised the beautie of thy creatures but cared not for the beautie of thee their Creatour who art the fountaine of all beautie and beautie by essence they onelie by participatioÌ„ I coÌ„mended the pleasures of the bodie as the onelie pleasure as though there had beene no pleasure but in eating drinking and such like but cared not for the pleasures which the godlie take in contemplating thy goodnes in louing and seruing thee I praysed the Kinges Princes and Potentats of the earth and I admired their greatnes power spleÌ„dour and riches but in thy praises I vvas altogether mute though thou beest the King of Kinges and Lord of Lords Apoâ—â— 19. to vvhom the greatest Monarches are but Vice-Royes Lieutenantes and tenantes at vvill And so Psal 11 â— I who before my sinne did singe praise to thee seuen times a day vvas by sinne become dumme mute and tongue-tyed in thy praises But if thou deliuer me froÌ„ bloods that is froÌ„ sinne theÌ„ sinne the couer of my mouth and tye of my tongue being taken avvay thou wilt open my lippes and loose my tongue by thy grace my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 33 Then I will blesse thee our Lord at all times thy praise shall be alwayes in my mouth 2. And thou ô penitent sinner desire God as Dauid did to open thy lippes which now are shutt by sinne and confessing the truth say thus vnto him Sinne ô Lord hath made me like an Infant in a spirituall life not able to forme any vvords in thy praise So that I may say vvith Hieremie Hier. c. 1. A a a ô Lord behold I can not speake because I am a child Wherefore ô Lord doe me the like fauour thou didst to this Prophet though I much lesse deserue it then he did Hier. c. 1. put forth thy hand touch my mouth and thereby put the vvords into my mouth vvhich I shall speake for then assuredlie my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Nay coÌ„fesse vnto thy God and say vnto him Sinne ô Lord hath not onelie stopped my mouth but hath also so polluted my lippes Isa c. 6. that I may saie vvith the Prophet Isaie I am a man of polluted lippes And greater cause haue I to saie so then he had for he esteemed his lippes polluted because he vvas silent vvhen he should haue spoken and therefore cryed Woe is me Isa c. â— because I haue held my peace But I haue spoken in detracting lying callumniating swearing the like vvheÌ„ I should haue beene silent and so I haue offended not onelie in omission as he did but also in commission and so haue much more polluted my lippes Send therefore ô Lord vnto me as thou didst to thy Prophet Isaie pardon me sweet Lord if I farr vnworthier then he presume to begge the same fauour at thy handes vvhich he did because it is not any myne owne merit but thy onelie mercie vvhich thus imboldeneth me one of thy Seraphins so called because as he is
theÌ„ not to be any more displeased with me for theÌ„ nor to thinke of punishing me at least eternallie for theÌ„ but to be haue thy selfe towards me hereafter as though thou diddest no more remeÌ„ber theÌ„ as though thy face eyes wese turned froÌ„ them and so to loue me hereafter so to behold me and with such a mild aspect countenaÌ„ce as though I had neuer sinned for so thou beholdest all truly penitent sinners and turning away thy angrie face from me behoulding me with a mild countenance wype away all my iniquities 3. Thou promisedst ô sweete Lord Ezech. 18. by the Prophet Ezechiel that if the impious shall doe pennance of all his sinnes c. ehou wilt not remember them that is so as to punish them at least eternallie Forget ô Lord my sinnes also in the same manner Thou promisedst by thy Prophet Micheas Michea 7. that thou wilt cast our sinnes into the bottome of the sea that is of the sea of thy mercie that they may be seene no more cast my sinnes into this sea that they may be drowned hidden from thy face Thou dist cast all the sinnes of Ezechias behind thy back Isai 38 cast also myne and turne thy face from them 4. I also ô Lord say so ô penitent sinner haue sinned with Dauid and I feare with him to appeare before thy face or to come in thy sight or presence And therefore as my first Parentes Adam and Eue did Gen. 3. I desire to hyde my selfe from thee if it might be in some bush or thicket Gen. 4. and as Cain had no sooner sinned but his countenance was abated and fallen so I guiltie of many and greeuous sinnes dare not looke thee in the face I count my selfe with Manasses vnworthie to looke vp to the height of Heauen Orat. Manaes Lucae 18. and with the penitent Publican I dare not so much as to lifte vp my eyes tovvards Heauen where thou art Wherefore ô Lord I cry to thee with Dauid to turne thy face from my sinnes It is not conuenient that thy Diuine eyes should cast their light and beames on so vile obiectes It is not conuenient they should looke on such filthines least they prouoke thee to disdaine to Indignation and anger remember them no more so as to be displeased with me for them remember them no more so as to punish me at least eternallie for them but as thou remembrest S. Marie Magdalenes sinnes and yet since her repentaÌ„ce art not depleased with her nor doest punish her for them so deale with me and in this sence turne thy face from my sinnes and behaue thy selfe towards me 5. But let myne owne eyes ô Lord and cogitations be euer fixed on my sinnes not to approue theÌ„ not to take delight in them nor yet thereby to dispaire of thy mercie towards me but as oft as I thinke of them to deteste and abhorre them to humble my selfe and to take notice of myne owne frayltie by theÌ„ to thinke into what danger of damnation they brought me how gratefull I should be to thee who hast deliuered me from this daunger To take heed hereafter least I fall againe into them to weepe for them and to crye thee mercie for them so oft as I thinke on them and by so fixing myne eyes and cogitations on them to cause thee to turne thy face and Diuine eyes from them and by thy grace and mercie to vvipe avvaye all myne iniquities Cor mundum crea in me Deus Spiritum rectum innoua in visceribus meis Create a cleane heart in me ô God and renevv a right Spirit in my bovvels 1. THere is no merit or desert in me ô Lord sayth Dauid on which as on a subiect thou maist worke my Iustification from sinne and cleanenesse of heart but as thou createdst the whole world of nothing so thou must create a cleane right and iust heart in me of nothing that is myne that is of no precedent merite of myne because the grace of iustification by which my heart is to be cleaÌ„sed from sinne is not giuen for any precedent good worke or deserte of myne For if by grace Rom. 11 I be Iustified then not by vvorkes othervvise grace vvere not grace no free guift but a reward 2. The almes I gaue to the poore the fasting wherewith I chastised my bodie my many prayers then made to thee ô Lord and whatsoeuer good worke I did whilest I was in the state of mortall sinne were dead workes the workes of a dead man dead in soule by sinne and so could not merite my Iustification and therefore hauing nothing in me which could merite my Iustification cleanenesse of heart thou ô Lord out of thy mercie for the merite of thy sacred passion must iustifie me and not for any thing in me and so thou must create my heart thou must create me a new creature of nothing of myne but onelie of thine that is of thy grace and mercie A sinner as a sinner is no creature of God and therefore in the Canticle Benedicite where all creatures euen to windes tempests dew snow yea and brute beastes are inuited to prayse blesse God the sinner is not inuited because he as a sinner is no creature of God but a moÌ„ster of his owne peruerse will yea a nothing sinne being no reall thing if it be true as it is most true which the wiseman saieth feare God and obserue his commandementes â—cclesiastes 12. for this is euery man then a sinner who is not this because he nether feareth God nor obserueth his commaundementes must be no man nothing and consequentlie if God will make him of a sinner iust and an obseruer of his commaundementes he must make him of nothing and therefore Dauid vseth the vvord create which signifieth a productioÌ„ of nothing as when God created the world of nothing And seeing that as cold is not expelled but by heate nor darkenes but by light nor any contrarie but by its contrarie my heart sayth Dauid can not be freed from the darkenes of sinne but by the light of grace nor from the filth of sinne but by the cleane and cleansing qualitie of grace and therefore I desire thee ô Lord sayth he to create in me this grace of nothing of myne that thereby my heart may be muÌ„dified and renewed 3. A peruerse heart is abominable to our Lord saith the vviseman Prou. 11. and therefore ô Lord create in me a new heart which shall be cleane and pleasing vnto thee my old heart was become by sinne old was clothed in the old habit of the old man the first Adam and the first sinner of meÌ„ take this oldnesse of sinne from me and from my heart and create in me a new heart a cleane heart 4. O Lord thou promisedst that thou wouldst giue to thy people a new heart Ezech. 36. and wouldst put a new spirit in the middest of them