of sinne deliuer mee both from the pleasures and cares of this world which are cables to tye me fetters to hold mee captiue from turning to thee Deliuer my soule and saue me First deliuer my soule from present distresse then addresse me in the right way of thy saluation It is true that there is no desert no goodnes in me that should any wayes mooue thee to pitie or relieue mee For I haue loosely abandoned thee I haue trayterously conspired against thine honour I am altogether vnworthy but in wrath and reuenge to bee regarded of thee But I entreat thee by thine infinite goodnesse which is sufficient to abolish all the sinnes in the world euen in the lowest descent of humilitie for thy mercies sake I beseech thee to saue mee LORD I crie to thee in the confidence of thy mercies and not of my merits whereto no saluation but eternall death and destruction is due And if thou wilt not absolutely be entreated yet this word mercie is a maine argument to mooue thee or to assure me at the least that thou wilt saue me For thou art merciful both inwardly in thy selfe outwardly to others It is thy proper nature to beê merciful it is more proper for thee to do good to impart thy selfe to al things then it is for the Sun to enlighten then for the fire to giue heat thou canst not but exercise the actions of mercie But vpon whom vpon righteous persons what needeth that For they haue no miserie because they haue no sinne which only is misery which onely needeth mercie Is it then vpon small offenders is it to a certaine degree and measure of sinne Why but thou art exceeding mercifull infinite in mercie no lesse infinite in mercie then in nature for thou art mercy Verely as the rich man oweth his reliefe to the poore and the greater his riches are the greater is his debt as also the more poore a man is the more right hee hath to demaund reliefe euen so the greater thy mercies are the more must thou exercise the same vpon miserable sinners and the more miserable and sinfull a man is the more boldly may he come to thee for mercie The miserable sinner ouercharged with sinnes may confidently make his suit vnto thee to doe thy duty to exercise thy action to take away his misery to impart to him thy mercie that where sinne abounds grace also may more then abound Men doe therefore giue sparingly or at the least in some measure because the more they giue the lesse they reteine but thy treasure cannot be either exhausted or diminished thou departest with nothing by imparting to others by giuing abundantly thou hast nothing the lesse Thou art a fountaine of pitie and mercie from whence innumerable streames proceede the waters whereof are infinite both in quantitie and in vertue as well to cure our wounds and infirmities as to wash away our filthines and refresh our weakenesse O infinite fountaine how canst thou bee dried O sweetnesse O sacietie of desires what languishing soule came euer to thee and was not both cured and clensed and fully refreshed Doubtlesse O Lord thou art exceeding mercifull and wilt both readily and largely distribute thy mercies among offenders Thou wilt deliuer them saue them if they turne vnto thee if with penitent hearts they desire thy mercie Thou art more liberall to giue then they can be either desirous or willing to receiue VERSE V. For in death no man remembreth thee and who will giue thee thankes in the pit THE wisedome of GOD bindeth our assurance 2. To what end man was created 3. The time of life limited for repentance 4 Paine causeth forgetfulnesse of any thing but of it selfe 5. As after death repentance is vnprofitable so at the instant of death it is very doubtfull 6. The discommodities of late repentance AND it is not onely thy mercie which bindeth my reason but also thy wisedome For I am thy creature the worke of thy hands the worke which thy wisedome hath framed to some end Thy wisedome hath framed nothing in vaine nothing but to some end without attayning which end it should not perish But it is all one if I had beene created for nothing and in vaine and if I should not attaine to the end for which I was created To what end then did thy Wisedome create mee in this World Certainely that I should know thee and that by knowing thee I should loue thee and that in louing thee I should neuer cease to remember thee neuer cease to praise thee neuer cease to sorrow when I offend thee To this end I was created and I am desirous to accomplish this end I am desirous to be an instrument for extolling thy praise and setting foorth thy glory But in case I die thus charged with sinne before thou turnest thy mercie to me before I turne to thee by repentance what honor will thereby rise to thee what benefit to my selfe How shall I then partake of thy goodnesse How shall I publish and praise the same For so long as we enioy the benefit of life We nay repent we may leaue our sinnes we may returne to the state of grace But after death followeth iudgement when no error can be either repented or repaired but euery man shall suffer according as hee hath done In this liâ—e we may both dispose our selues and incite others to blazon thy praise but in the dungeon of death who will thanke thee who will thinke on thee who will sing thy praises in the bosome of Hell This is not a proper place for the sweet harmony of thy praise for the ioyfull memoriall of thy name Thy praise consisteth in a thankefull publication of thy grace goodnesse and mercie But this is the house of horror heere thy full furie and vengeance inhabite here can bee neither thankfull nor ioyfull remembrance of thee It is familiar to the pleasures of this life if they be great to cause vs to forget both thee and our selues But we are far lesse sensible of pleasure then of paine paines are more sharpe to vs in a high degree then pleasures are sweet Sharpe paines doe so strongly affect the bodie they doe so viòlently possesse the minde that it cannot once thinke of any other thing Who may then remember thee as he should being vnder the hand of thy terrible wrath Who shall either loue thee or laud thee in the ouglie den of death where the eies are possessed with hideous hurlemeÌ„ts the eares with desperate fruitles wailings all the faculties and parts both with intolerable and endlesse torments VVhere nothing is either suffered or done but effects of thine implacable wrath Assuredlie they are cursed by thee who are condemned to this place and heere againe they curse and blaspheme thee For this cause the wiseman exhorteth vs to turne to thee to forsake our sinnes and to make our prayers before thy face But what is it to do all these
whereto we can attribute no greater either praise or power then that it worketh the same vpon earth which GOD himselfe worketh in heauen by making men happie by deliuering them from eternall perdition and by bringing them to vnspeakeable and endlesse ioy And herein it is singular and eminently alone herein all other vertues are but handmaides to attend it For albeit loue be exceeding powerfull albeit the fire of loue bee of merueilous force to consume sins yet doth it neuer attaine this effect but by vertue of Repentance In this action of loue Repentance is the principall worker loue is a testimonie and declaration not a proper cause of remission of sinnes Remission of sinnes is rather the cause of loue then loue the cause of remission of sinnes It is a very hard thing which GOD cannot doe But herein hath GOD restrained his power GOD cannot be mercifull vnlesse sinners repent without repentance it is impossible that sinners should be pardoned because it is impossible without repentance to abandon euill and turne to GOD. For sinne is nothing else but an auersion from GOD and a conuersion to creatures an auersion from an inestimable and immutable good and a conuersion to a vaine and variable euill This sinne is neuer pardoned but by forsaking creatures and by applying our selues againe to GOD by turning againe from euill to good by inward loathing the transitory euill whereto by pleasure wee did adhere and by fixing our delight vpon that infinite good which will neuer either varie or faile But this is a proper worke of repentance this is repentance it selfe Whosoeuer is thus conuerted in soule he is truely penitent hee is blessed in this life the LORD will impute no sinne vnto him And the reason is because he imputeth sinne to himselfe hee preuenteth the imputation of the LORD by imputing sinne to himselfe he chargeth iudgeth condemneth himselfe and therefore he shall neuer be either condemned or questioned by the LORD For a superiour Iudge will neuer examine that offence which hee knoweth to be both examined and iusticed by his commission But GOD hath giuen to sinners not onely commission but command to examine and iudge themselues which if they will vnpartially doe hee hath promised that hee will neuer iudge them that hee will neuer impute sinne to their charge The Iustice of GOD requireth that sinne should be examined condemned and punished but the great mercie of GOD hath made sinners their owne Iudges their owne executioners and tormentors It putteth them in choise either to iudge and condemne their sinne or to bee iudged and condemned for their sinne either to put sinne to death in this world or to die for sinne in the world to come But blessed is hee who embraceth this mercie who doeth examine and condemne his sinnes who doeth impute sinne to himselfe that GOD may not impute his sinnes vnto him Blessed is he I say who hauing sincerely iudged himselfe may boldly looke GOD in the face and say vnto him Condemne me not tell me wherefore doest thou thus iudge me Wilt thou proceed against thine owne appointment Wilt thou violate the direct rule of thy iustice Thy iustice requireth but one condemnation and thy mercy hath giuen me power to condemne my selfe This I haue already done I did daily iudge my selfe before thee and now I did securelie expect thee I expect not now to bee iudged by thee For feare of thy iudgment I haue iudged my selfe I haue not stayed for thy sentence I haue preuented it in giuing sentence against my selfe Wherefore then doest thou thus iudge me Thou maiest iudge my iudgement if thou thinkest meet how truely and triely I haue examined my cause before thee and thy causeagainst me What good I haue receiued from thee and what euill I haue returned to thee Iudge my iudgement I say if thou wilt but doe not iudge I pray thee my sinnes For herein especially we must be regardfull that we iudge vprightlie that we giue no false sentence whether by negligence or by partialitie and selfe-loue that our iudgement be not either muzled by the one or misse-led by the other For he only is in this blessed estate who maketh a serious search in his soule who is not deceiued in making his search who dissembleth not what there he findes Blessed is he who deceiueth not himselfe who dissembleth not with GOD. Who deceiveth not himselfe in blinding or abusing his owne iudgement either by a stupendious stupiditie that he hath no sinne or by a negligent enquirie after them or by a fauourable estimation of them or lastly by a false conceite that he may at leisure and in good time repent Who dissembleth not with GOD either in concealing or extenuating any part of his euill but humbling himselfe before his presence laieth open to his view euery vncleane corner within him and as a poore petitioner as one who beggeth for a piece of bread as one who sueth for his very life rather aggrauate then extenuate his wretched condition For it is in singlenesse and sinceritie of soule It is by true sence and acknowledgement of our sinnes that we must both inuocate and obtaine GODS mercy If we flatter our selues that we are innocent If knowing our sinnes we cancell or conceale them as if we could deceiue GOD so easilie as we can blinde the world If to win opinion we compose our behauiour to an outward fashion of pietie and not with the most inward sences of our soule not with the verie heart of our heart acknowledge and bewaile our fault If we doe not rather seeke after righteousnes then make shew thereof If we do not both promise and purpose and endeauour to amend If our mind and our mouth and our outward actions doe not agree we are but hypocrites the worst of all sinners VVe increase wrath we shall neuer come to the presence of GOD. VVolues are neuer more wolues then when they are apparrelled like sheepe It is extreame wickednesse to be empty of all goodnesse and yet aspire to be esteemed good GOD requireth in his Law confession of sinne before the sinner could be purged He commanded also that the high Priest should confesse his owne sins and the sins of the people vpon the head of a Goare and then permit it to escape For assuredlie albeit GOD be exceeding mercifull in forgiuing our debts yet is he hard seuere in taking our accompts That which in deed wee cannot in desire wee are obliged to performe we must by acknowledgement make tender of that debt which otherwise we are vnable to discharge He that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtaine mercy If we dissemble our sinnes we double our punishment because we double our offence Euen as not onely he that stealeth is an offender but he also that concealeth a theft If we dissemble part of our sins if we keepe backe part and say that
did not accuse my selfe vnto thee I did not returne to thee I did not put my selfe into thy hands for helpe I complayned for my calamities but not for the cause of my calamities I complayned for the punishment of my sinnes but I neuer thought of my sinnes themselues I had onely so much good left as to see my present euill and to languish in my distresse my consuming encreased my complaints and my complaints encreased my consuming but I could not spie any sparke of comfort These calamities didst thou execute vpon mee to draw me to a higher to driue mee to a deeper consideration of my selfe For as in diseases the first degree to recouery is the finding of the originall cause so in troubles and distresses there is small hope of helpe vnlesse we discerne from what fountaine they flow And therefore thou doest often presse vs with a heauie hand that we should vnderstand our rebellion against thee that we should both know and confesse our offences that we should disburthen our consciences of that loathsome loade which otherwise would poyson our soules to death This is the cause of our calamities and from hence must begin our reliefe So thou didst send firie Serpents among thy people in their passage through the deserts which ceased not to sling them to death vntill they did confesse their sinnes And for this cause thou didst call Adam in Paradise not for that thou knewest not where he was but to giue him occasion to acknowledge his transgression The Diuell thou didst not call Thou gauest sentence against the Diuell vncalled vnheard because his will was inflexible hee could not repent he would not confesse that hee had done euill But thou didst call man because hee could acknowledge his sinne Because man hath a power to repent his offences and confesse them to thee it pleaseth thee still by diuers meanes and occasions to call vs. But assuredly the most powerfull meanes the most violent voyce to call vs to thee is by aduersity more sinners are turned to thee by aduersity then by prosperity by feare then by loue by shame then by hope Sinners for the most part are like to the spring of the Sun in Sicilie which at midday is very cold at midnight exceeding hot We grow cold by prosperity but by calamities our deuotion is enflamed As much feeding vpon sweet meates maketh the body drowsie and dull so the mind pastured with pleasures becommeth pestered and heauy in the actions of vnderstanding and yeeldable to the command of sensuality and sloth Hence it followeth that it is a great mercy of GOD to be trauailed and euen tired with labour in this life It is a true token of his loue it is a sure signe that hee hath not giuen vs ouer that he is desirous to conuert vs to him Man is like the earth which vnlesse it bee torne vp with the plough vnlesse it bee harrowed digged and raked bringeth foorth wilde weeds and little else Troubles are GODS husbandrie vpon vs. To be spurned by all to bee a marke whereat all men aime their arrowes to be pressed with wants to bee oppressed with wrongs to haue our life perpetually run in a rugged way are good assurances or rather effects both of his loue and of his care They are the whips which make madde sinners sober they are the batterie which enforce obstinate and rebellious hearts to yeeld to the seruice and subiection of GOD they are the arrowes which GOD hath taken out of the quiuer of his mercy and winged with the fire of his Loue. To pierce and to warme our hard icie hearts he hath tempered his arrowes of tribulation with mercy and enflamed them with his Loue. VERS IIII. For thy hand is heauy vpon me day and night and my moisture is like the drought in Summer 1 GODS heauy hand vpon sinners 2 Feare how terrible an enemy it is 3 Her innumerable forces 4 Her cruell charge 5 The sinner vanquished and ready to yeeld 6 But is releeued by Faith 7 Her encouragements 8 Feare not to be feared 9 Hell fire created not onely for punishment but for terrour 10. Who haue greatest cause to feare 11 The number of the Elect not small 12 Wherein the workes of Mercy exceede the workes of Iustice. 13 The multitude and grieuousnesse of sinnes no cause to dismay vs. 14 Mercy not only preserueth vs from the harme of sin but turneth the harme of sinne to our good 15 Sorrow expelleth feare and begetteth ioy 16 A sinner ouercharged with sorrow 17 Her sad encounter 18 Ingratitude an odious offence 19 The sinner ready to sinke vnder sorrow 20 But is erected by Faith and by Hope 21 Their comforts 22 Contrition is the bruising of a soule betweene feare and griefe 23 The multitude of GODS benefits may much assure vs. 24 We must not leaue our repentance vnperfect 25 Sinnes are like a burning ague TO this end didst thou beare a heauy hand ouer me thy punishments did presse me very sore thou didst multiply many miseries without intermission vpon me Thou diddest cast many rugged rubbes in the smoothest passage of my affaires thou didst beat vpon my body with variety of infirmities but especially thou diddest lay an intolerable load vpon my soule My soule thou diddest both charge and torment with a mountanous heape of dolours and feares whereof I was vnable either to sustaine the weight or endure the griefe Before me were the multitude of my sinnes behind me the hideous horrour of them on the one side feares approaching on the other hopes abandoning aboue Iustice threatning beneath vengeance expecting within agony and anguish of soule without terrours disconsolation dread and almost a hellish darkenesse of despaire For thou diddest not only enuiron and assaile me with furious feares but thou diddest heape discomforts vpon me thou diddest cut off the supply of thy sweet consolations thou diddest drie vp or restraine the influence of thy grace wherby I should haue been both animated and aided in my distresse thou wouldest not affoord me one beame of fauor Oh! what a cruell enemie is feare Shee marcheth with inumerable troupes in her traine ranged in order armed at all points and shaking their terrible instruments of death Iustice carrieth the ensigne before her despaire soundeth the loud alarme disconsolation trembling distrust with all the curses threats of the Law with all the examples of GODS weighty wrath present the first charge She marshalleth al creatures in squadrōs against vs al our friends she draweth to her part our secret thoughts she mustereth on her side She hath a thousand treacherous intelligencies within our owne bosome which await but hower and occasion to surprise vs. Thus aduancing her selfe in the pride of her power with a high and horrible voice she cried vnto me Come foorth thou fugitiue Come thou deiected thou reiected traitour tell me Wretch Where now is thy assurance Who shall defend thee whither wilt thou retire Goe too now Goe
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
my secrets to all the world The longer time I haue liued the more I finde my life couered and ouergrowen with sinne euen as a riuer the further it runneth from the head the more waters it gathereth and the greater doeth the streame encrease or as a man riding in dustie waies the further hee rideth the more dust he gathereth vpon him I can finde in my selfe no light of goodnesse no calme of righteousnesse I haue bin so loaden with the yron yoake of the Diuell the troupes of my sinnes so muster vpon mee that out of the depth of my miserable estate I am enforced with sighes groanes and teares to cry vnto thee Oh! I am a most grieuous sinner I thinke my selfe the most grieuous sinner in the world I think my self which I tremble to speake a more grieuous sinner then the Diuell himselfe For albeit the Diuell participateth of all sinnes whereto he draweth miserable men yet of his owne nature he is not a glutton not a drunkard not sloathfull not libidinous not coueteous of riches or honoâ—s or any other worldly thing For because nothing is affected with that which is not agreeable to the nature thereof it followeth that a spirituall substance cannot bee affected with goods properly corporall but onely with those which are spirituall But in affecting spirituall goods there can bee no sinne vnlesse the rule of a superiour be thereby transgressed and this is by the sinne of pride in being disobedient to a superiour and in affecting a singular excellencie But consequently enuie may ensue by enuying the good of others whether in GOD or in man as a hindrance to their proper ends But so enuy must not be taken for a passion but for a will wrestling against anothers good And hereby it appeareth that the Diuell properly and in his owne nature sinneth onely in pride and in enuie which onely are pure spirituall sinnes But besides these I haue committed so manie other sinnes that I am both vnable and vnworthy particularlie to confesse them much more vnworthy to receiue pardone for them I haue made so great ruine and waste in all the faculties of my soule that it seemeth impossible they should be repaired Oh wretch what haue I done what did I entend to haue done The law accompted those beasts vncleane which did not chew the cudde not lesse vncleane cleane are they who will not ruminate and consider either the condition of their present state or what in future is either necessarie or in aduenture to ensue But alasse I neuer thought on my danger vntill all hope of remedie was past I neuer regarded my steps vntill I was in the snares of hell And now what death can I feare when I haue lost the life of my soule without which any other life is death and which maketh death a pleasant passage to life Being deepely wounded with the greatest griefe what sence can I haue of ordinary euill my deepe miseries haue drowned both my minde and my memorie in so deepe sorrow that all hope of reliefe is ouerwhelmed with the thicke throng of present discomforts And yet I will not cast downe my hope in the LORD I will not despaire of his gracious helpe For he hath not cast me downe to cast mee away hee hath not thus terrified mee to the end I should abandone all hope to the end I should be swallowed vp in the monstrous mouth of despaire but rather he calleth mee to him to the end that I should call vpon him The first worke that the LORD did in the conuersion of Saint Paul was the casting of him to the ground whereby thou doest instruct vs O LORD that our deiection in our selues is the first step of our aduancing to thee And assuredly thou wouldest neuer haue giuen me this grace to be sorrowfull if thou haddest not therewith intended to giue me life And therefoâ—â— albeit I bee cast downe to the verie gates of hell yet will I call vpon thee to raise mee againe albeit I bee crushed and broken to pieces yet will I call vpon thee to heale mee I can neuer bee so low driuen neuer so ouercharged with sorrow or with feare but still I will call vpon thee for comfort For what other remedie haue wee feeble wretches tossed in the vaste gustie sea of this world beaten with most raging tempests driuen among so many rockes and shelues so many infernall monsters gaping to deuoure vs what other remedie haue wee I say but to call and crie to thee with the distressed disciples awake LORD least wee perish Assuredly if out of these depths of danger and distresse we cry not out to thee for helpe then are we neere the greatest depth that can bee then are wee slipping into the depth wherein Cain was eternally swallowed then are wee readie to roare out his cursed complaint my sinnes are greater then can be forgiuen It is true Cain indeede thy sinne in it selfe was very great but in comparison of the infinite goodnesse of GOD it was not great Thy sinne might haue bin pardoned well enough but thy opinion and conceit that it did exceede the mercies of GOD that impious opinion so long as it stood could not be forgiuen Thy despaire was a greater sinne then the murther of thy brother thy despaire was the cause wherefore the murther of thy brother could not bee forgiuen Thy damnable repentance left no place for repentance to life The same trace followed they whom the Prophet described to speake in this manner Our sinnes are vpon vs and in them we consume how then should wee liue But O Omnipotent GOD is this a good reasoning with thy goodnesse My sinnes are vpon me how then shall I liue Desirest thou then the death of a sinner desirest not thou rather that sinners should liue I know rightwell that my sinnes are vpon me But I expect againe thy mercie vpon my sinnes My iniquities I know are gone ouer my head but they haue not ouergone thy goodnesse They are a burthen too heauie for me to beare and therefore I resort to thee who hast promised to ease me My sinnes shall neuer driue me to despaire but rather to repaire to thee for reliefe But is it not vsuall that GOD listneth not to sinners that he turneth away his eare and will not heare them Yes verelie But this is by reason of the cry of their sinnes this is when the cry of their sinnes drowneth the cry of their complaints Fauorable LORD stop thine eare I beseech thee against the crie of my sinnes but graciously incline it to the cry of my complaint Silence my sinnes LORD for a while bid them stand aside vntill I haue fullie confessed them to thee vntill I haue manifested my contrition for them and then let them appeare againe if they will for then they shall not appeare alone They shall be then accompanied with my teares and my griefe which will abate if not abolish their crie They shall not then prouoke thy
more is he enflamed with this desire and the greater difficulties will hee vndertake to atchieue it euen as the greater a fire is the greater heat it casteth foorth and the more matter it is able to consume But GOD is so good that in comparison of him none other can be said to bee good all goodnesse is attributed onely to him And therefore the more hee exceedeth in goodnesse the more desirous is he to communicate himselfe As he hath made himselfe like vnto thee so will he make thee like vnto him hee will not cease to informe to reforme conforme transforme thee dayly vntill hee hath vnited thee to him He communicateth himselfe to all creatures in their degree but in most especiall manner to man Assuredly it is not so naturall for light things to mount vpwards for heauie things to draw downward for the heauens to mooue round as it is for the goodnesse of GOD to doe good For the propertie of all creatures is accidentally in them but the property to good is essentially in GOD. GOD is an essentiall goodnesse So simple pure and immutable is his substance that no accident can adhere vnto it whatsoeuer is in GOD is GOD. Againe his loue may perswade thee that hee will bee mercifull For hee did not beginne to loue thee when first thou wert borne not when the world was created but thou diddest sleepe in his bosome euen from eternitie His loue to thee is no lesse ancient then the ancient of dayes euen then himselfe Who as hee is from eternitie so from eternitie hath hee loued his elect When his naturall Sonne was begotten then wert thou adopted for his Sonne and euer since hee hath cast vpon thee a fatherly eye alwayes remembring what glory hee hath appointed for thee The Scriptures much commend an ancient friend Loe here is an ancient Friend indeed a friend who hath loued thee from all eternitie Verely if immemoriall possession maketh a right thou hast now a good title to his loue thou hast now prescribed it for thine owne and hereby thou hast a good claime to his mercie And because likenesse is not onely a signe but a cause of liking and loue hee hath formed thy soule according to his Image for as nothing vpon earth resembleth him more by nothing hee canne more easily bee knowen And hence it is that the substance or essence of the soule cannot bee vnderstood because it is like the diuine substance which no man in this life can vnderstand Hence also proceedeth the admirable capacity thereof which all the creatures and riches of this world can no more fill then a graine of mustard can fill the world And further he hath bound himselfe by his promise and word that in case thou conuert and repent thou shalt neuer bee ruined by thy sinne And therefore seeing GOD hath made so large a promise seeing hee is now become a debtor of mercy seeing hee hath made his gift his debt Dare any sinner despaire Say I pray thee What is the worst that a sinner can feare Eternall damnation By whose appointment By the authority and command of Almighty GOD. But the same GOD who inflicteth this paine hath giuen a supersedeas hee hath giuen thee his warrant that if thou repent thou shalt not be damned Take heede they bee his wordes they are spoken to all sinners bee they neuer so great Wilt thou not beleeue them wilt thou not giue credite to Almighty GOD verely thou must For GOD is faithfâ—ll in all his wordes By these three by the goodnesse by the loue and by the promise of GOD thou mayest rest assured of his will to shew mercy Adde hereto that hee is omnipâ—tent that his will is his power that no man can reâ—ist his wâ—ll that he can as easily doe as will and there can bee nothing added to thy assurance Men do often faile in their word because they eyther change in will or are defectiue in power but because GOD can bee neither changed nor resisted he will assuredly make good his word But happily thou wilt say I know well that GOD is both mighty and true and I nothing doubt of the performance of his word But when hee hath once forgiuen a sinner it seemeth to be a discharge of his promise In case the sinner fall againe is GOD bound againe to forgiue him Verely yes For GOD hath commanded vs to forgiue our brother so often as hee shall offend and hath further added that If wee forgiue wee shall bee forgiuen Whereby it followeth that if wee bee not wearie to forgiue others GOD will neuer bee wearie in forgiuing vs that by enioyning reuengfull man to forgiue others hee hath therereby enioyned himselfe to forgiue them What Dost thou thinke that GOD will not be more mercifull then man Shall man forgiue sooner and oftner then GOD It cannot bee For because mercie proceedeth from goodnesse and goodnesse is originally in GOD who can be so mercifull as hee He who forgaue 10000. talents what may wee thinke he will not forgiue And therefore Albeit thou hast sinned neuer so grieuously neuer so often forgiue others and aske forgiuenesse meekely and mercy will follow For wherefore is remission of sinnes promised if sinners may not enioy it Do sinnes make thee vnworthy of mercy No. But rather by reason of thy sinnes mercie pertaineth to thee Wherefore neuer distrust but turne to the LORD who hath promised mercy and who hath commaunded thee to trust in his promise O the great vertue of hope As the sunne spreadeth light and heat to all the earth so grace streameth from her countenance to all who behold her O sacred hope to whose presence heauinesse dares not approach Although the weight of sinne doeth grieuously oppresse mee yet will I trust in the mercie of the LORD because hope hath emboldned me and because hee hath commanded me so to doe But wherefore hath hee so commanded Verely because hee desireth to saue mee for so hee hath sayd Because he trusted in me I will deliuer him O most mercifull LORD With what wordes shall I prayse thee for thy exceeding mercies who doest deliuer vs for no other reason but because wee trust in thee LORD thou art in greatnes infinite in vertue Omnipotent in goodnesse chiefe in wisedome inestimable in counsailes terrible in iudgements iust in cogitations secret in word true in workes holy in mercy plentifull patient towards sinners and pitifull when they repent For such I confesse thee for such I praise and glorifie thy Name Powre I beseech thee thy light into my heart and thy words into my mouth that my thoughts may alwaies meditate on thy mercies and that my tongue may ouerslow with praises for the same That I may not only in my selfe be fruitfull of thankes but stir vp others to doe the like O giue thankes vnto the LORD for hee is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer O giue thankes vnto the GOD
GOD died for man then that all men should haue perished O! the LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and trueth reseruing mercie for thousands and forgiuing iniquitie and sinne And therfore O distressed men whensoeuer you approach to GOD for mercie neuer distrust neuer think your importunitie displeasing or the opportunitie not fit Neuer think that you offer him a matter which eyther hee will bee vnwilling or hath beene vnaccustomed to doe but rather that you present him with occasion of acquiring praise and to doe that which is most agreeable both to his glory and to his nature It is his nature and propertie to haue mercy Not that other perfections are not also proper to him but this hee hath in greatest estimation for this especially hee will bee praysed Assuredly if his mercie were not infinite if it were little and limited which might receiue diminution or increase then were something imperfect in GOD but nothing in him canne bee imperfect therefore his mercy is infinite without eyther measure or end Goe vnto him any person at any time you shall alwayes finde that with him is mercy The fountaine of his mercy and grace which springeth from his fatherly heart can neuer be either stopped or spent the waters thereof are of singular vertue not only to cleanse the filthinesse of sinne but to enrich soules with heauenly beauty Neuer feare that you cannot bee refreshed with these streames I will tell you what you shall doe and you neede not feare Detest your sinnes and trust in the LORD and his mercies will ouerflow hee will bee infinitely succourable to you His goodnesse will wipe away all sorrow that you haue beene â—â—â—ners and make you reioyce that euer you fell as hauing made triall that as your offences surmount all measure so his mercies and grace exceed your offences yea it is not possible that GOD should denie his mercy to penitent sinners who trust in him for then he should not make good his word then he should denie himselfe which is not possible for him to doe But if they trust without repentance they doe not then trust but presume But as I haue tolde you O yee seruants of the LORD repent your sinnes and trust in him and then perswade your selues that with GOD is no anger nothing but mercy and loue because he cannot but loue those who beleeue in him And therefore if any calamity fall vpon you it is in mercy endure it patiently and hope to bee deliuered when GOD shall thinke fit If you haue committed any sinne yet with GOD is mercy trust to this mercy and you shall neuer be indamaged by your sinnes Albeit to your sence hee appeareth to bee angrie regard not your sence but stedfastly beleeue that in heauen and vpon earth there is nothing but mercy if you should die for it neuer suffer this trust to be wrested from you Beleeue not your sence but beleeue the word which hath sayd that with the LORD is mercy for those who trust in him Write this promise in your heart that if you truly trust in his mercy you shall not perish albeit all sence reason and experience should perswade the contrary In your selues you shall find nothing but wrath in the Diuell nothing but malice in the world nothing â—ut either dulnesse or madnesse but firmely beleeue that with thy LORD there is nothing but mercy O mercifull GOD bee sinners neuer so vngentle neuer so gracelesse thou art greeued to see them perish And if at any time they turne towards thee thy mercy is ready to meet them thou art ready to impart thy selfe vnto them thou didst neuer despise any who called vpon thee O comfortable words Giue me grace gracious GOD to taste once againe the sweetnesse of them Neuer did any call vpon him and was despised Blessed LORD is not this thy word wilt thou not make it good wilt thou not do as thou hast sayd LORD thou hast made vs of nothing we are feeble flesh VVe daily sinne we dayly aske pardon Shall we now be despised and neuer any despised before Our sinnes indeed are great but thy mercies exceed all greatnesse and measure Our sinnes are many but there is no number of thy mercies Our sinnes after forgiuenesse are many times renued but thy mercies are not limited either to number or time For with the LORD IS mercy At all times mercy nothing but mercy mercy neuer either exhausted or with held The second foundation of your trust must be vpon the merits of our Redeemer For with GOD there is not onely mercy but plenteous redemption The plenty and riches of this redemption is the innocent and precious bloud of IESVS CHRIST which as it maketh a treasure of innumerable riches so can wee not doubt either of his power or of his will to distribute the same His power dependeth vpon his will and his will is guided by his loue wherewith he offered his bloud for our redemption This loue enforceth his will and his will is alwayes followed by his power So as being largely assured of his loue wee must nothing doubt either of his will or of his power And the better to assure vs heereof hee was not sparing but rather seemed prodigall in expence of his most blessed bloud Physitions prescribe bleeding in a moderate measure but our redeemer out of his vnmeasurable loue made a profuse effusion of all that hee had One drop of his bloud in regard of the inestimable value thereof might haue sufficed for redeeming many worlds but to make our redemption plentifull hee did not reserue one drop to himselfe His bloud his precious bloud euery drop of his precious bloud was poured foorth for our redemption After that his externall parts were emptied of bloud by sweating scourging crowning and nailing His internall and vitall parts were also drayned by the stroke of a speare For in that water flowed foorth without any tincture of bloud it was an euident proofe that all the bloud was spent A little bloud will giue colour to much water and therefore if any little bloud had remayned the water must haue been somewhat coloured thereby This is the treasure this the ransome wherewith sinners are redeemed This most precious bloud was shed without measure to the end that be our sinnes neuer so grieuous so many so often repeated wee should heere finde a plenteous redemption whensoeuer with penitent mindes we craue benefit therof VVho will despaire who can doubt of his deliuerance VVhen GOD of his owne will hath so plentifully redeemed vs. VVho can suspect that he will be lesse willing to distribute this treasure then hee was to amasse it Assuredly there is no default in GOD if sinners be damned for hee desireth not the death of a sinner there is no default in GOD for not giuing but there may bee default in sinners for not desiring GOD desireth that his mercy bee magnified aboue his iustice but
sinners desire rather to prouoke his iustice then to inuoke his mercy By this redemption wee are not onely deliuered both from the guilt and eternall punishment of our sinnes but wee are also enriched with the righteousnesse of our Redeemer All the merits of his penury trauailes watchings groanings sweat teares and bloud are our rich treasure All his innocence and righteousnesse is ours For the righteousnesse of the second Adam is no lesse ours then was the transgression of the first Adam wee no lesse participate of the innocencie and sanctity of the one for our saluation then of the disobedience of the other for our damnation And therefore as Iacob being apparelled with the garments of his elder brother Esau procured a blessing which by right of birth was not his due so if wee bee clothed with the righteousnesse of our Redeemer wee shall obtaine a blessing whereto wee can otherwise pretend no right In offering this sacrifice and in presenting these merits what can we feare GOD is our Redeemer it is GOD who iustifieth who can condemne GOD is our patron and Aduocate If GOD bee on our side who can bee against vs This is he to whom all the Prophets witnesse That through his name all that beleeue in him should receiue remission of sinnes This is the true liuing Temple of GOD of whom the Temple of Salomon was but a figure This is the Altar whereon all the prayers which we offer to GOD are acceptable to him This is our only Priest our only Sacrifice our only Temple our only Altar whereby we are made acceptable to GOD. I will make this which I haue said a little more familiar by an example Albeit a man hath deserued nothing of his Prince whereby he may claime either respect or reward yet if his father haue performed great seruices If he hath spent his trauailes his estate his life in his Princes employment the sonne may no lesse both boldly and iustly sue for reward then if in his owne person he had deserued it Our case is not vnlike for all who are in the state of grace are the adoptiue sonnes of IESVS CHRIST hee is their Father their second Adam they are his sonnes and consequently his lawfull heires Not as if hee had died intestate but by his last will and testament which hee made the euening before his death at his last supper and soone after confirmed it with his blood By this testament he gaue vs his bloud and thereby hath made vs heires of all the merits for shedding his bloud Hereby wee haue good right to demand the reward due to all his labors and to the losse of his bloud and that with full assurance not only in regard of mercy which drew him so liberally to lay foorth his bloud but also of Iustice which thereby is largely satisfied For whatsoeuer he either did or endured in this world all the sharpe stony steps which he trode was in no part for himselfe but altogether for vs. For vs he was incarnate and borne for vs he sustained many contemptible both indignities and wants for vs hee fasted watched and prayed for vs hee did groane weepe and bleed Lastly for vs he died which was the accomplishment of our redemption Of all this he hath made vs heires in his last will and testament and that by his free goodnesse and grace For he was innocent and needed not to discharge any thing for himselfe neither had hee any neede of vs to encrease by that meanes either his greatnesse or his glory VERS VIII And hee shall redeeme Israel from all his sinnes 1 A contemplation of GOD in his diuine Maiestie 2 A contemplation of him in his humane abasement 3 How pleasing the obedience of our Redeemer was to the Father and for what cause 4 Two sacrifices obserueable in our Redeemer and which was most acceptable 5 The merit of these oblations perteine to vs and wherefore 6 Of the Priesthood and intercession of our Redeemer 7 Of the narrow capacity of our hearts and GODS inestimable abundance 8 Our redemption extendeth to all people and to all sinnes 9 How this is true 10 How sinnes are said to be impardonable 11 How GOD is said to blind men 12 GOD confineth sinners within certaine limits 13 How notwithstanding our sinnes we may be assured of pardon 14 To whom the rich treasure of redemption pertaineth 15 Our redemption dischargeth not only from sinne and eternall punishment but from miseries of this life 16 GOD conuerteth our miseries to good 17 How calamities may bee broken and a glorious conquest obtained 18 He who commandes his will is more powerfull then many kings and wherefore 19 We cannot iustly complaine of externall accidents and wherefore 20 A Prayer 21 An oblation 22 A thankesgiuing COme with me then and I will carrie you to the toppe of a high watch-tower where you may behold marueilous things Here with great humilitie reuerence of your soules lift vp your eyes aboue the clouds and aboue all the heauens surmount all the companies of Cherubin and Seraphin and aduance to the highest throne of Maiestie There fasten your thoughts vpon the most pure diuine substance which there keepeth state that beautifull light that vnapproachable light which no mortall eye did euer behold That glorious LORD in whom are the beauties and perfections of all creatures in farre greater excellencie then in themselues Him who with the bare inclination of his will created all things Him whose bright Maiestie as we are vnable to behold so without the light thereof we are blind Him whose wisedome power beauty Maiestie greatnesse cannot bee expressed cannot be comprehended Who remaining vnmoueable giueth motion to all things who gouerneth all things yet applieth himselfe to nothing who vseth all things and needeth nothing who changeth his workes and yet remaineth constant in his counsailes whom all the starres all the Saints and Angels praise and adore At whose presence the pillars of heauen tremble who poiseth the whole masse of the earth with three fingers and in whose sight all nations are as if they were not Him whose happinesse is such that it cannot be either encreased or diminished Insomuch as his glory will be nothing the more if all men should be saued and praise him nor any deale the lesse if all should be damned and curse him When thou hast stayed there awhile and feasted thy desires vpon this high substance descend againe by the same steps as if it were vpon Iacobs ladder and behold the same substance couered and disguised not onely with humane flesh but with all the miseries incident to humane flesh not onely as a seruant the basest sort of men but as a most contemptible seruant suffering both such miseries and such indignities as greater could not be endured and offering himselfe in loue to vs and obedience to his father euen to death euen to the most painefull and ignominious death of the crosse This obedience of
of sinne Such a soule is a soile which the more dewe it receiueth the more weedes it bringeth forth But if wee be grieued for our sinnes If we groane vnder their weight if we wrestle against their malice and power albeit the clouds were of Iron and the heauens of brasse our penitent praiers will pierce them The LORD will receiue our prayers Verelie a religious life giueth spirituall wings to our prayers It maketh them flie like lightning to the presence of GOD. But â—inne weigheth them downe and so much the more by how much the more our life is reprooueable VERS X. All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddenly 1 OVR enemies shall bee confounded and how 2. The wicked when chiefly vexed at the prosperity of the godly 3. They shall be extreamely confounded at the mercy of GOD and wherefore 4. Delay in sinne maketh the conuersion to grace more hard 5. GOD turneth to the wicked and to the godly in a different sort 6. A short prayer 7. How sinners must seeke 8. And what they shall finde 9. A resolution not to stay one houre in sin AND what now shall mine enemies doe They shall bee altogether confounded First with vexation at my happy estate afterwards with shame at their owne repulse at their sudden ouerthrow at their perpetuall deiection They shall be anguished to see their hopes and expectations faile to see my misery changed to felicity to see their iniury so much the more cruell because vniust turne to my honour to see him whom they thought to ruinate whom they had fully destined to death more highly aduanced then euer hee was before They are generally vexed with the prosperous condition of any man but more especially if hee be godly but most grieuously if they professe to prosecute him with open hate The prosperity of such a man is more grieuous to them then their owne calamitie But when they shall further see that he hath not onely auoided their attempts but preuailed against them that the omnipotent arme of the LORD dasheth them downe that mountaines of misery do ouerwhelme them the more apparant their fall shall be to all men the more shamefull will it bee to themselues And further the exceeding mercy and goodnesse of GOD shall extremely confound them For the more gracious and mercifull the LORD is in hearing and receiuing sinners the more they shall be confounded if they continue obstinate in their euill if they will not repent and turne vnto him They shall be confounded I say because when they nothing doubt of the goodnesse of GOD yet do they either not esteeme it or suppose to haue it at pleasure and will For nothing shall more confound sinners then that knowing as well the riches of GODS mercies as his gracious goodnesse which openeth to all which inuiteth all which intreateth all to participate therof Yet they remaine either altogether carelesse or heauy and dull in comming to him they either proudly contemne or with false flateries and hopes delay to repent which the longer they deferre the more incapable are they made of Grace For as a brand newly quenched will readily take fire but the longer it remaineth extinguished the more hardly can it be kindled againe so in a sinner the first decaying and dying of grace may easily be quickened but the longer he continueth dead in sin the harder will he be reuiued to Grace Alas they ioyed at my griefe and iested at my groning they made themselues merry with my misery and built the trophees of their victory vpon my ruines and disgrace They did swim in the delights of this world whilest I bathed my selfe with teares whilest I chastised and euill entreated my rebellious flesh But now Oh shame they shall be turned to another straine Their ioy shall be turned to smart and sorrow their pride to contempt their insolencie to ignominie and reproach And as the LORD hath sodainely turned his fauour to me so his fury shall sodainely be turned to them The wrath of the LORD like a sodaine tempest will strike in their faces It will astonish them it will cast them downe it will consume them Before thunder goeth lightning saith the wiseman and no lesse truely may it be said that after lightning commeth thunder What is lightning but the flashes of pleasure in this life beautifull but short The pleasures of this life are like the momentary flashes of lightning sodainely gone and seruing for nothing but to increase the terrour of ensuing darkenes And the more bright the lightning is the more deepe is the darkenesse the more dreadfull the thunder which is sodainely to ensue Assuredly they shall be turned indeed For if they will not turne vnto thee thou wilt turne them to confusion and shame O most mercifull most iust GOD most powerfull most prone and ready to helpe How louing a Father art thou to forsaken Orphanes how fauourable a Iudge to distressed sinners how sure a friend to those who loue thee to those who trust in thee They shall finde thee liberall aboue their deserts aboue the highest of their desires a measurer of thy gifts not by their worthinesse but by thine owne goodnesse Come hither all feeble sinners whose consciences are afraid of your owne suspicions who euer thinke you shall be damned come learne of me what sinners may find and how sinners must seeke learne by my affections to obtaine the like effects Rise earelie in the morning of thy good motions let them not sleepe too long in sloath Search thine owne soule diligently let faith bee thine eye hope thy guide loue thy light search whether thou canst finde the LORD within thee If thou findest him not there If thou findest that thy sinnes haue chased him away laie thy soule vpon the racke of repentance Wring groanes from thy heart and teares from thine eyes stretch it from heauen to earth vntill perforce thou force it to cry O GOD Feare no encounters for GOD out of GOD desire no comforts let the desire of him either extinguish or ouerrule the desire of all other things Whosoeuer cannot finde GOD hee doeth not thus seeke him whosoeuer hath not the like ioy to mine he neuer had the like sorrow and desire As for me who feele my selfe freed from this both pressing and piercing weight from this loathsome load of sinne who feele my selfe cheered with the liuelie light of grace I will not remaine hereafter one houre in sinne one houre in the hatred of my Creator I will forget all things and among them my selfe and thinke of him who thus hath saued me As the highest heauen draweth all the inferiour with the sway thereof albeit they haue naturally a contrary course so my reason enabled by grace shall draw all my appetites the whole frame of my inward man albeit they haue properly a contrary inclination Gracious GOD addresse all the instruments of my voice to sing praises to thee
from the tyrannie of feare or desire Happie is heonly who in soule liues contented and he most of all vnhappie whom nothing doth content But this quiet is neuer attained but by remission of sinnes whosoeuer hath this mouthfull he is fully satisfied he doth not hunger after other things he no more regardeth either the fauours or persecutions of this life then doth a dead lumpe of flesh This is both truely and aptly termed A stood of peace A very flood indeed in regard both of the quality and of the abundance For it quencheth the flames of our appetites and desires then which we haue none more deadly enemies none which more torture and teare our hearts especially if they be of such things as either possibly or easily we cannot attaine But these appetites are drowned and extinguished in this flood they are either satisfied or silenced by the iustice of this peace This peace can no man vnderstand but he that enioyeth it because it exceedeth whatsoeuer the vnderstanding is able of it selfe to comprehend Againe happinesse and miserie are perfect contraries But sinners because they are vpon their way to miserie are already miserable they are already in hell or rather haue a hell within them And therefore it followeth that penitents because they are vpon their way to felicitie are alreadie happie already in heauen or rather haue a heauen within them For there are two wayes out of this world one through the pleasures of sinne to eternall miserie the other through the sorrowes of repentance to eternall glory Blessed are they who are in this sorrowfull way for onely they trauaile to eternall happinesse They are blessed I say by faith and by hope For they haue not the full fruition of felicitie but they enioy it by faith and by hope and therfore by faith and by hope they are blessed This onelie is the difference betweene Saints in heauen and sinners that repent vpon earth the one haue their happinesse in hand the other in hope they are at their iourneyes end these are vpon their way they haue their blessed estate in possession these in election Neuerthelesse they are truely blessed euen as a Bishop elect hath both the title and honour of a Bishop albeit he be not stalled in his place Verely as sinne is no small or ordinarie matter so is forgiuenesse of sinne no ordinarie blessing Sinne is so hainous a thing that it is a lesse euill to destroy all the creatures in the world then to commit one sinne against GOD. Yet such is the power of repentance that by meanes thereof GOD will not onely forgiue our sinnes but he will forget them Hee will so deale with penitent sinners either as if hee had neuer seene their sinnes or as if he had perpetually forgot them Hee will neuer either behold or remember their sinnes to iudge them Marueilous is the mercy and goodnesse of GOD towards sinners that repent The more they remember their sinnes the more doth he forget them the readier they are to acknowledge their offences the readier is he to couer and conceale them It is a verie great blessing to haue our sinnes couered because nothing is more hardly kept secret then sinne Sinne is not couered by cunning contriuance not with the vaine veile of colourable excuses the more we endeauour by these meanes to couer it the more doth it manifest and bewray it selfe Adam did hide himselfe but his sinne hee could not hide hee couered his bodie with figge tree leaues but could finde no couering for his sinne The more hee endeauored to hide himselfe the more did his transgression appeare the very hiding of himselfe did bewray his sinne For if he had not sinned hee would neuer haue shrunke aside he should neuer haue beene attached either with shame or with feare For this cause also GOD said to Cain If thou doest euill sinne lieth at the doore For assuredly sinne will not keepe house It will not lie quiet in a corner It will abroad It will stand at the doore It will manifest it selfe to all that goe by At the first it is discouered by our owne feares and by our great diligence to conceale it afterward by our loose carelesnesse Lastly by our boldnesse and impudency in committing euill Besides it is of nature to multiply and encrease vntill it cannot be contained in secret vntill it can no more be hidden then the Sunne vntill by the tumorous turpitude thereof it doth first manifest and then ruine and destroy it selfe Onely Repentance is of force to couer sinnes First because it cutteth off the encrease it drieth vp the springs from whence it swels and ouerflowes and whereby especially it bewrayes it selfe Secondly because it is alwayes accompanied with loue for Loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Loue maketh the penitent and the innocent of like condition VERS II. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no sinne and in whose spirit there is no guile 1 IT seemeth that Repentance is a deitie and wherefore 2 Wherefore Angels after sinne cannot be blessed 3 Man may and wherefore 4 The greatest praise and power of Repentance 5 without Repentance GOD cannot be mercifull and wherefore 6 Wherefore GOD imputeth no sinne to the penitent 7 How a penitent sinner may expostulate with GOD. 8 In what sort we must iudge our selues 9 Hypocrites the worst of all sinners 10 Confession how necessary it is 11 GOD is mercifull in forgiuing yet hard and seuere in taking accompts 12 Dissimulation doubleth our sinne 13 One sinne sufficient to ensnare vs. 14 A true accompt of our sinnes required DIuine Repentance What shall I say of thee How shall I worthily either extoll or esteeme thee Shall I say thou art a vertue or shall I terme thee some Deitie Assuredly it seemeth that thou art a Deitie and that GOD hath imparted a part of his Dominion vnto thee It seemeth that thou art his Lieutenant vpon earth and that he hath inuested thee with his owne authoritie because the same power which GOD exerciseth in heauen the same doest thou exercise vpon Earth For as GOD maketh blessed in Heauen so doth Repentance vpon Earth Only GOD maketh the iust blessed in Heauen and Repentance maketh sinners blessed vpon Earth because after sin no man is blessed but by Repentance And therefore the Angels that did sinne shall neuer be blessed because they cannot repent Their will is inflexible they are immoueable from that which once they apprehend his heart is as strong as stone and as the Smithes stithe broken it may bee but it will neuer bend That which death is to man the very same is sinne to Angels As man after death cannot profitably repent so cannot Angels repent after sinne But the hope of mans blessednesse consisteth in this that his will is flexible that his minde may turne to abhorre that which once with pleasure hee did embrace that he is capable of Repentance This is a branch of chasticing Iustice
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
declare that difference which nature hath set betweene thee and bruit beasts not in outward appearance and behauiour but chiefly by the disposition of thy mind Vnderstand thy state vnderstand thy dangers and then expresse some iudgement care and industry how to auoid them For assuredly thou wantest either faith if thou doest not beleeue thy danger or vnderstanding if with all care and diligence thou doest not endeauour to auoid it Aboue all be not halfe a man be not carefull and regular in thy life to halfes for such a one liueth most miserably because he enioyeth neither GOD nor the world He enioyeth not GOD because he hath not grace enough to make him his owne The world he doth not enioy for that hee hath so much taste of grace as to discouer the vanitie and iniquity of his pleasures Thou mayest happily obserue foure degrees of sinne the desire the action the custome the obstinacy or contempt Desire bringeth forth action frequencie of action draweth on custome custome runneth into habite habite into nature from whence proceedeth obstinate contempt Whensoeuer therfore thou fallest into any degree of sinne lie not still beware of custome for this will soone rise into contempt which is not pardonable because so long as contempt standeth it is not possible that the sinne should bee remitted Obstinate impenitencie is said to bee impardonable for that thereby a sinner disesteemeth and despiseth the mercie of GOD which if he would entertaine and embrace then is hee not obstinate then are his sinnes both possible and easie to be forgiuen For no sinne is vnpardonable with GOD when with sinceritie and humility of heart the sinner desireth mercie which contempt will neuer permit him to doe And therefore at the very first summons that GOD shall make range thy selfe readily vnder his obedience Doe not struggle against his directions be not slow in performing his pleasure Doe not either by obstinate rebellion resist or by cold dulnesse extinguish the good motions of his grace enspired into thee Doe not constraine him by afflictions to constraine thee to his seruice as a beast is constrained by bridle and whippes to be seruiceable to man Be not good onely vpon compulsion and feare neither let compulsion and feare deterre thee from goodnesse But be like a sure blade whereof albeit the point bee bowed to the hilts yet will it not so stand but returne foorthwith to the straightnesse againe Weigh thine actions with vnderstanding do them with loue walke cheerefully in the wayes of the LORD bee readie be desirous and ioyfull to be guided by him For GOD who is a spirit respecteth the spirit he desireth he accepteth principally the heart he is better pleased with the manner of our doing then with that which we can possible doe Certainely of all the creatures vnder heauen which haue receiued being from GOD none degenerate none forsake their naturall dignity and being but onely man Onelie man abandoning the dignitie of his proper nature is changed like Proteus into diuers formes And this is occasioned by reason of the libertie of his will which is a facultie that transformeth men into so many things as with violent appetite it doth pursue Hence it proceeded that in the creation of other things GOD approoued them and saw that they were good because he gaue them a stable and permanent nature But of the goodnesse of man no mention at all Mans goodnesse was left vnapprooued at the first because GOD gaue him libertie of will either to embrace vertue and be like vnto GOD or to adhere to sensualitie and be like vnto beasts And as euery kinde of beast is principally inclined to one sensualitie more then to any other so man transformeth himselfe into that beast to whose sensualitie he principallie declines For as the first matter is apt to receiue the impression of any forme so man by reason of his affection and will is apt to be transformed into any beast This did the ancient wisemen shadow foorth by their fables of certaine persons changed into such beasts whole crueltie or sottery or other brutish nature they did expresse And what else did others signifie by seeking for a man with a candle in the greatest assemblies of a most populous city but that all were degenerated into beasts Run to and fro saith the Prophet Ieremie by the streets of Ierusalem and behold now and know and enquire in the open places thereof if ye can finde a man And againe the same Prophet saith Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge And againe The Pastors are become beasts and haue not sought the LORD therefore haue they no vnderstanding And hereby thou maiest discerne O man the deformitie of thy most seemely sinnes which raseth the image of GOD out of thy soule and transformeth it into the image of beasts For Man being in honour and without vnderstanding is compared to the foolish beasts and is made like vnto them O sonnes of Adam created after the image of GOD adorned with many naturall and supernaturall gifts Doe not abandon your selues Doe not abandon reason to embrace sensualitie doe not cast off the dignitie of your condition and state to follow the base fashion of beasts Euery thing naturally loueth the life You haue no similitude with beasts but GOD hath created you to his owne image to the end you should loue him GOD hath endued you with reason to make you differ from beasts vse it and vse it well If you doe not vse it then are you beasts If you vse it not well but abuse it then are you worse then beasts then are you deuills If it pleaseth you not to be as you are I will tell you how you shall best transforme your selues endeauour to resemble GOD to transforme your selues into him by imitation so much as it is possible of his sanctity and puritie Euen as he hath said be ye holy as I am holy This is a blessed change this is the greatest perfection that can be either wrought or wished to a reasonable creature What man will desire or endure to serue his enemie his fellow or his seruant The Diuell is your enemie the flesh your fellow the world your seruant The first seruice is vnprofitable for it affoordeth no wages but death the second vncertaine for you are alwayes menaced to be turned out of dores the third is most base and vaine for suppose you could atchieue all the world what is it A needles point a moat a mite a nothing You are now in your passage through a wide and wilde forrest wherein you may be easily lost wherein easily you may lose the vse of that sunne which should both enlighten and direct you to your iourneyes end You are trauersing through an intricate labyrinth out of whose entaglements you can neuer winde neuer free your feet vnlesse you follow that pathe which GOD hath lined foorth vnto you You aâ—e sailingin a dangrous sea beneath paued with shelues on euerie
iustice but helpe to inuoke thy mercies for me Assuredly O my soule the crie of thy complaint hath no greater obstacle then the cry of thy sinnes vntill by repentance the barre be remooued And therefore if thou wouldest haue the LORD to heare the voice of thy complaint first drowne thy sins with teares of repentance then cast away their dead carcasses from thee Away with all the trumperies of the world away with the vanities of pride auarice surfet reuenge away with all impediments of sinne For vnlesse thou abandon thy vanities thou shalt vainely implore the Omnipotent to heare thee He cannot heare a voice proceeding from a heart and lips loaden with iniquities he cannot be mercifull vnlesse thou repent Heare the condition whereupon thou maiest be heard Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vngodly man his cogitations and turne to the LORD and he will haue mercy vpon him Why so thē fauorable LORD So now I here present my selfe before thee not proudly standing vpon my iustifications but with a sad broken spirit from a low deiected heart I humbly turne and breath forth my complaints before thee Hitherto my daies haue I vnprofitably wasted I haue hitherto spent my time in purposing but neuer beginning to pursue But now I turne and come vnto thee stooping and staggering vnder the importable fardage of my flesh euerie where I finde enemies I am grieuous to my selfe both within and without I haue many complaints to present to thee and now sue for a fauouble hearing Shut not thine eares neither hold them as indifferent but inclineable and fauourable to my petitions LORD I acknowledge to thee all my impurities and earnestlie entreate both thy comfort cure Behold how the necessitie of my miserable estate draweth sighes from my heart teares from my eies and complaints from my tongue Yeeld LORD a fauorable eare declare thy selfe so farre from dispising as attentiuely to listen to the voice of my complaint And albeit thou beest in the highest seat of glory and I in the lowest center of sinne yet be pleased to heare for no distance can hinder thy hearing who by thy goodnesse in all places art present The prayers of those who call vpon thee with their heart shall neuer resolue into winde by reason of any distance of place because thou art neere to all those who call vpon thee faithfully And if my sinnes still thrust themselues betweene thy hearing and my complaint If still they step forth to stop thy eares against my voice if they still make a hideous cry to awake thy iustice to quicken thy wrath to make my prayers not onlie vnacceptable but hatefull to thee chase them awhile with one glorious glance of thy eie close a little thy eie of iustice vntill I haue once againe confessed them to thee and presented to thy gentle hearing my petition for grace For I know rightwell that the petitions and confessions of penitent sinners vpon earth are no lesse pleasing and delightfull to thee then are the praises of thy blessed Angels in heauen VERS III. If thou LORD wilt bee extreame to marke what is done amisse O LORD who may abide it 1. GOD is in all places present and how 2 How after a singular manner hee is present 3 The cordes which hold vs captiue to Hell 4 A confession 5 The torments of Hell not sufficient to punish all our sinnes 6 GOD is not only a Father but a LORD and what kinde of LORD 7 The sinner addresseth himselfe to mercy 8 To the Father of mercy 9 All reasonable creatures may sinne and the reason why 10 Wherefore some Angels did not sinne 11 Wherefore all men are obnoxious to sinne 12 Wherefore man was redeemed rather then Angels 13 All men are sinners by nature 14 GODS court of mercy is higher then his court of Iustice. 15 Wherefore a sinner is sayd to be vnprofitable 16 Two wayes to attaine felicity 17 Our Sauiour onely hath gone the way of Iustice. 18 No man can passe but by the way of mercy 19 GOD delighteth to spare sinners 20 We are enioyned to imitate GOD in his mercy 21 The readiest way to attaine mercy 22 A petition for mercy HEauenly LORD Albeit my oppressed soule lieth buried in the deepe loathsome denne of sin yet is there no centre so deepe but thou mayest easily affoord thy hearing For thou fillest heauen and earth in all places thou art present not onely in regard of thy power but in regard of thy true and reall essence For wheresoeuer any thing is that hath a being there art thou also who art the cause of that being for the cause and the effect are necessarily together they doe necessarily cohere the cause doeth necessarily support the effect But after a more singular maner thou art present with those who pray vnto thee euen as the great Prophet Moses doeth in these words assure What nation is so great to whom the GODS come so neere as the LORD our GOD is neere vnto vs in whatsoeuer we call for to him What then shall I say now I am in so neere distance before thee Alasse I am come to speake for my selfe but I canne speake nothing but that which is against me If the holy Patriarch Abraham in speaking to thee did call to mind that hee was but dust and ashes If hee was so humble If hee bare such awfull reuerence to thy Maiestie when hee entreated for others what shall I poore miserable sinner doe when I am about to entreat for my selfe what Dust and Ashes Nay a bottomlesse depth of sinnes and of miseries to whom delight in sinne the power of the diuell and the violence of custome haue beene in stead of three cords or rather cables to hold mee captiue to hell O most high and powerfull Creator when I turne my eyes into my selfe when I make a priuie search in my owne conscience I finde the multitude and varietie of my sinnes to bee such that I esteeme my selfe vtterly vnworthy whom thou shouldest not onely helpe but heare because in comparison of my sinnes the miseries are nothing which I endure I haue so deepely offended thee that in reason I can expect no fauour from thee For what day what hower hath passed in all my life wherein I haue not deserued a world of torments Insomuch as albeit thou shouldest discharge vpon mee all the horrours of hell yet should the greatest part of my offences remaine vnpunished Thou hast spared mee but I haue not spared thee thou hast spared to strike mee with the sword of Iustice but I haue not spared to smite thee with the fist of iniquitie Thou hast shewed thy selfe a Father to mee but I haue not behaued my selfe as a child How shall I looke so good a Father in the face beeing so lewd a child as would disthrone and destroy that good Father if I could Suppose the Father will bee content to forgiue yet it is doubtfull that the LORD will not Hee that forbeareth
must despaire we cannot be saued For our life resteth in remission of our sinnes that thou hast couered or rather buried them that thou wilt neuer obiect them against vs. All haue gone out of the way we are all become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one But wherefore is a sinner sayd to bee vnprofitable Verely all things are vnprofitable which serue not to the end for which they were created Now man was created to the glory of GOD but a sinner so long as he remayneth in sin is altogether vnprofitable for that end And how should man be pure who springeth from a rotten root How should there not be sin in man apparelled with filthy flesh when his seruants were not stable and when hee charged his Angels with folly All the wayes of the LORD are mercy and Iustice. No other way hath hitherto been knowne to attaine felicity By the way of iustice our great Sauiour only hath gone none other but hee could euer say Which of you could reprooue me of sinne By the way of Iustice hee hath merited for himselfe and for vs for himselfe the glory of his humanity for vs Grace heere and heerafter Glory But by the way of mercy all we must walke because we haue walked in the wayes of sinne because by nature we are children of wrath VVithout mercy and iustifying Grace wee cannot be saued The doore of the entrance to the Oracle in Salomons temple was made of wood of the Oliue tree which being a type of mercy did shadow to vs that no man can enter the holiest place but thorow the doore of mercy And albeit GOD holdeth in his hand both iustice and mercy yet by his antecedent will he desireth all men to be saued His iudgement is exalted by his mercy he delighteth to spare sinners hee reioyceth at occasions to shew his mercy he esteemeth himself more glorious by shewing mercy then by exercising his power In his mercy if I may so speake hee seemeth to goe beyond himself for his mercy is ouer all his workes In mercie hee would haue vs like vnto him Bee yee mercifull as your heauenlie Father is mercifull Hee enioynes vs not to imitate his power whereto Lucifer proudlie aspiring was deiected into hell Nor his wisedome which Adam vainlie affecting was elected out of Paradise but his mercie which wee humblie practising may bee erected into heauen As it is mercie whereof wee stand most in neede so is mercy chiefly required of vs. But the readiest way to attaine mercy is by acknowledgement of our sinnes He that acknowledgeth not his sinnes acknowledgeth himselfe vnworthy of mercy vnworthy to be acknowledged of GOD He who hideth or excuseth his sinnes struggleth against the streames of Grace and debarreth himselfe of all hope of pardon he doth vainelie search after GOD who will not search into himselfe and freelie confesse what there he findes Alasse How manie are held in the yron chaines of sinne and the deuill who neither bewaile nor confesse nor see their miserie who ignorant of their owne estate suppose they walke a full pace the right way to heauen Such were the Israelites whom the Prophet thus reprooued for like affected ignorance How canst thou say that I am not polluted neither haue I followed Baalim Behold thy wayes in the valley and know what thou hast done O blind and foolish man who wilt endeauour to iustifie thy selfe open thy eyes which the deuill hath closed and behold thy wayes in the valley of thy life Assuredly thou shalt finde it full of contempt against GOD of iniuries against others of impurities and vanities in thy selfe Thou shalt espie many grieuous sinnes which others happily haue espied before thou shalt find many Monsters lurking in thy bosome which awaite opportunitie sharpely to assaile thee Verily it is a greater fault to conceale or defend a fault then it is to commit it And now O holy GOD now I haue confessed to thee my owne sinnes in particular and generally the sinfulnesse of all what wilt thou doe how is it thy pleasure to deale with me Shall thy wrath still contend with thy mercie against me shall my sinnes surmount thy goodnesse shall my sinnes be stronger to condemne me then thy mercies to saue mee O my hope Are thy benefits become so chargeable to thee doest thou loose any thing by giuing to me Wherefore then withholdest thou thy mercy in displeasure or tell mee what els requirest thou from me Requirest thou griefe why that is such that I would I had died when I did displease thee Requirest thou punishment Loe here my poore perplexed bodie binde it scourge it satisfie thy indignation thereon but so as thou forbearest not to affoord thy mercie LORD I desire not honour not authoritie not riches not any thing created all these cannot satiate my desire without thy mercy all is pouertie I desire only thy mercie giue me thy mercie and I shall be satisfied VERSE IIII. For there is mercy with thee therefore shalt thou be feared 1 THe greatnesse of GODS mercy 2 He is desirous to pardon 3 The very thought of mercy hath a powerfull operation 4 The power of hope 5 Her encouragement to the sinner 6 The sinners dulnesse 7 Hope giueth assurance of mercy 8 Three things most like to hinder mercy 9 Sinnes can be no impediment 10 Iustice can be no impediment 11 The ordinance of the Law is no hinderance to mercy 12 The goodnesse of GOD assureth his mercy 13 The same is assured by his Loue. 14 His promise doth binde him to bee mercifull 15 His power doth also assure his mercy 16 Albeit wee often sinne yet GOD is bound by his promise to be mercifull 17 By reason of our sinnes we are rather capable then vnworthy of mercy 18 Wherefore GOD hath commanded vs to trust in him 19 A praise of GOD for his mercies 20 One caution to be respected if we expect mercy 21 A second caution 22 Wherefore GOD is to be feared 23 Hope and feare how conioyned 24 Feare a temperature betweene despaire and presumption 25 A prayer for feare O Mild Father how sweet is thy spirit who will not loue who will not laud thee Albeit thy displeasure be daily prouoked yet it is thy pleasure it is thy glory not only to forbeare but to forgiue sinners thy mercie is so great that thou neuer desirest the death of a sinner Thou knowing how weake we are how inclineable to euill wilt not try all our actions by the try touch of thy iustice but like a gracious Father wilt dissemble many of our imperfections and powre forth large streames from the euer-flowing and ouer-flowing fountaine of thy mercie both to cleanse and to cure them Thy nature is goodnesse thy propertie is to haue mercie thou art easie thou art readie thou art desirous to pardon No man is so readie to intreat thee as thou art easie to be intreated Thou art alwaies readie to giue and
to forgiue to giue vs thy goodnesse and forgiue vs our euill Thou canst not denie vs thy mercie whensoeuer we repent and turne to thee This Ocean of mercie hath neither bottome nor bound it cannot be fathomed it cannot be surmounted No sooner can a sinner call mercie to his mind but he is sencible of the working thereof For it breaketh and disperseth the hell of remorse which did chill his heart with astonishment and feare the dampes of pensiuenesse vanish away the punishment which hung ouer his head is chased farre off Or if any punishment be inflicted it is not the punishment of a iudge but the chasticement of a Father it is both temporall and tempered with mercie which maketh it not onely tolerable but easie and sweete In this Ocean of mercy I will cast the anchor of my hope ride securely against al rage of wheather here hope will hold mee firme and immoueable against all approaches O heauenlie hope whose face heauinesse cannot endure how wonderfull is thy sweetnesse and thy power What louely lookes doest thou cast vpon those whom thou encountrest what vnspeakeable ioyes doest thou kindle in their hearts who entertaine thee Loe she came vnto me attended with many comforts and with a diuine countenance and voice vsed these speeches Come feeble wretch I will lead thee into the Sanctuary of the LORD and place thee before his mercie-seate Come I say enter bouldly I will excuse thee Thou shalt finde him alone expecting thy comming Away with all worldly comforts it is no lesse dangerous for a soule to be pestred with them in time of troubles then it is for a shippe to be ouerburthened with rich merchandise in a tempestuous sea It is he onely who knoweth how to deliuer thee how to saue thee cast thy selfe on him and he will helpe thee Thus shee said but finding me heauie and little moued her sacred lippes began againe in this manner to infuse her selfe into my dull earthy spirit What said hee doest thou any thing doubt of the great mercies of GOD wilt thou still sucke sorrow out of euery vaine surmise why search the Scripture and thou shalt there finde mercie so much extolled so faithfully promised and so often and strangely practised vpon sinners that he seemeth too obstinate who will not submit himselfe lowly to embrace sure confidence therein But goe too I see I must take a little more paines I will therefore descend to particulars with thee Three things if any thing are most like to withhold GOD from exercising his mercie 1. The greatnesse of sinnes 2. His righteousnesse and iustice 3 The institution and ordinance of his law But neither any nor all these are able to hinder the forgiuenes of sins needs must GOD be merciful notwithstanding these impediments to such as are sorrowfull for their misse-liuing 1. For thy wickednes cannot either extinguish or abate his mercie in case thou be penitent and beare a constant mind to amend Otherwise the condition of all men were dangerous For when men offend if GOD were not mercifull if hee were hard and vnwilling to exercise his mercie what should they doe how should they order themselues to auoid despaire For despaire is nothing else but want of true trust in the mercie of GOD to remit sinnes But doubtlesse it is not so he is mercifull and alwaies readie to forgiue Sunes are so farre from being an impediment to mercie that they are the proper obiect thereof without which mercy hath no action for take away sinnes and where then is pardoning mercy Many glorious Saints in heauen are witnesses hereof who were once grieuous sinners vpon earth This also did Ionas know rightwell and for this cause he was vnwilling to bee a messenger from GOD of his wrath against the Nineuites For I knew said he that thou art a gracious GOD and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repentest thee of the euill And obserue weake sinner whosoeuer thou art who for the greatnesse of thy sinnes art caried downe to the gates of despaire obserue how GOD dealt with these condemned Nineuites Hee suspended his sentence of condemnation and could not proceede to execution thereof so soone as they manifested their repentance Feare not then the greatnesse of thy sinnes for they are not neere so great as his mercy his mercy is farre aboue thy neede 2. The iustice of GOD can be no impediment For iustice requires no more then a recompence for a trespasse and forthwith the offence to be forgiuen But thy redemption is made thy reckoning is abundantly paide there remaineth nothing for thee to discharge This redemption is of such power and grace that it not onely satisfieth GODS iustice but winneth him to great fauour and loue Doe but remember who is the priest and what is the sacrifice and thou shalt finde the iustice of GOD easily answered for it was more that GOD died then all man-kind had perpetually perished This is such an offering as if euery houre euery minute it were newly offered And therefore it is called an eternall redemption because by it all true penitents are redeemed for euer All therefore who are penitent and haue a full purpose neuer to offend and a trust by GODS grace to continue in that purpose may bee assured that by this redemption they shal be forgiuen This redemption is the very strength of repentance hereby the iustice of GOD is no obstacle to his mercie 3. Now touching his ordinance of the law Of a troth the law was fearefull and seuere and therefore is termed the law of death euery soule that sinneth shall die But this seueritie is past and done A new law is made the law of grace the law of mercie and of life Repent and the kingdome of heauen is at hand This is a milde law but in any case the condition must bee performed Thou must applie thy selfe to repentance in any case GOD will not bee mercifull vnlesse sinners repent Notwithstanding if at any time through weakenesse thou offend doe not fall from him into despaire but trust in him sticke stiffelie and constantlie to him and so shall thy trust support his mercy in thee and againe his mercy shall support thy trust euen like a proppe against a wall which holdeth vp the wall and is againe sustained by the wall The impediments of mercy being thus remoued it remaineth plaine that mercy may easily bee obtained and that for diuers respects and especially these First for that the goodnesse of GOD assureth his mercy For to one who is good nothing is more naturall then to doe good which is the proper action of goodnesse But because no greater good can be done to another then to make him good it followeth that it is most proper to one who is good to make others good to communicate his goodnesse to others vntill he hath made them so good as himself And this is so farre true that the more goodnesse any one hath the
crummes of thy loue wherto with all my soule I aspire But stay impatient soule be not so violent in thy desire GOD hath long expected thy repentance and canst thou not a while expect his mercie As he hath delayed his anger so it is reason thou shouldest awaite albeit he delay his fauour Hee was slow to wrath and wouldest thou haue him sodaine in mercie He did not presentlie strike when thou diddest offend he did not make payment ouer the naile and must he needes at the very first presenting thy selfe applie himselfe to thee He hath a long time bin calling thee to repentance and thinkest to thou haue his mercy at the very first cal How often hath his iustice taken the whip in hand to chastice thy sinnes but mercie hath met her and wrested away the scourge If iustice had continued her course no house of Aegypt no habitation of sinners but had rung with loude lamentation for their dead and wouldest thou haue all his graces at pleasure and command Iustice hath proceeded slowlie that sinners might haue time to repent and must mercie foortwith gallop to them Nay soft sodaine repentance is not alwaies sincere if it be sincere it will be of coutinuance shew the sinceritie of thy repentance by thy perseuerance perseuere and doubtlesse thou shalt obtaine In case GOD deferreth to heare thee it is for one of these three causes Either to make his gifts more highly esteemed or else because he delighteth in thy companie because he taketh pleasure that thou shouldest conuerse with him talke with him sue to him because he so delighteth in thy resort to him as hee will not loose it by a speedy dispatch Or else it is because he entendeth to giue to thee in a larger measure He stoppeth the streames that the waters may swell but in the end he will powre them foorth not as it is fit for thee to aske but as it is fit for him to giue Or happily thou art deceiued O blinde soule he seemeth to delay when hee doeth but expect the most conuenient time when he doth but await vntill thou beest ready to receiue Assuredly GOD is so mercifull that he doeth not onely heare sinners who wait for him but he calleth vpon them hee awayteth to be entreated by them Obserue what hee sayth Behold I stand at the doore and knocke If any man heare my voice and open the gate vnto me I will enter into him and suppe with him and he with me Listen I pray thee how strongly hee knocketh how loud hee calleth Runne open to him the gates of consent of thy will open thy doores which the loue of this world hath barred against him Away for shame VVhat wouldest thou suffer any meane friend to stand thus long wayting at thy doore List list Out vpon thee there is such a hideous noise within thee that thou canst not heare Auarice ambition pride enuie hate and a thousand worldly cares keepe such a yeelping with their monstrous mouthes that the sweet voice of the LORD cannot be heard thy hearing is stopped by their horrible howlings as if it were with a ring of belles at thy eares But if thou wilt heare his calme calling silence these hagges quiet thy disordered desires banish the choaking cares of this world resigne thy will keepe silence and peace within doores and then thou maiest say with holy Iob Thou shalt call me and I will answer thee Neuer feare that he will proue a chargeable guest he bringeth all his prouision with him he will richly feede and feast thee of his owne VVhen thou hast but once tasted of his fare thou shalt neuer hunger more after the course seruices of this world his banquet only as well for daintinesse as for plenty will largely suffice Open thy mouth wide and he will fill it Not the mouth of thy body for a small thing may fill that but the mouth of thy soule namely thy desire which nothing can fill but GOD. VVhen GOD had created man according to his Image the Scripture sayth that he rested from his worke hauing finished his perfectest piece in whom it seemeth that heauen and earth were knit together And certainly a reasonable soule created after the image of GOD hath no rest but in GOD the appetite thereof will neuer rest in any other thing The vessell which is capable of GOD cannot be filled with any other substance A soule is no more satisfied with bodily matters then a body can be satisfied with winde because there is no conueniency between the one the other O my soule bee content patiently to looke and wait for the LORD as hee hath looked and waited for thee Doe not as Heliseus did when hee smote the waters with the mantle of Elias and because they deuided not at the very first stroke hee began to distrust and sayd Where is the GOD of Elias Bee not like the Leopard which if it taketh not his prey at two or three leapes giueth ouer the pursuit This is a common disease of the sonnes of Adam if they haue not releefe presently from GOD they resort to the world and sometimes with Saul to the Diuell for helpe But thou O my soule perseuere with patience fasten thy thoughts vpon the end without regard what happeneth by the way What auayleth it to haue a goodly hope of haruest in the blade if it be blasted or otherwise destroyed in the eare What profit is it that trees blossome fairely if they neuer atteine perfection in the fruit The Crabbe is easily taken because it creepeth forward and backward and euery way so they who sometimes sinne sometime repent then sinne againe are easily made a prey to the Diuell But they who wayt on the LORD shall renue their strength they shall mount vp with wings as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not be faint Esay 40. in fi Wait therfore and looke for the LORD with constancie and fortitude to the end of thy life to thy very last breath VVisedome is the eie of life patience the staffe Take this staffe in thy hand and walke on thy way thou shalt neuer giue ouer neuer be weary but cheerefully looke towards heauen and say As the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hand of her mistresse euen so our eyes wayt vpon the LORD our GOD vntill he haue mercy vpon vs. Ps. 123. If any man wrong thee swallow it with patience for vengeance is the LORDS In case thou reuenge the LORD shall finde nothing to chastice VVhen Mary Magdalene was vniustlie reprooued by a censorious pharisee she held silence but what lost she thereby The LORD tooke her part and answered for her If trifling troubles be cast in thy way neuer regard them they are but tokens of loue which GOD disperseth amongst his friends Pitch be it neuer so blacke beat it to powder and it wil turn
regarded their griefes And this he doth only to exercise them that their faith patience constancie and other vertues may more gloriously appeare for that which the file is to yron and fire to gold the same is trouble to the friends of GOD. Hee loadeth them with labours because thereby ariseth their reward which in no case he will suffer them to loose If GOD hath not hitherto thus dealt with some it is because hee knoweth their weakenesse hee knoweth their cowardice hee knoweth how vnfitte they are to bee his souldiers hee will not take them into his pay they who neuer tasted troubles haue great cause to feare that they are vnder no fauourable hand For it is a propertie of the diuell to blinde men by liuing in prosperity as men are blinded by walking in the snowe Hee leadeth his seruants like a hangman by the broad and faire way of false pleasures and comforts to the place of their execution he mounteth them vpon high scaffolds to the end to dispatch them with the greater griefe and shame So was the rich man aduanced when hee boasted of his wealth but the same night he lost both his riches and his soule When the deuill most flattereth then hee hunteth then you are most in danger of his snares And therefore O my friends In all your troubles trust in the LORD for this is one of the principall conditions of obtaining your desires So soone as hee heareth the faithfull crie of his faithfull seruants so soone as he perceiueth their true intention so soone shall they finde their deliuerance at hand Turne not from the LORD to put your trust in Princes or in the sonnes of men And good cause why For when the breath of man goeth foorth all his thoughts perish Oh! that wee could discerne the secret thoughts of diuers princes what stately towers they build in the wind what walles what pallaces they frame as it were by art of Incantation Such kingdomes they will ouercome such cities they will beat downe such spoyles their souldiers shall haue such treasures shall rise to themselues all which is puffed away with a breath Euen as when Pharaoh sayd I will pursue I will ouertake I will diuide the spoyle I will draw my sword my hand shall consume them the winde blew and the sea couered them Trustnot also in worldly things of which the wise mā saith that they passe away like a shadow A shadow is the counterfeit of a body it representeth a body in euery point It seemeth to haue head armes legges to moue to rest when in very truth it is nothing So all matters of the world are full of deceit They are somwhat in appearance but in trueth nothing nothing in the world but a meere aperie They are presented to our eyes but they do not continue they are caried as a shippe vnder sayle which hath not one moment of rest as the world turneth round so are all who trust in it turned as in a wheele This raiseth in them a spirit of giddinesse or error which tosseth them forward and backward and turning as a man rapt with a whirlewind or as a drunken man in a daunce It is a proper name of GOD to be He that is saith Moses hath sent mee but nothing is more strange to worldly things then to bee And therefore Cursed is hee that trusteth in man or any worldly meanes But Blessed is hee who trusteth in the LORD Neuer conceiue that you cannot trust in him because you are sinners because you are obnoxious to many infirmities because you haue not performed obedience to him Verely you are most vnworthy to bee regarded of GOD when you most respect your owne worthinesse and merits What would you ground your trust vpon such a false foundation Nay it must haue a more firme footing then so It must rest vpon two steadie stayes One is the goodnesse and mercy of GOD the Other is the plentifull merittes of our redemption These are the immoueable pillars whereon our trust must bee grounded For with thee there is mercie and plenteous redemption And therefore bee not dismayed at your owne vnworthinesse but direct your thoughts to his vnmeasurable mercies to his plentifull redemption and therein aduance your hope to him and say wee haue sinned and done wickedly wee haue rebelled and departed from thy Iudgements O LORD Righteousnesse belongeth to thee and vnto vs open shame O LORD vnto vs pertaineth open shame because we haue sinned against thee yet compassion and forgiuenesse is with thee O LORD our GOD albeit wee haue rebelled against thee If you will settle a true iudgement vpon his mercie you may make the estimate by the immensitie of his diuine substance For as his greatnesse is so is his mercie And therefore as hee is infinitely great so is hee infinitely mercifull and as hee hath infinite riches to bee distributed so is hee infinitely liberall to distribute the same Otherwise there shall bee a defect and disproportion in the diuine substance If hauing infinite goods to bee distributed hee should not haue an infinite mind and will for distribution This great mercie of GOD was not vnknowen to the idolatrous Philistims who vpon presenting their offerings to him assured themselues that they should be healed O the bowels of his mercie hee so loueth his creatures that it grieueth him to see them perish scarce doe his eyes behold their miseries but he is forthwith mooued to mercy LORD they who know thy Name will trust in thee for thou hast neuer failed them who seeke thee Psal. 9.10 There are two perfections in GOD Mercy and Iustice both cut by the same measure and compasse neyther canne bee greater nor lesse then the other because both are infinite Yet in two points they differ in two points mercie is preferred before Iustice. First because GOD by his own nature is more inclinable to mercy For his essentiall goodnesse leadeth him to mercy but hee proceedeth not to vengeance vnlesse hee bee prouoked by our sinnes And therefore when hee scourged sinners out of the temple he brought no whippe with him but made it of cords which hee found amongst them he taketh both the cause and the matter of the scourge onely from our selues The second is because hee offereth his mercie generally to all but his punitiue Iustice remaineth onely for those who contemne his mercy All they who embrace his mercy shall neuer tast the smart of his iustice Againe albeit all the diuine perfections are not onely equall but one in GOD yet hee is most rich in the workes of mercie and hath done greater things to demonstrate his goodnesse and mercie then his other vertues and perfections besides To manifest his wisedome and power hee created the world to declare his iustice hee drowned it but to shew his mercie hee died for it Oh! how inestimable greater is the worke that GOD suffered for the world then that hee created it that
himselfe but in the proper nature his house bee turned to a prison so albeit the body of man was once a pleasant habitation yet when by sinne it was turned to a prison the soule findeth therein many miserable molestations A prison is a place horrid and vncleane wherein the companions are theeues murtherers and other malefactours the place commonly a sinke whither all the filth of a city doth draine And albeit a childe bornâ— and brought vp in a prison and neuer acquainted with other life will laugh and desport and not onely take contentment but delight in that place yet if an honest man who knoweth liberty chance to come there how is he annoyed with the filth How with the vile society which he is constrained to endure What friends what suit will hee make for his discharge So they who neuer looked out of their body are well pleased with the euill qualities thereof But they who haue conuersed in a heauenly life and yet are gayled in this prison of mud and tied to the society of a thousand disordred appetites as so many malefactors how vnquiet are they how wary how desirous to be at liberty Heereupon one cried Bring my soule out of prison and I will prayse thy name And another I desire to bee dissolued And againe Who shall deliuer me from this body of death Out of the deepest dungeon of this prison O LORD I crie vnto thee deepely couered with naturall corruption deepely ouerwhelmed with actuall transgressions deepely charged both with sence and feare of thy wrath I streine foorth my voice vnto thee LORD thou art alwayes farre distant from sinners and now out of this deepe distance I doe not weakly desire thee but with deepe sighes and groanes from the depth of my heart I call vnto thee I haue sinned and thou hast punished I haue displeased thee and thou hast disquieted me according to the greatnesse of my sinnes thy punishments haue beene great vpon mee Out of this depth both of infirmities and of calamities with an inflamed spirit I lift vp my voyce hands eyes and soule vnto thee Heare me O LORD who doest no sooner heare then helpe Oh! let the complaint of my sobbing soule haue accesse to thy gentle audience Looke not vpon my sinnes and vpon thy iustice but looke vpon my miseries and vpon thy mercies turn away thy face from me as I am sinfull but regard me as I am sorrowfull for my sinnes Despise not O LORD the worke of thy hands For thou knowest of what mettall we are made thou knowest the bad temper thereof thou knowest not only our weakenesse but our prone inclination to euill Insomuch as if thou shouldest examine our actions by the exact ballance and then smite them by the seuere sword of thy Iustice all must despaire wee must all bee damned For there is none so innocent vnder heauen who canne eyther answere thy Iustice or endure it Not one canne stand before thee in Iudgement not one canne answere one for a thousand But thou wilt not bee so rigid and seuere against thy feeble creatures For with thee abideth not onely Iustice but also Mercie not onely Iustice for obstinate sinners but Mercie for the penitent Thou art aboue measure milde and fauourable to all that repent thou canst not deny thy Mercie from any who desire it from an humble heart And therefore albeit my sinnes presse heauie vpon me albeit they trouble my soule with many terrours yet will I worship thee with a dutifull and obedient feare I will hope in thee but not cease to feare I will hope but not presume and therefore must I feare I will hope in regard of thy goodnesse I will feare in regard of my owne euill I will hope in thee for thy mercies and I will feare thee for thy iustice Vpon these two wings will I flie vnto thee with these two eyes will I looke for thee but my trust addresseth it selfe especially to thy mercy â—f this mercy thy word hath giuen assurance thy word expresseth much fatherly affection thy word is full of many sweet promises of remission of sinnes and therefore my trust laieth hold vpon thy word For were it not a dishonour to a King would not people speake shrewdly of him if hauing promised his pardon hee would execute men for the same offence Assuredly whatsoeuer some Kings may doe thou canst not thou canst not denie thy word because thou canst not denie thy selfe Thy iustice will not suffer thee either to reuoke or lightly to regard the promises of thy mercy in case we apprehend them in seasonable time And therefore I will not be either betrayed by pleasures or benummed by sluggish sloath I will not suffer time to passe vntill time shall be altogether past When there cannot possibly be any harme in haste I will not aduenture vpon the dangers of delay O LORD my maker Quicken me with thy inciting grace that I may with all speed addresse my selfe both to entreat and to embrace thy mercy that I may timely begin to attend vpon thee For albeit no part of my life should be either shortned or mispent Albeit I should be most couetously carefull to imploy euery minute thereof yet is man too mortall to attaine performance of the least part of his duty to thee And although I bee not presently releeued although for a long time thou with-holdest thy helpe let not my hope be wearied in wayting for thee let me both patiently and constantly expect thy pleasure And so must all doe who sincerely serue thee who put their trust in thy word and so they shall neuer be disappointed of their hope For not only thy Mercy is most faithfully assured by thy word but thy Iustice also is plentifully satisfied by the inualuable blood of our Redeemer which is so noble and precious in thy sight that there neither are nor can be any sinnes for expiation of which it doeth not suffice It openeth the gate of grace to all that repent it excludeth none it sufficeth for all Let no man feare the multitude of his sinnes this Mercy and this Redemption doe infinitely surmount them they infinitely ouerballance the sinnes of all men in case they repent LORD thou art a great Physition thou knowest all our sicknesses and art most expert in all sorts of remedies Whatsoeuer our diseases are neuer so grieuous neuer so desperate thou hast variety of remedies in store and knowest right well how to applie them thy Mercie and thy Redemption thou hast alwayes at hand Wherefore with all feare and reuerence which my weakenesse is able to apprehend I resort now to thy throne of Grace most humbly entreating thy Mercie and the benefit of thy plentifull redemption Repell mee not from thy presence I beseech thee vntill I bee reconciled to thy fauour For I am no stranger to thy house I am one of thy people a citizen and member of that Church which thou hast so aboundantly redeemed Grant mee O gracious
raigne Our abhominable sins inflame thy wrath and thy wrath inflameth this fire against vs. Heere thou hast no presence of compassion none of comfort none but simply of indignation and wrath Heere thy wrath will bee so inexorable that if all the Angels if the whole court of heauen should intreat thee prostrate vpon their faces for one drop of water to refresh one part of a tormented sinner for a very short moment of time they should not obtaine thou wouldest not bee entreated LORD let me neuer heare this terrible voice let me neuer feele this weight of thy wrath albeit I haue iust cause to feare it For I haue beene ouercome I haue yeelded to the sway of my sottish sensuality I haue disobeyed thee I haue rebelled against thee I haue deserued I haue prouoked thy displeasure against mee And now my conscience quaketh and formeth many fearefull representations to my soule Mee thinkes I see thee come furiously vpon me thy wrath me thinkes is euen now ready to strike But stay patient LORD hold thy hand forbeare a while giue mee leaue to collect my astonished and dispersed thoughts to erect my soule and direct it to thee Before thou commest in iustice to ouerwhelme mee with thy wrath In Iustice heare what I haue to say for my selfe Regard the silent sobs which my feeble soule surprised with feare sendeth foorth regard the broken voice which my trembling tongue addresseth to thee VERS II. Haue mercy vpon mee O LORD for I am weake heale me LORD for my bones are troubled 1 THe first weakenesse of a sinner 2 Wherefore the fall of man repaired and not of Angels 3 A second weakenesse 4 A third weakenesse 5 When misery may sue to Iustice when to Mercy 6 The minde worketh bodily effects 7 How the goodnesse of GOD is said to hurt 8 A prayer HAue mercy vpon me O LORD Haue mercy vpon mee Hold thy hand O mercifull LORD Oh my GOD What wilt thou doe What Wilt thou make proofe of thy prowesse against my weakenesse thinkest thou that I am come to combate with thee to defie thy fury to wrestle with thy wrath LORD I am weake I am wretchedly weake because my weakenesse is inclinable to euill I am weake in resisting outward prouocations weake in resisting the pleasures of mine owne appetites and desires This weakenesse is miserable in me but hath alwaies been strong to mooue thee to mercy For wherefore else hast thou repaired the sinne of man and not of Angels Verely because man sinned through weakenes of nature but the sinne of Angels proceeded meerely from malice of will For with the more frailty a sinne is committed the lesse doth it participate of will and the lesse voluntary a sinne is the readier is thy mercy to relieue And therefore seeing thou forgauest Adame whose nature was entire forgiue me also I beseech thee whose nature is corrupt and enclineable to euill seeing also thou wert mercifull to him who charged his fault vpon another be fauouable O LORD to me who accuse and condemne only my selfe For this cause therefore I will speake vnto my LORD albeit I am but dust and ashes LORD thou hast made me and thou knowest of what temper I am made For no man is ignorant of his proper work Thou hast not made my nature of brasse my sinewes are not of yron nor my strength of steele but thou hast made me of fraile flesh yeeldable to all occasions of euill My soule thou hast placed in this case of clay as in a boate driuen with the strong tyde of sensuall appetites which cannot be caried against that streame but by great labor by strong striuing with armes and with Oares LORD I do not lay forth this weaknes of mine to excuse my sin but to encline thee to mercy For the LORD is merciful to them that feare him because he knoweth wherof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust I haue sinned indeed but rather through weaknes then either malice or proud presumption rather through a vicious and corrupt disposition infused as an inheritance from my ancestors then through hellish either haughtinesse or hate originally in my â—elfe Wherefore then hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Wilt thou vse thy strength against a leafe against dry stubble Wilt thou pursue a smoke a shadow a thing of nothing Haue mercy vpon me O LORD for I am weake Not only to fall but much more in rising from my fall in repairing my state in recouering thy loue and fauour againe This I can no waies doe by my naturall strength no wayes without thy speciall power I am able to offend thee to fetter my feete in the snares of sinne to bring my selfe into danger of thy wrath but to appease thee to free releeue my selfe I am altogether vnable I can cast my selfe into the deepe pit of perdition but come forth and returne backe by my owne forces I cannot And therefore I still straine my voyce vnto thee Haue mercy vpon me O LORD for I am weake Weake in falling weake in rising but most weake I am either to encounter or endure thy wrath Gracious GOD I prostrate my selfe at the feete of thy mercy I creepe vnder the wing of thy compassion I deale not with thy iustice I tremble to thinke of it It is with thy mercy and compassion that I haue to doe Correct mee in fauour but not in furie to my instruction scourge me but not to my destruction Alas my weakenesse hath made mee sinfull and my sinnes haue made me miserable and my misery now sueth to thy mercy If my misery were without sinne then I would plead it before thy iustice thy iustice would then relieue my case but for that it proceedeth from my sinne I lay my plea at the barre of thy mercy Haue mercy vpon mee O LORD for I am weakâ— I am not able to beare thy iustice I am not able to behold it I am so farre vnable to endure the force of thy wrath that the feare thereof hath almost vndone me It hath possessed euery part of my body It maketh my feeble flesh to tremble it doeth torment my very bones For vnfained feare and griefe of minde will soone worke effects in the body because the body and the soule are so firmly and familiarly knit together that whatsoeuer ioy or griefe happeneth to the one it is forthwith communicated to the other euen as in two roomes ioined together whatsoeuer motion or stirre is in the one it is easilie sensible in the other Blessed LORD thou art alwayes good thou hurtest no man vnlesse himselfe be in the blame vnlesse it be through his owne default For as the Sun beame is cleare and comfortable in it selfe and so is it to the eye that is sound yet to a sore eye it is very grieuous not through any default in the Sunne but by the diseased disposition of the eye so albeit thou
to kindle O desire of my soule thou knowest my tribulations my thoughts lie naked in thy sight thou seest how for thee my heart sorroweth my breast sigheth mine eie weepeth my body fainteth and my soule languisheth And wherfore tariest thou wherfore dost thou prolong my longing wherefore dost thou martyr me with delay VVhy sufferest thou me thus long to be vexed Is the cause heereof in thee or is it in my selfe Are thy mercies spent is thy louing kindnesse at an end wilt thou no more bee intreated by sinners or am I only cancelled out of thy conceit No no I doe not so feelinglie want thee I doe not so ardentlie desire thee as my case requires Verelie the cause is in my selfe and not in thee There is some trespasse in my teares my sorrow is seasoned with some sinne thou seest some cause for which I cannot see thee else wouldest thou not thus estrange thy selfe else thus thou wouldest not giue me ouer I am rather vnworthy to entertaine thee then thou vnwilling to come vnto mee VVell then I will still stir vp the coales of my dull deuotion I will heape on more fewell I will not cease blowing vntill it rise to a full and constant flame I will not entreat onely but I will importune thee I will wrestle with thee as Iacob did with the Angel I will not let thee goe vntill thou blesse me VERS IIII. Turne thee O LORD and deliuer my soule Oh saue me for thy mercies sake 1 A Prayer 2 The pleasures of this life how vnprofitable they are 3 The great distance betweene GOD and a sinner 4 How brought together 5 How grieuous it is to be separate from GOD. 6 An earnest desire of the soule after GOD. 7 The absence of GOD worse then his anger 8 How GOD is to be desired 9 What mooueth GOD to pitie and relieue 10 The great mercy of GOD. 11 To whom his mercy is properly due 12 Mercy to sinners is a due 13 GOD is most liberall and wherefore 14 How wee should desire GOD to turne to vs his face O Come mercifull LORD come and turne vpon me thy fauourable face come exercise vpon me the worke of mercie Regard me not as sinfull but as sorrowfull for my sin punish not my offences but pity the weaknesse from whence they proceed pity the distresse whereinto they haue cast me pitifullie regard my weakenesse and distresse For I feele my soule plunged in a vast sea of sinne I feele how fast it sinketh how violentlie it is swallowed I haue greedily grasped at the floating comforts of this life but I finde no stay in them I finde they rather pester then releeue me I finde them like a flash of lightning in a darke stormy night which serueth to shew the present infelicity and to increase the horror of ensuing darknesse And therefore doe I now streine out my voice and stretch foorth my hand vnto thee for helpe Gladlie would I turne to thee but I am not able for there is so great a distance betweene a sinner and thee that by his owne forces he cannot return and come neere thee Depart from thee and adhere to euill of our selues we may but we cannot forsake euill and turne to thee but by thy speciall power No man by his proper vertue is able to saue and consequently to iustifie himselfe thy grace must alwaies preuent him thou must first call him before he be able to cal vpon thee The beginning of our conuersion must be from thee from thy preuenting and inciting grace And therefore turne to me and then shall I be turned to thee Turne vnto me not by any change in thy selfe for thou art immutable but turne to me by thy goodnesse and grace and I will turne to thee by repentance and amendment of life Oh! how grieuous is it to bee separated and estranged from thee what good can comfort what euill will not annoy when thou art turned away Thou art the rock of my faint faith the anchor of my wauering hope the center of my languishing desire and loue In thee I trust vpon thee I relye I am so earnest in desiring thee that I neither desire nor almost thinke vpon any other thing But where art thou In what cloud doest thou hide thy selfe what meanest thou to suspend thy comfort so long to punish my desire so much with delay Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enemie Albeit thou art angrie with me yet would not I haue thee depart from me I had rather enioy thee angrie then not at all because thou art most extreamely angrie when thou turnest from vs. When thou art angrie and present then doest thou instruct vs then reforme vs but when thou turnest from vs then thou giuest vs ouer then thou leauest vs to innumerable and vnauoidable euils Albeit my friends forsake me albeit my enemies persecute me albeit all the societies of men and of Diuels tumult against mee yet doe not thou forsake me doe not thou depart from me For woe to them from whom thou departest But take heed O troubled soule and consider well what thou requirest of the LORD Art not thou a sinner a grieuous sinner is not GOD a searcher of sinnes a grieuous punisher of grieuous sinnes Doest thou not pray to him to turne away his face from thy sinnes Did not holy Iob say where shall I hide me from thy countenance because I haue sinned And wouldest thou haue him turne his face to thee being a most heynous sinner Yes yes I know well enough what I desire I know that GOD hath more faces then one He hath a face of Maiestie which no man can see and liue This face I cannot see He hath a face of iustice This face I would not see It is terrible to sinners this face is vpon them who doe euill to destroy their memoriall from the earth But hee hath another face of compassion and mercie And this face is like the Sunne exceeding full both of beautie and of vertue This face hee hideth from sinners This face I desire to be displayed vpon me be it neuer so cloudie neuer so angrie the anger of this face is to make sinners pure LORD make this face to shine vpon mee and be mercifull to mee LORD this face doe I seeke oh hide not thou thy face from mee nor cast away thy seruant in displeasure Come come gracious LORD with-hold no longer O water of life O shower of our saluation distill into mee one drop of thy dewe Seeing I am nothing without thee let me taste the benefit of being thine I desire thee and not thine for thy selfe not for thy gifts I desire thee onely not thee for any thing nothing for thee nothing with thee nothing beside thee Come deliuer my soule from the chaines of sinne wherewith I am bound to satisfie the rigour of thy iustice by eternall death and damnation Deliuer me from long custome
seeke for some mantle to veile thy obscene darkenesse For thou canst not with any conscience in case thou hast any approach into the presence of the LORD What expectest thou to be releeued by him Thinkest thou he will fauour thee Nay Is it possible that hee should forbeare thee Seest thou not that he also is set against thee That his hand is rigorous vpon thee And how can it be otherwise For GOD is iust a hard dealer a seuere exacter of accompts Looke into the examples of his iustice How he condemned his angels irreuocablie for one only sinne how for one only sinne not onlie Adam but all his posteritie and in a manner all creatures were cursed If thou conceiuest comfort by reason of some mercie which followed this iustice then compare this iustice and mercy together by the continuall course of their effects See how in all ages both the greatest and most flourishing parts of the world haue lien buried in infidelity See how in those few parts ouer which the light of trueth hath displaied her beames many millions haue bin blinded either by ignorance or by superstition and errour See how many yea how most of those who haue receiued true knowledge either by delicacie or other viciousnesse of life reape no benefit thereby So as it is apparantlie true that many are called and few are chosen that the way to saluation is so difficult and the gate so strait that it is passable for very few Few indeed For how many were in the whole world when it was ouerwhelmed with waters How many in Sodome and the cities adioining to it when they perished with fire How many among the chosen people of GOD when Elias could not espie one How many when they were often captiuated and finally ruined and dispersed Yea seest thou not the iustice of GOD to be so implacable that when flourishing nations are vtterly rooted out infants and innocents who haue not actually offended are swallowed in the common calamity for the offences of their progenitors Compare I say these effects of iustice and mercy together and thou shalt plainely finde that the first hath farre exceeded the last that there are many vessels of the one and few of the other Now if thou hopest to be one of those few then consult with thine owne conscience how cleare and vncorrupt thou findest thy actions how seuerely thou hast restrained thy euill inclinations how strongly how violently thou hast endeauoured to mainetaine a vertuous and religious life No no thou art none of those few who with perpetuall strong striuing shall wrestle through that narrow passage Thou hast beene vnconstant both in thy iudgement and in thy actions like a loose tooth not onely vselesse but troublesome and painefull Thou hast beene a slander to the Church and a staine to thy profession Thou hast beene a derision to the euill a shame and sorrow to the good an offensiue example to the weake The earth casteth thee vp heauen receiueth thee not GOD is displeased with thee and all creatures are bent to oppresse thee Goe to then abandon hope and yeeld thy selfe captiue to despaire Thou hast no other remedie against thy feares but to relinquish hope Cease to hope and feare will no longer torment thee for whosoeuer hopeth for no good he feareth no euill These words she doubled with a terrible voice and all the hoste cryed aloud Despaire and Die Woe is me I am vndone Alas wretch that I am Which way shall I turne mee Whither shall I flie What shall I doe I am assailed with feares by feares I am betrayed my enemies are within and without Who shall deliuer who shall defend me I am as a naked tree in a wide plaine beaten with many bitter stormes I am as drie open ground parched with the burning beames of the Sunne I can finde none to protect mee none to comfort mee and my owne strength and courage vtterly faileth Out alasse who so liueth in feare he is daily condemned daily vnder the executioners hand No man is assured whom an euill conscience holdeth in feare O! who is able to endure these confusions Who can either resist or rule the violence of these feares Thus whilest I was readie to haue yeelded my selfe to the tyrannie of despaire loe Faith from heauen did sodainly cast a glorious beame of her beautie vpon mee and with a sober sweetnesse began in this sort partly to reprooue and partly to instruct me What said she Art thou such a nouice in my Schoole such a faint and raw souldier in spirituall combate Hast thou no more dexteritie in handling thy weapons Come stand vp take courage I will teach thee both thy fence and thy fight Come I say and looke thy terrour in the face It seemeth a Serpent to deuoure thee but be not dismayed step boldly to it and take it by the taile and it will forthwith turne to a rod of correction What Art thou so much afraid of feare which is so highly commended which is so straitely commanded to thee God loueth feare Hee accepteth hee preserueth he honoureth hee blesseth he neuer forsaketh them that feare him Feare is the beginning of righteousnesse the first step to wisedome It bringeth with it iudgement and righteousnesse It expelleth sinnes It is the bridle of sinnes it is the sword that cutteth in sunder not onely the sinewes but the very hartstrings of sinne What deemest thou that GOD hath created hell fire onely to punish damned sinners and the Diuell No verily but rather to keepe sinners from damnation to raise them to repentance and to restraine them from sin For so much as a man feareth the punishment that he hath deserued so much more carefully wil he both repent and auoid those faults which he hath committed He that feareth ruine is neither easily nor often oppressed therewith They haue greatest cause of feare who feare least who walke in their owne wayes with a sober securitie who loosely and licentiously pursue vanities who are flintie hearted without trembling or touch of the threatnings of GOD who perseuere in sinne either boldly or sencelesly and then say What euill haue I done Let these feare It is fearefull for these to fall into the hands of the liuing GOD. Ouer the neckes of these hangs a terrible sword alwayes shaking alwayes bent and ready to strike the lesse they feare it the more sure the more sore and heauie will it fall These are obiects to GODS iustice and wrath these are abiects from his mercie and grace But repentant sinners who rise with feare and run with griefe to the LORD of mercie and say vnto him LORD be mercifull to me a sinner Let such bee confident For he who hath in mercie called them will assuredly in mercy receiue them They are not a few onely who haue beene receiued this is a false surmise of feare let heauen let earth let hell be searched and there shall not one
obstinacy He raised thee from thy fall by his power he instructed he enlightened thee with his wisdome he brought thee from the tempestuous sea of this world to the port of a calme conscience and planted thee in a land of religious conuersation Yet thou notwithstanding either vnmindfull or vnkind hast exalted thy heart and thereby lost that wisedome which should haue made thy worship and seruice acceptable to the LORD Thou knowing his will hast beene negligent in performing the same albeit thou knowest that Cursed is hee who doeth the worke of the LORD negligently Yea thou hast not done it at all thou hast manifestly and manifoldly transgressed his will and therefore art most worthy to be beaten with many stripes Thou hast forsaken his seruice who is so bountifull that he rewards a cup of cold water with eternall life and thou hast serued sinne which giueth no wages but death but eternall death Oh wofull wages it were far better to goe vnpaid and serue for nothing O Lucifer who saidest in thy heart I will climbe vp into heauen Thou must humble thy selfe so low as hell or else neuer looke to encounter mercy Knowest thou not that rebellious ingratitude giueth limits to mercy where else were iustice Who should receiue iudgement if mercy did alwaies wait vpon sinners Goe to then deiect thy selfe abiect wretch creepe among moathes and wormes abase thy self to the very gates of despaire in regard of this thy obstinate vnkindnesse Open thy vnderstanding draw all pensiue conceits greedily into thy soule and pine away in a consuming langour Sith thou hast lost thy ioy make much of thy sorrow sith thou hast no comfort but in complaints bestow them largely Oh! what a heauie burthen is heauinesse to the soule It is more ponderous then the whole masse of the earth It is more poisonous then the breath of the Cockatrice It murmureth against GOD It prouoketh to blaspheme It prouoketh to despaire It turneth all matter of solace and ioy into mountaines of lead to weigh vs downe It admitteth neither contentment nor quiet But as to many sicke persons all sweet things seeme bitter so to those who are vnder the arrest of heauinesse all meanes either of delight or of comfort are turned to matter of torment and disquiet And verely my miserie did so deepelie drowne my memorie and whole minde in sorrow that all the remembrance of GODs promises lay ouerwhelmed with the thicke throng of discomfortable thoughts and heauinesse would haue altogether ouerborne and beaten me downe had not Faith and her sweet sister Hope come to my reliefe and with most comfortable countenance and speech thus sustained me So so this worketh kindly and as it should this working of the medicine giueth very good assurance of health Alasse weake wretched sinners how are ye deceiued by your sottish sence The poisonous pleasures of sinne which bane the soule you sweetly swallow without distaste but you cannot rellish feare and sorrow the principall expellers of this poison At these you make a sowre face you can no waies enforce them downe Whereas a soule once infected with sinne cannot possibly be recouered to the state of Grace but it must first be bruised and broken betweene feare and griefe as a graine of corne is grinded betweene two milstones And this moouing of the soule betweene feare and griefe referred to GOD maketh a broken and contrite heart which he doth neuer despise And this is that contrition which is the first part of true Repentance O louely feare O sweet sorrow O happy hand which was so heauie vpon thee suffred thee not to lie sencelesse in thy sinnes heaping to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Let it be a comfort a great ioy vnto thee that this heauy hand hath raised and pulled thee out of the ordure of thy sinnes If heretofore thou hast beene vnthankefull be thankfull now and thy former vnthankefullnesse shall not be remembred The multitude of his benefits is so far from dismaying that it may much assure thee For he who hath so loued thee will not now leaue thee He who hath begun his worke in thee will in time expedient expedite the same VVhat is more vsuall in noble natures then to follow their owne fauours then to loue those most vpon whom they haue bestowed greatest benefits to heape many honours vpon such as haue beene first aduanced by them And hath not the most noble nature said that To them who haue more shall be giuen Againe what naturall cause beginneth a worke and leaueth the same vnfinished The vertue of seed ceaseth not in the leafe not in the flower vntill it hath brought foorth seed to a perfect ripenesse The bird neuer forsaketh her yong vntill shee see them able both to flie and to prouide for themselues Doeth nature compell inferiour causes to perfect their effects and shall not the cause of all causes bee mooued by his most infinite goodnesse and loue to finish the worke which hee hath begunne Are not all the workes of the mighty GOD perfect Hath not the same infinite goodnesse and loue sayd It is my worke to doe the will of him that sent mee that I should make perfect his worke Feare not then hee who hath begun to loue thee will neuer change but will persist to loue thee to the end the same goodnesse that moued him to conferre many gifts and blessings vpon thee will mooue him to perfect all by giuing thee euerlasting life For wherefore did he turne thy heart from sinne wherefore did hee prouoke thee to Repentance but because hee purposed to make thee cleane But as thou doest expect that GOD will not leaue his worke vnfinished in thee so breake not off thy worke in the middest with him Thou hast attayned to contrition in a moderate degree but rest not there proceed now to confesse thy sinnes which is the second part of true Repentance For sinnes are like a burning aguâ— which commonly breaketh foorth at the lippes So long as the heat remayneth within it searcheth and anguisheth all the entrailes but when it breaketh foorth at the lippes it is an assured signe of health Goe with vs then and wee will bring thee before his presence Acknowledge there thy sinnes Hide none of thy transgressions from him Leaue feare behinde for milde and mercifull is the LORD hee turneth to those who turne vnto him but take sorrow with thee and season thy confession therewith Sorrow will make thy confession not only not offensiue but pleasing to him VERSE V. I will acknowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hid 1 The second forme of Repentance 2 The cause of GODS seuerity against vs. 3 How we should present our selues to GOD. 4 A Confession 5 Betweene great and infinite there stands no proportion 6 Faith and hope our guides and companions to GOD. 7 Whereto a sinner is like 8 How offensiue sin is to GOD. 9 How we must satisfie 10 How we commonly
enforced to cry nothing else but O my sinnes I charge I accuse I condemne onlie my selfe O my GOD I haue grieuouslie sinned my sinnes haue deepelie prouoked thy heauie wrath I acknowledge them to thee with a free confession LORD I appeare before thee no other then I am euen a most poore desolate and distressed sinner I can neither boast nor take comfort in any goodnesse in my selfe but I lay open before thee my sinnes And it is vnto thee that I will confesse my sinnes vnto thee against whom onely I haue sinned vnto thee who onelie art able to forgiue my sinnes vnto thee who onelie art able to iudge of my confession For it is not alwaies thy pleasure that we blazon our owne blame that our sinnes be rung out to the eares of all men that they be set foorth vpon the stage of the world If penitentlie we confesse our sinnes vnto thee thy compassion will couer them It will couer them from thy iustice it will couer them both from the scandall and scorne of other men thou wilt freelie forgiue both the sin and the shame Assuredlie the conscience of man is thy little kingdome It is thy peculiar Consistory and Court There thou sittest there thou examinest there thou iudgest With this kingdome thou wilt not depart thou wilt not impart it to any other None can know the secrets of the soule none can absolutely either discerne or command the inward working thereof but thy selfe Whosoeuer will presume either to know or command the working of the spirit whosoeuer will determine of the last end and state of soules further then thou hast plainlie reuealed he vsurpeth thy throne he wresteth thy scepter out of thy hand As thou onely art able to iudge of our confession as thou onlie both knowest and forgiuest sinnes so vnto thee will I euer acknowledge my sinnes Yet will I not be ashamed that the world also take knowledge that men also thinke that I haue done amisse I will not forbeare to abase my selfe by reason of my sinnes euen in open view to sorrow to lament to be sowre and seuere against my selfe to abhorre the world and all her sorceries to loath the poisonous pleasures of the bodie which are like to moathes that consume the garment wherein they breed to chastice and tame my filthy flesh for rebelling against thee by whose power it was made by whole prouidence it doeth consist for conspiring the destruction of my soule which keepeth it from stincking from turning to most course and loathsome carrion I will neuer beare the world in hand that my offences are either few or light I will by confession make them knowne to thee I will by sorrow and some measure of satisfaction make them knowne to the world No shamefastnesse shall retaine me from mourning at any time from making a sad and seuere reckoning with my body from holding a sharpe hand vpon it For assuredlie either we must lament in this life with profitable teares for a time or else with fruitlesse and endlesse teares in the life to come either in this world we must tie our selues to some moderate paine or else be chained both to intolerable and eternall paines in the world to come Neither will I acknowledge my offenees in part but I will make an entire confession and expose all my transgressions before thee Not only my great sinnes but my vnrighteousnesse which seeme of lesser moment not onely the euill which I haue done but the good which in dutie I should haue done I will discouer all my vnrighteousnesse vnto thee I will doe as the lepers were commanded to doe when they came to be clensed by the Priest I will not only wash my garments but will haue all my haire euen my lightest and loosest offences That thou who numbrest our haires when thou shalt take a view of my sinnes shalt not finde one haire of them which I haue not runne ouer with the razor of confession I will not doe as Saul did who being commanded to slay all the Amalekites and all the cattell that pertained to them destroyed all that was vile nought worth but saued the King the great King Agag and the fattest sheepe and oxen aliue I will not make away my vulgar and vnprofitable sinnes onely and saue the principall and aduantageable aliue but I will set the sword of confession to them all I will not make reseruation of some sweet sinne and then say with Naaman the Syrian The LORD bee mercifull to me in this But I will sweepe the house cleane or else can it neuer be furnished and adorned with thy graces and thereby made fit to entertaine thee I will cleanse my conscience of all defilements One drop of poison tainteth a whole tunne of wine and one mortall sinne infecteth all the faculties and vertues of the soule One snare is sufficient to entrappe the fowle one hooke to take the fish one leake to sincke a ship one sparke of fire to prostrate a whole City and one sinne sufficeth to draw both bodie and soule to destruction I will therfore discharge my selfe by confession of all I will powre forth my heart as water before thee VERS VI. I said I will confesse my sinnes vnto the LORD and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinnes 1. PArticular enumeration of our sinnes is impossible 2 How sharpe sinnes are and how heauie of digestion 3 Secret sinnes are most dangerous and wherefore 4 The readinesse of GOD to accept our confession 5 GOD often accepts our purpose for performance 6 Which maketh our want of repentance vnexcuseable 7 Contrition ioyned with a will to confesse is sufficient 8 The necessity of a contrite heart and wherefore 9 For remission of sinnes what is required from vs what from GOD. 10 Neither of which require any long trace of time 11 How plentifull GOD is in mercy 12 A thankesgiuing for the same 13 The soule cheereth by meanes of confession 14 The ioyfull effects of sorrow and troubles to penitent sinners 15 A life without aduersities whereto it is like 16 Many benefits that we receiue by troubles 17 How ready GOD is to receiue to mercy BVT what a maze doe I begin to tread How shall I euer winde my selfe out of this knotty labyrinth Verily if I should make a particular rehearsall of all my sinnes I should neuer bee able to finish that taske I should neuer roule the stone ouer that hill I should no sooner mount it a little but it would alwaies tumble againe down to the bottome I should euer finde my worke new to begin I may well say with Iudas I haue sinned but either number or truly estimate my sinnes I cannot If I could number the starres of Heauen or the sands of the earth or the drops of water that are in the Sea or the moments of time since time began yet am I out of hope to enumerate my sinnes because they are no fewer in variety then they are in
number in number equall to those which I haue sayd but farre exceeding them in variety The summe of them is the manifold breach of euery branch of thy Commandements whereof many of the most haynous sticke stiffe in my conscience like sharpe stitches in a sicke mans side whereof the pleasure lieth heauy in my Soule like sweet meats of extreame hard digestion The most especiall of these are either blasphemous and prophane or light and vaine vsing of thy most blessed Name vile and vaine behauiour and speech vnthankefulnes couetousnesse cruelty pride ambition anger malice enuie riot sloath violence hypocrisie flatterie c. These particulars I vnfold before thee in euery of these I haue many times offended yea many times whereof I was neuer sensible For what man knoweth how oft hee offendeth More also would I acknowledge to thee if more I could call to my remembrance and therefore O cleanse thou me from my secret sinnes Which assuredly are so much the more dangerous in that they lurke within mee secret and vnseene awaiting aduantage alway to intrap mee and finally to breake foorth to my destruction But see the milde mercies of our GOD see the greatnesse of his goodnesse towards vs see how prone he is to pardon our sinnes how ready to reconcile vs to his fauour For I did but say I will confesse my sinnes and so he forgaue the wickednesse of my sinne I had scarce addressed my heart to confesse my sins scarce let one teare drop from my breast but I obtained fauour and forgiuenesse of him I sayd I will confesse my sinnes and thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne Oh! that wee were such seruants to thee as thou art to vs a LORD so ready so willing to confesse our sinnes as thou art fauourable to forgiue them Thou regardest not the measure but the trueth of our repentance not the extension but the intension not how ceremonious it is but how sincere Our purposes thou takest oftentimes for full performances oftentimes thou acceptest our designments for deeds thou who art a spirit regardest only the spirit the outward actions are many times supplied by thy grace And this especially maketh vs vnexcusable if we doe not repent because pardon may be so easily obtained because it requireth so little paines To obtaine pardon of all our sinnes a full confession is not alwaies necessarie but a full and sufficient griefe is required If the griefe be sufficient it is of force to abolish sinnes Such is the vertue of a true contrite heart that if it be ioined onelie with a will and endeuour to confesse it blotteth out it wipeth away the guiltines of sinne so as the sinner shall neuer be damned if he returne not to his wickednesse againe But confession of sinnes with all the workes of satisfaction which a man can either effect or imagine without a contrite heart are nothing auaileable nothing worth A contrite heart is so necessarie for the remission of sinnes that without it no man hath euer beene saued no sinnes haue beene euer remitted For as GOD is offended onely with the heart so with the heart onelie is he pleased he desireth nothing but the heart Sonne giue me thy heart Nothing offendeth GOD but the heart take away the will and intention of the heart and all our actions are indifferent and therfore from the heart must satisfaction proceed The medicine must be applied where the disease is setled the sinner must vse iustice vpon the same part where sinne was first hatched and where it raignes Euen as offenders are commonlie punished or branded vpon the same parts of their bodies wherewith they did offend Because we sinne with the heart GOD requireth the punishment of the heart which is done by full and true contrition To obtaine remission of our sinnes something is required on our part and something from GOD. From vs sorrow and detestation of our sinnes and a liuely Faith in our great SALVATION from GOD the imparting of his grace neither of which require any long trace of time both of them may be done in an instant For the sorrow of contrition requireth no determinate continuance of time but as a man is damned by one peruerse act of his will so by one contrarie act of his will hee is made fit on his part to bee iustified Otherwise it would follow which the mercy of GOD will neither allow nor endure that the way of saluation through shortnesse of time should bee blocked vp against sorrowfull sinners and that at what time soeuer a sinner doeth truely mourn he should not be releeued As for the grace which proceedeth from GOD much lesse doeth it either require or beare the very least protraction of time For because his vertue is infinite it is not included it is not excluded by any compasse or measure of time If there bee no defect of sorrow in vs there is neuer defect of grace in him hee doeth iustifie a sinner and restore him to his fauour in a very instant euen whensoeuer hee is rightly disposed by sorrow to receiue his grace GOD is so plentifull in mercies and so prone to impart them to vs that wee neede but to open our hands and they shall bee filled euen as wee neede but to open our eyes to enioy the bright beauty of the Sunne The Grace of GOD is so farre from defect that it preuenteth our dull desires it knocketh at our heauy hearts it worketh in our sluggish spirits wee can neuer bee so ready to entertaine it as that is to enter When our sinnes expell GOD out of our soules hee will not goe farre he will stand at the doore he will there knock and hourely expect to be receiued againe Blessed bee thou O omnipotent GOD who so aboundest in mercie and in loue who art so easie to bee intreated for great offences so ready to bee receiued of those who did despitefully both driue and for a long time keepe thee out of their gates Oh! how vndue on thy part how vndeserued on our is thy goodnesse how farre beyond all expectation all hope Certainely wee can neuer bee left so drie and emptie of thy grace but out of thy plenty or rather plenitude and fulnesse wee may easilie againe be stored O searcher of soules I haue so far as my weaknesse sufficeth confessed my sinnes vnto thee I haue disgorged my stomacke stuffed with loathsome and dangerous humours I haue discouered those vnseemely soares which heeretofore I endeuoured to conceale And now mee thinke I beginne to reuiue my feare now beginneth to change into hope As heeretofore I desired to auoid thee as a sharpe searcher as a seuere iusticer of my offences so now I runne after thee and cast my selfe into thy armes as my onely assured refuge and defence Blessed be the houre wherein I was first enlightned first emboldned to acknowledge my sinnes In this houre haue I receiued a singular testimony a sweet taste both of thy loue and care and
my assured refuge against outward feares against inward weaknesses against all dangers or disquiets When I haue offended thee when I haue stumbled when fallen into any sinne I will not basely and beastly lie still I wil forthwith arise run vnto thee as to a place to hide me in To hide me vnder thy mercie both from the stroke and from the search of thy iustice When I am assailed by mine own euill inclinations When my spirituall enemie doth either vrge or allure me to sinne I will runne to the protection of thy power as to the onely meanes to preserue me against the furies and treacheries of these encounters When humane hatred doth set vpon me when molestations troubles dangers doe beset me when entrapments of all sorts are spread abroad either particularlie against my selfe or more generallie against others with me I will runne to the protection of thy prouidence and wisedome where I shall bee most assuredly preserued Let others runne whither they please Let them trust to their friends to their riches to their wisedome to their power or to any other thing which in the view of the world seemeth able to defend them I will shrowd my selfe vnder thee Thou art my refuge thou art the place to hide and preserue me In all my necessities thou art my retreit When Sathan assaulteth when the world enticeth when my owne filthie flesh enclineth and betraieth me when temptations when aduersities and dangers enuiron and oppresse me this is my onely comfort that thou art good and that I may haue resort to thy goodnesse which is the most excellent attribute and perfection that thou hast True it is that among all thy perfections one is not greater or lesse then another because euery one comprehendeth the most high and simple nature of thy diuinity whereinto no comparison can fall Yet as thou doest manifest thy selfe to vs three of them are most excellent thy goodnesse thy wisedome and thy omnipotent power These are the three fingers which sustaine the earth Of these thy goodnesse mooueth thee to be bountifull to thy creatures thy wisedome contriueth how this may most beneficially be done thy power bringeth the worke to effect And albeit these are equall in thy selfe comprised together in thy diuine prouidence yet as thou declarest thy selfe to vs thy goodnesse is most excellent and glorious from whence thy mercy doeth proceed This thou most extollest in thy selfe this thou most expressest in thy workes whereof alwayes thy goodnesse is the cause For thy goodnesse draweth thy infinite wisedome and power to concurre with it in bringing thy benefits to effect And because it is the nature of Goodnesse to communicate and dilate it selfe thou who art the originall Goodnesse hast imparted many good things to thy Creatures Not for any necessity to thy selfe not for any increase of thy glory for neither art thou defectiue in any thing neither can any thing enlarge thy glorie but because thou wilt not be good alone Because thy goodnesse is of nature to extend it selfe it hath made other creatures to participate therof Thy goodnesse and thy glorie thou hast imparted to other creatures that as thou enioyest thine owne essence and beautie so they also should behold loue and enioy the same albeit not in the same degree with thy selfe because they cannot comprehend thee as thou comprehendest thy selfe This is the felicitie and glorie which filleth the capacitie of our soules and maketh them happie And to this end it pleased thy infinite goodnesse to create not onlie Angels but also men That so abiect a creature in one part neerest to beasts should sit at thy table and feede of thine owne dish Blessed be this noble Goodnesse which hath so freelie and mercifullie communicated it selfe to so base creatures This Goodnesse is the contentment and delight of my heart this onelie is able not onely to refresh but to reuiue the soule with inward consolation There is no solid either comfort or assurance but in this Goodnesse And therefore whensoeuer I am enuironed and euen oppressed with dangers when infinite euils shall on euery side assaile my body or my soule with humble haste I will runne to thy Goodnesse thy Goodnesse shall then be not onely a buckler but a bulwark to defend me Vnder the defence of thy Goodnesse I shall not onely be safe but secure Not onely safe from dangers but secure also and free from feare Although the earth tremble and the mountaines be carried into the bosome of the sea yet vnder this protection I will not feare For among other things this is one of thy chiefe endeuours and cares to deliuer thy seruants and friends from dangers to appease their mindes from disquiet because thou knowest what wee are and whereof wee are made Thou knowest how feeble our forces are feeble by nature but by often transgressions altogether disabled from releeuing our selues altogether vnable either to resist or to beare the calamities and dangers which presse vpon vs. A man may destroy himselfe he may cast himselfe into an Ocean of misery without thee but saue and releeue himselfe without thee he cannot this is a speciall worke of thy goodnesse and grace In this worke all power without thee is weake with thee no weakenesse but is sufficient VVithout thee life is dead with thee death it selfe is aliue All power is weake against him who is vnder thy power If thou be at my hand no hand is of force against me my weakenesse shall bee supported by thine omnipotent power And I shall not onely be defended vnder protection of thy goodnesse I shall not onely be deliuered and preserued against mine enemies but I shall preuaile and be victorious against them As I was before beset with dangers so shall I bee there enuironed with ioy I shall not onely bee free from feare but filled with vnspeakeable ioy Oh happy soules who are arriued in so sure custody who in all the trauerses of this life are guarded by the puissant hand of GOD. VVhat euill can either assaile or approach you VVhat good doe you not enioy No euill can approach you because you alwaies flie from euill you enioy all good because you enioy that goodness which makes you alwaies doing of good O good GOD giue mee a taste of the plentifull pleasures wherewith their soules are satiated whom thou hast deliuered whom thou doest defend from the strong chaines from the strait prison wherin the Diuell would hold them captiue VVho being full of ioy full of blessed contentment and quiet liue like thy selfe without perturbation without feare or hope O my GOD how vilelie doe they esteeme the voluptuousnesse of this life How doe they not onelie forbeare to desire but loath and abhorre to quaffe off that broken bruage which the flesh with a harlots hand presenteth to them in the base and impure cup of this world How little relish haue they in those flashie vnsinewie pleasures which breake the forces of the soule and
Their thoughts being once acquainted with this reall trueth they neither desire nor regard the supplie of shadowes They cannot but bee strangers to worldly delights in which they see nothing but some scattered crummes and hungry morsels of the heauenly banket O LORD of hostes how great are the pleasures which they enioy who are reconciled by repentance to thee which albeit they be properly receiued into the soule yet sometimes they are so great that as riuers encreased by the fall of raine ouerflow their bankes so they cannot be contayned within the soule but are imparted also to the bodie I will therefore reioyce in the mercies of my GOD I will place all my pleasure in the contemplation of those felicities which he reserueth in his treasurie of heauen to enrich to adorne to crowne the iust This shal be the food of my thoughts the ambition of my highest hopes and desires Vpon confidence that I am in the fauour of GOD I will accompt GOD himselfe to be mine because his loue is mine For to whomsoeuer he giueth his loue he giueth himselfe because loue is no guift vnlesse the louer be giuen therewith Yea loue is no loue vnlesse he that loueth be no lesse liberall to impart that which hee is then that which he hath vnlesse I haue the partie I can neuer haue his loue To this ioy I inuite you all who stand sworne to the seruice of the LORD who loue his goodnesse who reuerence his iustice All ye who are vpright both in action in hearâ— I inuite you to two things First that you reioyce Secondly that you reioyce not in your selues not in any thing that the world affoords but onely in the LORD You I say who walke not in the crooked and craggie wayes of sinne but in the right path of righteousnesse who in this passage commit your selues altogether to the power and goodnesse of GOD. All you I inuite to reioyce to power forth your spirits into ioy and that for two causes First because you enioy a sweet quiet of conscience which is to you a perpetuall feast Secondly because you expect both an end and a reward of all your trauailes You expect that in short time you shall exchange the thornes and thistles of this wretched life for the flowers of eternall felicitie that the sweat of afflictions shall bee wiped from your faces and that you shall bee both clothed and crowned with heauenly honour Assuredly gold runneth not so pure out of the flames of the furnace to be cast into the image of some great Prince or to serue for the ornament of some rich iewell as the soule of one who loueth GOD doth beautifully sort out of the miseries of this world to behold to participate to be fully satisfied with the glorious presence and maiesty of GOD. But all the wicked I forbid to reioyce Away hence you may freely depart because you haue no part in this ioy you haue time little enough to lament For albeit sinners reioyce in doing ill and take most delight in worst things yet is not this the ioy that I meane This is no true ioy this is no ioy at all It is only a fained and forced appearance of ioy It is as the ioy of hypocrites short and sowre It is but a flash to lighten them to their death First because it proceedeth from an euil conscience which hath so many thornes as it hath thoughts alwaies pricking sometimes tearing the soule and crying out in the midst of their mirth Oh impure pleasure Oh vnlawful ioy Oh iust reuenge that must ensue Secondly because it is both short and the symptome of a deadlie disease For they ioy at their sinnes which will eternally ruine both their bodies and soules they ioy in that condition of life for which they cannot sufficientlie lament Therfore the ioy of sinners is like the witlesse laughter of fooles when they are lashed like the sencelesse laughter of mad men when they either doe or suffer some mischiefe like the sicke laughter of some diseased persons euen when they lie at the point of death When Dolphins leape and plaie in the sea it is a sure signe of tempests approaching and when the wicked sport and solace in their sins it is an infallible argument of their ruine at hand If Epicures reioice who deny that GOD doth either order or regard the affaires of this world If Athiests reioice who are of opinion that the soule and bodie determine together It maie beare some appearance of ioy But when they reioice in their sinnes who beleeue the immortalitie of the soule who know both the iustice and power of GOD who know how horrible it is to fall into his hands after separation from him by sinne It beareth no shadow of ioy It is a plaine token of a minde either sencelesse or madde So then it is proper to you onelâ—e O yee righteous to bee glad it is neither lawfull nor possible for any other truely to reioyce But because this your ioy is the treasure of your soules you must in any case be carefull to place it well As treasures must be safely laide vp so your ioy must bee lodged safe and that cannot be but onely in GOD. For if you place it in honour riches beautie power or any other faire fauour of this world it cannot be safe because these things are transitory and subiect to variations and dangers because they will passe away and perish in a moment And therefore the ioy that riseth from them is neuer dureable and many times lesse then the griefe which they cause when they forsake vs. As they who ioy in GOD need not feare any euill because all their euils are conuerted to their good so should they not hope for any good from the world because the Diuell GODS professed enemie is the great Prince of the world and will endeuour to conuert that good to their euill Goe too then reioyce onely in GOD who forgiueth your iniquities who doeth tolerate and conceale your weakenesses who liberally imparteth his mercies to you Settle all your delights vpon him settle all your pleasures and wishes in the loue of his goodnesse For hee imbraceth you with a fatherly loue and will then chiefely stand by you when all other comforts and supports will forsake you Ioyne no partener with him in the small possession of your ioy Ioy onely in him whom you shall alwayes finde aboue you powerfull beneath you plentifull before you watchfull behinde you carefull on this side bountifull on that side mercifull on all sides wonderfull Reioyce not in your owne worthinesse but in his infinite goodnes who driueth all dangers from your bodies and soules who so prouideth for you that you want nothing necessarie for this life and doe assuredly expect blessed abundance in the life to come Reioice onely in him who doeth comfort and relieue you in your passage through this world and will conduct you to the ioy of his
his vnrulie childe will he also forbeare his vngracious seruant But thou art not onely a LORD but a LORD of Maiestie A LORD must bee feared Maiestie must bee reuerenced both obeyed If hee who contemneth humane maiestie be guiltie of treason what shall bee done to him who despiseth and dishonoureth the diuine omnipotent Maiestie alwayes iealous of derision and neglect whose frone no creature is able to endure Dare vile dust subiest to dispersion by euery puffe presume to prouoke a LORD of such terrible Maiestie Therefore seeing I haue displeased so good a Father so great a LORD seeing I haue so lewdly wasted all the partes of my life so notably ruined all the powers of my soule that I am no wayes able either to recouer the one or to repaire the other Whither shall I turne mee What shall I say If I looke vpon Mercy I thinke my selfe vnworthy of the least of her fauours If vpon vpon Iustice I condemne my selfe to the most seuere sentence that it can pronounce But then againe I returne to Mercy and prostrating my selfe at het feete with sorrow in my heart and teares in my eyes I thus addresse my desires vnto her O mild mercy I acknowledge my self vnworthy of thee vnworthy either to enioy or to behold thee But because I haue iudged and condemned my selfe protect me that I be not arreigned at the bar of Iustice answere thou the charge of her accusation couer me with thy shield against her blowe stand betweene her and me I beseech thee O gentle mercy my sorrow-beaten soule applieth it selfe to thee hoping in despaire and perseuering in hope My sins are such as for number can not for nature should not be rehearsed all my teares are not sufficient to cleanse one spotte of them or to quench one sparke of the fury which they haue kindled Alasse I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea My iniquities are multiplyed and I am not worthy to behold the height of heauen by reason of the multitude of my iniquities And thou O Father of Mercy and LORD of Iustice whose goodnesse canne neuer bee either exhausted or diminished I doe not intend to contend with thee in Iudgement but I lay hold vpon the horne of thy Altar of grace Here I rest here onely I repose my assurance For if thou shouldest keepe a true registrie of our sinnes If thou shouldest exactly examine them according to the seuere law of thy Iustice If thou shouldest perpetually reteine in mind the offences for which wee are sorrowfull and which thy goodnesse hath promised to forgiue If thou shouldest cast them into the ballance of thy Iustice and weigh them to a graine or if thou shouldest heape them together against the triall of thy inflexible Iudgement What then shall become of vs Who can stand before thee Who can endure thy heauy charge For assuredly all reasonable creatures as well Angels as men considered in their proper nature may sinne Whatsoeuer creature participating of reason doth not sinne it is not by condition of nature but by a speciall gift of grace The reason is because sinne is nothing else but a declination from the streight rule whereby an act is to bee performed and that as well in naturall acts as in artificiall and also in morall But there is no act which is not subiect to such deflection vnlesse the rule thereof depends vpon the will of the Agent And therefore because the will of GOD only is the rule of what he doeth as not ordeined to any higher end onely in the will of GOD there can be no sinne In other inferiour wills there may bee because they giue not the rule to their actes but are to bee directed by the will of GOD whereon they should depend as vpon their last and highest end Now in that some Angels neuer sinned they had therein supportance by grace and besides they drew no originall eyther weakenesse or corruption from those which fell But the nature of man is so depraued by disobedience of our first parents that originall sinne inherent in our very substance makes vs not onely inclineable but headlong to all actuall sinne Insomuch as albeit many are preserued by grace from offences of highest quality yet all are so obnoxious to infinite infirmities that wee dayly slippe wee dayly fall that nothing is more naturall to vs then dayly to fall that the Iust fall seuen times a day Yea if the best of our actions should bee exactly examined they will appeare so full either of staines or of defectes that we rather merit reproofe and punishment thereby then either curtesie or reward All our actions are euill and the best seeme better then they are And this was a principall cause wherefore man was redeemed rather then Angels For all Angels perished not by the fall of some the fall of some Angels was no impeachment to those which stood because no naturall imperfection or infection was deriued from the one to the other But by the fall of our first parents all mankind was inuolued in destruction as being Siens of that corrupted tree Runnells flowing from that poysonous spring If man had not beene redeemed the whole stocke race and kinde of man must haue beene damned And againe The Angels fell meerely by malice of their will but the first man was tempted and prouoked and his posteritie dayly fall by inclination of their Nature Nothing is imputed to Angels but their proper sinne but to man is imputed the sinne of another And therefore O LORD of infinite goodnesse Let these reasons which mooued thee to redeeme mee mooue thee also to heare mee let sinne no more hinder thee from hearing then it did from redeeming For if sinne bee an impediment that prayers cannot bee heard neuer shall any mans prayer approch thine eare For we are all borne sinners wee liue and we shall die sinners wee cannot contend with thee in iudgement wee cannot dispute our righteousnesse against thee If thou wilt bee onely a iudge to obserue and examine our actions if thou wilt call vs to triall at the barre of thy iustice of necessity we must perish none can stand before thee and say I am innocent Wherefore we decline from thy court of iustice and desire to be heard in thy court of mercy wee stand before thy mercy for if mercy were not with thee sinners could hope for nothing from thee which is a higher court then thy court of iustice For otherwise wee could not appeale from iustice to mercy because no appeale can be made but to a higher court LORD we appeare before thy high court of mercy wee acknowledge that all of vs are sinners and that if mercy were not with thee we could not hope for anything from thee We humbly acknowledge that we haue done nothing perfectly well and our imperfect doing of any thing well is no thanke to vs it is thy free gift but if thou close not thy eyes against our offences we
of all GODS for his mercy endureth for euer O thanke the LORD of all LORDS for his mercy enduâ—eth for euer whâ—ch onely doeth great wonders for his mercy endureth for euer c. Ps. 136. But take heed O my soule For reuerence of the dreadfull maiestie of GOD beware of two things whereof hope hath not forgotten to giue thee warning One is that thou expect mercy onely from the LORD for with him is mercy Trust not in any worthinesse in thy selfe who art a dunghill couered with snow a filthie vessell which corrupteth all liquors that are powred into it a barke set in the gustie sea of this world beaten with all stormes and incursions of weather Trust not in any trumperies of the world for no quiet can be expected from that which is alwaies in motion and change which is alwaies busied like the spider in making artificiall nets to take flies If thou pursuest the comforts of the world thou art one of those of whoÌ„ the Prophet Ieremie speaketh that they should serue strange gods who would not suffer theÌ„ to rest day nor night Assuredlie the conscience shall neuer find comfort nor rest but when altogether stripped of all other confidence it committeth it selfe naked to the mercy of GOD. The other is that hereby thou beest not imboldned to sinne but rather held in bridle by feare Vpon any condition be not bold to sinne because the mercy of GOD is readie to forgiue If therby thou beest imboldned thy transgressions are the greater Feare alwaies to offend such inuincible mercy feare the iustice which will punish the contempt of that mercie Feare to offend thy iudge feare to offend him who onely is able to pardon thy offence Prostrate thy selfe and liue in awe of â—hat maiestie in whose mercy thou hast placed thy hope respect him with dutie from whom thou expectest all thy good As thy desires are guided by hope so let them be followed with feare The more thou hopest feare the more both at one time and without measure in both Neither feare abating hope nor hope enfeebling feare But maugre all feare let thy hope mount to the highest pitch and maugre all hope let feare stoope to the lowest downe come If any other could forgiue sins then thou mightest happlyappeale to him and the more lightly esteeme the maiestie of GOD but because this iudiciary power resteth onely in GOD because he hath shut vp all within mercie thou must needes feare him and tremble to offend him If a souldier hath offended one captaine he may serue vnder the colours of another He who hath lost the fauour of his king may liue vnder protection of another euen as when the Gentiles conceiued that one of their gods was offended with them they endeauoured to reconcile the fauor of others But when thou shalt offend thy only omnipotent GOD to whom wilt thou resort for reliefe Who will not feare the king of nations who albeit he aboundeth with mercy yet is not he disarmed of iustice Albeit grace reigneth with him yet is not the law abolished Thou must liue in feare not to offend the Law but to trust to be saued only by mercie The Law must continue for a holy obedience to those who beleeue to be saued by mercy By this meanes hope is alwaies accompanied with feare hope apprehendeth mercie in the end feare bridleth offence in the passage to the end Of the righteousnesse of the Law nothing can follow but either despaire or presumption in the first whereof the deuill was plunged but the nature of man is most inclineable to the second feare is a temperature betweene them both To this vertue despaire is contrary on the one side and presumption on the other Despaire hath too much feare presumption too little take away both and feare will remaine accompanied with hope If thou fearest without hope thou sinckest into despaire and art like some miserable worldling who forsaking some part of his estate departeth with his life If thou hopest without feare thou mountest like Icarus to thy deadly downefall To feare GOD is to reuerence and worship him to acknowledge that he is plentifull in mercie and goodnesse Take away mercie and take away feare for he that expecteth not good feareth no euill O LORD of all mecy Grant I beseech thee that my soule may feare thee because thou art no lesse worthy of feare then of loue For as thou art a GOD of mercie so thou art a GOD of maiestie as thou art infinitelie mercifull so art thou infinitely iust as thy workes of mercie are innumerable so is there no number of thy workes of iustice And which is most fearefull the vessels of wrath doe farre exceed the vessels of mercy And therfore O LORD so work in my heart that I may feare thee for the height of thy iustice for the depth of thy iudgements for the glory of thy maiesty for the immensitie of thy greatnesse and power for the multitude of my sinnes for my inconsiderate boldnes in sinning and aboue all for my rebellion in resisting thy holy inspirations VERS V. I looke for the LORD my soule doth wait for him in his word is my trust 1 THe hungry desire of a penitent sinner 2 A bridle vpon that violent desire 3 Sodaine repentance not alwayes sincere 4 The causes wherefore GOD deferreth to heare vs. 5 We are often deceiued in thinking GOD slow 6 How strongly GOD knocketh and calleth 7 Wherefore he is not heard 8 How he may be heard 9 How GOD feasteth those who entertaine him 10 We must patiently looke and wait for the LORD 11 To the very last end of our life 12 Iniuries to be quietly taken 13 Troubles to be contemned 14 A short praise of patience 15 It must be ioyned with trust 16 Trust must be accompanied with faith and then is it most assured 17 Whereon this Trust must be grounded 18 That the word of GOD cannot faile nor deceiue 19 A Caution what to doe that we may boldly trust 20 An assured laying hold vpon GODS word 21 A prayer and resolution for patience and trust BVt how long wilt thou suspend thy mercie and grace How long shall I bee as if I were either not remembred or little regarded how long shall this hungry appetite torment my soule looke vpon me O LORD and let me haue some sence of thy mercie LORD I desire not the aboundance and dainties of thy children but will remaine satisfied with a few cast crummes from thy table Behold LORD I come to thee as a poore hungrie whelpe to a rich mans table I see what thou eatest and how richlie thou feedest thy children I looke thee in the face I obserue thy countenance I manifest my desires by all the gestures and behauiours I can I vse many prouocations to moue thee to bestow some meane morsell vpon me But when O LORD when wilt thou regard me Now gracious GOD euen now I pray thee to fauour me with some
of many steppes Signifying that no man can attaine that happy height no man can approch him who standeth at the toppe but by many degrees of vertues whereof euery one also hath many steppes Consider with mee but a few of these and namely the mortifying of all affections either vicious or impertinent and vaine then the treading in all the steps of humility patience meekenesse mercifulnesse temperance obedience feare fortitude true discretion pure intention sobrietie modesty externall composition sweetnesse to others seueritie against our selues and all other vertues required and verely thou shalt finde it a long ladder indeede and that which will require a long time to climbe This climbing or walking is otherwise termed an edification or building For as a great building cannot be mowlded vp in an instant but first the foundation must bee layde then the walles erected and lastly the roofe and floores framed so in this spirituall building a sure foundation must bee layd vpon earth if we intend to raise it to reach into heauen And therefore it is a point of extreame either blindnesse or madnesse to aime at this end this happie end this last end and not to obserue the meanes appointed to attaine it This is thought to bee the cause of the fall of Angels euen because they aspired to their highest end without due obseruing the meanes For as sparkes strooke from a flint if they flie vpward they extinguish but if they bee caried downeward they take fire and burne so those Angels which humbled themselues and embraced the meanes attained to glory but they who proudly presumed by their owne abilities suddenly to attaine it not onely failed thereof but were deiected into hell In like maner wee all desire happinesse there is not any who would not bee happie but wee regard not the meanes appointed for that end Wee will not worke wee will not walke wee will not addresse our forces to the workes nor our feete to the waies which bring to happinesse We will not take either time or paines but thinke to mount to heauen at a leape at a iumpe at the last time of our age at the last minute of our life by a few short wishes rather then prayers But blessed is the man O LORD whose strength is in thee in whose heart are thy wayes They shall goe from strength to strength and vnto the GOD of gods appeareth euery one of them in Sion Wherefore O my soule howsoeuer others either linger or giue ouer betake thou thy selfe speedily to the LORD For to whom else shouldest thou resort he is thy prefection thy last end the rest and satisfaction of all thy desires Thou doest naturally desire nothing but him the desire of worldly things is but a disease Goe too then tumble vpon the bed of honour riches or pleasure thou shalt neuer find rest because thou cariest thy disease within thee ridde thee of thy sickenesse and thou shalt finde rest onely in GOD. The reason is plaine GOD made thee only for himselfe and therefore being thy last end thou canst not find quiet but onely in him Againe GOD onely is agreeable to thy nature thou art his image thou art breathed from him No worldly thing hath any proportion with thy nature and therefore can not giue thee true satisfaction A horse is not satisfied with flesh nor a Lion with grasse because such foode agreeth not with the nature of those beasts No lesse can a spirit be satisfied with corporall things because they are not conformable thereto The gifts and graces of GOD are conformable to thy nature they only giue thee both nourishment and delight Pride and enuy are spirituall things but they no more nourish a soule then poison nourisheth a body God only is agreeable to thy Nature GOD onely filleth thy desire And yet neither by filling thy desire hee doeth extinguish it neither by enflaming thy desire he ceaseth to fill it Wherefore O my soule Loose not time but since he hath created thee Remember thy maker in the dayes of thy youth Since thou hast no satisfaction but from him take the wings of the morning and flie vnto him VERS VII O Israel trust in the LORD for with the LORD there is mercie and with him is plenteous redemption 1. THe inuincible force of hope 2 GOD vseth to lay aduersities on his seruants and seemeth little to regard them and wherefore 3 It is a fearefull slate to liue free from troubles 4 The secret thoughts of diuers princes 5 Worldly things are like shadowes and wherefore 6 Whereon our trust must be grounded 7 How the mercies of GOD may be esteemed 8 In two respects mercy in GOD is preferred before Iustice. 9 GOD is most rich in his workes of mercy 10 Wherefore mercy is said to be naturall and proper to GOD. 11 What we shall doe that we may not feare 12 To whom there is nothing but mercy from GOD. 13 How ready GOD is to impart himselfe to sinners 14 The plenty and riches of our redemption 15 The treasure and ransome of sinners 16 In whom is the default that sinners are damned 17 The benefits of our redemption 18 An example of our right to these benefits 19 What our Sauiour is to vs. 20 Our title to the merits of our redeemer O Heauenly hope there is no labour no calamitie albeit daily storming daily encreasing but by thee is made tolerable Without thee many would faint and fall vnder their heauie burthens but thou suppliest not only strength to endure but courage to beare ouer all extremitie This was figured by the windowe in Noahs Arke which was made aboue towards heauen signifying that in that cruell calamitie reliefe was to bee expected onely from thence Death triumpheth ouer all earthly things but thou triumphest ouer death thou art more victorious then death And therefore albeit Iacob was dying yet his hope died not when he said I will looke for thy saluation O LORD Here hence holy Iob also in his greatest extremities said I know that my Redeemer liueth and though wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see GOD. Wherfore O my soule doe not onely flie to the LORD vpon the wings of thy hope doe not thou onely rest assured vpon confidence in his worde but perswade all others to do the like O my friendes O all ye of the house and Church of GOD Trust in the LORD Attend for succours only from him for he is both ready and most assured Albeit your distresse bee great and fearefull albeit you be not presently heard albeit you seeme to bee forsaken yet trust in the LORD Against all hope hope in him euen when your case seemeth desperate and forlorne euen vnto death stand steadie as a rocke and trust in the LORD It is a familiar fashion with our LORD to suffer his friends and faithfull seruants to sweat vnder the sad burthens of aduersities and to seeme as if he neither heard their prayers nor
For there is not one among the sonnes of Adam but his necessities require that hee pray often to thee both for pardon and reliefe Whosoeuer thinketh that he hath no need deceiueth himselfe and in very truth stands most in need Then doe we begin to bee iust when wee begin to see our owne vnrighteousnesse and the further wee proceede in the one the more shall wee encrease in the other And they shall pray vnto thee and onely vnto thee because thou onely forgiuest sinne Remission of sinnes is so great a worke that it is a case reserued onely to thee thou onely forgiuest sinne who onely art offended by sinne No creature whether in heauen or vpon earth hath priuiledge to pardon the least sinne the forgiuenesse of the least sinne requireth no lesse vertue then the creation of all the world In creation nature is giuen in iustification grace which in many degrees exceedeth nature If no man bee of power to giue nature to things much lesse is any man of ability to giue grace When the king of Syria sent Naaman his seruant to the king of Israel that hee should cure him of his leprosie the king of Israel tore his garments and said Am I a GOD that I should cure a man of his leprosie But assuredly if no power but of GOD was able to cure a bodily leprosie no inferiour power can cleanse the loathsome leprosie of the soule For this cure must all men resort to GOD. But this they must doe in a seasonable time they must apprehend occasion which no wise man either fearing thee or louing himselfe will suffer to escape For as opportunitie at some times of our life is fairely offered to all so if it bee not taken when it comes it can neuer be ouertaken when it is gone This time is whilest thy treasures are opened whilest thou maist be approached whilest thou maiest bee found whilest thou proclaymest thy pardon whilest thou repellest no man whilest thou inuitest all whilest thou almost entreatest sinners loaden and perplexed with their heauie charge to come to thee for releefe If in this time they pray vnto thee the floud of thy furie shall not inuolue them they shall not be swallowed in the rauenous gulfe of thine indignation But if they suffer this time to slippe if they be so held down with sensual either pleasure or sloath that they will not awake out of the slumber of sinne that they will not arise and pray vnto thee another time shal then succeed when the full streames and stormes of thy displeasure shall violently breake foorth and sodainely enwrappe all those who either through negligence which is ill or through obstinacy which is worse perseuere in their licentious life And the longer it be before these flouds come vpon them with the greater fury will they fall Euen as riuers the greater distance they runne from their springs the more waters they gather with the greater violence they run Or as the longer a man to be drawing a bowe the neerer he drawes the arrow to the head and with the greater strength it flieth from his hand At that time they who now may haue easie accesse shall not be able to approch thee they shal be driuen away they shall be commanded with a sad bitter curse to depart from thee Thou who now keepest open house wil then perpetually shut vp doores thou who now artfull of pity plentifull in reliefe wilt then finally iudge and afterwards eternally punish Pharaoh did hardly oppresse and detaine the people of Israel a long time no intreatie no punishment could mooue him to permit them to depart he pursued them with an army euen into the sea But when he saw the waters comming vpon him he acknowledged the power of GOD and said Let vs flie for the LORD fighteth for them Then he repented then he would haue gone back but it was too late The water flouds came vpon him too fast sentence of death had then passed against him then GODS wrath and the waters came vpon him together When the floud-gates of GODS fury are opened vpon vs it will so violently driue vs both from his fauour and face that it will be impossible for vs to approach him Againe they who let slip the time of their youth of their health and of their strength and with varietie of delaies driue off to reconcile themselues to GOD vntill by age or by sickenesse they become weake vntill they arriue to the last period of their liues they are in danger to deceiue themselues They are in great danger that either their hearts will be so hardened with long custome of sin that true repentance cannot sinke into them or else that the feeblenesse of age the paines of sickenesse the dismaidnes of death the horrour of sinne the terrour of iustice and a thousand like perplexities as so many floud-gates will rush vpon their soules and altogether ouerwhelme them so as they shall not be able to approach neere to GOD. For being rowled in these streames it cannot but be doubtfull at the least that they who in former times were forgetfull of GOD should then be forgetfull of themselues that they who had no will to repent whilest they had power to sinne when they are vnable to sinne should haue a very weake either will or ability to repent that GOD will then as little regard their cries as they did formerly regard his callings Not vpon any change in him but by reason of defect in themselues Because their complaints and cries at that time and happilie their sobs sighes and teares are not a voluntary motion of the will but a violent enforcement vpon necessitie They are rather effects of amazement or of despaire then of any liuely and powerfull repentance Verely it is little better then desperation to sinne vpon confidence of repentance in times to ensue There is little either proofe or thanke in the amendement of our will when we are past either the pleasure or the power to proceed in sinne VERS IIII. Thou art a place to hide mee in thou shalt preserue me from trouble thou shalt compasse mee about with songs of deliuerance 1. THe effects of repentance in regard of the penitents 2 The protection of GODS Mercy 3 The protection of his power 4 The protection of his prouidence 5 As GOD hath manifested himselfe to vs three of his attributes are most excellent his goodnesse his wisedome and his power 6 And of these his goodnesse is most excellent and glorious 7 GOD communicates his goodnesse and wherefore 8 A thankesgiuing 9 The goodnesse of GOD an assured defence 10 The debility of humane forces 11 How sustained 12 The goodnesse of GOD not only defendeth but maketh victorious 13 A short prayer 14 The godly are free from the delights of this world 15 Free also from the dangers 16 They cannot perish and wherefore BVT as for me I will speedily and in good time runne vnto thee as vnto