thee 10 My heart panteth my strength faileth me and the sight of my eies is gone from me 11 My louers and my neighbors did stand looking vpon my trouble and my kinsmen stood a far off 12 They also that sought after my life laide snares for me they that went about to do me euill talked of wickednes and imagiced deceit all the day long 13 As for mee I was like a deafe man and heard not and as one that is dumb that doth not open his mouth 14 And I am as a man that heareth not and in whose mouthe are found no reproofs 15 For in thee O Lord haue I put my trust Thou shalt answere for for me O Lord my God 16 I haue required that they euen mine enemies shuld not triumph ouer me for when my feet slipt they reioiced greatly against me 17 And surely I am set in the plague and my heauinesse is euer in my sight 18 For I will confesse my wickednesse and be sorry for my sinne 19 But my enemies liue and are mighty they that hate mee wrongfully are many in number 20 They also that reward euill for good are against me because I follow the thing that is good 21 Forsake me not O Lord my God be not thou far froÌ„ me 22 Hast thee to help me O Lord God of my saluation 1 Haue mercie vpon mee O Lord after thy great goodnes according to the multitude of thy mercie doe away my offences 2 Wash me thorowly from my wickednes and cleanse me from my sinne 3 For I acknowledge my fault and my sin is euer before me 4 Against thee onely haue I sinned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and cleare when thou art iudged 5 Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne my mother coÌ„ceiued me 6 But loe thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make mee vnderstand wisedome secretly 7 Thou shalt purge me with hysop and I shall be cleane thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow 8 Thou shalt make me heare of ioy and gladnes that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice 9 Turne thy face from my sinnes and blotte out all my misdeedes 10 Make me a cleane hart O God and renew a right spirit within me 11 Cast mee not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me 12 O giue me the comfort of thy help again and establish mee with thy free spirit 13 Then shall I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shall bee conuerted vnto thee 14 Deliuer me froÌ„ bloud-thirstiness O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnes 15 Thou shalt open my lippes O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 16 For thou desirest no sacrifice else would I giue it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offerings 17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit and a contrite heart O Lord shalt thou not despise 18 O be fauourable and gracious vnto Sion build thou the wals of Ierusalem 19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousnes with the burnt offerings and oblations then shall they offer yong bullockes vpon thy aultar 1 Heare my prayer O Lord and let my crying come vnto thee 2 Hide not thy face from me in the time of trouble Incline thine eares vnto mee when I call O hear me and that right soone 3 For my dayes are consumed away like a smoake my bones are burnt vp as it were with a firebrand 4 My heart is smitten downe and withered like grasse so that I forget to eate my bread 5 For the voice of my groaning my bones will scarce cleaue to my flesh 6 I am becom like a Pellicane in the wilderness and like an Owle that is in the desert 7 I haue watched and am euen as it were a sparrow that sitteth alone vpon the house toppe 8 Mine enemies reuile me all the day long and they that are mad vpon me are sworne togither against me 9 For I haue eaten ashes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping 10 And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me vp and cast mee downe 11 My dayes are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grasse 12 But thou O Lord shalt endure for euer and thy remembrance throughout all generations 13 Thou shalt arise and haue pitie vpon Sion for it is time that thou haue mercy vpon her yea the time is come 14 And why thy seruaÌ„ts think vpon her stones and it pitieth them to see her in the dust 15 The Heathen shall feare thy name O Lord and al the kings of the earth thy maiestie 16 When the Lord shall build vp Sion and when his glory shall appeare 18 This shall be written for them that come after and the people which shall bee borne shall praise the Lord. 19 For hee hath looked down from his sancturie out of the heauen did the Lord behold the earth 20 That he might hear the mournings of such as be in captiuitie and deliuer the children appointed vnto death 21 That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion and his worship at Ierusalem 22 When the people are gathered togither the kingdomes also to serue the Lord. 23 He broght downe my strength in my iourney and shortened my dayes 24 But I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my age as for thy yeeres they endure throughout all generations 25 Thou Lord in the beginning hast laide the foundation of the earth and the heauens are the workes of thy hands 26 They shall perish but thou shalt endure they shal all waxe olde as doth a garment And as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shal be changed 27 But thou art the same and thy yeares shall not faile 28 The children of thy seruants shall continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight 1 Out of the deepe haue I called vnto thee O Lord Lord heare my voice 2 O let thine eares consider well the voice of my complaint 3 If thou Lord wilt be extreme to marke what is don amisse Oh Lord who may abide it 4 For theâ—â— mercy wiâ—â— thee therfore shalt thou be feared 5 I looke for the Lord my soule doth waite for him in his word is my trust 6 My soule flyeth vnto the Lord before the morning watch I say before the morning watch 7 O Israel trust in the Lord for with the Lord there is mercy and with him there is plentious redeÌ„ption 8 And he shal redeeme Israel from all his sins 1 Heare my prayer O Lord and consider my desire hearken vnto me for thy truth and righteousnes sake 2 And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing bee iustified 3 For the enemie hath persecuted my soule hee hath smitten my life down to the grouÌ„d he hath laid me in the darknes as one that had been long dead 4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within mee and my heart within mee is desolate 5 Yet doe I remember the time past I muse vpon al thy workes yea I exercise my selfe in the workes of thy hands 6 I stretch forth my hand vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirsty land 7 Heare me O Lord and that soone for my spirit waxeth faint hide not thy face from mee least I be like them that goe downe into the pit 8 O let me heare of thy louing kindnes betimes in the morning for in thee is my trust shew me then the way that I should walk in for I lift vp my soule vnto thee 9 Deliuer me O Lord from my enemies for I flye vnto thee to hide me 10 Teach mee to doe the thing that pleaseth thee for thou art my God let thy louing spirit leade me forth into the land of righteousnes 11 Quicken me O Lord for thy name sake and for thy righteousnes sake bring my soule out of trouble 12 And of thy goodnes slay mine enemies and destroy all them that vexe my soule for I am thy seruant
call vpon thee the onely remedie for all their mischief And as for me since thou hast cleansed my soule from that filth wherewith it was stained and enflamed my spirit with the fire of thy loue teach my lippes that they may sound forth thy praise addresse my voice to resound thy mercy and so conduct and guide mine affection that I may loue thee sincerely and account it my greatest happinesse and soueraigne felicitie to know thee and thy sacred truth Beati quorum Psalme 32. O My God how happie are they whose offences thou hast pardoned and whose sins thou hast buried in obliuion For alas what can befal vnto him vpon whom thou shalt lay the iust punishment of his iniquitie Whole legions of euil besiege him pouertie assaults him maladies afflict him famine presseth him and death it selfe which hee wisheth for as the hauen of rest after all these tempestuous nauigations proues but a gulfe to swallow him downe vnto eternall torments O then thrice happy and blessed are those of whose actions God doth not take account but is content that they humble themselues before him acknowledging their infirmitie and laying open before him the very secrets of their hearts For by true and vnfained confession and in sincerity of conscience must we call vpon his mercy and before him must wee humble our selues if wee will haue him to heare vs. And as hee that goeth for water of the fountaine doth put downe the mouth of his vessell to take in the water so must he humble himselfe before his creator that meanes to drawe and taste of the water of this sacred source from whence distill those streames which and they onely can purifie our stained consciences I haue thought sometime O my GOD to hide my faults from thee and haue said within my selfe and how knoweth he whether I haue done it or no and so my sin tooke root within my bones And as the vlcers of a shamefast Patient which dareth not shew his maladie to the Chirurgion doe fester and rankle and encrease euen to the destruction of the vvhole bodie so these very vices which I hidde from thee wholly infected me But when thy hand had beene heauy vpon mee day and night and when thou hadst laid such sore trouble vpon my loynes and so many misfortunes vppon my soule that my spirite could take no rest and that I was broken with the stinging of my conscience which did pierce my verie heart then did I acknowledge my faultes and that thy hand had done this Looke vpon mee O Lord but not in thine anger and let those teares whose gushing streames haue dimd my sight quench the heate of thy iust indignation since I am not onely the worke of thy hands but which is more the liuing image of thy Diuinitie Who will be so farre ledde with anger as to bruise and breake in peeces that worke which hee hath had so great delight to polish and bring to perfection because hee seeth it filthy and polluted I confesse O Lord this image of thine is full of pollution and vncleannes yet better wil it be to cleanse scoure it then to break it treade it vnder foote O teach mee then my God what thou wilt require for my satisfaction for loe now haue I disclosed and acknowledged all my faults which before I concealed The feare which had seised on mee when I hid my selfe from thee is now since I humbled my selfe before thee turned into hope of grace pardon And now do I cast my selfe into thine armes as my most assured succour with the humble demeanour of a poore patient who presenting his wounds vnto the surgeon lookes on him attentiuely and suffers courageously both the searcher and the knife for the desire and hope that hee hath to bee cured of them But that which putteth me in greatest hope of health is that those vices wherein heretofore I tooke greatest pleasure are now no lesse odious in my sight then are those meates whereof a man did eat to the full being in health whē he is sick of their surfeit that which had made me haughty and insolent doth now breede in me shame and remorse when I consider the hazard of death wherevnto my pride hath exposed my poore wretched soule Blessed bee the day wherein I acknowledged my faulte now haue I receiued a singular testimonie of thy bounty towards me O my God Grant therefore that this pleasure which I haue taken by beeing displeased with my selfe may bee as durable as that vvhich before I tooke to continue in my sinnes For if I may haue as much contentment in my repentance as I haue taken in my sinne my happinesse shall be euen equall to that of the Angels and I shall finde that through my humiliation before thee I haue mounted to the height of thy grace Who can doubt O Lord but that thou hast receiued me vnto mercy thou whose clemencie and mercy is not onely vnspeakeable but also incomprehensible No sooner had I thought to returne vnto thee but thou preuentedst me no sooner had I said I wil confesse my misdeedes but thy grace was granted me no sooner had I knowne the punishment due to my sinne but thou didst pardon mee no sooner had I taken the rods in mine hands to chastise my flesh but thou didst take them from mee in a word I looked when thou wouldst denounce warre against mee and loe thou offeredst a louing reconciliation O how much more willing art thou O Lord to pardon then to punish Can a louing father more tenderly receiue his childe when hee cryeth him mercie then thou receiuedst me when I cast my selfe downe at thy feet Therefore my heart danceth for ioy and boileth with a feruent desire to praise thy Name it reioiceth in thy grace and accuseth none for what is done amisse but it selfe crying it is I that willed and consented to do it it is I that did it it is I that pleased my selfe with it but my God hath been mercifull vnto mee And how could he withhold his mercy from me when his holy one made intercession for mee And needfull it was alas that hee should intercede for mee when the impietie of my heart had so blinded my vnderstanding by my vvicked thoughts that my soule was not able any longer to lift her hands vnto heauen What then remained for me but that he whom thou denyest nothing should mediate for mee euen for mee who beeing become my owne enemy had now no knowledge nor will to pray for my selfe But now am I comforted since it hath pleased thee to open mine eyes that I might see the deformitie of mine owne conscience and that thou hast mollified my stonie heart that I might entertaine contrition in my soule Which though I haue not perform'd so soon as I ought to haue done yet not so late but thou hast vouchsafed to receiue mee as thy custome is to them that doe not let passe
saluation which shineth vnto them out of thy word I cease not my God to warne them but they render mee euill for good and make a mocke of whatsoeuer I doe to please thee and bee an example to them they traduce and slander mee in the open streets and impose vpon mee a thousand wrongful imputations I confesse O Lord I now beginne to lose patitience But O my God repaire mine infirmitie and forsake me not for else I shall stumble as a little child at the first precipice that shall lye in my way Increase in mee O Lord strēgth courage to ouercom my affliction and keep mee vnder the shadow of thy wings giuing me euermore constancie and perseuerance and bee vnto mee as a tender-hearted mother which can not but tender him her dugges as oft as her babe cries for it Nourish mee then O Lord vvith the milke of thy sacred loue that so encreasing from strength to strength I may bee able to walke night and day in thy pathes which leade vnto that saluation the hope whereof shineth in thy promises that if my sinne present it selfe to stoppe mee in my way I may open the floudgates of mine eyes and neuer shutte them vntill I haue drowned and sunke it with my teares Psalme 51. Miserere mei Deus HAue mercy vpon me my God according to thy great clemencie and for thy boundless mercies sake forgiue me the punishment which I haue iustly deserued For if thou expect vntill my fastings watchings and prayers shal satisfie for my sinne alas Lord when can this bee My trespasse reacheth frō earth vnto heauen and surpasseth in immensitie of greatnes Who then is able to compasse it or bring it down saue only thy sacred mercie which as far surpasseth the measure of our sinnes as the greatness of thy iustice is beyond ours It is thy mercie O Lord which compasseth this vniuerse which holdeth togither the whole frame of this world which otherwise is readie to dissolue and fall vpon our heads to burie through his ruine the memory of our sinnes to destroy from before thy face our ingrate disloyall and felonious race which disclaimeth her birth creation and preseruation all which it holdeth of thy bountie O then let this mercifull bounty which shineth in thy Diuinitie now extend it selfe vnto me not sparingly or niggardly but fully and plentifully As thou didst once cause the waters to passe their bounds and couer the toppes of the highest mountaines to extirpate and sweepe away the wicked inhabitans of the earth so now cast out the torrent of thy mercie vpon mee O Lord not to swallow mee vp but to bathe mee and clense mee from my wickednesse But let it not content thee O Lord once to haue made mee cleane and to say how thou hast regenerated and washed me in the bloud of thy chaste and innocent lamb for thou diddest not make me so white and pure but thou maiest now finde mee as foule and vncleane I haue plunged my selfe into the depth of filth I am so besmeared and so disfigured that thou wilt not acknowledge mee for thine Yea it maketh me demaund sometimes of my selfe vvhether I be hee whom thy hands haue created and my heart is so ful of shame and confusion that it dareth not resolue me O my God thou hast created me of durt clay and behold I am become such as I was before thou spreddest thine hand ouer me I haue despoyled me of my strength and my beauty to reuest my selfe in mire and filth But wherefore O Lord dost thou not forme and fashion mee anew Is thy hand shortned is thy willingness to shewe mercie to thy creature fallen away Oh thou that art Almightie Oh thou that art euen goodnes it selfe wherfore art thou so slack O Lord thine own worke is become obstinate against thee and taketh pleasure in disfiguring and disforming it selfe be thou as obstinate against thy worke to make it faire and perfect in despight of it But O my God I will no longer stand out in mine owne conceit against thee hold and take mee to thee turne me as thou wilt put a new print vpon this clay renew it put a new stampe vpon it for loe it is prest to follow thy will But when thou hast fashioned me anew do not then leaue me to my self O Lord Put thy bridle within my mouth that it may through abstinence allay that gourmandizing which fouleth it through chastitie it may coole the shamelesse heates of lustes which enflame it through humilitie it may beate downe that pride and arrogance which biting enuie hath bred in it that cōpassionate charitie may driue from it hatefull and greedy couetize that a care to serue and worship thee my bee as a spurre alwaies in the sides of lazie and fetarde negligence For otherwise O my God too much haue I proued how I shall bee handled by these troopes of vices which enuiron mee They will deface and throwe downe in such sort thy handie work that when thou shalt come thou shalt finde onely the shells and shiuers all broken and bruised I haue known them too well these are they that haue brought me to that state wherin I now stand and loe they stand in aray round about me reproaching mee and vpbrayding mee with these blottes wherewith they themselues haue defiled mee and making me guilty of those iniuries which they haue done me I haue sinned I confesse O my God I haue sinned loe I offer vnto thee the bottome of my heart take a view of my whole life I haue sinned in the fight of heauen and earth and all the world is witness of my fault But if I had not sinned how could thy mercy be shewed how wouldest thou acquite thee of thy promises of grace which thou hast so long before proclaimed by the mouth of thy holie Prophets When thou shalt come to sit vpon thy eternall throne of iustice who would feare thee if we were all iust But that men may know and acknowledge thy greatness it is meete that when we shal appear before thee wee cast downe our selues humbly vpon our face and cry O sweet Lord we will not stand in our owne defence before thee our fault is too manifest but behold our pardon is in our hand thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs loe it is signed with thy bloud sealed with thy image which for our redemption hath been printed in the infirmitie of our flesh Thinkest thou my GOD that when I shall appear before thee I will put any confidence in mine owne innocencie or dare to iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas I know Lord I was no sooner borne but I sinned my mother looked to bee deliuered of a childe and loe a lumpe of sinne How much better had it beene if such fruite had prov'd abortiue which shameth the tree that bare it the earth that nourished it and the ayre that breathed vppon it I did nourish my selfe with
it were incorporated into our sinfull flesh and dayly increaseth and groweth with vs so that the older we grow the fowler and filthier wee appeare vnlesse it please thee to apply dayly vnto our maladies the merits of thy Passion that as we by our in-bred corruption do wound and exulcerate our cōscience so thou wilt gratiously refresh it by curing our wounds and suppling them with thine oile of mercy Otherwise vvell might we feare O Lord least casting downe thine eyes dayly vppon vs it would as it were grieue thy holy spirit so oft to returne vnto vs by reason of our manifold sins and offences O then pardon our offences that is to say our whol life and so pardon vs O heauenly Father as we forgiue them that haue offended vs. Make vs euermore to set before our eyes that loue wherewith thou hast lou'd vs in vndertaking the paiment of our debts and the punishment of our sins That we may duely consider how vnreasonable it were for vs to expect that grace of thee which wee can not afford our neighbour since there is no comparison betwixt the offences they commit against vs and those wherwith we offend thy diuine Maiesty Root out of our hearts all malice fiercenes and bitternes giue vs a calme and peaceable spirit which may foster and maintaine in vs vnity and brotherly loue teaching vs to support with gentleness one anothers infirmities For wee can not but acknowledge O Lord how easily we slippe yea stumble and tumble in the slippery paths of this refractorie life Too too slender is our owne force and abilitie to hold vs on foot and vphold vs against those whirle-windes which are euer ready to driue vs headlong into Iniquitie And therefore most earnestly doe we beseech thee not to forsake vs in our temptations but to remoue farre from vs all occasions of offending thee and to arme vs against all obiects with thy Spirit without which we shall be euer vanquisht by whō wee bee sure to vanquish For the price and crown of victory is reserued for those and those alone who follow thee their Captaine Graunt vs then this grace that whensoeuer any inordinate desire of worldly wealth shall assaile vs wee may oppose as a rampier against it the desire of heauenly gifts and graces generously scorning and contemning the pelfe and transitorie trash of this world as iustly suspecting their deceitfulnes fragility That we may call to minde that they are but as a cloud which for a while fleeteth from one country to another and suddenly vanisheth away and appeareth no more that many times that gold and siluer which wee heape vp with much sweate and trauell doth serue but to the procuring of our owne damnation And if it shall please thee to bestowe vpon vs riches in greater aboundance grant vnto vs likewise the grace to vse them well and lovingly and charitably to communicate them to such as haue want For the whole earth is thine and wee are but the tillers and tenants thereof our goods belong vnto thee and wee are but thy depositaries and vassals So that if we refuse to impart them to such as demaund them in thy name thou maiest not onely put vs out of possession but make vs pay the vsurie of our ingratitude vnfaithfulnes Furthermore we begge of thee that the false lustre of the honors of this world may not deceiue our dazeled sight nor drawe vs on to desire more then is expedient for vs. Let it alwaies be imprinted in our hearts and thoughts that there is no true honour in this wotld but to serue thee aright and that in thy seruice the seat of honor is lowlinesse and the greatnes thereof consisteth in humilitie Furthermore that this same deceitfull lure which wee so much admire after which we runne our selues out of breath and all but to our ruine is but like an Ignis fatuus about the riuers that shineth not but in the darke and draweth them into mischiefe that vnwarily follow it Our worldly pompe and secular dignities appear not but in the obscuritie of this world If once we close our eyes against the heauenly light they seeme to vs as bright as fire their lustre appeareth as burnisht gold but when we come to follow them wee fall into swift torrents and daungerous whirl-pooles where we are plunged floting in vncertaintie betwixt the willes of Princes and the vnstedfast opinions of the wauering vulgar vntill we meete with some rocke of offence and there wee are crusht Giue me therefore O my God constancie to withdraw mine affections and withhold my sight from such vanities make mee only ambitious of thy glorie let my spirit bee so addressed to immortalitie that shee make no repose in the choaking smoke of this world Let mee neuer enuy them that enioy all these fickle goods and fading honours but let all my aemulation bee to come as neere as possible to that onely example and perfect patterne of good life which most liuely appeareth in that absolute tabliture of thy most innocent life That so all the violent passions of anger rancour and disdaine may be banished out of my soule my heart enflamed with desire to doe good to all hurt to none and both bodie and soule may be alwaies watchfull and dayly emploied about good and laudable workes neuer languishing in slothfull stupiditie That this base and infamous gourmondizing which abuseth thy good gifts being drowned in wine and buried in daintie dishes may euer be farre from me Extinguish also O heauenly Father all vnchaste prouocations of the flesh which allure vs to violate the chastitie of our bodies and the puritie of the soule And remoue far from vs all those obiects which may stir vp any slippery and vnchaste affections To conclude deliuer vs from all euill euen from the hands of wicked Angels not suffering them to haue any power ouer vs. And when we of our selues shall bee running headlong into mischiefe preuent vs with speede draw vs back and stretch out thy fatherly hand ouer vs euer readier to shew thy mercy then to execute thy iustice Saue vs euen maugre our owne selues and let not our backsliding and obstinacie alienate thee from vs or cause thee to forget to bee both our mercifull GOD and also our louing Father FINIS BRIEFE AND profitable Meditations on the 7. penitentiall Psalmes London printed by H. L. for T. M. Ionas Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Talbot in Pater-noster Rowe 1611. Meditationes in 7. Psal poenitentiales Domine ne in furore Psalme 6. 1 LEt not the arme of thy heauie displeasure bee lifted vp against mee O Lord. For that would be as a torrent and violent streame to carrie me headlong into death and eternall damnation It would bee as a fire to eate vp my flesh and turne my carcasse into ashes What eye is able to looke vp and not to consume at the very fight of thy wrathful
all time and occasion of repentance For those that runne vnto sinne and doe voluntarily neglect to repent when they know their fault and haue time to repent deferring to cry for mercy or to make a deluge flow from their eyes vntil the end of their liues it is greatly to bee feared that they deceiue themselues and that true repentance will hardly after so long time enter into their hardened hearts that their teares and weeping will be but the wayling of men in desperation and that thy mercie will lend but a deaf eare to their too late repentance But as for mee I come vnto thee in an acceptable time as to my refuge and the marke whereat my hope aimed and my onely comfort in my tribulation which had enuironed me euen as the feare seiseth vpon him who is condemned to a shameful end O then let mee taste of that ioy which hee hath in his heart who is freed from his chaines enlarged out of prison and healed of his paine wherein his enemy had long time held him captiue And on the contrarie let the enemie of my soule bee confounded with shame when hee shall see me so deuoutly calling vpon my God for aide who in the very turning of his eye can free me from that voluntarie seruitude which I had vowed vnto wicked pleasure When I was on me He hath not onely exalted mee aboue other creatures giuing me the vse of diuine reason but also amongst men hath hee exalted me into the throne of honour and magnificence so that nothing was remaining for the accomplishing of my felicitie but onely to know my owne felicitie and after I had forgotten mine owne estate hee did enlighten mee by his holy light and gaue mee both time and will to lament my life passed and to amend it for the time to come Be warned then by mee O my friends and whilst it is time runne vnto him for grace for hee himselfe doth call you into the way of saluation and bee not like the selfe-wilde Mule which hath no vnderstanding or iudgement but kicketh against him that pricketh her to make her go right whose mouth must bee held with bit and bridle whose sides must feele the sharpe remembrance of the spurre And so if at the first summons which the Lord shall send to cause you returne into his wayes you will not be obedient to his will hee shall raine vpon you such a haile of miseries as shall make you more miserable then miserie it selfe You see the starres that glitter in the heauens and the sand stretched vpon the shoare but neither hath the heauens so many starres nor the sea so much sand as are the plagues and punishments which remaine for the obstinate sinners Their owne wickednes hangeth ouer their heads mischiefe attends at their heeles vntill they fall headlong into that gulf the very remembrance whereof is full of horrour the sweetest retraites whereof are but plaints cries shreekes and sorrowfull sobbes where is paine without end griefe without remedie repentāce without mercy where they are alwaies dying and neuer dead where the bodie liueth onely to die and the soule only to suffer torments where the soule feeleth nothing but sinne and the bodie nothing but paine On the contrarie they who flye vnto the Lord and the couert of his grace who shielde themselues vnder his mercy and put their trust in his bountie who follow his cōmandement and are zealous to doe his will vnto what height of happinesse doe they aspire What thing is there so precious in heauen that shal be hid from them they shall sit by their God and all enuironed with glorie shall bee inuested with greater happinesse then the spirit of man is able to conceiue the least part therof much lesse my faultring tongue able to expresse I will bee glad therefore and reioice O my God to think how great good thou hast laide vp in the heauens wherewith to crown the iust And I inuite you all to reioice with me who haue sworn vnto the words of our Sauiour and loue the straight path of his iustice Here must you attend the recompence of your trauell here shall you bee placed in honour and glory here shall you chaunge your rude thornes of the world for the beautifull flowre-delice of heauen O how gracious and sweet repose shall you then find after the sweat of your afflictions The golde is not more pure and glorious after it hath beene refined in the furnace and made readie to receiue the stampe and image of a great Prince or serue for an ornament to some rich cabinet then the heart of him who loueth his God when it commeth pure out of the furnace of the worlds miseries to bee decked with splendor and glorie What is there that can content mee in this world What shall stay or hinder me from entring into the house of the Lord to liue for his seruice How shal I forget to deplore all the dayes of my life my sinnes which had put his grace so farre from mee Reconcile then in mee O my God these two Passions of repentance and consolation that as the wandring Pilgrim hauing lost his waye in the wilderderness reioyceth when he seeth the day to dawne and yet forgetteth not the obscure darknes whence hee is yet scarce freed and can not as yet wholy cast off the feare which he had of so tedious a night so I may euer retaine some horrour of my faults passed and yet haue a certaine and ioyfull hope of eternall happiness which thou hast purchased for mee with the precious price of the bloud of thy most deare sonne Oh how great is this loue when the Mr. spareth not the life of his onely Son to redeeme his slaue And now since I haue been formed and fashioned by thy hands purchased and redeemed with thy bloud and purified and clensed by thy mercy I will offer vp my selfe before thee as a sacrifice of obedience cast mee not away O my God Domine ne in furore Psalme 38. IT is high time for me O Lord to turne again vnto thee and againe as an humble suppliant to implore thy mercy For I feele thine anger to waxe hote against mee Alas my God wilt thou chastise mee in thine anger and make mee to feele the violence of thy iust indignation which my sinnes haue prouoked against mee The flame hath euen consumed mee and the fire of thy fury hath eaten me vp and I am ready to vanish away into smoake For I feele O my God the arrowes of thy vengeance sticke fast in me and and I am pressed down vnder thy heauy hand The remorse terrours of my conscience do astonish me and bruise mee like flashes of lightning and thunderbolts euill commeth vpon mee as a snare and one mischiefe ouer-taketh another No sooner is warre ended but Pestilence assaults mee and in the ende Death hath taken from me my dearest pledge which I haue in this
Lord at the first or second turne of the spindle and take mee not away in the middle of my course Let me liue O my God vntill the time come wherein thou shalt open the treasures of thy graces to bestowe among men the largesse of saluation or at least if thou hast so determined of mine ende that my life may not continue till then remember my posteritie and let him spring of my race that by his comming shall redeeme and sanctifie the earth I know O Lord that thou hast from the beginning fashioned the heauen and the earth and whatsoeuer is good and excellent in the world is the worke of thine hands But all the vniuersal shall wax old as doth a garment they vanish away and shall be no more to be found it hath been created and it shall bee dissolued it hath had a beginning and must haue an ende But thou O Lord art from euerlasting and thou shalt continue the same for euer Time and continuance which consume all things doe onely serue to confirme thy being and to publish thy diuinitie and men do liue vpon the earth that they may contemplate on the one side thine incomprehensible greatnesse and on the other side their owne infirmitie Man goeth from place to place the same land doth change her inhabitants one driueth out another and all is renewed in a moment but thou my GOD art yesterday and to day and the same for euer Euery province of the earth can reckon vp great numbers of Kings which haue raigned one after another but the the heauen and the earth doe continually sing that thou hast euer been God alone alwaies admirable alone and that thy goings out and thy commings in haue euer beene vvithout change Now O Lord when I shall depart hence I doe verely beleeue that I shal taste of that sweet fruit which shall heale vs of this contagious maladie which hath been deriued from our first Parents for eating the forbidden fruit of death and sinne For our children shal come after vs and thou O Lord shalt continue our posteritie vntill wee shall come to appeare togither before thy face not to receiue a rigorous doome but by the merit and intercession of thy beloued Son to enter into that inheritance of euerlasting blessednesse which shall be giuen to all thy faithfull by the adoption of the sonnes in the family of thy seruant Dauid Psalme 130. De profundis OVt of the deepe bottome of the depth I cryed vnto thee my God lost couered in the fearefull cauernes of the earth I called vppon thy name Hearken vnto my voice giue eare vnto my prayer For all hope of succour was gone I looked about mee and behold nothing but horrour and fearfulness yet haue I not lost courage but waited for that which thou hast promised to all those who liue in feare of thy name and are obedient to thy commandements Bow down then O Lord a fauourable eare to my complaint If sinne haue interposed it selfe betweene thee and me to exasperate thee against mine offences and to mooue thee against my prayer which I make vnto thee driue it out of the sight of thine eye of mercie or rather O Lord close for a while thine eye of iustice vntil the eare of thy clemencie haue receiued my confession the humble request which I make vnto thee For I come not to stand vppon mine owne iustification but vpon thy gentleness and bounty If thou shouldst keepe a register of our faults and cal vs to a strict account for them who could endure O Lord the rigour of thy iudgement What day is there of my whole life that deserueth not a whole age of torments Thou mightest bring vpon mee all the punishments of hell and yet the greater part of my sinnes remain vnpunished But thou art ready to receiue to mercie the sinner that commeth to thee with confession in the mouth and contrition in the heart No sooner hath he looked toward thy mercie but he feeleth it work in him breaking and dissoluing sinne which had frozen his heart with feare and amazement The punishment vvhich hangeth ouer his head departeth farre from him carying away with it this miserable carefulnes which is a hel to the coÌ„sciences contaminated with iniquitie For this cause O Lord would I neuer vtterly forsake thy lawe but haue alwaies attended when it would please thee to bee gracious vnto me For hee that is ill aduised and desperate in his sin and abandoneth his soule as past recouerie doth like to the abhominable vsurer who because he hath suffered some losse of goods goes and hangs himselfe My soule hath not done so for euen then when she felt thine hand heauie vpon me exacting part of the punishment which my faults had merited yet did shee still hold fast the hope in thy promises When the stripes vvere multiplyed vpon my back I cryed vnto thee O Lord Thy wil be done only giue me as much strength as affliction Measure my paine according to my vigour and if thou encrease my â—orment augment my couâ—age and so hast thou dealt with me O Lord. Let all true Israelites therfore both day night but their coÌ„fidence in God â—ook vpon him and to him â—lone for all their succour â—or his succour is readie â—nd neuer faileth those that with integritie of conscience and puritie of wil call vpon him Though their trouble be great terrible as soone as the Lord doth incline his eare to their cry so soone shall they finde themselues deliuered For he aboundeth with mercie and neuer faileth to succor those who make their recourse to him Insomuch that his bountie taketh away all the sorrow that we had for beeing sinners and makes vs as it were reioice that we had fallen as at the cause for which wee haue had such trial of his mercy for if our faults surmount measure his grace exceedeth all imagination Wee haue deserued a long and hard captiuitie but loe he hath deliuered vs and set vs at most sweet libertie wee haue blinded the eyes of our vnderstanding and lo â—ee commeth to illighten â—s O Israel ye haue sinned against the Lord yee haue made a mocke at his lawe and sported your selues in â—he breach of his commandements and forgotten his â—ounty so plentifully powâ—ed vpon you He hath freed thee from miserable bondage he hath â—ed thee with bread from â—eauen hee hath made â—â—reames to gush out of the â—ard rocke to giue thee drinke he hath giuen thee the most delicious garden of the earth for thine habitation he hath made a couenant with thee made thee know his will But ye haue conspired against his honour gone a whoring after strange Gods and troden his lawe vnder your feet in a word ye haue merited all the punishments of hell and yet still doth he offer himselfe most graciously vnto thee he will redeeme thee with the price of his
bloud from the slauerie of sin to which thou hadst of thine own accord bound thy selfe Behold him who himselfe payeth the ransome for those that haue betrayed him vvho taketh vppon himselfe the punishment of our backsliding and the paiment of our forfeit With what words shall we render him thankes Open my lippes my God my Creator my Redeemer that my voice may bee lifted vp in that measure as mine heart is enflamed with a boyling affection to giue thee praise and thankes and to abase my selfe in the knowledge of my self that I may rouse vp my spirits in the knowledge of that sacred mysterie whereby wee are reincorporated with thee and admitted againe to thy couenant to enter into this blessed participation of glorie wherein all those shall triumph who shall be partakers of the merite of the passion of thy welbeloued Sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Psalme 143. Domine exaudi O Lord man is weary in the ende of all things the continuance of his course putteth him out of breath too much seeing dimmeth and dazeleth his eyes the clatering sound deafeth his eares but the more I crye unto thee the stronger is my voice my courage increaseth and my prayer is the more pleasing to mee and all because I begin my daily petitions with Lord heare my prayer and giue eare to my supplication for in praying to thee my God consisteth al my comfort This is my prayer O Lord which doth coniure thy clemencie to expiate my sinnes not by the rigour of thy punishment but by the effect of thy grace whereby thou hast abolished cast away from thy soueraigne and powerfull might and maiesty the memory of mine offences Deale not then in iustice with thy seruant neither giue him ouer to the rigour of thy lawe for of all men â—â—uing that shal appeare before the seate of thy iudgement no man shall bee iustified no man shall escape this fearefull condemnation the punishment whereof is horrible and the horrour immortall Alas O Lord who can iustifie himselfe before thee It is thou that art offended it is thou that shalt accuse vs it is thou that hast seene our faults and wilt beare witnesse it is thou that wilt iudge vs. When the accuser shall be witness and the witnesse iudge what shall then become of the guiltie what cause shall serue to cleare him But I will not stand out O Lord to come to this issue I will arme me with thy grace and oppose that as a buckler to thy iustice Thy grace is procured by the acknowledgement of our faults humbling of our spirit Loe I lye prostrate before thy feete confessing my sinne O Lord haue mercie vpon me My sinne O my God the capitall enemie of my soule hath so discomfited and beaten me down that I goe groueling vppon the earth not daring to lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen For as soone as I lift vp mine eyes loe the light shineth vpon mee to bring vnto light all my manifold offences which accuse my conscience And I feele withall shame to couer my face a face vnworthy to looke vp vnto heauen the king whereof it hath so grieuously offended a face too cowardly to cast vp his eyes to those places where are so many thunders and lightning prepared for the destruction of guiltie sinners My spirit then hath led me into the darknesse and hath buried mee in the graue as one that is dead My soule within mee is heauie my heart is troubled euen like him vvho walking loftie with hye bent lookes falleth vnawares into the bottome of some pitte presently his soule is troubled he loseth his vnderstanding he vexeth and tormenteth himselfe he knoweth neither what to will or what to do vntill his spirits returning vnto him he beginneth to consider his estate and the place wherein hee is and the manner of his fall then hee beginneth by little and little to regaine the toppe and with great paine and labour to winde himselfe out of the place into which he so easily fell so I hauing called to minde as much as is possible things past and hauing entred into a profound meditation of the workes of thine hands and hauing exactly considered the perfection of all things which thou hast created then calling to minde the estate wherein thou hast created me and then proposing to my selfe that wherein now I finde my selfe as it were ouerwhelmed vnder the ruine of sinne I curse to my self the houre wherein my mother conceiued me and the day that first opened my eye-liddes to make me see heauen and earth the witnesses of mine infirmitie and in the ende finding nothing in this world that could comfort mee in this distresse I addresse my selfe yet further vnto thee I fall down on my knees before thee and stretch out my hands and armes to thee and my soule thirsting after thy grace doth attend with as great desire as the thirstie and scorched earth doth expect a gracious raine in the heat of summer Help me then and that soone O my GOD for I am alreadie cleane out of breath my heart faileth loe how I fall into a swoun Wilt thou Lord delay till death hath seised on mee I am euen alreadie at Deaths doore if thou make not hast for my senses decay by little and little my soule is as it were in a trance and my body without motion If thou O Lord be farre from mee if thou hide thy face from mee I shall bee like vnto those that goe downe into the depth of Hell Pale death will sit vpon my face and seize on my senses and which is worst spirituall death will slay my soule fill it with fright and horrour and vtterly depriue it of the knowledge of thy singular bountie and the hope of grace which shineth in thy miracles as a glittering starre in the obscure darkness of the night Cause mee then to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy betimes and in the morning vvhen the sunne beginneth to rise vpon the earth let thy mercie also rise vpon me to enlighten mine ignorance and conduct mee in the wayes of thy commandements Yet let it not O Lord bee wholly like the sunne which at the ende of his course goes to plunge himselfe in the sea hiding for a time his light from silly men but let it assist mee perpetually be as indiuidual a guide vnto my soule as is my soule vnto my bodie for the life of my soul doth more strictly depend vpon thy mercy then the life of my bodie doth vpon my soule O then let her neuer forsake mee but let her light alwaies direct my goings in thy wayes that I neuer wander out of that path through which alone I must come vnto thee For otherwise my spirit which is entangled amongst the briers and brambles of this world and wandereth in the thickets were neuer able to finde out the right way but posting along at aduenture might