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
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
vertues and faculties of the soule are capable of greater pleasure then the outward partly because they are more noble and diuine and partly because their obiect is more excellent which is GOD himselfe and all goodnesse So the more perfect those powers and faculties are the more perfect pleasure they apprehend in their proper obiects which is euident by all outward and bodily sences But penitent persons whose sinnes are forgiuen haue the inward capacitie of their soules more perfect and cleere then other men Because nothing either defileth or defaceth the inward vertues of the soule but onely sinne neither is there any meanes to purge the one or repayre the other but by repentance Heerehence it followeth that penitents only enioy pure pleasure in this life as proceeding from the purest and highest faculties of the soule much cleansed by repentance from corruptions of sinne But the pleasures of the wicked proceede onely from the outward sences common to them with bruit beasts and so much inferiour to the pleasure of beasts by how much they participate of sinne It is true indeed that their sensuall appetites present to them a thousand pleasures but the reckoning being cast what pleasures are they pleasures tempered with vice which hold them still in a restlesse feauer pleasures sweet for a moment but leauing a long and loathsome taste behinde them pleasures onely to couer dangerous hookes pleasures which carry their punishments with them As for their inward vertues and powers they are so dulled and dimmed and sometimes stupefied and benummed with custome of sinne that they affoord no pleasure at all But either lie as sottishlie sencelesse or else expresâ—â— life only by vpbrayding the polluted pleasures of the flesh It cannot bee denied that many penitents are almost alwaies vnder correction that the scourge is almost alwaies vpon their backes but heerein also I esteeme them blessed For Blessed is the man who is chasticed of the LORD The reasons whereof are mainelie two First for that this correction proceedeth from the loue of GOD either as a gentle bridle to restraine them from licentiousnesse of sinne or as a forge hammer and file to consume the consuming rust of sin For as a man will file and scoure that instrument or vessell which he regardeth to make it bright as beat and brush that garment which he affecteth to make it cleane So GOD chastiseth that person whom he loueth either to purge or to preserue him from the soile of sin If GOD scourgeth the iust if hee debarreth if hee depriueth them of health riches honour or any other fauour of the world it is onely for loue vnto them It is to make them onely to loue him For GOD is a iealous GOD so loueth those that are his that he will not endure them to loue any thing but himselfe vnlesse it be for his sake GOD esteemeth not himselfe loued enough if the loue of any other thing be ioyned with the loue of him The sence of this loue of GOD doth so inflame their loue towards him as they become sencelesse of any worldly accidents or affaires The second reason is for that albeit they bee neuer so much chastised yet are they neuer forsaken but in the middest of their miseries mercy shall encompasse them They are neuer cast off neuer cast away but are alwayes guarded by the mercies of GOD the mercies of GOD wil defend them for the present and deliuer them in very good time For the present it doth enable them not onely willingly but ioifully and desirously to suffer the momentany afflictions of this life For the future it prepareth for them an eternall crowne of glory to which the short afflictions of this life are an ordinary and almost necessary passage The afflictions of this life are both naturally momentany and by grace light but the glory whereto they lead is both eternall and of exceeding weight As the grace of GOD maketh the afflictions of this life light so without that speciall grace the nature of man is altogether vnable either to beare or to behold the weight of glory which shall succeed We haue a naturall inclination to it but all our naturall abilities forces are insufficient either to attaine or to sustaine it O LORD of this eternall weight of glory Let me suffer corosiues cauterizes cuttings lancings and burnings in this life so that I be both comforted and defended by thy mercy so that I may bee prepared and guided to thy glory so that I may bee deliuered from the great plagues which the wicked shall endure The more bitter the potion is the more medicinable and healthfull will it be the more sharpe the file is the lesse rust will it leaue behind The more a garment be brushed and beaten with roddes the lesse it remaines defiled with dust VERS XII Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the LORD and be ioyfull all ye that are true of heart 1. TO whom it is proper to iudge of the pleasure of the righteous 2 A true Iudgement touching worldly pleasures 3 Pleasures of the soule dilated often to the body 4 They who haue the fauour of GOD haue GOD himselfe 5 Who are inuited to reioyce 6 For what causes 7 How gloriously the soules of them who loue GOD sort out of the miseries of this world 8 Who are forbidden to reioyce 9 The ioy of the wicked no true ioy and wherefore 10 The ioy of the righteous must not be placed in worldly matters and wherfore 11 But it must be lodged onely in GOD. 12 No limits to be prescribed to this ioy 13 Theologicall vertues consist not in a mediocritie like Morall vertues 14 The attaining worldly felicities is laboursome the enioying often loathsome 15 We cannot ioy in earthly and in heauenly things together 16 A short prayer 17 Feare and ioy how combined I Suppose there are not manie who haue not often tasted the ioy and pleasure of the soule after some measure of repentance but happily not sufficient to arrest a iust Iudgement of them For when two things are compared together the difference is best vnderstood by the iudgement of those who haue had best experience of both For as a sicke man whose palate is affected with vicious humours cannot well iudge of the taste and rellish of meates so wicked men whose mindes are infected with the poison of sinne cannot rightly iudge of the pleasure of the righteous This is proper to them whose soules haue a true taste not any wayes depraued Now many haue had good experience of the disposition and state of the soule both in fruition of the world and in a penitent life But let them say in which they tooke the greatest pleasure The first is tearmed by some a meere Vanitie by others no better then dunge All esteeme the felicities of this world not onely vaine but exceeding vile and base in regard of the ioyes which succeed and proceed from true repentance
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
an instrument of eight strings For that Dauid was the Authour of this Psalme it is nothing doubted not only because it hath beene both anciently and generally so receiued but because diuers passages of the Psalme doe plainely seeme to import no lesse For therein is liuely expressed a most exquisite sense of sorrow and griefe agreeable as well to the greatnesse both of the person and sinne of Dauid as to the large measure of grace which afterward he did obtaine It maketh mention also of stratum a kinde of couch vsed by men of eminent dignity which as Dauid had defiled with adulterous embracements so did hee there chiefly exercise his sorrow so did he there plentifully powre foorth his teares Verely as the sinnes of Princes are neuer small so their great sinnes require a great and high degree of repentance Now in this life we are neuer at perfect peace we are trauayled with continuall conflicts wherin some armour is of necessary vse But in these spirituall combats sorrow sighes groanes and teares are the onely armour of defence the onely weapons of aduantage by which wee atchieue true victory and triumph For this cause it is sayd that the iust shall flourish as a Palme tree For as the Palme tree doeth flourish best vnder greatest weight so vnder many difficulties and oppressions the iust must mount to their highest hopes And therefore because by these armes Dauid did preuayle not onely against his outward enemies not only against his inward troubles and perplexities but against the wrath and vengeance of Almighty GOD because by these meanes his griefe was turned into ioy because hee beganne with bitter anguishes and ended in exultation and triumph this Psalme is entitled To him that vanquisheth therefore also it was appointed to bee sung vpon an instrument of eight strings called Octaua vpon which as S. Hierome sayth they vsed to sing Psalmes of triumph and ioy And so this Psalme falleth naturally into two principall parts as in the Table following doeth appeare In this Psalme of Dauid is conteyned his sorrow and conflict wherein is expressed a fearefull apprehension of GODS Iustice vers 1. an humble petitiō for his mercy that vnder many reasons whereof some are drawn from himselfe namely from his weakenesse v. 2. troubles in body v. 2. soule v. 3. GOD and namely from his mercy ver 4. wisedome ver 5. iustice ver 6. power ver 7. Victory and Ioy in regard of his reconciliation with GOD ver 8. and 9. the confusion of his enemies ver 10. VERS 1. O LORD rebuke me not in thy wrath neither chastise me in thy displeasure 1 EVery sinne is infinite and wherefore 2. Punishments in this life not to be feared and wherefore 3 Eternall wrath how fearefull it is 4 The paine of losse 5 The paine of sence 6 The fearefull representations of a guilty conscience 7 Which turneth the trembling soule to GOD. O Most glorious GOD infinite in Maiesty to be both honoured and obeyed infinite also in might to be feared The greater thy Maiesty is the greater are my offences against it to bee esteemed and the greater punishment may thy Almightinesse inflict As thy Maiestie is infinite so is euery offence against it infinite so is infinite punishment due to such offence This infinite Maiestie haue I many wayes most grieuously offended and therefore haue iust cause to feare thy grieuous displeasure thy grieuous punishment euen equall to my sinne and that is infinite I feare not thy reproofe I feare not thy corection I dayly expect it I dayly desire it because dayly I deserue it For I know that dayly I offend and I know that thy diuine Iustice will not suffer offences to remaine vnpunished If thy Iustice punisheth only in this life then is it fatherly then mercifull then is it iustice tempered with mercy but if it punisheth in the life to come then is it extreame Iustice then extreme rigor and reuenge then is it as a rod of yron vpon a potters vessell The one is among men and oftentimes by them the other is in the company and by the office of Deuils The first is a gentle instruction a chasticement a correction the last a seuere and finall execution This rodde of thy correction I kisse I embrace thy chasticements vpon my knees If I were exempt from thy Fatherly chasticement then were I exempt from being thy childe For thou scourgest euery childe whom thou receiuest But I feare thy fury I tremble at thy extreame displeasure I desire to feele thee as a louing Father but not as an angry and inflexible Iudge Rebuke me not O LORD with thy violent voice let not thy angry arme beat stiffely vpon me It will consume me as a flaming furnace It will swallow me as a deuouring gulfe It will driue me as a torrent into the headlong descent of eternall death damnation What strength can stand vnder thy Almighty arme What courage can behold thy fierce bended brow and not bee astonished not stroke downe with terrour LORD I now feele thy anger in a moderate measure I now feele thy temporary and temperate wrath which I am not able to endure but heereby I am further led to esteeme the ful charge of thy fury how vnable I shall be to endure thy eternall indignation How little a portion haue we of him but who can vnderstand his fearefull power Assuredly the generall floud the destruction of Sodome all thy punishments which haue beene shall be or can be inflicted in this life are to bee deemed but as a few gentle drops in regard of the full tempest of thy eternall wrath In that day of thy wrath when we shall stand forth at the barre of thy Iudgement What soule can sustaine thy angrie eye whose sight will pierce to the very center of our hearts and rippe vp euery festred corner of our consciences What other accusers What other euidence will thy iustice require certainely if thy voice was terrible when thou gauest thy Law if thy chosen people were then afraide how terrible will it bee when thou shalt demand an accompt of thy Law when thou shalt giue sentence for the breach therof against thine enemies Depart from me yee cursed Out alasse What a punishment of losse is this to be banished from thy face whose beauty cannot be expressed which the Angels insatiably desire to behold the sight wherof is the full perfection of all pleasure and abundance the true ioy and rest of our soules What death is so grieuous as this departing But whither O LORD doest thou command to depart Into euerlasting fire Out alasse This is a cruel curse indeed Whom wil it not appal whom will it not astonishwith feare What Into euerlasting fire without either intermission or end Alasse Who can abide with the deuouring fire Who can dwell with the euerlasting flames This is the very habitation of thy wrath in this place thy fury doth
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
in thy selfe art perfectly good and doest nothing but good yet to a sinner thou art grieuous thy goodnesse can doe no other then trouble and torment him not through any euill influence from thee but by reason of euill disposition in himselfe And therfore O gracious goodnesse O mercifull LORD O louer of mankinde not onely in pity pardon my weakenesse but in power remoue it that I may bee strong and able to enioy thy goodnesse that thy goodnesse be not greeuous vnto me LORD I resort vnto thee not only as to a Iudge for pardon but as to a Physitian for cure My weakenesse hath taken a deepe surfet of sinne and it is now growne to a desperate disease All the faculties of my soule are infected and the poyson is dispersed through all the members of my body I can feele no strength I can feele no quiet not onely my feeble parts but they that are most strong are troubled alike Haue mercy vpon mee and heale mee O GOD Haue mercy vpon my imperfection and heale my infection I humbly entreat thee Let thy mercie extend not only to pardon mee but to heale mee not onely to pardon my sinnes that are past but to make mee strong and able against sinnes heereafter For what good will pardon doe mee if presently I returne to my sinne againe What will it auaile that I bee washed if foorthwith I plunge my selfe in the mire LORD I present my selfe vnto thee in the lowest degree of humility and griefe my eies charged with teares my breast with sighes my tongue with complaints my whole bodie with disquiet Let thine indignation now cease looke vpon mee with a more calme countenance Helpe me vp and I will rise hold me vp and I will stand comfort and confirme my sin-oppressed sences Haue mercy vpon me and heale me giue me thy health and strength that vnder confidence of thy mercy I may boldly looke thy iustice in the face VERS III. My soule is also sore troubled but LORD how long wilt thou delay 1 THE torments of the soule how great they are 2 The effects of vnfayned contrition 3 A resort to GOD. 4 How offensiue sin is to GOD. 5 Wheâ—efore sinne is the cause of trouble 6 A prayer 7 The cause of GODS delay 8 The remedie AND yet the trouble of the bodie might bee borne well enough a mans courage may suffice to beare out any bodily griefe but who can beare the vexation of the soule The paine of the body is but the body of paine the sorrow of the soule is the soule of sorrow Now thy terrours haue also surprised my soule Not onely my body is cruelly crushed both with the sence of my sin and feare of thy wrath but my soule also is very grieuously afflicted with the one and affrighted with the other This soule which thou hast created to praise thee is astonished to behold thee astonished to thinke on thee this soule which is the breath of thy mouth is vnable to endure the breath of thy displeasure this soule which thou hast created to represent thy likenesse hath no liking no power to sustaine thy presence The loue thereof is extinguished with feare it hath neither roome nor respite to hope in thee In thee it dares not rest assured in any other thing it cannot For assuredly whensoeuer earnest and vnfained contrition seazeth vpon the soule it disturbeth all ioy it taketh away pleasure in any thing but teares it permitteth not to thinke on any thing but what is terrible And as they who are in danger of shipwracke cast ouer board their rich and best esteemed Merchandises to saue their liues so they who are tossed with the tempest of GODS anger to saue their soules doe not onelie abandon but hate those things which formerly were either most delightfull or deere vnto them Out alas how am I oppressed into what perplexities is my poore sorrow-beaten soule plunged how is it abandoned how are all the powers thereof laide waste The vnderstanding is darkened the will dazled the memory confounded the courage broken and beaten downe dread and amazement haue dulled my sences But aboue all my conscience is goared with the sting of sinne It anguisheth it lanceth it stretcheth it teareth it crucifieth the very heart of my soule It stirreth all vpside downe Verely I finde it to be very true That the heart of a sinner is as the raging sea which neuer hath rest The waues whereof are alwaies in motion and one alwaies dashing against another I leade a life euer dying and I feele a death neuer ending all my choice is concluded in this whether I will stand still without helpe or stirre any waies without hope And as a fearefull Doue shaketh at the roaring of thunder and shrinketh into some obscure hole supposing it self most safe when it is least seene so my amazed soule trembling at the dreadfull sound of thy threats looketh about for some place of retreit either to defend or to hide it from thy furious face It would flie from thee but it knoweth not whither it would be protected against thee but it knoweth not by whom O my GOD I cannot flie from thee but by flying to thee And therefore I flie from thee offended to thee appeased I flie from thee through the gate of thy iustice and I flie to thee thorow the gate of thy mercie I flie from a iust reuenging Iudge to a mercifull and indulgent father whose goodnes is infinite whose mercie is a spring a streame an Ocean that cannot be exhausted the goodnes no lesse liberall then the mercie is abundant O sweetnesse of desiâ—e O safetie of soules open to me thy distressed suppliant Let thy fauour receiue me running from thy furie Let thy pitie protect mee against thy seueritie comfort my troubled soule with one gentle cast of thy countenance for I shall neuer recouer againe either my safetie or my quiet vntill I recouer thy most louing and louely looke For sinne is so offensiue so odious vnto thee that wheresoeuer thou findest it thou canst not affoord a kinde countenance thou must needes turne away thine amiable eies thou wilt not displaie thy beautie vpon so filthie a dunghill And this is the cause why wee are so troubled For when thou turnest away thy face they shall be troubled Assuredlie the vexation of my soule can haue neither end nor ease vntill thou turnest to mee thy appeased countenance All other appliancies are as the handling of vlcers and wounds they doe but draw more humours to my sore they rather inflame then any waies asswage it But how long O LORD how long will thine indignation how long O LORD shall my anguish endure how long wilt thou with-hold thy comfort from me Thou who hast alwaies beene slowe to wrath art thou slow now to lay downe thy wrath Thou who hast euer beene patient art thou now become inflexible Is thine anger no lesse hard to quench now then heeretofore it hath beene
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
melted with this heat of loue For as water taken from pits and welles vpon the earth is not so fruitfull to make hearbes thriue as raine water which falleth from heauen Insomuch as some plants growing in the middest of waters will wither and die for want of raine so teares which proceede from terrene respects make not the soule so flourishing and fruitfull in grace as teares which fall for the loue of GOD. Such were the teares of the sinfull woman who watered her masters feet with her teares who with the teares of her body cleansed her soule For to her many sinnes were forgiuen not principally in regard of her teares but because shee loued much VERS IX The LORD hath heard my petition the LORD will receiue my prayer 1 HOW easie GOD is to heare and to pardon 2. No sooner can wee dispose our selues to aske but wee receiue from GOD some taste of his fauour 3. Wherefore sometimes GOD deferreth for a time 4. Inequality betweene GODS disposition and ours 6. The trophee of repentant Teares 7. Our miseries turned to medicines 8. The world how to be esteemed 9. The experience of GODS liberality and loue what it worketh 10. Experience surmounteth reason 11 The condition of our assurance 12. When GOD cannot be intreated 13. What giueth wings to our prayers what weigheth them downe O Incredible clemency and mercy How commeth it O LORD that thou art so ready to heare vs so easie to pardon vs did my sorrow sit so neere thy heart wert thou so stricken with the wounds of my soule by seeing them bleed so fast at mine eyes Thou hast now finished my feares assured my hopes perfected my ioyes satisfied my desires Oh! how good is the LORD Is any like vnto the most high who comforteth the afflicted healeth the wounded reuiueth the dead Is any other like vnto him Learne O ye feeble soules how amiable the LORD is how mercifull how mild how hee visiteth his seruants how hee neuer disdayneth to impart himselfe to them Scarce O LORD can we dispose our selues to craue forgiuenesse scarce open our lips scarse addresse our selues to sue to thee for mercy but we receiue some taste of thy fauour When we are comming to thee slowly and farre off thou runnest to meete vs thou embracest vs in the armes of thy loue thou giuest vs the comfortable kisses of peace Or if thou doest deferre thy comfort and consolations for a time it is to send them in greater abuÌ„dance it is that the long absence thereof with little hope and great desire should make thy presence the more esteemed O infinite inequality betweene my disposition and thine I am rash in offending thee and thou art ready to remit mine offences I runne apace to dishonour thee and thou hastest more fast to receiue me to grace I haue searched all places euen the bottome of the sea euen the bowels of the earth to minister foment and food to my sensuall desires And when these pleasures had poysoned my soule when I was in a maze of troubles vnder a Masse of dangers when I was at the very point to perish in a moment thou diddest pierce the heauens and come downe for my deliuerance Thou diddest not only deliuer me and set me free but thou diddest comfort and reuiue my languishing soule euen as a hot Bath refresheth the limbs of a poore tired traueller Behold now the Trophee of my repentant teares see how my sorrow triumpheth ouer my sinnes My hope which was weighed downe with the leaden plumets of sinne is now at liberty now full of liuely courage and ioy The LORD hath heard my petition I haue not sorrowed and prayed in vaine I haue obtained pardon I haue receiued grace he hath not been strange of his fauour he hath not been sparing of his mercy towards me All my former discomforts and miseries are turned to the nature of medicines They haue been like bitter Pils to purge superfluous and corrupt humors they haue been like Aloes and VVormewood to weane me from the teaâ—es of this world O world which hast bewitched so many blinded so many Thou wert nothing at thy beginning thy light is but a shadow thou art but a smoke in thy greatest height in shew somewhat but in substance nothing Thou art sweet to fooles thou art either bitter or without rellish to wise men VVhosoeuer loueth thee neuer knew thee whosoeuer knoweth thee doth either loath or contemne thee And because now I haue large experience both of the liberality and loue of GOD I will not hereafter be dismayed I will not be discouraged I will assume assurance that whensoeuer I call vpon him the LORD will receiue my prayer Albeit I see nothing but punishments and the worst of punishments feares albeit I finde no comfort yet will I hope I will rather thinke that all my sences are mistaken then faile in hope I will first let goe my life before I will let goe my hope My reason may be vanquished but by experience is stronger then reason my experience cannot be ouercome Approued experience will not be encountered by reason it prescribeth rules and limits to reason it is guided by no Law but by it selfe It hath armed me against all despaires discouragements or distrusts Albeit reason may discourse that I haue so often prouoked the wrath of GOD and wearied his patience that he cannot but now reiect my prayer yet experience doth warrant mine infirmity that the goodnesse of GOD is such that whatsoeuer petitions and importunities I offer he will neuer be weary to heare them neuer vnwilling to grant them that the more we draw of this fountaine the fuller are the waters and the sweeter their taste All this is vnder one condition if wee abandon our sinne For onely our sinne onely our perseuerance in sinne doeth hinder the approach of our prayers to GOD. GOD is neuer inexorable but when man is incorrigible when man will not be amended then cannot GOD bee entreated Wee haue sinned and prouoked thee to wrath therefore thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayers should not passe through Lam. 3. For when we come to entreate him armed with those weapons wherewith wee did offend him when our hearts are bathed in vncleannesse when our hands smoke with the blood of our sinnes how should he heare our prayers how should he not abhorre them So long as the broken Iron remaineth in a wound it is but a vaine labour to applie plaisters to cure it Of no greater force aâ—e our prayers and all other religious actions or endeauours so long as sinne remaineth in the wounds of our will so long as the pleasure of sinne sticketh fast in our purposes and desires For as we can neuer qualifie our thirst with drinke whilest our stomacke is stuffed with such bilious humours as by drinking enflame the greater thirst so our soules shall neuer bee refreshed with the goodnesse and mercie of GOD whilest it is full of the poysonous purpose
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
we bring all we lie to the holie Ghost which is a most fearefull and heauy sinne One hooke sufficieth to take the fish one snare to fetter the soule But the Deuill is a most cunning angler a verie expert fowler he casteth manie baites he pitcheth manie snares in our pathes If we remaine intangled in any one if by sincere repentance we free not our selues from all we shall be sure to be his prey If we acknowledge not our sinnes we acknowledge not GODS mercies in forgiuing our sinnes we we are vnworthie to haue that debt remitted which we are vnwilling to confesse So much as we conceale of our sins so much do we adde ingratitude to iniurie and despight Wee double the wrong that wee haue done if to disability for discharge we adde falshood in our accompt Let vs first make our true accompt then we shall find GOD so easie as rather to offer then to be entreated not only to forbeare what we are not ready but to forgiue what wee are not able to discharge VERS III. Whilest I helde my tongue my bones consumed through my dayly complayning 1. WE cannot be ignorant of our sinnes 2. Originall sinne the seed of all actuall sinne 3. Dull sence of sinne makes vs slow and heauy to confesse them 4. Whereby the soule is more deepely soyled 5. Too much sence of sin makes vs either fearefull or ashamed to confesse them 6. The sottery of sinners in concealing their sinne 7. Want of confession how dangerous it is 8. It draweth variety of punishments vpon vs. 9. Wee often complaine but not as we should 10. Punishments to what end they are sent 11 Wherefore GOD called Adam and not the Diuell 12. GODS violent voyce in calling sinners 13. Whereto sinners may be compared 14. It is a great mercy of GOD to bee trauayled in this life and wherefore 15. Troubles are GODS husbandry c. I MY selfe haue heeretofore beene either negligent or ashamed to confesse my sinnes For I could not bee altogether ignorant the checke of my owne conscience did often aduertise me that my soule was drenched in two Stygian streames of corruption originall and actuall the one deriued to me by descent the other proceeding from my proper will For by reason of the fall of our first parent his bloud was atteint and corruption was so fast fixed in his nature that hee transmitted that leprosie to all who euer descended from him This is the seede of all actuall sinnes this is in power all sinnes in the world Not onely if wee act the wicked motions thereof but if we yeeld consent vnto them if without consent we take pleasure in thinking of them then they turne to actuall sinnes But these delights haue so swarmed in my soule that I could not but feele the viperous brood within me I haue so often entertayned them with consenâ— so often eyther in deed or by endeuour brought them foorth into action that I could not but see the hideous heape And yet I alwayes wanted either remembrance or disposition to cast vp my reckoning and to confesse them Sometimes the Diuell did stupifie and benumme my soule and then I had little or no feeling of my sinne then sinne lay concealed in me then either I entertayned no thought or else was dull and carelesse to acknowledge my sinnes But as how much the longer any filthy liquor standeth in a vessell so much the more is the vessell fouled and stayned and so much the more hardly can the foule staines bee rubbed cleane So the longer time that poysonous sinne remayned in my bosome with a quiet and vncontrouled custome the more was my vnhappy soule soyled therewith the more deepe staines were printed therein and the more hard to be defaced Sometimes I was so sensible of my sinnes so apprehensiue both of the number deformity of them that I became thereby either ashamed or afrayd to confesse them to the LORD to desplay them before those beautifull eyes which are much offended with such impure obiects The shame and the feare which the Diuell tooke away when I committed sinne hee restored againe when I should confesse them And as an expert captaine who besiegeth a fort doeth first blocke vp all passages by which it may receiue any ayd so the Diuell did in such sort beset and besot my soule that he stopped all the wayes by which repentance might relieue it I was easily perswaded not to stirre the vnsauory puddle not to digge the filthy dunghill of my sinnes to the bottome For who can answer the iust charge Who dares thinke vpon the iust punishment for his offences In this life hee may expect whole armies of euils and death which is to others the port of their tempestuous nauigation to him will seeme a gulfe both of intolerable and eternall torments So I sottishly sought to hide my sinnes in my own obliuion I did foolishly flatter my selfe that thou O LORD wouldest neuer remember what I did forget that my offences locked vp in my owne silence should bee close shut from thy knowledge or regard I vainely thought that by not speaking or not thinking of my sinnes I should most readily extinguish the memory of them But as fire the lesse vent it hath the more furiously it burneth And as a festred and rotten sore not opened and cleansed which the Patient doth not vnfold to the Chyrurgian and both desire and endure his helpe putrefieth and enflameth the more and the more doeth the corruption both penetrate and spread So my sinnes whilest they were smothered within my owne conscience whilest they were not by confession layd open to thee did not onely more terribly anguish and torment me but did deeply infect the very substance of my soule The contagion of sinne did spread like a leprosie ouer euery part the strongest vertues were infected therewith all the faculties were drawne to a habite of euill They did not only anguish me but they did waste and consume me they drew thy heauie iudgements vpon me the dangers which they brought vpon mee were no lesse then was the disquiet For I felt in my soule besides the sharpe sting of my conscience the heauie blowes and more heauie threats of thine indignation Many calamities thou didst also cast vpon my body vpon the issue of my affaires And so sharpelie didst thou visit mee both outwardlie and within that failing or at least fainting in body and minde I sunke downe vnder the charge and melted my languishing soule into moane My calamities daily encreased and therewith also my complaints I complayned dayly but duly rightly I did not complaine For I saw into what miseries I was deiected I saw to what mischiefe I did bend my pace but I neither endeuoured nor intended to cut off either the cause of the one or course of the other I did not search into the state of my soule I did not vnderstand it I did not lay it open before thee I did not blame I
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
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
eyes of the LORD are ouer the righteous The eyes of the LORD are vpon them that feare him and put their trust in his mercy But to what end To deliuer their soules from death and to feede them in the time of dearth Good And so it seemeth that they shall neither perish nor want For they shall bee deliuered from death and fedde in the time of dearth Thine eye is so fixed vpon them that whosoeuer toucheth them to harme them hee toucheth the apple of thine eye All sweete saciety is plentifully powred from thine eyes Assuredly the eyes of the LORD are working eyes grace streameth from his eyes as light and heat streame from the sunne The sunne doeth not so much both adorne and enrich the earth with his illustrous beames as the eyes of the LORD by their influence both enrich and adorne the soule of man as they make it radiant both in pure beauty and in plentie of good workes O mercifull GOD how sweete is thy Spirit What comforts and delights breathe hourely from thee How art thou so enamoured with our sinnefull soules that thou wilt not turne the eyes of thy Maiesty from them How come they so deare vnto thee that neither danger nor want can seize vpon them LORD I am astonished at this vnmeasurable goodnesse my thoughts are so ouerwhelmed and confounded therewith that I am enforced to crie vnto thee What is man that thou hast such respect vnto him or the sonne of man that thou so regardest him I did once goe astray ouer carried with the company of ordinary men But since the LORD hath vouchsafed to cast his countenance vpon me since he hath turned to me his amiable eie of compassion and grace I haue not only beene instructed what to doe but enabled to performe the same New forces new life hath beene infused into me I haue not only been directed which way to walke but I haue beene guided and supported in that way And now me think this heauenly voice perpetually soundeth in mine eares FEare not behold as I haue infused a soule into thy body so will I infuse my spirit into thy soule to guide all the actions and motions therof that as thou hast a naturall life by the one so thou mayest haue a spirituall life by the other This spirit shall cleere thy vnderstanding encline thy will rule and moderate all thy steps And further mine eye shall not be off thee my hand shall continually support thee euen as yea much more then a carefull mother beareth a vigilant eie and hand ouer her tender childe going in places where it is both easie and dangerous to receiue a fall When I heare this voice I fixe likewise mine eies immoueablie vpon my guide euen as a diligent pilot fixeth his eyes vpon the starre whereby hee steereth the course of his nauigation As the moone receiueth her light from the sun so shall my eyes receiue both their light and their life from those gracious eies I will first make them cleane and then turn them like chrystall glasses to reflect the impression of those glorious lights I will put my selfe into the conduct of him who only both is able and hath promised to guide me to eternall happines I will carefully obserue those louely and liuely lookes which doe so carefully preserue me VERS X. Bee yee not like to horse and mule which haue no vnderstanding whose mouthes must be holden with bitte and bridle lest they fall vpon thee 1 OVR nature requires that wee bee guided by GOD. 2 Other creatures haue some likenesse of GOD and wherein 3 Man beareth his image and how 4 This should mooue vs to applie our selues to GOD. 5 Wherein we should declare a difference betweene vs and bruit beasts 6 To be a man to halfes is the worst condition and wherefore 7 Foure degrees of Sinne. 8 Contempt not pardonable and wherefore 9 The first motions of Grace to be embraced 10 No creatures degenerate from their proper nature but man 11 The cause thereof 12 Wherefore in the creation no mention is made of the goodnesse of man 13 How man transformeth himselfe into a beast 14 The deformitie of Sinne in that it transformeth vs into beasts 15 What we are if wee vse not reason and what if wee abuse it 16 How we may be best transformed 17 The seruices which commonly we pursue 18 The loue of our selues should moue vs to goodnesse 19 The loue of miserie is worse then miserie it selfe BE ruled by me then doe as I haue done O my friend take it from my experience for the best Range thy selfe in order and bee guided by his Grace Haue recourse to him in due time whilest hee permitteth whilest he inuiteth whilest he entreateth thee to come Now he gently calleth thee into the right-way of saluation now hee courteously offereth both his direction and aide Heare him regard him obey him If thou wilt not doe this in respect of him doe it at least in respect of thy selfe in respect of thine owne benefit in respect of the condition of thine owne nature Doe I say accordingly as thou art and as the nature of thy being requires Thou art a man endued with reason and vnderstanding wherein GOD hath engrauen his liuely image In other creatures there is some likenesse of him some footsteps of his diuine nature but in man he hath stamped his image Some things are like to GOD in that they are some in that they liue some in their excellent propertie and working But this is not the image of GOD. His image is onely in that we vnderstand which is so neere a resemblance of him that nothing in all his creatures can so cleerely expresse him For as GOD doeth vnderstand and loue himselfe so man by his intellectuall power is both apt and inclinable to vnderstand and loue him And the more perfectly man doeth vnderstand and loue GOD the more liuely doeth he expresse his image Seeing then that thou art of so noble a nature that thou bearest in thine vnderstanding the image of GOD so gouerne thy selfe as is fit for a creature of vnderstanding Bee not a man onely in name and in outward feature but in conditions of mind a beast plunging thy selfe in those brutish pleasures and desires whereby the flesh vanquisheth and destroyeth the spirit Bee not like the brute beasts which want vnderstanding either wilde and vnruly or else heauie and dull the one whereof must alwaies haue the snaffle betweene their teeth the other the spurre vpon their side Be not stiffe necked be not slow paced doe not furiously fling after the pleasures doe not obstinately insist in the customes of a licentious life Be not caried with the sway of thy appetites with the tempestuous rage of thy sensuality without any discourse without any rule or restraint of reason Thinke that thou art a more excellent creature then to be anchored like a beast to earthly thoughts Thinke that thou art bound to
into the dungeon of habite and nature Insomuch as I haue not more naturally desired to eate drinke and rest then to sinne they haue made me scornefull and odious to all the world This depth of sinne hath drawne vpon me another depth and that is of afflictions and calamities the attendants of sinne For sinne onely prouoketh thy wrath and thy wrath draweth many punishments vpon vs. As sinne is the onely cause so are punishments the effects of thy wrath Impiety and impunitie goe seldome together thy wrath will not permit them quietly to concurre in one subiect Punishment is so naturall for sinne that if sinne bee not smitten with the sword of chasticement in this life it is in danger to be smitten in the life to come with the sword which guardeth the passage into paradise For this cause thy hand hath beene exceeding heauy vpon me My indignity hath stirred thine indignation I haue sinned and thou hast smiâ—â—en I am inuolued in troubles as in a deluge the storms of disquiet beat stifly vpon me I am so deeply drowned in aduersities and miseries that I am scarce either bold or able to looke towards thee And yet One depth calleth another For these depths of sinne and of calamities haue drawne vpon me another depth of astonishment and trembling For when I call to my consideration thy infinite hate against sinne the extreame seueritie of thy iustice and rage of thy wrath neuer incensed but by sinne and the greater the sinne is the more incensed Terrour seazeth vpon my soule and it faintlie sincketh into the darke and deepe cauernes of anguish dread and almost despaire It is no ordinary matter that doeth perplex me not the crosses and trauerses of this world but being oppressed with my owne guiltinesse and sharply assaulted with the terrour of despaire I haue iust cause to feare that thou hast vtterly forsaken me that thou hatest and abhorrest me for my sinne These troubles are most terrible these touch not my externall affaires but the internall and eternall state of my soule Against external calamities some remedies may be found but against internall biting of vniust sinnes and expectation of thy iust and eternall reuenge there can be found neither remedie nor rest This wound is incurable but by thy hand And now againe these depths haue called another depth For it is not with a lofty looke not with a careles negligent conceit but out of the depth of humility sorrow that I cry vnto thee A little sorrow is not sufficient for me my sorrow must be great so great as it may make a great sound in thy eares Whosoeuer cryeth to thee with great sorrow griefe may wel be said to cry Out of the depth But this cry must be soft without noise of words it must be in the secret retreits of the heart no voice no souÌ„d in any wise added Contrition is an inward griefe seated in the heart it neuer breaketh forth before confessioÌ„ confession must open a passage for it This sorrow hath depressed my sincking soule down so low as it seemes to be led through all the torments which vnrepentant sinners must endure So as out of this depth also I cry vnto thee Oh! that I could meet thine Angell in this fierie valley as the children of Israel did in the valley of weeping that I might extinguish these flames with my teares that I might turne them into riuers of teares Lastly not onelie from the outward gates of my lips not onelie from the vnstable wagging messenger of my tongue apt vpon euerie sudden passion to riot for I am not one of those who honour thee with their lips but their heart is farre from thee but out of the depth of my heart from the very bottome of a troubled soule I cry vnto thee Assuredly the heart of man is exceeding deepe it hath many hidden roomes and retreits It conteineth many secret matters whereto the vnderstanding can neuer approach it chambreth many secret sinnes whosoeuer cryeth from this depth vnto thee hee fetcheth his cry farre he cannot but make a forceable battery against thine eares Out of these depths of sinne of afflictions of astonishment and feare out of the depth of humility and sorrow and out of the very depth of my heart I cry vnto thee As Ionas cryed to thee not only out of the depth of the sea but out of the depth of the whales belly so out of all these depths I stretch forth my voice to thee for helpe I cry not for helpe to the world I want no externall comforts and none can giue internall but thou Alasse who will aske an almes of a begger what comfort from confusion what comfort from them who no more vnderstand one another then did the builders of Babell Itis the world which hath betrayed me it is the world which hath vndone me It setteth vs to gather strawes as Pharao did the children of Israel and scourgeth vs when we haue done I will not cast the Anchor of my rest in the stormy vnstable sea of the world It is like a beautifull flower but stincking like a faire reede but of no strength It is rightly termed an hypocrite without faire but within full of corruption and vanitie In sensuall matters it seemeth good but all is nothing but painting and lies Caine who was the first builder of a city vpon earth was the first man who lost his habitation in heauen But onely vnto thee doe I call who art both enclinable to heare and able to helpe Being buried and lost in these bottomlesse depths I find nothing in the world but terrours and despaire of reliefe nothing in my selfe but trembling and dismay no hope of help but only from thee And therfore with all deiection of soule I addresse my spirit to call vpon thee I beseech thee most gentle Father heare my voice Let my humble prayer ascend from the low vale of miserie and teares to thy high throne of maiesty and glory let the secret groanes of my soule and the open cries of my voice haue accesse to thy presence heare I say the inward sorrow and griefe of my heart and the outward confession of my mouth I haue grieuously offended thee by shaking off thy subiection and bearing my selfe rebellious against thee by exposing my selfe to all euill and opposing my selfe against any good When thou wert to me as the sunne is to the earth infusing heat light and life into it I was to thee as the earth is to the sunne sending vp grosse vapours whereby tempests are raised and the sunne obscured I haue offended other men either positiuely by wronging some in their estates or estimations and by wringing and inclining others by my example to euill or else priuatiuelie in not affoording them that good which both by actions and examples I might and should I haue offended the blessed Angels and Saints who are no lesse grieued at sinne then they ioy at conuersion from sinne who as
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
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
white there is no sinner so Aethiopian blacke but by the blowes of aduersitie will change his hue VVhat knowest thou not that holy men the ancient worthies of the world sailed for the most part with the winde in their face And haddest thou rather be euer without GOD then with aduersity to attaine him A good rider will exercise his horse daily to keepe him in breath and to holde him able to performe good seruice and so GOD dealeth with those whom hee hath conuerted to his seruice A Bee drowned in honie put into vineger reuiueth a-againe and so GOD dealeth with those whom hee intendes to conuert Their soules stifled in the pleasures of this world must with sharpe medicines be reduced to life Both those must patiently looke and wait for the LORD Patience is a great part of discretion An impatient sicke man maketh a cruell Physition It is a preseruatiue of other vertues as ashes preserue fire from extinguishing so patience preserueth other vertues from languishing and decay Other vertues without patience are like desolate and friendlesse widowes Patience is a hid treasure deepely couered with silence It is a most acceptable sacrifice to GOD. without patience wee shall not enioy the promises of GOD without patience wee enioy not our selues For without it we haue neither dominion nor possession in our owne soules because by patience we possesse our soules But patience must bee coupled with trust which rightly laide vpon GOD hath euer beene in steade of merit For it giueth both vnderstanding in this present life and the holy mountaine of GOD euen eternall life in the world to come But this trust is not a naked expectation of somewhat to ensue it resteth not onely vpon the verity of the promises of GOD but vpon the interest that wee haue in them and so it is accompanied with faith For as Amber hath no smell of it selfe but mingled with muske smelleth most sweetly so trust of it selfe is altogether vnsauoury but put faith to it and nothing is either more pleasant or more assured Who soeuer is well acquainted with this trust the more violent tempests beat vpon him the more will he trust Euen as the more strokes are set with a hammer vpon a naile the more stiffely doeth it sticke Albeit he were with Daniel in the Lions denne albeit with Ionas in the VVhales belly yet would hee trust Of this trust the VVise man hath made a kinde of generall Proclamation in these words Be it knowen to all nations and people that no man euer trusted in GOD and was confounded O GOD most faithfull in thy promise O most mercifull LORD was neuer man hitherto confounded who trusted in thee And shall I most meeke GOD be the first It cannot bee Peraduenture I am not so sorrowfull for my sinnes as others haue bin peraduenture I am not so assured in trust yet my desire is to bee no lesse sorrowfull no lesse assured then they My will is good I would faine bee an vnfained penitent Blessed LORD If neither my sorrow nor my trust be so perfect as they should bee thy goodnesse may easily either encrease them or supplie their defect And therefore most lowly I entreat thee to sincke my soule more deepe into sorrow that thereby I may more strongly rise into true trust and then I shall not be confounded Now this trust must not bee grounded vpon any imaginarie or seeming power not vpon riches honour or anie other vanishing vanitie of the world but vpon the word of GOD which abideth for euer All things vnder the Moone are like the Moone it selfe inconstant and changing euery day yea heauen and earth shall passe but the word of the LORD shall neuer passe And therefore O distressed soule forsake not the veritie to follow vanitie Trust not to the course comforts of the world more bitter then the waters of Hiericho Such bitter waters make barren land the ground will neuer be fruitfull that is watered with them But trust in his word euen in the infallible promises of GOD which will neuer deceiue So surely as thou findest sanctitie in his woâ—kes so surely shalt thou finde veritie in his wordes If GODS word could deceiue then could GOD lie but this is repugnant to his nature this he cannot doe As he cannot die as he cannot erre so hee cannot lye But haply thou wilt say that GOD is Omnipotent and may doe whatsoeuer he will It is true GOD is Omnipotent But I will tell thee what GOD cannot doe GOD cannot lye either by himselfe or by his messengers If GOD could lye by himselfe then were he not GOD for GOD is trueth Neither is he thereby the lesse Omnipotent it iâ— impotencie and not Omnipotencie to lie If hee could lye by his messengers then some contrarietie might be espied in the holy Scriptures which hitherto could not bee found Assuredly the word of the LORD is more immoueable then the poles of heauen then the centre of the earth Let the heauens be foulded together let the earth dissipate into dust let the nature of all things dissolue the word of the LORD shall constantly remaine O infallible O vnresistable veritie without either actiue or passiue deceit O true GOD O essentiall veritie who canst no lesse cease to be true then to bee whose diuine wordes can neuer fall without effect As they giue the wounde so also the salue to cure it bee it neuer so deadly LORD thou hast promised remission of sinnes if vnfainedly wee abhorre them thou hast promised thy grace if by griefe and sorrow we be truely disposed to receiue it I haue thy word and that is thy selfe I here arrest thy gracious word and therewith thy selfe I will neuer release this debt I will neuer discharge thee without performance Wherefore O redeemed soule approach with trust to the throne of grace approach without feare albeit thou hast offended albeit thy sinnes haue prouoked wrath Hee hath obliged himselfe by his word he hath made himselfe thy debter by his promise neuer doubt but hee will truely discharge his credite but he will faithfully performe whatsoeuer he hath mercifully promised Trust in his word hope in hiâ— mercie but take this with thee Vnlesse thou repent thy sinnes vnlesse thou cleanse thy heart vnlesse thou wash it with teares of contrition thy trust will deceiue thee thy hope will faile thou shalt neuer attaine thy expected desire In vaine doth he trust in the promise of GOD who doth not repent and forsake his sinnes The trust of an obstinate sinner who pastureth in his sinnes and thinkes to bee saued without repentance is no true trust but proud presumption Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and put thy trust in the LORD First offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse which cannot bee done so long as thou continuest in sinne and then put thy trust in the LORD But what is this sacrifice of righteousnesse It is thus described by the Apostle
wherein then lieth the difference Not in the summe of the debt but in the dayes of payment All agree that repentance is due but most perswade themselues that the payment may be made at leasure But assuredly there is no time so fit as the present For what stupendious stupiditie is it to deferre the most weightie worke of repentance to a future time whereby besides that the time may bee taken from thee thou shalt daily growe more vnfit to repent For by reason of long continuance and frequencie of acts custome will grow strong and inuincible whereby nature is corrupted grace estranged and the power and tyrannie of the Diuell much confirmed Obserue hereof a familiar example If a childe be brought from a distant country he will perfectly pronounce our language in a very short time If hee be a man of yeeres hee will hardly or neuer rightly pronounce it What is the cause confirmed custome which can hardly be broken we are hardly drawen either to forget or forsake that whereto of long time we haue bin enured And assuredly change of life is no lesse vneasy then change of language and therefore repentance must needs bee so much the harder by how much it is later Oh! how many would gladly forsake their wicked liues but being fast locked and chained in the prison of euill custome they are not able to breake from themselues He who hath a great estate may well endure some wast expence but he who oweth more then hee is worth had neede be a good husband of that which he hath Thou art not well assured to liue one houre and darest thou make to thy selfe a prodigall promise of manie yeeres Such promises haue bin â—he destruction of many a sinner vpon such hope is little better then a sinner vpon despaire for both sinne alike vpon different reasons The desperate sinneth because he thinketh hee must bee damned the presumptuous because he hopeth he may at pleasure repent he sinneth because he despaireth this hopeth because he will sinne Woe to this hope woe to that presumption both are fearefull and dangerous alike GOD hath promised pardon to repentance but he hath not promised either time or abilitie or mind to repent Hee hath alreadie giuen thee a faire time to repent but he hath put times and seasons in his owne power and will assuredly shorten them if they be not well imployed For so in the dayes of Noah he gaue 120. yeeres for man to repent which because they did abuse he strooke off 20 yeeres and raised the deluge in the hundreth yeere Thou art carefull to cure the least hurts of thy bodie forthwith and wilt thou neglect or deferre to remedie the mortall and immortall woundes of thy soule When euery day thy miserable soule is hewen burnt poisoned precipitated torne in pieces when euery day it perisheth a thousand wayes wilt thou be nothing sensible thereof wilt thou be like Pharao who when all Aegypt as wel in the fields as in the houses swarmed with frogges yet would haue prayer deferred vntill to morrow O mad delay nay verely To day heare his voice and harden not your hearts Deferre not repentance vntill to morrow for this will harden your hearts indeed Our life is compared by Iob to the day of a hireling A labourer worketh from morning vntill night and then taketh his rest So thou O sinner labour hard in the workes of repentance whilest thy day lasteth suffer not the darkenesse of death the night of nature to steale vpon thee but earely in the morning of thy health strength and age flie to the LORD attend seriously thy worke and doe not loiter for the night will come when no man can labour If the world calleth thee aside to riches honour pleasures or any other of her entising harlotries tell her thou canst not come thou hast a great important busines in hand and but a small time to performe it thou hast neither leisure nor lust to listen to her When Ioab had defeated Abner and chased his armie with a long execution Abner cried to him Shall the sword deuoure for euer to whom Ioab answered As GOD liueth if thou hadst spoken in the morning the people had gone away euery one from following his brother The like may GOD answer to sinners who all the day of their life beare armes against him and at the night of their death desire to bee at peace As I liue if you had spoke to mee in the morning if in seasonable time you had desired mercy I would haue spared you but now execution is in the heate you come somwhat late you must neuer stand to the courtesie of iustice you come now vpon ineuitable necessitie vpon base seruile feare which neuer iustifieth Your repentance now is not froÌ„ the heart You are now like merchants who when their ship is in danger throw their riches ouerboard but when the tempest is ouer search euery shoare to find them againe Your apprehension of present danger hath perswaded you against your wils to disgorge your consciences and cast vp your pleasures but if the feare blow ouer if you recouer your former estate you will foorthwith returne to your former life Thus may GOD say and thus for the most part it happeneth We neuer examine our great accompt wee neuer addresse our selues to bee at peace with GOD so long as we haue one vanitie vnspent But when time hath beaten from vs both youth pleasure and health when it hath made vs both insociable to others and burthensome to our selues when our attendants are variable sickenesses and paines when the soule loathes her ruinous and excrementall lodging then looking into our consciences which pleasure and sloth had locked before we behold therein the fearefull images of our actions past and withall this terrible sentence engrauen that GOD will bring euery worke to iudgement But how dare wee trust to our repentance at that time when the will by long custome is stiffe and almost inflexible when the vnderstanding partly weakened partly amazed is vnable to behold diuers obiects perfectly Assuredly to neglect GOD to offend him willingly casting our hopes on the peace which wee trust to make at our parting is a high presumption or which is worse a scornefull conâ—â—mpt Of all things that can be desired eternall felicity is the chiefe No man but doeth naturally desire it No man with deliberate reason would lose it for the empire of all the world no merchant is so foolish who would exchange the hope thereof for any aduantage that can be set foorth no man vpon any condition would bee quite cast out of that hope Now the ordinary way which GOD hath appointed to attaine felicitie is a long and laboursome walke a great iourney from vertue to vertue from strength to strength vntill wee appeare before GOD in Sion This was figured by the ladder which Iacob saw in a vision extending from earth to heauen and consisting doubtlesse
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
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
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
cast it into a drunken dreame They soare aboue the sphere of earthly delights they neuer stoope vpon so course carrion but aspire to prey vpon Angels food And they are no lesse free from the dangers of the world then from the delights no more troubled with the feare of the one then with desire of the other They may bee hated but harmed they cannot bee they may bee persecuted but they cannot perish For nothing killeth the soule but sinne sin only is the sword that killeth the soule that soule which sinneth shall die But nothing is sinne vnlesse it be voluntary Take away the will and all actions are equall and therefore a soule doth not perish vnlesse it will vnlesse voluntarilie it committeth euill So it followeth that they cannot perish because they will not Because they will not returne to their sinnes they cannot incurre the penaltie of sinne And this they will not doe because their spirit is gouerned by thy grace because their will is subiect to thy will because thy will and their will are twisted together as it were into a fast twined threed VERS IX I will informe thee and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt goe and I will guide thee with mine eye THE effects of Repentance in regard of the wicked 2 GOD is most intelligible yet hardest to be vnderstood 3 GOD directeth the vnderstanding 4 Correcteth the will 5 Not only instructeth but leadeth with his hand 6 Enlightneth and guideth with his eie 7 To what end GOD fixeth his eies vpon the righteous 8 The eies of the LORD are working eyes 9 They make a soule both beautifull and rich 10 The incredible goodnesse of GOD. 11 The eyes of the LORD not onely teach but enable 12 A heauenly voice 13 Our eyes must also be firmely fixed vpon GOD. 14 But first they must be made cleane COME hither now all ye who want vnderstanding the very forme and essence of man and I will instruct you I will instruct you in that which is most intelligible and yet hardest to bee vnderstood For as nothing is more visible then GOD yet nothing lesse seene by reason of his exceeding brightnesse so nothing is more intelligible then GOD yet nothing lesse vnderstood by reason of his surpassing greatnesse Come hither I say all yee who know not the trueth all ye who wander out of the right way come hither to me come all ye who are desirous to attaine a happie life whereto all the passage of our life is nothing else but a toylesome trauaile I will enforme you in the pure trueth which experience of mine owne errours hath taught mee I will direct you in the right way which after long wandring I haue beaten out I will point vnto you the cleare Sunne of Life which after many stiffe stormes hath disclosed to me a most louely light whose bright beames haue dispelled all darke pitchie cloudes of despaire and reduced my thoughts to a quiet calme All yee who would taste the great goodnesse of GOD who would be made happie by remission of your sinnes ye who would obtaine his ayde in your necessities his comfort in your distresse heare mee whom experience hath taught Or rather heare the LORD himselfe Listen well what hee saith vnto you and lodge vp his words carefully in your breasts Come vnto me thou miserable man If thou hast any care of thine owne estate If thou hast any loue and desire of thine owne safetie come vnto me and thou shalt see what I will doe for thee I will enforme thy vnderstanding in what errours and in what dangers thou passest thy life and how thou maiest in best manner amend the one and auoid the other I will instruct thee to know the euill which I hate and the good which I require the miseries which awaite the one and the happinesse which is prepared for the other But because men do not commonly offend through want of vnderstanding but through peruersenesse of will For that the knowledge may well bee furnished partly by the benefit of nature and partly by instructions from other men but both these are not of power to rectifie the will and restraine the appetite They may point out the way but they cannot giue either appetite or strength to trauaile therein they may set good meate before thee but they cannot giue a stomacke to eate Come therefore vnto mee and I will not onelie direct thy vnderstanding but I will correct the appetites and inclinations of thy will I wil not onely informe thy iudgement to discerne what is best but I will conforme thy will to embrace and execute what thou doest discerne I will not onely remooue errours from thy knowledge but disorders also and dulnesse from thy desires And because the way which thou pacest is both difficult and darke full of intricate turnings full of rough and broken places wherein thou maiest easily wander or fall full of stoppes to impeach thee full of snares to entangle thy feet some of pride some of auarice some of riot some of lust and other trumperies of the world so as none can escape but by my illustration and aid I will therefore lead thee vpon my hand I will both stay and direct thy steppes I will conduct thee to eternall felicitie and life I will not commit this charge to my Angels but as I did lead my people of Israel in the day by a pillar of a cloud and in the night by a pillar of fire so day and night I will be thy guide In the day of prosperitie with my grace of moderation in the night of aduersitie with my grace of comfort these two pillars shall neuer forsake thee I will remooue all impediments from before thee I will make thy passage both streight and smooth Let great persons of the world send their harbengers before them to make their iournalls both easie and safe But I my selfe will leuell thy way I will remooue and auoide all hinderances I will make thy walke both pleasant and plaine Anchore not thy minde to things of this world Let not thy thoughts bee troubled either with hope or with feare Arrest thy selfe wholy vpon mee and I will take the charge into my hands I will haue a care ouer thee as a father hath ouer his child I will neuer turne my countenance from thee thou shalt walke alwayes in my sight I will firmely fixe mine eyes vpon thee I will watch ouer thee so as nothing shall faile which may aduance thee to a happy life Mine eye shall enlighten thee mine eye shall direct thee mine eye shall furnish thee with all supplies vntill thou arriue at the place where thou shalt want nothing but what thou wouldest not haue where thy aboundance shall equall thy desires O sweete wordes and what frozen heart can receiue them and not bee melted into delight and not bee enflamed with the loue of his creator What Wilt thou fixe thine eyes vpon vs indeede Yes verely The