it were incorporated into our sinfull flesh and dayly increaseth and groweth with vs so that the older we grow the fowler and filthier wee appeare vnlesse it please thee to apply dayly vnto our maladies the merits of thy Passion that as we by our in-bred corruption do wound and exulcerate our cōscience so thou wilt gratiously refresh it by curing our wounds and suppling them with thine oile of mercy Otherwise vvell might we feare O Lord least casting downe thine eyes dayly vppon vs it would as it were grieue thy holy spirit so oft to returne vnto vs by reason of our manifold sins and offences O then pardon our offences that is to say our whol life and so pardon vs O heauenly Father as we forgiue them that haue offended vs. Make vs euermore to set before our eyes that loue wherewith thou hast lou'd vs in vndertaking the paiment of our debts and the punishment of our sins That we may duely consider how vnreasonable it were for vs to expect that grace of thee which wee can not afford our neighbour since there is no comparison betwixt the offences they commit against vs and those wherwith we offend thy diuine Maiesty Root out of our hearts all malice fiercenes and bitternes giue vs a calme and peaceable spirit which may foster and maintaine in vs vnity and brotherly loue teaching vs to support with gentleness one anothers infirmities For wee can not but acknowledge O Lord how easily we slippe yea stumble and tumble in the slippery paths of this refractorie life Too too slender is our owne force and abilitie to hold vs on foot and vphold vs against those whirle-windes which are euer ready to driue vs headlong into Iniquitie And therefore most earnestly doe we beseech thee not to forsake vs in our temptations but to remoue farre from vs all occasions of offending thee and to arme vs against all obiects with thy Spirit without which we shall be euer vanquisht by whō wee bee sure to vanquish For the price and crown of victory is reserued for those and those alone who follow thee their Captaine Graunt vs then this grace that whensoeuer any inordinate desire of worldly wealth shall assaile vs wee may oppose as a rampier against it the desire of heauenly gifts and graces generously scorning and contemning the pelfe and transitorie trash of this world as iustly suspecting their deceitfulnes fragility That we may call to minde that they are but as a cloud which for a while fleeteth from one country to another and suddenly vanisheth away and appeareth no more that many times that gold and siluer which wee heape vp with much sweate and trauell doth serue but to the procuring of our owne damnation And if it shall please thee to bestowe vpon vs riches in greater aboundance grant vnto vs likewise the grace to vse them well and lovingly and charitably to communicate them to such as haue want For the whole earth is thine and wee are but the tillers and tenants thereof our goods belong vnto thee and wee are but thy depositaries and vassals So that if we refuse to impart them to such as demaund them in thy name thou maiest not onely put vs out of possession but make vs pay the vsurie of our ingratitude vnfaithfulnes Furthermore we begge of thee that the false lustre of the honors of this world may not deceiue our dazeled sight nor drawe vs on to desire more then is expedient for vs. Let it alwaies be imprinted in our hearts and thoughts that there is no true honour in this wotld but to serue thee aright and that in thy seruice the seat of honor is lowlinesse and the greatnes thereof consisteth in humilitie Furthermore that this same deceitfull lure which wee so much admire after which we runne our selues out of breath and all but to our ruine is but like an Ignis fatuus about the riuers that shineth not but in the darke and draweth them into mischiefe that vnwarily follow it Our worldly pompe and secular dignities appear not but in the obscuritie of this world If once we close our eyes against the heauenly light they seeme to vs as bright as fire their lustre appeareth as burnisht gold but when we come to follow them wee fall into swift torrents and daungerous whirl-pooles where we are plunged floting in vncertaintie betwixt the willes of Princes and the vnstedfast opinions of the wauering vulgar vntill we meete with some rocke of offence and there wee are crusht Giue me therefore O my God constancie to withdraw mine affections and withhold my sight from such vanities make mee only ambitious of thy glorie let my spirit bee so addressed to immortalitie that shee make no repose in the choaking smoke of this world Let mee neuer enuy them that enioy all these fickle goods and fading honours but let all my aemulation bee to come as neere as possible to that onely example and perfect patterne of good life which most liuely appeareth in that absolute tabliture of thy most innocent life That so all the violent passions of anger rancour and disdaine may be banished out of my soule my heart enflamed with desire to doe good to all hurt to none and both bodie and soule may be alwaies watchfull and dayly emploied about good and laudable workes neuer languishing in slothfull stupiditie That this base and infamous gourmondizing which abuseth thy good gifts being drowned in wine and buried in daintie dishes may euer be farre from me Extinguish also O heauenly Father all vnchaste prouocations of the flesh which allure vs to violate the chastitie of our bodies and the puritie of the soule And remoue far from vs all those obiects which may stir vp any slippery and vnchaste affections To conclude deliuer vs from all euill euen from the hands of wicked Angels not suffering them to haue any power ouer vs. And when we of our selues shall bee running headlong into mischiefe preuent vs with speede draw vs back and stretch out thy fatherly hand ouer vs euer readier to shew thy mercy then to execute thy iustice Saue vs euen maugre our owne selues and let not our backsliding and obstinacie alienate thee from vs or cause thee to forget to bee both our mercifull GOD and also our louing Father FINIS BRIEFE AND profitable Meditations on the 7. penitentiall Psalmes London printed by H. L. for T. M. Ionas Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Talbot in Pater-noster Rowe 1611. Meditationes in 7. Psal poenitentiales Domine ne in furore Psalme 6. 1 LEt not the arme of thy heauie displeasure bee lifted vp against mee O Lord. For that would be as a torrent and violent streame to carrie me headlong into death and eternall damnation It would bee as a fire to eate vp my flesh and turne my carcasse into ashes What eye is able to looke vp and not to consume at the very fight of thy wrathful
Remember that thou keep holy c. M. What is the breach of this commandement C. In doing any thing of our own for profit or pleasure M. What is the fift commandement C. Honour thy Father and thy Mother c. M. What is the breach of this commandement C. Disobedience to our Superiours or want of duty to our Inferiours M. What is the sixt commandement C. Thou shalt not kill M. What is the breach of this commandement C. Vnlawfull smiting of the hand or malice of the heart M. VVhat is the seuenth commandement C. Thou shalt not commit adulterie M. What is the breach of this commandement C. All vncleannesse of bodie and minde M. What is the eight commandement C. Thou shalt not steale M. What is the breach of this commandement C. The taking away of my neighbors goods by fraude or violence M. What is the ninth commandement C. Thou shalt not beare false witnes M. What is the breach of this commandement C. All lying and backbiting M. What is the tenth commandement C. Thou shalt not couet c. M. What is the breach of this commandement C. All euill desires and motions of the heart They that will see this more at large let them reade Mr. Dod on the commandements M. To whom doest thou pray C. To God alone M. In whose name C. In the name of Iesus Christ M. After what manner C. As Christ taught his disciples M. What be the words C. Our Father c. M. How many Petitions bee there in this Prayer C. Six M. How bee they diuided C. The first three for the glorie of God the second for our commoditie of bodie and soule M. What bee the first words C. Our Father which art in heauen M. What is meant by this C. It is a Preface to breede reuerence before prayer M. Why is this title our and not my C. I pray for my brethren as for my selfe M. VVhy doe you call God father C. Hee is so to vs in Christ Iesus M. Why doe you place him in Heauen C. It is the seat of his Maiestie M. What is the first Petition C. Hallowed bee thy name M. How is his name hallowed C. When wee know him in vnderstanding and in practice M. What is the second petition C. Thy Kingdome come M. What is meant by this C. The kingdome of grace and of glory M. What is the third petition C. Thy will be done in earth c. M. What doe you pray for here C. VVilling obedience and contentation M. What is the fourth petition C. Giue vs this day our dayly bread M. What doe you aske in this Petition C. All things necessary for this present life M. What is the fift Petition C. Forgiue vs our trespasses M. What is the forgiuenes of sinne C. Iustification by Christ M. What meaneth as wee forgiue c C. It is our comfort if we feele our readinesse to forgiue others M. What is the sixt Petition C. Lead vs not into temptation M. What do you desire in this C. To bee kept from those that lead to sinne M. VVhy is it added for thine is thy kingdome power c C. To shew vs that all praise is to be giuen to God at all times Amen Wee trust it shall be so FINIS COMFORTAble and fruitfull Meditations on the Lords Prayer LONDON Printed by H. L. for T. M. and Ionas Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Talbot in Pater noster Rowe 1611. Meditations vpon the Lords Prayer O My God I come vnto thee as to the cōmon Father of all the world euen vnto thee doe I make my supplication who in the creation and preseruation of all thy works hast manifested thy more then fatherly loue and affection I come to thee as to my true and gracious Father which hast not onely giuen me my being life and motion as thou diddest to other creatures but powred out thy spirit vpon me and lightened my soule with the heauenly rayes of thy diuinity I come vnto thee my God beeing regenerate and incorporated into thy family by thy free grace and boundless bounty I come hauing appeased the anger of my Father by the satisfaction of my Redeemer I come because it hath pleased thee to call mee and to spread out thy gracious armes ready to receiue me Receiue me then not in the austeritie of a iust Iudge but in the tender compassion of a mercifull Father And accept this my humble prayer which my heart hath conceiued my lippes disclose and my voice doth send vp to the fauourable eares of my heauenly Father And since it is thy good pleasure O Lord that I thus cal vpon thee Grant O grāt I beseech thee gracious God that it may reach euen vnto thee which art in heauen I know assuredly that thy throne is in the highest heauens that the Sunne the Moone and the stars are vnder thy feet that the earth is but a point to thee and I the least part of the earth yea lesse then nothing VVho then hath made mee so hardy as to dare to lift vp mine eyes to thy most glorious Maiestie It is euen thou my God who hast set thy selfe so high to behold all the workes of thine hands to supply all our wants and dayly to distill downe thy grace into our hearts as a most sweet morning deaw It is thou who hast said Aske and yee shall receiue Call vpon mee and I will heare thee But how can I call vpon thee vnlesse I put my confidence in thee and take fast hold of thy promises by a firme and fast faith O then infuse it into my soule and engraft it in my heart for it is a gift that commeth from the store-house of thy grace And as sometimes thou didst cause the mouthes of babes and sucklings to resound thy praise so at this time gouerne the Infancy and strengthen the weakenes of my hart that it may send out that prayer which is acceptable in thy sight And that it may appeare that the prayer of my lips proceedeth from the meditation of my heart and that notwithstanding the heauie masse of my sinfull flesh doth oppresse my spirit yet vnder that burthen it doth breath fotth thy honour and praise The first request which I make vnto thee is that thy name may be sanctified or rather that thy Name may so sanctifie mee as that I may be able to blesse and magnifie it But which of thy names shall I blesse That wherewith thou hast destroyed and confounded all the enemies of thy people or that wherewith thou hast blessed all the Nations of the earth Wilt thou bee praised as Lord of Hostes the God of power or as the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world Shall I declare how thou hast made all things of nothing how thou hast spangled the heauens with starres adorned the earth with fruits and flowers watered it with rivers and filled it with liuing creatures yea and aboue all hast created man
formed him after thine owne Image Or shall I speak only of this incredible loue wherby thou hast giuen-ouer vnto death thine only Sonne that we might bee restored to euerlasting life My spirits O Lord are too faint for so great an enterprise and my breath would faile before I could recount the least part of them Let it therefore suffice that I sanctifie thy name in an humble and chast thought and that my minde may euer be fast fixed in the meditation of thy goodnes forasmuch as it hath pleased thee at all times to bee so good and gracious to mee So that I and all those whom thou hast placed in this world as in the midst of a rich and glorious Temple to behold and admire thy diuine Maiestie may wholly apply all our faculties and vnderstanding to the apprehending of thy will That so beeing all of vs re-vnited and linked in one and the selfe-same desire to serue thee thy Kingdome may come that wee hauing cast off the yoake of sin which hath so long held vs in thraldome thy loue alone may rule in our consciences full of happiness and true felicitie For to obey thee is to commaund our disordinate affections to commaund them is to be Maisters of our selues and to bee Maisters of our selues is more then soueraigne principalitie A sweet thing it is to serue thee O my God thy yoake is easie and al the tribute thou exactest of vs is onely that wee will be willing to be made happie Confirme and strengthen in vs this will and graciously assist the zeale of thy seruants to the beating downe and repressing of their insolence who blaspheame thy sacred Maiestie to the ende that thy Law and truth may raigne ouer all the world O thou King of Kings who rulest in our hearts and in our humilitie obedience doest establish thine Empire subdue our wils vnto thy law that so whilest all of vs with one accord shall aime at the same marke aspire to the aduancement of thy glorie our good workes may testifie the discipline of our heauenly King to whom as his deuoted subiects wee render homage and fealtie for those manifold and great gifts and graces which wee hold of his bountie But what obeisance can wee render thee How can wee attaine to that height of perfection as is due vnto thee who is able to sound the depth of thy thoughts or who is able to fulfill thy will All wee can doe is but to pray vnto thee that thy will may bee done For seeing that thou art euen goodnes it selfe and therefore wilt nothing but what is good and that with thee to will and to doe is all one wee doe in this Prayer whollie commit our selues to thy will who art neuer wanting to will vs well and to do whatsoeuer thou in thy goodnes knowest to be expedient for vs. Whatsoeuer thou hast vvilled O Lord hath been done and from this thy good wil and pleasure as from an euer-flowing fountaine are deriued so many good things as the whole Globe of the earth is filled and the immense circle of the heauens is beautified therewith Continue then this thy goodnes vnto vs and forasmuch as thy loue is as fire which augmenteth where it meeteth with combustible matter and that it encreaseth in wel-doing to vs euen to vs poore miserable wretches in whose misery and infirmitie it may finde matter enough to worke vpon when I pray to thee my God that thy will may bee done the intent of my prayer is that it may please thee to roote out of mine hart all worldly wil which springing from the corruption of the flesh is no waies compatible with the law of the spirit That thou wilt neuer giue me the raines to liue at mine owne pleasure and seeing that thou hast vouchsafed to honour me with so high a title as to be stiled thy sonne thou wilt not emancipate or giue me ouer to mine affections but keepe me vnder the rodde of thy lawe vnder the tutelage of thy Commandements So shall I togither with all those that haue vowed alleageance and are thy faithfull seruants readily and cheerefully betake our selues to thy seruice and during our abode in this life striue to set forth thy glorie here on earth which is sounded without ceasing by that heauenlie quire of blessed Saints and Angels in thy holie and heauenly habitation But such is the frailetie of our mortall bodies daily fading and falling away that without dayly repairing and sustenance they make vs vnapt to serue thee wee therefore make our daily recourse vnto thee for such things as are necessarie to the maintenance of our life beseeching thee to giue vs our daily bread But giue vs withall O God grace so to vse it and all other good gifts that in nourishing our bodies wee starue not our soules and make them vnable to attaine to the knowledge of thy truth That togither with thy bountie receiuing also thy benediction we settle not our affections vpon worldly and transitorie things so passing through things temporall that wee finally lose not the eternall Let not the taste of this earthly bread make vs to forget that heauenly Manna that bread of life which nourisheth and cherisheth our feeble soules filleth our mouthes with heauenlie plenty and maketh vs the liuing Temples of our God by receiuing him into our bodies through a stedfast and liuely faith Grant vnto vs my God that by receiuing this bread our hearts consciences may bee fullie assured that wee are incorporate with our Redeemer and become fellow-members of our head Christ Iesus and that as hee taking vpon him our flesh did vndergoe our death so wee clad and inuested with his may bee made partakers of his immortalitie And since it hath pleased thee to make vs the vessels and receptacles of thy diuinitie purifie and cleanse our hearts and renew and rectifie all our affections that there may bee nothing to cause thee retire and leaue vs destitute of thy grace and our saluation But wee cannot bee cleansed vnlesse thou forgiue vs our trespasses and wipe away our iniquities For wee haue beene slaues vnto sinne and death and whatsoeuer wee can call ours belongeth vnto them Neither haue wee so much as one mite toward the paying of our ransome or acquiting our debt Of thee therefore must wee expect forgiuenes who hast once redeemed vs by thy precious bloud and made vs free from Satan our arch enemie but wee daily fall againe into the hands of our enemies by committing millions of sins which bring into slauerie and make vs lyable to grieuous punishment Yet let not this O my God cause thee to shutte vp that treasure from vs whence wee may take the price of our libertie Let not O Lord our obstinacie in back-sliding take away thy constancy in pardoning but let thy mercifull hand be euer ready to reforme vs. For sinne euer since the fall of our first father Adam is as
countenance when casting thine eye vpon vs thou shalt pierce the bottome of our hearts and discouer al the secrets of our impure consciences Our abhominable sins will draw down vpon our heads thy iust indignation and thine anger once kindled against vs wil violently cast and plunge vs into that horrid and griefly gulfe of hopelesse tormēts and endlesse misery O then let the sorrowfull sobs of a trembling heart preuent thy fury and indignanation and before thy sin-reuenging hand be stretched out for my ruine and destruction giue eare vnto my feeble fainting voice which with woful laments crieth vnto thee Haue mercy O Lord haue mercy vpon me Alas my God what wilt thou doe Wilt thou proue the strength of thy forces vpon mine infirmities and will thy matchlesse might wrestle with my weaknes Is it to contend with thy puissance that I present my selfe before thee Oh no it is thy clemencie O Lord to which I flye for succour she it is vnder whose wings I shrowde my selfe as the onely shielde and Sanctuarie which can preserue me from the rigour of that iust doome which I haue most iustly deserued Lord vouchsafe me a calme and mercifull aspect And since I haue made haste to flye vnto thy Mercy-seate make no long tarrying O my God but send mee succour and deliuer me from so many euills which haue compassed and hemm'd me in on euery side and wherwith I haue been so sore assailed that my bones are bruised and broken and my feeble body languisheth But well were it if my body alone were oppressed by these cruell encounters my very soule is euen ouerlayed with anguish and heauiness This soule O Lord which hath sometime been enflamed with the zeale of thy glorie and hath sung of thy praise in the great Congregation is now become desolate deiected destitute of comfort and depriued of all courage as the fearefull doue at the voice of thy thunder hasteth to hide her selfe in her hole so is she ready to flye into the most obscure darknes from the terror of thy fearfull indignation But how long shall thine anger continue O Lord Come O come my God and cast downe thine eye of pitty and compassion vpon mee which is sufficient to deface and abolish not my sinnes alone but euen the sinnes of the whole world My soule is plunged in the filth foule puddle of iniquitie shee sticketh fast in the bottom the floods run ouer her vnto thee O Lord doth shee stretch out her hand O plucke her out and bring her againe into the wayes of thy sauing health Saue her O Lord euen for thy boundlesse bounty and thy matchlesse mercies sake True it is that merite shee hath none and how should shee expect succour from him whom shee hath so shamefully forsaken and against whose honour shee hath so treacherously conspired The price of such a forfeit is not grace and fauour but hell and neuer-dying death But who shall praise thee O Lord in the pit or who shall sing of thy name amongst the dead There is the house of mourning weeping howling Who hath there any feeling saue only of vnsupportable torments and hopelesse miseries whereas on the contrarie thy praise consisteth in the publishing of thy infinite louing kindnes bounty and clemency 6 And now behold on the one side true Repentance intercedeth on the other side humble Prayer importuneth for me both of them hauing sworne neuer to depart from me vntill they haue procured a recōciliation for me Thou hast seen my teares O Lord and heard my sighes euery day wash I my cheekes with teares at the remembrance of my sinnes and water my couch euerie night with the streames of of water that gush out of mine eyes Yea what is it that Repentance commandeth and I obserue not 7 Mine eyes are cast down as trembling at the terror of thine angry countenance I doe not answere to the reproach of mine enemies and their contumelious taunts I patiently put vp as a iust punishment for my faults Euen in their sight doe I walke with sack-cloth and ashes vpon mine head and confession in my mouth I lye prostrate at the foote of thine aultar I macerate and fight against the flesh which hath betraied my soule to sinne and all my griefe is but a sport vnto mine enemies they come about mee but to laugh at mee and the drunkards make songs on me But now since it hath pleased thee to haue mercy on me I wil say vnto them Away away from mee all ye children of iniquitie and cease henceforth to reioice at my miserie the Lord hath heard my prayer my teares haue quencht his anger and loe now hath hee restored me ioy and peace with the full fruition of his bounty the glorious splendour of his grace hath shined vpon me and loe the darke clouds and threatening tempests which hanged ouer my head are in a trice all dispearsed and gone No sooner had I opened my lippes to call vpon him for succour yea no sooner had my heart resolued to cry to him for mercie but straight I perceiued his grace spread ouer me to comfort and refresh my languishing soule no lesse then the benumd members of a wearied pilgrim are suppled and refresht by a warme bath after his toilsome trauell O incredible clemencie how ready art thou O Lord to forgiue I runne to offend thee and thou flyest to bestowe thy grace on mee I haue employed all the daies of my life to finde out by sea and by land matter for my ambition couetousnes lustes and inconstancy and when I had plunged ruined my selfe in my pleasures thou in a moment camst downe and didst deliuer mee So that now behold how I triumph ouer my sins which base and abiect doe follow the trophees of my repentance since it hath found fauour in thy fight And now also my hope which before was as it were strangled with my many misdeedes being reuiued and his spirits quickened doth promise and assure vnto mee more then all the Empires of the world opening vnto mee the highest heauens where after the blessed end of an hopefull life in this world I shall enioy the full fruition of diuine immortalitie What will then become of mine enemies when they shall see my felicitie Their meed shall bee confusion of face and disquietnes of soule they shal flye with distraction and amazement to see him so highly exalted vvhome they had sought to lay so lowe These are they that made a mock at mine ashes that derided my fastings that reioyced at my teares and whilest I through abstinence did fight against the flesh the bitter enemy of my soule did euen swim in the delights of this bewitching world but lo the arme of the Lord is stretched out to beate downe their insolency O my God giue them a feeling of their offences and cause them to know acknowledge the extreame danger wherein they are that so they may
call vpon thee the onely remedie for all their mischief And as for me since thou hast cleansed my soule from that filth wherewith it was stained and enflamed my spirit with the fire of thy loue teach my lippes that they may sound forth thy praise addresse my voice to resound thy mercy and so conduct and guide mine affection that I may loue thee sincerely and account it my greatest happinesse and soueraigne felicitie to know thee and thy sacred truth Beati quorum Psalme 32. O My God how happie are they whose offences thou hast pardoned and whose sins thou hast buried in obliuion For alas what can befal vnto him vpon whom thou shalt lay the iust punishment of his iniquitie Whole legions of euil besiege him pouertie assaults him maladies afflict him famine presseth him and death it selfe which hee wisheth for as the hauen of rest after all these tempestuous nauigations proues but a gulfe to swallow him downe vnto eternall torments O then thrice happy and blessed are those of whose actions God doth not take account but is content that they humble themselues before him acknowledging their infirmitie and laying open before him the very secrets of their hearts For by true and vnfained confession and in sincerity of conscience must we call vpon his mercy and before him must wee humble our selues if wee will haue him to heare vs. And as hee that goeth for water of the fountaine doth put downe the mouth of his vessell to take in the water so must he humble himselfe before his creator that meanes to drawe and taste of the water of this sacred source from whence distill those streames which and they onely can purifie our stained consciences I haue thought sometime O my GOD to hide my faults from thee and haue said within my selfe and how knoweth he whether I haue done it or no and so my sin tooke root within my bones And as the vlcers of a shamefast Patient which dareth not shew his maladie to the Chirurgion doe fester and rankle and encrease euen to the destruction of the vvhole bodie so these very vices which I hidde from thee wholly infected me But when thy hand had beene heauy vpon mee day and night and when thou hadst laid such sore trouble vpon my loynes and so many misfortunes vppon my soule that my spirite could take no rest and that I was broken with the stinging of my conscience which did pierce my verie heart then did I acknowledge my faultes and that thy hand had done this Looke vpon mee O Lord but not in thine anger and let those teares whose gushing streames haue dimd my sight quench the heate of thy iust indignation since I am not onely the worke of thy hands but which is more the liuing image of thy Diuinitie Who will be so farre ledde with anger as to bruise and breake in peeces that worke which hee hath had so great delight to polish and bring to perfection because hee seeth it filthy and polluted I confesse O Lord this image of thine is full of pollution and vncleannes yet better wil it be to cleanse scoure it then to break it treade it vnder foote O teach mee then my God what thou wilt require for my satisfaction for loe now haue I disclosed and acknowledged all my faults which before I concealed The feare which had seised on mee when I hid my selfe from thee is now since I humbled my selfe before thee turned into hope of grace pardon And now do I cast my selfe into thine armes as my most assured succour with the humble demeanour of a poore patient who presenting his wounds vnto the surgeon lookes on him attentiuely and suffers courageously both the searcher and the knife for the desire and hope that hee hath to bee cured of them But that which putteth me in greatest hope of health is that those vices wherein heretofore I tooke greatest pleasure are now no lesse odious in my sight then are those meates whereof a man did eat to the full being in health whē he is sick of their surfeit that which had made me haughty and insolent doth now breede in me shame and remorse when I consider the hazard of death wherevnto my pride hath exposed my poore wretched soule Blessed bee the day wherein I acknowledged my faulte now haue I receiued a singular testimonie of thy bounty towards me O my God Grant therefore that this pleasure which I haue taken by beeing displeased with my selfe may bee as durable as that vvhich before I tooke to continue in my sinnes For if I may haue as much contentment in my repentance as I haue taken in my sinne my happinesse shall be euen equall to that of the Angels and I shall finde that through my humiliation before thee I haue mounted to the height of thy grace Who can doubt O Lord but that thou hast receiued me vnto mercy thou whose clemencie and mercy is not onely vnspeakeable but also incomprehensible No sooner had I thought to returne vnto thee but thou preuentedst me no sooner had I said I wil confesse my misdeedes but thy grace was granted me no sooner had I knowne the punishment due to my sinne but thou didst pardon mee no sooner had I taken the rods in mine hands to chastise my flesh but thou didst take them from mee in a word I looked when thou wouldst denounce warre against mee and loe thou offeredst a louing reconciliation O how much more willing art thou O Lord to pardon then to punish Can a louing father more tenderly receiue his childe when hee cryeth him mercie then thou receiuedst me when I cast my selfe downe at thy feet Therefore my heart danceth for ioy and boileth with a feruent desire to praise thy Name it reioiceth in thy grace and accuseth none for what is done amisse but it selfe crying it is I that willed and consented to do it it is I that did it it is I that pleased my selfe with it but my God hath been mercifull vnto mee And how could he withhold his mercy from me when his holy one made intercession for mee And needfull it was alas that hee should intercede for mee when the impietie of my heart had so blinded my vnderstanding by my vvicked thoughts that my soule was not able any longer to lift her hands vnto heauen What then remained for me but that he whom thou denyest nothing should mediate for mee euen for mee who beeing become my owne enemy had now no knowledge nor will to pray for my selfe But now am I comforted since it hath pleased thee to open mine eyes that I might see the deformitie of mine owne conscience and that thou hast mollified my stonie heart that I might entertaine contrition in my soule Which though I haue not perform'd so soon as I ought to haue done yet not so late but thou hast vouchsafed to receiue mee as thy custome is to them that doe not let passe
all time and occasion of repentance For those that runne vnto sinne and doe voluntarily neglect to repent when they know their fault and haue time to repent deferring to cry for mercy or to make a deluge flow from their eyes vntil the end of their liues it is greatly to bee feared that they deceiue themselues and that true repentance will hardly after so long time enter into their hardened hearts that their teares and weeping will be but the wayling of men in desperation and that thy mercie will lend but a deaf eare to their too late repentance But as for mee I come vnto thee in an acceptable time as to my refuge and the marke whereat my hope aimed and my onely comfort in my tribulation which had enuironed me euen as the feare seiseth vpon him who is condemned to a shameful end O then let mee taste of that ioy which hee hath in his heart who is freed from his chaines enlarged out of prison and healed of his paine wherein his enemy had long time held him captiue And on the contrarie let the enemie of my soule bee confounded with shame when hee shall see me so deuoutly calling vpon my God for aide who in the very turning of his eye can free me from that voluntarie seruitude which I had vowed vnto wicked pleasure When I was on me He hath not onely exalted mee aboue other creatures giuing me the vse of diuine reason but also amongst men hath hee exalted me into the throne of honour and magnificence so that nothing was remaining for the accomplishing of my felicitie but onely to know my owne felicitie and after I had forgotten mine owne estate hee did enlighten mee by his holy light and gaue mee both time and will to lament my life passed and to amend it for the time to come Be warned then by mee O my friends and whilst it is time runne vnto him for grace for hee himselfe doth call you into the way of saluation and bee not like the selfe-wilde Mule which hath no vnderstanding or iudgement but kicketh against him that pricketh her to make her go right whose mouth must bee held with bit and bridle whose sides must feele the sharpe remembrance of the spurre And so if at the first summons which the Lord shall send to cause you returne into his wayes you will not be obedient to his will hee shall raine vpon you such a haile of miseries as shall make you more miserable then miserie it selfe You see the starres that glitter in the heauens and the sand stretched vpon the shoare but neither hath the heauens so many starres nor the sea so much sand as are the plagues and punishments which remaine for the obstinate sinners Their owne wickednes hangeth ouer their heads mischiefe attends at their heeles vntill they fall headlong into that gulf the very remembrance whereof is full of horrour the sweetest retraites whereof are but plaints cries shreekes and sorrowfull sobbes where is paine without end griefe without remedie repentāce without mercy where they are alwaies dying and neuer dead where the bodie liueth onely to die and the soule only to suffer torments where the soule feeleth nothing but sinne and the bodie nothing but paine On the contrarie they who flye vnto the Lord and the couert of his grace who shielde themselues vnder his mercy and put their trust in his bountie who follow his cōmandement and are zealous to doe his will vnto what height of happinesse doe they aspire What thing is there so precious in heauen that shal be hid from them they shall sit by their God and all enuironed with glorie shall bee inuested with greater happinesse then the spirit of man is able to conceiue the least part therof much lesse my faultring tongue able to expresse I will bee glad therefore and reioice O my God to think how great good thou hast laide vp in the heauens wherewith to crown the iust And I inuite you all to reioice with me who haue sworn vnto the words of our Sauiour and loue the straight path of his iustice Here must you attend the recompence of your trauell here shall you bee placed in honour and glory here shall you chaunge your rude thornes of the world for the beautifull flowre-delice of heauen O how gracious and sweet repose shall you then find after the sweat of your afflictions The golde is not more pure and glorious after it hath beene refined in the furnace and made readie to receiue the stampe and image of a great Prince or serue for an ornament to some rich cabinet then the heart of him who loueth his God when it commeth pure out of the furnace of the worlds miseries to bee decked with splendor and glorie What is there that can content mee in this world What shall stay or hinder me from entring into the house of the Lord to liue for his seruice How shal I forget to deplore all the dayes of my life my sinnes which had put his grace so farre from mee Reconcile then in mee O my God these two Passions of repentance and consolation that as the wandring Pilgrim hauing lost his waye in the wilderderness reioyceth when he seeth the day to dawne and yet forgetteth not the obscure darknes whence hee is yet scarce freed and can not as yet wholy cast off the feare which he had of so tedious a night so I may euer retaine some horrour of my faults passed and yet haue a certaine and ioyfull hope of eternall happiness which thou hast purchased for mee with the precious price of the bloud of thy most deare sonne Oh how great is this loue when the Mr. spareth not the life of his onely Son to redeeme his slaue And now since I haue been formed and fashioned by thy hands purchased and redeemed with thy bloud and purified and clensed by thy mercy I will offer vp my selfe before thee as a sacrifice of obedience cast mee not away O my God Domine ne in furore Psalme 38. IT is high time for me O Lord to turne again vnto thee and againe as an humble suppliant to implore thy mercy For I feele thine anger to waxe hote against mee Alas my God wilt thou chastise mee in thine anger and make mee to feele the violence of thy iust indignation which my sinnes haue prouoked against mee The flame hath euen consumed mee and the fire of thy fury hath eaten me vp and I am ready to vanish away into smoake For I feele O my God the arrowes of thy vengeance sticke fast in me and and I am pressed down vnder thy heauy hand The remorse terrours of my conscience do astonish me and bruise mee like flashes of lightning and thunderbolts euill commeth vpon mee as a snare and one mischiefe ouer-taketh another No sooner is warre ended but Pestilence assaults mee and in the ende Death hath taken from me my dearest pledge which I haue in this
world Wherin then shall I receiue comfort O my God In my selfe Alas there is no health in any part of my body the marrowe is consumed in my bones there is no rest in my bodie euerie part reproacheth mee with my sinne and suffereth the paine thereof I pine away with griefe and heauinesse and no man comforteth me my eyes serue me onely to see my misery and my soule hath no vnderstanding or knowledge but only of my wretchednes I cast mine eyes on euerie side and I see my sinnes begirt me round about and I am ready to faint and sink down vnder the burden of mine iniquities they are mounted aloft vpon my head and are heauier then I can beare How shall I resist them What strength haue I to defend my selfe seeing all my bones are out of ioint The filth of my sores runneth the stench and corruption of my wounds and vlcers is grieuous and if my body be ill is my soule any better Is not shee also full of confusion fearfulnes and trembling Maladie hath worn away my body and brought it to the doore of death and heauiness hath oppressed my soule and disrobed her of her Vertue And as the young and tender budde of the Vine is congealed into sheer-wool by the sharpe cold and fadeth away so the finger of the Lord which hath touched my soule maketh her to languish faint and lose her courage But alas O my God what courage can I expect to haue when I see my self so full of sores and no part of my bodie is exempt from paine and which is farre beyond this miserie the memorie of my deceitfull Pleasures representeth it selfe vnto me and casteth mee in the teeth with my vices and mocketh me for my vanitie I say vnto my selfe did I therfore prolong my dayes in the honny of so many delights that I might after wash away all with the gall of bitter anguish Where art thou now O deceitful pleasure which hast made my soule drunke with the sweet liquor of thy delights how hast thou now forsaken me Haue I not yet suffered inough O Lord hath not my humilitie yet sufficiently chastened mine arrogance I haue sinned through sottish corruption alas since that I haue cast my selfe downe vpon the earth I haue couered my head with ashes I haue clouen my heart with cryes I haue dimmd my eyes with teares and yet thine anger ceaseth not Is it possible O Lord that thou hast not seene my teares Thou who with the very turne of thine eye doest trauerse heauen and earth Thou whose sight pierceth the very bottom of our hearts Thou Lord knowest my thoughts and vnderstandest my cogitations What is it that I desire but thy mercie In what doe I hope but in thy bountie Wherefore haue I mourned and made open profession of my repentance but to condemne my selfe And if my tongue hath not sufficiently expressed my minde and is not able to vtter what I desire Thou O Lord knowest what wee would before we can think it It is inough that we lift vp our heart vnto thee and thou wilt presently grant what we desire But wherefore delayest thou O Lord to giue thy blessed consolation which thou hast promised mee Alas I am not able to hold out any longer my heart faileth mee my senses are troubled my sight is waxed dimme my flitting soule is euen readie to leaue my bodie All my friends about me do bewaile my death they haue giuen ouer all hope of my health all their care is for my exequies and say amongst themselues where is the help that he expected from his God where is that fauour whereof hee made himself so sure They that priuily haue laide wait for my life are come about me they haue thought of parting my spoile among them so hatefull am I become to the world since thou hast deiected mee They whispered among themselues and haue imagined a thousand wayes to doe mee mischiefe they haue daily laide snares to entrappe me Hee is said they vpon his death-bed he shall neuer rise vp again wherefore should we feare him who is now but as the shadowe of a man As for me I was as deafe as a man that heareth not and as one that is dumbe I answered them not my patience was my buckler and constancie my bulwarke Euery one that saw my patience in aduersity said that I was dumb because when they reproached I answered not he hath said they put vp all indignities if there remained in him any sense of honour how could he shew such little courage wee may well iudge him to be guiltie for innocencie is alwaies hardy and resolute in her owne defence but notwithstanding all this I held my peace For why my hope is in God and I am verely perswaded that hee will assist me Though all the world band themselues against mee though heauen and earth conspire my ruine yet through the help of my God I shall still be the vanquisher With the breath of his mouth hath he created all things and with the same breath he can destroy whatsoeuer it pleaseth him I will fight vnder his banner and so I shall be certain of victorie I haue oft said vnto them Reioyce not at my harme and insult not ouer mee when I am afflicted tormented for the hand of the Lord is not so short but it may stretch vnto you also and presume not too much vpon his long suffering for as his feete are of wool so his arme is of iron if hee once stretch it ouer your heads O ye impenitent soules hee vvill breake you in peeces like a potters vessell and the very remembraunce of you shall be rooted out As for me I haue taken the rodde in mine hand and haue made the print of my condemnation for my sinne on my shoulders I haue appeared in thy presence O Lord with teares in mine eyes repentance in my mouth and warre in my heart I haue beaten downe my selfe for feare least mine enemie shoulde triumph ouer me I haue openly confessed my fault I haue acknowledged my sin in an acceptable time I haue bin carefull to runne vnto thee for mercie whilst thou wast to be found But the more I humble my selfe before thee to taste of the liuing water of this fountaine of grace which distilleth from thy bountie the more mine enemies encrease and they that would deuoure mee guiltlesse are mighty They gather themselues on euerie side little foreseeing the tempest that will scatter and disperse them They kindle through their pride the coales of thine ire they despite thy power which they shall too too soone proue to their vtter ruine and destruction In a word caring for nothing in heauen or earth they wallow in their filthy pleasures and as much as in them lyeth deface that stampe of divinitie which thou hast imprinted printed in their soul shut their eyes against the hope of
sinne when I was yet in my mothers wombe I sucked it in with her milke and lo it is so growen vp with me that it ouer-shadoweth my head and casteth a miste before mine eyes But when I see the eyes of my bodie so seeled with sin which compasseth me I opē the eyes of my soule and begin to discerne a far off the rayes of thine infallible trueth and acknowledge the marueilous secrets of wisedome which thou hast manifested to me Then my soule abandoning the impuritie of my bodie lifteth it selfe to heauen vieweth the circuite thereof and casting her eye vpon the book of life there doth she peruse the treatie of the newe Couenaunt which thou hast made with men and after returning into her miserable bodie doth fill it with hope of ioy promising it assured victorie ouer sinne For shee hath learned in heauen that thou wilt take a branch of odoriferous hysope in thine hand wilt sprinkle vpon me the water of purification thou wilt wash me and I shall be whiter then snow there shal no more sportes of sinnes appeare in me What pure lee shall this bee O Lord which made of the cinders of my sinnes consumed by the fire of thy loue with the water of those teares which my repentance hath distilled from my heart and in the sun of thy grace shall wash away our weeping and shall breede in vs spiritual ioy and in the end shall whiten in the puritie and candor of iustice to make vs hereafter shine as the starres in the firmament Then shall no sound enter into our eares but of that ioifull trumpet of saluation which shall proclaime grace and mercie to all that will receiue them Then shall wee see our carcasses which were consumed with rottenness rise vp out of their beds to be partakers of this vniuersall ioy wherevnto thou hast inuited the vvhole world But that I may appeare before thee in such honourable attire as is befitting such honourable magnificence treade downe O my God all my faults vnder foote burie them in the centre of the earth that no eye may bee able to see them make an euerlasting separation betwixt me and mine iniquitie which at this present I forsake and from whom I vow an irrevocable diuorce Receiue my soule which I offer vnto thee make it pure and cleane renewe in my heart such a spirite as shall conceiue nothing but truth and holiness Make it O Lord God a temple for thy holy spirit to dwell in that henceforth all my thoughts may breath out nothing but the praises of my God that thy will bee alway imprinted in my breast and thy glorie written in my lippes When thou hast so reuested and adorned mee with pietie and integritie then shall I bee assured that nothing can separate mee from thy presence and then as the true eagle looketh right vpon the sunne so will I fixe my eyes vppon the face of thine eternitie and shall beholde in thy maruellous and glorious countenance all the perfections which I am not able now to conceiue O let thy sacred spirite neuer more dislodge from my hart for hee it is which vpon the wings of zealous loue shall carrie me into thy bosome there to make me partaker of thine heauenly ioyes Make me then euermore to taste the sweetnes of this immortall life saue mee speedily from the rockes of this world which on euerie side threaten shippewracke And as the Mariner now comne vnto the hauen crowneth the maste of his shippe with garlands in signe of safetie so crown me my God with the precious giftes of thine holy spirit for pledges of euerlasting blessednesse which thou hast promised mee I say of thy spirit which raigneth among thy faithfull which giueth faith to thine elect loue to thy beloued and hope to them whom thou hast predestinated And so whilst my soule shal abide in this exile waiting when thou shalt call him home I will teach thy wayes vnto the wicked by following which they may please thee and will direct them how to passe through the darknesse of this world without stumbling at such offences as daily offer themselues they shall beleeue mee and so be conuerted vnto thee O father of light they shall receiue thy faith into their hearts and shall walke in thine obedience I know O Lord that some will against my voice stoppe their eares and obstinately persist in their vices they will conspire my death and seeke to drench their barbarous crueltie with my bloud Deliuer me from their hands O God and preserue mee that I may declare thy iustice and pronounce their condemnation I will foretell their wretchednes and they shall feele it yea as soon as I haue made an ende of speaking it thy hand shall smite them and no sooner shal thy hands haue smitten them but they shal be broken like a Potters vessell and come to sodaine destruction Then shalt thou open my lippes and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise declare thy victory the aire shall bee calme the winde shall cease the riuers shall stay their course to hearken to my voice whilst it shall chaunt resound the maruellous actes of the eternall God For thy praise shall euer be the sacrifice which I will offer vnto thee and which shall bee euer acceptable in thy sight I would ere this haue filled thine aultars with the bloud of beasts I would haue slaine a thousand oxen a thousand sheep to thine honour but bloud doth stinke in thy nostrils thou art not pleased with flesh the smoke of such offerings doth but vanish in the ayre and can not ascend vp vnto thee it is the voice alone of a righteous man vvhich findeth passage into heauen and therin is presented vnto thee Oh how acceptable a sacrifice before thee is a hart pierc't with repentance an hart humbled and deiected in the knowledge of its sins neuer shall such a one be reiected For the way to ascend vnto thee is to descēd in our selues to touch the heauens we must fall down grouelling vpon the earth to bee heard of thee wee must bee silent and to bee crowned in thy kingdome wee must suffer paine and affliction in this vvorld These are the sacrifices by which wee must make an attonement to thee and enter into that couenaunt which thou hast appointed And if thou wilt O Lord that we offer oxen and buls that wee make thine aultar fatte with the bloude of beasts if thou wilt that by the death of the innocent holocaust wee shall represent the death and innocencie of him whom thou hast destinied for the redemption of our soules if the figuring of that which is to come in the person of that immaculate lamb bee acceptable in killing of Sheepe and Rammes O then look downe with thy eye of pitie vpon thy poore people comfort thy distressed Sion giue courage to her poore inhabitants that they may repayre the
bloud from the slauerie of sin to which thou hadst of thine own accord bound thy selfe Behold him who himselfe payeth the ransome for those that haue betrayed him vvho taketh vppon himselfe the punishment of our backsliding and the paiment of our forfeit With what words shall we render him thankes Open my lippes my God my Creator my Redeemer that my voice may bee lifted vp in that measure as mine heart is enflamed with a boyling affection to giue thee praise and thankes and to abase my selfe in the knowledge of my self that I may rouse vp my spirits in the knowledge of that sacred mysterie whereby wee are reincorporated with thee and admitted againe to thy couenant to enter into this blessed participation of glorie wherein all those shall triumph who shall be partakers of the merite of the passion of thy welbeloued Sonne the true and onely Sauiour of the world Psalme 143. Domine exaudi O Lord man is weary in the ende of all things the continuance of his course putteth him out of breath too much seeing dimmeth and dazeleth his eyes the clatering sound deafeth his eares but the more I crye unto thee the stronger is my voice my courage increaseth and my prayer is the more pleasing to mee and all because I begin my daily petitions with Lord heare my prayer and giue eare to my supplication for in praying to thee my God consisteth al my comfort This is my prayer O Lord which doth coniure thy clemencie to expiate my sinnes not by the rigour of thy punishment but by the effect of thy grace whereby thou hast abolished cast away from thy soueraigne and powerfull might and maiesty the memory of mine offences Deale not then in iustice with thy seruant neither giue him ouer to the rigour of thy lawe for of all men â—â—uing that shal appeare before the seate of thy iudgement no man shall bee iustified no man shall escape this fearefull condemnation the punishment whereof is horrible and the horrour immortall Alas O Lord who can iustifie himselfe before thee It is thou that art offended it is thou that shalt accuse vs it is thou that hast seene our faults and wilt beare witnesse it is thou that wilt iudge vs. When the accuser shall be witness and the witnesse iudge what shall then become of the guiltie what cause shall serue to cleare him But I will not stand out O Lord to come to this issue I will arme me with thy grace and oppose that as a buckler to thy iustice Thy grace is procured by the acknowledgement of our faults humbling of our spirit Loe I lye prostrate before thy feete confessing my sinne O Lord haue mercie vpon me My sinne O my God the capitall enemie of my soule hath so discomfited and beaten me down that I goe groueling vppon the earth not daring to lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen For as soone as I lift vp mine eyes loe the light shineth vpon mee to bring vnto light all my manifold offences which accuse my conscience And I feele withall shame to couer my face a face vnworthy to looke vp vnto heauen the king whereof it hath so grieuously offended a face too cowardly to cast vp his eyes to those places where are so many thunders and lightning prepared for the destruction of guiltie sinners My spirit then hath led me into the darknesse and hath buried mee in the graue as one that is dead My soule within mee is heauie my heart is troubled euen like him vvho walking loftie with hye bent lookes falleth vnawares into the bottome of some pitte presently his soule is troubled he loseth his vnderstanding he vexeth and tormenteth himselfe he knoweth neither what to will or what to do vntill his spirits returning vnto him he beginneth to consider his estate and the place wherein hee is and the manner of his fall then hee beginneth by little and little to regaine the toppe and with great paine and labour to winde himselfe out of the place into which he so easily fell so I hauing called to minde as much as is possible things past and hauing entred into a profound meditation of the workes of thine hands and hauing exactly considered the perfection of all things which thou hast created then calling to minde the estate wherein thou hast created me and then proposing to my selfe that wherein now I finde my selfe as it were ouerwhelmed vnder the ruine of sinne I curse to my self the houre wherein my mother conceiued me and the day that first opened my eye-liddes to make me see heauen and earth the witnesses of mine infirmitie and in the ende finding nothing in this world that could comfort mee in this distresse I addresse my selfe yet further vnto thee I fall down on my knees before thee and stretch out my hands and armes to thee and my soule thirsting after thy grace doth attend with as great desire as the thirstie and scorched earth doth expect a gracious raine in the heat of summer Help me then and that soone O my GOD for I am alreadie cleane out of breath my heart faileth loe how I fall into a swoun Wilt thou Lord delay till death hath seised on mee I am euen alreadie at Deaths doore if thou make not hast for my senses decay by little and little my soule is as it were in a trance and my body without motion If thou O Lord be farre from mee if thou hide thy face from mee I shall bee like vnto those that goe downe into the depth of Hell Pale death will sit vpon my face and seize on my senses and which is worst spirituall death will slay my soule fill it with fright and horrour and vtterly depriue it of the knowledge of thy singular bountie and the hope of grace which shineth in thy miracles as a glittering starre in the obscure darkness of the night Cause mee then to vnderstand and feele the effects of thy mercy betimes and in the morning vvhen the sunne beginneth to rise vpon the earth let thy mercie also rise vpon me to enlighten mine ignorance and conduct mee in the wayes of thy commandements Yet let it not O Lord bee wholly like the sunne which at the ende of his course goes to plunge himselfe in the sea hiding for a time his light from silly men but let it assist mee perpetually be as indiuidual a guide vnto my soule as is my soule vnto my bodie for the life of my soul doth more strictly depend vpon thy mercy then the life of my bodie doth vpon my soule O then let her neuer forsake mee but let her light alwaies direct my goings in thy wayes that I neuer wander out of that path through which alone I must come vnto thee For otherwise my spirit which is entangled amongst the briers and brambles of this world and wandereth in the thickets were neuer able to finde out the right way but posting along at aduenture might
lose both labour and trauell neuer neere that place where shee desireth to arriue But my hope is alwaies in thine aide and I look for succour from aboue I am held captiue of those that cruelly thirst after my life hasten thee O Lord to my deliuerance to thee I flye for succour O receiue me into thy protection teach mee what I shall doe for to thee alone my God doe I tender my seruice Away away from mee thou deceitfull pleasure which heretofore hast bewitched my soule and poisoned my spirit thou hast fedde me with thy too too pleasing delicates to make me with a little hony swallow down a deadly poison of hemlocke which distilling into all my members hath made them half dead and voide of sense so that now I am little better then a dead man But which is worse not my body alone but euen my soule also the fountain of my life present and to come is benumm'd It is time thē that thy spirit come to rouse vp my dying soule to take her by the hand and leade her into a place of safetie to quicken her and imprint in her the image of thy iustice that that may bee her shield against all temptations which besiege her on euery side and threaten her finall ruine Thou shalt come then and by thy comming drawe my soule out of tribulation receiue mee vnto to mercie and destroy all those that haue conspired against me Then shall my warre be at an ende and theirs beginne yea with such a beginning as shall continue in endlesse griefe and as the riuers running from their fountaine still enlarge themselues vntil they come into the sea so shall their miserie increase from day to day and in the ende plunge them into extreame languor and hopelesse distresse And this shall bee the ende of all those that vexe my soule for I am thy faithfull seruant O Lord and thou wilt not cast me out of thy remembrance but wilt call those to account who in reproach of my GOD haue so shamefully handled mee They laughed at my harme but loe the time is at hand vvhen they shall bewaile their owne Thy vengeance beginneth to flame against them and men shal see them fall away as leaues from the trees at the approaching of vvinter How shall I glorifie thy name O GOD And where shall I beginne to set forth thy praise Shall I declare thy bountie in the creation of so many admirable vvorkes as are vnder the Sunne and thy wisedome in preseruing them Shall I proclaime thy iustice in condemning and taking vengeance of the pride of Angels and disobedience of men Shall I sing of thy mercy in redeeming of those who by forsaking of thy law fell headlong into the slauerie of eternal death To what part of thy praises is the base tune of my voice able to stretch or were my voice sufficient what eares were able to receiue it All things faile mee O Lord in this enterprise saue onely courage and will vvhich filled with a vehement and feruent affection cry out vnto thee as lowde as they can Assist their vveake essayes with thy grace and since the teares of my repentance haue vvashed away the foulenesse of my sinnes vvherewith my spirit vvas ouercharged deiected and pressed downe giue mee henceforth the wings of faith and hope whose swift flight may carrie mee into thy bosome to bee revnited to his first originall that I may neuer hereafter entertaine any other thought then vvhat may tende to the furtherance of thy seruice and the aduancement of thy glorie FINIS Those that will see further of this looke his Maiesties Catechisme made by Mr Craige Our Father Which art in Heauen Hallowed be thy name Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done In earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our daily bread Forgiue vs our trespasses As we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. Lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euil O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure 2 Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed 3 My soule is also sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thou punish me 4 Turne thee O Lord and deliuer my soule oh saue me for thy mercies sake 5 For in death no man remembreth thee and who will giue thee thankes in the pit 6 I am wearie of my grouing euery night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares 7 My beauty is gone for very trouble worn away because of all mine enemies 8 Away from me all ye that worke vanity for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping 9 The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord shall receiue my prayer 10 All mine enemies shal be confounded and sore vexed they shal be turned back and put to shame suddenly Blessed is he whose vnrighteousnes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered 2 Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sin and in whose heart there is no guile 3 For while I held my tongue my bones consumed away through my dayly cōplaining 4 For thy hād is heauy vpon me day and night and my moisture is as the drought in summer 5 I will acknowledge my sin vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnes haue I not hid 6 I said I will confesse my sins vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednes of my sinne 7 For this shal euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee in a time when thou maist bee found but in the great water flouds they shall not come nigh him 8 Thou art a place to hide me in thou shalt preserue me from trouble thou shalt compasse me about with songs of deliuerance Be not like Horse and Mule which haue no vnderstanding whose mouthes must be holden with bit bridle least they fall vpon thee 2 Great plagues remaine for the vngodly but who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth him on euery side 12 Be glad O ye righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioifull all ye that are true of heart Put me not to rebuke O Lord in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure 2 For thine arrowes sticke fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore 3 There is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne 4 For my wickedness are gone ouer my head and are like a sore burthen too heauie for me to bear 5 Mo woūds stinke and are corrupt through my foolishnes 6 I am broght into so great trouble and misery that I goe mourning all the day long 7 For my loynes are filled with a sore disease and there is no whole part in my body 8 I am feeble and sore smitten I haue rored for the very disquietnes of my hart 9 O Lord thou knowest all my desire and my groaning is not hid from
saluation which shineth vnto them out of thy word I cease not my God to warne them but they render mee euill for good and make a mocke of whatsoeuer I doe to please thee and bee an example to them they traduce and slander mee in the open streets and impose vpon mee a thousand wrongful imputations I confesse O Lord I now beginne to lose patitience But O my God repaire mine infirmitie and forsake me not for else I shall stumble as a little child at the first precipice that shall lye in my way Increase in mee O Lord strēgth courage to ouercom my affliction and keep mee vnder the shadow of thy wings giuing me euermore constancie and perseuerance and bee vnto mee as a tender-hearted mother which can not but tender him her dugges as oft as her babe cries for it Nourish mee then O Lord vvith the milke of thy sacred loue that so encreasing from strength to strength I may bee able to walke night and day in thy pathes which leade vnto that saluation the hope whereof shineth in thy promises that if my sinne present it selfe to stoppe mee in my way I may open the floudgates of mine eyes and neuer shutte them vntill I haue drowned and sunke it with my teares Psalme 51. Miserere mei Deus HAue mercy vpon me my God according to thy great clemencie and for thy boundless mercies sake forgiue me the punishment which I haue iustly deserued For if thou expect vntill my fastings watchings and prayers shal satisfie for my sinne alas Lord when can this bee My trespasse reacheth frō earth vnto heauen and surpasseth in immensitie of greatnes Who then is able to compasse it or bring it down saue only thy sacred mercie which as far surpasseth the measure of our sinnes as the greatness of thy iustice is beyond ours It is thy mercie O Lord which compasseth this vniuerse which holdeth togither the whole frame of this world which otherwise is readie to dissolue and fall vpon our heads to burie through his ruine the memory of our sinnes to destroy from before thy face our ingrate disloyall and felonious race which disclaimeth her birth creation and preseruation all which it holdeth of thy bountie O then let this mercifull bounty which shineth in thy Diuinitie now extend it selfe vnto me not sparingly or niggardly but fully and plentifully As thou didst once cause the waters to passe their bounds and couer the toppes of the highest mountaines to extirpate and sweepe away the wicked inhabitans of the earth so now cast out the torrent of thy mercie vpon mee O Lord not to swallow mee vp but to bathe mee and clense mee from my wickednesse But let it not content thee O Lord once to haue made mee cleane and to say how thou hast regenerated and washed me in the bloud of thy chaste and innocent lamb for thou diddest not make me so white and pure but thou maiest now finde mee as foule and vncleane I haue plunged my selfe into the depth of filth I am so besmeared and so disfigured that thou wilt not acknowledge mee for thine Yea it maketh me demaund sometimes of my selfe vvhether I be hee whom thy hands haue created and my heart is so ful of shame and confusion that it dareth not resolue me O my God thou hast created me of durt clay and behold I am become such as I was before thou spreddest thine hand ouer me I haue despoyled me of my strength and my beauty to reuest my selfe in mire and filth But wherefore O Lord dost thou not forme and fashion mee anew Is thy hand shortned is thy willingness to shewe mercie to thy creature fallen away Oh thou that art Almightie Oh thou that art euen goodnes it selfe wherfore art thou so slack O Lord thine own worke is become obstinate against thee and taketh pleasure in disfiguring and disforming it selfe be thou as obstinate against thy worke to make it faire and perfect in despight of it But O my God I will no longer stand out in mine owne conceit against thee hold and take mee to thee turne me as thou wilt put a new print vpon this clay renew it put a new stampe vpon it for loe it is prest to follow thy will But when thou hast fashioned me anew do not then leaue me to my self O Lord Put thy bridle within my mouth that it may through abstinence allay that gourmandizing which fouleth it through chastitie it may coole the shamelesse heates of lustes which enflame it through humilitie it may beate downe that pride and arrogance which biting enuie hath bred in it that cōpassionate charitie may driue from it hatefull and greedy couetize that a care to serue and worship thee my bee as a spurre alwaies in the sides of lazie and fetarde negligence For otherwise O my God too much haue I proued how I shall bee handled by these troopes of vices which enuiron mee They will deface and throwe downe in such sort thy handie work that when thou shalt come thou shalt finde onely the shells and shiuers all broken and bruised I haue known them too well these are they that haue brought me to that state wherin I now stand and loe they stand in aray round about me reproaching mee and vpbrayding mee with these blottes wherewith they themselues haue defiled mee and making me guilty of those iniuries which they haue done me I haue sinned I confesse O my God I haue sinned loe I offer vnto thee the bottome of my heart take a view of my whole life I haue sinned in the fight of heauen and earth and all the world is witness of my fault But if I had not sinned how could thy mercy be shewed how wouldest thou acquite thee of thy promises of grace which thou hast so long before proclaimed by the mouth of thy holie Prophets When thou shalt come to sit vpon thy eternall throne of iustice who would feare thee if we were all iust But that men may know and acknowledge thy greatness it is meete that when we shal appear before thee wee cast downe our selues humbly vpon our face and cry O sweet Lord we will not stand in our owne defence before thee our fault is too manifest but behold our pardon is in our hand thou thy selfe hast giuen it vs loe it is signed with thy bloud sealed with thy image which for our redemption hath been printed in the infirmitie of our flesh Thinkest thou my GOD that when I shall appear before thee I will put any confidence in mine owne innocencie or dare to iustifie my selfe in thy presence Alas I know Lord I was no sooner borne but I sinned my mother looked to bee deliuered of a childe and loe a lumpe of sinne How much better had it beene if such fruite had prov'd abortiue which shameth the tree that bare it the earth that nourished it and the ayre that breathed vppon it I did nourish my selfe with