THE BLESSED PUBLICANE.  
Briefly showing forth the happy estate of humble repentant Sinners.  
Written by John Orphinstraunge.  
PRUDENTIA   printer's or publisher's device 
Imprinted at London by T.C. For john Orphinstraunge.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, SIR JULIUS CAESAR, One of his M ties most Honourable Privy Council: Together with the Right Worshipful, the Doctors of the Civil Laws, and the Masters of the Honourable Court of Chancery.  
Right Honourable, etc.  
IT may be esteemed folly in me, if I should overboldly press into your Honour's studies with a few lowly Invocations, or the safe Rule to Celestial Repentance, which is the only scope of this small Treatise, if I had not some likelihood of your favourable and worthy acceptance; two reasons inciting me hereunto; First, for that it is compacted and fastened together by the Author, who before he knew the world, yea, before, was deprived by death of a great Loss, being made fatherless, of such a Father whose power was eminent in the Civil Laws and Courts of Chancery: before his childbirth, by the which loss, who knoweth not the miseries that such occasions invite miserable people unto: The Prophet David herein is a perfect form for such as truly repent, in the 37. Psalm, the 25. verse, saying, I have been young and now am old: and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread: The other reason, is, because whosoever he be, that doth truery read it, first, the efficacy and pith of the words; secondly, he pains of the poor Author, in digesting and framing the same; thirdly, the profit and benefit of them whose zeal thirst after eternal felicity. And thus desiring your friendly acceptance, of my poor endeavours, I humbly, and in all bounden duty rest;  
Your Honours, and Worships to the uttmost of his power, I. Orphinstrange.   

 royal blazon or coat of arms  

The humble and lowly Invocation to GOD the FATHER.  

GReat God of wisdom, earth, men, waters framing,  
Giver of light, of life, of breath and being,  
Glorious jehovah at whose mighty naming,  
All creatures rest, thyself all creatures seeing.  
Melchizedeks' God, him King of peace anointing,  
Noah's Deliverer, by thy sole power appointing,   

Lot's blessed Saver from the fired City,  
God of all mercy, grace truth, and endless pity.  
Father of Abraham and his Family,  
Righter of jacobs' bound calamity,  
Keeper of joseph from his brethren's rage,  
Saver of Moses in his infant age.  
Guider of josuah in the promised land.  
Scatter of David with thy out stretched hand,   

Direct thy servant whose poor pen assays.  
To add one mite to thy e'relasting praise.    

An humble and lowly Invocation to GOD the Son.  

Son of the Blessed, blessed everliving,  
Sunshine of Glory, and our good thoughts gracing,  
Storehouse of treasure, righteous, ever-giving.  
To us thy mercy and our souls chief placing,  
The Port, the Haven for all men distressed,  
Thou free deliverer of all poor oppressed,  
Thou Paschall Lamb, thou Ensign of the just,  
Thou Fort of glory thou surest hold of trust,  
Thou true Messiah, searcher of all hearts,  
Thou Giver, Granter, Gracer of all Arts.   

Direct thy servant, whose poor pen assays,  
To add one mite to thy everlasting praise.    

An humble and lowly Invocation, to GOD the Holy Ghost.  

GRacious true Godhead, and Immortal Spirit,  
The light of goodness and the path to life,  
The rich jerusalem, true heavenly merit,  
Hater of Folly, and the scourge of strife,  
Ruler of Sapience, council of the Wise,  
The blessed step whereby our souls do rise,  
The glass of knowledge, and the prop of bliss,  
All only glory which all glory is,   

Inspire thy servant, whose poor pen assays,  
To add one mite to thy everlasting praise     

THE BLESSED PUBLICANE.  

IS there on Earth ought worthy estimation,  
That sinful man should covet for to live?  
Is it an outward sign deserves salvation,  
Or he be praised which with vain hands doth give  
Then should the Pharisee have won the praise,  
And been a Light unto our rich-man's days.   

He humbly kneeled, and did devoutly pray,  
Whom our sweet Saviour so much esteemed,  
He gained the Glory of that Sunshine day,  
That prayed the jest, yet was the most redeemed,  
He won the bays, him Christ did justify,  
That groaning begged in his extremity.   

Down is he couched within that Sacred bower,  
Where Christ our Saviour sees his poor distress,  
His contrite heart gives not his head the power,  
To look to heaven, from whence comes all redress,  
His hands are up, and [LORD] he first gins,  
To knock his breast, for his o're-swelling sins.   

A Sea of tears from forth his eyes proceed,  
And inwardly his heart to heaven ascendeth  
His grieved soul doth on Ambrosia feed,  
And ever faint the Publican descended,  
[Be merciful] he cries, O wonders merrour!  
That cries for mercy being clogged with terror.   

[BE] is the next this wretched sinner speaketh,  
Which word doth show a perfect confidence,  
He is espied of him he weeping seeketh,  
Who cheers his heart and pardons his offence,  
And notes the manner of his humble kneeling,  
Adding more courage to his Christian feeling.   

Forward he goeth unto mercy's Seat,  
Armed with the resolution of his heart  
Seeking for mercy though his sins be great  
To mitigate the rigour of his smart,  
[BE MERCIFUL] he cries and pardon me,  
Who humbly begs this mercy's gift of thee.   

He calls to mind the follies of his youth,  
His foul transgressions and his false reports,  
His great neglecting of divinest Truth,  
Not reading that which unto good exhorts,  
His gluttony his sin yclyped shame,  
His vile oppression, loss of Christian fame.   

He thinks upon his drunken exercise,  
His perjured swearing and his hateful pride:  
These fond misdoings come before his eyes,  
Making him beg for mercies sacred Giude,  
Flying the folly of his former sin,  
With humble prayers mercy's gift to win.   

And as a child that see's the Fathers rod,  
Held up as instance of his Father's ire;  
Straight cries for mercy at the hands of God,  
And of his Father pardon doth desire:  
So this poor wretch, drenghed in a Sea of grief,  
Humbly begs mercy for his best relief.   

Unto me LORD, [BE MERCIFUL,] he cries,  
That of all men offended have thee most,  
Receive thy servant and do not despise  
Me wretched creature Sea-wracked on thy Coast:  
Mercy great LORD, in such extremes are sweet,  
As aids poor souls in a distressed fleet.   

For had I not too much offended thee,  
My true contrition would not urge me so,  
Nor could my stubborn heart contented be,  
Thus humbly for thy mercy's gift to go:  
But God of mercy thou hast me transformed.  
And with thy mercy let me be adorned.   

[TO ME A SINNER] that's my heinous crime,  
A wretched man in miserable plight;  
Continuing so all my uncertain time,  
Shuning cloakedly, still walking in dark night:  
Fast locked in bondage and in Satan's chain,  
Till thy sweet mercy set me free again.   

Long have I SINNER run a desperate course,  
In which my folly wounded my poor soul  
Like to a mischief ever worse and worse  
Which spreads fare greater seeming moostrous foul,  
And I foul monster now do humbly pray,  
Thy mercy's gift to wash my sins away.   

So shall my substance being changed anew,  
Ever give thankes to thy e'r-lasting Fame:  
To thee, O LORD, to thee belongs the due,  
Praised, Blessed and honoured, be thy glorious Name:  
Let all the earth adorn thy Majesty  
That feeds all flesh, the earth, the Sea, the Sky.   

Thus with true confidence he hasteth hence,  
Fully persuaded that he is forgiven,  
A● b●eing purged from all his vile offence,  
Endeavours still to serve thee Euerliving.  
And Israel's God doth arm his heart with joy,  
Which (but er'e-while) was choked with sins annoy.   

Being departed; now our blessed Light▪  
All-seeing, Euerliving, Son of Bliss,  
Notes th● behaviour of this humbled wight,  
Whose contrite prayer well accounted is,  
He taketh his offering, ●nd accepts his tears,  
Freely forgives the folly of his years.   

He adds unto this poor man's commendation,  
An everlasting style of dignity,  
A settled state, a state of preservation,  
The Sceptre, Crow●e, and Mace of Royalty,  
He makes him Crystal, Glorious, pure within;  
Gives him rich clothing, free's his soul from sin.   

And having thus with odours him anointed,  
Framing a Garland of the purest Bays,  
Thousands of Angels attendants he appointed,  
To guard this creature in all righteous ways,  
That if by chance his foot should step awry,  
They still might shield him from iniquity▪   

And taking glory still in this perfection,  
He ever circle's him within his arms,  
Giving him such a blessed safe protection,  
As sure defends him from all envious harms,  
Making his foes aghast that now behold him,  
Which but erewhile with hateful words controlled him   

This true Messins, and this wonders framing,  
This Way, this Life, this Pearl of Paradise,  
This heavenly Vine, this Word past words of naming,  
Did not this beggar, nor this wretch despise:  
But iustify'd him. O most happy man,  
Being thus Blessed, though a Publican!   

If he, sole Heavenly, earth's great Arch-protector,  
Thee viewed, thee praised, thee rayed with admiration,  
True judge of hearts, heart's rightest true Director,  
The Sap, the Marrow, Life of our Creation,  
The Faithful Shepherd, and true Husbandman,  
Rejecting riches, blest the Publican.   

Not only blest him, but he sets him forth  
As a pure Light unto the world's beholding,  
Willing all Christians to behold the Worth  
Of this rich Truth, and his rich Truth's infolding.  
And with an humble heart he wils us kneel,  
If ere we wish his mercy's gift to feel.   

'tis not too late to call unto the Lord,  
If we ore-slip the morning's Sunny rays.  
'tis not too late to read his holy Word,  
Though we in folly spend our younger days,  
If we with sorrow strike our hardened breast,  
Our sinful souls shall with these gifts be blest.   

What time soever, saith our greatest God,  
A Publican shall turn his wicked ways,  
I will lay by my heavy iron rod,  
And teach his heart my everlasting praise,  
And lead his steps into the Blessed Land,  
Where as a Sarre of Life, he e'er shall stand.   

Sure is that place where is no dread nor doubt,  
Sound is that Hope which doth on thee rely.  
Safe is that Fort, where danger is kept out,  
And blest are such, whom thou dost justify,  
Happy, thrice happy is that wretched weight,  
Whom thou protectest by thy glorious might.   

When sinful man doth fall in Satan's snare,  
And being fall'n lies grovelling in the mire,  
Then doth the Fiend urge him to deep despair,  
Till thy sweer mercy grant Celestial fire.  
Which doth refine and cleanse the drossy part,  
Framing a new, perfect, and contrite heart.   

And though our sins be more than we can bear,  
Yet let us creep unto thy mercy-seat  
With true contrition let us never fear  
Thy mercy's favour though our sins be great:  
For our misdoings more thy mercy's grace,  
Sith thy great mercies proves the surer place.   

Is then thy mercy, and All-saving grace,  
The only thing thy servants do request,  
Is the beholding of thy glorious face,  
A certain sign our silly souls are blest:  
Then, mighty Lord, on us thy mercy shower,  
So shall we praise thy everlasting Power.   
FINIS.