THE SOULS HEAVENLY EXERCISE Set down in diverse godly Meditations, both prose and verse, by Nicholas Breton Gent. ¶ Imprinted at London, for Willam Leake, 1601. TO THE Right honourable William Rider, Lord Mayor of the city of London. RIght Honourable, I have read, that newly after the Coronation of Alexander the great, divers of his subjects, as well of the Nobility, as meaner condition, did present his greatness, with such gifts as their abilities could purchase, to manifest the nature of their love, or service: among all which, a poor Mason, not so rich as cunning, in his Art; and yet as willing as any, in some token of his service, to make some manifestation of his humble love, brought into the Court a bag full of stones; but what they were, or how they were wrought, was not known to any, neither would he let any man see them, till he was brought unto the Emperor: where, upon a table, he laid before him his own Image, but in so dead a colour, as if he were to be laid in his grave, with these words written upon his breast, Talis eris. divers of his Court, at the beholding thereof, began to frown at the poor Mason, that he durst at such a time of pleasing triumphs, present his Majesty with a picture of such melancholy: but the Emperor, taking by the inspiration of God's holy spirit, a gracious apprehension of the poor man's love, not only did thankfully accept the present, which he caused to be set up in his own chamber, ever after, as a continual glass for him evening & morning, & at all hours to look upon, but after a bountiful reward, entertaining him for his own Mason, used these words of him unto all those that did attend in his presence: Here are many of ye, that I am beholding to, for many tokens of your love and service, but chiefly unto this man: for some of ye have been sent by your fathers, some, by your friends, some from your own spirits, with such things as ye have presented: but this man neither from father, friend, nor from himself; but only from God of heaven was sent unto me, not with a toy to delight me, nor a jewel to enrich me, but with a continual warning, not to sink in the delight of vanity, nor to trust in the dross of this worldly treasure, but in the greatest of my greatness, to humble myself, to him that is greater than I, & who having made me great, can bring me to nothing at all; and whatsoever, I am, or may be, doth she we me what in the end I shall be. Thus far of this history I have set down for my purpose. Your Lordship, newly stepped up unto the state of Honour, I know shall be followed with many friends, and gratified with many presents, which I know you will not receive unthankfully: but among all, I beseech you not to refuse, at the hands of an humble heart, the passionate meditations of a patient spirit: which, in the Evening, and Morning, and at all hours, if your Lordship will vouchsafe at your leisure to look upon, ye shall see, that whosoever hath come to you, and whatsoever is brought you, GOD that set me to work, hath sent me unto you, to present you with such a glass, as will show the great comfort of his grace. By which I humbly beseech his eternal Majesty, to guide your thoughts, words, and deeds, to his infinite glory, the contentment of her Majesty, the increase of your own Honour, and the comfort of all that love you: among whom, the least worthy to be named, I humbly rest Your Honours, in all humbleness, N. B. THE SOULS EXERCISE. A prayer for the Lord Maior. In the Morning. OH blessed, gracious, most merciful & glorious good GOD, whose only eye of mercy beholdeth all the dwellers upon the earth, & out of the bounty of thine only blessing, dost elect thy creatures to thy service, my dear GOD, that tookest Moses out of the water, to lead thy people through the wilderness, David from the sheepfold, to sway the sceptre over thy people Israel, and joseph from the prison, to be governor over many people; & now out of mean estate hast advanced me, among many, thy most unworthy servant, under the sceptre of my gracious Sovereign, to sway the sword of justice over this thy blessed city, let not sweet Lord, this great blessing of thy goodness be lost in my unthankfulness, but so inspire my heart and soul with the grace of thy holy spirit, that by the rules of thy direction, I may discharge the care of my duty, by thy mercy, & my sovereigns bounty committed unto me; that thy name may be glorified, her Majesty pleased, & thy people preserved. Blessed God, bless, I beseech thee, all thy people of this city & land; but especially, thy gracious and chosen servant, and our most gracious and Sovereign Queen, Elizabeth: inspire her with the special grace of thy holy spirit, that in the wisdom of thy will, she may direct the course of her happy days, and by the mercy of her justice, she may so carry the Sceptre of her government, that thy glory may be increased, her Majesty admired, and under thee, her people be blessed. Bless oh GOD all her honourable Counsel, that they may unfeignedly discharge the care of their duties, in the true honour of their places: Bless the preachers of thy holy word, with the true knowledge and delivery of thy holy word, and give them that inward care of thy holy will, that, by the faithfulness of their loves unto thee, they may be lights of good life unto thy people. Bless all the Magistrates, not only of this place, but wheresoever, with a good and dutiful care of their charge committed unto them: and give me, in the grace of thy holy spirit, that true feeling of thy goodness, that in the sway of justice, I may not serve from thy law, but with continual care of thy will, I may so discharge the duty of my service, that in all my courses I may seek to glorify thy holy name, the contentment of my gracious Sovereign, and the benefit of this, thine, and her city. Oh gracious GOD, hold thy hand of mercy over it, destroy it not with Sodom and Gomorrah, for the sins that reign in it: but like Ninive reform it, and in thy mercy, preserve it: make many good governors over it, and thy people obedient unto authority: oh gracious God, increase the happy days of our gracious Sovereign Queen Elizabeth, not as thou didst hezekiah's, with fifteen years, but many fifteen: continue her faithful, and honourable counsellors, this and all her cities and towns, discreet and careful Magistrates, and every where, true loving & obedient subjects: preserve not only this city, but the whole Realm, with that gracious plenty and blessed peace, wherein it now liveth, and give me grace to my uttermost power, to labour for the preservation of this place. Oh Lord let not this my advancement make me unthankfully forget thee: but acknowledging thy goodness, be ever mindful of thy mercy, neither let the pride of authority, the mass of treasure, nor any world's felicity, have power to draw me from thee, but that thankfully accepting thy blessings, and carefully discharging the duty of thy servant, whensoever it shall please thee to call me, I may willingly leave the world for thy love: oh god hear me I humbly beseech thee, be thou a wall unto this city, to defend it from foreign force, and bless it with that joyful peace, that may continued the concord of thy people. Grant this oh God, and whatsoever else thy glorious Majesty, in thy gracious mercy, shall think needful for me; that after I have passed my pilgrimage in this vale of misery, I may by the merit of thy mercy, obtain a place, in that true Paradise, where, with thy Saints and Angels, in the train of thy beloved, though the least in thy kingdom, in thy heavenly jerusalem, I may be one of thy blessed citizens, where in the joy of my soul, I may sing to thy glory. Amen. Another for the Evening. OH gracious God, with most humble, thankfulness to thy holy glorious Majesty, for thy heavenly preservation of me, this day, and all the days of my life, I humbly beseech thee receive me with all the Magistrates and members of this city, into the heavenly guard of thy holy grace, be thou a continual watch over it, that none of thy people do perish in it: awake those that sleep in their sins and take them again unto thy grace, confound the devices of the wicked, that seek the destruction of thy people. Bless the labours of the virtuous, preserve my gracious Sovereign, and withal her faithful counsellors, and loving & obedient subjects, bless me and my house, make us, and continue us, thy humble and faithful obedient servants, and in the peace of thy mercy, receive us into the Almighty hand of thy holy preservation; that waking or sleeping, uprising, downelying, going forth and coming in, being preserved by thine only goodness, we may glorify thy holy name, through our only Lord, and Saviour, jesus Christ. Amen. O Almighty God, and heavenly father, from the hand of whose only bounty floweth the River of all comfort, and, in the fountain of whose grace, is found the only water of life; D eternal God, father of all mercy, and God of all glory, who knewest me before I was, hast made me that I am, and art not ignorant what I shall be, in the work of thine only will, to the only glory of thy holy name; how shall I vile and wretched worm of this earth, & wicked, sinful creature of this world, humble myself enough at the feet of thy mercy, to offer up unto thy holy Majesty, with the tears of my heart, the sacrifice of my soul? Sweet Lord, I am foul, and polluted with iniquity, & am therefore ashamed to come before thee: I have been a Rebel to thy laws, and am therefore worthy to be banished from thy presence: Yea, I have so delighted in sin, that I am afraid of thy judgement. Oh Lord, I am full of fear, my sins are before me, my conscience doth condemn me, and thy justice falleth heavily upon me, and whither then shall I fly to help me? if to heaven, I know the Angels will abhor me, if to the world, it will but further infect me, and if to hell, it will but torment me. Is there then no help for me? Yes sweet Lord: in judgement hath justice her grace, but in mercy hath justice her glory: in the glory therefore of thy mercy, I humbly beseech thee look upon me: of nothing thou madest me, & being worse than nothing without thee, let me joy in nothing but thee: be thou the strength of my heart against the enemies of my soul, and the life of my love in the joy of my spirit; that, being defended by thy mighty arm, and preserved by thy holy spirit, in the gladness of my heart, I may sing to thy glory. Amen. MOst merciful, and Almighty glorious everliving and everloving God, the comfort of thy sorrowful, the joy of thy faithful, & life of thy beloved, hear, I humbly beseech thee, the humble prayers, of a penitent sinner, from the high Throne of thy holy mercy, cast one good look of thy comfortable pity, upon the wounded soul of thy unworthy servant. O dear Lord, thou knowest my sins, and my sorrows are not hid from thee: what shall I do to be rid of this foul evil? no Surgeon can lance it, Physic can cure it, nor salve can heal it. Oh the wound of sin, that corrupteth the heart, cankreth the flesh, and eats into the very soul: is there no way to kill it? shall thy servant live in it? and his life die in it? sweet Lord say no, for thou only canst say no: thou hast conquered the author of it, thou hast a remedy against it, & canst wholly consume it: sweet Christ therefore, that knowest my hurt, & hast my help, hear my cry, & send me comfort▪ in thine unspeake able goodness look mercifully upon me, with one drop of thy dear blood, wash me clean from my iniquities, with one spark of thy grace, enter into my soul, and rebuke the wicked fiend that he follow me no more: save me out of the the claws of the serpent, keep from the assaults of the devil, and deliver me from the malice of the wicked: Let me humbly seek thee, truly find thee, faithfully love thee, and continually live to thee: make me hate the world for thy love, and forsake myself to follow thee: dissolve me intoteares, to fill the bottle of thy mercy, consume me into sighs to make a sacrifice to thy glory, make me nothing my self to be wholly thy servant: do with me what thou wilt▪ so I may be to thy holy will, Let me die to sin, & live to grace, that in the true fruits of repentance, I may glorify thy holy name: and in the joy of my soul, I may sing to thy glory. Amen. O most merciful and almighty God, Lord of all comfort, love, and life, in whose holy sight is no manrighteous, whose wrath no man is able to abide, & whose power no man is able to resist: O glorious king, before the feet of whose eternal majesty, the very Angels do tremble, the powers of Heaven do shake, and the mountains are ready to melt, how shall this sinful and wretched soul of mine, that with so many horrible sins hath offended the glory of thine unspeakable goodness, presume before the seat of thy sacred pity, with the least hope of thy mercy. In myself is nothing but sin, & ini quity, both hateful in thy sight: to my sin belongeth nothing but horror & confusion, by the judgement of thy unpartial justice: and how then can I look for any thing in myself, but hell, & damnation! Dear god, I confess unto thy divine Majesty, such is the nature of my corruption, as gives me no other expectation, whiles I look upon mine own desert: but when again, with the humble eye of a penitent heart, I behold the bleeding wounds of the blessed body of thy dearly beloved son jesus Christ, and see in his merit a present help for all my hurt, in his death, my life, and in his love, my eternal consolation; how can I despair of one drop of comfort? where I see a fountain of so much grace, as quencheth the thirst of all that come unto it, joyeth the hearts of all that taste of it, and reviveth the souls of all that drink of it: No, my dear Lord, in him alone, I humbly beseech thee, look upon me, in his wounds let me hide me, till in his merit, thy mercy heal me: I dare not speak to thee: let him only speak for me, behold his goodness, and not my wickedness, look on him that hath pleased thee, and for his sake forget me that have offended thee: it is I that have deserved death for my sins; but it is he that hath died for them; and since he hath satisfied thy justice, in him let me beg mercy: mercy good Lord, Lord of all mercy be merciful unto me, in Christ his passion forgive me, in his love look upon me, let his blood wash me clean from my sins, and his kindness be a Mediator for my comfort▪ that, being by him redeemed to thy service, I may in his love, live to thy glory, and in the comfort of thy holy spirit, in the blessing of his merit, and joy of thy mercy, I may sing to thy holy Majesty, the eternal Halleluiah. Amen. O Blessed Lord, father of all goodness & mercy, who seest the very thoughts of men, before they be effected, and knowest the world before it was created; O incomprehensible GOD, whose unsearchable wisdom is unspeakable in all goodness, who hast made the heavens for thy beloved, and beholdest on earth the tears of thy afflicted; who only canst do all things at thy good pleasure, & art pleased in nothing but goodness: sweet Lord that hast mercy over all thy works and art the only worker of all mercy, who hast commanded all to come unto thee, hearest all that cry unto thee, and helpest all that trust in thee; dear god among the humble hearts of those penitent souls, that, with the tears of true repentance, in the faith of thy sons merit, fly only to thy sacred mercy, I most humbly beseech thee, vouchsafe thy gracious ear, to the grievous complaint of my tormented spirit: oh Lord, that hast enlightened my soul with the shining beams of thy grace, that hath taken away the scales from mine eyes, that would not let me see the heaven of thy holy love, haste, in the precious blood of thy dear beloved son jesus, cleansed me from my sins, and in the sweetness of thy love given me a taste of thyself, hast reform my soul to thy service, & anew moulded my mind to thy mercy, sweet Lord I humbly beseech thee, let not all this good be lost in me, that thou hast done for me; give me not over to myself, that sin do not overcome me, but keep me so under thy wings, that no wicked spirit may have power over me. Thou knowest my temptations, oh deliver me from them: rebuke those wicked spirits, that I may be rid of them, and confound their illusions, that I be not deceived by them. O Lord consider my miseries, I am a wretched sinner, dust and ashes, f●● of nothing but corruption, weakness & iniquity, & thou art a glorious God, spirit & life, creator of all comfort, & only full of all power, goodness, & glory: sweet Lord therefore in thy pity look upon me, make me strong in thee, that am weak in myself, wise in thee, that am foolish in myself, & holy in thee, that am wicked in myself; be merciful unto me, & help me, plague them that seek the hurt of mysoule, & confound them that seek to draw me from thy love. From the love of this world, from the delight of sin, and from the assaults of the devil, good Lord deliver me: from presumptuous sins, and despair of thy mercy, sweet jesus preserve me. Hate me not for my sins, but pity me for thyself; oh save me, for I am thy servant: behold the sorrows of my soul, I have roared for the very disquiet of my heart; oh bless me with the peace of thy holy spirit, that I may sing to the glory of thy mercy. Amen. O Blessed God, father of all power, mercy, & comfort, whose graces are infinite, and whose glory is unspeakable: O God of all goodness, who canst not be but good, whose goodness is almighty, & whose power is full of mercy: sweet Lord that seest the misery of man, without the comfort of thy grace, the weakness of man, without the assistance of thy holy spirit, and the sorrow of man, without the joy of thy love, let not the burden of sin, lie so heavy upon the wounded conscience of thy wretched creature, that hearty prayers may obtain no hearing, true repentance may gain no comfort, nor bitter tears move any compassion; let not the wicked fiend so haunt the soul of a sinner, that he have no thought of thy grace: let not the cares of this world, the fear of death, the sorrow of sin, nor the suggestion of the devil drive him into despair of thy mercy: look on him whom thou hast made, hear him whom thou hast called, and save him whom thou hast redeemed, heal the heart that is wounded, and comfort the soul that is full of sorrow; in thy power fight for me against the enemy that doth assault my soul, in thy goodness cure me of they'll wherewith he hath infected me, and in thy mercy defend me from the temptations, wherewith he seeketh to destroy me. Thou art my life, oh let me live in thee: thou art my love, let me never be from thee: thou art my Lord, let me live but to thee: thou art my God, oh let me ever be with thee: I have sinned, and woe is me, but I am sorry, & well is me: for in the sorrow of my sin, is my hope of thy mercy, and in the hope of thy mercy, is the joy of my soul. Thou biddest me repent, and I shall have mercy, ask, and I shall have, knock, and it shall be opened unto me: O my dear God, with the deep sighs of unfeigned sorrow, and the true tears of my heart's repentance, have I knocked at the gates of thy gracious mercy, begging an alms from the hand of thy blessed bounty, one crumb of comfort from the table of thy mercy, one look of pity from the eye of thy love, one drop of thy blood to cleanse me from my sins, one drop of thy grace to feed the lamp of my love, and one look of thy love to make me live for ever. Sweet jesus seem not deaf to me, who hearest all that cry unto thee, but open the gates of thy mercy, and let in the soul of thy unworthy servant: that being ravished with the joy of thy presencc, I may sing aloud, to thy glory. Amen. O Most merciful God, the fountain of all goodness, and glory of mercy, who seest the joys of the soul, that is touched with the finger of thy love, and knowest the sorrows of the heart, that languisheth in the grief of thy displeasure: I humbly beseech thee have mercy upon the afflicted spirit of thy poor unworthy creature: who sometime is ravished with the admiration of thy goodness, but no sooner falleth from the hand of thy mercy, but is ready through the illusion of sin, to drown in the sea of iniquity; where, how deep are the sorrows of the repentant, let thy servant Peter be a witness. But, what is a plant, that hath no earth to grow in? What is a fish that hath no water to swim in? what is the heart that hath no love to live in? and what is the soul, that hath not thy spirit to joy in? Oh, when thy servant Peter was ravished, in the sweetness of his joy, he forgot the greatness of thy goodness▪ when presuming of his own power, he remembered not the gift of thy grace: who then said, he would die for thy love, but shortly after denied thee, & thy love: in the feeling time of thy love, death was sweet to his imagination, but in the withdrawing time of thy mercy, life was sweet to his corruption; in the joyful time of thy love, he was like a plant that flourished by the river side, who, in the ground of thy grace did prosper with the dew of thy mercy: but no sooner fell from the blessing of thy holy spirit▪ but he was like a blasted stock, that losing his sap was ready to be cut down, & cast into the star: but sweet Lord, thou didst tell him his folly, & correct him for his fault: thou showedst him his weakness, and thou gavest him strength, he loved thee, & thou knewst it; yet he forgot thee and thou sawest it; but how sweetly didst thou deal with him? Thou didst love him ever, & didst leave him but for a while. Thou keptst sap in the root, that made the tree to flourish, and to bring forth much fruit: yea to him, who had thrust himself out of Paradise, thou gavest the keys of heaven gates. How great then is thy goodness? that forgiving offences, wilt joy the heart with such gladness. Sweet Christ, thou sawest his sorrow with his sin, and setting the one against the other, didst cure him of both; his words were heinous in denying of thee: but his tears were bitter that he shed for thee: when thy hand of mercy wiping away that one, would not let thee look on the other: Such was thy regard of his love, as put his sins out of thy remembrance. O sweet jesus, is thy mercy closed up into so narrow a compass, that only Peter hath the benefit of thy blessing? No, my dear love, I know thou art almighty, all good, & all glorious: thy mercy is over all thy works▪ and I am one of them whom thou hast made: thou camest to call sinners to repentance, and with confession of mine unrighteousness, I cry unto thee for mercy: thine ears are open unto all, and therefore I know thou wilt hear me, thine eyes behold all things, & therefore I know, with my sins my sorrows are not hid from thee: thou art good to all that trust in thee, and therefore my hope is only in thee: but where Peter denied thee once, I have denied thee too often, & where he repent in tears, I have continued in sins, he therefore obtained mercy, & I have deserved punishment: but yet at what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his from the bottom of his heart, thou hast promised, sweet Lord, that thou wilt put all his wickedness out of thy remembrance: thy promise is truth, & thy truth can not fail, and therefore in the faith of thy truth, with the tears of sorrow I fly to the comfort of thy mercy: I dare not boast of my love, my soul hath been so blotted with iniquity; but cry in the sorrow of my sin, O lord think upon me in thy mercy, and though I be not Peter, yet be thou Christ. I come not to him to be let in at thy gates, but cry unto thee for the comfort of thy mercy, most humbly beseeching thee, to forgive me my wickedness, and to inspire me with thy goodness; that if I slide, yet I may not greatly fall, but in the feeling of thy mercy, I may lay down my life in thy love, and in the comfort of such grace, give thee wholly the glory: let no cock crow at my denial of thee, but the Angels rejoice at my confession of thee: yea let my soul be so ravished with the love of thee, that I may joy in nothing but thee, and in the joyful joy of my soul, sing to thee, the only true, due, and eternal Halleluiah. Amen. BLessed Lord, and Lord of all blessedness, father of all mercy, and God of all goodness, who out of the abundance of thy heavenly store, dost enrich the souls of thy beloved servants, and sufferest none to perish, that put their trust in thy mercy, look I humbly beseech thee, upon the miserable need of my distressed soul, which pining through the want of thy grace, crieth unto the glory of thy pity; Merciful Lord, be merciful unto me, the sorrows of my heart are enlarged, oh bring thou me out of my troubles: many are the sorrows, that I endure, but most in the cold feeling of thy comfort; for, when I fain would seek after thee, the cares of this world, the corruption of the flesh, and the illusions of the devil are ready to draw me from thee: in thy word I have been unfaithful, for thy blessings unthankful, and if thy service undutiful: if thou correct me, I am unpatient, if thou forbear me, I am ungracious, and in thou entreat me, I am unkind. Thus every way, woe is me, I am so full of iniqnitie, that goodness hath almost no place in me: sin hath taken such hold upon me, that despair hath almost possessed me; but yet sweet Lord, if thou but touch the heart, all the body will have health, and if it please thee to comfort the soul, how can the heart be aggrieved▪ O dear God, at thy rebuke the winds were down, the waves were calm, the ship was safe, and thy disciples were joyful: at the touch of thy finger, the blind received their sight, and at the sound of thy voice, a legion of devils ran away. O Lord, all power is in thy will, and all glory is in thy mercy: in thy glorious mercy therefore I humbly beseech thee look upon me, deliver me from the troubles that in the depth of sorrow seek the drowning of my soul, touch the eyes of my heart with the finger of thy mercy, that beholding the glory of thy goodness, it may humble itself to thy service, and drive from me all those wicked Spirits, that do hourly torment me with temptations: O Lord thou knowest my heart, & hast seen my soul in adversities: thou hast ever been my comfort in my troubles; oh leave me not to the will of mine adversaries. O dear God, thou hast created me for thyself, and wilt thou not know me in thyself▪ Thou hast redeemed me by thyself, and wilt thou put me from thyself? yea thou hast comforted me with thy self, and wilt thou not take me to thyself? yes, my sweet Lord, though sin hath wounded me, thy mercy can heal me, and thy word doth assure me, that thou wilt have mercy upon me▪ thy blood is not so dry, but thou hast one drop for my comfort. Thou art the good shepherd▪ that wilt lose none of thy flock, and thou art always with me, for thy right hand doth uphold me: great are my troubles, but thou canst deliver me out of all: yea in the midst of my calamities, thy rod and thy staff do comfort me: Sweet Lord, therefore behold my confession, and accept my submission, forgive me my sins, and comfort me with thy graces, strengthen my faith, and bless my belief in thee: humble my soul in thy mercy, and let me not be undutiful in thy service: make me thankful in the labour of my love, unto the mercy of thy holy Majesty; give me patience in thy correction, repentance in thy forbearance, and true joy but in thy love: so being wholly wrought unto thee, longing ever for thee, and joying only in thee, I may most joyfully sing with thy servant David; The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. Go the world to whom it will, my soul, joy thou only in the Lord, knowing that he hath given himself to the cross for thy comfort: him only love, him only serve, and to him only give all glory, world without end. Amen. BE merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for man goeth about to devour me, he is daily fight, and troubling me: so many are the occasions of evil that draw me from thee, that I know not almost how to come to thee: yet sweet Lord, though I am fearful of thy displeasure, I despair not of thy mercy; for though thou awest thy children, yet dost thou not terrify thy servants, & whom once thou hast chosen, they can never be forsaken: for thou art the comfort of the afflicted, and the joy of thy sorrowful: and therefore in the sorrow of my soul do I fly only to thee to thy mercy, for my comfort: thou cleansest their eyes, that would, & cannot see thee, thou openest their ears, that would & can not hear thee: yea, thou strengthenest their faith that confess their unbelief unto thee▪ O lord therefore of thy goodness, clear my blindness, that have wandered awry from the way of thy▪ holy will, heal me of my deafness, that have too long hearkened unto the follies of the world, & strengthen my belief, that hath been too weak in thy holy word: so shall mine eyes be ever looking towards thee, mine ears shall be delighted with the hearing of thy voice, and my soul shall rejoice in the faith of thy mercy: yea my heart shall love thee, and my lips shall praise thee: hear me therefore sweet Lord & help me, have mercy upon me, & bring me out of my troubles, that in the rest of thy mercy, I may sing to thy glory. Amen. MY God, my God, look upon me take not vengeance of my sins, but spare me whom thou hast redremed with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with me for ever: so many are the sorrows that compass me in on every side, as without the greater feeling of thy mercy, will confound the hope of my comfort. O sweet Lord, I go mourning all the day long, and all with fear of thy displeasure, which I confess I have deserved, & therefore am justly punished; but sweet father have mercy upon me, behold the tears of true repentance, that in the bitterness of unfeigned sorrow, in the humility of my soul, cry unto thy blessed patience for one drop of thy pity: loving father, look upon me, and stroke me with the hand of thy comfort, whom thou hast stricken, with the rod of thy correction: chide but be not angry, let not thy wrath burn like fire, that art so glorious in thy mercy: turn thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities out of thy remembrance, out of the hell of my miseries, take me to the heaven of thy mercies: let me feel thy loving kindness in the morning, that I may sing all day of thy goodness: woe is me that ever I swerved from thee, and well only were it with me, if I could ever be with thee: O God of all perfection have patience with my corruption, O Lord of all goodness forgive me my wickedness, and O king of all glory, comfort me with one crumb of thy mercy: thou hast created me in thy power, redeemed me in thy love, and in thy holy spirit sanctified me; and wilt thou now forsake me, that hast done all this good for me▪ No, sweety Lord, thou art wise, and knowest what is meet for me; though I know not what is good for myself; but, sweet Lord, I humbly beseech thee, help mine ignorance, and make me to know what is convenient for me, in thy holy will, that thou chastenest, whom thou lovest, and therefore I may take comfort in thy correction: that scourges are but trials of thy love, where patience is a blessing of thy mercy; while faith is never destitute of comfort, that is laid up for ever in thy love: thus dear Lord I humbly beseech thee to deal with thy unworthy servant, that if I be plagued with job, I may have patience with job, if I have Paul's troubles, I may have Paul's faith, and Paul's love: so in the feeling of my joys will my sorrows be forgotten, and in the joy of thy love shall I rejoice for evermore: but, my dear Lord, job was a just man, and feared to offend thee, & I am a wicked wretch that have not feared to displease thee: Paul was faithful through thy grace, and I am fearful through my sin, and therefore their troubles turned to their joys, while my punishments are continual torments: yet sweet Lord jesus, I can not so forget thee, but I must needs come to thee; and though ashamed to come before thee, yet behind thee, to touch the hem of thy garment: I have been unfaithful, oh help my unbelief, and in the sweetness of thy mercy, show the greatness of thy glory: thou savedst Peter from drowning in the sea, oh save me from sinking into sin, thou savedst Daniel in the lions den, oh save me from the mouths of my Lyonishe enemies, thou tookest jonas out of the Whale's belly, oh take me out of the whale of this hellish world: thou savest all that trust in thee, oh save me that trust only but in thee: in thee sweet Lord, the only life of my love, & whole joy of my heart▪ hear me therefore, I beseech thee, and in thy mercy help me▪ among the number of thy elected, let me be one of thy beloved, that in the train of thine Angels, though the lest in thy kingdom, yet in the joy of my soul I may sing to thy glory. Amen. Eternal power of eternal peace, holy, and almighty glory of incomprehensible Majesty, most merciful and only good God, who hast made all things by thy power, by thy mercy preservest them, and by thy wisdom dost govern them, sweet Lord, dear life▪ living love, who hast created all things for man, and man only for thy service; who lettest nothing be idle that may work to thy glory, and art thyself ever in working to the only glory of thy goodness, who causest the winds to blow, the clouds to rain, and the earth to give her increase, and all for the service of man, and him only, above all creatures thou hast blessed with reason to judge betwixt good and evil, and having government over all things on earth, to be governed only by thy most gracious goodness; sweet Lord, that seest the very senseless creatures all in their natures, hold the due of their obedience, in their service to thy glory, only man, to whom the mercy of thy holy Maiystie, hath given a spirit of higher blessing, wherewith to glorify thy holy goodness, and for that thou hast done for him, askest nothing, but to acknowledge thy bounty, and to give thanks to thy glory yet seest how this creature of thy love, framed nearest to thine own image, in forgetfulness of thy grace, is become unthankful to thy glory, gives ear to illusions breaks thy commandment, and runs headlong to destruction, without the greater hold of thy mercy, yet in that thou hatest nothing that thou hast made, delightest not in the death of a sinner, but art glorious in thy mercy, sweet jesus, suffer not Satan, nor any wicked spirit, so to govern in the world, as to draw thy people from thee: but bless them with thy holy spirit, that they may know thee for and all the creatures therein power to give their increase, yea and themselves to the service of man, give him power in the humility of his soul, and thankfulness of heart, to give thy gracious Majesty, some fruits of thy blessing, yea & with all that he hath to give himself wholly to thy ser who was made only by thee and for thee. Let him not live in corruption, that was framed in perfection; thou art his GOD, and he is thy creature, thou art his father, make him thy child, thou art his Lord, keep him thy servant, thou art his ever life, oh let him not die for ever: no creature on earth, that liveth only to itself, but all to thy glory, and shall only man live only to himself, and so be unthankful to thy goodness? sweet Lord forbid, hateful be that nature of iniquity, that draweth man out of Paradise, and throweth him headlong into hell, fie on that accursed fiend, that so be witcheth the soul with the delight of sin, and woe be to unhappy man that so forgetteth the goodness of his God: but yet sweet jesus, my Lord, my master my father, my king, and my God, look I humbly beseech thee, upon thy wretched creature, thy unworthy servant, thy ungodly child, and thy rebellious subject: in thy mercy look upon me, look upon myrepentance, not my rebellions; my sorrows, not my sins; my tears, not mine iniquities: heal my wounds, for they are corrupted, and wash me clean, for I am foully infected: keeps me from the in chanting charms of all wicked spirits, and in the wisdom of thy holy spirit, deliver me from the illusions of the wicked fiend: make sin hateful unto my soul, and in the wisdom of thy grace, make the whole joy of my life: oh let me love thee above myself, and hate myself, but in thy love: let me not see the labour of all things, and thy labour in all things, and myself idly do nothing, that may glorify thy goodness: the earth gives me of her fruit, and shall I give thee no fruit? thou hast in heaven a place for me, and shall I not seek the way to thee? O my dear GOD have mercy upon me, better had I never been borne, then to live to be borne away from thee. What is the whole world to me, if I lose mine own soul? & in what case is my soul, if I want the blessing of thy grace? have mercy therefore upon me, I beseech thee, and preserve my soul, for I am thy servant: make me to labour in the virtuous vineyard of thy holy will●, and by the inspiration of thy holy spirit, bring forth of my heart the humble fruits of thy holy love; that in profiting my neighbour, in the blessing of thy grace, I may glorify thy holy Majesty, and in the joy of my soul in the peace of thy mercy, I may sing to thy glory. Amen. O Glorious God of all power and pity, to whose only mercy belongeth the title of eternal Majesty, who by the wisdom of thine own will hast framed all things to thy service, and workest in them all to the glory of thine only worthiness, O dear GOD, that art the true substance of comfort, to the humble souls of thy beloved, and seest the sorrows of thy humble servants, when thou withdrawest thy hand of thy mercy; in the glorious goodness of thy grace, I beseech thee, think on the number of thy afflicted creatures, among whom, most needful, though most unworthy thy mercy, let this poor wretched, wounded, and afflicted soul of mine beg one beam of thy blessed pity, to revive this doleful, and half dead heart of my almost despairing spirit; oh strengthen my faith in thy holy word, wash me clean from my sins, and make me to feel the joy of thy mercy: let thy word be a Lantern to my feet, and a light unto my paths, and teach me the way that I shall walk in, for I betake myself wholly unto thee: let me say with thy servant David, O that my ways were made so direct, that I might not offend my God. O dear Lord, great was his happiness in thy grace, that had such a feeling of thy blessing, to have such a loathing to the world, for thy love: blessed, and ten times blessed were my soul, had it such a feeling of thy grace: but I may rather cry, woe is me that ever I was borne, to live so long in the sink of so much sin, that looking on the filth of my soul, I am ashamed to look up toward thy mercy: yet when again I remember the Lepers that thou hast cleansed, the sins that thou hast pardoned, and the souls that thou hast comforted, I can say to myself, oh my soul, why art thou so disquieted within me? knowing the goodness of thy God: and then in the tears of true repentance on the knees of my heart, in the humility of my soul cry unto thee: O dear God, remember not the sins of my youth, forgive me all my offences, cleanse me from my iniquities, & take me again unto thy grace: O Lord, let me feel a little of that t loving kindness, wherewith thou dost glad the heart of thy beloved, let me think with thy servant Paul, that all the treasure of this world is but trash, compared to the rich jewel of thy love: O sweet Christ, so comfort me with thyself, that in the gladness of thy goodness, I may sing with thy servant Simeon, when he had the in his arms: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation. Blessed were his eyes that so lived to behold thee, and blessed were my soul, if it could so live to embrace thee: but my dear GOD, since the corruption of sin will not suffer me in this world to behold thee, I humbly beseech thee, mortify the delight of sin in me, that it may have no power to draw me from thee, that when I have finished the days of the imprisonment of my soul in this darksome cave of this my wretched carcase being freed from the hell of sin, by the merit of thy mercy, in the liberty of my love, I may see the joy of my soul, and in the joy of thy gracious goodness, I may sing, to thy glorious majesty, the only endless Halleluiah. Amen. O Glorious God, who from the heavenvly throne of thy holy mercy, beholdest all the dwellers upon the earth, and seest the essence of every substance, which no shadow can hide from thy sight, O God of all true wisdom and goodness, who seest the very hearts of all creatures, and knowest the thoughts of all the world, yea before the world was, in the abundance of thy mercy, cast one look of thy gracious eye, upon the sorrowful soul of thy unworthy servant: unworthy I confess myself to appear before thy presence, so hideous is the horror of my sin in thy sight: yet when I know, that from corruption thou canst look for no perfection, and that mercy in justice showeth the glory of thy goodness, I had rather say with thy servant David, If my sins were as red as scarlet, thou canst make me as white as snow, then to cry out with Cain, my sins are greater than I can bear: O my dear Lord thou hast called all unto thee that are laden, & thou wilt ease them: and to thee I come so laden with sin in my soul, that I can scarce look up to thy mercy: hear me therefore I humbly beseech thee, and in the greatness of thy mercy, ease me of this heavy burden of my sin: O Lord, I confess to thee, I was conceived, and borne in sin, and in transgressions of thy commandments, have I wasted the weary days of my life: yet, sweet Lord, when I know, thy wisdom beholdeth the weakness of my corruption, and thy mercy considereth the sorrow of my repentance, I am emboldened in thy word to come unto thee, and on the knees of my heart to cry unto thee; O Lord have mercy upon me, behold the work of thine own hands, lose not whom thou hast redeemed, regenerate whom thou seest corrupted, heal him whom sin hath wounded, and perform the grace that thou hast promised; that being cured of sin, and with thy grace comforted in the love of my heart, & joy of my soul, I may sing to thy glory, the eternal Halleluiah. Amen. THe lord he is my shepherd, that doth feed My soul full sweetly by the river side, And will not let me nibble on a weed, Where he doth know there may my hurt abide. He will not let the Wolf come near the fold, Where he hath laid His loving flock to rest, Nor will he let them bide the bitter cold, But sweetly warms them from his sunny breast. Along the pastures fair, and fresh, and green, He leads them forth, for their best lives behove, Nor ever yet was there confusion seen▪ Of any flock, that he doth fairly love. He doth not rob them of a lock of wool, But kindly calls them to their fairest fold, Nor doth he use the cunning how to cull The fat from lean, nor young ones from the old▪ But all alike he loves whom he doth keep, And if that any stray out of the plain, Upon his shoulders he brings home that sheep, And sings for joy to have his lamb again. The winter's worm, nor yet the summer's fly Can once annoy the smallest lamb of his: But they shall still increase, and never die, But ever live in everlasting bliss. He gives them water from the living rock, Where never yet did harmful thought arrive: Yea he so dearly loved his little flock, That he did die, to save his sheep alive. But shall (oh Lord) this sinful soul of mine, So many ways with miseries oppressed, Become a lamb of that fair flock of thine, And feed with them when they are fairly blest? Then, when I hear my loving shepherd call, My faithful soul unto her fairest fold, I will forsake these worldly pleasures all, And only joy my jesus to behold. FINIS. THe fool hath said within his heart, He thinks there is no God. But he shall find for his desert, The Lord his heavy rod. For when the Lord begins to frown, But with an angry eye, Then Satan's power shall all go down, And all his dogs shall die. And then the reprobate shall find There is a God indeed, Who at his pleasure with a wind, Can shake them like a reed. And by the roots can tear them up, And fling them down again, And make them taste the fiery cup Of everlasting pain. For though a while God lets them live, And in their bravery bide, Yet in the end his hand will give A plague to all their pride: Till when he lets them walk the path Their wickedness hath trod, Until, by feeling of his wrath, They know there is a God. And then too late they howl and cry, And gnash their teeth for grief And ever live, and ever die, And never have relief, When they shall see before their face The ugly shapes of sin, That on the earth in every place, They took their pleasures in: Where every devil shall have power The damned to disease, And not a minute of an hour Shall give them hope of ease. While in the heavens the chosen folk, Without although of strife, Shall sit above the mountain rock Of everlasting life. And virgins, with the Angels sweet, Shall sit, and play, and sing: And mercy, grace, and truth shall meet To glorify their king. And my poor soul, that hath no joy, But in my living Lord, Shall joy to see my God destroy The scorners of his word. O that my heart could hit upon a strain, Would strike the music of my soul's desire: Or that my soul could find that sacred vain That sets the consort of the Angel's choir. Or that that spirit or especial grace, That cannot stoop beneath the state of heaven Within my soul would take his settled place, With Angels ens, to make his glory even. Then should the name of my most gracious king, And glorious god, in higher tunes be sounded Of heavenly praise, than earth hath power to sing: Where earth and heaven and Angels are confounded, And souls may sing while all hearts strings are broken. His praise is more than can in praise be spoken. IF I could set down twenty thousand ways, And twenty thousand thousand, thousand more, To pen his highest heavenly comforts praise, That will not see my spirits overthowe: If I could think of nothing else but glory, And in the highest, highest, highest height, To show the state of that celestial story, Where Angels wonders in their honours wait: If all the powers of heaven & earth would meet, And all acknowledge all their powers too little, To show the smallest of his smallest sweet, Yet, to his title, All were but a title▪ Then since no thoughts can to his praise be raised, Above all praises Let my God be praised: While the Angels all are singing, All of glory ever springing, In the ground of high heavens graces, Where all virtues have their places, Oh that my poor heart were near them, With an humble soul to hear them. Then should faith in loves submission, joying but in mercy: blessing, Where that sins are in remission, Sing the joyful souls confessing Of her comforts high commending, All in glory never ending, But ah wretched, sinful creature, How should the corrupted nature Of this wicked heart of mine Think upon that love divine, That doth tune the Angels voice, While the hosts of heaven rejoice! No, the song of deadly sorrow, In the night, that hath no morrow, And their pains (not eased, not ended) That have heavenly powers offended, Are more fitting to the merit Of my foul infected spirit. Yet, while mercy is removing All the sorrows of the loving, How can faith be full of blindness, To despair of mercy's kindness, While the hand of heaven is giving Comfort, from the everliving? No, my soul be no more sorry, Look unto that life of glory Which the grace of faith regardeth, And the tears of love rewardeth: Where the soul the comfort getteth That the Angels music setteth. There, when thou art well conducted, And by heavenly grace instructed, How the faithful thoughts to fashion Of a ravished lovers passion, Sing with Saints, to Angels nighest, Halleluiah, in the highest. OH that my heart could never cease to sing The holy praises of my heavenly king: And that my mind could think upon no bliss, But of the grace wherein his glory is. And that my tongue could talk of nothing else, But of the wonders of his worthiness: And that mine eye could see but where he dwells, Who is the height of virtues holiness, And that my tongue could like no other taste, But of his flesh that is the spirits food: And that my soul might swear a solemn fast For one pure drop of his dear precious blood. That at my song the Angels might rejoice, To hear the music of a sinner's voice. Help, cries my heart, not from the hellish place This wretched world nor all the wealth therein, But from the God of that high heavenly grace Whose only mercy doth all glory win. He, he alone, that sees the sinner's tears Distilling from a true repentant heart, And will not let him perish in those fears, That make the way to an infernal smart: That only Lord, of only life and love, Who doth forbear, forgive and quite forget All those misdeeds that his displeasure move, While sorrows faith is fast by mercy set. He, he alone, in spite of death and hell, Bless my poor wounded soul, and all is well. Emmanuell. COme live with me, and be my love, My love, my life, my King my God, And let me now thy mercy prove, That long have felt thy heavy rod. Thy heavy rod, ah woe is me, A rod of rushes, 'tis no more, Who highly for offending thee, Might have been shut from mercy's door. But thou art he, whose glorious eye Beholds the sorrow, not the sin Of him who doth for mercy cry While tears of faith do favour win. Thou dost not wish a sinner's death. To live, and love is thy delight: While in the blessing of thy breath, Is ever day, and never night. Oh thou more fair than fairness is, More sweet, than sweetness can be thought, More kind than lovers, when they kiss, That with thy death, thy love hast bought. Oh truth of truth, and yet more true, Then time can try, or tongue can tell, Whose grace and glory still renew In heavenly praise, in spite of hell. Oh power of powers, above all power, Oh constant faith for ever fast: Oh only sweet without all sour, Oh endless joys that eue●last. In thee my love, and but in thee, Do ever spring, that ever were, And at thine only pleasure, be To be disposed every where. Oh, thou that wert, before what was, In essence of all excellence, And in thy wisdom dost surpass The reach of knowledge quintessence▪ Who all of nothing didst create, But by thy word, and to thy will: And so didst order every state, As shows thy high supernal skill: Who, having all things set in frame, Didst show what love to man thou hadst, To give him power each thing to name, And make him Lord of all thou mad'st. And more than that, to show thy love, Thou mad'st him like unto thyself: Till jack an Apes of hell did prove To make a Monkey breed an elf. Oh God, had that sweet grace of thine, In Adam, never been abused, Our nature then, in him divine, The devils apple had refused. But ease begat such idleness, And idle ease such wantonness, And wantonness such wickedness, As wrought in him our wretchedness. He did forget thy goodness first, We follow him, and fly from thee: He for his folly was accursed, And so (in justice) Lord are we. But he with shame beheld his sin, And flew to mercy for relief: Whose woeful state all we are in, That to thy mercy show our grief. He stuck unto rock of strength, That after labour gave him ease: And we in love do hope at length That sorrows tears will wrath appease. Oh God, thou knowest that only knowest What knowledge is, and what to know, And by thy mercy only showest, What only pleaseth the to show, That as of dust, we came at furst, Unto the dust we shall again: The belly of the world shall burst, When sin, and sorrow shall be slain. A time will be when that all time Shall see his longest thread will break: When gracious love, in praises prime, Shall only of thy glory speak: When graves shall open and bodies rise, And hell shall shake, and fiends shall roar, And souls ascend unto the skies, To sing thy glory evermore. And oh, that that sweet time were come, That Saints and Angels might accord, While earth and hell are stricken dumb, To sing thine only glory, Lord. For here, alas, While here we live, Or rather die by hurt of sin, The pleasures that The world doth give, Do but the way to hell begin: Where, by abundance grows excess, And so forgetfulness of grace, Or else by want, so great distress, As brings the soul in desperate case. Which, while the heart tormented stands, In helpless cares calamity, Held all too hard in sorrows hands, Doth long to be at liberty: That by the blessing of thy grace, Delivered from this earthly hell, It may behold thy blessed face: Where all contentments ever dwell. For truly love in only thee, Doth live all comfort, joy and bliss, And where thou art not, what can be, But shows what shame and sorrow is? And since in thee, doth only live The ground of the eternal good, And thou alone canst only give The faithful soul her heavenly food: Vouchsafe me leave to thee to cry, Oh let my tears thy mercy move, Who for thy love, would gladly die: Come live with me, and be my love. But I am vile, and foul, and black, Unworthy object for thine eyes, Yea worthy to be beaten back, Even from the blessing of the skies. But thou canst make me white as snow, By one pure drop of thy dear son: And being purified so, Thou wilt forget what I have done. Had I a heaven to entertain Thy holy presence, it were thine: But thou a king, and I a swain, Take pity on this love of mine. Thy greatness was in goodness such, As did the poorest love embrace: And is not thy word true in touch, That humble love gets heavenly grace▪ Wherefore on knees of humble heart, Let me thy gracious mercy move, Put all my sinful shame apart, And live with me and be my love. For thou art wise, though I am fond, And thou canst make me wise in thee, And thou art free, though I am bond, And thou alone canst make me free. Thou art all good, and I so ill, I know not how to come to thee: But work me wholly to thy will, Then be my love, and live with me▪ IN sorrows deep, my spirit all appalled, Seeing the world, an only sink of sin, Unto the Lord of heaven for mercy called, And in her tears, did thus her suit begin: If ever, Lord, a poor repentant wretch, Whose bleeding heart can hardly speak for grief, But from his soul those sobbing sighs doth fetch, That may in silence, sue for thy relief. My gracious Lord and everlasting God, In pity look a little on my pain, Behold my faith, forbe are thy heavy rod, And let thy mercy heal my soul again. I must confess I have offended sore That gracious will, and glorious love of thine, I see my sins are evermore before This wretched soul, and wicked eyes of mine. Nor day nor night my spirit taketh rest, For fear of thy too much deserved displeasure: Such bitter sorrows boil within my breast, As prove my torments have no little measure. But Lord that seest, how I am woe-begone me, The deadly hurt, wherein my heart doth dwell, In thy sweet mercy once but look upon me: Say but thou art my help and I am well. WHen that I felt my soul with sorrow soaken, My woeful mind with miseries oppressed, My pining heart with bitter passions broken, And every way my spirit all distressed, Upon my knees unto my God I went, And in my tears I told him of my grief, And with a heart almost in pieces rend, Repentance sued to pity for relief: When to his ears, my prayers did ascend And from his holy hill his mercy heard me, And to my soul such comfort did descend That I did see, that mercy did regard me, For I did find how hope bad fear depart: My hearty sorrow had obtained grace, And I did feel such comfort in my heart, That sudden joy, was set in sorrows place. When, God he knows, that with no little joy My soul was ravished with his sacred love, That bade my heart abandon all annoy, I should in heaven a sweeter comfort prove. Oh God, sweet God, more sweet than can be thought, When hope is least, that gives thy comfort most, Whose mercy hath so with thy justice wrought, As will not see thy faithful servants lost: Among thy Saints, and Angels that does it, About thy throne to glorify thy name, Vouchsafe me grace to say Amen to it, Although unworthy once to hear the same. FINIS.