The Sinful Mans Search, Prayer
A Godly Prayer, to bee said at all times.
BEcause I hauehave sinned ô Lord, and doone wickedly in thy sight, and prouoked thee to anger by my abhominable wickednes, making my bodie which thou hast ordained a vessell for thine honor, an instrument to most detestable filthines, ô Lord be merciful vntounto me, and pardon mee this great wickednes: looke not vponupon mee good father, with the eyes of iustice, neither do thou drawe against me the sword of iudgement, for then how shall I that am but dust, stand in thy presence, when thy wrathfull indignation commeth foorth as a whirlewind, and thy heauie displeasure as a mightie tempest: seeing the earth trembleth, the depths are discouered, and the verie heauens are shaken when thou art angrie? Exercise not therefore thy furie against me, that am but as chaffe before the winde, and as stubble against a flaming fire: though I hauehave sinned grieuouslie in thy sight, preferring my wicked desire, before thy holy commandement: esteeming the pleasute of a moment, before eternall and euerlasting ioyes: nay, which is worse, making more account of vilenesse and vanitie, and extreame folly, and madnes, then of the glory and maiesty of the most excellent, wonderfull, and blessed God, nothing dreading his displeasure, whose wrath maketh the diuels to quake, and burneth vnquenchable vntounto the bottomlesse pit of hell; whose might is so great, that by the breath of his nosthrils he is able in the twinkling of an eye to destroy a thousand worlds: yet am I bold, prostrating my selfe before the throne of thy maiestie, heartily to beseech, and humblie to entreate thee, that thou wilt not deale with me according to my merites, for I hauehave deserued that thou shouldst raine downe fire and brimstone from out of heauen vponupon me to deuour me, or to open the earth vnderneath me, to swallow me vp quick vntounto hell: but thou art gratious and full of compassion, and rich in mercies, therefore do men put their trust vnderunder the shadow of thy wings. I hauehave none in heauen to flie vntounto but thee, nor in earth, of whom I may receiue any comfort, but at thy fauourable hands, which are stretched out day and night, to receiue all that by earnest repentance turne vntounto thee, being readie to ease all those that are laden with the burthen of their sinne, and to refresh their distressed consiences. In the multitude of thy mercies I approche vntounto thee ô Lord, desiring thee to looke downe from the height of thy sanctuarie, vppon me poore and wretched sinner, and to wipe away mine offences, and to blotte out my misdeedes, especiallie this my vngratious, vncleane, and vngodlye act, that it may not come vppe in remembrance with thee, nor bee imputed to mee for euer, for 'thy sonnes sake ô Lorde, in whome thou art well pleased, in whom thou wast fully satisfied vppon the crosse for my sinnes: graunt mee free pardon and remission of that I hauehave so foolishlie by my exceeding frailtie, committed against thee in this shamefull deed. But ô thou my vncleane and vnthankfull soule! my vngodly and rebellious heart! what did I sinfull wretch, and execrable caitife, so blindlie and desperatlie attempt? Howe art thou become quite sencelesse, that thou wast so readie to anger thy most louing God, and to prouoke thy most mightie iudge, that thou mightest satisfie thy filthie fleshe, suborned both by thine and Gods moste malitious aduersarie, to grieue and vex the spirit of the Lord, and to damne thy selfe for euer? Hath not God of his singular fauour, made the heauens of old, and placed the sunne and moone in them, two glorious lights, with innumerable starres, a wonderfull workmanship for thy vse and benefit? Hath hee not lifted vp the clouds by his strong arme, and heaped treasures of raigne, haile, and snow, to doe thee seruice? Hath hee not in the midst of the world, laid the foundations of the earth, that thou mightest hauehave a stable habitation, and mightest from thence behold eueryevery way, thou lookest the walles of his beautifull pallace. Hath hee not gathered the waters into one place, and made the drie land appeare, and drawne foorth by his powre a pure substance of aire betweene heauen and earth, that fishes might multiplie in the seas, foules in great aboundance, flie in the open face of the firmament, tender plants, hearbs, flowers, and tree… in all varietie, growe and fructifie vponupon the ground: yea creeping things, cattell and beasts increase in infinite number, in pastures, fields, gardens, orchards, and groues; and all these to doe thee pleasure? Hath he not further giuen thee springs and riuers, gold and siluer, pearles and iewels; euen plentie of streames, stones, and mettall, to furnish thee with whatsoeuer for profite thou needest, or for pleasure desirest? Hath hee not made thee Lord and ruler ouer all his craatures, euen ouer the huge Elephants, the Whale, the strong Lion, and Vnicorne, and horse of warre? ouer the sauage Tigars, Beares, and Wolues? ouer the mightie Eagle, Griffin, Vultur, Ostrich, and Haulke? Art thou not clad and defended, fed and enriched, cheered and renowned by these his creatures, and that all the partes of thy bodie, and sences of thy minde might be partakers of his goodnes, and with his sweetnes refreshed, comforted & delighted in great measure? Yea aboue all this, hath hee not breathed into thy bodie an immortall soule, that thou mightest remaine with him in glorie for euer? Did hee not at the first frame thee like vntounto himselfe, that he might therefore louelove thee as his sonne? Did hee not cast into thy spirit the beames of his wisedome, that thou through thy vnderstanding mightest behold him and his glory, and stirred vp sparkes of goodnes in thy heart, that thou mightest by thy affection imbrace him and his bountie, and bee made perfectly blessed by his infinite happinesse, who when Adam thy vngratefull father by distrusting him that had faithfully promised, was throughlie able to fulfill his will▪ and resolutely determined, exceedingly to aduance him, hauing giuen him this whole worlde in testimonie thereof, by discontenting his minde with the excellent estate he was placed in of vnspeakeable louelove, vnlesse he might be as good as God himselfe, proudly desiring to make dust the fellow of him who was from euerlasting, infinitely full of wisedome, power, grace and maiestie, and had doone all this at the perswasion of the most traiterous rebell of his right gratious king, & spitefull enemie of his most bountifull master, euen then when this most villanous conspiring with Gods notorious aduersarie, had deserued immortall hatred against him, and all that pertained vntounto him: yea thee as yet vnborne, but contained in him, whose whole masse by this impious disobedience became by iust iudgement a temple of curssed estate for euer, and for euer: thou also thy selfe bringing foorth fruite of contempt of his law, who is most holy, mercifull and mightie: yet euen then I say, of vnspeakeable pittie and compassion intended, nay promised, nay laboured to deliuer him & thee from that dreadfull vengeance which yee had purchased by your owne wicked and vngratious demerits, and to reconcile you base abiects and vile cast awayes, and yet stubborne and spightfull haters of the great God Iehouah, who when there was no meanes to bee found in heauen, nor seas, nor in the earth, nor vnderunder the earth, but that he should damne his onelyonly begotten sonne, the verie brightnes of his glorie, who neuer offended him, but was an eternall delight vntounto his soule, and reioycing vntounto his spirit, that thou mightest be saued, a grosse lumpe of slime and clay, still vexing him by thy wickednes; yet deliuered his sonne into the full power of Sathan, to put him to a most shameful death, by the hands of most detestable persons, and did cast him farre away out of his fauour, and threw him downe into the bottomlesse pit of his vnsupportable wrath and indignation, that thou mightest be placed between his owne armes in the kingdome of heauen, in all roialtie and glorie, as his deere and entirely beloued sonne. Whie therfore wast thou ô my vnholy and vnthankfull nature, so readie and prone, so violent and headlong to commit things highly displeasant in his sight, who in a manner, and as farre as it was possible, slewe himselfe for thy safetie, when he had no creature so disobedient vntounto him as thee? O thou my inward soule, and spirite of my minde awake, and stand vp to defend thy selfe, for thou art besieged with mightie enimies, the prince of darknesse, the rulers of the aire, the spirituall craftinesse and pollicies of hell! why arisest thou not thou sluggard? thy foes in great number are prepared with manie ambushments, hauing a huge armie all maliciouslie bent, with venemous dartes to pearce thorowe thy heart: they are entred thy hold, at all fiue gates of thy outward sences: yea they hauehave broken downe thy inward doores, and hauehave left thee but one windowe towardes heauen to escape by, euen thy praiers, whereto the spirit of God waighteth thy speedie comming: make hast ó thou heauie with sleepe, or thou art taken by thy cruell enimies, whose handes are of iron, and their teeth of steele, to grinde thy verye bones to powder: harken no longer to that stinking harlot, thy wicked appetite, which lying in thy bosome, desireth nothing but thy vtter destruction; shee perswadeth thee that thou art in no present danger, that she may reioyce at thy miserable end. It may bee thou thinkest ô thou chiefe of fooles, and Oxe that art fed to the slaughter, that though thou goe on a little way in thy pleasant path, thou maist returne backe when thou wilt, and thy little wandring wil not greatly be regarded. O thou vnwise and sottish of heart! when wilt thou vnderstand? Hath the sonne of God indured such paine for the smallest of thy sinnes, and makest thou so light account of so grieuous crimes? Dooth the lawe thunder curses, and plagues, and euerlasting torments against thy least vnordinate motions, and didst thou not dread to performe so shamelesse a practise? Knowest thou not that the eyes of God, and his Angels behold the dooing that thou wouldest be ashamed to doe in the presence of vngodly men, or vncleane beasts? or doest thou not consider how thou diddest grieue the spirite of God, who hath vouchsafed of his infinite merciemercy, to dwell in thy bodie to this end, chieflye that hee might mortifie thy carnall lusts? Why didst thou then defile his temple, which hee hath sanctified to bee an house for himselfe to dwell in? take heed thou driue not out so worthie and noble a guest, by such swinish and fleshly behauiour, who if he once depart, then shalt thou be an hold for diuels, and legions of damned spirites, that they may stuffe thee full of all manner of iniquitie, and then at length become pitch and Brimstone, to maintaine the fire of Gods scorching wrath in thy sinewes, spirits, and inward bowels, drinking out in full measure the dregs of the wine of his rage and fury: and canst thou be so blind and retchlesse, that for the vaine pleasure of sinne for a little while, thou wilt constraine God to torment the euerlastingly, who it may be euen at this instant, if thou wilt still trie his patience and long sufferance, will sodainly take thy spirite from thee, or come in iudgement to recompence to all sinners by his finall sentence in the burning of the whole world, the stipend of horror, shame, confusion, and vtter reprobation: & waigh with thy selfe, that to approach to God is the chiefest ioy of the chosen, to behold his glorious countenance in the face of his sonne, whereas thy sinnes do separate thee from him, and make thee afraide to speake to him by prayers, which is thy chiefest and greatest solace in this mortal life. How much more will thy vngodlines make thee wish delay of the last iudgement, the speedie and present comming whereof is a chiefe proppe of our fight, in the midst of so manie troubles and temptations: and withall, remember how the diuell that roring lion laboreth by this impure act, to make thee most filthie & lothsome in the sight of God, and reioyceth to see thy gracious father, mercifull Sauiour, and comfortable sanctifier, so abused and withstood, and angered by thee whom he hath wonderfully made, carefully preserued, and deerely redeemed, and tenderlie loued, that if it may bee thou shouldest by vtter apostasie, dishonour him in the face of the world, who hath aduanced thee in the presence of all his Angels: and though thou be so sure in faith that thou canst not vtterly fall (the consideration whereof should make thee more dutifull, and not incourage thee in a sinfull course) yet maist thou by little and little, and by often falling, bring thy selfe into a better liking, both of the wicked, & of wickednes it selfe, whom thou oughtest to hate with a perfect hatred, & then God by iust iudgement, cast thee into a sure sleepe, that thy filthinesse may be seene of men, and thou condemned to the griefe of the righteous, and scorned to the shame of the vngodly, and in the meane season, by prouoking Gods iudgment, be spoiled of thy goodly ornamēts: of thy godly desires, of religious thoughts, of zealous affections, of christian communication, of holy indeuours, of assured perswasions of faith, of stedfast waitings through hope; of constant suffering by patience, and heartie reioysings from louelove. In the perfect consummation of which things, because al happines consisteth, beware thou carelesse wretch, least sodainly by thy abhominable filthinesse, thou either for a time wholy depriue thy selfe of comfortable feeling of these things, or much diminish thy present graces and blessings receiued of the holy spirit, to the glorie of God the Father. But why doe I vtter my voice, or striue to make a dead carkas moue? ô quicken thou me that art the fountaine of life, and call thou out of heauen thy dwelling place, that my wandring soule may heare the voice of hir shepheard, and followe thee whither soeuer thou leadest: nay of thy tender compassion take me vp vponupon thy shoulders, and carrie mee gentlie into thy fold again: for theeues hauehave stolne me away, & hauehave bound my feete so that I cannot go, and they watch for me vntil thou art gone, that they may carrie me away quick from thy pastures: ô do thou therefore presently deliuer me, and giuegive me thy helping hand: ô cast thou downe by thy spirit my raging lust, and by thy grace subdue mine vntamed affection. I am weake ô Lorde, and vnable to resist the force of my mightie aduersarie: sende thy helpe from aboue, and saue mee out of the iawes of the cruell Lion: thou hast deliuered me out of the mouth of hell; ô let not the gates thereof anie more preuaile against mee: let mee not anye longer bee occupyed in vngodlinesse, least mine enimie triumph ouer mee, saying in his malicious heart, there, there, so would I hauehave it. Let this sinne be farre from me ô Lord, that I should defile my selfe anie more with this notorious wickednesse: worke therefore in mine heart an vtter detestation of it, that I may euer hereafter keepe my selfe pure and vnspotted for thy kingdom. Thou that art able to make of stones children to Abraham, mollifie I pray thee my stonie heart, that all manner of sonne like affections may bee imprinted therein: plucke vp ô good father these rootes of bitternesse, that no vnsauorie fruite may come of the tree, which thou by thine owne hand hast planted. I desire, I looke, I call, I crie, for thy assistance, that I may conquer this vnruly motion. O blessed sauiour, that hast granted so manie petitions vppon earth, to them that were carefull for the bodie: fulfill I pray thee, this my desire; not for health, nor strength, nor riches, nor honour, nor for food, nor apparell, but for thine heauenlie grace and inspiration: yea let mee lose all those, rather then be left to my sinfull flesh, that I should be ruled anie longer thereby. Mortifie good father in me the old bodie of sinne, and giuegive vntounto me a new bodie, purged from these dead works to serue the liuing God: renew my spirit dayly, that I may cast away these workes of darknesse: let it be enough ô mercifull Father, that my weaknesse in failing heeretofore, hath chased, so mightely, so gratiouslie, and so dearlie for vsus: we beleeue and know, that one drop of his bloud, is sufficient to heale our infirmities, pardon our iniquities, and supplie our necessities, but without thy grace, our light, our strength, our guide, we are able to do nothing, but sinne, as wofull experience hath taught vsus too long, and the example of them which are voide thereof, whose life is nothing else but the seruice of the world, the flesh and the diuell. Therefore good father, as thou in speciall fauour hast appointed vsus to serue thee, like as thou hast ordained all other creatures to serue vsus: so may it please thee to send downe thy heauenly spirit into this earthly mansion, to iluminate our mindes, mollifie our hearts, change our affections, subdue our reason; regenerate our wils, and purifie our nature to this dutie; so shall not thy benefits, nor thy chastisments, nor thy word returne voide, but accomplish that for the which they were sent, vntill we be renued to the image of thy sonne. Good Lord we beseech thee, looke downe in the multitude of thy compassions, vppon thy militant Church, this sinfull Realme, thy gratious Handmaide our dread Soueraigne, her Honourable Counsell, the ciuill Magistrates, the paynefull Ministers, the two Vniuersities, the people that sit in darkenesse, and all that beare thy crosse. Gather vsus into one communion of thy truth, and giuegive vntounto euerie man a spirit to his calling, that we being mindfull of the accompt, and that wee are called Christians, may firmely resolue, speedely begin, and continually perseuer in dooing and suffering thy holy will. Good Lord blesse and sanctifie our meeting, that no temptation hinder me in speaking, nor them in hearing, but that thy word may be heard and spoken as the word of God, which is able to saue our soules in that day, howsoeuer it pleaseth thee by weake and foolish things to magnifie thy selfe. There is no cause ô God most iust, why thou shouldest heare sinners, which art displeased with sinne, but for his sake which suffered for sinne, and sinned not: in whose name we are bold to lift vp our hearts, hands, and voices vntounto thee, praying as he hath taught vsus: Our Father which art in heauen, &c.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Smith, The Sinful Mans Search (1592)