Humble Petition Unto Almighty God, Prayer – Author to book
An humble Petition vntounto Almighty GOD.
ALmighty aGen. 17, ….and moſt mercifull God bPſal: 145.9., Father cEſa. 63.16:and maker of all men dGen. 5.1., full of pittie and compaſſion ePſa: 103.1., rich vntounto all which cal vponupon thée for mercy fRom: 10.12., promiſing to heare my petitions gPſa, 50.15. Pſal: 91.15. Pſa: 145.18. Iohn 16:13., that whenſoeuer I ſhall aske any thing in thy name through faith, I ſhall obtaine the ſame hLuke 11.9. Mat: 21.22. Mar: 11.24. Iam. 1.5. Mat, 7.7: Iohn 14.13. 1 Ioh: 3, 22.. Wherefore O Lord, I am imboldned to direct my humble iPſal. 29.23. Pro: 29.23. Pro: 22.4: Iam. 4.6., and vnperfit kPſal. 130, 3prayers vntounto thy diuine Maieſty, beſeeching thee for thy Sonne Ieſu Chriſt his ſake, to prepare my minde to prayer lpſal. 119, 26, 27, 33, 34, 124 pſal. 143, 10, for I know not how to pray as I ſhould mRom. 8, 16, but thou (O Lord) art ready to anſwer before I call: And while I pray thou wilt heare nEſay 65, 24 Mat. 6, 8 Pſal. 145.19 1 pet. 3, 12, and giuegive me farre more of thy comfortable mercies, to ſalue and cure my poore wounded ſoule, then I can eyther aske or deſire o1 Cor. 2, 9.
Oh therefore, I that am a miſerable and wretched ſinner, lift vp my whole heart & hand vntounto thee pLam. 3, 41, deſiring to come vntounto thee O Lord, euen vponupon the multitude of thy mercies qpſalm 5, 7; and with ſighs, groanes rpſalm 38, 9, & teares spſalm 142, 3, proſtrate my ſelfe vponupon my knees tpſalm 42, 7, wherewith in my humble upſalm 116, 58 Iames 4, 6, and contrite heart *pſalm 51, 17I bewayle my ſinnes xpſal. 28, 1, 2, 3 Ioel 1, 14, 19, and openly confeſſe them vntounto thee ypſalme 32, 1, O bountifull Ieſu, O ſweet Sauiour zWiſd. 16, 21, O Chriſt the Sonne of God aMat. 1, 7, 5 Mat. 3, 17 Coloſſ. 1, 23 Marke 5, 7 Iob 3, 16, 17 2 Pet. 1, 17. Many and grieuous are mine offences bEzech. 18, 28 1 Iohn 1, 9 Luke 15, 21, and my tranſgreſſions infinite cpſal. 40, 15 Manaſſ. prayer: yea, I hauehave ſpent the ſpring and prime of my yeares in the ſeruitude of my ſinnes, which hauehave Dauid-like feaſted vponupon beauty d2 Sam. 11, 2, and ſlept in ſecurity eEſay 47, 7, vntill mine iniquity was ready to come to maturity fLuk. 12, 19, 20. Yet O Ieſu, O ſweet Sauiour gMark 10, 47, O Chriſt the Lambe of God which takeſt away the ſinnes of the world hIohn 1, 29, I here beſeech thee, and from the tender bowels of my heart ipſal. 42, 1, 2, 3 pſalm 29, 1, 2 pſalm 116, 4entyrely beg of thy moſt gracious and fatherly hands kIudg. 10, 10 Eſay 53, 16 Gal. 4, 5, 6, that according vntounto the multitude of thy mercies thou wilt put away all mine offences lpſalm 51, 1 pſalm 145, 9.
And although I beganne to come to thee O Lord my God, for thy comfortable mercies mpſalm 7, 1, 3 Exod. 15, 3 pſalm 18, 1 pſalm 99, 8, 9, duplicate page duplicate page to ſaue and cure my poore wounded and diſtreſſed ſoule nPſa. 41.4.,1 Theſſ. 5.17 Col. 4.2. in the autumne, or declining of my age, in the euening of my dayes, at the very ſunne ſet of my life.
Yet O ſwéet Ieſu, I beſéech thée to bow downe thy eares of pitty oPſa. 36. Pſa. 103.13., & with thy tender eyes of mercy looke back vponupon me pPſa, 11.5. Pſa. 13.3. pſa. 14.3., as thou didſt on the woman of Canaan qMat: 15.28,, on the poore Publican rLu. 18:13, 14., on Mary Magdalen sLuk: 7.44., or on the penitent Théeſe, which came vntounto thee in his laſt houre tLuk, 13:43..
For thou O Lord haſt brought mee home from Baniſhment uHeb. 11.13.16, redéemed me from Bondage *Gal. 2:4: Gal 5.1.13., withdrawne mee from puniſhment xEſa. 53.3.4., written me vponupon thy hands yEſa: 49.16., called me in thy name zReu. 14:1.11 Reu. 22.4., and ſealed mee with thy owne moſt precious bloud aReu. 7:3., and withall, thou haſt couenanted bIer. 31.33 Heb. 10.16, 17 Ier. 24.7. Heb. 80. Ezech 18.21, 22 Mal. 3.7, and graunted to forgiue me all my ſinnes, at what time ſoeuer I repented cPſal 25.21.22, if I were neuer ſo weary and heauy laden dMat. 11.28, if they were as red as Scarlet, thou wilt make them as white as ſnoweEſay 1.18., to forgiue and forget them for euer.
Although the mother forget her childe, or the childe his mother that bare him, yet thou (O Lord) haſt promiſed neuer to forget thoſe that forſake their ſinnes, and come vntounto thée for mercy fEſay 49.15.. O therefore, ſwéet Ieſu gWiſd. 16.21., I entirely beſéech thée, that according vntounto thy freée promiſes hEze. 18.21, 22 Ier. 4.7. Eccl. 27, 22., and according to thy moſt gracious Couenant iIer. 31.33., thou wilt hauehave mercy vponupon mée, and caſt mée not away from thy preſence kPſal. 5.23., neyther let my long continued ſinnes (O Lord) cauſe thée to hide thy face from mée lIohn 13.26. Pſal. 13.1.
For here I bowe the very knees of my heart vntounto thee O God, and kneele mActs 21, 5 pſalm 132, 7before thy preſence nEccle. 17.23, all naked oIob 1, 21, blinde p2 pet. 1, 9, wounded qLuke 10, 30, poore r1 Tim. 6.7, wretched, and miſerable sRom. 3, 10, 11 1 Iohn 1, 8, 10 Gen. 8, 21 Reu. 18, 7: hauing deſerued many grieuous torments, if thou ſhouldeſt enter into thy narrow iudgement with mee tpſalm 41, 5. But ſweet Lord hauehave compaſſion vponupon mee u2 Cor. 1, 21, annoynt my wounds xuke 10, 30with the oyle of thy mercy yLuke 10, 34, reſtore my ſight zMat. 20, 23, clothe my nakedneſſe aIob 1, 21, enrich me that am poore, helpe mee vp that am weake: O bid mee not farewell bMat. 15, 31 pſalm 6, 8 Mat. 7, 23 Luke 12, 27. The infant ouercometh his nurſe with crying, the childe his mother with weeping, the ſeruant his maſter by entreating: O Lord my God cpſalm 7, 1, 3 pſalme 18, 1, I beſeech thee be thou alſo intreated, & binde vp my wounds with the good Samaritane dLuke 10, 33, which like botches, blaines, and putrifying ſoares dExod. 9, 10, hauehave many yeares layne rotting & ſtinking within me.
O helpe mee O Lord e2 Chr. 14, 11 pſalm 109, 26 pſalm 57, 5 pſalm 142, 8, my life fIob 5, 26, 40 Col. 3, 4, leſt I periſh in my wickedneſſe gpſalm 94, 23. Poure in, ſweet Ieſu hWiſd. 16, 21, the oyle of thy mercy iLuke 10, 34, and cauſe the ſweet ſtreames of thy pure water of life kpſalm 36, 9to flow out of thy cleare and continuall ſpringing fountaine lIohn 4, 14, daily to be poured vponupon me mpſalm 51, 2, 7, that it may bee comfortable to coole the heate of my thirſty npſalm 42, 1, 2and hunger-ſtarued ſoule, which continually thirſteth after thy mercies, and bee medicinable to cure the ſpreading malady of Adams fall, which infected my ſoule with the leproſie of ſinne oTitus 2, 14 1 Iohn 9, 16 Luke 11, 7 2 Cor. 5, 15 Mat. 9, 13: For I am like the wandring child that is not worthy to be called thy ſonne: O make me one of thy meaneſt ſeruants pLuke 1 15,. I am thy loſt ſheep, O ſéeke and ſaue me. And from the bottome of my heart, I cry with the Prophet Dauid, O Lord hauehave mercy vponupon me, and heale my ſoule, for I hauehave ſinned againſt thée rMat. 17.6. And as Manaſſes K. of Iuda, I confeſſe my ſins to be innumerable, but I beſéech thée forgiue mée, O Lord forgiue me, and caſt me not away with my tranſgreſſions ſPſal. 41.4. Manaſſ. prayer: & as the poore Publicane, I ſtand a far off tLuke 18.13, & dare not lift vp mine eyes to heauen, but ſmite my breaſt, crying, O God be mercifull vntounto mee a miſerable and wretched ſinner. And with the woman of Canaan, O Ieſu thou ſon of Dauid, hauehave mercy on me uMat. 15.22., O Ieſu of NazarethxMat. 26.71 Mar. 1.24. Mat. 10.40, O fountaine of mercyzPſal. 36.9. Acts 7.59., receiue thou my ſpirit a2 Cor. 3.4. Cant. 2.6., O my life take my ſoulebPſal. 4.4., enter therein, O my ioycProu 2.12., that it may alwaies ioy in thee dLam. 2.29.and giuegive me an heart to thinke on thée eMat. 14.21, a minde that may louelove thée fEccl. 23, 4 Iohn 14, 6, a ſoule that may remember thée gPſal. 27, 24, and a reaſon that may alwayes ſtick faſt vntounto thée hCant. 1, 6, that then (O Chriſt) maiſt dwell in my heart iWiſd. 16, 21, and be the very life of my ſoule kPſal. 7, 1, 3, whereby I may beheld the faire beauty of thée O Lord lExod. 15, 2, and make thée my chiefeſt delight m, my ſweet ſolace n, my Lord God & the very glory of my ſoule oPſal. 62, 7. For thou O Chriſt art my Sauiour whom I will feare pEcel. 34, 14, my Lord whom I will praiſe qPſal. 35, 18 pſal. 69, 30, my God, whom I will worſhip rDeut. 6, 13 Mat. 4, 10, my father whom I wil honor sEſay 63, 16 Gal. 4.5, 6, and my ſpouſe, for whom I will kéepe my ſelfe tMal. 1, 6 Deut. 5, 16: Therefore O ſwéet Ieſu, I beſéech thee cancell that great bill of my ſinne thou haſt againſt me uEpheſ. 5, 25: for O Lord my God, I was ſicke, and knew it not, had vlcers rūning and felt it not xPſal. 99, 8 Exod. 15 2, pſal. 18. pſal. 7, 1, 2, I was obdurate, and became as one that heard not. Cuſtome in ſinne (O Lord) kept away all ſenſe and feeling of ſinne: oft heard I thee inuiting, & by thy holy Spirit inducing mee to returne with the Shulamite xEccleſ. 18.10., but (O Lord) I cryed with the ſluggard, Yet a little, and then a little aProu. 6.10., preſuming on thy mercyes, and deferring my repentance, which cauſeth my ſoule to bleed with griefe thereof. Incline thine eares O Lord and heare bEſay 73.16., open O Lord, thine eyes and ſee, behold O Lord, how I that euer hauehave offended theecEzek. 2.3., and neuer till now of late repented, I that hauehave bin a rebellious child, and ſeldome times giuen eare vntounto thy word, I that hauehave deferred my repentance from day to day, am now come vntounto thee O Lord my God dPſal. 18.1., with all humility cProu. 29.23., in my daily meditations fPſal. 1.2. Pſal. 88.6., beſeeching thee O ſweet Ieſu gWiſd. 15., to be preſent with mee at the very houre of my departure out of this world, and impart thy ſauing health vntounto me. O vanquiſh mine enemy, and purchaſe a triumph for mee by thy moſt gratious victory: Oh hold him faſt and bruiſe him in pieces hReu. 20.23., that he exerciſe not his deuiſes vponupon mee, but giuegive mee thy whole armour iReu. 12.10., O God, that like a right ſouldier, thou maiſt make mee able to reſiſt my enemy in the euill day. Oh therefore ſweet Ieſu kEpheſ. 6.13▪, whom my ſoule longeth for lMark. 10.47., let me ſee thee, O light of mine eyes mPſ. 42.12.. O come Lord Ieſu, come quickely nRe. 22.17.21 Iames. 1 17., come Ieſus my Sauiour oIohn 1.49., my life pPſ. 3.20., & my comfort qIohn 14.6: Eccleſ. 23.4. Col. 3.4. Pſal. 42.8.: ſhew mee thy ſelfe, that thou maiſt comfort mee thy poore ſeruant which putteth my whole confidence in thee r2 Cor. 1.3., O thou ioy of my heart ſpſal. 86.4, my ſoueraigne delight tPſalm 119.11 Cant. 1, 6, and my ſweet ſolace uWiſd. 16, 21. I beſeech thee againe and againe to be with mee at my departure out of this mortall life, at which time I humbly beſeech thee euen from the tender bowels of my heart, to refreſh mee with the ſweet ſight of thy cheerful countenāce vponupon me xpſalm 72, 4, that I may in no wiſe deſpayre nor depart from thee, but with exceeding ioy deſire thee who haſt made me ypſalm 100.3 Pſalm 119, 73, and neuer forſakeſt them that put their truſt and confidence in thee zpſalm 91, 9, to receiue my ſpirit apſalm 34, 22: for I deſire to be diſſolued, and to bee with thee O Chriſt bActs 7, 59, in thy heauenly kingdom with thine elect Angels cMat. 12, 58.& bleſſed Saints for euer, where thou liueſt and raigneſt euer one GOD, world without end.
Amen.
The Praiſe of WISEDOME. Prouerbs Chap. 3.
BLeſt is the man that Wiſdome finds,
And he that doth obtaine
True Vnderſtanding, and thereof
Doth know the precious gaine:
For better tis to get the ſame,
Then ſiluer ready told,
And better profit it doth bring
Then merchandiſe of gold.
Wiſedome doth precious ſtones exceed
And all things elſe that are,
There is nothing thou canſt deſire,
To be compar'd to her.
VponUpon her right hand is long life,
Which neuer is bereft,
Riches and honor doe attend
And waite vponupon the left.
Her wayes are paſſing pleaſant wayes,
Her paths are full of reſt,
She is a tree of life to thoſe
Which her to ſeeke are preſt.
Shee is I ſay a tree of Life
To ſuch as on her hold,
And ſuch as alway keepe her faſt,
Are bleſſed manifold.
My ſonne let not theſe things depart,
Nor from thine eye to paſſe:
But keepe my lawes and counſels eke,
And thou ſhalt finde them grace
VntoUnto thy mouth, and to thy ſoule
They ſhall be perfect life.
So ſhalt thou ſafely walke the way
Whereas there is no ſtrife:
Thy foot from ſtumbling ſo thou maiſt
At all times ſurely keepe.
When thou lyeſt downe thou needſt not care,
But reſt and ſweetly ſleepe:
Thou ſhalt not need to be afraid
Of any ſodaine feare,
For violent force of wicked men
Which chance, take thou no care.
For violent ruſhing in of ſuch
As the vngodly are,
Of them thou needſt not to account,
Nor let them not thee ſcare.
For why, the Lord with thee ſhall be
At hand, and keepe thy foot,
That by deceiuing ſleights of foes
Thou neuer ſhalt be tooke.
THE AVTHOR to his Booke.
GO thou my Booke with the zeale of my hart
To all that ſhal come view thee:
When thou haſt paſt from the Preſſe, & art print
Cry daily, Come peruſe me:
If that thou canſt giuegive to them all content,
Then is my labour ended,
Which is the thing that I hauehave deſired
For my paines on thee ſpended.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Andrewes, Humble Petition Unto Almighty God (1623)