Humble Petition Unto Almighty God, Title page – Author to the reader
ANDREWES Humble Petition vntounto Almighty God, declaring his Repentance.
Newly made in a right zealous and moſt Godly Prayer, out of the pure fountaine of holy Scripture, in the autumne or declining of his age.
Very neceſſary for all the children of God to vſe in their daily praiers.
Sero ſed Serio.
Wherein is contained an Alarum for old age: a watch-word for Youth, and a caueat for all Chriſtians.
Publiſhed by Iohn Andrewes Miniſter and Preacher of the word of God, in the County of Wiles.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Wright, and are to be ſold at his ſhop without Newgate, at the ſigne of the Bible. 1623.
THe Author did this Booke foreſtall,
And from the Preſſe he did it take,
That none thereof might hauehave the ſale,
But he himſelfe which did it make,
Except it be his ſpeciall friend,
Which may it ſell, and giuegive, and lend.
To the high and mighty King of Kings aReu. 17.14, Prince of Peace bEph. 2.14 Heb. 2.10., Conqueror of death cHoſ. 13.14, Hell dHeb. 2.14and Sinne eHoſ. 10.8; the great Iudge of the world fEſa. 2.21., and Biſhop of my ſoule gPet. 5.2.2, CHRIST IESV my Sauiour.
MOſt ſingular, moſt excellent, moſt beautifull, moſt glorious, & moſt worthy Sauiour, moſt entirely beloued, and moſt ſweet Ieſu; in token of my humbleſt deuotion I owe vntounto thy moſt ſacred ſelfe, I here dedicate this Mite (entituled Andrewes Petition) which is the true Copy of my loyalleſt affection vntounto thee. And ſo often from the bottome of my heart I doe ſalute thee, as there be Angels in heauen, drops of water in the ſea, Starres in the Firmament, leaues on the trees, and graſſe on the ground: yea inceſſantly with all humility, I ſalute thee in the vnion of louelove; and vntounto the moſt bleſſed and ſweet heart of thy own ſweet ſelfe, I do in all dutifull affection aſſigne my ſelfe and my deareſt louelove vntounto thee, my ſweet and louing Sauiour; (although vnworthy) to be thy ſeruant; and I moſt humbly beſeech thee, that thou wilt vouchſafe to entertaine and receiue me, that I may be wholly thine; and thou Co-equall with God thy Father, maiſt be wholly mine: that after my ended miſeries thou wilt crowne mee with thy endleſſe mercies: vntounto this ſweet Ieſu my Sauiour, ſay Amen.
And ſo Amen.
To all Chriſtian ſinners, that deſire repentance, health in the LORD.
REade attentiuely, and iudge indifferently, but pray continually: receiue inſtructions willingly, and watch in the ſame ſeriouſly with all ſedulity.
Treaſure them in your hearts carefully, and daily meditate thereon zealouſly, that yee enter not into temptation careleſly.
Prayer with practiſe aLuke 18.1 1 Tim. 2.8. Rom. 12.12. Coloſſ. 4.2. Epheſ. 6.18.,
Oft times on your knee bPſal. 119.114. Dan. 6.10.,
Gets fauour with God cIam 5.17, 18. Eſay 83.5,
As daily we ſee.
But prayer with lips
Where heart is away dMat. 6.5. Iam 1.6.,
Returnes into ſinne
Their ſoules to deſtroy eEſay 59.2. Eſay 1.15. Ier. 5.25. Wiſd. 14.9. Prou. 15.8..
Ʋale in Chriſto: Yours in all Chriſtian affection, Iohn Andrewes.
The Author to the Reader.
IT is well knowne (gentle Reader) vntounto many, beſides my licence of abſence, which I Iohn Andrewes the Author of this work hauehave to ſhew, that by the handy-work of God, in ſending contrary windes, I hauehave loſt to the value of three-ſcore pounds by the yeare in ſpirituall liuings within the Realme of Ireland, to the vtter impoueriſhing of me, my wife and children for euer, except God in his mercy open the harts of well diſpoſed Gentlemen, and others, by their good liking of theſe my labors to relieue me in theſe my preſent wants, that thereby I may attaine vntounto ſome better eſtate againe. Wherefore I beſtow this mite of my poore labours, called Andrewes Petition, vponupon you, in all dutifull manner, and with as tender affection as euer Nurſe or Mother gaue their breſts to their children, or the Pellican ſuckt the bloud from her breſt to feed and cheriſh her yong, I do hereby kindly preſent the ſame, deſiring almighty God that it may breathe out ſuch ſound and godly doctrine to your good liking in your hart, that it may become a ſpeciall ſalue to cure and preſerue your ſoule.
Yours in all Chriſtian duties to be commanded, Iohn Andrewes.