The Divine Penitential Meditations and Vows of His Majesty, Title page – To the reader
Numb. 1.
THE DIVINE PENITENTIAL MEDITATIONS AND VOVVES OF HIS LATE Sacred Majeſtie IN HIS SOLITUDE AT HOLMBY-HOƲSE, Faithfully turned into Verſe.
By E. R. Gentleman.
—Reſpiciat Deus. Bene cogitata— Senec.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1649.
To the READER
I Here preſent unto thee a flower plucked out of that moſt excellent ſtoreyard foreign meanly turned into vers, therefore I may boldly applaud, and admire the one, and referre my owne unto thy cenſure, yet if this findes acceptance (from Loyall Subjects) it will incite me to proceed with the other Meditations; which if I ſhall not be ſo fortunate as to performe, I hope ſome more happier, & Deviner Muſe will with an Elaborate Penne Dilucidate unto the world what is deficient in my Skill, but not in will, I am farr from deſiring any plaudit; Menander.Omnis inſipience arrogantia & plauſibus capitor Every foole is won with pride and his own flattering applaude, but as I ſhould be ſorry to affect the one, ſo I hate, and diſreſpect the other, it ſhall be ſufficent to me, if I pleaſe them, who are Raviſhed with theſe Divine Meditations; which like A Diamond cannot loſe their Luſter although they were mantled in Cimmerian-Darkneſs; The world muſt confeſſe with me that they are obſtacles to our profound Mercuraliſts, who can extract ſuch Sences out of the Sacred Scripture, that are again the ſence of common reaſon, which yet catch poore ſilly people by Shooles, as Fiſhermen with Drag nets take their Fiſhes, yet are not (or will not) our Trumpettors be ſenſible of it, but either encourage them, or remain ſilent as in a Lethargie; And thus, ſince neither our former, nor preſent ſufferings can refine, or cleanſe our droſſie & leprous ſoules: HOW may we hope that our correction is ended? or that the rod ſhall be burnt?
Marius Nictor.Nil hoſtes, nil dira fames, nil deing morbi
Egerunt, fuimus qui nunc ſumus ijs que periclis
Tentati, nihilo meliores reddimur unquam,
Sub vitijs nullo colparum finum manentes.
Nor foes, nor famine, nor diſeaſes have
Work't any change in us, that which we were,
We conſtantly remain, and ſtill do crave
To be entangled in the ſelf-ſame ſnare.
No time can our depraved manners move,
In vice we dwell, in endleſs ſin's our love.
Which as it is too true, ſo muſt we ſtill expect heavier Judgments, & none but ſuch who have the grape of Canaan. A good …onſcience will be able with patience to endure them; Acts 27.'twas that made PAUL couragious in the turbulent Adriatical Sea (when the Mariners diſpaired) the tempeſtuous Euroclidon blowing, and ſuffering 14. dayes want of meate and light; Homer.'Tis a good Conſcience that is like the Herbe Nepenthes which driveth away all ſadnes, 'tis a good Conſcience that without Muſick, or Wealth, or Honour, or Liberty, nay in a forced and unlawfull Death, is happy, and merry alone, 1 Pet. 2.17.And it is that which I wiſh unto all who fear God and honour the King; For Conſcience is individuall and inſeperable, there is no putting of it to flight, or flying from it; Lyps…pol:nec fugere, nec fugare poteris, it was bread and borne with us, and ſaith (as Ruth to Naomi) I will go with thee whither ſoever thou goeſt. Therefore ſince our Kingdom is become a Pantheon (next after the Scripture,) I may well preſcribe this Panacea, which ſure none will refuſe for,
Seneca.Miſer eſse mavult, eſse qui faelix poteſt?
Who miſerable doth deſire to be,
That may be linked to felicity?
Yet if any ſhall (as I am confident many wil) find fault with me, I only deſire them, either to mend what I have moſt willingly begun, or lay them away, and not afford them any ſpare time for reading.
Farewell.
Penitentiall Meditations AND Vowes in the KINGS Solitude at Holmby.
GIve eare to my words O Lord, conſider my Meditations, and hearken to the voice or my cry my King, and my God, for unto thee will I pray.
GIve eare unto my words (O Lord)
My Meditations think upon
To… voice of my ſad cry accord.
My King my God to thee alone,
I'le offer up my ſupplication.
I ſaid in my haſt, I am caſt out of the ſight of thine eyes: nevertheleſſe, thou heareſt the voice of my ſupplication, when I cry unto Thee.
I unadviſedly did ſay,
That I am caſt out of thy ſight,
Of thy clear eyes more bright then day.
Yet thou to heare me doſt delight.
When I with cryes to thee ſhow my ſad plight.
If thou Lord ſhouldeſt be extream to mark what's done amiſſe, who can abide it? But there is mercy with thee, that thou mayſt be feared; therefore ſhall ſinners fly unto thee.
If thou (ſweet Lord) ſhouldſt be extream
To notifie what's done amiſſe,
Who can abide't? but thy bright beame
Shines mercy, which with feare muſt kiſs,
Therefore ſhall ſinners fly to thee for blis.
I acknowledge my ſins before thee, which have the aggravation of my condition; the eminency of my place, adding weight to my offences.
My leprous ſins I with contrition
Acknowledge now before thy Grace,
Which ponderous are by my condition,
The Eminency of my place
Adding much weight to them, which me deface.
Forgive I beſeech thee, my Perſonall, and my Peoples ſins; which are ſo farre mine, as I have not improved the …wer thou gav…t me, to thy Glory, and my Subjects good.
Forget, forgive, I thee implore,
My Perſ…nall, and my Peoples ill
Which are ſo added to my ſtore,
As I improv'd nos power, and skill,
Thou gav'ſt me, for thee, & their hurt to kill.
Thou haſt now brought me from the glory and freedom of a King, to be a Priſoner to my own Subjects.
And now thou haſt dejected me,
From what my Glory did diſcloſe,
And freedom of a Majeſty,
To be a Priſoner unto thoſe,
Who're my own Subjects, yet their King oppoſe.
Juſtly O Lord as to thy overruling hand, becauſe in many things I have rebelled againſt Thee.
But juſtly 'tis (moſt mighty Lord)
As to thy over ruling hand,
Becauſe that I thy will defer'd,
And contrary to thy Command,
In oppoſition againſt thee did ſtand.
Though thou haſt reſtrained my Perſon, yet enlarge my heart to thee, and thy grace towards mee.
And yet although thou haſt reſtrain'd
My Perſon, O enlarge my Heart,
To thee my God, my God unfain'd,
And let me have a greater part
Of thy good Grace, for to o're way my ſmart
I come farre ſhort of Davids Pyety, yet ſince I may equall Davids afflictions, give me alſo the comforts, and the ſure mercies of David.
I come far ſhort of Davids zeale,
Yet ſince in afflictions equall his
I only unto thee appeale,
For Davids Comforts (happy bliſs!)
And the ſure mercies which he did not miſs.
Let the penitent ſence I have of my Sins, be an evidence to me thou haſt Pardoned them.
O let the feeling penitent ſence
Which of my numerous ſins I have,
Be unto me an evidence,
That thy ſeal'd pardon will me ſave,
And that thouſt buryed them within Chriſts grave.
Let not the evills which I & my Kingdomes have ſuffered, ſeeme little unto thee, though thou haſt not puniſhed us according to our ſins.
Let not the evills which both I,
And all my Realmes have ſuffered,
Seeme little to thy Majeſty,
Although thou haſt not puniſhed
Ʋs; with ſuch paines as our great ſins have bred
Turne thee (O Lord) unto me; have mercy upon me, for I am deſolate, and afflicted.
Turne thee (O Lord) turn unto me,
Have mercy on thy Servant God,
For I am fraught with miſery,
O I am deſolate, and thy rod
Hath much afflicted me my God! my God!
The ſorrows of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my troubles.
The ſorrowes of my bleeding heart
Encreaſed be, enlarged are,
O from thy mercy do not part,
But fetter from me leane diſpaire,
Bring thou me out from troubles, and my care.
Haſt thou forgotten to be gracious, and ſhut up thy loving kindneſſe in diſpleaſure.
Haſt thou forgotten for to be
A gracious and a loving Lord?
Haſt thou ſhut up thy bowells free,
Thy loving kindneſs and thy word
In black diſpleaſure, not for to be ſtird
O remember thy Compaſſions of ould, and thy loving Kindneſſes, which have been for many generations.
O now remember, call to mind,
Of old thy ſweet compaſſion,
Thy kindneſſes which all did finde,
And which had a Relation,
To all thy Saints for many a Generation.
I had utterly fainted, if I had not believed to ſee thy goodneſſe in the land of the Living.
Lord! I had fainted utterly
If that my faith had not confirm'd
My drooping heart to know that I,
Should ſee thy goodneſs great enthron'd,
Within the Land of th' living, ever own'd.
Let not the ſins of our proſperity deprive us of the benefit of thy afflictions.
Let not the gilded ſwelling ſins
Of our proſperity be ſhow'n,
To take from us thy ſweet bleſſings,
To take from us moſt wretched ones.
The benefit of thy afflictions.
Let this fiery Tryall conſume the droſſe, which in long peace and plenty wee had contracted.
O let this purging fiery Tryall
Conſume the Canker and the droſs,
Which we (who never uſ'd denyall)
In our long peace and plenty groſs,
Contracted had, not to our gain but loſs.
Though thou continueſt miſeries, yet withdraw not thy grace what is wanting of proſperity, make up in patience, and repentance.
Though thou continueſt miſeries,
Thy grace yet do not Lord withdraw,
What's wanting of proſperities,
Make up in patience and in awe,
As in repentance that we've brake thy Law.
And if thy anger be not yet to be turned away, but thy hand of juſtice muſt be ſtretched out ſtill.
And if thy anger be not yet
For to be turn'd from us away,
But that thou doſt account it fit,
Thy hand of Juſtice ſtill ſhould ſtay,
Stretch out, ſharp puniſhment on us to lay.
Then will I make all the world to ſee, and my very enemies to enjoy the benefit of this Vow and Reſolution of Chriſtian Charity, which I now make unto thee O Lord.
Then will I make the world to ſee,
And all my foes joy with content,
The benefit of my Vow ſo free,
And Chriſtian Charities intent,
Which now to thee (O Lord) from me is ſent.
As I do freely pardon for Chriſts ſake thoſe that have offended me in any kind.
As I do freely now forgive
For Chriſt my worthy Saviours ſake,
All thoſe who any wayes did ſtrive
Me miſerable for to make,
Or yet their malice on me for to ſtake.
So my hand ſhall never be againſt any man to revenge what is paſt, in regard of any particular injury done to me.
So ſhall my hand (which hate doth ſhun)
Ne're lifted be 'gainſt any one,
For to revenge what's paſt and done,
In reference unto what was ſhowne,
Particularly 'gainſt me, or yet my Throne.
We have been mutually puniſhed in our unnaturall diviſions for thy ſake O Lord, and for the love of my Redeemer have I purpoſed this in my heart.
We mutually were puniſhed,
By civill Warres unnaturall,
For thy ſweet ſake (O Lord my Head)
And for's ſake who for me did fall,
This have I purpos'd in my heart to all.
That I will uſe all meanes in the wayes of honeſty and indempnity; which may moſt fully remove all feares, and bury all jealouſies in forgetfulneſs.
That all meanes I will uſe to ſtay
In the bleſt wayes of honeſty,
Indempnity to give, which may
Muſt fully make all feare to f…y,
And in forgetfulneſs …combe jealouſie.
Let thy mercies be towards me and mine, as my reſolutions of Truth and Peace are towards my People.
O let thy mercies be to me
Thy Servant Lord, and unto mine,
As theſe my Reſolutions free,
Of canded Peace and Truth incline,
To thoſe, whom thou didſt unto me deſigne.
Heare my Prayer O Lord, which goeth not out of fained lips.
Bleſſed be God, who hath not turned away my Prayer, nor taken his mercy from me.
O Lord my God my prayer heare,
Which out of lips fain'd go not out
Bleſſed be God, who from my prayer,
H…th never turn'd himſe…f about,
Nor taken his mercy from me ſo to doubt.
O my ſoule, commit thy way to the Lord, truſt in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſſe.
O my poor humble ſeeking ſoule,
Commit thy way to the Lord alone
Truſt in him, who doth all controle,
And then be ſure (as it will be known)
That he ſhall bring to paſs, for what you moane.
But if thou wilt not reſtore me and mine, what am I that I ſhould charge thee fooliſhly?
But if thou (from thy Providence)
Nor me, nor mine wilt not reſtore,
What am I, what preheminence,
Have I a ſilly worm moſt poore,
To charge thee fooliſhly, whom I adore?
Thou, O Lord, haſt given, and thou haſt taken, Bleſſed be thy Name.
Thou, thou O God, omnipotent Lord,
Haſt, given, each thing from thee came,
And thou who ruleſt with a word,
Haſt taken from us wormes the ſame,
Obſerved be! O bleſſed be thy Name!
Let it I beſeech thee be againſt me, and my Fathers houſe; as for theſe ſheepe, what have they done?
O let it Lord (I thee intreat)
Be turn'd from them, on me to light,
And on my Fathers Houſe and Seate,
For as theſe poore ſheepe in right
What have they done? what hurt is in their ſight
Let my ſufferings ſatiate the malice of mine, and thy Churches Enemies.
But let their cruelty never exceed the meaſure of my chaity.
Let theſe my ſufferings ſatiate
The cankered malice of my foe,
And ſuch who thy pure Church do hate.
But let their cruelty never out-goe,
My charity which J would have here flowe.
Baniſh from me all thoughts of revenge, that I may not looſe the reward nor thou the glory of my patience.
Baniſh from me revengfull thoughts,
That ſo I may not with offence.
Loſe the reward which will be brought,
And which to me thou wilt deſpence,
Nor thou the glory of my patience.
As thou giveſt me a heart to forgive them, ſo I beſeech thee forgive what they have done againſt thee and me.
As thou to me doſt give a heart
To pardon, and forgive them free,
So I beſeech thy love impart
Forgivenes to them ſpeedilie,
For what they've done againſt, both thee and me.
And now (O Lord) as thou haſt given me an heart to pray unto thee: ſo heare and accept this vow which I make before thee.
And now (O Lord) as thou haſt gave
Me ſuch a plyant heart to pray,
To thee, who ſolely canſt me ſave,
So hear, and take without delay,
This vow, which I before thee make this day
If thou wilt in mercy remember me and my Kingdoms, in continuing the light of thy Goſpell, and ſettling thy true Religion among us.
If that thou wilt in mercy (Lord)
Think on me, and my Kingdoms too,
Continuing the light of th'word,
And ſettling of Religion true,
Amongſt us all ſo errors to eſcew,
In reſtoring unto us the benefit of the Lawes, and the due execution of juſtice.
And in reſtoring (from thy might)
The benefit to every one,
Of th'fundamentall Laws upright,
With the due execution
Of reall Juſtice, ſeated in her Throane.
In ſuppreſſing the many Schiſmes in Church, and Factions in State.
In weeding, and ſuppreſſing all
The poyſonous Schiſmes which from hate,
Ʋpon the Church in weight do fall,
And ſuddainly to diſcipate,
The Hydra factions of the State,
If thou wilt, reſtore me and mine to the ancient Rights, and Glory of my Predeceſſors.
If that thou wilt Lord me reſtore,
And thoſe who are unto me nigh.
To what we did injoy before,
To th'ancient Rights, and Majeſty
Of my true Predeceſſors ſeated high,
If thou wilt, turne the hearts of my people to thy ſelfe in Piety, to me in Loyalty, and to one another in Charity.
If thou my peoples hearts will turne,
VntoUnto thy ſelf in pious Love,
And make their loyall zeale to burne
To me their King, and cauſe them move,
To Charity, and onelyonly it to prove.
If thou wilt, quench the flames, and withdraw the fewell of theſe civill Warres.
If that thou wilt extinguiſh quite,
The flames which cauſe ſuch during ſcarrs,
And from thy goodnes infinite
Withdraw our mind for moving jarres,
And the apt fewell of continued Wars.
If thou wilt, bleſſe us with the freedom of publick Counſells, and deliver the honour of Parliaments from the inſolency of the vulgar.
If for to bleſſe us thou'rt content,
With publick Councells to be free,
And keep the power of Parliament
From the inſolence of ſuch, who be
Breakers of Laws, and vulgar in Degree.
If thou wilt, keep me from the great offence of enacting any thing againſt my Conſcience, and eſpecially from conſenting to ſacriligious rapines & ſpoilings of thy Church.
If thou'lt keep me from that great ſinne
Of acting any thing, which I
By conſcience know ſhould not have been
And cheif, not to conſent to fly
To ſpoile thy Church moſt ſacreligiouſly.
If thou wilt, reſtore me to a capacity of doing good, both to the Church and State.
If that thou (Lord) wilt me reſtore
To a capacity, that ſo
I may endeavour more and more
To praiſe thee in the good I'le doe
But to the Church, and State, which now is low.
Then ſhall my ſoul praiſe thee, and magnifie thy name before my people.
Then ſhall my never fainting ſoule,
Praiſe thee thou Lord of glorious might.
Then will I laud without controule
And Magnifie (as it is right)
Thy bleſſed name before my peoples ſight.
Then ſhall thy glory be dearer to me then my Crowne, and the advancement of true religion both in purity and power, be my cheifeſt care.
Then ſhall thy glory be more deare
VntoUnto me, then my Crowns now are,
And true Religion in its feare
As in its purity moſt faire,
For to advance, ſhall be my cheifeſt care.
Then will I rule my people with juſtice, and my Kingdome with Equity.
Then will I rule impartially
My People all as they will finde,
With Juſtice, which ſhall hate defy,
And all my Kingdoms to their minde
With equity, which is with love combinde.
To thy more immediate hand ſhall I ever owne as the rightfull ſucceſſion, to the mercifull reſtauration of my Kingdoms, and the glory of them.
As I'le the true ſucceſſion owne
VntoUnto thy more immediate power.
So the kinde reſtauration
Of theſe my Kingdoms evermore
To thee I yeeld, with all their glorious ſtore,
If thou wilt bring me againe with Peace, Safety, and Honour, to my cheifeſt City, and my Parliament.
If thou wilt bring me from thy pitty
With Peace, with ſafety, and with Fame,
Againe unto my cheifeſt City,
And my true Parliament, whoſe Name
I honour, nor do it deſire to ſhame.
If thou againe wilt put the Sword of juſtice into my hand, to puniſh and protect.
If Lord, thou once wilt put againe
The Sword of Juſtice in my hand
Impartially for to remaine,
To puniſh thoſe who hate Command,
And a Protector for the good to ſtand.
May my People and the Church be happy, if not by me, yet without me.
O may my people ev'ry one,
And thy pure Church (thy beautuous love)
Be happy, let their joy be knowne,
If not by me, yet (God above)
Without me ſinner let them proſp'rous prove.
June 18. 1649.
Imprimatur
IOHN DOWNAME.
FINIS
End of the text · Edward Reynolds, The Divine Penitential Meditations and Vows of His Majesty (1649)