S. P E T I T I 0N . vpon theLords Prayer. 103 Kane comps f fed me about, my f ns haue ts4en fuch bold on me, that 1 amnotable to loose vp, yea, they are mo m number than the haires ót my head, and my heart hash failed mee. O the dulneife of our feeling, how lhould flay it before vs better than by fuch ex- amples ? If Dauids finnes were moe than his haires , howmany are ours (broke you Surely moe than the fand of the Sea : if they had taken hold ouhan, \hat haue ours done on vs ? If hecould not for them looke vp, how may wee looke dowse? And finally, if his heart began to (hake, how Lord may ours both (hake and quake, if we knew our felues ? Judge men your fe lfe any one that is !were ,if it be not fo, feeing you grauntmeyou dare not compare with Danid. Wounded then are we euen to many deaths, and yet we know it nor. Ponder it with your Life alto what that great feruant ofGod, &ra faith of himfelfe in this cafe. o Ezra. 9. 6. my God, faith he, Iamca,sfonndedand afbamedtalsft vp mm, ewe vnro thee my God, for our iniquities are i icreafed suer our head, and our rrefpa f fes are growen vp ro the heauen, and we cannot Eland before thee, becanfe of our fnne. And Daniell againe, Wee home finned: we bane committed iniquitie:wehaue donmic edly gea , we hew re belled againfs<thee, and departed from thy precepts. See how no words can content him to a epretiehis guilt withal Therefore! ay, when the Scripture chargeth vs with fin, it is no final' flue that wee mull dreame of, but mon[Irous corruption and horrible before the Lord, if wee could fee it all. Yet doth euery one deceiue his owne heart, and being in this moli dreadful' and defperate cafe, feeleth it not, but rhin- keth all is «ell,till even the left houreouertake vs, and then Satanchargeth vs to the full,and we defpaire. But truely if welearne to charge our felues now in the time of health,our burthen (hall not be fo great in the time of licknes : And ther- fore I pray you do it, either bymany times comparing your lines with thefe great Saints of God, or by viewing the commandernents,or by anymeanes whatfoeuer, that may be good and profitable to this effeft. And think with your felues, that ifthefe chofenveirels, notwithltanding fo great graces giuen them, yet groaned under fuch waight of deadly fins, alas what may we do that want many thoufand degrees of their goodneire, faue onely that wefeele not, through adeadnelIe of heart, the burthen of iniquitie that is vppon vs. By their feeling then, iudge what you ought tofeele : by their confeffions, what you fhouldconfelre , and bytheir fhiuering feares,what you may many millions of times more iuflly feare. Thinkealfoof the puni(hment temporall, and of the death eternall, in that fia- erlag lake ofdreadfuli wo, due and Allred to all linnefull creatures for euermore. And fee then if it be notfiveete to heare of remiffion of all this euill. See if this Deidicere, Petition be not thrice needfull to confciences crying, our load is great. O dea- eff facere. ref! God, that would bidvs aske, teach vs, and tell vs, yea, will and command vs every day and home to pray for pardon for iniquitje. For thus doe we fee thy willingnelletogiut, neuer vfing to bidde vs mice , but what thou art reacTie to graunteuen before wee aske. Thus doe wee fee our pardon is ready, and though worthy wee be neuer once to feele any inward ioy, or outward comfort, yet in thy mercie wee fhall find both, by thy graci- ous forgiueneWTe of our firmer. And Lord of mercie make vsthankcfull. k4 The
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