161. . The Peniient. LIB. J. - A ~~~~ii~i~~aiaiiii~iil .,.~ Ofthe Penitent. HE lmh a ~ounded heart and • fad face;yet notW.much for feare, :tSfo-r unkindnetfe: The wrongofhislinrroubles him more than the da · er: None , bur bee is the b<rrer forhis farrow; neither is any paffion mo::,t\lUrtfull to othtrs, than this is g"ainfull to him; Them" re he fceks to hide hisgriefe, the ldfe it wili be hid;Every man may read it not c'illJII!nhis eyesbur in his bones.Whiles he is in charity with all others,he is fo fallen our with himfelfe,rhar none but God can reconcile him:He bath fued himfelfeinall Courrs,accuferh,arraignerh,fentencerh,pu· nifl1ech himfdfe unpmially, and fooner may find mercy at any hand, than ar his B owne.He onely bath pulled offthe fairevifor oflin;fo as that appeares nor burmafked unto orhm,is feen ofhimbarefac'd;and b<wrayes that fearfullugline!fe,which none can conceivebut he that bathviewed it. Hte bath looktinto tl1e depth ofthe bottomldfe pit, and bath feene his owne offencetormented in others, and the fame br.nds 01akenat him.He bath feemhechange effaces inthatevillone,as a tempter, as atormenter; and bath heard the noife ofa confcience, and isfo frighred with all thefe,that he can never have reft,rill he have ron out ofhimfelfe, to GOd; in whofe face 3t firfr,he finds rigour,butafterwards,fweernetfein his bofome :Hebleeds firll from the hand thatheales him.TheLawofGod bathmadeworkeformercy;which be bath no fooner apprehended, than he forgers his wounds,&lookscareldly upon: all thefe terrors ofguiltinefs.When he cafts his eye backe uponhimfelfihe wonders IV herehewas,andhow be came there;andrants,tbat ifthere Were not fome IV itch- c craft in finne , bee could not have beene o forri01ly graceldfe. And now, in the itfue, Satan finds, (norwithout indignation and repenrance)rhar he bath done him 3 goodturne intempting him : For heehad never beene fo good ifhe had nor finned; he had never fought with fuch cour2ge ifhe had not feec his blood,and b<ene :Uhamed ofhisfoyle: Now he is fcene, and felt in rhefronr ofthefpiriruall barrel!; and can reach others how to fighr,and incourage them in fighting. His heart was never more taken up withthepleafure offinne., .than:nowwirh care of avoyding it : The very fight ofthat cup, wherein fuch a fulfome porion was brought him, rurnes his ftomack:rhe firft offersoflinne make him tremble more now, than he did beforeat the judgements ofhis linne;neirherdares hefo muchas looktowards Sodom.All the powers and crafr ofhell cannot fetch him in for a cuftomerro evil!; his infirmity D may yeddonce,his refalution never. There is none ofhis fenfes orpartS, which he harh nor withincovenants for their ~ood behaviour;which they cannot ever breake with impuniry. The wrongs ofhis m he repaies to menwith reeompence,as hating it fl10uld b<faid, he owes andc thing to his offence ; to God (what in him lies) with fighs, teares, vowes, anden evours ofamendment. No heart is morewaxen tothe imprdlions offorgivenefs; neither are hishands more open-to receive, than togive pardon. All the inJuries which are offered to him, are [wallowed up in his wrongs ro his Maker,and Redeemer;neirher can he call forrhearrer~sofhis f.mhings,when he lookes upon the millions forgiven him; hee feeles not w at he fuffers from men, when bee thinks ofwhat he bathdone,and lhould have fuffi:red. Hee is 3 rhankfull . Herauld ofthe mercies ofhis God;whichifall the worldheare nor from his mouth, iris no faulrofhis: Neither did he fo burne with the evil! fires ofconcupifcence,as E nowwith the holy !lamesofzealeto that glory which bee bath blemilhed; and his eyes are full ofmoifture, as his heart ofhear. The gates ofheavenare not fo knockr at by any futer,whether for frequence,or importunity.You lhall find his cheeksfurrowed,his kne<s hard,his lips foaled up,favewhen he muft accufe himfelfe,orglorifie God,his eyes humbly dcjctted, and fomcrimcs you lhall take him breaking offa fi~h in the midfi;as one that would ficale an humiliation unknowne, and would bee offended with 3ny part that lhould nor keep his counfell. When bee finds his foule "pprdfed with the heavy guilt of a linne, bee gives it vent rborow his mouth, into the
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