ANDREWES Humble Petition vnto 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.
To the high and mighty King of Kings Reu. 17.14, Prince of Peace Eph. 2.14 Heb. 2.10., Conqueror of death Hos. 13.14, Hell Heb. 2.14 and Sinne Hos. 10.8; the great Iudge of the world Esa. 2.21., and Bishop of my soule Pet. 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 vnto thy most sacred selfe, I here dedicate this Mite (entituled Andrewes Petition) which is the true Copy of my loyallest affection vnto thee. And so often from the bottome of my heart I doe salute thee, as there be Angels in heauen, [Page] 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 loue; and vnto the most blessed and sweet heart of thy own sweet selfe, I do in all dutifull affection assigne my selfe and my dearest loue vnto 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: vnto 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.
An humble Petition vnto Almighty GOD.
ALmighty Gen. 17, [...]. and most mercifull God Psal: 145.9., Father Esa. 63.16: and maker of all men Gen. 5.1., full of pittie and compassion Psa: 103.1., rich vnto all which cal vpon thée for mercy Rom: 10.12., promising to heare my petitions Psa, 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 Luke 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 Psal. 29.23. Pro: 29.23. Pro: 22.4: Iam. 4.6., and vnperfit [Page] Psal. 130, 3 prayers vnto thy diuine Maiesty, beseeching thee for thy Sonne Iesu Christ his sake, to prepare my minde to prayer psal. 119, 26, 27, 33, 34, 124 psal. 143, 10, for I know not how to pray as I should Rom. 8, 16, but thou (O Lord) art ready to answer before I call: And while I pray thou wilt heare Esay 65, 24 Mat. 6, 8 Psal. 145.19 1 pet. 3, 12, and giue me farre more of thy comfortable mercies, to salue and cure my poore wounded soule, then I can eyther aske or desire 1 Cor. 2, 9.
Oh therefore, I that am a miserable and wretched sinner, lift vp my whole heart & hand vnto thee Lam. 3, 41, desiring to come vnto thee O Lord, euen vpon the multitude of thy mercies psalm 5, 7; and with sighs, groanes psalm 38, 9, & teares psalm 142, 3, prostrate my selfe vpon my knees psalm 42, 7, wherewith in my humble psalm 116, 58 Iames 4, 6, and contrite heart psalm 51, 17 I bewayle my sinnes psal. 28, 1, 2, 3 Ioel 1, 14, 19, and openly confesse them vnto thee psalme 32, 1, O [Page] bountifull Iesu, O sweet Sauiour Wisd. 16, 21, O Christ the Sonne of God Mat. 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 Ezech. 18, 28 1 Iohn 1, 9 Luke 15, 21, and my transgressions infinite psal. 40, 15 Manass. prayer: yea, I haue spent the spring and prime of my yeares in the seruitude of my sinnes, which haue Dauid-like feasted vpon beauty 2 Sam. 11, 2, and slept in security Esay 47, 7, vntill mine iniquity was ready to come to maturity Luk. 12, 19, 20. Yet O Iesu, O sweet Sauiour Mark 10, 47, O Christ the Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1, 29, I here beseech thee, and from the tender bowels of my heart psal. 42, 1, 2, 3 psalm 29, 1, 2 psalm 116, 4 entyrely beg of thy most gracious and fatherly hands Iudg. 10, 10 Esay 53, 16 Gal. 4, 5, 6, that according vnto the multitude of thy mercies thou wilt put away all mine offences psalm 51, 1 psalm 145, 9.
And although I beganne to come to thee O Lord my God, for thy comfortable mercies psalm 7, 1, 3 Exod. 15, 3 psalm 18, 1 psalm 99, 8, 9, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] to saue and cure my poore wounded and distressed soule Psa. 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 Psa. 36. Psa. 103.13., & with thy tender eyes of mercy looke back vpon me Psa, 11.5. Psa. 13.3. psa. 14.3., as thou didst on the woman of Canaan Mat: 15.28,, on the poore Publican Lu. 18:13, 14., on Mary Magdalen Luk: 7.44., or on the penitent Théese, which came vnto thee in his last houre Luk, 13:43..
For thou O Lord hast brought mee home from Banishment Heb. 11.13.16, redéemed me from Bondage Gal. 2:4: Gal 5.1.13., withdrawne mee from punishment Esa. 53.3.4., written me vpon thy hands Esa: 49.16., called me in thy name Reu. 14:1.11 Reu. 22.4., and sealed mee with thy owne most precious bloud Reu. 7:3., and withall, thou hast [Page] couenanted Ier. 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 Psal 25.21.22, if I were neuer so weary and heauy laden Mat. 11.28, if they were as red as Scarlet, thou wilt make them as white as snowEsay 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 vnto thée for mercy Esay 49.15.. O therefore, swéet Iesu Wisd. 16.21., I entirely beséech thée, that according vnto thy freée promises Eze. 18.21, 22 Ier. 4.7. Eccl. 27, 22., and according to thy most gracious Couenant Ier. 31.33., thou wilt haue mercy vpon mée, and cast mée not away from thy presence Psal. 5.23., neyther let my long continued sinnes (O Lord) cause thée to hide thy face from mée Iohn 13.26. Psal. 13.1.
[Page]For here I bowe the very knees of my heart vnto thee O God, and kneele Acts 21, 5 psalm 132, 7 before thy presence Eccle. 17.23, all naked Iob 1, 21, blinde 2 pet. 1, 9, wounded Luke 10, 30, poore 1 Tim. 6.7, wretched, and miserable Rom. 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 psalm 41, 5. But sweet Lord haue compassion vpon mee 2 Cor. 1, 21, annoynt my wounds uke 10, 30 with the oyle of thy mercy Luke 10, 34, restore my sight Mat. 20, 23, clothe my nakednesse Iob 1, 21, enrich me that am poore, helpe mee vp that am weake: O bid mee not farewell Mat. 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 psalm 7, 1, 3 psalme 18, 1, I beseech thee be thou also intreated, & binde vp my wounds with the good Samaritane Luke 10, 33, which like botches, blaines, and [Page] putrifying soares Exod. 9, 10, haue many yeares layne rotting & stinking within me.
O helpe mee O Lord 2 Chr. 14, 11 psalm 109, 26 psalm 57, 5 psalm 142, 8, my life Iob 5, 26, 40 Col. 3, 4, lest I perish in my wickednesse psalm 94, 23. Poure in, sweet Iesu Wisd. 16, 21, the oyle of thy mercy Luke 10, 34, and cause the sweet streames of thy pure water of life psalm 36, 9 to flow out of thy cleare and continuall springing fountaine Iohn 4, 14, daily to be poured vpon me psalm 51, 2, 7, that it may bee comfortable to coole the heate of my thirsty psalm 42, 1, 2 and 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 Titus 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 Luke 1 15,. I am thy lost sheep, O [Page] séeke and saue me. And from the bottome of my heart, I cry with the Prophet Dauid, O Lord haue mercy vpon me, and heale my soule, for I haue sinned against thée Mat. 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 Psal. 41.4. Manass. prayer: & as the poore Publicane, I stand a far off Luke 18.13, & dare not lift vp mine eyes to heauen, but smite my breast, crying, O God be mercifull vnto mee a miserable and wretched sinner. And with the woman of Canaan, O Iesu thou son of Dauid, haue mercy on me Mat. 15.22., O Iesu of NazarethMat. 26.71 Mar. 1.24. Mat. 10.40, O fountaine of mercyPsal. 36.9. Acts 7.59., receiue thou my spirit 2 Cor. 3.4. Cant. 2.6., O my life take my soulePsal. 4.4., enter therein, O my ioyProu 2.12., that it may alwaies ioy in thee Lam. 2.29. and giue me an heart to [Page] thinke on thée Mat. 14.21, a minde that may loue thée Eccl. 23, 4 Iohn 14, 6, a soule that may remember thée Psal. 27, 24, and a reason that may alwayes stick fast vnto thée Cant. 1, 6, that then (O Christ) maist dwell in my heart Wisd. 16, 21, and be the very life of my soule Psal. 7, 1, 3, whereby I may beheld the faire beauty of thée O Lord Exod. 15, 2, and make thée my chiefest delight m, my sweet solace n, my Lord God & the very glory of my soule Psal. 62, 7. For thou O Christ art my Sauiour whom I will feare Ecel. 34, 14, my Lord whom I will praise Psal. 35, 18 psal. 69, 30, my God, whom I will worship Deut. 6, 13 Mat. 4, 10, my father whom I wil honor Esay 63, 16 Gal. 4.5, 6, and my spouse, for whom I will kéepe my selfe Mal. 1, 6 Deut. 5, 16: Therefore O swéet Iesu, I beséech thee cancell that great bill of my sinne thou hast against me Ephes. 5, 25: for O Lord my God, I was sicke, and knew it not, had vlcers rūning and felt it not Psal. 99, 8 Exod. 15 2, psal. 18. psal. 7, 1, 2, I was obdurate, [Page] 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 Eccles. 18.10., but (O Lord) I cryed with the sluggard, Yet a little, and then a little Prou. 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 Esay 73.16., open O Lord, thine eyes and see, behold O Lord, how I that euer haue offended theeEzek. 2.3., and neuer till now of late repented, I that haue bin a rebellious child, and seldome times giuen eare vnto thy word, I that haue deferred my repentance from day to day, am now come vnto thee O Lord my God Psal. 18.1., with all humility Prou. 29.23., in my daily meditations [Page] Psal. 1.2. Psal. 88.6., beseeching thee O sweet Iesu Wisd. 15., to be present with mee at the very houre of my departure out of this world, and impart thy sauing health vnto 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 Reu. 20.23., that he exercise not his deuises vpon mee, but giue mee thy whole armour Reu. 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 Ephes. 6.13▪, whom my soule longeth for Mark. 10.47., let me see thee, O light of mine eyes Ps. 42.12.. O come Lord Iesu, come quickely Re. 22.17.21 Iames. 1 17., come Iesus my Sauiour Iohn 1.49., my life Ps. 3.20., & my comfort Iohn 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 2 Cor. 1.3., O thou ioy of [Page] my heart psal. 86.4, my soueraigne delight Psalm 119.11 Cant. 1, 6, and my sweet solace Wisd. 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 vpon me psalm 72, 4, that I may in no wise despayre nor depart from thee, but with exceeding ioy desire thee who hast made me psalm 100.3 Psalm 119, 73, and neuer forsakest them that put their trust and confidence in thee psalm 91, 9, to receiue my spirit psalm 34, 22: for I desire to be dissolued, and to bee with thee O Christ Acts 7, 59, in thy heauenly kingdom with thine elect Angels Mat. 12, 58. & blessed Saints for euer, where thou liuest and raignest euer one GOD, world without end.
Amen.