The private devotions of the Right Reverend Father in God Lancelot Andrewes. Late Bishop of Winchester.

Confession of sin.

TO thee (O Lord) I confess, for if I would I cannot hide it from thee, that I also am one of the number, for even my life discovereth my guilt.

O Lord,

I am a Sinner, a branch of the wild Olive tree, ari∣sing from the roote of bit∣ternesse, Job 14. 4. For of uncleane seed was I begot∣ten, and in sinne did my mother conceive me, Psal. 51. 1. And I have sinned, I have dealt unjustly, I have done wickedly even in thy presence. Psa. 106. 6. 51. 2.

Impiously have I beha∣ved my selfe in thy Cove∣nant, and have cast off thy

law, 1 King. 8. 34. And reje∣cted thy correction, & op∣pressed thy spirit, and have gon a whoring after mine owne inventions and pro∣ceeded from bad to worse and have not feared thee. Esa. 5. 24. Pro. 15. 3. Esa 63. 10. Ier. 18. 12. Lev. 25. 43. Nor yet returned. Luk. 15. 18.

No, not when I was cal∣led back. Pro. 13. 10.

Not when I was afflicted. Heb. 3. 13.

But have waxed hard. 1 Kings. 16. 33.

And have provoked thee.

And all this thou hast seene. Psa. 9. 33.

And yet hast held thy peace. La. 2. 59. Sam. 49. 21.

O God.

Thou knowest my foo∣lishnesse, and my transgres∣ssions are not hid from thee; I know it also, & my guilt is ever more before me. Ps. 69. 5. Ps. 51. 3. Job. 31. 33. Ps. 141. 4.

And I hide not (ô Lord) Iincline not my heart to such wicked words, as to excuse the accusations of my sinnes.

But against mine owne selfe, I acknowledge mine iniquity and all that is within me, and all my bones say that I have sin∣ned, I have sinned, O Lord against thee. Psa. 32. 5. & 103. 1. & 55. 10. & 106. 6. Dan. 9. 19.

Like a lost sheep I have gon astray, and have been as froward, as an untamed Heifer; nay like a dogg have I returned to my vo∣mit, and like a washt Sow have I wallowed in the mire againe, and rushed in∣to mine owne destruction, like a barbed steed into the battell. Psalme 119. vlt. Ier. 31. 18. Pro. 26. 11. 2 Pet. 2. 10. Ier. 8. 6.

And now (O Lord) all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee, thou know'st Lord my greif be∣cause I have thus sinned a∣gainst thee, that I am be∣come tedious to mine own selfe, because my sorrow

is not greater, that earnest∣ly desire of thee, a contrite heart unspeakable groanes and teares of bloud. Psa. 38. 9. Iob. 7. 20. Psalme. 51. 17. Rom. 8. 26.

And woe is me for my leanesse, for the drynesse of my eyes and the hardnes of my heart. Esa. 24. 16. Ier. 9. 1. Rom. 12. 5. Mar. 9. 25.

Yet Lord, I repent, I re∣pent O Lord, O doe thou help my want of penitence and still more and more bruise thou & rend, prick and smite this heart of mine. Psa. 51. 17. Ioel. 2. 13. Act 1. 2. 37.

Behold O Lord I am an∣gry with my selfe for my foolish unprofittable, nay

hurtfull & dangerous lust. 1 Cor. 7. Ps. 73. 22. Luc. 23. 34. 1 Cor. 6. 8. 1 Tim 6. 9.

Yea I even loath and ab∣horr my selfe, for the ab∣surdity the foolishnesse, the basenesse of it. Iob 42. 6. 2 Thes. 3. 2

All the day long my shame is before mine eyes, and the confusion of face hath covered me. Ex. 5. 12. 13, 17. Psa. 44. 15

Alas, Alas.

That I have no more re∣verenced nor yet feared Ja. 1. 14.

Thy

• Incomprehensible glory
• Awfull presence
• Dreadfull power
• Exquisite Justice
• Amiable goodnesse

How have I been drawn away by mine owne con∣concupiscence that I am become a prey to the devil, to be taken of him at his will. 1 Tim. 2. last.

Behold now therefore O Lord, I adjudge and pro∣fesse my selfe most guilty and worthy of eternall punishment, yea and of all extreamities here in this world also. Gen. 18. 19. Eze. 33. 9. 1 Cor. 11. 31.

Behold me O Lord al∣ready condemned by mine owne Sentence. Tit. 3. 11. Psalme 143. 2.

Behold it, & O good Lord enter not thou into judge∣ment with thy Servant. Tit. 3. 11. Ps. 143. 2. Gen. 30.

20. I acknowledge that I am farre lesse then all, yea e∣ven the least of al thy mer∣cies. Luk. 15. 19.

That I am not worthy to be made one of thy Hyrelings, not the very meanest of them. That I am not worthy of the scrapps that fall from thy Table. Mat. 15. 15. Nor so much as to touch the hem of thy garment. Mat. 9. 21.

And now O Lord hum∣bled under thy mighty hand, I bend my knees un∣to thee and fall prostrate on the earth, on my face. 1 Pet. 5. 6. Eph. 3. 14. Mat. 26. 29.

I stretch forth my hands unto thee, and my soule is

as the land that wanteth water before thee. Psalme 146. 6.

I dare not so much as lift an eye towards heaven but I smite my brest, and from the depth of it doth my soule call and cry out unto thee. Luk. 18. 13. Psal. 35. and 79. 9.

O for thy names sake, for the glory of thy name bee mercifull to my sinne for it is very much, for it is exceeding great, and for thy mercies, thy sweet and tender mercies. psal. 25. 10, 11. Luke 1. 18.

For the greatnesse, the multitude, the vast multi∣tude, the riches, the abun∣dance, the over abundance

of them. ps. 69. 16. 119. 156 and 51. 1. and 130. 4. Eph. 1. 6. 1 Tim. 1. 14. Rom. 5. 20.

Be mercifull O Lord to me a sinner, ô Lord be mer∣full to me the chiefe of all sinners.

O remember and consi∣der what my substance is, that I am but as grasse or the flower of grasse, but flesh & a wind that passeth away and commeth not a∣gaine. Esay 40. 6. Psal. 73. 40. Job 17. 14.

But a worme and rot∣tennesse, but dust and ashes. Gen. 18. 27. psal. 35. 13. Job 4. 19. Gen. 41. 9. prov. 27. 1. Esa. 38. 13.

That I am a stranger and

Pilgrim upon the earth, that I dwell in an house of clay, that my dayes are few and evill, that I am here to day, and not to¦morrow, in the morning and not at night, now and not anon, that I live in a body of sinne and death, in a world of corruption and which is set upon mischief or lyeth in wickednesse. Rom. 6. 6. 1 pet. 1. 4. 1 Jo. 15. 19. psal. 74. 18.

Remember this O Lord and discharge, remitt and forgive mee all those my transgressions, which as a man bearing about me this flesh, and dwelling in such a world, I have committed against thee.

Reprove me not ô Lord in thine anger, neither cha∣sten me in thy displeasure, Psal. 6. 1.

For unto thee I confesse my wickednesse, ô pardon thou the ungodlinesse of my heart, psal. 6. 1. 32. 5, 6. 38. 9.

All my desire ô Lord is before thee, and my groa∣ning is not concealed from thee.

Pitty me therefore accor∣ding to thy great mercie, and according to the mul∣titude of thy compassions doe away all mine offen∣ces, psal. 51 1

Rise ô God and have mercy upon me, for it is time to have mercy on me,

yea the time is come, psal. 102. 13.

For if thou should'st stri∣ctly examine our iniquities ô Lord what man were a∣ble to subsist, psal. 33. 3.

Enter not thou into judgment with thy ser∣vant, for in thy sight no flesh can be righteous, psal. 14. 32.

O Lord, Thou which ca∣mest into the world to save sinners, save mee which am the chiefest of all Sinners, 1 Tim. 1. 15. 24.

Thou which takest away the sinnes of the whole world, be pleased to take away my sins also, 1 Iob. 1. 24.

Thou that camest to re∣deeme that which was lost, Lu. 19. 10. Suffer not that to be lost which thou hast redeemed.

That which was so dear to redeem, suffer not to be lost as a thing of no value.