Hymn XCIIII. For Remission of sin in generall.
[_]
This Hymn is a brief confession of sin, and a prayer
for pardon for the same. And it was prepared, to
assist their devotion who need such helps; and to be
a Remembrancer to those who need them not.
Sing this as the .22. Psalme.
[1]
How many Lord! how foule! how great!
Do my offences grow?
How have I multipli'd the debt,
Which unto Thee I owe?
Though ev'ry day thou dost forgive,
And wipe great Summs away,
Yet, ev'ry day, I do perceive
New Summs, new Scores to pay.
2
A Debt my Parents left on me,
Which (far) my Stock exceeds:
And, though it pardned were by Thee,
Much Trouble, still, it breeds.
For, thence, my flesh occasion takes,
That Fancies to admit;
Which, of those Longings, guiltie makes,
That Active-Sins, beget.
3
And, when a Sin is once begun,
That sin brings others on,
The punishments or shame, to shun,
Which follow'd thereupon:
Till so encreast Offences are,
And, Grace defaced so
That we have neither Shame nor Fear,
Nor sense, of what we do.
4
Lord, that my Sins may never come,
To this accursed height;
And, at the last, exclude me from
Thy Grace, and Favour, quite
I come to Thee (while Time I have,
And Leave, and heart to pray)
Discharge, for all those faults to crave,
Wherein I walke astray.
5
By nature, so unsound, and base,
My State; my Tenures be;
That, for a new estate of Grace,
I, now, petition Thee.
Ev'n that which my Redeemer bought;
And sealed with his Blood.
For though my other Deeds be nought,
This Deed, I know, is good.
6
This Deed I plead; and by this Deed,
Would that Estate renew,
Which through my Deeds, is forfeited,
Vnlesse, Thou Favour shew.
Lord, now, and whensoe're I shall
Plead, what is mention'd now:
With a Release of Errors, all,
My Plea, do thou allow.
7
I guilty am, of many Crimes,
Which I did fore-intend:
And, twenty thousand, Thousand Times,
I heedlesly offend:
But, since my self I do condemn,
And seek my Peace in Thee;
Oh! let compassion cover them,
That, they condemn not me.
8
Blot all my Sins out of the Book,
By my Accusers writ.
Vpon my Follies do not look;
My youthfull Crimes remit.
My publike Faults remember not;
My Secret Failings, hide:
And, let not Mercy be forgot,
Thy Servant, though thou chide.
9
Yea, though small feeling of my Sins,
My Fleshly-Nature hath,
Till she by some event begins
To feel, or fear thy wrath:
Yet, since, in Spirit, I am still
Lamenting for the same,
Impute not unto me that Ill,
For which, I merit blame.
