Lord to rule and sway O're all the rest vntill hee fell away By faithlesse disobedience to his Prince From whome hee had his right and euer since Hee prou'd disloyall to the Deitie Hee hath beene heire of nought but miserie But when I had reuiewd this goodly Ball Of Earth and Heau'n with furniture and all Pertaining to 't as my vnhappy Sire Sometimes in Paradise I had desire To know beyond my reach the matter whence This all was made of but my forward sense Was quickly ouertopt for there mine Eye Began at first to see my misery Within these sacred Axioms there I saw A new-found Generation Natures law Earst feign'd was quite abolisht all this frame Was made of nought but nothing for that Name Of God was all in all till Gracious Hee Willing the Creature should a partner bee In his exceeding goodnesse spake the word The earth and Heau'ns were made and all accord To do his will who wills what ere hee lists And when Hee wills ther 's nothing that resists For Hee is Lord of all and all within This Vniuerse hath nothing but from Him For all was nothing till it pleasd him say Let it be so and should Hee take away His face a while behold this goodly frame Would turne into that nothing whence it came And silly wretch There began to view My Nakednesse which made me sad to rue My poore estate that durst not write one Line To tell the world that this or this was mine For I was not mine owne but at his will Who gaue mee all I had besides mine ill And this my Parents gaue when earst their eyes Were op't as mine to see their miseries A cursed gift alas but yet t was all Poore Soules they had after their haplesse fall For soone as they had trespast on that Tree Which God forbad them touch their simple fee In Paradise was lost their former state Was voyded quite both Adam and his Mate Were tumbled out at dores and all they had Was ta'ne away onely they kept the bad And thi 's that cursed portion which they left Vnto their Issues who no sooner reft Of what their Parents had but as in spight They'd vowd to warre against the Lord of might From whom they had their being all in rage They 'gan at once to rush vpon the Stage Tooke vp their Fathers Action laid a plot To make compleat what Adam acted not Successiuely they come each enters in Bedight with various Robes of Scarlet Sin To act their seuerall ills each takes his place The greatest hee that is the least by Grace Here comes a Tyrannizing King and there A flattring Courtier lulls him in the eare Your Maiestie is wise to lop away Such pearching Twigs as these that durst gainesay Your high decrees for bee they good or ill It is enough for Kings to say We will Next enter in the Nobles Dukes and Earles Vicounts and Lords bedeckt with gold and pearles All draw their swords in fury and combine To fight against that One-Eternall-Trine This vomits out such horrid oathes and words As pierce far deeper then a thousand swords That sends an Ambassage an angry frowne To tell the weaker they must needs go downe ' Cause he is rising higher and t were best They murmur not if that they meane to rest Some others that haue got a Treasury By lawlesse meanes Extortion Vsury By bribry or the like and with the same Haue bought themselues an honourable Name Looke vp aloft and scorne to stoop so low As looke on them whom they were wont to know T is high disgrace they thinke to cast an eye Away on such as are in misery And if poore soules for griefe of heart they say The Men are proud t were good they run away For they will haue their tongues that dare to prate So lauishly on Men of their Estate They 'l force them eat their words and what they see They must not say t is ill although it bee If touching them but t is a Mystery Or some high point of their Nobility Thus pride the hatefulst of the rest is fled So high that it begins to take a head Aboue our reach and proudly seemes to call Some heauy Iudgement on this wicked all Scarce these were silent but there came in haste Three roaring Knights Each bragging of the waste That hee had made this tells how hee had spent Some three or foure hundred pounds of rent Per Annum on his whores his hawkes his hounds And thus proclaimes how hee bad sold his grounds The Right his Father left him all to buy A thousand trickes to nourish luxury Another boasts that he had throwne away So much vpon the cardes and diceing play As ere he knew Godliest of them all Bestow in building vp an Hospitall T was I said one did best another I The last would needs bee first in villanie Thus all would haue the Mastery and say T was I that wan the glory of the day Next follow in the Gentry all bedight With armour of vnrighteousnesse to fight Against their Lord and Maker euery Lim Had vow'd it selfe a seruant vnto Sin Then come the vulgar and the rusticke crue With Bills and Staues and Malberts to pursue As earst the wicked Iewes and still they add Some ten times worse vnto the former bad Thus Kings and Nobles all the hatefull traine Meet here at once and take their oaths againe To actuate at full ere they had don Th' vnhappy Scene that Adam had begun Here might you see if that a humane Eye Could tearelesse gaze vpon a Tragedy Fild with such horrid Actions euery part Set forth with new-found euils Satans Art Was eminent in all they plaid so well That euery one could act himselfe to Hell Adam was nothing had he beene but here Amongst this rout it scarsly would appeare That ere he did a fault his lowly lapse Would ne'r beene heard amongst these thunder-claps And should I speake sure t were not much amisse His ill was good in reference to this For he at first it seemes had but a will To know the diffrence twixt the good and ill And sure his aimes in this were good to stray If that he had not sin'd to disobey But when he 'd erred thus his opened eye No sooner saw then saw his misery This was his recompence his knowledge taught Himselfe to know that he was worse then naught But when hee 'd seen his fault I do not doubt His eye againe wept teares to wash it out But these had other aimes their imbred spight Was onely darted ' gainst the Lord of might To pull him downe from Heau'n as if that they Could authorize what e'r they did or say With Who shall vs controll Their wicked will Did aime at nothing else but what was ill Good was a Paradox as strange to them As sin at first to Adam was for when
fall vpon the good and dispossesse Them of their rights fill all with heauinesse But to my selfe againe When carelesse I Had swallowed downe this pleasing miserie Of one vnhappy thought O how my heart VVas strucken straight with a benumming smart Prest with a heauy drowzinesse my sin Had cast such gloomy mists on all within And hereupon O that so light a toy Should seeme to ship-wrack all my former ioy And so o're-whelme my soule with feares that I Should lose my selfe so long in misery A Legion more the most vnlucky shade That euer yet did my poore soule inuade Of thoughts distracted thoughts came rushing in And faine would haue mee desp'rate on in sin Ne'r hope for Goodnesse more ne'r spend my paine For that which was so difficult to gaine Nay more alas O that my shamelesse pen Should dare to whisper out to other men Those priuate conflicts of my soule for feare I should offend the true religious eare For Christians should not once so much as name Such things as these lest some say 't is prophane They drew mee to such dangerous Rocks that I Was put to doubtings of a Deitie Whether I had a God or no that Hee Should seeme to goe so far away from mee In those my greatest deeps O how my sprite Was mazed at this vnaccustom'd fight How was I shaken How was all my man Strook downe with feare Good God! how pale and wan My outward visage was which might bewray The grieuous conflicts of mine inward fray How did I walke disconsolate as one That had no life in him or had alone His life to liue in misery wherein T were better not to bee then to haue been But here deare Christians you whose happier Eyes Are alwayes blest with feeling Theories Of Heau'ns chiefe Goodnesse you that sweetly run These happy paths ne'r clouded from the Sun Condemne mee not I pray you straight that I Beare not a part in that felicitie Which you your selues are in but rather prayse The goodnesse of that God whose Gracious Rayes Hee would in mercy make your eyes to see But in his Iustice hide them now from mee For reasons knowne best to himselfe and who Shall dare gaine-say what pleaseth him to do O bee your selues I pray which if you bee Then am I sure you 'l rather pitty mee With earnest prayers in my behalfe that I May win at length a happy victory After these dreary stormes Oh these are they I neede especially Good Reader pray To helpe mee out and know what now is mine If Iustice please to morrow may bee thine Calmes seldome hold continually and wee Though now in stormes haue yet a hope to see A fairer day Thus may the loftiest eyes Looke for a fall and I may looke to rise And I may looke Alas poore soule how faine Would'st thou bee lifting vp thine eyes againe To see that Light of happinesse that Sun Whose beames ere-while so wondrously begun To glad thy drooping sprites and to expell The dismall clouds of all thy former Hell But O vnhappy wretch how doe I see My gloomy sinnes o're-vaile and shaddow mee What gastly thoughts doe wrest away mine eyes To gad and gaze on thousand vanities And various shows of ill which giue to mee No more content then doth my misery Alas they vex mee ten times more for these Will not so much as let mee seeke for ease Which that enforceth mee to doe but still They vrge mee onwards to some other ill Which seemes as though 't would giue mee ease but when I 'ue also try'd its Remedy Oh then I grieue to see my foolishnesse that I Should bee thus flatterd on in misery For still the more I adde to ill the more I adde of poyson to my festred sore The more I adde to weigh mee downe to Hell And more of paine my conscious soule doth tell That I of force must vndergoe e're I Recouer backe my first felicity Such ease it seemes to fall tow'rds Hell but then Alas how full of teares to rise agen And thus I adde vnto my griefes altho My stupid flesh would faine perswade mee no Oh this is it that kills my soule to see I 'm sicke euen to the death yet not to bee Touch't truely with the sense of it whereby I might in haste goe seeke for remedy With some new kinde of Rhetorick with cryes And teary-words making my weeping eyes My humble intercessors and my groanes To vtter forth more lamentable Tones Then euer yet before which might enforce The Heau'ns and all vnto a new remorce And chiefly to appease the angry frowne Of my Great God whose absence throwes mee downe To all those deepes of misery that I Should so misprize that high benignitie And Riches of his loue which was to mee The very summe of true felicitie As to exchange it for a taste or twaine Of Satans sweets and so to entertaine In stead of him those guests which now possesse My soule with nought but cursed bitternesse And sad desparing-heauy thoughts and these Are all the salues that Satan hath to ease The troubled soule O what a foole was I Thus to beleeue his damned flattery Did I not know enough before how hee Beguild my Parents as hee now doth mee To eate of the forbidden fruite and said That they should bee as Gods ere hee betrayd Their soules into his cruell hands But then Hee threw them downe below the state of men And then hee triumpht in their falls as now He doth in mine But Adam where art thou Or rather where am I Why doe I runne Amongst the trees to hide mee from the Sun I le goe vnto my God againe and there Will neuer cease to call vntill hee heare From out his holy Place and thence come downe To take mee vp and till that angry frowne Bee turn'd to wonted pleasing similes and hee Shall sweetly come againe and show to mee Those endlesse Riches of his loue wich erst Hee 'gan reueale for lo I cannot rest My soule will not bee comforted till I Shall see at full that happy Mystery Of his eternall loue whereof while-ere I had a glimpse O let mee but come there To that high seate of happinesse to see The fulnesse of that true felicitie And in the mid'st of that sweet Theorie O let my body melt away and dye Or let mee dye vnto the flesh that so My soule may ne'r more taste of bodies woe But alwaies bee hereafter thron'd so hie As still enioy that happy Theorie Where is my God so long O where art thou My Light my Life my Happinesse Come now O quickly come and take mee vp for feare I fall into the gastly pit and there Bee none to helpe me vp againe O why Did'st thou in anger take away thine eye So suddenly from mee Thou knew'st full well I needs must fall downe to the pit of hell When thou didst faile to hold
that vntill a fitter time In my next booke from thence shee hies To speake of Humane miseries By Adams fall and how the times Are now corrupted ore with crimes At length shee falls with weeping eyes To treate of mine owne miseries VVhere shee declares how first I fell Away from God and lay in Hell As Prisoner fast till his free Grace Releasd mee from this wofull Case VVherein a large dispute as t were Twixt God and mee shee doth declare My penitence and how I lye As one that hath deseru'd to dye By lawes iust doom but yet depend On His sole Grace Thus doth shee end My former booke and lets me lye To waite for mercies sweet Reply I That had sate neere famous Isis shore The space of twice twelue moones and somewhat more And there had heard those Heauenly Muses sing That vse to solace by that sacred Spring At length I gan recall my selfe and thought What shall I stand and hearken still for nought Sure no I will be doing too altho It cost me deare enough much time and wo Come then VRANIA come thou sacred Mayd And Muse of Heau'n goe onwards in the ayd Of my great God whose sole commanding spright Shall alwayes guide thee in thy wayes aright Goe on I say in his sole strength and sing This dreary Canto to the weeping Spring A Song befitting well the time I meane The Story of that lamentable Scene Which earst my Sauiour acted here whilst He Was yet on earth Come then along with me And beare a part come quickly on I say For lo my passions will no longer stay No sooner can an earthen Caesar dye But Kingdomes flow in weeping Poesy Our dayes are nighted and the heau'ns o're-hung With sable clouds as with compassion wrung Of what we feele and seeming sad to rue Our great missehaps distils a weeping dew To beare vs company while all our eyes Make silent teares to blab our miseryes And this the cause we say of dreary night Our Sunne is set and we haue lost his Light Is 't so indeed And could that King of Kings That Humane-God of whom the Angel brings Such happy Tydings and the noblest Traines Of Heau'ns Musicians warbled out their Straines To solemnize his Birth which then began To preach Saluation to that Miser Man Could He I say be crucified and die Yet Man not melt into an Elegie Obdurate Clay so sweet a Sunne to see And not dissolue but still more hardned bee Ah cursed cruell Iewes where were yoâ— Scribes They could not write What blinded â—h your bribes As were your Watch-men Did you 〈◊〉 their eies For feare they should bewray your villanies By some sad Poem writ with sable Teares Vpon his death Which when the peoples eares Had heard and how you 'd shed his guiltlesse blood They needs would wish their heads a Water-flood To wash his wounds and to bewaile his losse Whom causelesse you thus tortur'd on the Crosse But Tyrants tell how could you gaze on Him With tearelesse eies who suff'red for your sin Had you a heart and could it choose but bleed Or were you men to act so vile a deed As murther Him whose very wounds did weepe To wash those sinnes that wounded you so deepe Or when you 'd don 't I wonder faithlesse Elues With Judas straight you had not hang'd your selues To see your Tragick Action or with speed If yet you liu'd bewail'd that horrid deed In lasting Teares of penitence and all Turne sudden Mourners to his Funerall But t was not so your infidelitie Was fore-decreed from all eternitie You did this not by chance but to fulfill The sacred Scriptures and resistlesse will Of Heau'ns great Lawgiuer who gaue you eies To see and weepe at others miseries But stubborne you peruerting all to ill Did what you could to crosse the Giuers will Blinded your selues and would not see the Light Till forst you were by vnexpected Night To see by opposites As those your kinne Who ryde in Poast the thorough faires of sinne With hood-winkt eyes and dreaming all is well Ne'r thinke on Heau'n vntill they feele a Hell But then too late alas the smarting Rod Doth make them learne a Heauen and a God! Such ill Disciples you whose faithlesse hate Did play so long the wanton till too late Sad Terror taught you Lectures Heau'ns and all Did seeme to checke you this Terrestriall Ball Did quake and tremble that it should sustaine Your selues the Off-spring of that cursed Cain The Temples veyle and very Rockes were rent As toucht with Passion seeming to lament Your deeds and wanting tongue and teares to plaine They brake their stonie hearts for griefe in twaine And glorious Titan Heau'ns all-seeing Eye The sad Spectator of this Tragedy Withdrew it selfe put on its sable weeds Wherewith it doth lament such dismall deeds And all the Creature clad in mourning blacke Did sadly seeme to mutter out it's lacke Meane while a secret terrour did inuade The hearts of all and an vnwonted shade O're-vaild the Earth on suddaine all was Night And reason good the Sunne that gaue you Light You banisht from your Eyes and would not see Though wrapt alas in rags of miserie Hee came to bee your obiect but in vaine Hee had but hate and labour for his paine Iust as his followers now that shew his Light They 're ouercome with hatred and Despight Thus did you entertaine Him with the crosse Whâ— harmelesse suff'red to redeeme your losse Anâ—â—lessed Sauiour thus with pitious Cry Hee seemd to call on his Diuinitie For aydance in that Agony wherein Hee now lay gasping burned with the sin Of mee and all the world vntill at length His God-head gaue Him all sufficient strength Whereby Hee ouercame which done Hee cry'd T is finisht gaue the ghost and thus Hee dy'd Here passionary Eye that dain'st to view My weeping Meeter writ with sable Dew Come beare mee company and let thine Eie Afford me Inke to write his Elegie Come weepe by Art make euery teare a verse The saddest now that euer hung on hearse And solitary Muses bring your Traines Of skilfull'st Mourners to intrust my braines With most Patheticke tenors that my pen May Eccho sorrow through the world agen And skilfull passions come assist mee now With sorrowes sad Materials shew me how To frame a sable Monument for Him Who payd his life a ransome for my Sin Come weeping Mourners Muses Passions all Come solemnize with mee his Funerall His funerall alas where am I led To seeke the liuing thus amongst the Dead What Maries passion hath possest my braine To hurry me thus vp and downe in vaine To seeke his graue I 'm quite out of the way I haue none Angell tells mee where he lay Or if I had what Marble Monument Can reach so high as bee his Continent Or were that Virgin sepulcher wherein His Virgin body lay so free from sin Before
mine Eye yet sure my mazed wit Could neuer frame an Epitaph to fit That sacred Monument for if that I Should write as vsuall Here He lyes I ly For Hee is Risen and I 'm sure is gone To sit vpon his euerlasting Throne In highest Heauens where Saints and Angels sing All Glory Honour Power to Him as King And surely Hee is worthy But mine Eye Presumes too farre in soaring vp so high As pry into the Heau'ns and there to looke On him that opens that seu'n-sealed booke I am not Iohn nor haue I Moses face Thus to presume ascend that holy place To gaze on God Alas I 'm quite awry To seeke his Tombe or write his Elegie Ne'r Poet yet presum'd to cast a verse Vpon his graue and shall I bee peruerse Did they refraine for feare they should bespot His vndefilednesse with Inky blot Of natures braine which cannot reach so hie As feigne a Graue aboue Heau'ns Canopie Where nothing is corrupt And shall my braine Presume to feigne Him backe on Earth againe To bury Him with Man as though that Hee Might see corruption as wee sinners see Oh no I may not Art and natures Eye Stand quite amaz'd at this great Mysterie Which faith alone conceaues my feebled sense Doth want alas the high intelligence Of Heau'ns pure Substances which might endite A higher straine by far then Humans write And here I want an Angels hallowed quill To bee my Pen and then I want to fill That sacred Pen in stead of stayny Inke Those Christall Nectars which the Blessed drinke The purest drops of that e're-liuing Fount Which issues from the Holy Holy Mount Of God and of the Lambe that so my Pen Soaring aloft aboue the eyes of Men Might Touch his Tombe and write an Elegie Beyond the limits of Mortalitie All these I want and here I fayle in all Foole that I was to name his Funerall But pardon Sauiour pardon here I craue That thus I err'd in seeking out thy graue I did it not to erre but t was to show My loue vnfain'd to Thee to whom I owe My selfe and all I haue and sure mine eine Had they but seen that sacred Tombe of thine Would thought them blest to weepe ere they we 're dry Thereon to write with teares thine Elegie Might these my teares as Maries shew to Thee I lou'd thee much that didst so much for mee Somewhat I faine would do thee e're I dye That I might part with thee in misery Who partst with mee in blisses but t is vaine I must receiue yet cannot pay againe Without thy help and then my pay shall bee None other but the same I had of Thee And thus thy fauours haue o'recome mee quite I know not what to say or what to write Thy graue I may not seeke or fly so hie To blot thy purenesse with my Poesie The Heau'ns thy Monument the blessed Traines Of Saints and Angels stead of mourning straines Proclaime thy triumphs in their sacred layes Where euery pious period Ecchoes prayse Which sweetly seemes to lull Heau'ns soules asleepe And steales away their teares they cannot weepe A fit Consort so high an Harmonie Or none should dare proclaime thy victory And Blessed Iesus let this soule of mine Though now in flesh imprison'd yet in fine 〈◊〉 with these blessed Quiristers and sing All honour glory to my God and King Meane while I craue although my feeble Eie May not stand gazing at thy Deitie Yet teach it see thy passions teach it see The wondrous things which thou hast done for me Say but the word and this my worthlesse pen Shall tell such wonders to the eares of men When it reports thy fauours that thy Glory Shall bee far greatned by my Infant Story For who am I alas my childish braine Hath nothing in it selfe but what is vaine How dare I speake or write my mouth and quill Are both alike bee inked ore with ill My very thoughts are euill all my man Corrupted is I neither will nor can The thing that 's good and yet by Thee I will This very good I doe and cannot ill Here show thy power lest now I haue begun I faile before the halfe my worke bee don Call me as earst thy Samuel from his sleepe And as thy Dauid from his flocke of sheepe To sing thy prayses Let my Poesy Be as the words of weeping Jeremy To pierce the stoniest heart and to inuite The dullest Eares attention when I write Thy Spirit bee my Vrania to distill Such sacred Measures into this my quill That euery line it writes may reach a straine Beyond the high conceits of Natures braine To shew from whence it came and then my Layes Shall still bee Ecchoes of my Makers Praise And when our brauest Poets chance to see The vertue of Diuiner Poesie They 'le change their Tenors all and glory most To bee the Pen-man of the Holy Ghost And now in briefe I le shew if ought I can The many fauours thou hast done for Man But chiefly those thy fauours since his Fall Nor mine nor Moses pen can vtter All When first my Speculations fled so hie With Eyes of faith to see thy Deitie My reason was o'recome and I amaz'd Was forst to seek the thing at which I gaz'd I seekt and saw 't but all I saw alas Was this there was a God but what Hee was I could not see vnlesse by Opposite And so Hee was a Beeing Infinite Because not finite for His Excellence Doth farre transcend our weake Intelligencâ— I saw well what Hee was not for I 'm sure Hee was not ought dependent or impure As wretched Humans wee Hee was not ought That felt our passions or with curious thought Was euer vext for want for all was His Who gaue to all their beeing and their blisse In briefe Hee was not any thing that can Bee properly attributed to Man Or to Inferiors which might ought imply An imperfection or dependency These Negatiues I saw but here I stay I could not see th' Affirmatiues to say To say that this or this Hee was lest hapy I Should seem to lessen much his Deitie By these â—y weake assertions But at length It pleas'd this God of 's goodnes giue mee strength To finde him out as good Hee 'l not deny To those that seeke him in sincerity Hee wills mee search the Scriptures ouerlook The secret volumes of that sacred Booke Wherein most Gracious He vouchsafes to show As much as Humans ought or need to know Concerning Him till his Eternall Grace Immortals vs to see Him face to face And thither then I went where soon as I Had entred in and with a mazed Ey Had lookt on Moses writ my feeble sense Was quite o'recome at his Omnipotence For there I saw how first Hee did begin To make the spacious Heauens and earth wherein Hee placed Man as
is gone away but then I looke behinde mee faine I 'de out agen From this my dismall Labyrinth wherein I now am wandring on from sinne to sinne But when I turne me backward there alas I see the way so straite I cannot passe I looke besides me then turne all about But still I 'm clogg'd I see and cannot out Here comes the World to meet me in the way And calls me foole that thus I 'd seeme to stray From out her paths quoth she Y' are quite vndone To seeke for goodnesse would you be my sonne Or haue preferment Goâ— you are vnwise To make a conscience or to be precise I le teach you better learning get you skill To flatter well and doe what e'r is ill Or to be plaine ne'r looke me in the face If that you wander after new-come Grace Then comes the flesh and offers to mine eye A thousand sweets and who is 't would deny Such goodly proffers which I must not haue If I le not backe againe and be made slaue To sinne and wickednesse but if I will I shall haue freely all the goods of ill Then Satan comes my grandest enemy To draw me backe againe to vanity By his bewitching spelles he slyly lookes Into my thoughts and then he baites his hookes With what most likes me but he represents Mine eyes at first with thousand discontents That lye in goodnesse straites he makes me see The fearefull image of my misery Assoone as e'r I enter loe my heart Begins to beate my wounds begin to smart And new-felt tortures touch me to the quicke Thus goodnesse giues me eyes to see I 'm sicke But if I le further yet in good he telles My labour is in vaine for he hath spelles Will draw me backe againe and then 't were best I goe with him or else I shall not rest One day in quiet Here he 'gins to show The many wants the miseries and wo That follow goodnesse heeles and there I see A thousand other blocks that hinder mee Here wicked thoughts disturbe me there againe I feele the gripings of my new-come paine Here pleasures dainties come inuite mine eyes To gad abroad on thousand vanities I swallow vp her cates but then I finde Though honey to my mouth yet in my minde They seeme as gall and wormewood thus I see I 'm daily eating fruits of Adams tree And thus alas the more I would be good I alwaies see the more I am with-stood But if I le on with Satan all is well There 's nothing hinders then the way to hell Is wondrous pleasing first he shewes to me There 's neither want nor wo nor miserie Within his Paradise the path is faire The walkes delightsome and so sweet an aire As heart can wish for pleasures doe attend The walkers all along euen to the end I heedlesse enter in and giue consent To goe into my quondam prisonment A prisonment oh no I run at will I haue a thousand wayes to walke in ill Where 's earst I had but one in good and now I run about and liue I care not how I 'm senselesse of my former ills and here I can offend yet neuer need to feare Sinne where or what I will me thinks I feele No more then though my heart were made of steele Mine enemies and I am friends for they Companion me along in all my way Whilest I am straying thus but if I turne Aside to good my heart begins to burne And they are vexing me I feele againe The sad reuiuals of my former paine Sure then said I He that would needs be good Shall neuer keepe himselfe in merry mood As this world goes Then Goodnesse here God b'wy If this be good to liue in misery I le none of you no rather I le be ill If that be so to doe what e'r one will Without controle to run so sweet a race I care not I how farre I goe from Grace And thus I yeeld alas and thus am led As willing captiue downe vnto the dead But here behold when I had quite gi'n o're And strength was gone and I could fight no more When Satan by his Politician-spell Had bound me fast vnto the Iawes of Hell As in a slumber straight me thinks I heare A liuing Trumpet rounds me in the eare With Silly man awake Lo I am He That out of nothing first created thee Euen like my selfe in holinesse but thou Hast sought out new inuentions car'st not how Thou disobey'st my voyce thy foolish eie Hath wander'd after nought but vanitie Euen from thy Youth yet nothing is amisse Thou think'st because thou hast a seeming blisse Fondling thou art deceiu'd thy feeble sense May haply soothe thee seeming to dispense With these thy errors but my purer eie Both sees thy hidden sinnes and miserie Vp drowzie Soule awake hast thou forgot Whence thou hadst being as thou hadst it not Where are thy quondam speculations Where Is now that eagle-Eagle-eye of faith while're That gaz'd vpon the Sunne and climb'd so hie The steepy mountaines of Heau'ns canopie To apprehend a God Come let me see Whether thy bastard eyes can gaze on me 'T was I that tooke thee from thy Mothers wombe And euer since preseru'd thee from thy tombe Where thou wast often falling and 't was I That guided thee with my ne'r-sleeping eie Of Prouidence but thou like Horse or Mule Didst alwaies make vagaries from my Rule Till I was glad restraine thee by my Bit Affliction that which taught Manasses wit 'T was I that fed thee with my choisest meate With purest milke with finest of the wheate For these and all are mine yea euery day Can tell my fauours euery night can say 'T was I that did sustaine thee and 't was I That haue been with thee from thine infancie With many feeling comforts which did tell While thou wast in my fauour all was well Then all indeed was well but now I see Thou playst the truant run'st away from me As wanton Asses vse their Dams when they Haue suckt their fill they kick and run away Goe Wanton goe keepe on thy foolish race Till thou hast run thy selfe quite out of Grace As others out of breath I giue thee leaue To see how well thou canst thy selfe deceiue As when the tender Mother steps aside And lets her infant goe without a guide It straggles in and out vntill it falles And breakes a shin or brow but then it calles Good mother come and helpe and she must run Or else the weeping infant is vndone So haue I dealt with thee I left thee go To seeke thy will to wander to and fro In this thy maze of vanitie till thou Hadst done more harme then broken shin or brow Thy falles were greater farre for euery one Did shew thou wast a Rebell not a Sonne Yet as a Father I with pittying hand Did often raise thee vp againe to stand But thou more childish still euen
shades may bid adue While his sweet rayes come vsh'ring in the day Or run as Iohn before to make the way And here great Lord come raise mee vp so high According to thy word that now mine eie May soare vp to thy Mercy-seate and there As Heau'ns pure eyes fixt in a holier Spheare Bee freed from all corruptions taint while I Go bathe my soule in that sweet Theorie Of thine eternall loue and when I see Those high prerogatiues I haue by thee How thou hast made mee free from death from sin From hell and all those miseries wherein I now lye plung'd and those whereto I tend As of my selfe and lesse thy Grace descend And quickly come and take mee vp alas I needs must fall and when it comes to passe That thy sweet Comforter shall come and tell To my sad soule againe that all is well VVith mee and when I feele thy quickning Sprite That harbenger and pledge of true delight Beare witnesse vnto mine that I am made Free man of Grace whereof I 'ue but a shade Whiles here on earth but shall hereafter haue The very substance much as I can craue Or shall know how to wish as earst to me Thou didst declare in that sweet mysterie Of thy great loue then shall my tongue and pen Be wholly votaries to thee and then My sad Vrania whose now weeping eies Are quite worne out with plainings teares and cries When she but apprehends those gladsome raies Shall metamorphose all her notes to praise And I myselfe with all I haue will be As one that 's wholly consecrate to thee Who am alone redeem'd by thee Oh then Here come my God here quickly come agen And take me vp here let me sweetly heare Those heau'nly tunes againe which did while-ere Giue such reuiuals to my soule that I Was almost past my Sea of miserie Ne'r to be plung'd in it againe if thou Hadst not so suddenly with-drawne the brow Of that sweet Sun-shine of thy Grace whereby I 'gan to see the blessed libertie Of those who are the sonnes of God But come Great Maker now and what thou hast begun In me thy creature perfit vp that so When after-ages shall both see and know How kindly thou hast dealt with me they may Appeale to thee in like extremes and pray To thee alone for helpe seeing that I Dauids poore man did humbly call and crie To thee and was deliuer'd for if he Were heard they 'le say then doubtlesse so shall we What wilt thou more This is the time and place As earst I said thou seest I want thy Grace So much poore soule as scarce I 'm able call To thee for Grace and if thou 'lt let me fall Alas I 'm ready to consent altho It be my thraldome to eternall woe Ne'r thence to be redeem'd againe nay more Alas I cannot chuse but fall so poore And weake a wretch am I that faine if I Might haue my will 〈◊〉 decreed to die I 'd seeke out opportunities wherein I would enact sâ—me higâ—â—vnhallowed sin That might exclude not quite from thee alas Such are the deeds my selfe would being to passe And none but such and then how canst thou haue A fitter opportunitie to saue Then now thou hast in me Was euer man Brought neerer yet to hell then now I am That want but one vnhappie step Oh no There 's none can fall to greater deepes of woe Vnlesse he fall to hell it selfe for I Am the next step so full of miserie As quite ore-come with it or one whose sense Is dull'd with its exceeding violence That so I cannot feele my selfe vnlesse It be like him that 's in a drowzinesse Or some vnhappie Lethargie whereby He dully feeles but knowes not how to crie Or plaine himselfe or call for helpe and sure This dangerous sicknesse is beyond the cure Of humans best preseruatiues which can At most but reach vnto the outward man To ease or comfort that awhile but when Those heauie pangs oppresse the soule O then All these are vaine for what were it if I Should liue in body whiles in soule I die Alas this were the life of death when that Which is my bodies life is dead But what What doe I meane Why is my troubled sprite Distracted thus Can griefe be infinite Which rises from that inward sight of sin Whereby we waile that wofull â—ase wherein We see our selues by nature and whereby We learne betimes to climbe so humbly hie As wholly to forsake our selues and cast Our hopes alone on thee who onely hast The treasures of eternall life Sure no This is that happie path by which we goe Into the way of sauing 〈◊〉 and this Is that sweet mâ—lium to our future bliâ— Through which indeed we must before we may Approach those 〈◊〉 of eternall day Here then deare God here will I humbly waite With lowly confidence in this my straite A straite more great then Dauids was when hee Did earst betake himselfe alone to thee Because thy mercies were so great and here Because thy mercies also are full neere In mid'st of humanes greatest deepes that hence We might obserue 't is thy Omnipotence And Goodnesse onely that relieues when wee Are ready to despaire because we see Nought else but death within our selues and how There 's nought beside can doe vs good that thou May'st be made all in all because I say Thou art so good here will I humbly stay Vntill thy mercies raise me vp euen here Confounded in my plaints without a teare To tell my further griefes to verifie That sorrow in extremes is alwaies drie Here will I lay me downe here will I stay Alas because I haue no more to say For lo I 'm dead in sinne and griefe Oh then Here let thy goodnesse shew it selfe my Pen And Muse can speake no more till thou descend And teach them more needs must I make an end And thus in deepes of this my silent griefe I humbly waite for answer of reliefe Here laying downe my selfe much like a man That 's carelesse growne I sleepingly began To drowzie out my dayes not caring how I plai'd the Prodigall with time for now Said I Sure I can doe no more mine eies Are wearied with my teares my sighes and cries Haue quite ore-whelm'd my feeble soule and I Am plunged in so deepe a miserie That now I know not what to doe alas For who am I My pilgrim-daies doe passe Away as shades and still the more I haue Of life the more I doe approach my graue All this I see aye me and more then this That very cloud that hinders all my blisse My sinnes doe still increase on me yâ—â— they Will haue no interruptions though my day Be clouded ere so much they will not cease To vex my soule nor let me liue in peace Alas and these distract me quite while I Haue not
faithfull seruant to be commanded in the Lord Iesus Samuel Austin From my Study in Exetâ—r Colledge in Oxford this 11. of Aprill being the day of our Sauiours Passion 1628. TO THE CHRISTIAN READERS Good Readers FOr I write onely to you that haue or at least desire earnestly to haue a part in that glory which is already in part and shall shortly be fully reuealed I haue here presented you with a birth as farre I suppose beyond your expectations as it seemes beyond the abilities of my younger yeeres but howsoeuer I shall intreate your kind acceptance of it and craue you all to foster it vp in your owne bosomes for I dare warrant you in the Lord that if you but saue it from death by your fauourable warmings it shall liue to giue you all wished thankefulnesse If I should but tell you of those fearefull conflicts I had in my trauell of it and my many grieuous cares in nursing it hitherto you would surely say it were an inhumane impiety presently to stifle it Pray peruse it well and I hope I shall not need much to speake for it it hath teares enough of it selfe to enforce your pity and is of so good a nature you cannot well chuse but foster it If you imagine it is too faire to bee mine I shall not be so presumingly proud on selfe-abilitie as quite to denie you for I must confesse indeed I haue had such large experience of mine owne infirmities in the trauell hereof that I can attribute nothing vnto my selfe but the imperfections herein and the glory of an instrument onely in producing its better parts I haue been indeed as a common Father as they say in bringing forth the matter but the forme life and soule of it was from God alone the Father of life to whose sole guiding and blessed aydance I must alwaies thankfully ascribe these my better performances When I began this worke I intended onely to treate of our Sauiours Passion but I was so led away by that all-ruling Spirit of my God that I ceased quickly from being mine owne man in it and brought this to passe which now you see according to the good hand of my God vpon me both beyond mine owne aimes and naturall abilities And now deare Christian friends I humbly beseech you in the Lord for your faithfull perusall of it and may the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory giue vnto you the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstandings being enlightened ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of his inheritance in the Saints Yours euer in the Lord Iesus S. A. From my Study the 11. of Aprill 1628. My Muse to my Censurers YOu that are troubled with the Dog-disease Pray reade me o're then censure what you please Vrania To that famous Nursery of Learning and Religion my Mother Exeter Colledge in Oxford all happinesse GReat Mother of the Muses thou whose fame Hath long time been more glorious by the Name Of thy Learn'd Rector let I humbly pray A worthlesse sonne of thine haue leaue to stray Abroad with his poore Muse a while to sing A timely welcome to the weeping Spring Let other Muses that deriue their birth From forraine Springs or from some baser earth Enslaue their wits to toyes of Loue but wee Must be Diuine that take our births from thee My Muse shall sing of Heau'n and in thy prayse Great 〈◊〉 shall scorne the momentarie bayes Of perishing mans applause which dies away Wâ—â—h those that giue 't but she shall sing a Lay Whâ—â—e Heau'n-borne wings shall raise thy Name so hie 〈…〉 it liue euen through eternitie The vnworthiest of thy sonnes S. A. TO MY EVER HONOVRED FRIENDS THOSE MOST REFINED Wits and fauorers of most exquisite learning Mr. M. Drayton Mr. Will. Browne and my ingenious Kinsman Mr. Andrew Pollexsen all knowne vnto me and to the rest vnknowne the Poets of these times S. A. wisheth the accomplishment of all true happinesse Austins aduertisement MY Noblest Friends you that deriue your birth From some thing that 's more excellent then earth From some sweet influence or some Deitie That liues aboue the base capacitie Of ignorant Spheares those rude vntutor'd braines That neuer trauell'd farther then their Plaines To learne of ought but Heards and Flocks or how They might dispose a Cart or guide a Plow To you alone I write what I of late Haue scene and heard the lamentable state Of these our latter iron times and hence It is I speake from sad experience The matter 's this Occasion did inuite Me hence of late to take a Summers-sight Of our farre-famouz'd London where when I Was come I tooke an opportunitie For venting of these plaints of mine which here My Vran ' hath brought forth with many a teare And speakelesse pang of griefe with losse of time Most precious to my soule O that a rime So poore as this should cost so deare but lo When I would faine haue let these waters flow Abroad vnto my Countrimen I went To see how well our Stationers were bent To further me herein but they reply Sure 't will not take for 't is Diuinitie Poems diuine are nothing worth but if I had portray'd a pretty Sea of griefe For some lost Mistresse or compos ' a toy Of loue in verse this would haue been a Boy Worth the conception each would take it vp And play with it or had I but a cup Of strong-breath'd Satyres mixt with spleene gall And could but powre it handsomely to fall Vpon some high-mans head Oh this would take Eu'n like Tobacco each Barbours shop would make A sale of it or had I but the time Neately to weaue some loose-lasciuious rime Stuft with conceits of wantonnesse Oh then I had been call'd one of the Wits for men Must haue their humours now they say but this Is quite against them euery one will hisse It off the Stage And is it so thought I Why then 't is time for our Diuinitie To stirre her selfe and speake in Verse if she Can ought perswade O what a miserie Is like to fall vpon this age when men Shall so forget themselues as turne agen To their first veines of childishnesse and will Giue any price to buy each toy of ill But will not giue a straw for good altho It be to saue their very soules What wo And horror 's this when men grow desperate To buy damnation at so deare a rate To pay a price for hell but will not giue A pin for heau'n O that my soule should liue To see such drearie dayes as these But now Since things are so what shall I say or vow Or doe to make them otherwise Why sure Great friends my present suit 's to you whose pure And heau'nly essences doe plainely say You are Diuine let me presume to pray And challenge you on all those bonds
away To pleasure Satan and to disobey My high behests Goe faithlesse Steward hence Let him that was thy Master recompence Thy wicked labours Get thee from my sight Into that prison of eternall night VVhere 's nothing else but howlings feares and cryes The Guarduants of expresselesse miseries The bitter fruits of sinne the recompence Of those that weigh their pleasures by the sense And here 's the freedome which thou needs wouldst haue To be in hell an euerlasting slaue And where are now thy feigned friends Oh see If euer they will any thing for thee To doe thee good now let them shew their skill Sure all their good is nothing else but ill For all they will is ill and all they can Is this to worke the ouerthrow of man And herein they will doe their best for thee But goodnesse hath its being all from me These are their comforts these their best reliefeâ— They 'll daily giue additions to thy griefes First Satan he 'll accuse thee Vanitie Will shew it selfe as hatefull to thine eie As earst 't was pleasing and thy flesh will be As burdens laid on man in miserie All will prooue broken râ—eds to thee or worse They 'll all subscribe to ratifie thy curse Thus Miser hast thou brought thy selfe to Hell Where Iustice doomes thee lastingly to dwell In horrid sadnesse and despairingly To liue a dying life yet neuer dye Here thou deplored whither wilt thou stray For comfort now There 's nothing good will stay To beare thee company no hilles will bee So kinde in these extremes to fall on thee But dismall horrors discontentednesse Despairing-thoughts and gloomy-heauinesse These will attend thee faithfully and these Will doe their vtmost all to doe thee ease But all their vtmost is as if a man Quite froze with cold looking so pale and wan As scarce thou could'st discerne he was aliue Should haue a cup of water to reuiue His so benummed soule and this would be To kill a man away from miserie Or were it so with thee 't were somewhat well Could they but kill thy soule and so thy hell Should be extinguisht presently for then There would be hope of freedome yet agen From those thy tortures But alas I see These are impossibles and cannot be They cannot kill that transcendentall breath Vnlesse it be by an immortall death Which neuer dyes so though they vse their skill And alwaies kill thee yet they 'll neuer kill And whither now O whither wilt thou fly For solace in these deepes of misery All worldly helpes are gone thy feigned friends Prooue now as 't were so many hellish fiends To vexe thy soule Thus mayst thou seeke in vaine For remedies but to increase thy paine And maruell not distressed man to see That thou hast won a hell of misery VVhat couldst thou else expect when thou would'st stray From me who am the true and liuing VVay To sauingâ—health and mad'st so light to change My hallowed Paths to haue the freer range In Satans mazie waies For all is Hell VVheree'r thou go'st away from me to dwell VVith me alone is life and in mine Eie There stands the fulnesse of felicitie VVith endlesse pleasures but from out my sight There are those horrors of eternall night VVhereto thou 'st brought thy selfe and whence I see Thou canst not get away vnlesse by me O thou forsaken whither dost thou run To seeke the shaddowes thus and leaue the Sun Come looke on me thy Light O come arise And see Alas but thou hast lost thine eies And art not able see or rise or goe Vnlesse I say the word It shall be so Then be it so O miserable man Arise and I le be thy Physician Here doe I giue thee life againe and here I render thee those faculties while-ere VVhich thou had'st lost and here I let thee see How mercifull I was to pitie thee But Miser come and let thy weeping eie Reflect awhile vpon that miserie VVhereto thou hadst enthrall'd thy selfe and then Shake off thy dreary teares and come agen To take thy solace in this sweet estate VVhich now I 'ue plac'd thee in to contemplate On all my former fauours and to see Those wondrous things that I haue done for thee Lo here I giue thee leaue to speake and now Thinke well vpon thy quondam wayes and how Thou 'st play'd the Prodigall and spent away Those Talents which I gaue thee to defray Thy duties here on earth and to increase Thy better treasures in this time of peace That when I came to thee thou might'st restore My Graces vp with many thousands more To shew the zealous care thou hadst to pay So good a Creditor Now come and say If thou canst pleade excuse here speake it free I haue demanded come and answer mee But here behold when I had heard the sound Of this reuiuing Trumpet to rebound VVithin the hollow cauerne of mine eares As one distracted with vnwonted feares I suddenly gan wake and from my sleepe I know not how I was inforc'd to weepe As once I well remember on a time VVhen earst I was within that happy Clime VVhereon the beautious brests of Albion stand And therein where great Brutus first did land On this our Ile I meane faire Totnes shore VVhere Riches Load-stone drawes the golden store By Tennes and Hundreds would my Pen could say She is as faire in Vertue as it may She is in VVealth then all would be at peace VVhen vse of vertue got so great increase The Spring before I suckt the sacred ayre VVhere now I liue within Oxonia faire I say I well remember on a night Or rather in the peepe of morning-light VVhen sweet Aurora with her smiling eie Call'd vp the birds with wonted melodie To welcome her and when the morning-bell VVith dolefull tollings newly gan to tell That it was foure it was my happy chance To dreame my selfe into this following Trance Me thought I saw and 't was a fearefull sight Our welcome day that vsually brought light To glad our drowzie hearts I know not how Gan looke on vs with an vnwonted brow Heau'ns vaults me thought were hung so sadly o're VVith gloomy clouds as neuer yet before I 'd seene the like and glorious 〈◊〉 beames Were hid from vs with all those 〈…〉 Which earst we borrowed thence for lo the 〈◊〉 Was dark'ned quite and euery man begâ—n To tremble in his heart and to expect From these sad premisses some sad effect Amongst the rest a secret terror crept Into my drowzy soule and as I slept I know not how but ere this stranger feare Had throughly wak'd my heart I gan to heare A friend of mine proclaime with hideous cryes Come quickly see the Angels in the skyes The Iudgement day is come At which alas My sleepy soule awoke but where I was I could not tell for in a doubtfull maze Twixt feare and ioy I was inforc'd to gaze At
what I newly saw and at the sight I was so highly rauisht with delight That I could scarcely tell beleeue 't 't was so Whether my soule were in the flesh or no. And here me thought I heard the Angels say With fearefull Trumpets Rise and come away To Iudgement all and soone as e'r the sound Was gone abroad me thought this goodly Round Deliuer'd vp the Dead and euery one Were brought immediately before the Throne Of Heau'ns great Law-giuer But when mine eie Had seene alas so great a Maiestie Should be the Iudge said I I 'm quite vndone For lo mine eyes haue seene this mighty Sonne Of Holinesse and now where shall I go That am so full of wickednesse and wo And here alas amidst my hopes and feares My dazled eyes became a flood of teares To weepe at what I saw for when that I Had but a glimmering of his puritie I straight gan hate my selfe for there me thought That in my selfe my selfe was worse then nought But here behold in midst of these extremes I felt such sweet inflowings from the beames Of that e'rliuing Sunne that while mine eie Did mostly weepe at mine owne miserie It gaue me greatest happinesse for then Me thought I had beyond the state of men A new immortall being which I had From Him alone who made my soule so glad Thus while I loos'd my selfe it seem'd to me I was transfigur'd to felicitie VVhere I as Peter in amazednesse Did wish my selfe no greater happinesse Then there to build my biding place and weepe Mine eyes away in that so sweet a sleepe Thus passionary eie I 'ue showne to thee That happy vision which I once did see VVith euery part and circumstance vnlesse I faile in telling of that happinesse VVhich then I had and here indeed mine eie I must confesse can neuer reach so hie VVhile's in the flesh to apprehend aright Th' expreslesse pleasures of so sweet a sight 'T was but a dreame indeed yet such as I Could alwaies wish presented to the eie Of vs forgetfull humanes to awake Our drowzie soules that we might vs betake To higher Theories and when we see That miserable state wherein we bee To fix our eyes on Him whose purer light VVould so possesse vs throwly with delight That in a sacred pride wee 'd scorne to throw Away our eyes on any thing below To set our hearts thereon but highly looke On Him that keepes the euerlasting Booke Where blessed Soules are writ that ere we die We might as 't were shake off mortalitie And clothe vs with new essences and this Would be a new conueyance to our blisse To giue our soules the Heauen which we craue Whilest yet imprison'd in the bodies graue But to returne vnto my former dumpe Wherein I was when I had heard that Trumpe With thundring sound say Miser come and see How well thy humane tongue can answer mee At my demands As in my fearefull dreame Mine eyes brast forth into a weeping streame Of penitentiall teares I could not speake With ought but sighes whose vttrance seem'd to breake My very heart with horror for mine eye No sooner saw but lo my miserie Confronts me straight I saw how I had spent My Talents all away which he had lent To me in vanitie I saw alas How slow to good how forward still I was In following what was ill and here I saw How I had made digressions from his Law In euery point In briefe I saw that I Was now a sinke of all iniquitie I 'd quite forgot his fauours and was gone Away from Him that euerliuing Sun To walke in darkenesse and to goe astray Where e'r the flesh or Satan led the way For I was wholly thrall'd to them and now I 'd seene my selfe alas I knew not how To come into his presence or to speake And yet I must or else my heart will breake I needs must come alas I cannot flye Goe where I will from his all-seeing eye Or if I could yet wheresoe'r I goe There euery thing proclaimes it selfe a foe To my rebellious soule and lo within I 'm tortur'd so with horror of my sin That all the Balmes of Gilead cannot ease The fearefull gripings of my sad disease Where 's now the world Where are those triuiall toyes Call'd Wealth and Honours Or those seeming ioyes The flattring flesh pretends alas I see They all preuaile no more to comfort me Then heauy blowes to ease the aking head Or Papists Aue-Maries for the dead My gifts are natur'd otherwise and I Alas where shall I goe faine would I cry For helpe but all my strayings are in vaine The more I wrest the more I feele my paine And here should some great Mammon-Monarch come With golden Mountaines or with all the summe Of earths best seeming-happinesse whereby Worlds darlings vse to lesse their misery Or driue it quite away yet all to mee Were but as light to him that cannot see Alas what were 't vnto a man that lyes On his extremest bed with turn'd-vp eyes Looking aloofe after that liuing breath Whose sad depart is Herald of his death What were 't I say to throw whole Seas of gold Into his throat this comfort were as cold As what 's most comfortlesse Euen so I see O would men thinke on 't it goes now with mee These by-receits are but as feasting meat To him that hath no stomacke left to eat They make me loath them quite For soone as I Gan but to gaze on heau'ns great Maiesty They ' peare as drugges not worth the sight so foule As farthest off from clensing of a soule That 's so corrupt as mine And here I finde There 's nothing left to ease my grieued minde But solace from aboue the place from whence I first began to haue a quickning sense Of what I am for now I see full well The nature of my soule doth farre excell Ought here beneath and seemes to come more nigh To Heau'ns high God claiming affinitie As 't were with him from whom at first it had Its being perfect good but all its bad Was from its selfe whose first originall Had beeing from its Father Adams fall And now I thinke on 't our Philosophy Seemes here authentick by Diuinity That telles when e'r our acts and passions be There must the matter needs in both agree And where the action is with victory The agent hath the strongest faculty I 'm sure 't is true in this my purer soule I meane in substance though it be so soule By accident may not be wrought vpon By these base agents of corruption Wealth honours or the like too vile a mud To worke on humane soules to doe them good Their matter differs all in all for these Are momentary salues and can but ease A momentary griefe that 's somewhat nie To them in matter and in qualitie As passions of the flesh or discontent Arising from what we call accident The losse
of friends goods or the like which come Indeed from God as sent to call vs home To him and teach vs thence that all beside Himselfe are vanitie and cannot bide Long time with vs. Yet here they also faile Those that lye sole on them for they are fraile Themselues and cannot be a remedy To any one but him that doth apply Them rightly to his griefes as mediums sent From God or else they are a punishment If made as gods as mostly now they be By such as place their sole felicitie In them for so they doe not heale but kill Although they giue vs not a sense of ill Alas they soothe our senses fast asleepe And then as enemies they slyly creepe Vpon the soule which if it stoope so low As homage them they quickly ouerthrow And make it wholly slaue to them and this Is quite indeed to reaue it of the blisse Which earst it had in God and that 's as bad As take away the essence that it had Which gone its beeing else is nought but ill And misery And is not this to kill Alas it is Nay shall I speake more free To be so ill is worse then not to bee Thus wheresoe'r I go or turne mine eie Within these nether vales of vanitie I feele no more of comfort or of hope Then Protestants in Pardons from the Pope They 're meere delusions all or worse they 'd keepe My fainting soule in a perswasiue sleepe That I am well and so I should not fly Vnto the Mercies of eternitie The soueraigne salue of soules from whence alone I must haue solace or I must haue none But here behold when I had throwly seen The miserable state my soule was in By nature and had read with wearied eies The tedious booke of all the vanities Which here I saw on earth for all that I Could see alas was nought but vanity And when I 'd seene that I was quite bereft Of all my good and there was nothing left In me but miserie for lo I saw My horrid doome was past and by the Law I needs must die the death and this within I saw engrauen in my soule by sinne And when I 'd also cast mine eyes about To see those wofull helpes that lay without Satan and faithlesse vanity and these As Iobs vnhappy wife would giue me ease By killing me for all their remedie Was this To curse my God despaire and die I say when I had seene what here I saw I gan repent my frozen heart gan thaw Into a flood of brinish teares that I Had doted earst so much on vanitie For here alas my terrors still increase My sore runnes more and more and will not cease Or day or night My soule is troubled so 'T will not be comforted and I in wo Am hurried in and out so sore opprest With killing griefes and feares I cannot rest I looke within and dye without I see There 's nothing left alas to comfort me But sad despaire Thus wheresoe'r I go From God I wander further still in wo. But courage here my fainting soule for now I bid defiance to the world and vow To prosecute with an eternall 〈◊〉 This miserable All which I of late Esteem'd so much and Satan here farewell And farewell all that leade the wayes to Hell For now alas vnto my griefe I see VVhat miserable comforters yee bee Physicians of no value as those friends Of patient Iob or rather Hellish fiends To vex distressed 〈◊〉 Lo here I fly From offâ—…ll and in my misery I run vnto my God for onely He That out of nothing hast created me Can now againe giue life vnto my smile And make it white as snow though e'r so soule Besides he 's mercifull and well I know Hee lookes vpon the troubled soule below Himselfe hath said it and he cannot lie Although his habitation be on hie He 's present with the humble to enlyue Their deadned soules and sweetly to reuiue The truly contrite heart or were not be Thus gracious as he cannot chuse but be Yet wheresoe'r I go besides I 'm sure Of nought but death for they are all impure Meere vanitie not good but bad as sin Saue as they haue dependency on him VVhat may I doubt of then Suppose I go And he denies his fauour as I know He cannot doe for where he daines to giue His Grace to come he giues the Grace to liue Yet howsoe'r I 'm sure I cannot bee VVorse then I am for here alas I see I am in Hell already and vnlesse He helpe me out there 's nought but glooâ—… Sad thoughts ne'r dying deaths and all that dwell VVithin the limits of a perfect Hell VVill hence be my companions and will be As hellish furies all to torture me Then welcome here ye sweet melodious sounds Of that reuiuing Trumpet whose rebounds VVithin the turning Labâ—inth of mine eares Did earstly so affright my soule with 〈◊〉 And wake'd me from that drowzie sleepe wherein I slumbred earst vpon the bed of sin And welcome here thou sweet celestiall Sprite Thou very God thou euerliuing Light That thus hast quickned me and with thy beames Hast daz'led both mine eyes to weeping streames Of penitentiall teares and made me see My miserable state and now to thee I humbly come againe to be my aide In these my high disputes that when I 'ue said I may finde mercy and my tongue and pen May sing thy mercies to the sonnes of men Thus humbly I appeale vnto thy Throne Of euerlasting Grace from whence alone I seeke for sauing solace and implore For mercy for there is enough in store And here as Esther when she entred in To th'awfull presence of the Persian King On hazzard of her life euen so doe â— Appeale my God and if I die I die O thou great Maker of this goodly frame And all therein at whose dread glorious Name The deuils tremble by whose Word alone This All had beeing and without had none And thou that hast thy seat of Maiestie Beyond the reach of any mortall eie Within the Heau'n of Heau'ns and as a King Of Kings dost sit in glory where each thing Is subiect to thy book and all those traines Of Heau'ns blest Citizens with highest straines Doe warble forth thy prayses and adore That Three-Vnited-Holy which tofore Hath been and is and shall hereafter be From this time forward to eternitie Lo here a wretch that 's summond to appeare Before thy seat of Iudgement there to cleare Himselfe within thy fight if that a soule In rags of humane flesh may dare controle As 't were thy high discourse and shew that hee Hath reason good whence to dispute with Thee See here he comes but lo my dazled eie No sooner saw thy glimmering puritie As shining through a cloud but there I gan To see the spots of miserable man As men by opposites more plainely see
To iudge of them so it went now with me For when I 'd seene thy wondrous Light and then Reflecting on the miseries of men I was confounded straight as earst was he Who when hee 'd seene thy glorious Maiestie Cry'd out I am vndone for here alas I saw with griefe the miserable masse Of mans corruptions all his righteousnesse Was but as clouts of nought but filthinesse Or at the best it vanisheth away As morning-dew in brightest Sun-shine-day And here alas I gan with Iob to cry Lord I am vile and what shall I reply To thee thou Holy One I le lay my hand Vpon my mouth for who is able stand Within thy sight as iust or able say He merits ought for we are all as clay In Potters hands to thee and shall I dare To talke it with my Maker that canst teare Me into thousand pieces and consume With thy iust fury him that durst presume To come into thy fight and thinkes that hee Hath ought to iustifie himselfe with thee For there is none alas though ere so right That can be iustifide within thy sight We all haue sinn'd and by the Law we all Must die the death and be in lasting thrall To Hell and misery and should'st thou throw Vs head-long to that Lake from whence we know There 's no redemption yet we must confesse We haue the reward of our wickednesse And thou art iust But yet O Lord with thee There 's mercy to be found or shouldst thou bee Thus rigrous with vs all there would not one Be left to tell of thy saluation Then here behold a silly piece of clay My miserable selfe a castaway A man oh no a worme or what is worse Inheritor of nought but Adams curse Doom'd by the Law to die left in extremes By World and all things else which float as streames Of water ' way from me or as my friends That loue me for some secondary ends But leaue me in distresse doe humbly now Appeale thy Mercy-seat and here I vow With Iacob I le not leaue thee till I win Thy Blisse a pardon from my death and sin To thee alone I come for onely Hee That made the Law is able make me free And thou which at beginning didst create This corruptible lumpe in pure estate From out of nothing canst againe refine Its drossie sinnes away and make it shine As Heau'ns bright Eie or be as purest Snow Wherewith the tops of Salmon ouerflow And though alas s' vncleane a wretch as I Dares not to scale Heau'ns spotlesse canopy To pleade with thee lest when I should presume To touch thy Mount thou iustly mightst consume Me quite to nought yet let it not offend My Lord if that a humane worme ascend So high as in humilitie to creepe From vale of woe and from the fearefull deepe Wherein he is vnto thy mercy-gate And there lay ope his miserable state Before thy pittying eyes and if my griefe Afford me words wherewith to force reliefe From Mercies hands then poore Humanitie Shall brag that it hath won the victorie Of God himselfe and when our Humanes see What weapons best preuaile to conquer thee They 'le hence make vse of them and learne to flye Beyond the reach of base mortalitie By wings of humblenesse and waying well Th' vnhappy state wherein they needs must dwell As of themselues they 'll all appeale to Thee And all be thine or else they will not bee Thus then I will proceed my miseries Shall be my arguments and my replies In answ'ring shall be alwaies to confesse And grant those sequels of vnrighteousnesse Wherewith thou canst confute me and withall I le tell thee why I could not chuse but fall But pardon Lord what ere my passions speake For griefe will haue its vent or heart must breake First then O Lord I need it not to tell Thou know'st my miserable case so well I am a grieuous sinner and thereby Haue lost the gracious presence of thine Eye Which earst gaue life vnto my soule and now I 'ue lost my life alas I know not how I 'm left as reasonlesse for that great hight Which first gaue beeing to my Reasons sight Is gon away from mee and all that I Haue left is sense to feele my misery Far worse then brutest Animals for they Take pleasure by the sense and though they may Bee sometimes passiue yet at most their paine Is but a death yet such whereby they gaine This happy priuiledge which is to bee Ne'r subiect more to paine and miserie But I alas where-e'r I run or goe Am still the subiect of expreslesse woe No death can doe mee good although my life More bitter bee then can the cruell'st knife That rigâ—rous Fate affords yet when I thinke Vpon that cup of Trembling I must drinke After deaths greatest Tyranny vnlesse Thy mercies pitty mine vnhappinesse It giues new life vnto my griefes and I Am alwayes kild alas but cannot dye And is 't not reason then a man of griefe So low as I should go and seeke reliefe If any to be found and where alas Should sinners go but to the Throne of Grace Where mercy sits as Iudge And should not I In these extremes of sin and misery Appeale to thee my God from whom alone I must haue helpe or else I must haue none I must and will But here thou wilt obiect I went astray from thee and did neglect Thy high and hallowed Lawes committing still The euils of mine owne corrupted will And therefore thou mayst iustly cast away A worthlesse wretch who needs would disobey So Father-like a Master that did giue Me all I had or else I could not liue 'T is true great Lord I must confesse that I Haue brought my selfe to all this misery And thou mayst iustly cast me off but lo Had I not brought my selfe to all this wo By sinning thus what needed I to flye To thee for mercy in my misery When I had none for were I free from sin I then would iustle ' gainst the rig'rous din Of Iustice mouth and pleade with powr's diuine That Paradise by grant of God was mine With all its pertinents to haue and hold From this time forward till I were so old That times Arithmetick would faile to tell The number of my yeeres for all were well Had I not sin'd ah cursed humane pride If man had neuer sin'd hee 'd neuer dy'd Death ne'r had been if that it had not had It's being from a Parent all as bad As it I meane from sinne a thing so ill If we may call 't a thing that 's able kill So many things as shewes its monstrous birth Was not from him who made the Heauens and Earth With all therein for all that e'r he made Were perfect good But when that cursed shade Of humane pride came in to interpose 'Twixt God and vs there suddenly arose
alwayes lurke Vnder the veyles of world and flesh to worke Mans finall ouerthrow VVeâ—t not for thee I had long since alas consumed bee To my first nothing or not halfe so well Been prison'd in the lawes of burning Hell Ne'r to come thence againe But it is thou That didst preserue me and this very now I should fall downe to that despairing Lake Didst thou not raise me vp and alwayes take Especiall care of me Then let it please Thy gracious eye of pity now to ease My gasping soule thinke on the case wherein It lyes thus bodyed as it were with sin Prest with the weight to Hell and cannot flye By reason of its leprous clog so hie As soules vnbodyed may to talke with thee In those pure places where the blessed bee In thine owne sweeter language where is heard Nought but the voyce of ioy but I am bâ—rd So low by sinne that from the dismall deepe Of these my griefes I am enforc'd to weepe This is my natiue language which I haue Within this soile of woe and loathsome caue Wheâ—in I liue and while this soule of mine Lyes pris'ner in this sad vnwholsome Clime Of corruptible flesh and haplesse I Goe soiourne on these vales of vanitie I cannot change my mourning tone vntill Thy mercies put a period to mine ill Come quickly then O Lord come and apply Thy sauing salues vnto my malady Come quickly lest my spirit faile and then I fall into the pit from whence agen Alas there 's no returne and who is it Shall tell thy prayses in th' infernall pit VVhere 's nothing else but horrors howles and cryes Teeths gnashing and the worme that neuer dyes But whither doe I roaue where am I led In passion thus to company the dead By these my fearefull doubtings Can it be That he who hath his sole depends on thee Should perish thus Oh no he builds too hie That builds on thee T is my infirmitie And more alas thou know'st I had not seene Those miserable deepes of griefe wherein I now lie plung'd had it not pleas'd thee wake My deadned sleepy soule and made it ake As now it doth And then how can it stand With iustice that thy pitying mercies hand Should giue a wound or make a soule to smart And then in cruelty againe depart Without applying any thing to ease The tortur'd patient of his new disease But there to leaue him sighing to the aire And bleed afresh with teares vnto despaire Oh no I know thy dealings are not such T is sweet to smart when mercy giues the touch This haue I prou'd already in extremes When outward passions or more inward threanes Did touch mee to the quick for neuer yet I swam in teares vnto thy Mercy-seat But I haue turned back so fully freight With inward solace stead of sorrowes plight That all my griefes were drowned quite and I Haue gladded thus to bee in misery If otherwise alas it then had bin Far better neuer to haue left my sin Or knowne my miseries if when I knew I so were left desparingly to rue This my vnhappy knowledge but from hence I learne to iudge of pleasure by the sense Of paine and so I better know to prize Thy greater mercies by my miseries As sickly patients by their greater griefes Do better learne to prize of their reliefes Or else if thou hadst heald mee presently And I ne'r felt the pangs of misery My soule was in perchance I would not stick To say thou heald'st mee ere that I was sick As thankelesse patients mostly say to these That heale their greatest griefes with greatest ease Thou therefore Lord whose Wisdome all-Diuine Hath order'd all things in so sweet a line Of neuer-iarring harmony that they At euery becke are ready to obey Thy high behests didst wisely preordaine That man should haue a feeling of the paine Himselfe was in by nature ere that hee Should haue that happinesse to come to thee For euer-healing Grace and reason good For if that man had neuer vnderstood That hee was sicke or if hee had not seene Those deepes of misery that hee was in As of himselfe how could hee humbly come With teares of penitence before thy Throne Of euerlasting Grace when senselesse he Ne'r knew so much that hee had need of thee But dreames that all is well with him and why Alas hee thinks there is no Deitie Besides himselfe And then how can hee see So much as a beholdingnesse to thee For any good Where 's true humilitie When Humanes thinke they haue abilitie Themselues to get a perfect happinesse As Heathens did And Papists do no lesse And lo how all was then o'rewhelm'd with night When thou awhile didst but conceale thy Light From Ethnick eyes Where was creation then Alas this was a Paradox to them Where t was imposible that ought could bee Made out of nought and worlds eternitie Which then was held could tell they did not know How e'r 't was possible that they should owe So much to thee that didst create them all To shew thy glory forth And Adams fall Was neuer heard of whence they could not see That wofull night that Hell of miserie Which they were in and so in humblenesse When they had seene the deeps of their distresse As earst Manasses get themselues to thee For mercy But behold this might not bee Thou didst derermine otherwise to show That Light to vs which they did neuer know To wit the wondrous things which thou hast done For vs to whom thou giuest grace to come To thee for grace Lord adde this one increase To these thy fauours that wee neuer cease To sing on earth the mirrors of thy praise Till Heau'ns at last eternalize our Layes And now since thou hast dain'd amongst the rest T'ensure mee thus of that great Interest I haue in thee my God and made mee see My many wants whereby I come to thee VVith thirsty soule as Dauids wearied heart Did to the water-brooks for lo my smart Enforces mee cry out to thee for ease In griefes extremitie and till it please Thy mercy send thy all Redeeming grace To free mee 〈◊〉 this sad-vnhappy case VVherein I aâ—â—nd take away from mee This heauy burden of my miserie The sin that presseth downe the loathsome weight That kills my soule that clouds mee from the light Of thy all-ioying eyes Alas I see There 's nothing here that 's able comfort mee My soule goes mourning all the day as one Impris'ned far from his desired home VVhere 's nought can truly comfort him till hee Hath won the Hauen where hee longs to bee Or rather as that needy Prodigall VVho when hee 'd had his will and lauisht all His portion quite away and pouerty Had pincht him so he was enforst to cry For helpe in his exteremes but there was none That once would giue attendance to his mone Of all his feigned friends although
death from hell I need not feare My debts are paid and all my miserie Is freely ta'ne away from me and I Made Citizen of Grace and shall possesse Ere long the full of changelesse happinesse O welcome newes and faine would I belieue This which I would were true but lo I grieue Because I cannot see so much my sin Doth lie so lumpish on my soule within And presseth downe so sore alas that I Cannot so much as lift my drowzy eie To apprehend this Light O wretched man VVho shall deliuer me All that I can Seemes worse and worse the more I seeme to stand The more I see Satan with all his band Of wicked thoughts so furiously combine To pull me downe that all the strength of mine Cannot so much resist but wretched I Am hurried downe to deeper miserie Thus miserable man with griefe I see Such fearefull tumults rising still in mee That I can neuer rest or long possesse The sweet beholding of my happinesse Sometimes I feele indeed O blessed houre My soule is rauisht by a secret pow'r Descending from aboue whose sweet inspires Doe worke such wonders on my slow desires That I am carried suddenly so high Beyond my selfe beyond mortalitie As scarce mee thinkes I would vouchsafe a thought On any thing below which seemes as nought Not worth the looking on when I compare Its basenesse with the price of what is there Alas t is all as dung for while mine eyes Are busied in those higher Theories Mee thinks I seeme in manner to possesse A part of Heau'ns eternall Blessednesse Which now I am so thirsty for and faine Would haue those sweet assurances againe But lo when I had lifted vp mine eye To apprehend this sacred Mystery Of thine eternall loue and kisse that Sun Of Grace which seem'd thus smilingly to run To lighten mee and by his pow'rfull beames To draw mee out from these my deepe extremes Of sin and misery Lo here I say When I had thought Sure now my wished day Of happines is come and I shall see The sweet beginnings of my life with thee My aduersarie Satan hee that still Hath been th'occasioner of all my ill Sly Serpent as hee is that alwayes lies And lurks to take his opportunities To spoyle man of his happinesse Lo hee That alwayes beares immortall enmity To thee and thine as grieuing much that I Should euer see that happy mystery Of this thy boundlesse loue to mee and then When I had seene to tell to other men Thy wondrous workes that they might also see How good thou art and so appeale to thee In all their deepe extremities whereby Satan must downe for when wee magnifie Thy high and hallowed Name then doth hee know That hee is neerest to his ouerthrow Hee sets on mee a fresh I say for now Hee saw how neere his time was come and how I almost was beyond his reach hee 'gins To summon all the legions of my sins To presse on mee at once and interpose As gloomy clouds that sun which now arose To comfort mee and herewithall I 'gan O see the weakenesse of a sinfull man To droope and drowzie out my time as one That sleepeth out the absence of the Sun In gloomy dayes Mee thought I had no heart To any good But see the damned art Of this deceauer when hee saw that I Was drowzing thus an opportunity Wherein most commonly hee workes his will By drawing man from drowzinesse to ill Hee secretly inuades on mee and there Layes all his wicked stratagems to reare A mutiny within mee where my Sprite Because shee was depriu'd of that sweet light Which was indeed her life did quickly yeeld And then my flesh gan repossesse the field Which done hee represents vnto my will New killing sin vnder the sweetest pill That sense can wish so pleasing to mine eye And taste I could not chuse but take and try The flesh enforced so and Reasons sight Was gone I could not see to take the right New sin said I Oh no the sin was old Only it had put on another mold Seeming farre sweeter then before but loe When eaten t was the very gall of woe Thus doth hee slyly vse to represent Old sin to vs in formes of new content Such as hee knowes will please vs best but when The soule hath eaten it againe Oh then Shee sees with griefe the sin is nothing new But old in all saue in its act and hue And that new-seeming good it had in show In proofe alas is nothing lesse then so Now by the way you troubled soules that be In earnest longings as it were with mee To see that Sun of happinesse euen you That faine would bid this world and all adieu To solace in his light whose vertuous beames Will quickly wipe away all teary streames From off your eyes and rayse you vp so high As ne'r more to bee touch't with misery Bee not dismai'd I pray although you see Those many rubs that crosse and hinder mee In this my way to happinesse but thinke Your selues must haue the like before you drinke Of that pure Well of life Expect that hee Which alwaies deales thus treacherously with mee Doth also watch your wayes and when he spies His fittest time will reare vp mutinies Within you too for lo hee 'l neuer cease To vex vnlesse it bee where all is peace VVith him that is whose soules are all within His owne precincts as willing slaues to sin And ' mongst the rest when wicked thoughts arise That represent you nought but vanities Seeming to please the flesh Oh then take heed Satan is come on you and if with speed You doe not cast them off they will betray The soule into his hands Oh these are they That set on mee so sore these are the pills That doe induce mee to so many ills These interrupt my soule when she would fly Beyond this nether Orbe of vanity To contemplate her God that only can Giue true content vnto the soule of man And these are they O would to God that I Could say herein vnto my selfe I lye VVould sad experience had not made mee know The truth of this to mine abundant wo That slyly steale vpon and doe surprize Those heau'n-bent hearts and vpward looking eyes That would bee votaries to good while they Are Pilgrims here still traueling on the way To their eternall blessednesse the home VVhereto they cannot rest vntill they come And carry them euen quite against their will To straying paths to wander on in ill And when alas the soule shall but digest One little thought of ill yea though the least That make the roome for more so strong is ill The very least is great enough to kill For one ill seldome goes alone but when That gets a hold it brings in other ten As bad or worse then it which being in As wicked theeues they presently begin To
mee vp Alas I knew before how poore and weake I was How full of misery which made mee call As earst I did to thee for helpe when all Were fled away besides and there was none That could relieue mee but thy selfe alone Good God! what didst thou meane in this to show Thy wondrous loue to mee but straight to throw Mee downe againe from sight of it that I Had not the time so much as to apply Least comfort to my soule from thence for lo All that I learned hence was this to know There was indeed a helpe but to my griefe Because I was not able take reliefe Or any ease from thence and sure 't had been For mee farre better that I ne'r had seene Then thus to see and not enioy that Light Which who once sees can neuer take delight In any thing besides or be content Till hee become a happy Possident Of that which hee so sweetly saw But stay Rash foolish wretch what was 't that I did say To thee my God What did I say 't was Thou That thus hast throwne mee downe so low O how My foolishnes bewrayes it selfe 'T was I Euen I my selfe mine owne iniquity My foolish turning ' way from thee my sin That brought me to these deepes I now am in Euen to the gates of death But thou my God Didst often come with thy chastizing rod To call mee home againe and didâ—â—ord The sweet 〈…〉 of thy quickning Woâ—d To heale my â—r'd soule but foolish I Would still bee turning back to vanity The Sun shone on me but alas my sight Did rather chuse to wander in the night Of gloomy sin then â—scend so hiâ— As blesse it selfe with 〈◊〉 sweet Theorie Of this thy wondrous loue to mee But stay Poore foolish man What is 't againe I say Did rather chuse Alâ—s was 't in my choice To apprehend than light or to reioyce In things beyond my reach Foole that I am Could I do this Sure I were more then man But woe is mee Adam vnhappy Son My sinfull power◠〈◊〉 now refrain'd to one And that is bad I haue no Papists will To take the good or to refuse the ill How when or where I please alas I see These high prerogatiues are far from mee I owe more to thy Grace then so for when At any time I take the good Oh then I feele within a sweet dependencie I haue alone on thee and 't is not I My selfe I meane no more but all thy Grace That workes in mee which makes mee thus embrace That which is only good And hence againe I see that tale of merits is so vaine That I must needs confesse my humbled hope Can neuer build so much vpon the Pope That I should e'r expect by doing well Vnlesse by Grace any other Heau'n then Hell I speake but what I feele Now if there bee Some sinfull sonnes of Ade as well as mee That euer truly fâ—lt their hearts Oh then They 'le also know themselues to bee but men And neuer build on selfe deserts whereby They can win nought but hell and misery For all that they can doe is ill vnlesse By Grace and that is no deseruingnesse Because not theirs but Gods from whom alone They haue their goodnesse or if not haue none If they 'le bee more then this sure they must bee The sons of Ade in his integritie And is it so Good God then what am I That I should go along thus heauily And not enioy thy countenance Alas Am I of stone or in my flesh of brasse To vndergoe these heauy stormes to bee So long left to my selfe depriu'd of thee How is 't I fall not downe to hell or how I die not straight in these my sins sure thou Thou hast thy working hand in this though I Perceiue it not with my too fleshie eie For 't is impossible that I should stand Thus long vnlesse thy all protecting hand Did hold mee vp Good God then let mee know As thou art Good and kinde to those that show Their griefes to thee what is the cause that I Should bee thus plung'd in deepest misery Depriu'd of thee so long why didst thou let These Philistims alone till they 'd beset My soule about I meane those poys'nous pills Of wicked thoughts those harbengers of ills That now possesse my drowzie man and thence Do driue ' way all my good and former sense Of thy sweet fauours which were wont to be My greatest helpes in greatest miserie Why is 't said I why sure t is for my sin Yea blessed God but yet there lies within Some other cause or else I pray thee why Dost thou not â—ut me quite away for I Deserue as iustly that as thus to be Vext with a tedious life that wanteth thee But sure thou hast some other aimes I know As earst that man of Patience found altho Mans wisdome sees it not thy workes farre passe Our feeble findings out But yet alas Pitty a wretch come gently daine and show What I my selfe know not which way to know The cause I meane as thou art Good come tell Why is 't I hang so long twixt heau'n and hell Why dost thou hide thy countenance O why Dost thou forsake me thus in miserie Why dost thou leaue mee to my selfe to see What I would doe without depends from thee And how behaue my selfe when I should fight Against that aduersary of the Light The Prince of darknesse that grand enemie Vnto my peace Alas thou needst not try To see what I would doe thou know'st full well What I must doe despaire and so to hell Thus did'st thou try thy seruant Iob but sure Had'st thou not gi'en him vertue to endure Those heauy stormes and held him vp withall By secret Grace hee â—ould not chuse but fall As well as I for hee was man and had Depends alike from thee only in bâ—d I differ ' cause hee was vpright but I A man polluted with iniquitie And yet in this hee could not say that hee Was righteous of himselfe 't was all from thee Euen from thy Grace And should it please thee say That I am cleane and iust why sure I may Be right as hee thus hee and all as I In what is good haue like dependencie On thee out God and there is none that can Bee good himselfe as hee is meerely man But come I to my selfe againe alas This helpes not yet I still am where I was In my old deepes of miserie and thou My Gracious God O would it please thee now At length to manifest thy selfe and show Thy iudgements here to mee that I might know Thy workes past finding out by man and see The reasons of thy dealings thus with mee O Lord how long wilt thou delay how long Shall I continue yet my plaining song Before thy mercies come to mee and I Behold at full that blessed mysterie Of thy sweet Sunne of
in to prey Vpon thy purer parts for thou must be A Temple wholly consecrate to me In holinesse Wherefore I charge you all As subiects to my Pow'r Imperiall Thou Breath of life you vnderstanding parts And thou Inuention searcher out of Arts And Memorie so aged in thy youth The Register of ancient times and truth And Iudgement thou great Vmpier of the â—est VVhich alwaies fiâ—st to censure what is best I charge you strictly all I say and will That you be cleane keepe not one thought of ill VVithin your sacred Chancels but be pure Euen as I am and hence yourselues inure To nought but holy practices that so Thy soule and sense may both together go As two made one and all to sing my praise In sweetest Concords to ensuing daies This being also done I say Come now And prosper on here will I shew thee how Thou shalt obtaine thy wished rest and flye So farre beyond thine owne abilitie As thou wilt wonder at thy selfe to see That height of happinesse thou hast in me Beyond conceite or vtterance Come then My dearest come here will I make thy Pen To speake of mysteries here I le begin To put a period to thy daies of sin Here will I wipe away thy teares and leade Thee forth with Dauid where thy soule shall tread In paths of righteousnesse till thou hast won This sweet assurance that thou art my son Here then returne returne thou thirstie soule To my pure Spring since all the rest are foule And cannot satisfie Here turne againe Where first thou didst begin vnto the maine Of my sole-sauing comforts to my Word I meane that Well indeed which doth afford True Cordials to distressed soules Come here And take thy fill thou needest not to feare Of paying ought take wine and milke and buy Without a piece my freely bounteous eie Lookes not for thy rewards or if it did Alas poore soule thou hast not ought to bid To counteruaile my Grace for sure from thee Comes nothing good but what thou hast from me Goe then I say goe hasten to that Well And Spring of life whose vertue shall expell These sad suspenses from thy heart and shall Instruct thee in the truth and tell thee all That thou so much desir'st onely indeed Thou must beleeue what e'r thy soule shall reade Within this sacred Writ for sure in this Lyes hid the treasurie of life of blisse Which onely true beleeuers find But here I know thou 'lt say Why then 't is ne'r the neere If this condition come betweene for I Am growne so dead in sinne and miserie I cannot stirre one foot to good and whence Should I beleeue so farre beyond my sense That which I cannot comprehend Aye me Faine I 'd beleeue indeed that true to be Whose truth so much concernes my good but O I see no ground alas I should doe so Here stands my miserie my flesh and blood Thinke sure that newes must needs be too-too good Ere to be true as vsuall Prouerbs say That brings me tidings of that happy day VVhich puts a period to mine ills for I Am so bedull'd with tedious miserie That now 't is growne a miracle to see Some pow'rs proue yet so kinde to comfort me Alas poore soule 't is true indeed and yet Here stay thy plaints for here thou must forget Thine owne estate these are thy miseries Indeed as of thy selfe but now thine eies Must soare beyond thy selfe where thou shalt see Thy happinesse consisting all in mee Not in thine owne abilities and this Is it while-ere I said to thee which is Indeed a mysterie that flesh and blood Cannot conceiue that must be vnderstood Onely by my reuealing Sprite And now Come on therefore I know full well that thou Canst nothing doe herein vnlesse it be As hauing thine abilities from me But know in me thou shalt doe all as I Ere-while did say Thus doe I magnifie My selfe in weakenesse thus my pow'r shall be Made knowne the more by thine infirmitie On then I say goe hasten to that Brooke Which runnes so sweetly through my sacred Booke VVhere I will surely be with thee to leade Thee on along till thou hast found that Head And Spring of life where thou wouldst be and when Thy soâ—le hath bath'd therein a while euen then I will begin to make thee see and know Thy boundlesse happinesse in me and show Thee all the treasures of my loue whereby Thou shalt perceiue th' inseparable tye Betwixt thy selfe and me Then shalt thou reade And vnderstand then come and goe with speed About my worke and prosper still and then Scorning as 't were those vanities of men VVhich earst so much ore-sway'd thee thou shalt be Possest with nothing but delight in me Then all shall be at thy content when thou Shalt onely aske and haue the heau'ns shall bow If thou but pray and I my selfe descend To answer thee as thy familiar friend Goe then I say 't is time thou wer 't well on In this thy way See how the vsh'ring Sun Inuites thy haste the Sprite sayes Come away To celebrate this high-made Marriage-day For lo the Lambe is ready come and see How much he lou'd that lost his life for thee And where thou sayst Alas thou hast not pow'r VVhence to beleeue know 't was an happie houre For thee that ere thou knew'st so much for I Ne'r vse to heale the Pharisaicall eie VVhich thinks he sees and yet is blinde but know Since I haue gi'en thee grace to stoope so low As to attribute all to me that now Thou shalt both see and eke beleeue for thou Hast put thy trust in me and since thou hast Be 't to thee as thou wilt thy worst is past And hence know thou hast ouercome in mâ— VVho am alone thy strength and still will be VVherefore I will that here thou quickly go And doe as I haue said it must be so Vse thou no more thy weake replyes for I VVill haue it so what pow'rs shall dare denie VVhere I command Goe on I say and then This being done prepare thy tongue and pen And all thou hast to sing of nought but praise To me thy God and let thy high-borne Layes Rauish thy hearers all to heau'n whiles they Attend to thee whence they may blesse the day Of these thy happie miseries and bee As ioynt-competitors of ioy with thee VVhat now remaines Behold thy long'd for day Is hard at hand I will no longer stay Thy forward thoughts Go go and take thy fill Of Sions streame let not a thought of ill Dare interrupt thy good intents but bee As happie as thy wish hence shalt thou see The mirrors of my loue and know ere long I shall expect thy Muse to change her song Thus I surcease Now let thy new-borne heart Succeed and act its last and happiest part
onely fount but here I could not but admire with holy feare That such a gracious light should shine yet man Would turne away his eies and rather ran To follow shades of vanity which bee Indeed but a meere wearinesse and flee Away as soone as ouer-tooke wherein Lyes nothing hid but misery and sin The Parents of eternall death But here Sending my thoughts from Luke to Iohn lo there I quickly found the reason out this Light Did shine indeed but mans all-darkned sight Had not the pow'r to comprehend what here VVas offer'd him till hee himselfe appeare I meane this Light and giue it him for hee Must not bee borne of flesh or bloud but bee New borne of God and drawne as 't were by him To see and come to Christ 'T is not within Mans owne ability Oh no I see It is my God workes all this all in mee Thus hauing found his happy birth I meane Happy to vs spectators of this scene Though not to him that acted it I now 'Gin trace his holy life for here I vow If hee but please to giue me aid and breath I 'le follow him a long euen to the death And thus returning back to Matthew Marke And Luke thence to my John somewhat more darke Though being full of light I here did see The Prologue was begun in miserie As earst I 'ue said the Acts that went betweene VVere not lesse grieuous who had hee but seene His conflicts in the wildernesse when hee Was tempted of that grandest enemie To him and vs who is 't againe that saw Those wordy-warres hee had about the Law With th' enuious Scribes and Pharises when they Laid all their wicked plots how to betray His innocence to death but hee would bleed In heart to thinke on such a horrid deed For hee good Man did neuer harme nay sure Hee was so farre from this so godly pure That hee was good to all his very foes Had neuer better friend then him yea'uen those That sought to take away his life yet he Was patient still But would you farther see His wondrous works of mercie how hee heales The sick the blinde the lame to some reueales His pow'r by raising them from death to some By casting diuels forth yet when all 's done Much like the thanklesse Gadarens they faine Would haue him leaue their coasts 't was not their gaine They thought to lose their swinish sins No no They 'le rather part by far with Christ then so Thus did hee wander vp and downe good man Hauing not where to lay his head and can Wee tearelesse yet stand looking on Sure no Or if there be a stone that can doe so My bowels yearne I must confesse when I But thinke on this nay more my griefe-worne eye Doth either ouerflow or longs to bee Made Jer'mies weeping Well when I but see My Sauiour thus hee comes vnto his owne But they receiue him not nay worse are growne Offended with him Thus hee goes about Meeting with still increasing-griefes throughout The course of all his life yet in this case Hee ceases not his worke but shewes his Grace To many a sad and sinfull soule for hee Was Phisick vnto all that did but see Themselues were sick and needed him but those That stood on their owne righteousnesse his foes The Scribes and Pharises who thought indeed Much like the Papists now they had no need Of Christs all-sauing helpe but did presume To fly to Heau'n with that deceitfull plume Of their owne works hee iustly leaues to bee Condemn'd in this their gracelesnesse to see The fruits of their owne froward pride when they Will go to Heau'n yet scorning Christ the way But to leaue them I here returne againe Vnto my Christ whom I haue seene in paine Thus farre to trauell with the load which hee Did take on him only to set vs free Now for his vsuall meat this was indeed To do his Fathers will to go with speed And finish what hee came about not fed With fulnesse or variety of bread As wee vnhappy lumpes but was with Paul In fastings oft in wearinesse in all Which might expresse his misery so far ' Yond all the Sonnes of Adam as they are Inferiour in integritie to him Who neuer harbourd the least thought of sin Which well might adde vnto his griefes yet hee Was patient still O hearers come and see Wirh rented hearts here is a wofull scene Continued on thus thus did he demeane Himselfe in euery Act and thus was hee That perfect patterne of humilitie But O my soule these are the acts betweene And sad enough but O there lies vnseene The very woe of all the rest his death And passion this that takes away my breath With too fast running doubled sighes that I Shall ne'r bee able speake sufficiently As I desire or as I ought beside I 'm dull'd with former griefes my fount is dryde I haue not teares enough to spend whereby I might re-act this wofull Tragedy In wotds that nothing else but weepe yet here I must supply something of what while're At first I neuer thought to speake when I Began this worke for there in breuitie I scarcely spake saue of his death but now My soule hath vndergone a larger vow Being led by that all-ruling Sprite which here I must performe And thus with wonted feare I enter'd on the Epilogue where I 'Gan first obserue that wondrous Agonie My Sauiour in the Garden had when hee Did pray so earnestly Lord if it be Thy sacred will then let this fearefull cup Yet passe away and I not drinke it vp This fearefull cup Good God what hideous draught Was this at which thou that wast so well taught In bearing miseries didst yet intreate A scape from it Sure sure that feare was great That made thy soule to shrinke who couldst beare more Then all the world besides O then wherefore Did'st thou yet feare my Lord Alas thy Sprite Thus answers me 'T was at th' amazing sight Of mine and euery sinners sinnes which now Were laid vpon thy back because that thou Would'st vndergo so much for vs to bee A Sacrifice for these our sinnes that wee Might bee disburdend quite of them and so Bee freed from that accursed weight of woe Which follow'd them so great so infinite That neither tongue can speake nor pen can write And yet thy loue was growne so strong that thou Didst beare them all for vs. Hence was it now Thy present plunges were so great and hence It was thou felt'st such terrors in the sense Of thy humanitie that made thee call Thy Deitie to helpe hence was the fall Of those great drops of blood which thou didst sweat In this thy fearefull Agonie and yet Do I aske why thou didst intreat Aye mee Some little glimpse of this
in their ills let them â—ke vp The seeming sweets of sins impoys'ned cup Let them carouse in vanity and draw Iniquity with ropes ne'r stand in aw ' Of future iudgements Let them prosper still As they suppose by adding ill to ill Let them be carelesse of themselues and spend Their precious daies ne'r thinking on the end Let them make flesh their guide taking delight In their owne lusts still glorying in the hight Of their ambitious titles and their wealth Got by obliquitie and lawlesse stealth Let them be-pride themselues in rich attires And robes of State burning with lawlesse fires Of lusts not to be nam'd let them be fed With choycest meates and glutted vp with bread Like pampred Horses to the full I say Let them spend all their happinesse away In these and such like vanities nor thinke On death at all thou standing at the brinke Of their vncertaine graues and heau'ns high hand Of vengeance ouer them doth alwaies stand Readie to strike them downe to hell but we Will ioy alone in this sweet libertie We haue in Christ we will delight I say Our selues in him in him wee 'l vow and pay Our dues of praise vnto our God in him Wee 'll hence triumph o're all the pow'rs of Sin Of death and Hell in Him we will expresse Our vtmost thanks by liues of holinesse And walking in his waies till by the hand Of his good Sprite hee'th brought vs to the Land Of righteousnesse where we would be on Him We will build all our confidence and clim To Heau'n alone by Him vnder his wings Wee 'l alwaies shrowd our selues nor shall the Kings Of th' earth be able doe vs harme though they Rage ere so much Our foes shall melt away Like Snow against the Sun and ' cause wee 'ue made The Lord our dwelling place vnder his shade We shall be surely safe yeâ— though the earth Be mou'd with all the pow'rs thereof though death Triumph on euerie side of vs yet wee Shall surely be preseru'd and liue to see The wondrous riches of his loue wherein He hath endear'd himselfe to vs through him We shall passe all these nether-stormes and spight Of all with-stands walke onwards in the light Of his sweet countenance still singing praise Vnto his Name till he at length shall raise Our Muses to a higher pitch where we Shall sing his praises to eternitie In his ne'r-ending place of blisse euen there Where he himselfe remaines where neither feare Nor griefe shall interrupt our ioyes but we Shall haue our fills of all felicitie And glory inexpressible the hight And chiefe of which is in the blessed sight Of this our glorious God whom we shall see There face to face euen as he is yea bee Made like to him what would you haue me say Mine eyes are dazled at this glorious day And reason stands amaz'd when it would reach This wondrous hight how shall a Mortall preach Of this immortall state O had mine eye But one sweet glimpse of this how should I tye Your eares vnto my tongue when I should speake Of what I saw 't would make your hearts to breake With earnest longings after it and you Would scorne from hence so much as take a view Of these inferiour vanities which be But toyes as 't were not worth your thoughts and flee Away almost as soone as come withall Leauing behind them nought but cursed gall And bitternesse to vex and gripe and grieue Those foolish soules which did ere-while beleeue Their false pretended sweets but here alone Is fulnesse of all true delight where none Can euer be deceiu'd vnlesse it be As that wise Queene of Sheba was when she Heard of the glory of King Salâ—â—on And of his happinesse but when anon She came and saw it with her eyes she than In great amazednesse thereat began Confesse that all was true yea sure the fame Said she came farre too short If then the name Of Salomon were such behold here 's one That 's greater farre then was King Salomon What shall I say of him sure my report Will speake but truth and yet come so farre short As finite doth of infinite what then She spake of Salomon and of his men So may I speake to thee my God O how How happie are thy Saints which fall and bow Before thy Maiestie Happie I say Are those that haue the priuiledge to stay Continually with thee there to behold Thy glorious face wherein as Dauid told Are ioyes at full and sit at thy right hand VVhere pleasures liue for euermore where stand Thy blessed troopes of glorious Saints that sing Eternall Halleluia's to their King To thee their King to thee alone for thou Art onely worthy O my God And now Here doe I craue to ioyne with them euen I Though yet on earth here doe I thankefully Fall downe before thy glorious Throne and here In humbled confidence and holy feare I offer my poore mite to thee of praise And thankfulnesse in these my lowly Layes All glorie be to thee my God to Thee And to the Lambe which hath redeemed mee By his deare blood and to the sacred Sprite The Comforter and pledge of true delight Which hath been with me hitherto and brought My soule into thy peace Sure I haue nought That 's worth thy great acceptance Lord for I Am poore thou know'st and full of miserie Happie in nothing else but thee I meane By being thine and yet I 〈◊〉 vncleane Vncleane alas vncleane well may I cry Come thou and wash away my Leprosie And make me fit for being thine O then What shall I pay who am the worst of men To thee for all thy mercies Lord VVhy here I le pay thee with thine owne the case is cleare I offer vp my selfe to thee with all That here I haue hence may it please thee call And count me wholly for thine owne for now I bid farwell vnto the world and vow In thy sweet aide eternall enmitie To all my wonted sinnes to vanitie And euery luring baite of hell And here I humbly doe deuote my selfe in feare And holinesse to thee my God that I May still be praysing thee vntill I die In all my thoughts and words and acts and hence May walke along by faith and not by sense Still gladded with thy countenance till I Haue ouer-past the present miserie Of this short life and till my soule at length Being cloath'd vpon with that immortall strength Of my blest Sauiour Christ shall sweetly flee Into thine hands there to remaine with thee In thy expreslesse happinesse till thou In that last day shalt swiftly come and bow The heau'ns and raise my body vp though dead And rotned dust and ioyne it to my Head And Sauiour Christ where it againe shall bee Vnited to my soule and I shall see My