when he with chaines of loue keepes his owne fast to him he sayes As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and amend Now againe at last he concludes with fervent compassion Behold I stand at the dore and knock if any man heare my voice and open the dore I will come in vnto him and I will sup with him and hee with mee What more comfortable speeches would the heart of mankinde craue or what greater consolation can wee Caitiue and distressed sinners desire who would refuse to open the dore of his heart to entertaine such a worthie guest of infinite loue and mercie even Christ Jesus the onely sonne of God omnipotent he gaue his life to ransone the soules of sinners he left the glorious heavens for our cause and cloathed him selfe with our wilde and filthy nature Many yeeres did he preach he suffered cold hunger and reproach he was tempted and fasted forty dayes in the wildernes in the agony of his Prayers he sweat bloud he was tortured sold and imprisoned his head was crowned with sharpe thornes his body torne with scourges he was mocked buffeted and spet in the face his body hung on the Crosse betwixt two theeues and his armes out-stretched his hands and feete peirced with nailes of iron and his side and heart wounded to death neither was we bought with siluer gold or pretious stones but with the infinite price of the bloud and life of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the onely sonne of our ever-living God O it was our sinnes and wickednes put him to death and laid all his cruell torments on him it was our wickednes made him fast forty dayes when he was tempted in the wildernes we crowned his Imperiall head with sharpe thornes we bound his delicate armes with cords wee mocked him wee stripped him naked and scourged his blessed bodie we buffeted and spat in his most glorious face we laid the Crosse on his patient shoulders we cast lots for his vpper garments we crucified him betwixt theeues and nailed his innocent hands and feet to the Crosse it was for vs he sweat bloud and water in his prayers and it was we even onely we who peirced and wounded his heart and it was wee who made him in his cruell paines of death cry out in his last passion My God my God why hast thou forsaken me All this and much more hath our wickednes done to the incomprehensible Majestie of almighty God Heare with what great admiration the Prophet Isay cries out speaking of the Passion of Jesus Christ long before his comming Who will sayes he beleeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Then he begins and tells of his sufferings torments for our sinnes saying Surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowee yet we did judge esteeme him plagued and smitten of God and humbled but hee was wounded for our trasgressions it was for our iniquities he was punished The burthen of our sinnes was laide on his backe like a simple sheepe so was he led to the slaughter in patient silence suffered he all sorts of paines neither was wickednes with him fraud nor deceit was never found in his mouth this Innocent was put to death amongst theeues and malefactors for the sinnes of the world The Evangelist S. Iohn sayes For God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And what shall this life everlasting be the Apostle tells thee That eye hath not seene nor care hath not heard nor yet the heart of man can not imagine what happinesse and glory is prepared for them that shall be saued Now deere and loving Reader consider with what little paines thou may in this little moment of thy life prevent the everlasting paines of hell and make conquest of the eternall glory of heaven to see and behold the vnspeakable Majestie of God set on his triumphant Throne evironed compast with the glorified Saints the innumerable Martirs who hath suffered for the faith of his sonne Iesus Christ when the woman in travaile and bitter paines of hir birth is releeved of her naturall burthen how will the pleasure of her child expell the paines and giue her comfort Even so after the weariednesse of this world the paines and anguish then comes the joyfull pleasure of heavens which expells all our vexations comforts our soules and wipes all the teares from our eyes what persecution what crosse or worldly temptation should hold or keepe vs backe from such an infinite treasure from such an endlesse joy Let vs say with that constant and blessed servant of Jesus Christ Who shal separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perrill or sword as it is written for thy sake are wee killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And a little before this happy and godly Apostle sayes in this same Chapter For I count the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall be showne to vs in the life to come And for this respect When hee considered of the joy of heauen hee esteemed all the ritches all the glorie and all the honour of this world but vayled filth and stinking dirt How carefull then should wee be of this word Eternall and that in this moment wee should be good provisors Our Saviour desires vs saying Negotiamini dum venio Be diligent and lay much treasure to thee fore against I come and seeke for a reckoning of thee For behold sayes he I come quickly and my rewardis with mee to giue euery man according to his workes And what shall this reward be if thou be vpright constant and continue firme and faithfull to the end Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life In hope of this glorious Crowne how gallantly should thou fight against all the wofull miseries of this world and still contemne all their earthly temptations In the word of GOD the wise man forwarnes the saying My sonne when thou art to come to the seruice of GOD stand fast in Iustice and in feare and prepare thy minde for temptation Heere thou art forwarned in what estate thou shalt be in time of battell and howe to lye at thy guard against thy three ghostlle enemies The Deuill the World and the Flesh Stand therefore and your loynes girde about with viritie hauing on the
one acts their parte and then makes an eternall retret without returne Heavens inclostred powers looks downe and they see all the dulfull Tragedies of vnrecalled time and marks the vnspeakable wickednesse of mankinde how many folies are acted vpon this stage for the most parte playes the Buffone and all their life is but a pleasant Comedy and with the Ethnick they cry out Ede bibe dorme post Mortem nulla voluptas Vpon the other parte we may beholde the picture of true repentance painted with ten thousand miseries the pittifull gesture of men how vnlawfull Law hes made miserable the beggerd Marchant who hath bankerd-out his credit the Artisan whom age and sicknes brings to poverty and we may see how the threed-bare Cationer goeth with melancholious grones dispersing the sighs of his greeved minde in the Aire we may see how the curious Alchamist in seeking the Philosopher-stone with continuall travell and far-soght inventions hath wrung out all the substance of his wits and seeking to finde wealth hath lost all his wealth so till at last his sweating labors rypes nothing else but smooke O then his repentance beginnes to challenge time when all his smooking hopes are vanished in the aire in end he payeth his debt to Death and dyeth a begger And we may see the Necromancer one who hath studied the black Art for a little borrowed and yet a very vncertaine tyme dambs his owne soule and giues it as a proper tribute to Hell and why because with the Arch-deuils direction he will command all the infernall spirits O most vaine illusion and deceatfull pleasure which brings nothing with it but eternall horror Now when all men hath acted their parte vpon this vniversall stage then comes Al-commanding Death swiftly cryes to every one Away gette you gone your parte is playde So with his Imperiall Darte he streaketh all kinde of Creatures without respect and then with his reuthles hand he draweth the darke Courtaine of the Graue over the paill bodie of mankinde So shall thy soule compeare before the Great Spectator of Heaven who hath seene all thy actions and how thou hast plaide thy parte in this world there the booke is opened where all thy doings are in Register if they be vpright then art thou crowned in the Majesticall Throne of Eternall Glory if thy actions and doinges be false and found deceatfull if thou hast stopped thy eares and woulde not hearken nor heare vnto the voice of Gods Messingers then shall thy name be blotted and scraped out of the Booke of lyfe and thy soule and bodie shall be condemned to burne perpetuallie in the Everlasting fyre of Hel. O what a pittifull thing is it to see so many catiue creatures careles of the life to come and what great debt they take on their soule to be payed at the letter day The wicked abhominations of mans heart made GOD in his great wrath Cry out and say I repent that ever I made man And why did our Saviour Christ hate this world he telleth the reason Quia mundus totus in maligno positus est Because the Worlde altogether is placed in wickednesse For we may beholde what wickednes possesses mankinde even from their verie youth-head of what evill inclination how perverse in their actions and how contemptious to age how will they mock scorne and disdaine the reverend Father and the aged Matrone O sayes the word of God Age is the crowne of glory therefore we should honour age helpe and reverence age the pernitious nature of man is such that it breeds contention emulation and continuall discords how vncharitable without law reason or religion so that man to man are the most cruell enemies of any other creatures when the Neronicall heart of man being in a tirannicall humor what kinde of strange tortures will they devise one against another how vnnaturall is this and how farre is it against all Christianitie it hath kindled the wrath of the Almightie when anger calleth Israell Gentem apostatricem dura facie indomabili corde an apostaticall Nation with a shamelesse face encourageable heart who will not acknowledge the wondrous mercies of our loving God Miseros facit populos peccatum sinne maketh people miserable and when holy Iob speaking of wicked men and of carelesse sinners he sayeth Bibit quasi aquam iniquitatem they drink vp sinne like water even like a thirstie stomack with as little care and as much pleasure drinke they vp wickednes and that thou who readest this may the better beleeue me goe and with experience thou shalt see goe I say walke abroad into the streetes and behold the doings of mankinde looke and marke well their behaviour and fashions consider well and attentiuely what is done in Market-places in Kings Courts in Justice houses in common meeting places what lying deceaving what slander shamelesse villany thou shalt see nothing in this world so little accounted of as sinne thou shalt see Justice corrupted with briberie and variety sold for money and impudent faces despise equity thou shalt see the innocent cōdemned the wicked and malitious malefactor delivered and set free the villaine advanced the vertuous despised thou shalt see the proud oppressour triumph theeues command vsurers and Brokers deceaving their neighbours extortioners at liberty to execute their owne desires and thou shalt see ignorant fooles preferred to great authority because they are ritch worthlesse men reverenced honored and drawen vp to great dignities and thou shalt see how the eager desire of ambition cuts innocent throats treason covered and cloaked with flattery and to conclude thou shalt heare the general voyce of the people to be nothing else but of vanities bawdrie and whoring detraction backbiting pride envie deceit drunkennes dissimulation wantonnes dissolation flatterie lying swearing perjuring blaspheming And so this shal cōfirme that in their perrillous and latter dayes how mischief abounds what abominations are spred on the face of the earth having no regard to law or justice to reason nor religion but in an vnsatiable appetite of beastlinesse are become drunk with sinne how glad may the man of an vpright mind be how quiet may his soule be at what sweet repose may his conscience be when all his actions are vpright before GOD the Scripture sayes Secura mens juge conuiuium a secure conscience is a blithe banquet but O thou wicked man O thou malitious oppressour O thou deceitfull and avaritious villaine how shalt thou haue thy soule and conscience tortured the terrour of thy vnrighteousnesse shall torment thee thy nights shall be voyde of rest and thy soule shall be wrapped vp in the pricking thornes of thy owne wickednesse everie thing shall affray thee all objects shall threaten thee and restlesse despaire shall hant thee with ten thousand devillish temptations Salomon sayes the wicked man flieth though no man pursue him Hee will start at his owne shadow the heart of him is alwaies aloft
would say there shall not come from me a double tribulation Now good Christian how may thy troubled soule repose vpon this loving and infallible promise Holy and constant Iob in the middes of his torturing griefe cries out to God Although he kill me yet wil I trust in him and to animate thee and to giue the more stoutnes that in aduersitie thou be not overthrowne The royall Prophet Dauid cries to thee with great courage Expecta dominum viriliter age confortetur cor tuum sustine dominum Trust in the Lord and fight manfully our Lord will comfort thy heart and therefore abide his will for the Lord our God will not leaue thee hee will not depart from thee what great confidence hath this holy man had in GOD for in the beginning of this Psalme he sayes Seeing God is the protector of my life who can harme me And againe with great assurance he sayes Si consistant aduersum me castra non timebit cor meum si exurgat aduersum me prelium in hoc ego sperabo Giue whole armies were comming against me I shall not care but hope in God then hee followes with this request I haue sought one thing of thee my God that I may dwell all the dayes of my life in thy house and that I may see the glory and beautie of thy Temple Then when this blessed man begins to thinke vpon the wondrous benefits of God bestowed on him with joy and gladnes of heart he cries out and sayes What shall I render the Lord for all his benefits bestowed vpon me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord If wee poore ingratefull creatures would meditate vpon the incomprehensible loue of GOD of his long suffering and gentle patience How slow is he to wrath and how swift is he to mercy what wrongs doeth he receaue They haue saieth he repayed euil for good Then when he perceaved their great vnthankfulnesse their dulnesse and hardnesse of heart and that all what he did could not moue his people to turne to him Then he cryeth out in great passion O ye Heauens be astonished at this be affraied and vtterly confounded And yet with more vehemence be his Prophet he sayeth Heare O Heauens and harken O Earth for the Lord hath said I haue nurished and brought vp children and they haue rebelled against me The Oxe knoweth his owner the asse knoweth his maisters crib but yet my people knoweth not me Woe be to this sinfull Nation a people loaden with iniquitie a wiked seed and corrupt children they haue forsaken their Lord they haue prouocked the holy one of Israel to anger and they haue gone backwarde What an heavy lamentation is this how grievous was this complaint to the Almighty GOD to make vpon base and filthy wake and worthlesse creeping vermeine of the Earth whom the twinkling of his eie might haue destroyed and with the smallest breath of his anger brought an infinite number of worlds to nothing Who can stand before his wrath saieth the Prophet Nahum or who can abide the fearcenesse of his wrath his wrath is powred out like fire and the rocks and mountaines are broken with his anger How oft hath our sinnes even now in this present age procured that heavy and terrible wrath of GOD even that wrath I say which moues the Mountaines and makes the hilles to trimble Look good Reader and thou shalt see how the sparkes of GODS furious wrath is spred throgh many parts of this world we may with teares houle and lament and with vexation of minde complaine and cry out with that holy Prophet Thine holy cities lywaist Zion is become a wildernesse and Iarusalem a desert the house of our Sanctuarie and of our glory where our forefathers praised thee is brunt and consumed with fire and all our pleasant things are waisted and destroyed How heavily doeth this man of GOD complaine how doeth he bevaill this desolation and destruction and in the bitter passion of his heart he crieth out Wilt thou hold thy selfe still at these things O Lord what wilt thou holde thy peace and afflict vs aboue measure As he wold say wilt thou not take compassion vpon vs and wilt thou not withdraw thy heavy wrath from vs What without all kinde of mercy shall we be vtterlie destroied No not so because in his superaboundant loue and wonderfull great pietie hee comforteth vs and saieth In my wrath I haue punished thee but in my mercie I had compassion thee And yet farther with great regrate he maketh a sweete and comfortable promise Whereas thou hast bene forsaken and hated so that na man respected thee I shall make thee an Eternall glorie and a joy from generation to generation And what more will our GOD of mercie doe And they shall sayeth hee builde the oulde waist places and raise vp the former desolations and they shall repaire all the Citties that were desolate and waist through many generations What great store of Consolation doeth this promise of GOD giue to vs and with what meeknesse of heart doeth he say Indignatio non est mihi I am not angrie wrath is not mine I will freely forgiue thee I will forgett all thy sinnes and cast them behinde my back I shall blot all thy wickednesse out ot my memory and beleeue me I shall never thinke on thine offences any more Haue I any desire that the wicked should dye sayeth our Lord God or shall he not liue if he returne from his wickednnsse And againe he perswadeth vs saying Cast away all your transgressions whereby you haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit Let the teares of remorse purge the filth of sinne from our soule O that we in all humilitie wolde consider what and how many earnest perswasions our loving GOD hath laid and still layeth before vs to turne home to him Againe hes our abhominations and wicked life beniched vs from his loue O yet let vs not despare of his mercy Although our sinnes were rid as scarlet God will make them white as snowe Come vnto me all ye saieth our Saviour that are wearie and loden and I will refresh you And then he beginneth to reproue the sluggard Goe labour in my vyne-yarde why stand ye all the day idle Although we come with the last yet we will be rewarded with the first Let vs throwe and cast away al hinders that lats vs and staies vs from GOD. Let vs I say in time mend our life our good GOD will helpe vs he will make all impossibilities possible Marie Magdalen and Marie the mother of Iames all the way how carefull were they to gette the great stone rolled away from the sepulcher dore and how soone they came to the dore there they found the stone rolled and turned away Even so in this happy journey of our conversion Let vs cast away all worldly
buildings lassivous dansing mirry companions quick-witted-discourses and many more pleasures all must end all must be changed Heare this Proclamation The voice of God said Cry and the Prophet said O Lord what shall I cry Cry out that all flesh is grasse and all the glory thereof is like the flower on the field the grasse widreth and the flower faideth The Prophet Dauid saieth Vniversa vanitas omnis homo vivens And what said great king Salomon in the top of his glory All was but vanitie of vanities And S. Iames calleth our life noght else but a vapor How swiftlie are we gone some by one meanes some by other man against man beast against beast every one becomes a prey to other all must pay that doubtlesse debt of Death no creature can escape there is nothing more certaine there is nothing more vncertaine we knowe not when nor where because statutum est omnibus semel mori it is ordained that we shall all once dye Then in our greatest mirth let vs ever say to our selues Memento homo quod pulvis es in pulverim reverteris O man remember that thou art but dust and in dust thou shalt returne againe It is said of the ambitious wretch Mendicant semper avari THe mal-content hunts Fortune here and there His euer-tortring-thoughts disturbs his braine Till all his hopes be drown'd in deepe despare Then Time tels him his travels are in vaine O earthly-wretch what glory canst thou gaine When fruteles-labor thy short life hath spent A restles minde with stil-tormenting paine Even whom a world of worlds could not content Frō such base thoghts heavens make my heart aspire And with a sweete contentment crowne desire Let vs beholde and we shall see how in one day yea even in one instant time some making riatous bankets some triumphing in all pleasures some going to the scaffold to be executed some women travelling with childe with great paines bringing their children to the world some lying in sore sicknesse exspecting death the prisoner in bonds looking when he should bid his last fair-well to the world some carying their children with honour to receaue the Sacrament of Baptisme the bryd-grome going with his bryde to solemnesse Matrimony And againe at that same instant we shall see murnfull companies celebrating the funeralles of the death carying the dead carcatches both of age and youth to the graue It may truely be said of our inconstant estate Laeta sit ista dies nescitur origo secundi An labor an requies sic transit gloria Mundi Sometimes are we merry and sometimes are we sad Nunquam in eodem statu We are not perticepant of the secrets of GOD It is onely his providence derects vs we knowe not what suddaine change may come such a swift course hath Time and in this meane-time the glory of this world goeth away the most part of our life is spent in sleep and how many in their mid-age is taken away scarce are we come in the world when we returne againe to the graue very few comes to the period of Nature O when we truely thinke on Death and calleth to minde that perellous passage how fearfull is it and what a strange horror brings it to the heart of mankinde and cheefly to the vnresolved who lives in all liberty of pleasure environed with all worldly contentment O mors quam amara est memoria tua homini pacem habenti in substantiis suis O Death how bitter is thy memory to that man who hes hurded vp ritches how loath wil he be to leaue his beutiful buildings his faire allurements and his many pleasurs What a greefe is it to his heart that he must departe and leaue them all behinde and he needs must goe and compeir before that great and terrible Judge to giue a sharpe reckoning how he conquest all that ritches O man thinke on thy end and thou shalt neuer sinne Remember that thy glasse shall once be runne and that thy Sonne shall set and the horror of Death shall over-shadow thee and that there shall no pleading be heard after sentence is once given Quia ex inferno nulla est redemptio Thy paines shall haue no end thy torments shal haue no diminishing Therefore to you J cal to you that careles lives and premeditats vpon mischief and how to execute the damnable exploits of the ever-laboring minde To you who are the ritch-gluttons of this world and to you who feeles not with what sence I speik Consider from whence you came where you are for the present and where you shall goe You are here on Earth Vbi spectaculum facti est is Deo angelis hominibus where you are in sight of GOD of Angels and of Men. Now when ye are going looke well to your journey your passage is all straude over with thornes it is a perelous way full of Ominus-threatnings planted with an hedge of many Prodegyous Objects Non est vitae momentum sine motu ad mortem There is no moveing of lyfe without a motion to Death Liue well that you may dye well For looke in what estate you dye so GOD will finde you and as he findeth you so he Censureth you and as he censureth you so he liueth you for ever and ever His decreit shall never be controlled nor his sentence shall never be recalled As a growing tree when it is cut downe falleth to that side where it did extend the branches when it was in growth Even so if thou desirest to fall right learne in thy grouth to extend such frutefull btanches as may sway thee to the right side and make thee fall well Sweete saieth Saint Chrisostome is the end of the laborers when he shall rest from his labors The wearied traveller longeth for his nights lodging and the storme-beattenship seeketh vp for shore the hyreling oft questioneth when his yeares will finishe and come out the woman great with childe will often muse and studie vpon her deliverie And he that perfitelie knoweth that his life is but a way to death wil with the poore prisoner sit on the doore threshold and expect when the Jaylor shal open the doore every small motion maketh him apprehend that the commander with the serjants are comming to take him from such a loath some prison He looketh for death without feare he desireth it without delight and he excepeth it with great devotion he acteth the last and tragicall parte of his life on a dulefull stage before the eyes of the world his gesture thirls the beholders heart with sad compassion his words of woe seasoned with sighes doth bathe the cheeks of the hearers with still distilling teares with a generall relation of his former wickednes he giues a loude confession of his secret sinnes with weeping eyes he calls for help of prayer and like a hunger-starued begger he howles and cries to that honourable housholder saying O good God open the gates of thy mercies to the greatnes of my
miseries Cast vp the Ports of thy vnspeakable pittie to my wearied spirit receaue my soule in thy hands and anoynt her feastred wounds with the blood of thy immaculate Lambe Christ Jesus T 's true indeede this age is very strange For why behold great men of ritch renowne Time comes by turnes with vnexpected change And from their Tower of pride doth pull them downe Then what are we but fooles of selfe-conceate All what we haue stands in a stag'ring state Wee weeping come into this world of cares And all our life 's but battels of distresse Scarse is our prime when wint'ring age declares What weightie griefe our body doth oppresse Bred with sinne borne with woe our life is paine Which still attends vs to our Graue againe Then earthly slime wherein consists thy pride Sith all thy glory goes into the ground That bed of wormes wherein thou shalt abide Thy fairest face most filthy shall be found Our sunne-shine joyes time swiftly sweepes away This night we liue and dies before the day Homo natus de muliere breui tempore viuens repletur multis miserijs CAn thou part from thy best beloved friends to goe in a farre Country and not remember how it resembles the parting from this world to a more strange place When thou rises in the morning what knowest thou will chaunce thee before night And if thou escape the dayes perrill what knowest thou will chaunce before the morning Omnem crede diem tibi diluxisse supremum When thou goest to bed remember how it is the verie image of thy graue thy merrie companions are parted thy day being gone and come is thy night thy riotous banqueting is finished and thou in a solitarie retreat puts off thy gorgeous apparrell and strips thy selfe naked to thy shirt so the pleasures of this inconstant world shall part thou shalt be stripped naked of all thy ritches and shalt carie nothing with thee but a simple winding-sheet this shall be and this must be Vt hora sic fugit vita Therefore euery day take a reckoning of thy selfe and euery moment examine thy actions Mark thy behaviour first towards God and next towards thy neighbour Consider how the all-seeing eyes of heaven lookes vpon all thy doings and euer beware of that sinne which thou knowest to predominate most in thee seek by all meanes to oppresse it and overcome it take away all the occasions therof or else it with the rest of thy sins will draw thee to hells fire where nothing else is but gnashing of teeth and eternall horrour When thou hast committed any greevous sinne haue thou a true repentance a vnfained remorse and that thy heart shrill within thee with angry griefe against thy selfe then thou may be assured that the spirit of God worketh in thee for it is a sign of true vnfained repētance when the sinner without all kinde of hypocrisie mends his wicked life making first satisfaction to the great God by fasting and praying making restitution to thy neigbour giue to the poore for Gods cause visite the sick comfort and help the prisoner and giue hospitality to the distressed stranger Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that wander into thine house When thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy face from thine owne flesh For in the poore miserable creature thou seest thy selfe as in a Glasse And what sayes the Prophet shall be thy reward Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnes shall goe before thee and the glory of thy great God shall embrace thee c. Thy vpright conscience shal giue thee a great security of thy soules helth thy mercies shal meet thee doubtlesse thy end shall be most happy that blessed Euangelist S. Iohn sayes Blessed are the dead who dies in the Lord because they rest from their labours and their works follow them Now good Christian Reader J must end praying God that every one of vs all may haue an earnest cōsideration of our owne estate what we are where we are and how we shal be heereafter and once more J pray to our Lord God that we may stil remember hoc momentū vnde pendet aeternitas that this little moment of our life is the short space whereon dependeth all eternity of eternall joyes or else eternall paines Jf wee haue bin wickedly enclined let vs with the deepe of our hearts repent and think how the Axe is at the roote of the tree and let vs all endevour our selues with the grace of God to amend our life that our filthie nakednes may not be seene in that fearefull terrible day of judgement Domine secundum actum meum noli me judicare nihil degnum in conspectu tuo egi O Lord judge me not according to my actions J haue done nothing worthy of mercy in thy sight Cloath me with thy righteousnes that I may appeare righteous before thy pittifull eyes Iesus esto mihi Iesus When the thundring voyce of thy Angels shal descend from the heavens and cry out O vos mortui qui Iacetis in sepulchris surgite occurite ad juditium saluatoris O you dead creatures that lies in your graues rise and runne swiftly to the judgement of the Saviour who with all his glorious Saints and triumphing Martirs shall sit in his throne of vnspeakable glory and judge both the quick and the dead to him be all honour power and glory now and for euermore Amen FINIS THE SPIRIT OF GRACE To the wicked sinner ISAY 55. CAP. Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and our God wil haue mercie vpon him O Man the treasure of Gods glorious eye Thou art ingrate and to thy selfe vnkinde Poore Caitiue wretch who sees and will not see Nor to eternall blisse will turne thy minde Rise sloathfull rise forth of thy senslesse sleepe And for thy sinnes go sigh bewaile and weepe Heare how thy Saviour Iesus Christ doth call Come wearied and you burth'ned both to me Come come sayes he I will refresh you all What sweeter words would thou haue said to thee Thou art that sheep which wādring went astray Christ on his back will bring thee to thy way Thou sinfull man is so with sinne allur'd That pleasure of thy sinne doth hold thee fast Thy wit thy will thy reason all obscur'd And now behold forgets thy God at last Thou art intrapp'd within ten thousand snares And blindlins rins to hell thou never cares The flying motions of thy minde still burnes And forward goes her furie to fulfill Youth and desire whose raging humor turnes To execute the horrour of their ill With no les price thē with thy soule is bought And whē all 's got they are but things of nought Both day and night thou doth thy selfe annoy To worke great mischiefe with thy owne misdeeds
Lesse travaile farre would gaine eternall joy Which sweet Reward all earthly paines exceeds But thou art mad and in thy madnesse strange To quit thy God and take the devill in change At threatning ever senslesse deafe and dumb Thou never lookes on thy swift-running-Glasse Nor terror of the Judgement for to come But still thou thinks thy pleasure can not passe All is deceit and thou hast no regard Gods wrath at last the sinner will reward To pray to God why then thou art asham'd For sinne in thee shall suffer seandalies Thy rusty filth of conscience shall be blam'd Besides thy soule hath spoil'd her faculties Thus doth the deuill so hold thee still aback Euen to the death and then thy soule doth take Alas poore soule when God did first thee frame Most excellent most glorious and perfit But since thou in that carnall body came Thy favour 's lost spoil'd is thy substance quite O that thou would repent and turne in time God wil thee purge clange thee of thy crime God is a God of vengeance yet doth stay And sparing waites if thou thy life will mend With harmlesse threatnings oft he doth assay And oft he doth sweet words of comfort send If thou repent his anger will asswage If not he will condemne thee in his rage The sonne of God he for thy sinfull sake To saue thy soule with care he did provide Mans filthy nature on him he did take That he both cold and hunger might abide He many yeers on earth great wōders wrought Still persecute and still his life was sought When as his time of bitter death drew neere The agony was so extreame he felt That when he pray'd vnto his Father deere In sweating drops of bloud he seem'd to melt Nail'd on the Crosse he suffer'd cruell smart vvhen as they pierc'd his hands his feet his hart Great torment more was laid on him alone For thee and all mankind who will beleeue Thou was not bought with siluer gold nor stone But Christ his life and precious bloud did giue O let not then his bloud be shed in vaine Whil'st thou hast time turne to thy God againe THE SORROVVFVLL SONG OF A CONVERTED SINNER JOB 7. CAP. I haue sinned what shall I doe vnto thee O thou preseruer of mankinde LEd with the terrour of my grievous sinnes Before Gods mighty Throne I do compeare The horrour of my halfe-burst heart begins To strike my sinfull soule with trembling feare Where shall I seeke secourse or finde redresse Who can my fearefull tort'ring thoughts devorce Who can me comfort in my great distresse Or who can end the rage of my remorce I at compassions dore hath begg'd so long That I am hoarce and yet can not be heard Amids my woes sad silence is my song From mirthlesse-me all pleasure is debard O time vntimely time why was I borne To liue sequestred solitar alone Within a wildernesse of Cares forlorne Which grants no limit to my mart'ring Mone My mart'ring Mone with wofull words doth pierce The aire and next from hollow Caues rebounds This aequiuox my sorrow doth rehearse And fills my eares with tributarie sounds These sounds discends within my slaught'red hart And there transform'd in bleeding drops appeares Next to my eyes drawen vp with cruell smart In water chang'd and then distill'd in teares My teares which falls with force vpon the ground Jn numbers great of little sparks doth spread And in each spark my dolefull pictures found J in each picture tragick stories read I read Characters both of sinne and shame Drawne with the colours of my owne disgrace In figures black of impious defame Which painted stands in my disastred face I breathlesse faint with burthen of their woes Such is my paine it will not be expell'd Doe what I can I can finde no repose All hope of help against me is rebell'd Gods mercie 's great I will expell dispaire With praying still I shall the heavens molest Both night and day vnto my God repaire He will me heare and help my soule opprest The thought of hell makes all my haires aspire Where gnashing teeth sad sorows doth out-sound Where damned soules still boiles in flaming fire And where all endlesse torment doth abound Had they but hope it might appease their griefe That in ten thousand yeares they should be free But all in vaine despaire without reliefe Gods word eternall most eternall be When as our Christ in Judgement shall appeare Cloath'd with the Glory of his shining light And when each soule the trūpets sound shal heare They with their corps must com before Gods sight The Angels all and happy troups of heaven Incirkled rounds theatred in each place A reck'ning sharp of eu'ry one is given Before the Saints and Gods most glorious face The sloathfull sinner then shall be asham'd Who in his life would neither mend nor mourne To heare that sentence openly there proclaim'd Goe wicked to eternall fire and burne And to his blessed company he sayes The Angels to my Kingdome shall convoy With endlesse mirth because ye knew my wayes Come rest with me in never-ending joy O let me Lord be one of thy elect And once againe thy loue to me restore Let thy inspiring grace my spirit protect With thee to bide and never part no more Once call to minde how deerly I am bought When thy sweet corps was spred vpon the Rood Thy suff'ring torment my saluation wrought Thy paines thy death and shedding of thy blood O seeke not then my soule for to assaile Against thy might how can I make defence Thy bleeding death for me will naught auaile Jf thou should damne me for my lewd offence Try not thy strength against me wretched worme I am but dust before thy furious winde Nor haue I force to bide thy angry storme Then rather farre let me thy favour finde I Caitiue on this earth doth loure and creepe I prostrate fall before the heavens defaite On thee sweet Christ with mourning tears I weepe To pittie this my weake and poore estate My poore estate which rob'd of all content And nothing else but dolours doth retaine The treasure of my griefe is never spent But still in secret sorrow I complaine Heare my complaint mark wel my words ô Lord Thou searcher of all hearts in euery kinde Thou to my true conuertion beare record And sweepe away my sinnes out of thy minde I sacrifice to thee my Saviour sweet And patient God who gaue me leaue to liue My sighing-teares and bleeding heart contreit I haue naught else nor ritcher gift to giue Thou God the Father thou created me And made all things obedient to mans will Thou sonne of God to saue my soule didst die And Holy ghost thou sanctifiest me still Thou Father Sonne thou holy Ghost divine On my poore soule let your ritch glory shine FINIS TO THE ESTATE OF VVORLDLIE ESTATES Tempora mutantur et nos mutamur in illis EAch hath his Time whom Fortune will aduance Whose