he did repent I heard him often yet will not relent Though Peter sinn'd repentance gain'd remission I commit sin yet to repent omission When Peter sinn'd he saw it and did refuse it I see my sin yet still resolve to use it O wretch O wretch O wretch wilt ne'er return Till thou be doom'd in that dark fire to burn Will nothing draw thee say this Satan no As though thou lov'st this fatal word of Go Canst thou expect thy Saviour shall retaine thee When thou dost know that Satans self hath gain'd thee Thou art ready prest hear Satan at first call But thy blest Saviour thou'lt not hear at all Peter heard th' cock made use of his preaching Thou hearest Peter without use of his teaching Each creature taught this Peter for to pray But all created thy sin cannot stay Peter was left to bring unto thee life Yet thou lov'st sin as Satan loveth strife Peter did weep and did his sin forbear But thou sinn'st still yet cannot shed one tear With Peters sin his heart was mollified But mine with sin is rather stupified O wicked heart art not ashamed to see How all thy sins have nothing softned thee Art so resolv'd as nothing shall remove thee To leave this Satan though thou seest he loves thee Consider well the cause of this his love Because thou hast forsworn thy God above O Jesu Jesu have I thee forsworn Who came from heaven and on this earth was born For to redeem me from this bond of sin And horrid life which I have lived in And here endured the paines of death for me In hope I should from this foul Satan flie And notwithstanding shall I follow him still Forsaking good and following what is ill O weep O weep even rivers of salt tears To keep thee free from greatest of all feares Shall Satan say thy Saviour is forsaken Who dyed on earth and then to heaven was taken Desirous thou shouldst do as he had done Live here a while and then unto him come Yet thou a wretch a most ungracious wretch Whose sufferings are not able thee to teach That thy hard heart is harder far then steel Wilt not be drawn thy Saviours sufferings feel O weep O weep let tears fall from thine eye For him who shed both tears and blood for thee O weep O weep now spend thy time in sorrowing For to redeem thy time is spent in sinning O weep O weep let Peter teach thee weep And it will teach thee from thy sin to keep O weep O weep let tears fall from thy eyes That they may prove for sin a sacrifice O weep O weep with tears produce thy grief If thou do hope for sin to have relief O weep O weep let tears make soft thy heart If thou expect in Christ have any part But how can I expect in Christ a part When there 's in me not any good desart For I have spent most of my time in sin And my amendment is yet to begin Can I presume then God will pardon him Who hath liv'd all his life in deadly sin With what face can he now for pardon pray Hath so offended deeply every day O hypocrite thy conscience can thee tell That thou dost think ther 's neither heaven nor hell For if thou didst it surely would appear That thou didst stand of this great God in fear Seeing thou didst see his plagues on Egypt sent When Pharaohs heart would not be drawn repent Untill the Lord had so decreed and doomed That he and his should in the sea be drowned And his elected safely brought to land Through the read sea by great Jehovahs hand For which did Moses sing praise to the Lord Who did preserve them by his onely word And Miriam she did lead the maides a dance Which highly did the praise of God advance Her Timbrel sure did make a joyful noise With which hearts hands feet keep equal poise Good God! what diff'rence now in this new world How it is alter'd from it was of old Though our solemn Revels make a stately show Yet these to them cannot compare I know Their dance set forth their joy was in their hearts But this the practice of the outward parts That shewed their thankes for a great deliverance These only th' state is in a courtly dance Such are the Masques and shows to court are sent Whose cost are cause make many a youth repent What other good in them I do not know Yet this new worlds proud humour it doth show But there leave court let country shew its skill How apt it is to practice what is ill Where Pipes and Shawms and Fiddles fill the street With filthy tunes for chast ears most unmeet And yet to these will men and women dance As though they meant the praise of hell advance Here Miriams timbrel sure hath not been heard Or if it were it was with light regard Her timbrel sounded out a heavenly tone But these do pipe or little good or none Their musick mounted hearts up to the heaven But these keep souls with bodies station even If one should dance as David did 'fore th' arke There 's many Nichals would him readily mark But now his like on earth 's not to be seen Nor many such as he have ever been Or like to Miriam are not many more Though such as Michal now there are great store Not many Miriams on our English ground Though millions like to Michal may be found Whose light behaviour in their dancing's such As doth conduce to sinful lust in much And no great need where all are apt to ill Though this their aptness soul and body kill When Miriam danced 't was with fatal fear Of that Jehovah who had plac'd them there And in their songs his praises they do sing Whose wondrous works o're al the earth do ring But now our Michals songs are nothing so For they are such as bring their souls to wo. Their dancing sent a most sweet smelling savour But ours casts us out of our Makers favour Good God! that this our English fertile land Should harbour such as will not understand How much they 're bound unto this gracious God Though now we are beaten with his heavy rod Because we have neglected him to serve VVho with his blood did us from death preserve VVithin this Isle wherein his Sun did shine Like to that blessed land of Palestine O Wicked world behold how God hath lest thee And Satan he of all good hath bereft thee For Abraham's seed can hardly now be found Except it be in graves are under ground When who 's a Christian hardly can be known If by their works their faith it must be shown Though we profess and say that we have faith Our works deny it so sacred Scripture saith For all the world so madly runs awry As most forget they 're born to live to dye O what a wicked wretched world is now When most of men do unto Baal bow Though they
makes it so And have I then right end thereof observed And its right use have I therein preserved Hath my delight been always moderate And hath my tongue been also temperate Have I done this for to preserve my health And have I therein injur'd no mans wealth Have I in me a heart that is upright Being ever mindfull I am in Gods sight Have I for these his blessings thankfull bin In th' use of them did I commit no sin Can I forget whenas the wind doth blow 'T is wind that doth support me here below Did I lift up my heart to God on hie Whenas the heavens above I did descrie Have I observ'd the fairest flowers to fade And yet forget why I my self was made Did I see weeds and store of thistles grow And not remember th' cause why they did so Have I this day cast up this dayes account To what a sum my several sins will mount When have I took such pains my God to serve As now I have my health for to preserve And if thou dost it really intend That thou wilt solely in his service spend Then mayst thou say with safety that thou hast This time so spent not to be spent in waste And give him thanks that he hath so thee blest As thou mayst now go home and take thy rest For man ought not to idleness be giv'n Without all doubt in idleness is sin Since all must labour that doe look to live Or else God will to them no blessing give For to the curses God himself doth add Ith'sweat of brows that man should eat his bread And though that all men labour not with th' hand Yet all doe labour with th'unstable mind For its condition is not to be idle And therefore care for it to keep a bridle Lest th' mind doe run out of that narrow way Wherein thou dost desire thy thought should stay For man doth love to keep the plainest street Which broad and beaten is with many feet And then make use of this thy harmless pleasure Since God hath blessed thee with so much leasure And given thee time a perfect reck'ning make Before death come thy life away to take This blessed time if thou wilt so but use it And cursed also if thou dost abuse it For its the use makes difference of the day And different uses doe the most men sway Without respect what may he the right end For which God did to thee these pleasures send But thou my soul have care not to forget The end for which thou here on earth wast set And always keep it constantly in mind And then fear not but thou shalt ever find Good use of all things this good God hath sent Then use thy pleasure without discontent And be not thou unmindfull ruminate Of that which doth in time determinate Both them and thee and that ere long thou must From whence thou cam'st return to be but dust And think my soul and think of this again The end for which thou dost on earth remain Within this fleshly crazie corps of thine Which of it self even daily doth decline Unto the earth from whence at first it came For th' end of all flesh ever is the same Observe this end and hereof be thou sure That on this earth thou canst not long endure And then must thou a perfect reck'ning make Of this thy pleasure which thou here didst take O make that reck'ning here upon this earth Lest death doe come and take away thy breath And then thy corps unto its like must go But thou my soul be sure must not do so For thou shalt then receive thy final doom Which grant good God it may to me be Come O stay my soul and do thou think of this For in it is thine everlasting bliss O think of this and do thou think on 't right And think on 't still think on 't both day and night For now thy pleasure is come unto an end And thou my soul must now thy doom attend Then now O now do thou this reck'ning make And to thy Saviour thee thy self betake Who willingly was plea'd for thee to die That thou for him might'st live eternally O live in him and do him ever lâ—ve Thy Saviour sweet who is in heaven above Let all thy thoughts 〈◊〉 him alone attend Thy labours then in him will only end O happy end of all this earthly pain Whereby thy heavenly Saviour thou dost gain He will make all their labours be but light Who always love to be within his sight Live there my soul and so thou mayst be sure Thy life shall then for evermore endure In height of joy and all true happiness The very essence of all blessedness Stay here my soul and do thou now admire The joyes of that most glorious heavenly quire Where Angels alwayes singing spiritual hymns Th'Archangels and the blessed Seraphims Continually do praise his holy name Who was is now and aye shall be the same There mount my soul and do thou ever stay ' Mongst them in heav'n whose joys do ne'r decay Nor yet admit of that the least decrease But ever live in sight of th'God of peace Then pray to him that he will please to send His peace to thee for world without all end And do thou always give him praise therefore From this time forth and so for evermore But stay my soul remember 'fore thou can Ascend thou must shake off this thing call'd man This case of thine wherein thy soul doth breath And leav 't behind unto this earth beneath Where it shall reap such seâ—d as it hath sown Th' end of all flesh which is corruption Whereby it fears this thing is call'd pale death Because it only takes away this breath For man's of nothing on earth sensible But that which is on earth corruptible And so it comes that he doth nothing fear But that which heart should wish and soul desire For death is such and only terrible To him whose conscience lives insensible The labouring man likes well to go to rest The weary traveller hastes to th' Iune is best The mariner strives to get within the port Yet if there prove in it to be a fort And he no friend then he hath cause to fear And with great terror he will enter there The toiled traveller likewise fears his host Where theevish ruffians haunt and rule the rost The weary labourer doth not lâ—ke that bed Wherein he knows an ugly toad hath bred The heathen they did much desire their death Because they knew not th' Author of their breath For it they held to be their chiefest good Because that God they had not understood For they did dream that when this life was done That th' end of all things was already come But thou my soul I 'm sure thou knowest more Thou know'st thou hast a loving Saviour Who conquer'd death and of himself 't orecame That thou through him might likwise do the same Ask but thy conscience
A Ship of Arms Vseful for all sorts of people in this woful time of War Fashion'd by a plain Country-Farmer SAMUEL BRASSE Nigh the River of Tease Com. Ebor Printed at London in the Year 1653. To the rightly Noble and worthily honoured Lady The Lady ELWES Wife to the Right Worshipfull Sir JERVACE ELWES Knight MAdam well may you wonder at the audacious impudence of a stranger shall fix your Name in the frontispiece of his simplicity But though I never saw your face I have often heard the fame of your pious zeal to Godward confirmed by those set hours daily put apart in your privat Closet no doubt for his service the onely reall ground of all your shining vertues which out the boldness upon me to present you this plain piece of rustick Northern work savouring its Clymate containing a few wandring thoughts of a decrepit miserable wretched Old man humbly intreating you will vouchsafe him the favour at some spare hours of your life if any such can be found to open and read and what you find unworthy your judicious eye to raze out and the poor remainder if any such can be found to place at the threshold of your Library where the hem of your vesture may preserve it from the viperous tongue of the venemous Spider And as you now live eminent amongst the best of Ladies in that famous yet terrestriall Citie of London So that you may hereafter live glorious among the best of Saints in that heavenly Citie new Jerusalem shal be the prayer of Your Servant deeply devoted SAM BRASSE To my loving Country-men the Commons of ENGLAND Dear Brethren and loving Countrymen I Have lavisht out 80 years in jollity pleasure loosing the reins of liberty to all libidinous desires glutting my self with the vain delights of this wretched world mispending that precious time my gracious God of his abundant goodness bestowed upon me for his own service solely So as I am now become that Dives our Saviour spake of daily tormented with the pain of fore-passed pleasure And lest you my Countrymen should not heare Moses or the Prophets I have sent you this message from a dying man To amend your Lives lest you fall into the Lake where you may cry for a cup of cold water to cool your tongues and be denied it Happy is he whom other mens harms doe make to beware For your souls sake and for Jesus Christs sake lay to heart what is here in charity presented by a plain Country-man your friend and well-wisher Samuel Brasse To the READER READER I Wrote this little Book chiefly for my self and familiar friends yet if any other can get good by it I shall be glad 'T is a Collection of a few wandring Thoughts of an Old man lame both in body and minde Written in his bed the other Winter occasioned with want of rest by reason of pain His intention is good if expressed by finer fingers But bear with infirmities and make that use he desireth who is your friend and wel-wisher Sam. Brasse Flie foolish Fashion ' cause a novel friend You 'll read perchance untill you see its end Then lay 't aside but good friend do not so Keep 't neer your heart and it will cure all wo. Read it re-read it read it o're again The matter 's good though th' method poor plain S. B. Of the Author and his Book An Anagrammatical Motto of Samuel Brass Brass se Emanuel is his exhortation Emanuel se Brass is his approbation Both these united in him do appear Love of Christs members of his precepts fear Of the Book His book his honour for it s revealed light A lanthorn is to walk in Christ his sight Here 's no new light nor any old tradition Nor Heresie nor Romish superstition But he that reads it may in 't truly find Full great contentment for a Christian mind William Kay Minister at Stokesley VPon perusal of this book I find it plenteously to perform what it promiseth to be a ship full fraught with Arms and represents Davids Tower wherein are a thousand bucklers all shields of mighty men Can. 4.4 'T is indeed full of divine Meditations sweet Allusions concinâ— Comparisons daâ—ting Penetrations and concludes the Authors conversation to be in Heaven It is Heaven upon Earth And I may truly say of this as Nazianzen of Basils It is Devotionis maribus occusta Navis A Shipfull fraught with the rich merchandise of Devotion This is the opinion of Tho. Oddir Minister at Kirby To the Author GOe vend these Arms throughout the Christian world Now all in war more precious they then gold Being parcel gilt all of them Cannon-proof Where they 're in use the Enemy stands aloof And though his power be limited to offend thee Fear not but Christ thy Saviour shall defend thee So thou make use of what is here set down Thou mayst be sure in heaven to wear a crown By a Friend E. A. A Ship of Armes O Sinful soul O sinful soul Shall Christ be born for thee And thou not live and in his service die O cruel Caitiff cruel Caitiff Was 't born tormentor be Of him Laid down his dear heart blood for thee O wretch O wretch O wretch O wretch That erst thou should be be bore Love Satan serve and leave thy Saviour Who in that night the Jews did him betray Went forth to th' fields as he was wont to pray Unto the Garden called Gethsemane Where he and his did sometimes use remain Attended that night onely with his own For his going thither was no further known To any of them that were his followers more Or else no doubt of followers had been store And being there he went himself apart That he to heaven might raise and lift his heart And wil'd th' Apostles they should watch pray Lest that the Tempter might take them away But he being gone his follow'rs fell asleep Whom he reprov'd because they could not keep Themselves awaking for so short a space And then did he return to 's former place And they like men unto their sleepy vain Which he well knowing turned back again And wil'd them sleep and fear not he would be Their keeper during all eternitie And then fell he upon his bended knees And pray'd for those that were his enemies That done he call'd and will'd them to awake For they were nigh intended him to take Who suddenly were then hard by at hand Attended strongly with a Soldiers Band All who were furnish'd each one Soldier-like With burnisht sword with staff or else with pike And when they came to our sweet Saviour nie He did demand whom 't was they came to spie They said For Jesus he of Nazareth That 's I said he and pray now what pleaseth You do with him whereat all being aston'd They started back and fell upon the ground And when they did from that amazement wake He said 'T is I whom ye are come to take Now Traitor Judas did
ever in thy service live One of that glorious heav'nly Angels quire And then shall I have what I do desire For there my soul in soul desires to be Where it shall live in joy eternallie Within the presence of that heav'nly King And to him alwayes alleluja sing Then sing my soul and give to God the praise Who hath defended thee and thine alwayes And if thouâ—'lt but apply thy senses there Unto them then thy Saviour will appear And shew to thee his bitter wounds and blood VVhich he endur'd for thine eternall good VVhereof he left to thee a monument Thou may'st behold that blessed Sacrament For fear that thou thy Saviour shouldst forget He in thy fight before thy face hath set A perfect signe to th' eyes is visible Of inward grace which is invisible VVhere sences all are fully satisfi'd If that his passion he by faith appli'd O blessed feast where all are call'd to eat That heav'nly sacred and that spirituall meat VVhich only's good but yet to them alone VVho come prepar'd w th wedding garment on Then grant good God that I may ever have This glorious garment when I do receive This food of life which thou art pleas'd to give To all of them that in the Lord do live VVhich in them breeds a fervent spiritual love To thee their Saviour and their God above Sweet Jesus please to feed me with that food That I done'r forget thee nor thy blood Nor those the bloudy wounds thou didst endure My silly soul death-sick of sin to cure Grant gracious God that I do n're forget Thy bitter passion but before me set The cruell torment thou endur'dst for me Of all mankind a wretch most unworthy Sweet Jesus please to send I humbly pray Thy holy spirit may guide me on my way Which narrow is and few there be it finde For all men are by nature born be blind And follow th' broad that plain street wherein All such do tread as traffick in their sin Dear God lead me out of that pleasing way Let me good Lord no longer in it stay And then shall I with good King David sing The praises due to th' glorious heav'nly King Who hath so blessed me and them are mine As I wel hope good God we are al thine Grant gracious God that wee may thankfull prove For these thy blessings that bounteous love And e're acknowledge them to come from thee Who hath so freely given them unto me Grant me that grace good God I humbly pray That I do never from thee go astray But alwayes love and honour thee aright Being not unmindfull I am in thy sight That of thy creatures I may make good use And their right end I no way do abuse As some men do who put their whole delight In heaping up of gold which is not right And some there be delight so much in wealth The care of it doth take away their health And some again do love their wealth to spend Far faster then God pleaseth it to send And some are such so carefull are to keep That fear of losing often breaks their sleep And some delight in living miserly To be esteemed rich when they do die And some there are do to their children give The state whereon themselves have need to live And there be some have wealth proudly live Yet will their hearts nought to their children give Some spend their time and all their means at drink And best bestow'd as they themselves doe think Some love their horses as they do their lives And some their friends before their loial wives Ther 's some do love their hawks beyond their bounds And som again that do delite in hounds Good God that man these creatures should abuse Which thou created onely for mans use The several sorts of which do well declare What severall uses of each of them are The Messet dandled in he ladies lap Which she doth use with silken mantle hap The shepheards Cur which he is carefull keep To hound together his stragling fearful sheep The Irish Shock is tons'd and taught to wait At 's Masters elbow looking for a bâ—it Tlil country Cur doth let his Master know If thieves in night about his house do go The Mungrel he doth take the harmfull swine And lull him soundly so he be not mine The nimble Tumbler with his sudden turn Will take the Rabber sitting at her urne The prety Snack with speed wil quickly teach The harmlesse Haire to keep out of her reach The stately Greyhound that doth seem to scorn To run at ought which doth not carry horn The Mastie he will take the ugly Bear On the fierce Bull if he be hounded there The pretty Spaniel that doth questretreat Doth serve the Hawk with help to fill her feet The Water Spaniel that doth fine sport make In pond if there be either Duck or Drake The little Tarrier that doth love to lie As neere the Fox as he dare well come by The pretty Beagle that doth chanting run The wiely Wat until her death she come The fleet-hound he doth follow th' game so fast The chase some time doth but a little last The well-mouth'd hound doth use his master tell Where th' game doth go by sound of his deep bell O blessed God that thou shouldst make all these Mans several fancies with delight to please And satisfie his wearied senses so As yields him joy sometimes in stead of wo And his dull spirits so to recreate With gladness such as might well animate A thankless creature thankfull for to prove Vnto this God this God of peace and love Who greatly doth desire most lovingly This creature man should serve him chearfully For God doth like and love a chearful heart And plenteously he doth perform his part To draw this man this most ungrateful man Who of himself no good at all he can To serve his God with so much more delight If these his blessings he doe use aright And in his pleasures alwayes meditate And with himself thus with himself debate How are my labours with my pleasure eased How have my senses all of them been pleased How sensless I of my laborious pain Endur'd with ease my pleasures to obtain Although my wearied limbs right well do know My pains were more then I of them make show And if my pleasure had not so well proved I think my pains should not so well been loved For I doe find my pleasure to be such As feeling it I feel my sorrows much And though my pleasure doth in height abound What profit to me doth thereby redound For now my pleasure it is past and gone And sense of it there now remaineth none To what end then have I took all this pain For some end sure though it be not for gain If God saw all things he had made were good Then th' use thereof it seems by likelihood Is that which bringeth either joy or woe For th' end is it which alwayes
next their care is little or none Whereby appears to heaven there goes but few And so indeed our Saviours words made true For that gate 's narrow but the other broad And most men love the way that most is troad But thou my soul avoyd this beaten path If thou intend t' avoyd the way to wrath For be assur'd there are no more but two Or that to Heaven or that t'eternal wo. Let all thy care then be to avoyd this And eschew all may hinder th' way to bliss So by observance thou mayst easily know Which of these two thou dost intend to go Then let thy care be always God to serve And by that means thou mayst thy life preserve Let conscience say what thy chief care hath bin To serve thy Saviour or to commit sin Let no occasion pass thee without trial And this in time wil free thee from denial At that strait gate wherein so few must enter So make that sure without all peradventure Let this be th'chiefest of thy daâ—ly cares And it prefer before all worldly affairs For worldly actions aim at worldly ends But thou my soul at that which heaven intends For though thy flesh do follow earthly things Let inward mind be set on King of Kings Let him be always in thy outward mind And then shalt thou in all thy actions find A means to bring thee on that narrow way Where they must go mean not to go astray And then thou 'lt see thy mind is ever set To serve thy God and him thou'lt nere forget For if thou dost but wash thy filthy hands Thou 'lt see thy Saviour then before thee stands To try if thou wilt wash thy heart from sin And horrid life which thou hast lived in And when thou puts in mouth a piece of bread Think how thy Saviour then for thee was dead And rose again and lives in heaven above And doth desire thou come to him in love Then set thy self to serve this loving God And hee 'l preserve thee in that narrow road Which leads to heaven then keep that narrow way And in it serve thy Saviour night and day Let all thy thoughts on him alone attend So be thou sure thy life in him shall end But then must thou have care to serve this God Or else expect to feel his heavy rod. For though he gaeatly doth desire thy life Yet thou dost know he punisht good Lots wife Presume not then that he will alwayes be As he hath hereto been to wretched thee By his long-suffering thee go on in sin As though his wrath had nere yet kindled b n. But thou hast seen his plagues on Egypt shown And then on them he chose to be his own Presume not then that he will pardon thee Superfluous branch of that wild Olive tree But fall with fear and teach thy heart to tremble Whose nature is with God himself dissemble Because thou knowst his mercy doth abound Ye thou hast seen some sawallowd by the ground For lesse offence then many of thine have bin Then strive to free thee from this horrid sin The onely cause of Sodoms sinking there Where nought doth live but onely horrid fear Then fear this God though he be slow to anger He 'l smite thee down when thou thinkst least of danger Forget not this but think on 't seriously Lest thou repent it even immediatly Canst thou for pleasure in thy garden walk Then not take pleasure with thy Saviour talk Canst thou observe each herb in its own kind And have not then thy Maker in thy mind Canst thou see Lilies in thy garden grow And not think Solomon ne're was cloath'd so When th'least of them to th' world a wonder is Then let that wonder bring thy soul to bliss When all on earth can not make th'meanâ—st there Whereby the makers Godhead doth appeare Who with his word did make them for thy use Then do not these good creatures thou abuse But thankfull be for these great blessings given To thee unworthy lift thine eye to heaven For if such glory doth on earth appeare Canst thou conceive what wonders may be there When great Jehovah by his word doth make Such herbs on earth that man may pleasure take In serving him this gracious God above Who 's God alone the God of peace and love Observe each herb in it a severall smell But how infus'd no tongue on earth can tell Their several shapes by th' King of heaven ordaind And each of others by him are restraind Their vertues great to th' world a wonderment Infus'd by th'maker to give man content Unthankfull creatures here do meditate And of these wonders deeply contemplate And then thouâ—'t see the goodness of this God To thee poor man who dost deserve his rod But that his goodness doth to thee abound Who well deserves be swallowed of the ground If so his mercy were not even much more And all his other attributes before Then serve him serve him with a filiall fear Who of his bounty hath so plac'd thee heâ—e As thou mayst see thy God on every side Above below throghout the world so wide Where God himself saw all was good therein Then do not thou pervert it with thy sin For wicked man makes wicked use of all Make no such use or else be sure to fall But thou my soule use all things to that end For which thy God did these great blessings send And then fear not buâ— he will bless thee so As from thy Saviour thou shalt never go But in his service take thy whole delight And therein spend thy time both day and night So every object will be then a mean To make thee think of that good God of heaven And then thy mind will set it self to serve Thy Saviour Christ who doth thee thus preserve From wicked Satan and his hellish power Though he be still attending at thy dore To put ill thoughts into thy fickle mind When thou forgets to serve thy Saviour kind Forget not then to let each object move Thy mind to set it self on God above For all the creatures which Jehovah made Do shew to man that he should be obey'd For they were works of Gods own onely hand And freely all submit to his command Save onely man the noblest of the resâ— Whom he doth love and wills he may be blest And for that purpose he doth daily send Continual means to bring him to that end For which he first created him on earth Where he infus'd with th'â—oul a living breath And left him free from any thought of sin Till th'wily Serpent Adam en red in And did with pleasure this weak man perswade To disrespect his God who had him made By tasting that but one forbidden tree The onely cause of all mans misery Canst then fâ—rget when dost an apple see For Adams sin how God doth punish thee And if for such a seeming small offence He punish all without a difference From high to low to
am still as I have ever been O'ercome with mine own best beloved sin And have no strength for to withstand his power Doth thus torment me every day and hour O woe 's my heart that erst it should be born To live so long and now to dye forlorne O wo's my heart that Christ should weep for me And it not draw one tear from out mine eye O wo's my heart that Christ should dye for me Yet wretched I by 's death no better be O wo's my heart he calls me to embrace Yet I decline him by my want of grace O wo's my heart that erst it should be born To make my Saviour wear a crown of thorn O wo's my heart his tender hands should feel These rents for me and onely for my wee l O wo's my heart his side was pierc'd for me And yet my heart from feeling thereof free O wo's my heart his feet were nail'd to th' tree And yet that nailing nothing trouble me O wo's my heart that cannot feel his stripes Were able fill a stony heart with gripes O wo's my heart 't is not in sunder torn To see my Saviour bide for me such scorne O wo's my heart he endur'd this for my wee l And I want grace his grievous torments feel O wo's my heart he gave his life for me Yet wretched I in him nor live nor dye O wo's my heart he should for me be sent Yet want of grace will not let me repent O wo's my heart it should so hardned be As that his sufferings have not softned me O wo's my heart it is on sin so set As all his torments it doth quite forget O wo's my heart it will not bleed for wo To think that Satan hath now made it so O wo's my heart that nothing can it bring To serve my Saviour and my heavenly King O wo's my heart he should me thus respect Yet want of grace to make me him neglect O wo's my heart that he should shed his blood For me and yet it work in me no good O wo's my heart can nothing thee remove From love of hell to look at heaven above O wo's my heart so taken with thy sin And horrid life which thou hast lived in O wo's my heart thou wilt not sin forsake And to thy Saviours service thee betake O wo's my heart neglects Gods service so As breach of Sabbath breeds in me no wo. O wo's my heart will not spend Sabbath day In serving God and in his service stay O wo's my heart not one day in a week Shall I serve God and his true honour seek O wo's my heart I have delighted more In serving Satan then my Saviour O wo's my heart that 's drawn with such delight To follow th' wrong and forsake that is right O wo's my heart that 's from thy Saviour straying Whenas thy tongue is for thy pardon praying O wo's my heart I have less lov'd and us'd The Church then th'Alehouse where God is abus'd O wo's my heart that dost haunt Taverns more Then dost the Church to serve thy Saviour O wo's my heart thou shouldst so graceless be To neglect him who thus respecteth thee O wo's my heart it should so love its will As what is good it calls by name of ill O wo's my heart as fill'd with such ill blood As what is ill it gives it name of good O wo's my heart it should so stupid be As follow Mammon though thou dost him see O wo's my heart that seest thy way is broad And yet wilt not forsake that common road O wo's my heart that sees hell 'fore thy face And yet goes on for want of better grace O wo's my heart will not be drawn return Although thou seest black hell before thee burn O wo's my heart shall neither hell nor heaven Remove away from thee this wicked leaven O wo's my heart that thou shouldst be resolv'd Forsake thy Saviour till thou be dissolv'd O wo's my heart shall nothing thee remove To leave this hell and aime at heaven above O wo's my heart it is not fill'd with woes To leave heavens path and take that to hell goes O wo's my heart it will not burst to think What I am writing with this pen of ink O wo's my heart that it should guide my hand And yet it self the way of God withstand O wo's my heart my hand should point the path And yet my heart should follow th' way to wrath O wo's my heart it should this hell-hound love And so forsake this gracious God above O wo's my heart it should so stupid be As 't will go on although it Satan see O wo's my heart that Christ came me to call And yet towards him I will not go at all O wo's my heart it is so idly given As that ' gainst idleness I have never striven O wo's my heart so taken with delight Of what is wrong but seldome what is right O wo's my heart with more delight wilt look On news though toyes then on a pious book O wo's my heart spends time in earthly toyes Neglecting that which tends to heavenly joyes O wo's my heart that nothing will delight thee But things indeed which rather ought to fright thee O wo's my heart will break thy sleep for sin Yet wilt not wake to let thy Saviour in O wo's my my heart that will to Satan yield When they must fight intend to win the field O wo's my heart that 's hollowed so within As t will retaine nought but beloved sin O wo's my heart how great hath been thy care From time to time thy rent for to prepare Lest that thy Landlord might for it distraine Or turn thee out though Tearm by Lease remain O wo's my heart how little thy regard To serve thy Christ who with his blood prepar'd A farme for thee in heaven whose worth is such As there 's no brest that can conceive how much O wo's my heart what difference there hath been Twixt this on earth and that thy Farme in heaven How great thy care to pay thy Landlords rent How light regard for th' Saviours discontent O wo's my heart that strives to pass away What without pastime will not with thee stay O wo's my heart that thy care should be more To serve this Satan then they Saviour O wo's my heart lov'st better Satan serve Then him who doth indeed thy life preserve O wo's my heart that hastens time to run But when th' end comes I fear thou wilt it shun O wo's my heart still striv'st set that away Which tends to nothing but to thy decay O wo's my heart that 's careful for thy sleep Yet careless how thy self from sin to keep O wo's my heart more curious of thy taste Then of thy time which hourly thou dost waste O wo's my heart so carefull keep a watch How worldly toyes thou mayst in time dispatch Yet careless how thou triflest time away Which tends to nothing but to
they are hourly hatched in my braine A man might well be thought to be but mad Who in his head such idle thoughts hath had Wherein is neither sense nor any reason Nor ought which is befitting any season And some will say such hath a giddy head I think most men are of that stampe indeed VVhen they 'r not stable in their inward minde But alter so as doth th' inconstant winde I marvaile not if some such there should be For such I am sure is I my self I see And yet my wit cannot it comprehend Why I this madness in me cannot mend Though I resolve to force it with me stay VVithin an instant it will me oresway And many times to somethings that are ill And that directly ' gainst what is my will So I am not able of my self to say VVhat this may be which hurrieth me away For though I set my minde to accomplish this I am about which is not much amiss As I conceive yet in me is it so My wandring thoughts are carryed to and fro So as I cannot these my thoughts confine From end to end of one poor silly line Though I do strive and often them invite Help me these mean and simple lines endite Which I begun in hope of gaining good To be obtain'd by Christ his precious blood Though still I finde to my no little grief I have as yet receiv'd but small relief Because my thoughts they will not be my own But from my Saviour they still press me down So as I cannot in sweet Jesus stay Not one half hour no not in one whole day VVithout some idle interruption Intending deeply my destruction For I do plainly of it thus conceive 'T is want of grace which cause my thoughts to rave Since I may well compare them to the Kite Who puling soares aloft a mighty height Untill he spy some beastly carrion Then down he comes in hast to seize upon That filthy thing whereon he falls and feeds His gorge so full that he for ease must needs Take rest a while and after that againe He doth return and feeds thereon amaine And never far is drawn depart from it So long as there is left one little bit But flies about within sight of his prey Except he be by a stronger forc'd away And if he be he 'l by and by retreat To feed againe upon that pleasing meat Even so these wandring thoughts of mine surmount The starry skie where I do make account That they should stay but presently they come Down to this earth where they do love to roam And roave yea rave and there do run about Untill they finde some pleasing pleasure out Whereon they rest themselves a while and then They reel againe and ramble like mad men Are fighting for they cannot well tell what Nor matters much so as it be not that Whereon they ought in heart to think upon Which is my Savours bitter passion And it they neither relish sent nor feel So as by that I see they are not well Nor will not be except sweet Jesus please Of his abundant goodness grant me ease Of this my madness for indeed so 't is It doth deprive me of that heavenly bliss Which thou O Lord of thine abundant love Hast promis'd them are mark'd for heaven above Who onely call on thy most holy name And in thy service do resolve remaine For calling is but to a little end Without my life I seek for to amend And that I see is not in my own power Except good God thou please shut out of door This wicked legion that still leadeth me From heaven to earth and then unto the sea And back with speed unto the earth againe And there he suffers me a while remaine Till I begin O Lord to come to thee Then he begins that legion trouble me And puts me off with some fair slighty tale Whereby I set all former hopes to sale For some fond pleasure the subtle Serpent showes Which I accept and so it down me throws From out the presence of my blessed Lord Who hath me promised by his sacred word If that I will but to him freely come He will redeem me from that doleful doom Of Go thou cursed into the hell of fire Which all thy actions seem for to desire Since thou thy self dost lovingly embrace Whatsoere is set before thy sinful face By that foul feind and even with greatest joy Though it do tend to thy greatest annoy And utter ruine of thy whole estate Which few but fools will buy at any rate VVho never aime at any other end But what this earth to them on earth doth send For hence these wretches never think to go Till they be hurried hence into all wo. For though my conscience even now telleth me That death at door I do most plainly see Yet I presume that he will make no hast And so in sin my life I utterly waste Not minding these thy bounteous great blessings God gives to me by his long-sufferings In hope that I 'll my sinful life repent Performing duly wherefore I was sent Which was to serve my God both day and night As all they do who love to live in 's sight But I poor I a miserable wretched beast Of all things else of that most needful least So as I finde there 's nothing is in me But onely death-deserving crueltie And that I do with very great hearts delight And the reason is because it is not right For what I onely ought to think upon That either's now from me already gone Or else I do it with a most dull sprite Which showes I have but an ill appetite For to perform that which I ought to do Both with a minde and willing heart thereto But these I finde alwayes are alwayes apt to ill And that they 'l do though it be ' gainst my will And further therein they do take delight Though conscience say that they are not in right But conscience is not able these two guide For even ' gainst conscience they away do slide From heaven to earth where these two both do lye Without respect who 't is that sits on high So as with grief I do most plainly finde That there is alwayes something in my minde Which should not be if I could tell to mend it But 't will be so till God shall please to help it Sweet Jesus therefore please to come to me That I in heart may also come to thee And on thy passion stedfastly e're think And ne'er depart or from thy suffering shrink But alwayes have it constantly in minde And there my thoughts be well assur'd to finde Where I desire that they should ever be With thee dear God dear God alone with thee Sweet Jesus grant if 't be thy blessed will Vouchsafe be pleas'd to keep them with thee still And never let them far from thee depart But keep both them and also my poor heart Out Satans reach that he do never