groueling is his resting place Then shall my soule with Debora imbrace In thankfull wise thy mercies I receiue And so pursue the fleshly Canaans race Till I the furie of the same bereaue And with my song thy seruants shall accord To yeeld due praise to thee the liuing Lord. SON LXXVI MY soule like silly Ioseph Lord was sold By fleshly brethren his vnkind alas To vanities the merchants which behold From far they saw to Egipt which do passe A seruant vnto Ismaels seed it was And sold from sin to death and so to hell Of humane frailtie Lord a looking glasse In which all foule affections long did dwell Yet lo alas when sin seekes most t' excell And haue my mind consent to traitrous lust With grace ô Lord that enemy repell And heare my praiers who in thee do trust Who though a space in bodies prison staies Yet Lord at length vouchsafe to heauen to raise SON XXVII SO blinde ô Lord haue my affections bin And so deceitfull hath bin Satans slight That to giue credit I did first begin To pride and lust as heauenly powers of might I offred all my sences with delight A sacrifice to feed those Idols vaine Of all the presents proffred day and night Nought vnconsumde I saw there did remaine Till that thy Prophets by thy word made plaine The falshood by the which I was deceiued How Satans kingdome made here of a gaine And wickednesse my hope and faith bereaued But now the sifted ashes of thy word Bewraies Bels Prists slaies dragon without sword SON LXXVIII A Wicked theefe that oft haue robd and slaine Thy graces of their frute my selfe of blisse Now on the crosse of conscience I remaine To die the death the which eternall is I see no way to quit my selfe of this Vnlesse thou Lord whose kingdome is aboue Remember me and cansell life amisse Out of thy memorie through Christ thy loue Who in my flesh with me like death did proue That guiltlesse he might guilties ransome bee Loue to my soule it was that did him moue The bands of death to bide to make vs free Blesse thou my tong increase thou faith in mee This night to be in paradise with thee SON LXXIX IN bondage long to Satan haue I bin A maker of the bricke of Babell towre By birth a thrall to grosse and filthie sin Whom lusts taskmasters doth attend ech houre Affection to the flesh doth cleane defloure The memorie and loue of promist lands The fiend euen Pharo seeketh to deuoure My soule and chaine me to his dreadfulll bands But Lord receiue me safe into thy hands Protect me from the rigor of his might Quench thou the force of lusts inflamed brands In my defence giue me true faith to fight Send Moyses Lord with powre of heauenly sword And Aaron to direct me by thy word SON LXXX A Moabit I was of cursed kinde Vnkinde vnto thy Church Lord and to thee Who sought by ayde of foolish Balaam blinde To captiuate the soule that should be free Incestuous frutes of that high climing tree Which doth subdue all reason and all grace A carnall kinsman by a neare degree Vnto the soule the which I haue in chase Whom I with lothsome sin sought to deface And bastardise with carnall fond affect Whose ofspring thou vnto the tenth mans race Didst once out of thy sanctuary reiect Yet now by faith made free of Iury land A suter here before thy throne do stand SON LXXXI LO how I groueling vnder burden lie Of sin of shame of feare Lord of thy sight My guilt so manifold dare not come nie Thy throne of mercy mirror of thy might With hidden and with ignorant sinnes I fight Dispairing and presumptuous faults also All fleshly frailtie on my backe doth light Originall and actuall with me go Against a streame of lusts my will would roe To gaine the shoare of grace the port of peace But flouds of foule affections ouerfloe And sinke I must I see now no release Vnlesse my Sauior deare this burden take And faith a ship of safetie for me make SON LXXXII FRom Iuda wandring Lord to Iericho From holie law of thine to carnall lust Whilst midst the prease of lewd affects I go I robbed am of rayment pure and iust And wounded lye Lord groueling in the dust Not any passer by can giue me aide In fleshly strength or friendship is no trust By highway seene to helpe me few haue staide But since my Sauior Christ on crosse hath paide A ransome rich to cure my bleeding sore By faith to craue the frutes I 'am not affraide In hope my health thereby for to restore Bind vp my wounds with balme leade me to rest Giue me such gifts of grace as like thee best SON LXXXIII THis slender Citie Lord of strength behold Wherein I dwell Bethulia my bower Of flesh whereto sin laies a battry bold And seeks with sword dearth my soules deuower Suppresse thou hellish Holofernes power Who prides himselfe in praie of children thine I haue no trust in mountaines wals nor tower For want of faithes true fountaine we shall pine Raise vp this female couragde heart of mine Strengthen my hand to reue this monsters hed Let me not tast deceiptfull follies wine Nor be polluted with worlds sinfull bed But constantly by faith fight in defence Of feeble flesh and driue thy enemies thence SON LXXXIIII NOt that my faith doth faint a whit is cause That I so instant am on thee to call O God of life but yeelding to thy lawes Before thy sight my soule these teares lets fall Which in thy bottle kept I know are all And quench the fury of thy burning ire Which sin enflamde and qualifie it shall The quarrell which hath set thy wrath on fire If feruently the childe due food desire Of father he will not giue him a stone If of the wicked iustice man require Importunely some iustice will be showne More righteous iudge and father thou to mee Art Lord indeed and far more kind wilt bee SON LXXXV THe many trials Lord that I haue found Since out of Egipt darknesse I am brought Might witnesse well how in thee still abound Powre mercy truth wherby thy workes are wrought But foule dispaire against my faith hath fought Amidst the wildernesse wherein I stay And daintier food my fond affections sought Then Manna which thou sentst me euerie day The desert Zyn doth fountaine pure denay Of grace wherewith to quench my fainting ghost Eternall death expects my soule as pray And lust assaults me with a hideous host Stretch forth hād Lord smite thou my hart of stone With rod of true repentance griefe and mone SON LXIII THou hast ô Lord of mercy me enricht With flocks of fauour and of graces great Since I in Bethell first the pillar pitcht Of praises to thy name and mercies seat Yet fleshly Esawes foule affections threat A ruine to the frute faith forth should bring With pleasing humors him for to intreat
with heauenly grace My comfort wealth that hell cannot rebate In such a rate Thy fauour do I finde As bindes me loue a father found so kinde SON XXVIII WHat should I render thee my Sauiour deare For all the gifts thou doest on me bestowe Whose gracious measure so doth ouerflow As power of recompence cannot appeare I do imbrace thy gifts with ioyfull cheare And to thy alter speedily do runne To follow forth thy praise but new begunne Till all thy people may thy mercies heare Thy glorious image shineth in thy Sonne Thy loue to man did his obedience show His loue and mercy vnto man hath wonne The gifts of grace whence faith and comfort grow Where through we know That we are thy elect And these our feeble frutes wilt not reiect SON XXIX THe powerfull pen the which records thy praise O Lord of life hath many volumes made Thy wondrous works each leafe doth ouerlade Which aye increase as growing are my dayes Vnsearchable indeed are all thy wayes In multitude they number do exceed In glorie they do admiration breed Their goodnesse power of recompence denayes The hungry thou with plenteous hand doest feed Thy fauour to thy creatures doth not fade The more in view of all thy works I wade The more I finde my sense confound indeed But yet in steed Of Eccho to thy fame I will giue thanks and laud vnto thy name SON XXX THis stately stage wherein we players stande To represent the part to vs assignde Was built by God that he might pleasure finde In beautie of the works of his owne hand All creatures of the ayre the sea and land Are players at his appointment of some thing Which to the world a proper vse may bring And may not breake assigned bownds or band Some do in ioy still forth his praises sing Some mourne make their mone with heauy mind Some shew the frutes of nature weake and blind Some shew how grace base sin away doth fling God like a King Beholds Christ doth attire The plaiers with the shape their states require SON XXXI WHo so beholds with constant fixed eye The fauour and perfection of my choyce He cannot chuse but must in heart reioyce That mortall sight may heauenly blisse espie All earthly beautie he will straight defie As thing too base to occupie his braine Whose fading pleasures so are payd with paine That they true tast of pleasure do denie But who so can this perfect sight attaine Cannot containe but yeeld with cheerfull voyce An Eccho to the Angels heauenly noyse Who to his praise do singing still remaine They then are vaine Who fix their sight so low That such a glorious God they will not know SON XXXII O Heauenly beautie of loue the fountaine true Whose shining beames do penetrate my soule With such a zeale as former thoughts controll And drawes heart powre and will thee to insue Thou mak'st my fainting sight for to renue And dazeling eyes new strength thus to attaine To whom alone perfection faire is due Thou mak'st earths bewteous shadow seeme but vain Thy works of glorie and of powre remain Ingrauen in thankfull hearts which them inroll Thy loue and mercy made thee pay the toll Which to our dying soules true life did gain Thy loue doth wain My thoughts frō baser loue And mak'st my heart and mind to soare aboue SON XXXIII IF beautie be as men on earth suppose The comely shape and colours which agree In true proportion to the thing we see Which grace and fauour both do neuer lose If white and red be borrowd from the Rose If bright and shining to the sunne compar'd If high and straight to goodlinesse w'award And beautie haue such base descriptions chose Then let the wise this beautie true regard Where all perfections in one subiect be Surpassing frute of the forbidden tree Which but to tast man suffred deaths reward Which is prepard And offred to our sight In Christ to loue and feed vs day and night SON XXXIIII HOw may this be that men of searching mind Whose curious eyes in beautie do delight The pleasing obiect of their fancies sight In outward shape and colour comfort find And yet the better beautie leaue behind Vnsought or vnregarded of at all Compard to which none can it beautie call Vnlesse a buzzard whom affections blind This earthly forme of flesh it is so small Of worth to charme the sence of noble spright As is a starre before faire Phoebus bright Whose glory doth their borrowed beauti apall Thus wise men fall Whom camall eies do guide Whose iudgement may not vertues sight abide SON XXXV O Heauenly loue with God thou dwelst for aye Thou passest faith and hope in dignitie Thou keepst the law thy feet step not awrie In all mens danger thou the surest stay To our request thou neuer sayest nay Ne wrath ne enuy moue thee ere a whit Thou multitude of sinnes in man doest quit Thou law and Gospell both dost ouer sway Thou doest with God aloft in heauens sit With God in counsell thou art alwaies by Thou causest Christ mans weaknesse to supply And makest vs receiue the frute of it And euery whit Of goodnesse that we haue Loue made him send who loue therfore doth craue SON XXXVI THe shining face of my faire Phoebus deare Whose glorie doth eclipse each other light Presents himselfe vnto worlds open sight Their blinded eyes with ioyfull view to cheare But sluggish so the greater sort appeare That sleeping in selfe-loue and mind secure The cleare aspect of truth they not indure Nor of their blindnesse willingly would heare But so my sences do his beautie allure To gaze vpon his louely fauour bright That therein onely haue I may delight Where is all happinesse I do assure He doth procure A plentifull increase Vnto my soule of perfect loue and peace SON XXXVII AVaunt base thoughts incomber me no more By laying forth these earthly wants of mine As though thou wouldst perswade me to repine Because of wealth I haue not needlesse store If thou didst know thy nakednesse before He cloth'd thy soule and fed thy fainting minde With righteousnesse and faith in Sauiour kinde Thou wouldst that former state much more deplore And then confesse the comfort thou doest finde By peace of conscience in this flesh of thine Is greatest riches truly to define So that contentment be not left behinde These gifts me binde To praise his holy name And place chief wealth in knowledge of the same SON XXXVIII I Will not feare with feruency of zeale To follow forth this faire affect of mine To loue of thee which doth my soule incline O Sauiour deare who sure my griefe wilt heale Vnto thy proffred kindnesse I appeale Who of thy selfe didst call me vnto thee And promisedst I should thy darling bee Made free within thy Church and common weale Disparagement there is not now in mee Ne shall distrust forbid me to be thine But faith shall flie aloft to thee in
is euill among all that is done vnder the sunne that there is one coÌ„dition to all also the heart of the sonnes of men is full of euill and madnesse is in their hearts whilest they liue and after that they go to the dead And sure of all the things that I do know It is the thing that seemes most strange to me That maketh wise men most amazed grow And best men most discouraged to bee When they their states as hard as others see And that like others is their death in show As subiect vnto paine as wicked men Forgotten be they once in graue below Their vertues as not done vnthought of then So that their cares and fooles vnquiet dayes Both madnesse seeme both die deuoide of prayse 4. Surely who so euer is ioyned to al the liuing there is hope for it is better to a liuing dog then to a dead Lyon Hence doth proceede no doubt the prouerbe old That liuing dogge dead Lyon doth excell With princely beast of noble courage bold Then euery barking curre dare â—ausly mell That liuing durst not come within his smell The reason is right easie to be told Because he liuing could himselfe relieue Life doth in time new hopes and haps vnfold But death no hope or earthly hap doth giue Time worketh wonders if our time we take Occasion at our death doth vs forsake verse 5 The liuing know that they must die but dead things are forgot verse 6 Their loue hate is queÌ„cht the earth more fruit affords theÌ„ not 5. For the liuing know that they shall die but the dead know nothing at all neither haue they any more reward for their remembrance is forgotten And so accordingly do wise men vse Whilst yet they liue and liuing haue the powre To worke their wils they proper times do chuse To perfect their intent least death deflowre Their sweetest hopes who all things doth deuowre For well they see and may it is no newes The man that now triumphes to morne to die That dead the foole the wisest will abuse And that the wisest then do senslesse lie And what vnperfected they left behind Neglected and themselues soone out of mind 6. Also their loue and their hatred and their enuy is now perished and they haue no more portion for euer in all that is done vnder the sunne Their loue their solace and their chiefe delights Euen with their liues expired and at end Their hate their plots of high reuenge and spights And euery action that they did pretend Dead into graue with them each one descend Into that cabbin of eternall nights Where they no more the gladsome beames shall see Of shining sunne the comfort of the wights That in this mortall life yet lingring bee Those perturbations ryfe with humane kind Their now exchanged state no more shall find verse 7 With bread wine cheere then thy hart the pledges of gods loue verse 8 With comely'aray cloth thou thy corps thou pleasant balmes maist proue 7. Go eate thy bread with ioy and drinke thy wine with a cheereful hart for God now accepteâ—h thy workes Thy part of earthly things that lawfully Thou mayst inioy I therefore thee aduise Vse whilst thou mayest for death comes speedily And crosses vnsuspected oft arise As euery mans experience daily tries Vse thou thy owne with plentie'and cheerefully Hurt not but helpe thou others to thy powre And if God gaue thee meanes aboundantly Do not thy selfe the same alone deuoure But as God gaue so freely do thou giue Those almes best please we vse whilst yet we liue 8. At all times let thy garments be white and let not oyle be lacking vpon thine head Thou needst not in thy dyet be precise As some perswade and onely eat to liue Where choyse is set to chuse in thee it lies All things were made for man God all doth giue By bounty vs to thankfulnesse to driue Yea all the rich attyres thou canst deuise For different states of men ordayned were For Princes purples for to please the eyes And all the precious gems that earth doth beare Yea sweet perfumes for delicace ordaynd If thou mayst haue them need not be refraynd verse 9 Reioyce in thy chast spouses bed since God her to thee gaue verse 10 What so thou woldst atchiue dispatch no works are don in graue 9. Reioyce with thy wise whom thou hast loued all the dayes of the life of thy vanitie which God hath giueÌ„ thee vnder the sunne all the dayes of thy vanitie for this is thy portion in the life and in thy trauell wherein thou labourest vnder the sunne If that thy eyes behold a beautie rare Which doth delight thy hart and loue inflame If that in lawfull band she proue thy share And that vnto thy loue her loue she frame Thou mayst with comfort ioy thee in the same A comfort sure to mitigate the care Which worldly troubles may on thee inflict The sweetest God or nature could prepare Or out of all earths beauties could be pickt So great as none can iudge that are vnkind And on a single life do set their mind 10. All that thine hand shall find to do do it with all thy power for ther is neither work nor intention nor knowledg nor wisedom in the graue whither thou goest And at a word for all what else beside In all the world thou hast a mind vnto So that in vse thereof a measure guide Thou art no whit restraind the same to do But do it quickly least death all vndo For death diuerteth all who can abide The fury of his force if once he smight To do what thou woulst do then take thy tide For in the darkesome graue of deadly night No knowledge wisedom powre there doth remaine All is forgot all purposes are vaine verse 11 The worthy want the wise the stroÌ„g haue oft times guerdon smal verse 12 None knows his houre as birds in snare are caught so meÌ„ do fall 11. I returned and saw vnder the sunne that the race is not to the swift nor the battell to the strong nor yet bread to the wise nor also riches to men of vnderstanding neither yet fauor to meÌ„ of knowledge but time chance commeth to them all By these obseruances I sought to win The happinesse which I did in part attaine But all gaine not the goale the running bin Nor haue the spoyle that fight the field to gaine Nor to the wise doth alwayes wealth remaine Nay many needy sterne and new begin The world whose wits and industries were good Their best indeuours stand on tickle pin And consterd are as they are vnderstood By such on whom the common wealth doth stay And time and chance in each thing beares a sway 12. For neither doth maÌ„ know his time but as the fishes which are taken in an euill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the children of meÌ„ snared in the euill time when it falleth vpon them suddenly
choise of weapons for sundrie assaults and disposeth of them diuersly according to the strength or weaknesse of the partie he besiegeth which being as different in particular persons as Gods gifts are to them thou shalt doe well to thy abilitie to reforme or supply my defect therin If in manner of the verse or stile they be as I doubt not but they are to be amended much I do not greatly seeke the praise of a curious Architector neither without neglect of more necessary duties could I attaine to the required obseruances that way And therefore craue that thy discretion may excuse my intention and abilitie And thus I hartily recommend thee to the Almightie THE FIRST PART OF CHRISTIAN PASSIONS containing a hundreth Sonets of meditation humiliation and prayer PREFACE IT is not Lord the sound of many words The bowed knee or abstinence of man The filed phrase that eloquence affords Or Poets pen that heauens do pearce or can By heauie cheere of colour pale and wan By pined bodie of the Pharisay A mortall eye repentance oft doth scan Whose iudgement doth on outward shadows stay But thou ô God doest hearts intent bewray For from thy sight Lord nothing is conceald Thou formdst the frame fro out the verie clay To thee the thoughts of hearts are all reueald To thee therefore with hart and minde prostrate With teares I thus deplore my sinfull state SONET I. HOw should my soule Lord clad in earthly mold The prison where it readie is to pine Where vile affections captiue it do hold And threaten naught but ruine in the fine Vnto one thought of hope or helpe incline Or raise my eyes vnto the heauens bright How may it Lord take hold on mercies thine Or presse it selfe in presence of thy sight Or how canst thou therein at all delight If mercy be not spokesman in this case If merit of thy Sonne should not acquite The common guilt of Adams sinfull rase Which since by faith alone man may attaine Grant me first grace not faithlesse to ramaine SON II. FRo out the darknesse of this sea of feare Where I in whale remaine deuourd of sin With true remorse of former life I reare My heart to heauen in hope some helpe to win I do confesse my fault who did begin To flie from thee ô Lord and leaue vndone Thy seruice which of right should first haue bin Performd by which so many should be wonne To praise thy name but feare alas begunne To represent to me my iourny long The dangers of the world my life should runne Which made me to my soule to offer wrong But since by show of death thou caldst me backe Thy gracious helpe at need let me not lacke SON III. WIthin this arke where in my soule doth dwell My bodie floting on worldes troubled waue Which windes of fierce affections cause to swell And hardly can my power from sinking saue I crie to thee ô Lord and comfort craue Close vp this fountaine of stil flowing sin Let me by faith againe once footing haue On frutefull earth and holie life begin Lighten the burden so vncleane within Of brutish vices raging in my minde Let cleane affects the greater partie win And so increase that plentie I may finde Of sacrifices pleasing in thy sight Of faith and loue which are thy soules delight SON IIII. IN humble wise as fitteth best my state An abiect wretch deuoyd of all desert I here approch before thy mercy gate O Lord of life with broke and contrite hart I need not to reueale to thee my smart A lump of sin and shame I am I know Wounded so deepe with deadly poysned dart Of serpents sting which did from parents grow That now my humors so do ouerflow With foule affections of my feeble minde As presseth downe my eyes on earth so low As dares not search the heauens true helpe to finde Yet since thou hast made known to me my griefe Guide me by grace to fountaine of reliefe SONET V. VNto thy princely wedding Lord are bed Of euerie sort some guests to feast with thee One that a spouse but late before had wed One oxen bought one taken land to fee They from the banket therefore absent bee Regarding not thy messengers of grace In number of the like Lord hold not mee But let me haue I craue the offred place Yet ere that I appeare before thy face A wedding garment first I must put on My owne vnrighteous cloathing is too base And marchandise of merits now are gone Then since thou cal'st with faith do thou me cloth A lame blind begger Lord do thou not loth SON VI. IN pride of youth when as vnbridled lust Did force me forth my follies to bewray I challenged as patrimony iust Each vaine affection leading to decay And trusting to that treasure post away I wandred in the worlds alluring sight Not reason vertue shame or feare could stay My appetite from tasting each delite Till want and wearinesse began me bite And so perforce to father I retire To whom I prostrate kneele vnworthie wight To name of sonne not daring to aspire Receiue me yet sweet sauiour of thy grace Poore penitent into a seruants place SON VII Lame of my limmes and sencelesse of my state Neere fortie yeares Lord haue I groueling line Before Bethesda poole yet still too late To wash me in the fountaine I encline Whence health wold come when Angel giues the sine If any one to aide me readie were But helplesse thus I readie am to pine My selfe vnable duly vp to reare Vouchsafe thou then me to this bath to beare By the assistance of thy heauenly grace Let not the force of foule affects me feare To prease forth first when Christ appeares in place Who is the fountaine Angell and the man That bath that blisse that cure my senses can SON VIII THy thundring voice and Angell Lord of long Hath cald my soule from slumber where it lay The harmony of heauenly musickes song Hath made my wandring feete at last to stay Direct thou me also the readie way Vnto thy church that in thy holy place Thy word and law I may in heart obay And worship thee before thy peoples face Grant me I say such measure of thy grace That greedily by faith I swallow vp Thy booke of truth and so thy word imbrace That frutefully I taste saluations cup. Thou who doest rule the earth the sea and land In my defence with power and glory stand SON IX AMong thy sheepe ô Lord I seemd to feed By Sacraments receiu'd into thy stocke By preached word I watred was indeed And works with fleece did seeme inritch my stocke But at my doore true faith did neuer knocke Which should be shepheard of my soules defence But thiefe like fond affections reason mocke And by the window of my wilfull sence Do enter to my heart and steale from thence Each motion of amendment which doth rise And shepheardlesse of grace transported hence By Sathan
may no more tormented bee Lest that my soule eternally he kill But from the force of Satan make me free These brutish sinnes in swine more fit to dwell Drowne in repentant seas of teares which swell SON XLIII IN deadly sleepe ô Lord sin hath me cast Wherein secure I lye and so remaine Raise me ô Lord out of this dreame at last And let me sight and light of heauen attaine The heauie humors which my iudgment staine And dazell so the reason of my minde Grant that they may their proper vse attaine And comfort in thy grace and promise finde All fleshly wisedome of it selfe is blinde Till thou by knowledge cleare their wandring sight Out of the snare of sin flesh cannot winde Vnlesse by faith they see thy Sonne so bright Him let me still both see and eke admire And thee in him ô Lord I thee desire SON XLIIII MY wicked flesh ô Lord with sin full fraight Whose eye doth lust for euerie earthly thing By couetise allurde hath bit the baight That me to Satans seruitude will bring By violence I vertues right would wring Out of possession of the soule so weake Like vineyard which the wicked Achab king Possest by tyrants power which lawes do breake Let Prophets thine Lord to my soule so speake That in repentant sackcloth I may mone The murther of thy grace which I did wreake Whilst to my natiue strength I trust alone And let my Sauiour so prolong my daies That henceforth I may turne from sinfull waies SON XLV IF thou vouchsafdst Lord of thy goodnesse rare To sanctifie with holie presence thine The Cana marriage where thou didst not spare First miracle of water turnd to wine Then be thou present at this wedding mine Which twixt thy Church and me by faith is ment To see the want in me thy eyes encline Whose wine of grace by wanton youth is spent But being toucht with view thereof repent And craue that water of earthes healthles well May issue forth from heart with sorrow rent And turnd to wine may so with grace excell That all that see and tast this change in me May grant this worke of thee alone to be SON XLVI SInce it hath pleased thee ô Lord to send Now in my barren age of hope and grace Repentant childe from ruine to defend My name and soule to liue before thy face Thy blessings I do thankfully embrace And in thy feare will frame his tender yeare The worlds regard in me shall haue no place If once thy word and will my heart do heare And when thou calst we both will then appeare Before thy Aulter in Moriath land To offer vp thy gift my sonne so deare Obedient childe to faithfull fathers hand Which sacrifice not worthie gift for thee With Christ my Sauiors suffrings quit let bee SON XLVII OF euerie creature vncleane to fore Whereof thy holy people might not tast Thou didst present ◠Lord to Peter store Which were from heauen in sheet before him plast Which he at first refusde with mind most chast Not touching things polluted or defilde But afterward thy counsell he embrast And saw himselfe had bene before beguilde To thinke all sinners were for aye exilde From presence of thy mercies which abound Whom oft thou doest receiue as father milde If faith in Christ thy sonne in them be found By praiers faith by faith thy grace doth grow Cornelius blessing Lord on me bestow SON XLVIII HOw hard it is ô Lord for man to frame His minde corrupt to be preparde for thee With tongue vncleane to praise thy holie name With fleshly eies thy glorie for to see Homeward I bring thy blessings vnto me And make my soule their dwelling place to rest But so forgetfull of thy lawes we be That this my action Lord I see not blest Pride and contempt the waies haue so opprest That danger is the carriage ouerthrow Grant that thy grace to staie it may be prest That so my soule thy sauing health may know For to my flesh vnsanctified to trust Were aie to hasten death by iudgement iust SON XLIX MY traitrous heart which long time hath rebeld Against thy spirit which should feed me still A secret counsell in it selfe hath held To contrarie thy knowne reuealed will Whose mutinie my sences so do fill With deeds repining to thy holie law That raging pride and lust lead me to ill Forgetting tokens of thy wrath they saw As Dathan and Abyram had no awe Of Moyses and of Aron thine elect But sought a way thy people how to drawe And Prophets thine by pride for to reiect So doth my soule alas thy grace resist And in the follies of the flesh persist SON L. A Tenant most vntrue ô Lord to thee In vineyard of my bodie haue I bin To craue thy rent thy seruants came to me But nothing but intreatie bad they win My trauell therein was to nourish sin And wast the wine of thy abounding plant The more to call me backe thou didst begin The more to thee my gratitude did want Ne would my lacke of grace let me recant When thou thy onely Sonne to me didst send For sin and Satan did me so supplant That to his ruine I did also bend But Lord me lend In time repentant hart That from this vineyard I may not depart SON LI. WHilst in the garden of this earthly soile My selfe to solace and to bath I bend And fain wold quench sins heat which seems to boile Amidst my secret thoughts which shadow lend My sence and reason which should me defend As iudges chosen to the common weale Allur'd by lust my ruine do pretend By force of sin which shamelesse they reueale They secretly on my affections steale When modestie my maides I sent away To whom for helpe I thought I might appeale But grace yet strengthens me to say them nay Yet they accuse me Lord and die I shall If Christ my Daniell be not iudge of all SON LII I Iustly am accusde and now am brought By law and gilt of conscience I confesse Before thy throne conuict by deed and thought Of sinfull lust which did me so possesse That quickning graces thine I did suppresse By fading loue of world procliue to ill Whose dome eternall death and nothing lesse My soule doth see to threaten to me still But since that frailtie so the world doth fill That no one fleshly wight thereof is free For mercy Lord to thee repaire I will Who seest the hart and canst best comfort me Quit me from death grant I may fall no more But remnant of my daies thy grace implore SON LIII A Husbandman within thy Church by grace I am ô Lord and labour at the plough My hand holds fast ne will I turne my face From following thee although the soile be rough The loue of world doth make it seeme more tough And burning lust doth scorch in heat of day Till fainting faith would seeke delightfull bough To shade my soule from danger of decay
But yet in hope of grace from thee I stay And do not yeeld although my courage quaile To rescue me be'prest I do thee pray If sinfull death do seeke me to assaile Let me runne forth my race vnto the end Which by thy helpe ô Lord I do intend SON LIIII ABase borne sonne to sin by kinde I am From natiue soile by want of grace exilde Of idle fances captaine I became Whilst I in Tob my resting place did bilde With worldly vanities I was defilde Till home thou caldst me by thy heauenly word Who trusting to my selfe was soone beguilde When I sought workes to be a conquering sword Whose vowes did seeme a present to afford Of frute of victorie at my returne Which rashnesse hath a mischiefe great incurd Compelling me my owne deserts to burne And now I mourne and better frute do craue The blessing of thy sonne Lord let me haue SON LV. WHen thou vouchsafedst Lord to raise my state From base degree of common humane kinde And gau'st me knowledge and a will to hate Each wickednesse contrarie to thy minde By promise thou didst me most strictly binde To slaye each wicked seed which doth possesse My sinfull flesh Amalekite most blinde Which vertue and thy grace seekes to suppresse But wretched I alas I do confesse Haue kept a part of that accursed spoile Vndaunted which thou seest nere the lesse And therefore wilt accurse my sinfull soile And take from me the kingdome thou didst giue Except thy mercy do my soule relieue SON LVI THe onelie daughter Lord of my delight Dina the vertue of my iudgment best Is rauished alas by Satans might Whil'st I secure in Hiuits countrie rest In worldlie vanities a wandring guest Amongst the wicked I remainde a while Where sillie she by foolish will addrest Gazde on those godlesse youths which her beguile For lustfull Sichem sonne to sin most vile Did lay a traine of loue which led to shame Whose flattering speech did modestie exile And left a spot of guilt and foule defame But faith zeale the first frutes of my strength By grace shall venge my honour iust at length SON LVII THe silly babes the motions of the minde Which natiue vertue seeketh forth to bring Concupiscence the midwife most vnkinde To deadly sin and Satan straight doth fling The mothers power suffiseth not to wring Out of this tyrants hands her dying childe Her mone to see it is a piteous thing When reasons lawes so lewdly are defilde But if thy fauour Lord be reconcilde By loue vnto thy sonne by him to mee Then though my hope of grace be neare exilde Yet thou a childe Of faith wilt let me see A coffin Lord of comfort for me make Where safe I may swim in the words wilde lake SON LVIII VVHere shall I build ô Lord a quiet rest To bring forth birds of turtle Pigeons kinde My wearied wings do wander without rest And cannot gaine a harbour to my minde The Swallow Lord a setling place doth finde Within thy temple free from Eagles claw Not moued with tempestuous stormes of winde Or dangers which their kind doth stand in awe A place as fit for me my faith once saw VVheras my soule might safely be inclosd Thy Church inuisible to which I draw My life retirde therein to be reposd Make frutefull Lord my barren heart therein Shield me from storme of still assailing sin SON LIX VVHilst in the vale of carnall sense I dwell Foule Sodome sinke of sin and badge of shame Of whose polluted nature I do smell And aptly bend my selfe to them to frame Sent by thy mercie Lord thy Angels came And did vouchsafe a harbor to accept Within my soule which did professe thy name But Satan who a watch on me had kept When as these guests within my conscience slept Inuironed with lust my harbor weake For sorrow of this sin my soule it wept Whilst violently my bodies bands they breake But strike thou blinde their fury them expell Take me Lord from the flame of burning hell SON LX. MY bodie Lord infected long with sin Whose running issue is almost past cure Which helpe my humane phisicke cannot win And without comfort cannot long endure By viewing mercies thine becommeth sure If but thy gracious hem my hand may reach That loue in Christ my pardon shall procure And reunite in strength healths former breach Through presse of worldly lets faith shall me teach To seeke my safetie in thy promise true Vouchsafe thou eke repentance so to preach That I no more offending health insue Thy vertue Lord which bidding me be cleane To yeeld me health of soule is readie meane SON LXI NOw that I see ô Lord my open shame Conuict of sin and voyd of clothing pure Which couer might my soule which naked came Of grace and me from storme of world assure I do mistrust my selfe long to endure The heat and cold which feare and frailtie bring And clothing of my owne workes to procure I finde in deed to be a frutelesse thing To hide my selfe vnder thy mercies wing I therefore hasten now in hope of grace Grant I beseech the world no more me wring Out of thy hands but let me see thy face With faith and comfort clothed by thy hand And Christ thy Sonne in my defence to stand SON LXII VVHilst that the chosen chieftaines of thy word Do bend their power by preaching to subdue The fleshly Canaan and put sin to sword And giue the soule to be possest a new With righteous Israel vnto whom of due Those earthly blessings rather do pertaine They send two spies my secret thoughts to vew The law and Gospell which discouer plaine My fainting force in feare for to remaine Where yet repentant Rahab readie is To lodge them safe whilst Satan seekes in vaine To slaie these messengers of heauenly blis I craue therefore sweet Sauiour for a sine Faith bearing frutes as pledge of safetie mine SON LXIII HOw oft ô Lord with more then tender care Hast thou by Prophets cald me to repent How great thy loue by sonne which didst not spare To staie me backe from hell whereto I went Who to that end from heauen to earth was sent Whose graces daily preached offred peace And sought to stop my course to ruine bent And me from guilt of death for to release Like as the henne whose voice doth neuer cease To clocke her tender chickens vnder wings When furious foules on silly pray do prease And would deuour alas the helplesse things Such Lord thy care I feele and loue of me That thrall to Satan wouldst not haue me be SON LXIIII. VVHilst with the wholesome food of heauēly truth The Manna which thy written word doth giue Thou soughtst ô Lord to feed my wandring youth That it in plenteous peace by grace might liue By lust lo Satan sought my soule to driue To breake obedient bands vnto thy law Which my offences I protest do griue My helplesse heart the which delight did draw
blessing send It is not ill to set before my sight Thy heauie plagues for sin from day to day But I had rather forth thy fauours lay And for their loue in quarrell thine to fight Which if I might By feruent zeale attaine Then should I hope the victorie to gaine SON L. NO sooner loue intirely me possest But see how iealousie doth me assaile She seekes with deepe distrust my faith to quaile And to remoue from conscience quiet guest She telleth me my Lord doth sin detest And that my deeds they too vnworthie are That from his fauour they will me debarre Whose loue is fixed only on the best Feare had begun to worke in me so farre That to amaze my minde it could not faile Till to my loue my state I did bewaile Who shining sweetly like the morning starre Did stay their iarre And bid my soule to rest In Christ by whom I surely shall be blest SON LI. HE is vnworthie to receiue a gift From any man that him mistrusts before I will not ought of thee Lord doubt therefore Although no reason can my hope vp lift I know in deed it is slye Satans drift To laie before me this my vile estate Which being sinfull thou of force must hate And I reiected be without all shift But when I with my selfe thy works debate Which haue examples of thy mercies store His reasons are of force with me no more Because that faith sets open wide the gate To me of late Which leades to treasure thine Where in thy sonne thou doest in mercy shine SON LII FAine would I follow thee through sea and land My louely Sauiour whom farre off I see Zeale makes my mind with speed to hast to thee But natiue weaknesse makes me doubtfull stand If to my ayde thou gau'st not forth thy hand And by thy word incourdgdst me to row I should so shun afflictions which do flow That feare should bend my faith like feeble wand But by thy offred grace now strong I grow And through the troubles of the world will be Bold to proceed and faith shall succour me To witnesse forth the thankfulnesse Iowe Thou doest bestow On me both power will And with them both I will thee honour still SON LIII AS do the starres amidst the firmament With borrowed light beare record vnto thee O Lord of might in which we men do see The image of thy power to them but lent So when our weake indeuors Lord are bent To publish forth thy praises which excell These silly sparkes of light which in vs dwell Do shew thy grace which vs this motion sent Although therefore no speech or tong can tell How infinite thy glorie ought to bee Which passeth humane sence by high degree As wisest men to grant they do compell Yet thou lik'st well We show herein our will Which I haue vowd vnto thy seruice still SON LIIII CAll me ô Lord for lo I do attend To follow thee where so thou doest direct I know thou wilt not my intent reiect Who gladly would proceed where so thou send I doubtfull stand which way my course to bend Because I finde such ignorance of skill To follow forth according to my will A frutefull course the which I did intend As thou with forward zeale my minde didst fill So shew me Lord whereto I am select And I shall carefully the same effect And feruently thereto go forward still Depend I will Vpon occasion fit That faithfully I may accomplish it SON LV. LIke silly babes such must thy seruants bee In innocencie and obedience still Vnto thy holy lawes ô Lord and will From wrath pride malice lust and enuy free With Serpents eyes of wisedome must they see And stop their eares which Sathan would deceaue With charmes of pleasure which a scar do leaue And onely lend obedient eare to thee Yet with simplicitie of doue receaue The yoke of law whose rule they must fulfill And suffer patiently the word to kill The force of sin which would soules health bereaue Such thou wilt heaue And hold in heauēly arme And with protecting hand defend from harme SON LVI WHo so could like to Steu'n behold and see The throne triumphant where our Sauior sits In Maiestie aloft as best him fits A Iudge and Sauiour to his Saints to be Coëquall with his father in degree Possessor of the place for vs prepard Who readie stands our weake works to reward And from the fury of the world to free He were but base if ought he did regard This transitorie honour which so flits Which to attaine so much doth tyre our wits And yet so niggardly to man is shard And afterward Doth leaue a sting behinde Of care of conscience and of griefe of minde SON LVII VVHo seeketh not with all his powre and might To eternize vnto himselfe his state That chance or time may not his blisse rebate Or death it selfe may not dissolue it quight Thus some therefore for honour fiercely fight And some for wealth do trauell far and nigh Some worldly wisedome with great studie buy To make them famous seeme in vaine worlds sight Which is the readiest way they do espye To keep their name from death which so they hate Yea all suppose posteritie the gate T'immortalize this flesh whose floure must dye But all go wry wealth honor wit haue end And children passe faith onely life doth lend SON LVIII VVHat wealth may be to this alone comparde To be co-heire with Christ of fathers loue To haue our earthly thoughts so raysd aboue That world and worldly things we not regard To see by faith a kingdome rich preparde For vs which shall eternally remaine Made free from worldly cares and troubles vaine Which is for children his a due reward Who can discouragde be with earthly paine Or tedious combats which the flesh doth proue Since care of vs our Partner Christ did moue To share our griefes his ioy for vs to gaine Which thoughts should waine Our wils frō base desire And vs incourage higher to aspire SON LIX IF Paradise were such a pleasant soyle Where all things flourisht first and prosper daye Wherein who liued neuer could decaye Till sin by Satans slight gaue man the foyle Which blessings afterward did cleane recoyle And left man naked in reproach and shame To dust to turne againe from whence he came On baren earth to liue with sweat and toyle Then is our state much better then that same Our Paradise a place of blisse to staye Our Sauiour Abrams bosome doth displaye Wherein our soules shall rest most free from blame Where he our name Hath writ in booke of life To be exempt from feare of care or strife SON LX. VVHat is felicitie whereof men wright Which to attaine our studies still are bent VVhich to procure such time paine is spent By endlesse trauell therein day and night Sure if it be nought else but firme delight And that delight consist in peace of minde Then here on earth
had not then made choyse of such a way More facill is the course vnto decay More fauour with the world it will attaine But I mislike the ioy requit with paine And faining words not meaning as they say Men breake their sleeps some silly pelfe to gaine With losse of life small honour some haue bought Yea Philosophers pleasure set at nought To win a name of vertue to remaine Then I will waine My selfe from earthly rest With heauenly crowne and honour to be blest SON LXXXIII VVHen I begin to faint in my conceipt To see the little powre I haue to good How sin hath vertue in me still withstood And frailtie on my flesh doth alwaies waight I am confounded and amazed straight And readily could turne and flie the field And all my trauell to the tempter yeeld Before I would aduenture more to fight But when I duly note whereon I build My faith which watered is with Christ his bloud Of force sufficient to withstand the floud And me from perill and destruction shield I easily welde Each burden on me layd And of my safetie nothing am affrayd SON LXXXIIII THe chastisements which often do befall Vnto the most belou'd of God and blest Doth breed vnto their soules both peace and rest And home from wandring thoughts their mind doth call And sure are tokens not of fauour small Who father-like doth vs in time correct Who else the care of him would soone reiect And haue no heed vnto our wayes at all The good Phisition that would life protect Cuts of a limbe sometimes as it seemes best And yet the patient doth the same disgest Or any payne that worketh good effect Should God neglect Vs then to exercise With rods wherby to make vs grow more wise SON LXXXV HOw should my feare or sorrow long remaine Although the world did swell and ouerflow With danger which nought else but death do show When I by death do finde a present gaine Faith me assures that all assaults are vaine That seeke to seuer me from heauenly blis The loue of Christ assureth me of this That I with him shall safely still remaine What though of earthly pleasures I do misse And though the care of them vnpleasing grow Yet this by good experience I do know All things turne to the best to children his I therefore kis The crosse with ioyfull cheare Because in chastisement doth loue appeare SON LXXXVI ALthough those Gibeonites the natiue borne Of sinfull flesh haue slily me beguilde When as I thought all lust to haue exilde By showing faynd repentance raggd and torne Though flesh and bloud vnto this league haue sworne Not asking counsell of the Lord at all By which into a snare my soule did fall And deepe hypocrisie my powre did scorne Yet meane I them vnto account to call And since they haue my holy thoughts defilde Accursed I will hold them and as vilde Will hate their ofsprings all both great and small And be they shall But bondmen to my soule Who daily may their proud attemps controwle SON LXXXVII WHen I began a conquest of my will To make and yeeld it vnto reasons law My reason to the rule of God to draw And by that rule to guide my actions still It had bene wisedome first the flesh to kill Who breeds affections which do still withstand The building of the worke I haue in hand And thornes are in my sides to worke me ill But now my error I do vnderstannd And must by feare of wrath keepe them in aw And by the chastisements of sinne they saw Make them to yeeld vnto obedient band Then shall my land With faithfull souldiers be Replenished and armed strengthen me SON LXXXVIII NOt euery one that with his lips doth pray Or praise thy name is gratefull in thy sight Thy searching eyes haue not so much delight In those that cry Lord Lord each houre of day But such as in thy bounds obedient stay And make thy will a law vnto their mind That in thy promises do comfort find And follow not the worlds deceitfull way To such thou showest thy selfe a father kind And doest coroborat their heart with might Against all powers wherewith they daily fight Their sores thou tak'st to cure and doest vp bind Angels assignd Do them inuiron round And to their comfort mercies do abound SON LXXXIX HOw should I quicken vp my selfe indeed To true and faithfull loue euen as I ought Vnlesse I call to mind whence I was brought And by whose aide who did this kindnesse breed Which when I only waigh my heart doth bleed To see that bountie of a God so kind And note the dulnesse of my nature blind That should forget the Lord who me doth feed When I was almost lost he me did find When I forgat him cleane on me he thought When I was sold to sinne then he me bought When I was wounded he my sores bid bind Yea when I pind He gaue me plenteous store Which gifts I will record for euermore SON XC VVHy should I faint or feare or doubt at all How fierce so euer fleshly combat show Since I so sure a succour readie know To shield me safe what euer do befall If he haue such regard of sparrowes small As none of them till God appoint do dye If to our haires which fall he haue an eye That none of them vnnumbred perish shall Why should I thinke him deafe when I do cry As though he had no care of vs below As though he would not needfull things bestow Although our patience he delight to try Who can deny But flowres that grow in field In glory staine the beautie pride doth yeeld SON XCI HOw do Gods blessings to his Saints abound Whose gifts of grace although they be but small At first yet more and more increase they shall As seed well watred in a frutefull ground The proofe whereof I sinfull wretch haue found Whose faith nigh famished he now hath fed From heauen with great increase of fish and bread Which strengthen dying soule with comfort sound His word for table he did open spred His seruants for to feed me he did call Their dole so free I find more fragments fall Then in my basket sences home haue led Yet he hath bed To such more to bestow As greatest store of former treasure show SON XCII I Know not Lord how to discharge aright The dutie that for graces great I owe No need thou hast of me at all I know Yet in thy seruice shall be my delight To publish forth thy praises day and night To serue thy Saints with gifts I shall possesse Thy wondrous workes by all meanes to confesse I will imploy my substance wit and might The remnant of my life shall well expresse That dead to sin in Christ to life I grow Which shall to world my mind regenerate show Although that I cannot sinne cleane suppresse And will addresse My thoughts to thee alone Because on earth true ioy or blisse
safe there is And kingdomes so deuided cannot stand We must imbrace and loue or that or this And not looke backe if plough be once in hand If Gods we be we Beliall must withstand We cannot him well serue and Baall blind To Balak Balams kindnesse of such kind Did draw him to accurse the blessed land Whereby his Asse did masters blindnesse show And still bewrays weak faith where this shal grow SON XIII GIue all to him that all did giue to thee More then his due thou hast not to bestow By yeelding all thou thankfulnesse mayst show The more thy store the more his gifts would bee A chearefull giuer God doth best accept Though he doth giue that gift thou dost present His blessings must be vsde and not be kept Like fruitlesse tallents not to profit spent Thy soule and bodie both since God hath lent The vse of them entire to him should grow What is our power and strength he well doth know And giues the will which vsde he is content But for to share a part that scorneth hee Who knows our thoughts secret hart doth see SON XIIII BVt will you know indeed the surest way To make the child of God a loathing find Of sinne which doth infect both heart and mind And vs the grace of God doth so denay Let man but see the fierce and angry face Of God for sinne which in his word is found Let him behold a man deuoid of grace Whom euery thought deed to death doth wound Let him if euer grace did so abound In him as he found God a father kind But call to mind how much it should him bind And how saluation standeth on that ground Then will he in his conscience surely say I 'will dwell no more in sinne nor mends delay SON XV. SOmetimes cleane tyr'd or sham'd of sinne at last If not for loue of good or feare of hell I seeke to stay affections which rebell And how to quench their heat my wits I cast I find euen whilst the thought is in my head A liking thought thereof doth me possesse From thoughts to liking are my humors led And liking longs againe to worke no lesse My laberinth felt I seeke in vaine t' expresse An idle thought can not such thoughts expell I thinke to exercise my time so well In some good work as may vaine thoughts suppresse But I do tyre ere litle time be past Prayer alone withstands the greatest blast SON XVI ME thinkes sometime I muse and much admire The dulnesse of the Iewes who daily saw The powrefull workes of Christ which well might draw A stony heart to loue of him t' aspire Much more I maruell that the words he spake Seem'd parables and darke vnto his owne Disciples who his scholers he did make To whom all secrets should by time be knowne But when I find the wonders on vs showne Vnnoted or acknowledged by awe Vnto his will or word or holy law And common ignorance by most men showne It makes me feare we want the holy fire Of faith loue zeale which dutie would require SON XVII VVHat vaine lip-labour is it men do vse To speake of God his name in word confesse When as in life no dutie they expresse Of godlinesse but fleshly freedome chuse Not euery one that cryeth often Lord Shall enter to possesse eternall rest Vaine ostentation was we see abhord In Pharise whose speech and showes were best Hypocrisie the Lord did aye detest And chiefly that in them his name should blesse As Anany with Saphira no lesse Do witnesse by their death at hand adrest Let vs therefore this babbling forme refuse Of boasting holinesse which doth abuse SON XVIII I Goe about full oft like Iewes most blind To offer vp to God a sacrifice Propitiatorie gratefull to his eies Thereby remission for my sinnes to find But lose my labour whilst I cleane forget First with my neighbour to be reconcild A heape of rankor doth my conscience let From looking for remorse in father mild The mercies on the which my hopes should build My owne malicious purpose me denies For how should I that grace to gaine deuise Which from my neighbours sutes I haue exild At Temple dore my offering stayes behind Henceforth therefore till malice leaue my mind SON XIX O Happie Simon of Syren art thou Who chosen wert that office to supply To beare part of the crosse on which should die Thy Sauiour worlds new life and comfort true Not wood I meane so much which thou didst beare But that remorse which thereby I suppose Through shame and sorrow pittie care and feare Which for his innocencie in thee rose Such crosses and full many more then those Euen for my sinnes and for my selfe wish I As many as on fleshly strength might lye Or grace would aide ere faith did comfort lose That for his seruant so he would me vow And try and vse me as he best knowes how SON XX. VVHat are our senses drownd and past recure Are rest and ease the needfull aides of man Without vicisitude of which none can Continue long become by peace impure Shall blessings proue our curse desire our bane Shall wish attaine his will will worke our wo Shall profit be our losse losse turne to gaine Shall Gods great goodnesse be requited so Should fathers kindnesse make a child a fo O God forbid our vowes were other whan Our tyred soules our prayers first began To send as suters to our God to go His loue to vs did our desires procure Let our desires his growing loue allure SON XXI WHen I do see the mercies manifold Which God doth vse t' extend to his elect Whose actions alwaies he doth so direct That loue and fauour in him they behold How things restrained vnto them are free And all things holy to the holy are How priuiledgd in euery thing they bee And nothing from his loue can them debarre My mind from common comforts flyeth farre And findes on earth no true ioy in effect On God alone I place my harts affect Where peace is perfect without strife or iarre And through these worldly cares I wander bold Secure in courage more then can be told SON XXII COme to the Councell of your common weale Ye senses mine which haue confederate bin With world and Satan to infect with sin My soule whose harbour in your house befell Thinke ye your safety great when he is thrall That ye can scape if soule once captiue bee That plagues she feeles shall not on ye befall And ye with her bring endlesse woe to mee What earthly beauty can eyes brightnesse see What melodie heare eares what liked smell What vnloathd tast or feelings please so well That are not often noysome vnto yee Then since such hazard great short ioy ye win To watch with me gainst common foes begin SON XXIII IN midst of plentie and of happiest state Wherein by nature all men do delight Me thinkes I see most cause of feare and fright Most
in the doer though our mind And common sense some reason so pretend The deed which meriteth for vertue prayse Must be premeditate in will before Indeuour'd lawfully and which bewrayes No priuate obiect or respect we bore And God himselfe things iudgeth euer more Not by effects as men of wisedome blind But by intentions faithfull honest kind Of such as doing them his aide implore He issue doth to actions different send As he to greater good euer ill will bend SON XCIX IF God should measure vs as we deserue For each offence requiting equally His iustice we with horror should espie From which excuse to shield vs could not serue But iustice his by holy bound restraind Of mercie which doth waighour weake estate A proper counterpoise for vs hath gaind Whilst iustis wrath Christs mercy doth abate His Sonne our Sauiour doth set ope a gate To safetie by the pardon he did bye With bloud most innocent lest we should die Guilty of sin which iustice needs must hate Thus we by faith cannot be sayd to swarue Our faults are his of merits his we carue SON XC IT is a custome that deserueth blame And ouer common with vs now adayes That euery man his fault on other layes And some excuse for euery euill frame And rather then we will the burden beare We lay on God whose prouidence rules all The cause of what our wicked natures were Producers of with wilfull bitter gall Thus from one sin to other we do fall And haires herein our nature vs bewrayes Of parent first who his offence denaies And rather God wife serpent guilty call Then to confesse his proper free will lame And by repentance praise Gods holy name SON XCI HOw can he be the author held of ill Who goodnesse is it selfe and onely true To whom alone perfection still is due And all the world with goodly workes doth fill It is not God it is our selues alas That doth produce these foule affects of sin Our sickly nature first infected was And lacking tast of truth delights therein Our deeds in vs how fowle so'ere they haue bin What good soeuer of them doth insue That part is Gods our corrupt nature drue The worser part and flesh death snares did spin And euen our deeds the which our soules do kill Are good to God and worke his glorie still SON XCII DOth any man desire his life to mend And that of sin he might a lothing finde Let him but on his actions looke behinde Forepast and see where to they most did bend Let him on others looke with equall view And note deformitie of lothfull sin Let reason not affections tell him true The brickle state himselfe to fore was in As doctrine that to penitence doth win And true repentance one of honest mind When he in other sees affects so blind As he in reason thinks could not haue bin Such as him selfe ashameth to defend And to be guiltlese off he would pretend SON XCIII I Haue desir'd and held as chiefe delight To lead my life where mirth did alwaies dwell From soule so sorrow thinking to repell In feast and sport so past I day and night But if as oft there did a dismall chance Befall whereby I found some cause of griefe I was amaz'd dispair'd and as in trance No comfort found or meanes to giue reliefe My former ioyes prouoked sorrow chiefe I loathd the thoughts before did please so well My meditations then of death befell And of worlds pleasures which were vaine chiefe Which made me chaÌ„ge my former humor quight For teares cares sorrows still to be in sight SON XCIIII SInce we are found if we our selues do know To be a barren ground and good for nought Vnlesse by husbandrie we will be brought To aptnesse for some good whereon to growe Since preachers are the husbandmen ordaind And preaching of the Prophets is the seed By whose indeuors onely frute is gaind Of holy life the which our faith doth feed Me thiâ—kes it should a greater aptnesse breed In tennants to this soule which Christ hath bought To haue it so manurde and daily wrought As it might grow to betterd state indeed And yeeld some crop of goodnesse which might show The thankfull hearts which we to God do owe. SON XCV WHen I behold the trauell and the payne Which wicked men in euill actions bide What hazards they assay to goe aside When with more ease they vertue might attaine How theeues and murtherers such boldnesse vse Such watchfull painefull meanes their wills to win As euen religious men do oft refuse To tast of like though they would faine begin I finde too true that we are sold to sin And that the bodie doth the spirit guide That reason yeelds to sense and sense doth hide Lust in his liking which doth forward slide From ill to worse and neuer doth refraine Sin which may sin nor paine which paine may gain SON XCI SInce nothing is more certaine then to dye Nor more vncertaine then the time and howre Which how to know is not in Phisickes powre Yet nature teacheth it to be but nie For that death stealeth on vs like a thiefe And nothing liuing is exempt therefro His malice to preuent is wisedome chiefe That vnprouided he not take vs so As that on sodaine he appeare a foe And vs compulsiuely he do deuowre That God by him in wrath doe seme to lowre And that to death not life we seeme to goe Soe let vs liue that death we dare defie Since heauens eternall life we gaine thereby SON XCVII GReat are the graces God in man doth show All tending chiefly to soules proper gaine That by some meanes at length he might attaine To higher thoughts from earthly base and low Yet since no benefits we do receaue Can so assure vs of his loue indeed That loue of world and earth they can bereaue And make our minds on heauenly ioy to feed Much lesse a new desire in vs can breed To win the heauens by losse of life so vaine This common way by death he made remaine Ineuitable to all humane seed By force those heauenly ioyes to make vs know Which after death in lasting life shall grow SON XCVIII MIght Elizeus wish allow'd be And prayer blest which Salomon did make And canst thou then thy trauell vndertake For worthier prize then they haue showne to thee Sure heauenly wisedome earthly wisedome teacheth Such wisedome findeth grace with God and man Who seeks these first God plenteously him reacheth All other earthly gifts he wisht or can That will I seeke that will I studie than No plenty shall my thirst therafter slake With Elizeus will I alwayes wake And watch the Prophets wayes and manner whan My Sauiour doth ascend that I may see His glory â—and he his grace redouble'in mee SON XCIX LOng do the wicked runne a lawlesse race Vncrost and vncontrolled in their will Their appetites at pleasure they do fill And thinke themselues to be in happie
wrath to bide SON CVIII Against defection VVHen I ô Lord vnto my mind do call The fearefull records of the Patriarkes best In whom great gifts of grace did seeme to rest And yet to foule and fearefull sinnes did fall I do deplore the frailty of vs all And feare defection euen in those are blest And since I am the least O Lord alas Of many that in word professe thy name And I some feeling tast haue of the same Which doth not forward to perfection pas It makes me see as in a looking glasse The feeble strength of this my present frame Which clogd with sin is lame And wold look back To hell from which I fly if grace should lack SON CIX Not to trust in flesh WHat trust may I ô Lord on flesh repose Whose mould is earth whose substance is but dust His thoughts vncleane his actions all vniust As is the stocke of parents whence it growes Whome fraud vntruth pride lust distrust inclose By which by nature rul'd wee are and must I know the feeble trust I may expect And safety which on such a frame is found Where weake foundation is the sand vnsound Which may â—â—t byde the brunt of stormie day When as temptations shall their powre display Or yet afflictions vs enuiron round Vpon a surer ground Faith must me build And Christ my sauiour so my soule may shield SON CX Praye for humilitie SInce thou ô Lord and Sauiour doest confesse Thy selfe a true Phiâ—ition vnto those Who with humilitie their griefes disclose And vnto thee for ayd by prayers presse Vouchsafe thou so my heart to thee addresse That on thy helpe alone my faith repose Vouchsafe my sight vnlose Make me to see The naked show of natures powre and shame Let me behold my workes weake lewd and lame And let my heart with sorrow pierced be And pressed downe procure such mone in me As may in fine repentance truely frame That humbly so thy name I may adore And faithfully in fine thy helpe implore SON CXI For Comfort in affliction LEaue me not Lord most humbly I thee craue In this distresse whereto my sinsme bring VVhich headlong vnto hell my soule would fling And make me thinke there were no powre could â—aue My wretched state from deaths eternall graue Which poysoned is by Satans deadly sting But teach thou me to sing O Lord thy praise Amids thy saints which see thy mercies still With ioy and comfort do my courage fill Once Lord my soule which yet in terror staies Make me to bend vnto thy will my waies And frame my powers vnto thy holy will The powre of Satan kill And so increase My soule with comfort of thy lasting peace SON CXII Iâ— prosperity not to forsake God THe more ô Lord I see before my face The daily blessings which thow doest bestow On me vnworthie wretch who well do know How farre affections vile in me haue place The more I see iust cause to call for grace Lest for abuse of them thou vengance sâ—ow For then most soone we grow For to forget The giuer when the giftes we once haue gaind Ingratitude our natures so hath staind Thy greatest blessing we most lightly set So far we are from paying praise for debt VVe do forget the nurse vs fed and wainde As Israell not refraind Thee most t' offend VVhen most thou them didst feed comfort send SON CXIII Mans Sorrow for sin I Must commend the thing the world doth hate And like the thing that flesh and bloud detest The cares and griefes by which I was opprest Which made me see and know my wretched state Wisdome is dearely bought but not too late Who tasts true frute of care knowes cumfort best Make me then Lord disgest each bitter pill Which for correction of my sin is sent Purge thou thereby my drosse make me repent Each lewd affect offensiue to thy will A new and better nature Lord in still Which to thy seruice alwaies may be bent With sorrow often rent My hardoned heart And let repentance purchase cure of smart SON CXIIII For true feare FEare is a frailtie knowne to humane kind Which witnesseth a guilt where it doth dwell Since Adams fall his ofspring knew it well And euery man in conscience doth it find It takes possession in atroubled mind And if grace want dispaire driues downe to hell Yet these thy praises tell O Lord they shall Who danted for their frailties do require Grace to resist their lustes and doe aspire For strength of true perfection for to call And haue a feare of sin though neare so small For loue of right as well as shunning ire Kindle their loue with fire Sprinkle it with feare That incense of obedient smoke it reare SON CXV Sorow for coldnesse of compassion I Feele ô Lord and sorrow for the same The slender feeling and compassion small The which I haue of neighbours case at all Which to assist their states my heart should frame Who with my lips professe a Christian name But stop my eares when they for help do call So easily we fall And do forgett The lesson which our Maister Christ vs gaue Who vs with mourners to lament would haue And on our brothers good chiefe care should set But self-selfe-loue and cold charitie doth let No frute of faith proceed though neighbour craue Yet thou didst freely saue Me wretch cleane lost Whose life the blud of thy deare Sonne hath cost SON CXVI For Patience WHen I ô Lord in troubles sore opprest My heauie state with carefull thoughts do way Which hope of happie issue doth denay Aâ—d frailtie of the flesh can scarse digest I onely find here in at length some rest When on thy mercy promised I stay And when from day to day I see with shame My new offences which do trespasse thee And note how long thy iudgements spared me Which iustly might burst forth in vengeance flame Ye when my Sauiours sufferings show the same Which ought a rule to his elect to be I craue that I might see Like fruites of grace So that impatience hold in me no place SON CXVII For continuance of Gods word THe greatest plague that I see cause to feare To such as I who haue so carelesse bin By reading and by preaching for to win True knowledg which our harts to thee might reare Is lest thy Prophets sound should so forbeare To preach thy word that we should dwell in sin And wallowing therein We should delight In ignorance the headlong path to hell And wickedly in carnall tents to dwell And so surcease with sinne or lust to fight Grant therfore Lord thy sword may alwaies smight My soule till sinne it from me cleane expell Let Prophets alwaies tell To vs thy will And keepe vs vnder thy obedience still SON CXVIII For grace to bring forth fruits ALthough ô Lord I do as truth confesse No powre in humane art that can thee please That all polluted are with first disease Of sinne originall
PART 10. 73 Thy hand hath fashioned me therefore teach me thy holy will 74 So shall thy seruants all reioyce and I obey thee still 75 Thy iudgements Lord I graunt are iust I did thy wrath deserue 76 Haue mercie yet and pardon me thy promise cannot swarue 77 Lord let me liue I thee beseech thy law is my delight 78 Bring thou to shame my foes and driue the wicked out of sight 79 And let thy seruants all behold thy mercies showd to me 80 Who walking in thy statutes iust shall not ashamed be PART 11. 81 My soule is almost faint for feare yet on thy word 〈◊〉 82 My eyes are dim with looking sore send me thy comfort iust 83 My bones are withered with despaire till thou thy promise pay 84 My life is short thy iustice on the wicked Lord beâ—ray 85 By fraud they seeke to take my life contrary vnto right 86 But thou art iust vniust are they therefore put them to flight 87 They had almost consumed me my faith yet did not faint 88 Reuiue thou me and with thy truth my mouth I will acquaint PART 12. 89 O Lord thy word immutable in heauen doth still indure 90 Thy truth from euer was thou laidst the earths foundation sure 91 All things continue at a stay and do thy people serue 92 Vnlesse thy word did comfort me my faith with griefe would sterue 93 I neuer therefore will forget thy lawes which quicken me 94 I am thy seruant saue thou me who vnto thee do flye 95 The wicked seeke me to destroy but in thâ—e will 〈◊〉 rust 96 Thy truth endures for aye but else all things returne to dust PART 13. 97 So much I loue thy law ô Lord I studie on it still 98 Thy grace beyond my enimies doth me with true knowledge fill 99 I better vnderstand thy will then they which do me teach 100 I better know thy lawes to keepe then they which should them preach 101 That I thy word might keepe my feete refraine each eâ—ill way 102 My iudgement grees vnto thy law which taught me what to say 103 Then hony combe vnto my tast thy word is far more sweet 104 Thereby thy will I learne and falshood shun as most vnmeet PART 14. 105 Thy word is light vnto my feete and guides me in my way 106 My hart hath sworne I will performe thy 〈◊〉 â—ight and day 107 My soule is sore opprest ô Lord do thou me ioy now send 108 Teach me thy will to my request a gratefull â—earing 〈◊〉 109 Though I in daunger daily be thy lawes I not forget 110 But keepe them still while me to snare the prowd a bayâ— haue seâ— 111 They are the portion I haue chose they are my harts delight 112 My hart is vowd thy lawes to keepe with all my power and â—â—ight PART 15. 113 Thy word I loue but do detest the vanities of minde 114 My shield thou art my refuge safe in whom I trust do finde 115 Away from me ye wicked men my God alone I serue 116 He will performe my hope his word from truth doth neuer swerue 117 Support thou me then am I safe in thee is all my trust 118 Thou hast supprest the proud and such as follow worldly lust 119 I loue thee Lord because thou doest from earth the vaine remoue 120 Yet do I feare thy iudgements Lord which shall my sinnes reproue PART 16. 121 Let me not then oppressed be I iustice do obserue 122 Plead thou my cause gainst wicked men which froÌ„ thy will do swerue 123 My eyes are dim with longing Lord to see thy promist ayde 124 Teach me my God and let thy seruant be with mercy payd 125 I wait on thee let me therefore of wisedome thine haue part 126 Helpe Lord in time for all the world do from thy lawes depart 127 Yet do I thy precepts esteeme more then the richest gold 128 Most iust are they but such I hate as vnto sinne are sold. PART 17. 129 Thy testimonies I admire on them my soule doth muse 130 The wayes thereto do shine so bright the simple it may chuse 131 The zeale I bare vnto thy law did make my hast to moue 132 Looke on me then in mercy Lord because thy law I loue 133 Direct my deedes so that no sinne may beare in me asway 134 I keepe thy will to wicked men let me not be a pray 135 Thy shining face vnto me turne thy statutes teach thou mee 136 With teares my eyes do daily flow because they trespasse thee PART 18. 137 Thou righteous God most iust indeed thy iudgements all are found 138 To truth aâ—d equitie alone thy lawes thy seruants bound 139 My zeale doth burne because my foes thy lawes haue cleane forgot 140 Thy word we finde most pure and I haue chose it to my lot 141 Though I be poore and in contempt I do remember well 142 Thy righteous precepts which for aye in glorious truth excell 143 Anguish and eares vpon me come thy law yet do I loue 144 Teach me thy truth that I may liue eternally aboue PART 19. 145 Heare me ô Lord to thee â— cry thy â—â—atutes I will keepe 146 Saue me and graunt that in thy house I may in safetie sleepe 147 Before the 〈…〉 to thee I call and wait thy wâ—ll 148 By night I watch to meditate and studie of thee still 149 Heare me ô gracious God in time and quicken thou my spright 150 They are at hand that hate thy law and me pursue with spight 151 Thy promises assure me Lord that thou arâ— nigh at hand 152 I knew 〈◊〉 since thy high decree should firme for euer stand PART 20. 153 Behold my sorrowes then and helpe â—â—y pleasure I obay 154 Plead thou 〈…〉 me vpon thy word I stay 155 The wicked they are farre from helpe which do not thee regard 156 But for thy seruants we do know thy mercy is prepard 157 Many they are thaâ— me pursue yet will I follow thee 158 I see the wicked scorne thy â—ord and much it grieueth mee 159 Consider Lord my 〈◊〉 too thee so quicke 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 160 For from for aye thy word of truth and righteousnesse I finde PART 21. 161 Princes of might do me pursue yet onely thee I feare 162 Thy word delights my hart as if my richesse great it weare 163 Thy law I loue but do abhorte all falshood and deceit 164 Seauen times a day I praise thy name and on thee alwayes wait 165 The keepers of thy law shall stand from danger alwayes free 166 I keepe thy heasts because I hope thy sauing health to see 167 Yea for the loue I beare to them I will them not transgresse 168 Thou seest ô Lord in all my wayes thy name I do confesse PART 22. 169 Let then my plaint before thee come and be thou still my guide 170 Giue â—are vnto my sute and let thy promise firme abide 171 When thou hast me thy statutes taught my lips
rau'ning woolfe in fearefull wise I call to thee sweet Sauiour shepheard true Teach me to know thy voice and thee insue SONET X. BEhold ô Lord the Citie thou hast built Ierusalem this fleshly frame of mine By sin Assyrians sword is almost spilt And like to yeeld to Rabsake in fine Yet lo alas my soule doth much repine To see proud Satan so blaspheme thy name To threaten ruine to this temple thine Since thou art praysd and honord in the same Thou able art the rage of lust to tame The force of pride and furie to subdue Against Senacherib thy Angell came And all his host in one night ouerthrew So let thy holie spirit me defend And to my plaints and praiers comfort send SON XI SInce with Goliah I am now to fight And lacke the slight of holie Dauids sling Arme thou me Lord with heauenly armor bright Which power of flesh world to foile may bring Thy righteous brest-plate gird on me with truth Prepare my feet with Gospel of thy peace The shield of faith which firie dartes beare forth Of wicked Satan whose assaults not sease The helmet of saluation and the sword Of spirit which is founded on thy law All these my praiers are that thou afford To make me stedfast spight of lyons claw Who roaring daily seekes as wished pray My silly soule from thee to take away SON XII NOw that thou hast prepard me to confesse Thy seruice Lord the which I vndertake I thee beseech my purpose so to blesse That I a good account to thee may make A Nazarit I am who do forsake The delicacies of the worlds delight Whose thirst thy purest fountaine still shall slake With faith and truth the which with sin shall fight I will not tast the wine of Satans slight Which doth confound all reason and all sence My vow shall be to serue thee day and night And trust in thee shall be my true defence Till death dissolue this promise made to thee Whose strength herein thy heauenly graces bee SON XIII I Seeeke ô Lord to shew thy powrefull hand Which hath conuerted this my sinfull hart Into a rod of strength which still might stand Strong in thy truth who powrefull onely art But Iannes pride and Iambres lustfull hart By â—light imposture of slie Satans might Two Serpents frame which will not thence dâ—paert But seeke against thy powrefull hand to fight But let my faith their fury put to flight And vertue thine deuour these imps of sin Let not these fleshly frutes appeare in sight Of truth which only can the conquest win Let faith shew forth the finger of thy hand And cleane consume ech power doth it withstand SON XIIII BEhold ô Lord a tree by high way side Vnfrutefull yet of any food for thee In high way side as yet I do abide Where passers to Ierusalem I see Though sommer grow I cannot frutefull be Vnplanted by thy grace in garden thine I do confesse I am a wild fig tree For want of moisture which am like to pine Vnto my praiers Lord do thou incline Remoue me home into thy garden faire Let me behold the face of thy sunne shine Which may my withered leaues with life repaire So maist thou tast a frute of wholesome kinde And leaue a marke of mercy great behinde SON XV. VVIthin thy garden Lord I planted was And watred well with thy most carefull hand But yet vâ—frutefull I remaind alas And these thy blessings did not vnderstand In vaine I did employ possessed land Ten times three yeares thy seruants did replant My stocke and sought to bend my crooked wand And did supply ech aide I seem'd to want At length my frutes which daily grew more scant Wild thee resolue to haue me weeded out My foule affections were with folly brant My roote of faith was shakt with feare and doubt And lo I pine sweet Sauiour water me Paul and Apollos worke else lost will be SON XVI A Wicked Pharisie I long haue bene Whom sight of mercies thine allure to thee A shamed Lord of my faire clothed sinne In secret night I seeke thy face to see That thou art God thy woâ—kes reueale to me That thou art mine thy sonne doth me assure Vouchsafe that I regenerate may be And that my praiers pardon may procure Purge by thy sprite and faith faire fountaine pure The senses dull that cannot vnderstand The heauenly birth which shall in blisse endure Not subiect vnto Satans sinfull band And with thy sonne let worlds affections die My soule from hell with him ascend on hie SON XVII FIue foolish virgins in my senses dwell And seeke to make me slumber ouer long They dreame that all my deeds do fall out well Whereas indeed I headlong run to wrong To vanities their humors do belong And sin who doth their fancie chiefly feed They cheined are to linkes of lust so strong That their best foile brings forth but bitter weed They lacke the oyle which should be vsde indeed To lead them to the euerlasting light It growes not Lord in frute of humane seed Man sleeps all day and gropes his way at night Vnlesse thou lend thy hand and fill our lampes Our light goes forth with smothering sinful daÌ„ps SON XVIII OVt of the fountaine of eternall life I poore Samaritan here readie stand To sinfull lustan old betrothed wife With pitcher readie in my trembling hand To wraw a draught of liquor most diuine To quench the thirst of my inflamed hart With heauenly deaw ere that my soule do pine And qualiâ—ie the rigor of my smart A Prophet true thou art I vnderstand Or rather father of all truth thou art A stranger I from faire Iudaea land With these thy blessings craue for to impart Then guide my hand and teach my soule to tast True faith the fountaine where all blisse is plast SON XIX A Wicked soule sold to all fleshly sin Lord here I prostrate at thy feete do lie To gather crummes of grace soules health to win Which Lord to giue me do thou not denie The precious oyle of penitence will I Powre forth with teares fro out my melting eyes To bath thy feete and after will I drie Them with my haires which balms no treasure bies Though worldly loue when he my fact espies Repine to see my soule so well inclind To my defence ô Lord vouchsafe to rise And fructifie this first frute of my minde Vouchsafe to sup with humble seruant thine And that of seruice better choyse be mine SON XX. A Poore Arabian whom base Agar bare First borne of flesh but last of promist grace Of bastard kind bred vp with mothers care In wildernesse of world for a long space And famishing before my parents face Whose workes vnable were to lend me aide A bond man vnto sin as fleshly race To whom heauens heritage thy lawes denaide Amidst my wandring course by thee am staide And haue a promise not to die but liue Thy couenant Lord abundantly is paide If grace
to feed by faith thou doest me giue My bondage thus release make thou me free My barren branch shall so bring frute for thee SON XXI A Marchant I full long abroad haue straide By sea and land true happinesse to gaine The riches of the earth my eyes haue waide And see their profit to be light and vaine Such trifling trash my soule doth now disdaine And Iewels of more value I espye Among the rest one doth all other staine Which with my wealth I wish that I might buye But this rare pearle is of a price so hie As all the earth cannot esteeme the same Much lesse to purchase it can it come nie Yet doth the loue thereof my heart enflame Be thou the pledge sweet Sauior then for me That heauenly blisse shall so my riches be SON XXII AMong the prease of many that draw neare Vnto the feast of grace in Temple thine I silly widow also doe appeare With humble heart ô Lord who here encline And vnto thee a mite for offering mine Present as precious to my poore estate For heards or flocks for store of corne and wine Without obedience Lord thou aye didst hate But broken hearts and soules which lye prostrate Before thy throne of grace and mercy craue Do mercie finde though it be nere so late Thy promise hereof vs assurance gaue In trust whereof obaying thy behest My praiers to thy praise ô Lord are prest SON XXIII INto thy vineyard Lord vnworthie I Desire to come to trauell out the day Thou calledst me thereto and didst espie Me loytring idle by the worlds high way At first to come my follies did me stay Whom cold and hunger now to worke compell Though halfe my daies be spent say me not nay The other halfe to trie employed well I do not hope my paines so deare to sell As they that beare the brunt of heat of day They merit most whose trauels most excell My slender seruice craues but single pay But if thy bountie giue behold me prest With thanks thy grace to taste amongst the rest SON XXIIII AS thou art pure and iust in all thy waies O Lord so should thy offrings also bee The tongue vncleane cannot set forth thy praise The wanton eye may not thy secrets see The lame of faith the blind of skill not hee That thou alotst thy sacrifice to slay The heart that is found cleane in each degree Is fittest for thy church wherein to stay Such is no flesh ô Lord the truth to say But as thou pleasest them to purifie By faith and by repentance euerie day Who then with Christ may boldly thee come nie Behold me then thus thy adopted chyld Let me not from thy temple be exyld SON XXV I Follow thee ô Lord but far behinde As Peter did when he did see thee led To prison where the traitors did thee binde Amazed much with worldly feare and dred When as I saw the world all ouer spred With hatred and disdaine vnto the iust My courage it was quayld and quickly fled And had no liking to thy helpe to trust But Lord I know perforce I forward must If I intend to gaine the crowne I craue I must abandon flesh and fleshly lust And in thy promise all my hope must haue Grant thou me boldnesse then and constant will To perseuere in thy obedience still SON XXVI OF parents first two brothers borne that were The bodie and the soule did represent The elder Cain who Henocks wals did reare The yonger Abell dwelt in silly tent First man with plough the virgins soile he rent The other seru'd and shoare the silly sheepe To worldly lustes of flesh the one was bent Thy heauenly lawes the other sought to keepe A deadly discord twixt them so did creepe The elder did the guiltlesse yonger slay That ancient hatred grounded is so deepe It striues in me alas vnto this day Accept my sacrifice Lord me defend My powres vnto thy holie pleasure bend SON XXVII LIke pined chyld ô Lord from nurses brest Whom churlish stepdame ouer soone doth waine By wicked will alas I am opprest And crie to cruell flesh behold in vaine Who lets me languishing in sin remaine And sends no comfort to support my need My faults I know I do confesse them plaine That folly doth my weake affections feed I see my ruine neare at hand in deed And cannot call for aide whose tong is dum My feete so feeble cannot helpe at need Although I see at hand thy vengeance come Vnlesse thou giue me grace to see and feare To pray in faith and thou thy hand forbeare SON XXVIII POlluted with the curelesse leprosie Of sin which is heriditarie now So lothsome growne that I dare not come nie Thy holy temple where my heart doth bow I craue ô Lord it please thee to allow The high Priest Christ thy sonne to view my sore Whose holyhand may guide and teach me how To cure this griefe it may returne no more I know ô Lord thou hast of mercy store And onely thou doest pitie mans estate Which though my stubburne heart refusde before Repentance yet and faith coms not too late Whose sparrowes of repentance I present An offering here through worldly desert sent SON XXIX A Virgine pure ô Lord by birth I was The daughter of thy church adopt by grace But lothsome lust foule fiend did me alas Pursue and sought with me his dwelling place As many vertues as did seeke my grace By weddings band to me to be vnight So many did this fiend first night deface So oft I was depriu'd of my delight Seuen times a widow I with shame and spight Am left and liue now hopelesse of redresse Till thou with Raphaell send that medicine bright Of God to giue me grace to sinne suppresse Thy sonne thus made my spouse shall soone restore Tobias sight wealth comfort lost before SON XXX OF sinfull race of mans licentious seed Whilst heauenly ofspring with faire humane kinde Do ioyne affects where wicked lusts do breed And so pollute the frutes of vertuous minde A bastard brood my selfe alas I finde Whose nature doth in tryannie consist Of grace and reason growne so dull and blinde That I in wrong with stubburnesse persist Who seeing father Nature ere he wist A sleepe with soâ—tish wine of worldly loue To hide his shame by wisdome had no list Which iustly curse of God on me did moue A slaue to sin therefore I did pursue Like Nymrod grace of God which now Irue SON XXXI AS oft as thou by grace wouldst drawe me backe From sin whereto I am by nature thrall So oft alas I finde my will to lacke And power to follow thee when thou doest call From sin to sin I headlong thus do fall And quench repentance by a peruerse will I see my fall but haue no feare at all And to my vomit dog-like turne I still My frailtie doth thy wrathfull cup fulfill With flowing measure of reuenge and wo When I returne
I feare it be to soule a dangerous thing Shield me Lord vnder thy protecting wing Of mercy which may saue from Satans rage My heart and voyce shall still thy prayses sing If thou the malice of my foes asswage In Sychem shall my heart an alter reare The mightie God to loue to serue to feare SON LXXXVII THe talent which thou pleasedst Lord to giue To me thy seruant that I should bestow Whilst in thy seruice on the earth I liue My diligent increase thereof to show I haue abused Lord too long I know And feare thy comming to be nigh at hand I see for breach of dutie what I owe And of thy iudgments do in terror stand Thy grace hath left me in a forreine land Where vnexpert of vertue I do straie I shall be throwne to Satans thralfull band Voyd of thy heauenly ioy and blisse for aye Vnlesse thou helpe for thou doest vse to giue Grace vnto grace and faith from faithlesse driue SON LXXXVIII SInce that it pleaseth thee thy selfe to show A iust reuenger Lord of Heath'nish sin And bring the pride of bold Philistines low Who thee defame when holy Arke they win Now that to fetch it home I do begin And in the temple of my heart to place Grant so I may thy secrets see therein That plagues for my presumption do not chase It so from me as they that fled the face Of glorie thine which therein did appeare Let faith and loue draw home by trustie trace The constant cart whose carriage is so deare And let me order so this holie worke That dregs of sin not in my deeds may lurke SON LXXXIX IN famine great of grace and comfortlesse Thy seruant Lord doth in Samaria dwell For Lord fierce Aram doth with sin oppresse The citie where my soule to harbour fell I want the strength his armies to repell Of lust and of affections most vncleane My mind whose loue doth motherlike excell Her children thoughts of mendment sees so leane That forst by famine she can find no meane To feed them long her faith so poore is growne That natiue pitie now secluding cleane Her greedie nature doth deuour her owne Beleeue in time this siege Lord cause a feare Of thee this camp of cruell sin to reare SON XC ON sweet and sauorie bread of wholesome kinde Which in thy word thou offrest store to mee To feed vpon the flesh doth lothing finde And leaues to leane ô Lord alone on thee The leauen of the Pharisies will bee The surfet of my soule and death in fine Which coueting to tast forbidden tree To carnall rules and reasons doth incline So lauishly my lusts do tast the wine Which sowrest grapes of sin filles in my cup That lo my teeth now set on edge I pine Not able wholesome food to swallow vp Vnlesse thou mend my tast and hart doest frame To loue thy lawes and praise thy holy name SON XCI OVt of thy flocke ô Lord through my defect A silly sheepe my selfe behold am lost To seeke me forth in time do not neglect Since I so precious price to thee haue cost By many by-paths Lord my feete haue crost And cannot find the way vnto thy fold Through many stormes of deep despaire thus tost To craue thy aide at last I now am bold If thou of silly groat that count doest hold That thou doest search the house to find the same No doubt my soule to sin by nature sold May mercy find by calling on thy name The Saints in heauen conuertids gaine reioyce On earth thy praise is song in heart and voice SON XCII BEhold amidst worlds desert all alone Seduced by the frailtie of the sprite Accompany'd with fleshly comfort none My soule with sin compelled is to fight Where suddenly alas before my sight I Satan see me ready to assaile By two his seruants which are most of might Presumption and dispaire which seldome faile The best perfections of mans strength to quaile By pride or want of faith or couetise By lust or gluttony or fained vaile Of vertue which doth mamy sinnes disguise But chase him Lord away by written word Which is more sharpe then his two edged sword SON XCIII THe dreame which thou to Pharo didst reueale Thou in my selfe hast made me see in deed The state alas of mans weake common weale Whereas affections of all sorts do feed The frutefull soyle of grace some whiles did breed Full faire effects in truth of heauenly kinde But many barren thoughts alas succeed And threaten famine to a vertuous minde Store of such yeares as yet I feare behinde Which Lord will starue the comfort of my faith Vnlesse thy mercy and thy wisedome finde A store house to laie vp what scripture saith In hope of which thy goodnesse lo I liue Which of thy grace Lord do thou to me giue SON XCIIII THe seed which thou the husbandman hast sowde Within my soule ô Lord by Prophets hand Hath taken roote at last by deaw bestowd Form heauenly grace which fructifies my land But lo I saw the worlds deceipt to stand In readinesse to mingle tares therein Whilst sleeping me in vanities he fand He made my frutes to ouerflow with sin But ere thy haruest to approach begin Vouchsafe to weed these frailties so away That when thy corne is to be gathered in I may be cleane and in thy garner stay Burne Lord with chastisement my fleshly lust And clense my life by faith both pure and iust SON XCV WHat strength hath man wherin may he repose A power to stay him in a vertuous way To loue thy flocke thou Lord my soule hast chose Whom to obey my vowes and words did say But in my power alas there is no stay For light temptations made me cleane forget My dutie to my Lord and to denay Him who thus long I haue too lightly set But now my heart with teares my cheekes doth wet In sorrow of my so inconstant faith Repentance hath my sin before me set And conscience now my error duly way'th Grant that thy word crow thrise thrise to mee And warne me of my dutie vnto thee SON XCVI THe malice of this monster auncient foe Of man and of the Church which thou didst plant Euen Satan Herod-like about doth goe To make my frutes of faith to grow more scant Whilst yet with weaknesse feeble youth doth pant And wanteth grace to strengthen their estate The motions of the mind doth straight recant To see soules safetie which sin faine would hate The counsels of affections do debate And do conclude to murder vertues breed Lust pride and enuy open wide the gate To furious flesh that doth the wicked deed My soule their mother mourns ô Lord their end My future frutes of grace do thou defend SON XCVII SO foolish Lord haue my affections bin So carelesse of the blessing thou doest giue So prone my nature vnto euerie sin So thanklesse of thy grace by which I liue That violently thy loue away I driue
race Where flesh and bloud against the world must fight On heauenly kingdome gazing with my sight Where is appointed scope of resting place Wingd with the will of zeale of heauenly grace I do indeuor alwayes to proceed In constant course vnto the arke indeed Where in thy mercies I behold thy face A feruent faith it doth my courage feed And make my heauie limbs become more light When in thy sonne I see thy glorie bright The pledge vnto my soule that hope shall speed This blessed seed Thou hast Lord sowne in me And all the frutes shal to thee offred be SON VII VVHere shall I finde fit words or proper phrase Wherewith to witnesse all the loue I owe Whose gratefull minde in thankfulnesse doth grow And to the world thy worthinesse would blase Vnfrutefully the greater â—ort do gase Vpon thy workes and blessings they receiue And carelesly thy honor they bereaue And suffer chance or wit thy same to rase Whilst vnacknowledged thy loue they leaue Forgetting all the gifts thou doest bestow Whose blinded nature so doth ouerflow That most vnkind to thee themselues they show But since I know By grace thy blessing great My pen thy praises alwaies shall repeat SON VIII THe more I seeke to dedicate my power In celebrating of thy honour great Whose throne is fixed in thy mercies seat The more my dutie groweth euerie hower Some times with Eagles flight aloft I tower And seeme to see the glorie of thy sunne But ere my willing wings haue scarse begunne To mount they droop with clog of heauie shower Vpon the hill of truth I footing wonne By faith which laboureth with feruent heat Of worthie praises thine for to intreat But ere I haue begune my worke is donne So farre I runne In seeking to begin I cannot write such maze my muse is in SON IX AS fareth with the man the which hath bin I perilll but of late to haue bene drownd Though afterward he do recouer ground Knowes not at first the safetie he is in So when I thinke vpon the flouds of sin Wherein I was neare drenched ouer hed What time all hope of comfort cleane was fled And I into dispaire to sinke begin My fainting faith with feare euen well nigh dead My minde amazed it doth so confound That though thy mercies freely do abound In port of peace I am not free from dred But being led Fro out the perils sight I shall enioy more pleasure and delight SON X. SInce thou ô Lord hast giuen to me at last The victorie against the deadly foe Who like a Lyon roaring still doth goe My soule poore Lot my kinsman deare to wast Since grace at length his pride hath now defast And by the hand of faith he is subdude And that my strength by thee is so renude That his affections almost are displast Since thy high Priest with present me pursude Of bread and wine the which he did bestow And with the same the blessing gaue also Whence life whence libertie whence health insude I haue indude As proper vnto thee Thy Church with tyth of faith thou gau'st to me SON XI IF he to whom his Lord did but remit A silly debt was thankfull to him found And that the more the sinnes forgiuen abound The more he loues that pardond is of it Then sure it seemes it were good reason fit That I whose soule was sold to death and hell Whose sinnes in multitude did so excell With idle braine should not ingratefull sit But as the flowing fauours daily swell So should my voice thy praises euer sound And since thou hast powrde oyle into my wound I should not spare thy mercies forth to tell And so as well as thou shalt giue me grace I will thee laud each season time and place SON XII NOw that I haue some safetie Lord attaind Fro out the laberinth wherein I was Since grace as guide therein to me did passe And loue was line which me my issue gaind Since that my wandring steps faith hath refraind And that thy word was Sybils braunch to mee Through hell and death away to let me see To Elizian fields where blisse for aye remaind I must not Lord so much vnthankfull bee To breake the vowes which once I made alas But I will show thy mercies in a glas That by my words men may acknowledge thee The onely hee Hath any power to saue And raisd my soule fro out the verie graue SON XIII I Shame to see how large my promise are How slow my deeds that should performe the fame I know the constant meaning whence they came But will and power are falne at strife and iarre What soule begins to do doth bodie marre What loue would build distrust would ouerthrow A plenteous offring zeale doth bid bestow But fainting faith likes not to set it farre My will at least his good intent shall show Which thou ô Lord cause vnto better frame A free will offring Lord thou wilt not blame Of such weake frutes as are on earth below Which yet shal grow More fruteful by thy grace And as they be wilt in thy sonne imbrace SON XIIII THe end whereto we all created were And in this world were plast to liue and dwell If we with iudgment do obserue it well Was nothing else but God to serue and feare In which we badges of his glorie beare To yeeld him right the most our weaknesse may Which to our strength we ought not him denay Who out of earth to heauen this dust shall reare Which when within my selfe I deeply way I do condemne the dulnesse which befell To me whose gifts in nothing do excell By which I might his glorie great display On whom do stay All things that being haue Who to each creature all things freely gaue SON XV. AS is the treasure frutelesse which is hid And blisse no blisse a man doth not enioy But rather is a meane to worke annoy To him that carefully preserue it did So often times the wisest sort haue slid Into like error whilst they do conseale The gifts of grace which God did them reueale And hide the talent which is them forbid As frutelesse is it to the common weale That men respectiuely become too coy And triflingly their time away do toy And without good to others let it steale I therefore deale To world and do impart These silly frutes which grow on feeling hart SON XVI THe pleasures of this new possessed land Fore-promised long since to children thine Whereto I haue arriued safe in fine And to enioy the same assured stand To paint with praises I would take in hand That so I might incourage many more To follow forth the conquest where is store Of corne of wine and oyle for faithfull band Our Iesus Christ himselfe is gone before And showes the clusters of the healthfull wine Whereof who tasts shall not with famine pine Nor starue when plentie is at Citie dore Ne need deplore The strength of Anaks race For
fine Where all thy treasures safely I may see And happie hee Bestows his loue so well Whose hope is payd with pleasures that excell SON XXXIX LOue then I will and loue thee Lord alone For fellowship in loue there may not bee Loue for thy loue ô Lord shall be thy â—ee For other recompence thou crauest none My vowes and deeds they shall be alwaies one All dedicated to adorne thy name My heart my soule my strength shall do the same Thy loue shall be my faiths true corner stone The loue of thee shall my affections frame To follow that may pleasing be to thee My eyes no beautie but in thee shall see And thy regard my wandring will shall tame Yea I will blame And scorne each other thing Saue what shall me vnto thy fauour bring SON XL. FAine would I praise thee Lord with such a zeale And feruencie as might my loue expresse Faine would my loue yeeld vnto thee no lesse Due praise then thou didst loue to me reueale But wanting power thereto I yet appeale To that thy goodnesse which thee first did moue In fragill flesh of mine the strength to proue Whose weaknes thou by heaueÌ„ly powre didst heale Mans wit in words comes short in this behoue To recompence nay onely to confesse The many waies thou doest our bodies blesse Much more our soules which freely thou didst loue Thy trustie doue Thy holy spright of grace Makes yet our weaknesse stand before thy face SON XLI O Perfect Sunne whereof this shadow is A slender light though it some beautie show On whom thy influence thou doest bestow Whose constant course still shines in endlesse blisse To scan thy glorie wit of man doth misse How far thy mercies beames abroad extend Tong cannot speake nor wit can comprehend And humane frailtie is bewrayd in this The fire ayre water earth they wholly bend The host of heauen and creatures belowe To pay their dutie vnto thee they owe Which didst their being and their vertue send And I intend With them in what I may To witnesse forth thy laud and praise for aye SON XLII WHat present should I bring of worthie prise To witnesse well the loue to thee I owe I nothing haue but what thou didst bestow Ne likest thou the toyes of mans deuise I would not spare my powre in any wise No treasure seemes to me for thee too deare The pleasures of the world the which are here Too base they are how ere wit them disguise To yeeld thee faith it doth the best appeare But mine is very weake alas I know To yeeld thee praise doth make a decent show But to thy merit neither doth come neare With garment cleare Yet clothd of righteous son My selfe to offer vnto thee I run SON XLIII WHo so beholds the works ô Lord of thine The stretched heaueÌ„s the seat where thou doest dwel The earth thy footstoole which dares not rebell Which all vnto thy will do still incline The Sunne and Moone by day and night which shine The changing flouds the firme and frutefull land The Planets which do firme for euer stand All which gainst thy behest dare not repine The host of Angels in thy heauenly band Th' infernall fiends with Lucifar which fell The fish the foule the beast agreeing well And all obedient to thy heauenly hand May vnderstand Thy glorie loue and powre Without whose help maÌ„ could not liue an howre SON XLIIII AS doth the Moone by daily change of hew By growing or decreasing beautie show The influence the greater lights bestow Whose absence or whose presence her renue So must all flesh confesse and thinke most true The faith or feare they haue for to proceed From heauenly grace which heaueÌ„ly gifts doth feed Without whose face blind darknesse doth insue Mans proper powre is so obâ—curde indeed With shades which rise froÌ„ earthly thoughts below That nothing but blinde ignorance would grow Vnlesse this sunne did shining comfort breed Which serues in steed Of fire vnto the same Fro whence this light of faith receiues his flame SON XLV IF Saba Queene a iourney tooke in hand From South to North wise Salomon to heare If humane wisedome was to her so deare That she did visit thus his holy land Then do I muse why men do idle stand In pride of youth when wit and meanes abound Their tender braines to feed with wisedome sound Far passing that this Queene for trauell found This error is the scarre of Adams wound Who sought his knowledge not in fountain cleare To whom forbidden skill did best appeare Neglecting graces him inclosing round But on the sound And written word I build Not Salomon such Oracles could yeeld SON XLVI HOw fond a thing it is which men do vse To beat their braines and so torment their hart In compassing the thing which breeds their smart And do not know what is the thing they chuse They childishly the name of loue abuse And would define the nature of the same By passions which belong to hatreds name Wherein to pine with pleasure they do chuse Who euer saw that figs on thorne-tree came Or thistels roses beare by any art With pain with grief with shame with losse impart Their passions which they for their loue do frame With iudgment lame Loue is a heauenly thing Where being plast it perfect loue doth bring SON XLVII LEt earthly things in earth their loue repose For flesh and bloud on faith they cannot feed It is a frute indeed of heauenly seed Which who disgesteth well life cannot lose The soule fro out of other matter growes And vnto other matter turnes againe Immortally to liue in ioy or paine As grace to sundry vses it hath chose Then is it time my thoughts at length to waine From laying vp my treasure for my need Where mothes and canker do so common breed As in the world whose wealth is meerely vaine If I attaine But faith layd vp in store In Christ my Sauious I desire no more SON XLVIII FYe fainting faith disswade me not so much From following of my louely heauenly choyce To thinke on whom I cannot but reioyce Whose name or memorie my heart doth touch What trauell ere befall I will not grutch Through fire and water I will him pursue Whose sight my fainting soule doth straight renue His loue and mercy both to me are such If I should dye for him it were but due By him I liue and follow will his voyce Regarding lightly fame or common noyse Which threaten paine and trauell to insue There are but few That passe the narrow way But crowne of honor doth their trauell pay SON XLIX I Find my heart is bent for to amend And follow thee forsaking wicked way From wickednesse my foâ—tsteps for to stay And to thy will my works henceforth to bend But yet the cause which makes me this intend I finde is rather feare then loue of right Yet free-will offrings do thee more delight And to such works thou doest thy
which did transgresse By parents fall and workes in vs no lesse On whom by iust succession sindoth cease Yet since Christ doth appease The penance due By bearing burden on his backe for me And faith herein sufficeth me to free Which faith must fruitfull be if it be true And workes of grace regenerate insue Which perfect pledge of safetie ought to bee I craue ô Lord of thee From day to day To guide my steps vnto a righteous way SON CXIX Aide in conflict with sin VVEake are my ChaÌ„pions Lord which fight with sin I meane my will and powre which take in hand The furie of their assaults for to withstand And victory of him do hope to win Some signe it is of courage to begin To fight but cowards part to leaue the land I faine would come in band And leige would make With thee my Sauiour ere I be assayld No other comfort euer man auayld But trust in thee when troubles them did take Thou helpst thy flocke thou dost not them forsake If so their faith in thee be nothing quayld No sillable is fayld Of all thy word Thy truth sub dues the force of wrathfull sword SON CXX Comfort in affliction VVHy do we not reioyce whilst Christ we haue Our bridgrome wedded sure to faithfull band His owne free liking made our merit stand And by his word his loue to vs he gaue First pledge wherof was Baptisme which forth draue Our feare and lent a gracious helping hand And that in sacred land We might be free And there possession haue of endlesse rest His Testament he made and with the blest Our heritage by faith he made vs see He signd the writ with his assurance best Of bread and wine which might a Simboll bee His corps nayld on the tree For our discharge From sin hell death which sets our soule at large CONCLVSION THough long my soule thou banished hast bin From place of thy repose by tyrants might By world and worldly cares by flesh wherein Thy wandring thoghts haue dazeld iudgemeÌ„ts sight Learne yet at length to guide thy course aright Vnto that end which must begin thy rest Learne once for shame so constantly to fight Against affections which please fancie best That all vnfruitfull thoughts thou maist detest And hold those common pleasures combers great Whose issue age and time with ruine threat VVhen death vnlookt for seemes a fearefull guest Retire thy selfe as wise Barzilla did From worldly cares thy purer thoughts to rid A TABLE DIRECTING BY PART of the first verse of each to the A Booke Sonet A Base borne 1. 54 According to thy 1. 41 A husband man 1. 53 Although the world 2. 70 Although these 2. 86 Amidst the graues 1. 42 A marchant 1. 21 Among the prease 1. 22 Among thy sheepe 1. 9 Amidst this famine 1. 37 A Moabite 1. 80 Amidst this pilgrimage 2. 80 A poore Arabian 1. 20 A tenant 1. 50 As thou art pure 1. 24 As oft as thou 1. 31 A sinfull Syrian 1. 98 A seruant Lord 1. 73 A seâ—uant sold 1. 75 As through a mist 2. 1 As fareth with 2. 9 As is the treasure 2. 15 As but vaine 2. 66 As doth the starres 2. 53 As doth the Moone 2. 44 A virgin pure 1. 29 Auant base thoughts 2. 37 A wicked Pharisie 1. 16 A wicked theefe 1. 78 A wicked soule 1. 19 B   BEhold ô Lord the city 1. 10 Behold ô Lord a tree 1. 14 Behold amidst worlds 1. 92 Betwixt two strong 2. 17 By many gifts 2. 62 Borne blind I was 1. 38 C   CAll me ô Lord 2. 58 Cleansd are the 2. 2 F   FAine would I fence 1. 32 Faine would follow 2. 52 Faine would I prayse 2. 40 Fiue foolish virgins 1. 17 Fâ—e fainting faith 2. 48 For common matter 2. 77 Fortune and chaunce 2. 100 For out of darknesse 1. 2 From luda wandring 8. 82 From farre I see 2. 18 G   GReat are the 2. 67 Great is thy 2. 65 H   HE is vnworthy 2. 21 How should my 1. 1 How hard it is 1. 48 How oft ô Lord 1. 63 How drunken are 1. 39 How precious 2. 21 How can I limit 2. 26 How may this be 2. 34 How fond a thing 2. 46 How many priuiledges 2. 61 How should the quiet 2. 63 How happily 2. 78 How is it that 2. 82 How loth this 2. 96 How should my 2. 85 How should I 2. 89 How do Gods blessings 2. 91 I   I Follow thee 1. 25 I seeke ô Lord 1. 13 I will not feare 2. 38 I iustly am 1. 52 I see alas 1. 99 I finde my heart 2. 49 I haue bene blind 2. 68 I haue begun 2. 6 I see a storme 2. 81 I shame to see 2. 13 I know not 2. â—2 In humble wise 1. 4 Into thy vineyard 2. 23 In bondage long 1. 79 In famine great 1. 89 In deadly sleepe 1. 43 In pride of youth 1. 6 If thou vouchsafest 1. 45 If he to whom 2. 11 If Saba Queene 2. 45 If beautie be 2. 33 If Paradise 2. 59 If he vnworthie be 2. 73 If I did hope 2. 93 If I can speake 2. 99 It is not Lord 1. Pref. It were vnfit 2. 71 It is no light 2. 76 L   LAme of my limbs 1. 7 Let earthly things 2. 47 Like pined child 1. 27 Like silly babes 2. 55 Lo how I groueling 1. 81 Loue then I will 2. 39 M   MY body Lord the house 1. 36 My body Lord infect 1. 60 My soule like 1. 76 My sinnes behold 1. 33 My wicked flesh 1. 44 Mourne thou no more 1. 101 My traiterous heart 1. 49 N   NO recompence 2. 20 No sooner loue 2. 50 Not that my faith 1. 84 Not euery one 2. 88 Now that thou hast 1. 12 Now that I see 1. 61 Now that it pleaseth 1. 69 Now that I haue 2. 12 Now will I daunce 2. 19 Now that thy mercies 2. 27 O   O Heauenly beautie 2. 32 O heauenly loue 2. 35 O perfect sonne 2. 41 Of sinfull race 1. 30 Of euery creature 1. 47 Of parents first 1. 26 Of sweet and sauorie 1. 90 Out of the fountaine 1. 18 Out of thy 1. 92 P   POlluted with 1. 28 S   SInce it hath 1. 46 Since with Goliath 1. 11 Since thou hast raisd 1. 65 Since thou by grace 1. 100 Since that it pleaseth 1. 88 Since to so holy 2. 3 Since thou ô Lord 2. 10 Since hou hast 2. 25 So blind ô Lord. 1. 77 So foolish Lord 1. 97 Some men do mourne 2. Pref. Sometimes my nature 2. 72 T   THe temple Lord 1. 67 The selly babes 1. 57 The greedinesse 1. 34 The many trials 1. 85 The dreame which thou 1. 93 The seede which thou 1. 94 The malice of 1. 96 The talents which 1. 87 The onely daughter 1. 56 The more I seeke 2.
8 The end whereto 2. 14 The pleasures of 2. 16 The powerfull pen 2. 29 The shining face 2. 36 The chastisemnts 2. 84 The thundring voyce 1. 8 The slender Citie 1. 83 This stately stage 2. 30 Thou formest me 1. 72 Though with thy Saints 1. 40 Thou hast ô Lord 1. 86 Thankes will I 2. 22 To shun the rockes 2. 74 V   VNto thy Princely 1. 5 Voide of true life 1. 35 W   VVEre it not straunge 2. 75 Where shall I build 1. 58 Where shall I finde 2. 9 What am I else 1. 71 Whilst in this world 1. 70 Whilst with the wholesome 1. 64 Whilst in the garden 1. 51 Where so I cast about 2. 23 When thou vouchsafest 1. 55 Whilst in the vaile 1. 59 Whilst that the chosen 1. 62 Whilst that in wealth 1. 66 What strength hath 1. 95 When I begin 2. 83 When as my 2. 3 What toung or pen 2. 94 What should I render 2. 28 What present 2. 42 What wealth 2. 57 What is felicitie 2. 60 When I began 2. 87 When I with griefe 2. 95 When desolate I was 2. 79 Who so beholds 2. 43 Whilst in the plentie 1. 74 Whilst I do studie 2. 24 Why should he faint 2. 69 Why should this 2. 95 Why should I 2. 90 Within this Arke 1. 3 Within thy garden 1. 15 Within thy house 1. 68 Who so behold 2. 31 Who so could 2. 56 Who seeketh not 2. 57 Who so of perfect 2. 64 Who so would liue 2. 97 Would God 2. 5 Words may well want 2. Conclus A TABLE OF FEELING AFFECtions being the third Centenarie of Sonets  Sonet ALl will not serue 6 All men by naâ—ure 41 Alas how watchfâ—ll 86 Alas ô Lord 103 Although ô Lord 118 Amidst the daungerous dayes 05 Among the many fires 129 Among the many trials 51 As those with skill 50 As doth the fire 64 As doth the morning sunne 66 But will you know 14 Come to the counsell 22 Doth any man desire 92 Downe let vs fling 43 Exilde be mortall cares 2 Faine would I bring 2 For vs who do 74 Fro out what dreame 3 Feaâ—e is a frailtie 114 Giue all to him 13 Good wordes are praysd 70 Great are the graces 97 Heale sacred seate 102 Haue we not cause 45 He that to do no euill 27 How can I hope 5 How little comfort 24 How should I vse my time 69 How can he be 91 How could I Lord 107 I cannot chuse 76 If woe there was 32 I feele ô Lord 115 I go about 18 I list not iudge 67 If thou do feede 77 If common fame 84 If God should measure vs 89 I haue desiâ—ed 93 I maâ—uell much 8 I must commend 113 I now begin 9 In midst of plentie 23 I oftentimes 53 I often heare 93 I see sometimes 68 It is not causelesse 31 I should not seeme 33 It seemeth straunge 58 It is not rest 61 It is a thing 83 It is a custome 90 Leaue me not Lord 111 Like maister like 55 Kike as the sunne 100 Long do the wicked run 99 Me thinkes sometimes 16 My yonger thoughts 85 Might Elizeus wish 98 Not onely doth the Lord 46 Not euery action 88 Of thee and of thy prayse 1 O happie Symon of Syren 19 O that we could 54 O powerfull God 101 Our blinded natures 82 Since it hath pleased the Lord 48 Since we by Baptisme 71 Since shame of men 72 Since we are found 94 Since thus my selfe 104 Since nothing else 96 Since thou ô Lord 110 Since so simplicitie 106 Slow is our God indeed 52 Straunge are in truth 42 Sometimes cleane tired 15 Tempt me no more of feeling affections Epilogue To thee ô Lord who Introduction to Prayer The fatall haps 34 Though lawfull many things 37 The season of the yeare 40 There is great odds indeed 44 The weapons which I 60 The difference is 73 The parable of seede 75 Though long Preface to prayer The more ô Lord 112 The greatest plague 117 Tâ—ue is it sure 78 Vaine are the bragges 38 What vaâ—ne lip labour 17 What is thy measure full 4 What are our senses drownd 20 When I remember 10 What loue is this 11 Who so will serue 12 When I do see the 21 Well if I finde 25 Who toucheth pitch 26 When I looke backe 28 Who seeketh aide 30 Who sowes the seede 36 We had not need in idlenesse 47 What miracle so great 49 When I consider of 53 We may reioyce 56 Wise Moses and graue 57 Who would not craue 59 What is the cause 62 When I do heare 63 When I do seamen 65 What high presumption 79 Who sees in common 80 Who giues may take 81 We haue bene babes 87 When I behold the trauell 95 When I ô Lord 108 What trust may I 109 When I ô Lord 116 Weake are my champions 119 Why do we not 120 Where hast Preface to affections FINIS Sonnets of the Author to diuers collected by the Printer And first to the Lords of her Maiesties priuie councell To the right Hâ— and most reuerend father in God my Lord Archbishop of Canterbury his grace IF Dauid did in passion iust arise When he recorded his exiled state Compar'd with happier Swallowes which deuise To build their nests so neare the Temple gate May I not mourne to see the world alate So swarme with bookes which euery where do fly Whose subiects as most base might merit hate Though curious braynes their wits therein apply When better matters buried long do ly For lacke of fauourers or protectors grace May I not take occasion thus to try My pen and craue that you the same imbrace Yes sure world knowes you can and will protect The cause why God and Prince did you erect To the Right Ho. Knight Sir Thomas Egerton Lord Keeper of the great Scale of England VVHat fame reports by mouth of good and wise It is not flattery to record the same The publike eccho of your prayse doth rise That you by iustice ballance iudgement frame Then may you not my pen of boldnesse blame If it present to your impartiall eye This holy worke to shield it with your name Which may among prophane in daungerly Wise Salomon childs parent true did try And Daniell false accusers fraud bewray By searching hearts affects and words whereby Ones fained loue the others guilt to way So iudge this worke and him shall it depraue So I desire you iustice prayse shall haue To the right Hon. the Lord Burghley Lord high Treasurer of England one of the most Noble order of the Garter c. IF Romaines held Sibillaes workes so deare Because they from Deuining spright did grow More precious present then receiue you here Which God on king king did on world bestow Our Sibill you our Salomon we know And so your words and workes the world doth prise To vertue you your selfe a father show Hence honor yours hence countries good doth rise
Then this no fiction that man doth deuise But built on best experience life can bring With patience reade and do it not despise Yâ—â— wise experience can confirme each thing It is not rated as Sibillaes were But priz'd by you it will the value reare To the Ri. Ho. the Earle of Esseâ— Great Master of the Horse to her Highnesse and one of the most Noble order of the c. NOt Neptunes child or Triton I you name Not Mars not Perseus though a Pere to all Such word I would find out or newly frame By sea and land might you triumphant call Yet were such word for your desert too small You Englands ioy you en'mies terror are You vices scourge you vertues fenced wall To Church a shield to Antichrist a barre I need not feare my words should stretch to farre Your deedes out-fly the swiftest soaring pen You praise of peace th' vndaunted powre of warre Of heauens elect the happieloue of men Not knowing then How to expresse my mind Let silence craue this gift may fauour find To the Ri. Ho. the Lord Charles Howard of 〈…〉 Admirall of England one of the most Noble order of the garter c. VVHen as wise Salomons most happie raigne Is registred in bookes of holy writ His greatnesse seemes increase of honour gaine By store of worthy Peeres his state which fit Whose excellence of courage and of wit His Impery'causd with wealth and peace abound Whose heads and hands did neuer idle sit But seeking commons good through world around By sea and land their swords free passage found Which subiects safetie bred and feare to foe Like fame vnto our Prince you cause to sound Both farre and neare whilst you victorious goe For which her trust our loue to you is due As pledge whereof I this present to you To the Right Ho. the Lord Cobham Lord Chamberlaine of her Maiesties houshold Lord Warden of the Sink ports and of the Noble order of the Gaâ—ter c. GIftes are not measur'd by the outward show Nor by the price of Peeres of Noble kind They shadowes are the harts intent to know And simple figures of a faithfull mind Then since your vertues high all hearts do bind To striue to testifie their grate intent Vouchsafe suppose my powre cannot yet find A present fit as will and heart was bent And what king writing once thought time well spent That reade you once as thing of some regard His mind ment well that it vnto you sent Time not spent ill in view thereof is spard If it more worth I more loue could expresse My due regard of you should yeeld no lesse To the Right Ho. the Lord North Treasurer of her Maiesties houshould I May not say I shun to shew my want Before your selfe whom I true noble hold Since I to others haue not made them scant And may of meaner men be well controld This common guilt of mine makes me more bold To prosecute the error I begunne Who craue your fauour not my faults vnfold Although my folly ouer-rashly runne If with the best they haue a pardon wonne They may the boldlier passe the common view What Princes like the people hold well done And fame in passage doth her force renew Which good or bad your censure is to make When now first flight it in the world doth take To the Right Honorable the Lord of Buckhurst AS you of right impart with Peeres in sway Of common weale wherein by you we rest So hold I fit to yeeld you euery way That due the which my powre affoordeth best But when I call to mind your pen so blest With flowing liquor of the Muses spring I feare your daintie eare can ill digest The harsh tun'd notes which on my pipe I sing Yet since the ditties of so wise a king Can not so lose their grace by my rude hand But that your wisedome can conforme the thing Vnto the modell doth in margent stand I you beseech blame not though you not prayse This worke my gift which on your fauour stayes To the Right Honor. Knight Sir William Knowles Controller of her Maiesties houshold OF auncient vertues honor'd ofsprings race Of true religions you blest progeny On which two pillers vertue built your grace And court by gracing you is grast thereby Of such since this worke treates such worke do I Well fitting hold for you to reade and shield Whose wisedome honor vertue doth apply To true religion on the which you build My selfe too weake so heauy a taske to wield As was the treating of so high a stile At first attempt began to fly the field Till some which lik't the theame bid pause awhile And not dismay the title would suffise To daunt the vaine and to allure the wise To the Right honorable knight Sir Iohn Fortescue Chauncellor of the Exchequor HE who in dutie much to you doth owe In power is little able to present For pledge of gratefull mind is forst bestow These ill limd lines best signes of hearts intent The scope whereof by Salomon was bent To teach the way to perfect happinesse By me transformed thus and to you sent To shew that I do wish to you no lesse To wish well is small cost I do confesse But such a heart as truly it intends Is better worth esteeme then many gesse And for all other wants makes halfe amends Such is my heart such be therfore your mind Then shall my mite a millions welcome find To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Cecill Knight principall Secretary to her Maiestie TO you my hopes sweet life nurse to my muse Kind foster father of deseruing sprights This Poem comes which you will not refuse I trust because of blessednes it wrights Your aged youth so waind from vaine delights Your growing iudgment farre beyond your yeares Your painefull daies your many watchfull nights Wherein your care of Common good appears Assureth him that of your fame once hears That you some heauenly obiect do aspire The sweet conceit whereof your soule so chears That earth 's bred vanities you not admire Such is this theame such was first writers mind For whose sakes I do craue it fauour find To other Lords Ladies and aproued friends To the Right Honourable the Earle of Oxford Lord great Chamberlaine of England IF Endors widdow-hâ—â—d had powre to raise A perfect bodie of true temperature I would coniure you by your wonted prayse Awhile my song to heare and trueth indure Your passed noble proofe doth well assure Your blouds your minds your bodis excellence If their due reuerence may this paines procure Your pacience with my boldnesse will dispence I onely craue high wisdoms true defence Not at my suit but for works proper sake Which treats of true felicities essence As wisest king most happiest proofe did make Whereof your owne experience much might say Would you vouchsafe your knowledge to bewray To the right Honorable the Earle of Northumberland VVHo would intreat of earthly happinesse
He need but take a patterne of your state Borne noble learned bred whose acts expresse That honor cannot vertues force abate In home-kind loue abroad vnmenast hate In bodies value and in spright of mind You haue no cause to blame your aduerse fate Which such a great aspect hath you assignd Yet that you yet more happinesse might find The common loue your countrey you doth owe To offer you this meanes thereto doth bind My will which in this lowly gift I show Which yet accept for worthy Princes sake Who of each point a perfect proofe did make To the Right Ho. the Earle of Shrewsburie VVEll placed vertue in high honors seat Well bending honour to a Christians state Vouchsafe my pen your pardon may intreat Who this my vowed seruice offer late Your shining glory did my hope abate When first to seeke your sight my fancie ment Your fame for vertue yet did animate My pen which vnto you this present sent Your true nobilitie which seemeth bent To foster innocents from powrefull foe Doth promise me wisht fruit of hearts intent If vnder your protection it doth goe The rather since of honor I do wright And happinesse which is your soules delight To the right Honourable the Earle of Cumberland THe Crowned honor iustly which befell To valiant Iosua and wise Calebs race Whose faith to fainting people did foretell The fruitfull spoyle of proud resisters place Their natiue vertues which you haue by grace Whose sword doth fight the battels of the iust Which makes our Hemis-phere your fame imbrace And feebled hearts on your stout courage trust My confidence in you excuse they must Who do my Poems muster in your traine Whose theame hath bin by wisest king discust And in your practise do of proofe remaine Which leade the way vnto the holy land For which whilst here you liue you fighting stand To the Right honorable the Earle of Sussex THe skilfull Pilots that the Ocean haunt In stormes are found to be of merry cheare Whom fairest calmes with feare dread do daunt Because a signe of change doth seeme appeare The expert souldiers vsed to the warre In time of peace do arme them for the fight And carefull Christians will foresee from farre The fierce temptations may in pleasure light Then since no settled rule there can be here Whereby to know the issues growing are But change of times may comfort clips or cleare And so our present state amend or marre Learne here braue Chāpion noble vertuous wise To beare all brunts that may in life arise To the Right Ho. the Earle of Southampton AMongst most noble noble euery way Among the wise wise in a high degree Among the vertuous vertuous may I say You worthy seeme right worthy Lord to mee By bloud by value noble we you see By nature and by learnings trauell wise By loue of good ils hate you vertuous bee Hence publike honor priuate loue doth rise Which hath inuited me thus to deuise To shew my selfe not slacke to honour you By this meane gift since powre more fit denies Which let me craue be read and held for true Of honor wisedome vertue I delate Which you pursuing will aduance your state To the Right Honorable the Lord Zouch VVHat haue I done that I would take in hand To picke forth Patrons should my work defend When such a Lordly troope of Nobles stand As in the choyce of them I find no end But hauing thus begun I do intend To fawne on those whose fauours I haue found Amongst the which I trust you helpe will lend Because the building is on such a ground I know your learned skill and iudgement sound Which might deter it to approch your sight But whereas loue they say doth once abound There feare and all suspect is banisht quight Your vertues loue your honor force me yeeld To you on whose kind fauour I do build To the Right Honorable the Lord Willougbie of Ersbie MIght I forget the Comforts of my prime Might I neglect the matter which I wright Might I not know the hopes of present time Forgetting you I might my selfe acquight But parentes fauours once my youths delight Your selfe apatterne of a happie peere Whose proofes of vertue publike are to sight Might me vpbraid with peeuish silence here If I should hold so meane a gift too deare For one whose ancient debter yet I rest For whom my Poeme doth so fit appeare Since you our age recordes among the best Then thinke not I by slight would kindnes gaine But hold this due If honest I remaine To the Right Honourable the Lord Burrowes I Not intend by present of a booke Which for the title most men will allowe For equall praise with first true author looke Because I newly it transformed now Nor for my owne presume I it to'avow Vnworthie herald of that princes says Which duely to deliuer few know how And I of all most weake by many ways Yet since your high praisd bountie not denays A grate acceptance of a kindly gift Vpon that hope my present boldnesse stays Who in my purpose haue no other drift But let you see earths vaine heauens perfect blis Which with my heart I wish you tast in this To the Right Honorable the Lord Mountioy TO you the noble light of happie I le In whose most vertuous breast the holy fire Vnquenched liues when all the world the while Nigh drowned lyes in dreames of vaine desire Whose holy zeale the godly do admire Whose worthie constancie the wise commend For whom heauens glorie waights as vertuous hire To whom the hearts of men with honour bend Who do pure vertue to your powre defend Whom vaine delights of earth cannot defile Whom to protect religion God did send Vouchsafe to listen to my song a while Which right true tidings to the world doth bring Of what obserued was by wisest king To the Right Honorable the Lord of Hunsdon OF good king Dauids holy'and carefull bent Of wise and happie Salomons desire Their liuely patterns here I do present To you braue Lord as kind deserts require Your gifts of nature rare I not admire Since heire you were vnto so noble a father Whose wisdome to true honour did aspire But gifts of grace which by your life I gather And for the which you reuerenc't are the rather As heire to both those kings in common care Of God and realme gainst which most lewd deprauer Is forth his poysoned tongue for shame to spare As for that good to me by you hath flowne Was but one frute of many vertues knowne To the Right reuerend father in God To by Bishop of Duresme IF double cumber of the publike care Of Paules and Peters sword and keyes may rest I would intreat you some small time to spare To view the face of your inuited gest Of all men you haue cause to vse him best Because you more then halfe the father are To you therefore I haue him first addrest To haue his