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
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
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
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
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
surpasse them farre As Henok Babell Troy true patterns are 4. A time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance Though nothing be more needfull to our kind The rigors to alay of worldly care Though nothing better for the health we find Then mirth at times we may well for it spare Yet in the vse of it we must beware And vse it so as if we readie were The brunt of greatest crosses straight to beare For times there are when dutie doth require We should impart with neighbours woe and griefe For partners in distresse doe all desire And men suppose thereby they find reliefe For sinne so should we mourne as cause most chiefe When Gods offended face doth threat his rod Thus mirth and woe are both requir'd by God verse 5 To scatter stones and gather them t' embrace and thrust away verse 6 A season is to seeke to loose to keepe to wast I say 5. A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones a time to imbrace and a time to be far from imbracing There is a time when we the quarries draw And from the bowels of the earth full deepe Rayse vp her bones the stones which neuer saw The lightsome aire and them we carued keepe To rayse with them our towers to heauen which peepe Which afterward decay and we are faine Their ruines to transport abrode againe Euen so in youthfull yeares it seemeth fit As nature made it apt for loues imbrace So for the worlds increase to yeeld to it With due respect of person time and place Yet nothing more vnseemely in such case As when decrepit age creepes to the graue To dote in loue and seeke a wife to haue 6. A time to seeke and a time to loose a time to keepe and a time to cast away There is a time when man with reason may With diligence indeuour for to gaine A portion fit his family to stay Although with sweat of browes and daily paine But it were folly to torment his braine If losses happe for there will losses fall Vnto most wise if they haue ought at all Then he that 's wise knowes when to spend and spare For who hath most before he die may need And he must spend sometimes that is most bare And he may thriue that doth the needie feed Bountie doth loue and neighbour liking breed It is a vertue placed in a meane Although it rather doe to giuing leane verse 7 A time to reape and sow againe for silence and to speake verse 8 To loue to hate to talke of peace and peace with war to breake 7. A time to reap and a time to sow a time to keepe silence and a time to 〈◊〉 The rich attyres ordaynd by craft mans hand To couer shame which sinne made man to see Be not so comely held in any land But that in other lands dislikt they bee So what one sowes the other reapes for thee Good workes for Taylers that new-fangled are None make more fast then others mending marre What speake we of such common things as this Not speech it selfe the Eccho to the hart May be so free but it restrained is To ciuill rules and lawes of very art The tongues misuse ofâ— breedes the bodie smart We therefore learne both how and when to speake And when we modest silence may not breake 8. A time to loue and a time to hate a time of warre and a time of peace Yea though that kindled heate of beauties fire And sympathy of natures liking good Chast loue be founded on a iust desire And beare such sway as hardly is withstood Infecting by the eye both spirit and blood Yet such incounters grow in some respect That loue findes hate best merit base neglect Yea bloudie warre the scourge of peace misusd The fire-brand of ambition hels owne chyld The wracke of iustice value oft abusd From common wealth may not be well exyld Though peace breed welth welth yet with pride defyld Produceth warre which pouertie doth breed To which heauens blessed peace doth yet succeed verse 9 What profit finds the toyle some man of all his carke and care verse 10 To humble mans ambitious mind God did these pames prepare 9. What profit hath he that worketh of the thing wherein he trauelleth Which if so be as so it is indeed Then would I haue the Gimnosophists wise The Magy Druides and Stoicks breed The Sophis and most wise of all Rabbies And all Philosophers of euery guise Who morall rules and naturall skill did know Or iudgements supernaturall did show Them would I haue to tell to me in briefe What profit man most properly may say He hath of all his dayes consumde in griefe Which he assured is with him shall stay The goods of fortune subiect to decay The strength of bodie fayling euery houre the minds much more which worldly cares deuour 10. I haue seene the trauell that God hath giueÌ„ to the sonnes of men to humble them thereby I see me thinkes a laborinth of woes Enuiron man about from day of birth Till houre of death what so about he goes With sower sauce seasoning still his fained mirth Cares him accompan'ing vpon the earth For needfull things for life yet foolish he With needlesse studies still will medling be And God hath iustly giuen this plague to all For our forefather Adams clyming mind That humbled so we might before him fall Confessing that we are poore wormes most blind And fly to him where we may comfort find Vpon his prouidence our selues to rest As thing whereby we onely may be blest All beautious desird God made though al things maÌ„ not know This only good know I with ioy good works in life to show 11. 〈…〉 made eâ—ery thing beautiful in his time also he hath â—et the world in their heart 〈◊〉 can not man 〈◊〉 out the worke that 〈◊〉 hath 〈…〉 from the beginning 〈◊〉 to the end Indeede God so his creatures beautified And marshald so their musters euery one That in them his great wisedome is espied And in their season is their beautie showne Defect vnto their kind they suffer none No maruell then if heart of man desire To see and know their vertue and admire And God hath giuen to man a speciall will To search for knowledge euer while he liues Who therefore beates his braines about it still And vseth all endeuour nature giues But he in vaine about the matter striues He neuer can or shall the depth attaine Of Gods decree his labours are but vaine 12. 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 is â—Sthing good in them but to reioyce and â— do good in his life Let wise men therefore learne to be content With knowledge of such things as vs befit Enioy the blessing God to vs hath sent And with contented mind in quiet sit His paine and trauell may not farther git Then God hath limited of that be sure With patience therefore doe thy selfe indure For I no other good
and shall Yet we as they one common end do find One dissolution of this earthly frame Whose matter doth returne vnto the kind From whence at first creation forth it came The memory whereof the mind should tame Of those ambitious braines vnbounded will Which whilst they liue the world with comber fill verse 21 Who knows mans soule ascends or beasts vnto the earth desceÌ„ds verse 22 Best then say I ioy in thy owne which thee thy knowledge ends 21. Who knoweth whether the Spirit of man ascend vpward and the Spirit of the beast descend downward to the earth And though indeed the soules immortall seed Which had his being from a cause more pure Vpon a higher hope doth iustly feed And shall in all eternitie endure Yet to the eye of man who can assure The same if faith the light vnto the soule Did not distrustfull fleshes thoughts controule For euen the selfe same instruments of life The same necessities of nutriment The same effects of sicknesse with vs rife The same abhorred death hath nature lent To euery creature that on earth she sent And at and after parting of the spright The carkasses of both seeme like to sight 22. Therfore I see that there is nothing better then that a maÌ„ should reioyse in his affayres because that is his portion for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him So that I see no vse of earths increase Fit for our bodies but whilst here we liue With them to cheere our sprights and purchase peace And vnto God for them due praise to giue Mans wit no further can his pleasure driue For he and they are subiect as you see To chaunge and to earths fraile mortalitee As for the care the wise and goodly haue Of their successors competent estate It is but due and nature doth it craue But for their loue our selues we ought not hate And toyling vex our soules with worlds debate What they will proue or what in time may grow We know not nor should curious be to know Chap. 4. verse 1 TheÌ„ earths vnrights I viewd tears of wroÌ„gd by worthles iudg verse 2 And therwith thought theÌ„ blessed dead need not the liuing grudge 1. So I turned conâ—idereâ— all the oppressions that are wrought vnder the sunne and behold the teares of the oppressed and none conforteth them and â—o the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them and none comforteth him BVt whither doth this passion me transport My thoghts with thinking haue forgot my thought Whilst earthly I with earthly worlds consort And to the bodies cares haue comfort brought My meditations haue the heauens sought And those eternities which passe my skill But now descend to earth againe I will And of more humaine actions will intreat Where we a tragedie of woes shall see Whilst weaker ones oppressed by the great Are destitute of place whereto to flee For succour since their foes their Iudges bee And farre too powrefull wherewith to contend And most men backward poore men to defend 2. Wherefore I prayied the dead which now are dead aboue the liuing which are yet aliue Which makes me thinke though nature it deny That much more happie is the dead mans state Then those that in this life such troubles try And life like death my heart begins to hate Death vnto endlesse life is but the gate But life is vnto death a longsome way Where tyresome troubles vexe vs day by day And death that lothsome state which life doth shun By life itselfe with care and toyle is sought Through perils men to purchase death do run And with lifes scorne holde death but cheaply bought Which honour to them selues or countrey brought For life could not exempted be from wo Whilst dying they all worldly cares forgo verse 3 The vnhorne better then them both who such ill daies not saw verse 4 It vexed me the spight to see that vertuous workes do draw 3. And I count him better theÌ„ them both which hath not yet bin for he hath not seene the euill works which are wrought vnder the suune But yet indeed since both by life and death The state of many men is wretched still They may most happie seeme which nere drew breath Or infants dyed neuer knowing ill And reason good for both produce I will The ones not being making them to bee Incapable of vengeance wicked see The other cleane exempt from humane care As being dead now needing nothing more Whose actuall crimes hels doome could not prepare Originall sinnes by grace were cleansd before And mercie guiding them to high heau'ns dore Whose want of reason liuing knew no wo But voyd of feare to death did mildly go 4. Also I beheld all trauell and all perfection of workes that this is the enuy of a maÌ„ against his neighbour this also is vanitie and vexation of the Spirit This other plague besides doth follow man A vice alas too common in this age The more of vertue that he glory can The more the baser sort repine and rage And with reprochfull slander malice swage Depriuing or deprauing best desart Or it Eclipsing with some guilefull art No foe to learning like the ignorant Nor to the good like to the bad we say Gods kingdome Beliall seeketh to supplant And vertue fayling his another way Euen viciously they vertue would betray Who herein yet themselues do but disgrace For slander can not iust deserts deface verse 5 The slothfull foole he folds his hands but hunger staru'd he pines verse 6 Whilst to a poore but lasie life his chosen course inclines 5. The foole foldeth his hands and eateth vp his owne flesh Themselues like fooles and feeble helplesse wights Vnable or vnwilling to attaine The trauell which belongs to vertues rights Doe poore disgracefull liue and so remaine And caterpiller like on others paine Doe feed and liue to world improfitable Driuen to depend on scraps of others table Nay well it were with some if so it were Who foodlesse are compeld to begge or starue Because their idle fingers doe forbeare The honest trades which might their liuing serue Whose folded hands no better doth deserue But as they to themselues do proue vnkind So they of others should no better find 6. Better is an handfull with quietnes then two handfuls with Iâ—bor and vexation of the Spirit Yet which is lamentable to be told They senselesse so in idlenesse delight That they their course of life to prayse are bold And all virilitie excluding quight Their base borne humours glose so well in sight As though an humble thought and peace of mind From all industrie did the honest bind As though that peace and plentie neuer met As if wealth were attain'd with bare desire As though they carelesse were that liue in debt As if they grieselesse who not wealth aspire As though God did not trauell'of vs require As though an humble mind appeard not best In modest vse of plentie and of rest verse
affections free And in that world no vaine delights shall bee verse 9 These things and more he spake for more he knew the more he taught His people knowledge for their good in all his words he sought 9. And the more wise the Preacher was the more he taught the people knowledge Full many other learned workes beside He wrote for more he knew the more he taught Whereby themselues the godly sort might guide Vnto the wisedome which they wrongly sought And he with care and study dearely bought Three thousand morall rules in writ abide In prouerbs and in adages for skill So sound that they worlds censure may abide And to a ciuill life reduce thee will Without offence of lawes and with content Of such with whom thou daily shalt frequent And caused them to heare Of natures workes with supernaturall skill He many volumes did compose likewise Not curious workes as some profanely will Of Alcumy or iudgements which arise By heauenly motions farre aboue the skies But he his knowledge hath contained still Within the lawfull bounds of Gods decree And therefore many volumes he did fill With medcinable vse of things which bee Abstracted out of tree shrub mettall stone Of beast fish fowle and creatures euery one He sought by parables to giue them precepts how to liue verse 10 And with adorned words to them he doubly grace did giue 10. And searched forth and prepared many parables His heauenly Muse with wings of zeale did fly Aboue the common pitch of earthly men And so inflamed were his thoughts thereby With holy liking of his loue as then That he could not containe his gratefull pen. In thousand songs and fiue his powers did try The prayses of his sacred soules delight In whom sweet peace and loue he did espy Which from him loue of world did banish quight Among the which that song of songs by name Describes her beautie did him so inflame The preacher sought to find out pleasant words and an vpright writing euen the words of truth But this his large discourse was chiefly ment To teach the world to know how farre they stray That do by earthly helpes a meane inuent To leade their liues vnto a happie day Since nature wholy doth the same denay Which for it crosseth carnall mens content And hardly may amongst most wise haue place By this most pleasant stile about he went To giue to naked truth a comely grace For hardly can corrupted man digest Right wholesome food vnlesse it well be drest verse 11 For wise words are like goades and nailes which workmens hands do ding verse 12 Vaine bookes and reading shun they wearinesse of flesh do bring 11. The words of the wise are like goades like nayles fastened by the masters of the assemblies which are giuē by one Pastor And wise mens sayings spoken to the wise Well fraught with matter couched well by art Adornd with words and figures whence arise Content vnto the eare and moue the hart Most soone do worke impressions in each part And as they sooner pierce so firmlier lies The mind resolued in such fownded ground Than any planke or post you can deuise With nayle by hammers forced nere to sound And such this princely Prophets words esteeme Which are more waighty far thē thou woulst deeme 12. And of other things besides these my sonne take thou heed for there is none end in making many bookes and much reading is a wearinesse of the flesh And let this graue aduice of father mild Which louingly he wrote I bring to thee Be neuer from thy hart so farre exild That with the world againe sedust thou bee Wherein is nought but wretchednesse you see And striue to practise as you knowledge build Else is your learning vnto little end These many bookes wherewith this world is fild Do slender profit to the readers lend Which stuft with words of superficiall show But little fruit by them to world doth grow verse 13 Heare th' end of all feare God keepe his law this is mans dew verse 14 For God wil iudge ech work bring our secret thoghts to vew 13. Let vs heare the end of all feare God and keepe his commaundements for this is the whole dutie of a man The end of all true wisedome is in this To know the will of God and it obserue To know his will and yet to walke amis A double chastisement must needs deserue Then feare henceforth therefro so oft to swarue No seruile feare which I perswade it is But such as gratefull child to parent owes VVho though he feele the smart the rod will kisse Because the fruit of fathers loue he knowes And this doth God require of man indeed That our obedience should from loue proceed 14. For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgment with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill The breach whereof will heauie iudgement call VVhen God the searcher of the heart and raines Shall vnto reckning with vs for them fall And pay our passed ioyes with lasting paines For sinfull worke no other guerdon gaines O happie then shall they be most of all VVhose heedfull liues in holy workes were spent The gaine of this their trauell is not small For blessed they the narrow path that went And though this narrow gate few enter in Yet who runs on this race the prize shall win FINIS Adue to worlds vaine delight YE worlds delights blind guides to blisse adue VVeake helpes which fit a carnall vaine desire My soule can find but comfort small in you Though as true blisse profane sort you admire My soule doth will my thoughts from ye retire In faith to place my hope of firmer stay To gaine true blisse lesse toyle it doth require Then worlds vaine pleasure doth by farre away Your false and fickle grounds do well bewray Your liking base effect of fond desire The earth your seat doth perfectnesse denay My soules true hope inspir'd with heauenly fire There seekes to liue where blisse is firme and true And by reformed life would heauen pursue Sundry Psalmes of Dauid translated into verse as briefly and significantly as the scope of the text will suffer by the same Author Psalme 27. 1 THe Lord he is my sauing light whom should I therefore feare 2 He makes my foes to fall whose teeth would me in sunder teare 3 Though hosts of men besiege my soule my heart shall neuer dread 4 So that within his Court and sight my life may still be lead 5 For in his Church from trouble free he shall me keepe in hold 6 In spight of foes his wondrous prayse my song shall still vnfold 7 Haue mercie Lord therefore on me and heare me when I cry 8 Thou badst me looke with hope on thee for helpe to thee I fly 9 In wrath therefore hide not thy face but be thou still my aide 10 Though parents fayle thou wilt assist thy promise so hath said 11 Teach me thy truth and thy right path
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
The memory of Egypts store I saw Of vanities which carnall senses feed Made me to wish to fill againe my maw With dishes such as to destruction lead Wherfore inwrath with quailes thou cloidst me so That plagu'd with sin my error now I know SON LXV SInce thou hast raysd my poore abiected spright From threshing floore where captiue I did stand And callest me thy battels for to fight Gainst sin the Madianite which wasts thy land Giue me a token by thy mightie hand O Lord whereby my faith may be assurde And be to me a pledge of former band That victorie by me shall be procurde Let heauenly deaw by prayer be allurde To moysten this my freewill fleece of wooll Then dry the dâ—regs thereof to sin inurde Whose heauy waight makes grace and vertue dull And offring mine of prayers to thy name Accept and with a holy zeale inflame SON LXVI WHilst that in wealth and ease I did possesse The Empire of thy many blessings sent I tooke in hand pure vertue to suppresse And pride with lust my powres they wholly bent To conquere reason which thy grace had lent And quite forgetting worlds late floud for sin To build a tower of trust wherein I spent The strength of flesh bloud high heauen to win As though in natures strength the force had bin To shield themselues from floud or heauenly fire But now confusion iust my soule is in Makes labouring flesh from folly such retire And craues alone within thy Church to dwell Whose wals of faith truth may death expell SON LXVII THe Temple Lord of this my bodie base Where thou vouchsafdst to place my soule to dwell And promisedst to make thy chosen place Whence sacrifice of praises thou wouldst smell Behold against thy lawes doth now rebell By worldly vanities thereto allurde Where couetise and pride their packe doth sell At such a price as flesh and sin affoord But since ô Lord thy promise hath assurde My soule that thou art alwaies prest to heare The plaints of penitents which hath procurde Thy Sonne himselfe in temple this t' appeare Whip forth fling down this worldly wicked pack Fro out my soule repell thou Satan back SON LXVIII WIthin thy house this bodie base of mine It pleased thee ô Lord my soule to plant A steward of the gifts the which were thine And nature fild with measure nothing scant Of bodie or of mind no blessings want And fortunes fauours sharde with me no lesse In such proportion Lord I needs must grant As thou doest giue when thou doest vse to blesse But wantonly I wested I confesse Thy treasure put into my hands of trust And now alas though late I seeke redresse Wise steward-like to liue when dye I must I cast my count by Christ my debt to pay And frutes of faith from hell my soule shall stay SON LXIX NOw that it pleaseth thee Lord of thy grace To plucke me forth of sinfull Sodoms lake Where I haue dwelt alas this life long space Since I of holie Abram leaue did take Vouchsafe I pray thee for thy mercies sake To graunt thy Church be refuge for my life The Zoar where I may my dwelling make Safe from reuenging Angels bloudie knife And though the frailtie of Lots lingring wife Looke back with loue on sinfull worlds delight Which common weaknesse to all flesh is rife Yet keepe me constant by thy heauenly might And let me not grow drunke with blessings thine To procreate sin on lustfull daughters mine SON LXX WHilst in this worldly wildernesse about For want of faith I backe am forst to go Affraid of sinnes which Giant-like are stout And foule affections which like cruell foe Of Esawes race their might and powre bestow To stop my passage to the promist land I gin to faint and to repine also Against the powre of thy most mightie hand For which the Serpent Satan now doth stand In readinesse my silly soule to sting And close me vp in deaths eternall band Vnlesse to me thy mercie succour bring That brasen Serpent Christ nayld on the tree Whose sight by faith alone is cure to mee SON LXXI WHat am I else Lord but a sinfull wretch In sin and in iniquitie begot In conscience guiltie of the common breach Of euerie law that may my honor spot Thy blessings giu'n me I regarded not Thy threatned iudgments I did not esteeme My vowes to thee I almost had forgot My sinnes no sinnes to hardned heart do seeme Like to my selfe I did thy power deeme Because thou didst forbeare thy rod a while I sought by Idols ayd to heauen to clime Whilst worlds delight my sences did beguile But helplesse now alas I turne to thee To stay my race let grace Lord succour mee SON LXXII THou formedst me at first out of the clay Vnto the image of thy glorious frame O Lord of might thou shewdst to me the way To magnifie thy pure and holie name Like Potters vessell first my modell came Out of a rude vnformed lumpe of earth To holy vse it pleasd thee me reclaime Before my life tooke vse of carnall breath Thou fedst me in the common humane dearth Of knowledge of thy will with such a tast Of pleasing frute as fild my soule with mirth And readie makes me now no more to wast Thy offred mercies which so blesse in me Of glorie that I may a vessell be SON LXXIII A Seruant Lord euen from my day of byrth I vowed was by parents vnto thee A Nazarit I liued on the earth And kept thy vowes as grace did strengthen mee Till Satan made me worlds deceipt to see And trapt my senses with forbiden lust As Eue did tast of the restrained tree So fond affections did me forward thrust A sinfull Philistine of faith vniust To like to loue to craue to wed to wife Thy grace my strength to her reueale I must Till she to Satan sell my slumbring life A prisoner I thus scornd and voyd of sight Sinnes house to ouerthrow craue heaueÌ„ly might SON LXXIIII WHilst in the plentie of thy blessings sent I sought to solace Lord my selfe secure And gazing on worlds beautie long I went In pridefull tower which did prospect procure I saw the baytes of sin which did allure My idle thoughts to follow wicked lust My kindled passions could not long endure But vnto furious flames breake forth they must I did pollute my soule by fraude vniust And reft thy grace from his true wedded wife And that I might away all mendment thrust I did bereaue my knowledge of this life Whose bastard frutes slaie Lord but let her liue That penitent we may thee prayses giue SON LXXV A Seruant sold to sin ô Lord I am Whom Satan Syrian proud doth sore assaile Nine hundted Chariors of desire there came Armed with lust which sought for to preuaile And to subdue by strength they cannot faile Vnlesse thou raise my fainting strength by grace Let constant faith the flying furie naile To ground where
And sell the patrimony to ensue I carry water in an open siue And change for lentil pottage birth-right due Too late alas my folly I do rue Who worlds delight preferred haue so long Reiecting heauenly knowledge treasure true Vnto my soule imposing open wrong Yet not so late ô Lord I pardon craue But yet one blessing thou for me wilt haue SON XCVIII A Sinfull Syrian Lord my father was Exilde from Paradise by iust desart I wandred into Egipt there alas To finde in world some food to please my hart Where seruile bondage vnto sin and smart I suffered so long through Satans rage That heauenly aide I crau'd thence to depart Which only able was my griefe t' asswage From silly seruant and an abiect page Thou broughtst me forth to knowledge of thy truth The blessed land and showdst me on a stage A patterne how to guide my wandring youth Such frutes therfore as faithfull soile doth yeeld I offer here first crop of blessed field SON XCIX I See alas proud Satan hath too long Defrauded thee ô Lord of that is thine And loue of world hath drawne me vnto wrong Whose heart thy offrings to bestow repine My outward knees vnto thee do incline My tong doth promise present of my store I say these gracious gifts are none of mine But will them all thy Aulter laie before But vanities doth presse me euermore And want of faith to leaue some part behinde Although I see death readie at the dore My hollow heart and lewd deceipt to finde Grant that I may my soule my power my will Present ô Lord to serue thee onely still SON C. SInce thou by grace out of wilde Oliue stocke Hast pleasd me Lord within thy Church to plant And reckon me as of thy proper flocke Who else all pleasant frute by nature went Vouchsafe my thankfull frutes be not so scant As cause thee to reiect me backe againe Of former bountie Lord do not recant But let me in thy garden still remaine By mercy not by merit I attaine This blessing promised so long before Let not this gift of thine returne in vaine But let thy goodnesse multiply the more Make sweet the frutes which bitter are by kinde Increase thy grace in bodie and in minde CONCLVSION MOurne thou no more my soule thy plaint is heard The bill is canseld of the debt it owes The vaile is rent which thee before debard And Christ his righteousnesse on thee bestowes Thus comfort to the patient alwaies growes If they attend the time God hath assignde Our strength to beare our maker best he knowes And at a need is readie for to finde Our Sauiour is so mercifull and kinde Vnto our selues he will not leaue vs long He castes our faults through loue his back behinde And turnes our plaints into more pleasant song And when we are euen at the gates of hell His glorie mercie power doth most excell THE SECOND PART OF CHRISTIAN PASsions Containing a hundred Sonets of Comfort Ioy and thankesgiuing PREFACE SOme men do mourne for suddeine ioy they say And some likewise in midst of sorrow sing Such diuers frutes do passion often bring As reason cannot course of Nature stay And happie sure he is I not denay That both these motions hath from heart contrit When frailtie of his flesh appeares to sight And mercy calling him backe from decay Who can behold the flesh and spirit fight The doubtfull issue and danger of the thing The losse whereto our nature might vs fling And gaine which grace doth giue through Sauiors might And not delight To glorifie his name And yet lament his proper natiue shame SON I. AS through a mist or in a cloud a farre I see a glimse of heauenly grace to shine And to reuiue the fainting faith of mine And spirits which with darknesse shadowed are The fleshly fog of sin did iudgment barre Of proper vse of power of reason sound Which in first parents franckly did abound And better part of natures strength did marre But since my eyes of grace a sight haue found Of that eternall light which doth incline Fro out these fogs of feare I hope t' vntwine And force of fainting faith for to confound And on a ground More firme wil build my trust And that in Christ whose promises are iust SON II. CLeng'd are the cloudes and darknesse fled away And now in triumph doth my Sauiour ride Sin hell nor death dare not his sight abide The world nor Satan can his progresse stay This piercing light of truth shall so bewray Ech stratagem their practise doth deuise Against my soule that there shall not arise One cloud of care to darken this my day But that my thoughts like to the Pilate wise Shall looke about lest that my heart should slide And by this sunne my course so constant guide That all their slightes shall not my soule disguise Which now espies The malice they me owe Which lōg they clothd with shade of plesāt show SON III. WHen as my conscience layeth forth before My thoughts the sinnes which daily I commit I thinke my selfe an instrument vnfit To witnesse forth thy glory any more But when I see that sin was first the dore By which death entred and such hold did take That death did first our want apparant make And want first cause that man did ayd implore That praiers first thy mercies do awake That mercies do renue our dulled wit That ioyed heart should not vnthankfull sit And thanks to thee doth fleshly glory shake It straight doth slake The fear which bad me stay And bids me still proceed to praise and pray SON IIII. SInce to so holy vse I consecrate The silly talent Lord thou lentst to me That it a trumpe vnto thy praise might be And witnesse of their woe that thou doest hate Doe thou ô Lord forget the abiect state Of flesh and bloud base mettle of my frame And since that thou hast sanctified the same Vouchsafe thy grace my weaknesse may abate Thou that my former wandring will didst tame And me prepare in minde to honour thee Canst giue me gifts the which thereto agree How ere my proper power be weake and lame So shall thy name Be precious in my sight And in thy praise shall be my whole delight SON V. VVOuld God I were as readie to confesse And yeeld thee praise sweet Sauiour day by day As to craue my wants I am forward ay And feruently at need to thee to presse To beg of thee alone thou wilst no lesse Because thou onely able art to giue And with each needfull thing by which we liue Thou promisest our prayers thou wilt blesse But we with vse of them should not so stay And onely seeke to thee when need doth driue Whose blessings running through an open siue No praise for recompence vnto thee pay But when we pray We should thee laud also Our thankfull harts with bountie thine should go SON VI. I Haue begun ô Lord to run the
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
he the power of hell will cleane deface SON XVII BEtwixt two strong extreames my thoughts do flie Twixt heat and cold twixt heigth and depth below And both of them from one desire do flow The surest way to sauing health to trie Faith bids me mount vnto the heauens hie Vpon the merits of my sauior deare A guiltie conscience bids me not come neare Lest in consuming Iealousie I die A heart contrite doth will me to appeare With works of righteousnesse true faith which show Faith saies that god my streÌ„gth power doth know And that I cannot finde saluation here But bids me cheere My soule nothing feare Loue in his sonne will make him me forbeare SON XVIII FRom far I see the stars which guide the way From East to West to finde my sauiour out I well might wander all the world about To seeke saluation and in one place stay I shining truth did not his house bewray Which in his word points forth his dwelling place By which directed I will walke a pace Whilst yet I do enioy the light of day And when I come before his blessed face To offer vp my presents will not doubt Although their basenesse all the world should flout So that my faith I may him once imbrace Which giueth grace And makes accepted well Mean works as much as those which more excell SON XIX NOw will I daunce ô Lord before the traine Of those which following thee seeke home to draw Thy holy Arke the treasor of thy law That it with vs may pledge of peace remaine I care not though the world my deede disdaine And thinke it not beseeming thing for me In such a worke an instrument to be Whose yeares they deeme more fit for other vaine For so I Lord thy sauing heath may see And scape the harme of cruell Satans paw Though all the scorners of the world me saw Yet would I not ashamed be of thee For being free Of holie promist land I care not how my state on earth do stand SON XX. NO recompence ô Lord is fit for thee If duly thy desert we do regard Ne hast thou want or need of mans reward At whose command all creatures readie bee Yet if our thankfull minds thy goodnesse see Confessing whence to vs these blessings flow And in the vse of them obedience show Although alas it be in meane degree Thou yet doest frame thy loue to ours below And as thou findst the giuers heart preparde Who to his power his present hath sparde So doest thou cansell debt which he did owe And doest bestow More graces then we craue For which naught els but thaÌ„ks thou lokst to haue SON XXI HOw precious are the praiers of thy Saints Which able were thy threatned wrath to stay And make the sunne returne in pride of day When as Iosias heart for feare it faints Thy fauour vnto Abram vs aquaints Of how great force repentant heart is found When hauing vowd vile Sodom to confound To staie at seruants sute thy wrath thou daints By prayer man hath powre euen death to wound By praier he may moue amount away A faithfull feruent prayer finds no nay If that the thing we craue be pure and sound Yea God hath bound Him selfe by them to man Whose worthie praise no tongue well vtter can SON XXII THanks will I alwaies studie Lord to pay To thee the giuer of all good and grace And thankfully thy mercies will imbrace And witnesse forth thy workes from day to day My heart my mouth my pen they neuer stay To take occasion freshly to renue The memorie of praises to thee due Lest natures weaknesse let them passe away My frailtie in this point indeed I rue Who till I see new blessings in the place Forget the fauours late before my face And mercies thine from which such bountie grew For it is true So dull our sences are That oft thy blessings do our iudgments marre SON XXIII WHere so I cast about my wandring eye By chance or choice by hap or else by will Before my sight some obiect is there still Wherein thy power and loue I do espye In view whereof if I my thoughts do trye To raise my heart to Ioy I matter finde And vnto thee my loue so firme to binde That tong nor pen should neuer idle lye Whose grace vnto thy creatures is so kinde As patrons of the same the world doth fill Who mad'st not onely but doest still instill Some feeling of the same vnto the minde Which is not blinde Or too much obstinate Which later nature chiefly thou doest hate SON XXIIII VVHilst I do studie fitly to begin To vtter forth some part of my intent Which to thy praise with zeale and loue is bent For freeing me from due reward of sin I finde a laberinth that I am in Of many merits which do me inclose Which as this holie motion in me rose Of diuerse subiects for to treat do win Among the rest my heart hath chiefly chose To giue thee thanks for comfort to me sent In staying me the wandring course I went And feeling faith with knowledge where it growes And though I lose Therwith the worlds delight Yet will I ioy in hope of heauenly sight SON XXV SInce thou hast Lord vouchsaft to send me ayde By holie spirit thine in time of need As Philip to the Eunuch came indeed Which in my wandring iourny me hath stayde Since he hath taught me what thy Prophets sayde And what humilitie was in thy Sonne Whose patience like a lambe hath freedom wonne Vnto my soule for which he raunsome payde I see no earthly things should stay vndone The duties which requirde of me I reed By faith vpon thy promises I feed And to thy Sacraments for strength I runne And thus begunne I will continue still To learne thy lawes and to obay thy will SON XXVI HOw can I limit well my tong or pen Within what bownds may I my selfe inclose Who such a theame to write vpon haue chose Whereon the more I muse more growth it then It fares with me herein euen right as when A hastie mind forgetteth what to speake When staÌ„mering words the perfect sence do breake And makes vs not be vnderstood of men Such worthie matter in my mind there growes So plentifull and I of skill so weake So pleasing to me and so proper â—ake That in the choyce of them I iudgment lose And euen as those Want matter silent be So plentie of thy praise confoundeth me SON XXVII NOw that thy mercies do so much abound As thou vouchsafest Lord with me to dwell And glorious Arke of hope which doth excell Drawne home by hungry faith my heart hath found Since power thereof did sinfull Dagon wound And yet disdaineth not my humble state I freely open Lord my lowly gate Of lips and tong which may thy praises sound Thy blessings seeme to flow to me of late Since in my soule thy word I did embrace My zeale refreshed is
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
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
vplift Contend to cause the world thy name admire Thy prayses do not mortall praise require For lo alas they no way can come nye Vnto the holy hymnes thy Saints apply And Angels sing inflam'd with heauenly fire Yet shall my soule such zealous present bring As shall record my loue to heauens high king SON II. EXild be mortall cares raysd be my song To treat with stile condigne thy honor still O mighty Ioue who heauen and earth dost fill With myrror of thy power to thee belong All powers and wils of body and of mind Thou mak'st and blessest with thy prouidence Thy bountie to the needy is so kind As nought but mercieâ—and loue proceedeth thence At our right hand a readie safe defence If Satans practise once assaile vs will Thou holy motions dost in vs distill And dost illuminate our dulled sence Thou dost redeeme fro out the enemies throng The innocent whom worldlings vse to wrong SON III. VVRo out what dreame what sleepe what charmed rest Rouse I my selfe who too too long haue stayd With worldly cares and vanities dismayd And cleane forgot almost soules solace blest My greedy nature quaffed ouer much Restrained poyson potions of delight New libertie did former dyet grutch Though life the one death other show'd to sight Nature gainst grace prouoketh still this fight World to our wils doth yeeld accursed ayd Satan our senses dulles that not affrayd We worke our wracke with greedy force and might But waken me ô Lord I thee request With pleasure paine welth wo as likes thee best SON IIII. WHat is thy measure full dost thou suppose Of strength of perfectnesse of plenteous store Of frutes of faith profest that now no more Thou carest albeit thy tree true beautie lose It can not be whilst life and sap remaine That barren branch so holy plant should beare A faire greene tree of goodly leaues were vaine Vnlesse that kindly frute also there were Words are but leaues works fruits that should be there Shew that thou liu'st by charitie therefore True holinesse doth teach a righteous lore Whereby to neighbors good our thoughts we reare Vaine is our knowledge and our holy showes If in our life the fruite of loue not growes SON V. HOw can I hope for all my forward speed My fresh incounters of the riuals first My bold intent and zeale which venter dirst To runne so hard a race and long indeed To win the prize if past the greater paine I faint or do begin my speed delay Or trusting ouer much the goale to gaine Let euery leaden heele leade me the way In race of soule to heauen light many a stay And fainting body doth for pleasnre thurst The world strowes golden fruits of tast accurst Which toucht with loue we lose to soules decay Then let me still runne on so haue I need For constancie stands most the soule in steed SON VI. ALl will not serue the more I would beware The more I headlong fall and drowne in sinne So farre vnlike the victorie to winne That to his building morter I prepare One thing I say an other thing I do One show of worke I haue an other deed I runne cleane from the marke I looke vnto With one hand quench the fire with'other feed One error doth a hundred errors breed If one I cut to grow do ten begin This fleshly laberinth that I am in Is of the sinnefull race of Hydras seed But yet my trauell still I will not spare Because I know God hath on me a care SON VII FAine would I bring some fruit of sauorie tast For offering of freewill and of my zeale But I do feare my weakenesse to reueale Like new wine in a crazed vessell plast The vessell yet not liquor being mine And it fild in by master of the store I hope he will not at my gift repine But if it faile will it replenish more My weakenesse I do oftentimes deplore And for reliefe to him I do appeale Yet ioy the bounty that he daind to deale And halting hast to those that go before In hope that my nay his gifts shall be grast Through loue vnto his sonne whom he imbrast SON VIII I Maruell much sometimes to see my will Contraried by my selfe with harts consent To see me crosse the course my purpose ment And yet th' euent thereof proue better still I am by nature vnto euill prone And that pursue with forward fleshly ayd Straight way my mind is chaÌ„gd by means vnknown And heart consents my former will be stayd The cause hereof and issues I haue wayd And find them strange yet bending in intent Vnto my good sometimes though ill I ment And fayld of plots my greatest wisedome layd Which doth my soule in fine with comfort fill To see Gods prouidence my purpose spill SON IX I Now begin to doubt my present state For that I feele no conflict in my mind A settled concord needs must be vnkind Twixt flesh and spright which should ech other hate They neere agree but to their common woe And that through sin which luld them both a sleepe A warfare in this bodie would I goe Lest fraud or treason in through rest should creepe The practises of Sathan are so deepe Armed with flesh and lust whom prone we find That hardly can the soule his freedome keepe But that these fiendes would him with frailty bind Vnlesse with heauenly weapons at debate With them we stand and fight both rare and late SON X. VVHen I remember with what speed in post The Iewes return'd from bondage tooke in hand Their Temple to restore and armed stand In breach of wals to build what enemies crost When I their bountie note in offering store All freely giuen and more then they could vse How true their treasures were that would no more Their workmens faith accounts whilst Kings refuse How these our latter times which we accuse Of ignorance through fraud of Balaams band Did yet powre forth the plenty of the land To holy vse which other did abuse I sorrow much to see true zeale cleane lost And pure religion shakt for sauing cost SON XI VVHat loue is this whereof the world doth tell Which they to God professe and men admire Loue hath his lawes and doth effects require Of charitie to neighbour to excell For as the members of one bodie bee Partakers of the passion others haue And speedily concurre to helpe we see Because thereby the bodies good they craue So if their loue to God they freely gaue And held him head their zeale would burne like fire To serue his Saints the needy to attire And home the stray to call the lost to saue For how can they th'inuisible God loue well WheÌ„ they neglect their neighbors neer that dwel SON XII VVHo so will serue the Lord he must bestow The whole not part of body or of mind If in his heart dislike hereof he find His soule not yet regenerate we may know Betwixt two stooles no sitting
grace ere he proceed too farre Your count'nance may his progresse mend or marre Because as of you first his life did grow So must his course be guided by your starre Which him first hope of heauenly light did show Vouchsafe then to bestow one reading more To welcome him or thrust him out of dore To the graue and learned Sir Iohn Popham Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England O Would I might without my hearts deepe griefe For common crosses following men opprest Record your worth whence many find reliefe Which makes you iustly chiefe of all the rest Your carefull thought and bodies paine addrest To reconcilement of contentious mind Your vniuersall loue to truth profest By which the desolate do fauour find Doth as me seemes in common dutie bind My pen to chalenge you truths true defence Though dull my Poem be my sight not blind That sought to take his priuiledge from thence You chiefe of Iudges best of truth can treat To you therefore I truth of truths repeat To Sir Edmond Anderson Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of the Common pleas YOur eares so daily exercisd to heare The plaints and the petitions sutors make Make you most fit of many to appeare My selfe and workes protection both to take Not for my selfe but for the Commons sake I presse it thus into your presence now Whose theame may hap some drowsie heads awake To chalenge if I dare this worke auow But if that you whose wisedome best knowes how That lawfull make to speake what Scripture taught I know the common sort dare but allow My publishing what from wise king I brought Then you the common shield to guiltlesse wight Vouchsafe this worke find fauour in your sight To Sir William Perriam Knight Lord chiefe Barron of the Exchequor THou kind accorder of the dreamt discord Twixt law and conscience Gods and mans decree By whom oppression'and brib'rie are abhord The common poysons of lands peace that bee I not vnfitly do direct to thee These monuments of wisest kings experience Them to allow if you them worthy see Me to reproue if I haue made offence I no man craue to stand in wrongs defence I may as all men do some weaknesse show If great my fault spare not if small dispence Because it did not of meere malice grow This will you do vncrau'd that done I pleasd Both God and man submission hath appeasd To the valorous Knight Sir William Russell Lord Deputie of Ireland IF iustly Dauid did by law ordaine That they an equall part of spoyle should haue Who when he fought behind did still remaine The carriage from the spoyle of foes to saue Doth not your merits by more reason craue To be recorded in my Kalender By whose blest worke God of his goodnesse gaue Part of our peace amidst such threatned warre In worthy vertues most mens peere you are In true religious zeale by none exceld Your noble house like to a blazing starre Hath showne wherein true honour euer dweld Then share with worthies all in blessed fame And reade this worke which treateth of the same To the valorous Knight Sir Walter Rawleigh Lord Warden of the Stannerie and Captaine of the Guard OF happinesse when as I hapt to write Me thoughts did make a period Sir in you Who being sworne to Mars and Pallas knight They both with equall honor did endew And therefore might become a censurer trew Of greatest blessings men propound or find Vouchsafe you then this tract thereof to vew As if that Salomon had it assignd Whose interest in you expects your kind And grate acceptance of his graue aduise From whom though many other men were blind He chalengeth a doome right godly and wise But as for me his messenger suffiseth The prayse too truly speake what he deuiseth To the valorous Knight Sir Iohn Norris Lord Generall of her Maiesties forces in Ireland AMong the blessed worthies of our time Your flickering fame aloft I do espy Whose toylesome trauell such a pitch doth clime As euery auncient worthy came not ny The moderne Marses did your vertues try Whilst you the proud Iberian forces quayld In Britany and in Netherland whereby With equall armes they seldome haue preuayld The trecherous practise wherewith they assayld Th' inconstant humors of the Irish foes Your pollicies haue stayd when force hath fayld Whereby your merits measure daily growes So that I must of due make roome for you Though twise nine worthies shold be coynd anew To the valorous Knight Sir Francis Veare MY pen was stayd but purpose chang'd anew So soone as I amidst the noble traine Of worthy knights did cast a thought on you Who yet vnsu'd to did for grace remaine If you I win I shall not litle gaine Because both much you can and much you will For wisedome vertue honor sure sustaine Which haue bene your supporters hereto still I need not then perswasiue lines to fill The matter will suffise to moue your mind If that my hand the beauty of it spill Then let my loue of good your fauour find Whose wisedome can whose goodnes may excuse The faults which want not malice made me muse To the worthy Knight Sir Iohn Stanhop Treasurer of the Chamber to her Maiestie NO common thing it is to find I graunt Humilitie and honour both in one Who loueth vertue of them both may vaunt True honor still hath mild and vertuous showne Then since this worke of vertue treats alone For sure true wisedome doth pure vertue teach It shall offensiue be I trust to none Their words of fauour for truths shield to reach Much lesse a shame what mighty king did preach The same to suffer passe them vncontrold But now adayes men euery worke appeach As barren borrow'd base or ouer bold This makes me craue by you wise noble good My wrong deprauers malice be withstood To the worthy knight Sir Edward Dyer Chauncellor of the most Honorable order of the Garter NOt last nor least for common good desarts I you repute though fortune point your place Your loue to vertue winneth many harts And vertues followers do your loue imbrace I know my argument requires no grace Because grace it doth send it brings delight For both all sue all loue their pleasing face Yet vainely world for both of them doth fight To make more plaine the way for euery wight This princely moderator paines did take Which to your equals men of learned sight A full accord if well iudg'd worke will make You then kind Courtier sound scholler knowne Accept reade and protect these as your owne To the worthy Knight Sir Henry Killegrew THe natiue dutie which of right I owe To you good Knight for many fauours past To me and mine do will me now bestow Some token of my thankfull mind at last Which I more fitly no way yet can show Then by presenting of this volume small Which from repentant heart of king did flow And may a warning be vnto vs all Who daily into new
temptations fall And daily need assistance gainst the same In such respect this worke you well may call An Antidote a happie life to frame Whereto since hitherto your vertues bend You will accept I trust the gift I send To the vertuous gentleman Robert Bowes Esquire Embassador for her Maiestie in Scotland AS Painters vse their Tables set to show Of euery sight ere they perfected bee By others better skill the truth to know Of faults which they themselues could hardly see And as best drugs on meanest shrub and tree By skilfull Simplers gathred are sometime As gold in sand as pearles in shell-fish wee Do find and amber in the sea shore slime So vnder this ill-couched ragged rime Which to your clearer sight I do present It may appeare how high his thoughts did clime That first to frame the same his studie bent And I excusd who only do bestow What I to you by auncient promise owe. To the vertuous Gentleman Fulke Greuill Esquire VVHo can of learning treat and you forget Who may of vertue talke and you neglect Who would true fame from your due praises let Who should not knowing you your loue affect I therefore forced am in this respect To offer publikely for you to reed The thing the which vncrau'd you would protect If by malignors blame it stood in need In diuerse diuersly this worke will breed I know an humor in the censurers braine The wisest on the best contents will feed The curious for some scapes count all but vaine But of the better sort true prayse must grow The prayse of some is meere disprayse I know To the reuerend Doctor Andrews professor in Diuinitie I Would not flatter Court the Church much lesse But honouring both I would them homage yeeld In Courts I liu'd in Church I do confesse I wish to die and on that hope to build Then maruell not I also seeke to shield My bold attempt with fauour of your wing Since your diuine conceit can easliest wield The burden which this waighty theame can bring I meant in English dittie only sing The tragike notes of humane well away But waightie matter of so wise a king Compeld me yet a greater part to play Wherewith halfe fainting for your aide I craue Well meaning mind from feared blame to saue To his especiall friend Richard Carew of Anthony Esquire AS parents of their children fond appeare Oft times because with trauell them they bare Which makes them prise thē sometimes ouer deare When other see small cause for them to care As such likewise are often times to spare In care of children that themselues haue none So is it like with this my worke to fare With many readers when they are alone Who senslesse of my trauell like a stone As neuer hauing yet so tride their braine Will thinke I cocker this my brood as one Growne proud that I some issue do attaine But you whose painfull pen hath shown your skill Can iudge my part and it well conster will To his louing brother in law Robert Moyle of Bake Esquire and Anne his wife IF like the world a while I seeme to you Forgetfull and vnkind for kindnesse showne Thinke it not strange their natures I ensue Where most I liue whose proofe is dearly knowne The world to me vnkind and carelesse growne Conuerts my nature to her temperature My youth with loue of her puft vp and blowne Is cause that I now iustly this endure Yet worlds delights nor cares nere alter'd sure So farre my mind that I ingrate did proue Heauens faith earths friendship doth my soule inure To take far greater paines where once I loue You then by bloud and friendships holy vow Right deare take this and for loues seale allow To the Gentlemen Courtiers in generall REiect me not ye Peares of gentle spright Because I do appeare in plaine array Sometimes for change the curious do delight In meane attyres and homely food we say They are not limbd the best that go most gay Nor soundest meats that most the tast do please With Shepheards russets shield from cold ye May With hungry meales preuent oft times disease Such home-wouen robes such wholesome dyet these Euen these rude lines of my compiled frame Do offer you your iudgements to appease As may him nourish that doth vse the same Not mine but wisest Salomons recait To gaine the blessed state we all await To the Right Ho. the Lady Marquesse of Northampton THe part which I haue taken now in hand To represent on stage to common sight With my true nature seemes at strife to stand And on an actor farre vnfit to light Accustom'd more on vainer theames to write Then with the taske which now I do pretend Which being to be view'd by iudgements bright Makes me to seeke your fauour it defend Vouchsafe a gracious glose thereto to lend I then beseech you worthy Patronesse To whose applause full many more will bend Because they know you vertue do professe And vertue is this theame and that diuine With grace consent then to my sute incline To the Right Honourable the Countesse of Darby WHen this my bold attempt to mind I call VVho Phaëton like would Phebus Chariot guide From doubtfull thoughts into dispaire I fall How such cleare light my weake sight may abide From one presumption vnto more I slide And giue the raigne so much to rash desire That I make publike what I ought to hide And seeke my sanctuary in that heauenly fire VVhose Image of perfection I admire In our rare Goddesse wisdomes clearest light VVhose grate aspect my many wants require To clense the clouds which blind my iudgmēts sight And such faire starres as you who influence haue Of her bright Beames to giue some light I craue To the Right Honorable the Countesse of Cumberland AS one whose rashnesse once hath made him bold To breake the bands of vsed modestie If of his error he shold hap be told VVill hardly yeeld that he hath gone awrye So worthie Lady I confesse that I Vnworthie scribe of such a heauenly stile Now that I needs my boldnesse must espie VVould couer from iust blame my selfe a while VVith borrowed grace therefore I seeke beguile The cōmon sights who least would spare my name If worthie you therefore but kindly smile I know that many more will do the same For wisest sort on vertuous do depend And vertuous ones will vertues cause defend To the Right Honorable the Countesse of Warwicke IN Courtly life to keepe a conscience pure In youngest yeares to shew a matrons stay In honours type a lowly mind t'inure No doubt a hart regenerate doth bewray Such you are held of such as rightly way The practise of your life to your great praise Whose vertues all temptations ouersway And your rare gifts vnto the heauens raise No common thing it is in these our dayes To see such starres in our darke firmament Your worth your soueraignes influence wel bewraies Which so transformes where
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