iorney with great paine But with farre greater Honor came againe My Prince I know thy day disolu'd my night Thy heauy burthen made my burthen light Thy purple robe di'd red with my offence Bought me a coate as white as innocence Thy thorne's my crowne thy reeds my scepter and Thy death 's my life my faith doth vnderstand Thy blood 's the fountaine wash'd my soule from sin Thy wounds the gates to let me enter in And that wound in thy side doth this impart That thou intends to lodge me in thy heart And made thy passage ready the vailes rent Makes me despise th' earth for I 'm consident Thy cities gates wide open I behold And who'ill be pleas'd with leade that may haue gold My Lord I will not heauen is my home And I 'll not let thee goe before I come To share part of thy glory I am thine And my faith tels me that thy kingdome 's mine I know and do beleeue this and I trust My seat's made in the mansion of the iust And for that place I 'm bound in the meane time That I in all my actions may shew thine I 'm furnishing my selfe and I will ayme To weare my robes for th' honor of thy name I 'll first put on obedience and applie My selfe t' attend vpon thy Maiestie With dilligence and with religious feare Thy law I 'll study and thy world I 'll heare Stife-neck'd rebellion I will neuer know My power shall be bestow'd for to bestow Loues legacies on thee at thy command My inward heart and my externall hand Shall purpose and dispose and to thy throne I 'll offer both my owners and my owne Thy messengers and ministers I 'll giue Their honor and respect and striue to liue So carefully and free from all offence As one that ne're knew disobedience Although whilst my poore soule is lapt in flesh It 's cloth'd with sorrow and with sinfulnesse Yet with such holy feare I 'll spend my time Thou 'll please to say my sinnes are none of mine They shall be done s'vnwillingly my flesh I know well is betroth'd to guiltinesse But not by my consent I doe much ill And Lord thou knowest I do 't against my will Sinne dwelleth in me and muah'ill contriues T' effect much mischiefe and vnkindly striues To burthen me Lord how shall I 't preuent Since I am both guilty and innocent The flesh being mine the sinnes say so are they Yet since my will ne'er will'd to disobey Thy ordinances do thou plead my cause And if I perish vnder Moses lawes Let me appeale to my Messias grace And there find comfort I will seeke thy face But not presumptuously as Mary came Poore woman burthen'd both with sinne and shame Into the house where once thou sate to eate And well considering that her sinnes were greate Presum'd not to behold thy face but kept Behind thy backe and there kneel'd downe and wept And for a sinners sacrifice most meete Dropt pearle-like teares vpon thy pretious feete And gladly washt them and with her heads-haire Carefully wipes them dry to leaue them faire And with th' imbraces that best fits a friend And many louing kisses makes an end Euen so my gracious Lord I come to thee With many faults and much humilitie Knowing my blemish I 'm afraid of blame And being laden both with sinne and shame Willing to bide my face wash wipe and weepe Or any measures sinners ought to keepe Wishing with Mary my release to winne I craue my loue might couer all my sinne My Christ my loue is true and as it were Ioyned and mixed with a reuerent feare To make it perfect lend thy gracious skill To make my worke as proper as my will Vouchsafe to mend what is in me amisse It is both for thy honor and my blisse The old man 's crucifi'd and I 'm new borne I 'ue left my chaffe and I expect thy corne FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord containing her Petitions A Legacy spiritually composed for the gracious suruey of the Right Reuerend Father in God IOHN Lord Bishop of Chester c. By Augustine Taylor Preacher and Minister in the Church of God LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE RIGHT REVERENT FATHER IN GOD IOHN by Diuine Prouidence Lord Bishop of Chester c. Most Worthy Lord IF for your gracious fauours vnto mee My loue and seruice can e're make amends Both are at your dispose and you shall see I 'll ranke your name amongst my noble friends And no dishonor to your Honor for I bring not th' offring of a monitor But of one that wonld be admonished At your dispose you are as'twere my head Learn'd Prince of Preachers whose celestiall voyce Contracts a King to willing audience Accep't these lines and I 'll maintaine my choyce Is the true Image of true excellence 'T is inward ioy to mee to see men note Me clothed in a shâ—ed of Chester scoate It is a robe of honor and maintain'd By Chesters Lord vnwronged and vnstain'd My gracious Lord mistake me not I do Present with reuerence and humility These to your Lordshâ—p they belong vnto Your Honor onely Not presumptuously I eternize your name but with regard And your free Patronage is my reward Bestow it then and for your share doth rest Both all my all and of my all the best Contracted to your Lordship with the bands of true affection Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT As harrowing after sowing fits So the Bride wraps her will In prayers and her plants commits Ther Lord in Syon hill LOrd be not angry that I stay so long I would I will not leaue thee if I wrong Thee or my selfe with troublesome attempts Since mercies lawes poore weakenesse still exempts From punishment for commonly we see Weaknesse acts none but her owne iniury Then since she punisheth her owne transgression To chastice her againe were meere oppression Pardon me Lord for I am forc'd to speake Channells o're charg'd with water needs must breake Into the neighbouring lands and cooles the plaines With the moyst land-blood of their too full vaines My heart 's the fountaine and my tong 's the brooke Wherein flowes all my passions Ouer-looke Her fruitlesse inundations I request Conceiue the baser but receiue the best They both proceede from loue and can loue cire I know she may but what man will preferre Complaints against vnfained loues offence None for 't would argue hate to innocence I know thy nature's gracious and Intreate Since thou art better pleas'd to blesse then beate Say not my sinnes are sinnes make good of ill Although they be my workes th' are not my will My God thou knowest it well and since I haue Promis'd thee some good seruice I must craue Thy fauours to performe it thou must breede Th' originall in me of will and deede For any good and first I humbly pray Increase my faith that the foundation may Vphold and honor all the vpper parts Of
loose The beauty of thy sonne let me boast euer Where my Lord Lord loueth once he looseth neuer That I am thy elect and that I may Vnto my enemies and the heathen say As day doth night my state doth theirs excell And that my Lord call'd my name Israell Crown'd me with Isaacks blessings did decree Prophanest Edom seruant vnto mee That this is thus I can but prayse and pray My thankes my Punce is all I haue to pay I do remember when by thy command I multipll'd and into euery land My members were disperst yea it was I The Caldean Priest beheld so strangly lie Shapelesse and liuelesse in the valley sowne As thicke as haile which some great blast hath blowne Into the lower-lands my bones once lay Dis-ioynted broke and scatter'd till the day It pleased thee most graciously to make A perfect vnion for thy chosen sake For my vocation that I was by thee Reform'd and knit in happy vnitie And call'd by Dauids Cimbals Aarons bels Esayes loud trump th'Euangellists and cls What musicke men and Angels could deliuer Sounded so loud my parts ioyn'd all together Earst being dispersed in t' all parts as farre As lights the arcticke or th'antarcticke starre And now collected onely for to bee A marriage for the Trine-vne-maiestie By these Caelestiall motions that I am Call'd out of Aegypt into Canaan I giue thee thankes and it is all I can My Lord I do remember my estate When in the open field so desolate I lay contemn'd of all when passers by Scorn'd at my life and laugh'd to see me die And I do likewise carry in my minde The great compassion that I then did finde Flow from thy breast when I was falne so low The seas of miseries did ouer-flow My aiery substance and my earthly show And when with these sad thoughts my heart is full Passion comes in and makes each sence as dull As ignorance then do I'gin t'admite What was th' occasion such an ardent fire Of holy loue was kindl'd in thy brest To me-wards knowing that in me did rest No good I thus my Princes thoughts did measure My Lord chose not for merit but for pleasure I had no beauty my poore soule within Was like an Ethiop wrapt in clouds of sin My flesh impress'd with vlcers in worse state Then Lazarus dispis'd at Diues gate My wised ome was but folly and my health Was deadly sicknesse all my store and wealth Was store of woes and pouerty in mee Was the true image of all misery And what was I most vile and wretched thing That I should be the daughter of a King What 's my discent or what 's my fathers house That I should we are a crowne and be the spouse Of Gods eternall sonne My Lord my tong Shall still confesse thy mercies euen among The greatest congregations I 'll make knowne Th' hast set a beggar on a Princes throne And alter'd her condition and I 'll sing Th'vnworthi'st bride hath Queen'd the worthi'st King FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord containing her Thankfulnesse A Legacy beneficiall for the Right Honorable HENRY Lord Clifford c. By Augustine Taylor Preacher and Minister in the Church of God LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE HENRY LORD Clifford Sonne and Heire to the Right Noble Lord Francis Earle of Cumberland c. Worthy Lord I Must intreate you to prouide Your selfe with proper speede T' attend the Nuptials of the Bride Our kin it is a greede 'Twixt Isr'els of-spring and Gods soone A marriage must be made And messengers abroad are runne All good men to perswade To come to see it solemmiz'd And I am one of those That haue some worthy friends aduis'd To free them from these woes That times and men are subiect too And it 's become my lot By Gods Commission t' inuite you And I know I shall not Want audience nor place nor time To tell my Embassie Imbrace it Lord for 't is diuine And the best legacie I can bestow I know you are Religious learn'd and wise And noble therefore I shall share Your fauours I surmise Your Lordships in all humble loue Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT Isr'els infirmitte's confess'd Her gratitude's proclaim'd The bounties of her Lord 's express'd And her best loue 's explain'd MY Lord I know thou knowes before I speake What I would vtter since I 'm wondrous weake And of my selfe deficient teach thou mee To publish pious pleasant harmonie Such as thou wilt vouchsafe to heare that when My pensiue soule with miseries of men Is guarded round my voyce to thee may come And find some grace to helpe the gracelesse sonne To helpe my sinnefull sorrowfull soule in time Let the bright sunne of mercy freely shine Vpon my guiltinesse that thy bride may Be white as innocence and as bright as day For all thy blessings though I be but poore Yet both of praise and thankes I haue such store As shall record me debtor vnto thee In songs and himnes to all posteritie I must confesse but cannot pay thee due For my redemption that thou pleas'd to view My state so poore with mercies eyes so pure My soule reioy ceth and I 'm very sure The price of my redemption's payd so well Sinne hath no strength death hath no sting and hell Hath now no victory I am not so Blinded with ignorance but that I know My selfe both as I am and as I was As different as the Dyamond from glasse So is my former from my latter state Thou didst repaire what I did ruinate From gyues and fetters thou hast loosed mee To tread the pathes of life and liberty From hellish endlesse sorrowes thou hast quit My captiu'd soule out of the lowest pit Euen as a Lilly ouer-growne with thornes That is not benific'd by the springing mornes Vntill the carefull husband doe deuise To rid the thornes to helpe the Lilly t'rise So 't was with me my soule suppress'd with sinne Knew nought but sorrow till thou did beginne To vndergoe my burthen and since then I haue found grace with God and peace with men For this great freedome and for all my blis In esse and in posse I 'ue but this Towards recompence my gratitude's my store Thankes 't is a proper payment for the poore And yet I 'm bound for greater fauours such For which I cannot manifest so much Affection as they challenge therefore still Lord when my action failes regard my will Since it did please thee to make me thy bride It seemes thou pleas'd I should be sanctifide For that I 'm now reformed like to thee In hollinesse and perfect puritie And that so inwardly and outward faire Thou hast made me that I 'm without compare And since my spots and wrinckles are disolu'd And that in holy white I 'm now inuolu'd It resteth that I sacrifice my best And what I offer 's but the interest Of what I owe I 'll thanke thee whil'st I liue And
are made strong by them they strong by you If there be any dim lights th' are vntrue And meanes to adde no honor to your name They liue with enuy and shall end with shame Now let pale enuy whose ill tutor'd tong Is hourely vtt'ring infamy and wrong Spit all her poyson vpon Derby's name She cannot adde a spot the lippes of fame Haue sworne and kiss'd the booke neither bee Silent nor subiect vnto flatterie My Lord my muse did vowe your worth and name To register and chose this lasting frame And hath made truth her witnesse any come And catch me with a lie and I 'll be dumbe For euer after know I scorne to proue A parasite either for for feare or loue Liue to augment your Honors still to be Belou'd of God King state land men and me Your Honors already and onely ready to be yours Augustine Taylor THE DEFENCE OF DIVINE POESIE Committed to the Protection of the Right Honorable William Earle of Pembrooke c. By Augustine Taylor Preacher and Minister in the Church of God LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable William Lord Harbert Earle of Pembrooke Barron Harbert of Cardiffe Lord Parr Roos of Reudall Marmion and St. Quintin Chiefe Chamberlaine of his Maiesties House-hold Gouernour of Ports-mouth and Warden of the Stauneries Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter and one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuy Councell c. Most Honorable KIng Salomon did choose to haue his Throne Borne vp with Lyons and admitted none Of baser beasts that should imployed bee In office neare vnto his dignitie Accounting wolues and asses beasts too base To be imployd about a Throne of grace Your greatnesse being goodnesse doth affect The best supporters because you protect Both art and wit and grace I wish to bee Preseruer of your pious dignitie Great Earle a Diuine muse vnto you brings A sacrifice worth the respect of Kings Not for my merit by whom now it comes But for his merits that hath brought the sonnes Of Adam backe to Eden giue to mee Such fauours as befits the ministrie And for requitall God giue you I 'll pray Many good yeares and then one lasting day Willing to doe your Honor any Christian seruice in the power of AVGVSTINE TAYLOR THE ARGVMENT The season 's poyson'd with abusiue wits Faire poesi's vs'd to serue the basest vse Wit guilt with grace the subiect best befits No musicke 's equall to a Heauenly muse Wit choosing the best subiects to worke on Shall find glory with God and grace with man OVr Physicke-Doctors say the times are sicke But I say no the times are lunaticke Yet madnesse is a sicknesse but I know It is not in their el'ment to bestow Remedy on 't God hath sayd wisedom's mine They meddle with things carnall not diuine If God doe not in time some helpe apply Vnto these times both times and men must dye He that can well conceiue may much admire To see vnto what hight mens wits aspire T' aduance the Towers of Babell and to see So few striue to maintaine the dignitie Of blessed Bethell base vile god-lesse wits Counts it more grace to passionate the fits Of damn'd adultry murther blasphemie Deceipt and lying then it is to bee A carefull student in Diuinitie So many breasts sends forth vnhallow'd breath The very ayre 's infected clouds of death Are shapen in the skie for vengeance and Shall be disperst abrode by the left hand Of God in 's anger to kill and condemne Nations and people that doe him contemne I doe wish those that so abuse their times A dulterers-like conceiuing gracelesse rimes To humor earth those that delude the season With pounds of wit but not halfe drammes of reason T'reforme themselues for better harmonie And seeming men be as they seeme to bee A creature reasonable God did make man And he ought dayly to doe all he can To rayse his glory and his acts to tell That gaue him 's being and his being well Reasonlesse I esteeme those that doe spend Their adle braines on idle things that end In th' houre they are begunne and doe not prayse The acts of dayes of life but acts of dayes Of death and desolation pray you scan There is a man and a thing like a man 'T is plaine that euery like is not the same So some haue th' inward fruite some th' outward frame Some haue the substance some haue but the show Some bad are set aboue some good below Some diuine wits still sings of things aboue Some foolishly breaths nought but earthly loue Some loues the temp'rall some the spirituall food For some are fram'd for ill and some for good Some poets sings of loue and some of hate Some loues the common some commends the state Some flatters greatnesse some contemnes the poore Some men haue fewer faults and some haue more But all haue some and some haue all for still Some sparkes of enuy's mixed with good-will Some loues vnfit speech some words most meete Some haue a stinking breath and some a sweete Some liues in feare of men some feares but God Some seekes the staffe and some deserues the rod Man is inriched both with art and nature T' expresse the glory of the all Creator Weapons of Honor God giues man to vse And with those weapons they doe him abuse God giues vs arte and wit and reason 〈◊〉 And grace to will and likewise grace to do If we intreate so much you ne'r find shall From the first day vnto the funerall Of this old world did e're deny His mercy vnto men in misety If beg'd with faith and meeknesse whither hath His fond affection led him T' a wrong path That he forgets so good a Lord so long And with 's owne weapons seekes to doe him wrong All mans good parts are sent him from aboue And man to manifest his makers loue Should set them all to worke 't is vnderstood God doth require but thankes for all the good That he bestowes on all regard therefore His wage is potent though your worke be poore Mans tong should preach and pray his heart beleeue The care must heare th' eyes see the hands releeue Each member must remember th' head of all And all and each must serue the principall I 'm t'old and I beleeue it from aboue Gifts are descending from the God of loue Some with some gifts are blessed some with other But no man ought his gifts of grace to smother Or wrong apply them for the Lord hath show'd Gifts be apply'd to th' end they are bestow'd Some sings with Dauid some with Iob laments Some sinnes with both and some with both repents Some fights like Iosuah and like Iosuah winnes Some flyes the field when th' honor but beginnes Some shuns the danger those loose the renowne Some beares the crosse and those shall weare the crowne Some like the chaffe before the winds are gone Some like Cedars on mount Lebanon Prosper and
me disburse My loue and seruice in this measure take it My worke 's Diume and my free will doth make it A perfect offering t' helpe gamst death and doombe Regard this frame for 't will out-last your toombe Willing and ready to do your Honor the best seruice that is in the power of Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT The Bride is call'd from all the Iles To come and scape her woe And heares the curses and the smiles Belongs to come and goe IF my affection would thereto consent I would be silent th' art so lewdly bent And shewes so little reuerence to my word That iustice tels me silence will afford Me more content and her it will appeare That I still speake to her that scornes to heare But yet be not too deaffe least vengeance cloud Descend vpon thee and then speake so loud It change thy deafenesse into death then heare And if thou canst not loue it 's good to feare Now thy creation and election done My onely care is to procure thee come Euen as a wiseman doth that wants a wife Seeke vp and downe where beauties are most rife And after seeking finds and finding loues And louing bids her home and daily moues Till she be mou'd to come then suite doth cease And they together liue in loue and peace So I did seeke thee first and found thee then And lik'd and lou'd thee woundrous well and when All this was done I did intreate thee home And vs'd the meekest meanes to cause thee come Solemnely I haue bidden thee do not stay Arise my loue my faire one come thy way Remember who inuites thee he that brings Honor to beggars and contempt to Kings Vnto thine enemies and the heathen foe A wofull portion fals a cursed goe In mercy and loue I come and send to thee With mildnesse meekenesse and much clemencie I call thee friendly in these dayes of peace I prethee arme thy selfe these calmes will cease And stormes will follow thou shouldst vnderstand Pleasure and sorrow still goes hand in hand The Sunne will leaue thee and runne out of sight Warre chaseth peace as darknesse chaseth light The time shall come that man and beast shall mourne Mountaines shall tumble and the seas shall burne The morning shall looke red as if it woo'd Tell vs the euening should be dyed in blood The moone shall view thee with a searlet face Dabl'd in clouds and stumbling in her pace The glistering starres shall cease and perish all For some shall be put out and some shall fall The Sunne in sable shall come sadly forth A greater plague them from the bitter north God did e're send shall from each coast appeare Farre worse then Egypt when the plagues were there These lower-lands shall looke each blast shall bring Shot or else powder towards the ruining Of new built Babel's for it must be knowne Bethel's her owners Babel's but her owne She sits aboue now thou knowes if thou know her But all her pompe shall end none shall sit lower A time shall come come loue before it come Each harpe shall silent be each Dauid dumbe Both Heauen and earth together shall conspire To send out vengeance lapt in balles of fire And they shall bust and vtter from within Death and destruction due rewards for sin Millions of dayes thy God for mercy made And in those dayes my care is to perswade And worke my loues returne before it be Too late to saue thy selfe and honor me One day I haue appointed for to bring All kindreds of the earth t' a reckoning The Monarch and the King the Prince and Peere The Stats-man and the Trads-man shall be there All sorts and sects I 'le call and bring as farre As shines the arcticke and th'antarcticke starre Not one shall faile to come at my command Whether they dy'd vpon the sea or land Yea euery one shall that one day appeare And ' mongst those all not one shall want one haire Then I my selfe will come in th' eyes of man As like a Lyon as I was a Lambe With more attendants glorious and bright Then Heauen shewes starres in a cleare freezing night Then Michaels trumpet shall command the dead To rise and come and leaue their drowsie bed T' appeare before a righteous Iudge for then Then he shall fit to Iudge that can condemne And iustifie th' outward and th' inward man According to deserts I will and can But these two parts in men do not agree Therefore they wrong themselues and iniure me But I will come and I will haue regard To all that euer lou'd me my reward I will bring with me and it is most true I will bestow on all estates their due Vnlike to earthly Princes voyd of measure They deale their bounties onely for their pleasure And turnes deserts a begging But looke to 't Peasants now ride and Princes go on foot This order I will alter and I 'le giue All good things vnto all that purely liue Consider thou must meete a Iudge that brings Life to wise Beggars death to foolish Kings Come and thy time to come to please me spend O come before the dayes of mercy end For in the dayes of warre there 's peace for them That loues my Syon my Ierusalem Prouide thy lampe and oyle for it may be I 'le come at mid-night for to call on thee It may be at the first or second cocke Or in the morning or at noone or not Vntill the euening when I will not tell It 's not for want of loue I loue thee well And I conceale this from thee in regard Thou may expect me still and be prepar'd For come I will and when I will and how And sudainely and gloriously looke thou T' attend my comming in thy beauty stand And I will leade thee home with my right hand And bring thee in but shut without the gate All those that lamplesse come and come too late I haue collected thee from many parts From Europe Asia and the wild Desarrs Of Sun-burnt Affricke from the plaines and woods From fields and vallies from the seas as floods From north and easterne coasts from east and west From th'hauen of troubles to the hauen of rest I haue call'd long for my loue th' art in debt Come for it's late O come and welcome yet For feare thou be benighted hast and runne I do beseech thee I command thee come Either for feare or loue I hope to see Thee seeke in season for my companie Regard who cals thy Lord then do not stay A faithfull louer doth dislike delay FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride vpon her Preseruation A Diuine legacy belonging to the Honorable Sr. Henry Salusbury and his Noble Lady Written By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE HONORABLE Sr. HENRY SALVSBVRY Knight and Barronet c. And his Noble Lady ELIZABETH Sister to the Right Honorable the Lord Vaughan c. Truely Honorable IF your great
for her comfort I did thus begin Sweete Lady be not sorrowfull I am he Will pay the debt and end all misery Be not amaz'd the great Kings sonne am I A Prince that will not let his mercy die I 'le dye to giue thee life and thou shall rest Henceforth for euer in a Princes brest And this I 'le do to make an end of strife With my owne death I 'le purchase thee a life FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride vpon her Redemption A Spirituall legacy for the Benifite of the Honorable Lady the Lady Gerreard Written By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. ⧠TO THE NOBLE Lady Ellenor Lady Gerrard wife to the late Honorable Gilbert Lord Gerrard c. Honorable Lady VVHen sorrowes nights are ouer-past There followes ioyfull day Haplesse extreames can neuer last But styes and posts away To bring glad tidings in sad times I hold it wondrous fit And so doth all our best diuines And you may thinke of it I do present you with a gift Fit for a Princes hand Pray take it 't is the meanes to lift Soules to the holy land The full redemption of mankind I offer to your view A subiect to translate the mind From th' old man to the new I know you seeke Gods holy place And clothes you for his feast With pious loue purenesse and grace True zeale and all the rest Of those rich garments faire and meete For such a Princes Court And doubtlesse you shall one day see 't Though now my by report Imperfectly you are but told Yet quickly you shall see In Syons City wall'd with gold The Lambe in 's Maiestie Aduance your thoughts to heauenly things And you in the end shall soare Vnto that Court where's none but Kings Reioycing euer-more Your Honors deuoted in any Christian office Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT The promised Messias birth Conquers hell death and sinne And t' Eden backe with mickle mirth Brings Adam and his kinne IMmortall soule and my elected Queene Though hitherto thou hast most carelesse beene T' obserue my will yet now incline thy neart Or thou and I for euermore shall part See this epistle truely vnderstood Read it with teares for it is writ with blood A pretious price is found to pay thy det A sacrifice not ordinary to get For thou had but one God God but one sonne That sonne one life that life to death was done To bring old Adam backe to Edens blis And now learne what it cost to finish this I being promis'd came man did disdame me The world was proud and loft to entertaine me My earthly mother had so poore a kinne She was deni'd a lodging in the Inne When night and paine and teares and trauell tooke-her poore Mary was alone and all forsooke-her Sighing and seeking to find place for rest And at the last a stable was the best That could be spar'd this I had power to mend But I came rather like a lowly friend Then like a maister and so caus'd it try'd I came to shew my loue and not my pryde My pathes were plaine my cradle was a cratch I had no friends none shew'd such loue to watch For my arriuall the worlds loue was small Mary was mother mid-wife nurse and all No costly robes nor silkes nor cloth of gold Prouided was to keepe me from the cold Nothing but poore attyre and homely things Thus Princeps Regum terrae King of Kings Begun his Lambe-like raigne yea my pretence Was onely peace my armor innocence I did not many nights in safety nappe Vpon my louing mothers lowly lappe But warning came I must to Aegypt flee Herod was mou'd and making search for mee And I must runne or die for his intent's To wash his hands in blood of innocence The time wherein he did the infants slay Shall still be noted for a dismall day He aym'd at my fall but he fell we see And murther'd many to haue metwith mee But he mistooke himselfe and miss'd his ayme And I to Bothlem safe return'd againe In spite of Herod prophecies did ring That Dauids sonne was borne to be a King I did sustaine temptation for thy sake Much toyle and trauaile I did vndertake To make thy burthen light I dare presume To sweare betweene my cradle and my tombe I knew no perfect rest I had no bed Foxes had holes and birds were furnished With nests and lodgings but my head had none Mine was like Iacobs state when he left home And his old parents to procure his rest From angry Esau with his kin in th' east He was benighted in a strange land where He neither found friends nor companions there His pillow was a stone his bed was earth A naturall musitian made him mirth Surmis'd the Nightingall he could not get Wherein to wrape himselfe from nights could sweat His vncoth roome was all with greene be spred And rouing cloudes were curtaines to his bed His canopy was heauen where he might view Millions of Starres fixt in the blackest blew He went to bed as mildly as a lambe And slept as moderatly as a man And rose as earely as a Larke and fed With more content then e're he went to bed Then towards his vncles he doth post amaine To proue if Rachels loue he may obtaine And at the last his prentiships and paine Winnes his faire bride and he comes home againe With 's Lady in his hand his slockes before His seede about him and his Princely store Comes after with his seruants and thus hee With beauty riches health and dignitie Comes home attended I with Iacob may Compare my trauailes so that by the way I make some difference by the difference gather I left a fayrer home a better father To tread strange pathes where I was neuer knowne I sought for strangers loue and left my owne Iacob was neuer in such miscrie I was both worser cloth'd and lodg'd then he I went to fetch my bride from amongst those That dwelt farre further off and were my foes He payd but loue and seruice for his bride I payd my seruice loue and life beside He brought his home with riches and renowne With ioy and gladnesse vnto Sichem towne And for her mouing tents he hath her giuen Faire fixed temples stately types of Heauen His bed was on the earth mine was within He slept for sorrow but I slept for sinne I rose more earely to prepare thy way For I saw sun-rise before he saw day I 'll bring thee home adorn'd with better things The power and honor of all earthly kings And let their powers together lincked bee All cannot make one worthy t'waite on thee I spent my dayes in sorrow for thy good I sayl'd to th'Cradle in teares to th' graue in blood And more then this I was content to doo My middle time had mickle sorrowes too I liu'd releeuing poore healing and feeding I wipt those eyes that wept wounds that were bleeding I cur'd
life Must be incomparable to expresse Thy loue is holy and in holinesse The seruice he admits of must be done Now thou art perfect it were best to come And seeke a fayrer habitation for So faire a Princesse me thinkes should abhor So foule a dwelling Dauid much laments That 't was his lot to dwell in Kedars tents Those mouing cabins onely but remaines To Ismaels issue on th' Arabian plaines Goodly great buildings I haue made for thee Where woods and meades and springs and riuers bee Now seeke thy Lord thy lodging 's furnished A holy Bride should find a holy bed FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride vpon her Iustification A Holy legacy for the vse of the Right Honorable William Earle of Northampton c. Written By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE WILLIAM Earle of Northampton Baron Compton Lord President of Wales c. Right Honorable NVrst in the limits of your Lordly power I line and therefore boldned to present Vnto your view this holy newes this hower By Heauens King 's gracious commandement Amarriage feast is gloriously begunne 'Twixt Iacobs Daughter and Ichouahs Sonne To call to 't noble ghests there 's many sent And I am one and I am sent to you Right worthy Earle put on your ornament Such as may giue the Nuptiall day it due Your seate's prepar'd deckt with victorious bayes And shall stand more yeares then this world hath dayes My Lord I 'm plac'd vpon the mount of peace To profit Syons friends and not to please The reeling multitude such as would ken The path to paesse to new Ierusalem I haue Commission to direct theretoo With all the remnants I haue nought to doe Your honor of that body 's a chiefe part Of which Christ Iesus is the supreame head Vnto your hand therefore withall my heart I offer this praying your Honor read It is the word of truth and doth afford The fairest gilding for your Prineely sword It is the latest Honor great men wish To leaue their memories in leaues of brasse Or let or marble this meere weaknesse is Because it shall consume perish and passe Away with ruining time Therefore I giue This frame to you where in your fame shall liue Till men and time and English cease giue mee Your gracious count'nance and I haue my fee. At your Honors seruice submissiuely deuoted Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT Pollution must be layd aside For holy garments gay The Lambe hath shapen for his Bride T' adorne the marriage day STay yet more Iewels must adorne my loue Before she can be fit to fit aboue Vpon a Princely throne none shall deride At thine estate thou shall be iustifi'd The great Kings daughter must be faire within She 's blest to whom the Lord imputes no sin Then blest shall thou be mine shall be the blame And I will beare the burthen of thy shame And I will answere those that railes on thee They do mistake themselues and iniure me If thou find enemies that do beginne To blaze thy faults and publish all thy sinne Bid them behold themselues and learne to mend Tell them thou hast a father sent a friend To pleade thy cause and that Prince is content To take thy sinnes and beare thy punishment Bid them remember in the dayes of old My Prophets and Apostles truely told That sinners soules should die and euery one Should beare the burthen of 's owne sinnes alone So they must do be mindfull of it will-them Say thou that I sayd so so thou may still them They may obiect then thou shall answere thine For God loues right and will to right incline He will indeede for the most pretious summe Did satisfie for sinne e're pardon come That summe I paid and paid in thy name too The debt was thine but who hath ought to do Against this satisfaction to exclaime For thou art iust if I suppose the same To whom the Lord imputes no sinne th' are iust And so art thou and onely by thy trust There 's other adherent helpes but faith extends As the chiefe instruments that apprehend My satisfaction to be others share My merits by thy faith thy merits are Euen as a woman doth that's farre in debt If she a wealthy husband chance to get And he discharge it and then some demaunds If the bond woman forfeited her bands Or satisfied them Creditors ensue And iustiffies she payd them all their due The feast was hers the charge her husbands lot And thus she payd it though shee paid it not So thou art iustifi'd iustice of mine That 's vncreated hath created thine Thou was the woman husbandlesse and poore Millions in debt and at the prison doore To be deliner'd to the Iaylors hands And with thy death thou should discharge thy bandsâ— I was the man that spent none of the summe Yet in my loue thy husband I 'd become Examining my estate I treasure found To pay for euery peny debt a pound Then I did vndertake to set thee free And what I did I counted done by thee Such was my loue thou doest thy all inherit From me and by my mercy not thy merrit If any aske what moued me to fill Thy lappe with blessings say it was my will I can do what I will so can no other Iacocb I 'll iustifie but for his brother Esan I cannot loue for it was hee That first vs'd weapon to contend with thee And fares the worse for that Know I haue giuen All things a being betweene earth and Heauen And vnto some a perfect being well The bad I caused not to fall they fell By their owne will I left them being not tide To take directions where to choose my bride The vnderstanding may the rest perswade The maker is not subiect to the made Euen as the Potter may dispose of 's clay So the chiefe Lord of all his Creatures may Thou art my choyce thou art my sole elect To honor thee I did all else reiect And in contempt of all thine enemies pride I 'll pleade thee iust thou shall be iustifide And now if Sathan thy grand-enemy come And to affright thee gather all the summe Of thy blacke sinnes together still affirming Thy sinnes are such he comes to giue thee warning Thy soule is sicke and thou art doom'd to die And that for mercy 't is too late to crie Iudgement hath past Beleeue him not say thus Thy Lord 's a liue and good and gracious And did not the Crosse so freshly bleed To leaue thee drownd in misery and need Tell him thou washt when I was nayl'd on wood My feete in teares and I thy soule in blood And say I neuer will forgetfull be Of two such tokens betweene thee and mee Yet tell him more that thou art bound to bee At new Ierusalem to suppe with me Vpon a suddaine warning then away And if he moue or would procure thy stay Say th' art warn'd on my
fixed firme and sure And shall in blis and endlesse time indure And empty stayes thy leasure come in time These lights below will quickly cease to shine Seeke those aboue and seeking thou shall find The ioyes and glory that 's for thee assign'd Vntill thou come to shew thou meanes to come Apply thy hand and tongue and be not dumbe Send dayly sacrifice thou ought to learne Earth should send thankes to heauen for each good turne It 's all I looke for therefore let me see Some signes of loue ascend from thee to mee And I 'll expect thy comming make it knowne Th' art wholy now thy owners not thy owne Let thy succeeding carriage be so good That by thy acts it may be vnderstood Who is thy Lord and let there be exprest In thee those things that fits a Princesse best From th'hauen of sorrowes to the heauen of blisse Vnto my holy hill from thine abisse Mount with the wings of loue and thou shall bee Partaker of my throne and royalue Let all the gracelesle nations grudge and tell To their great griefe the daughter of Israell Hath marri'd a Prince that euer-more shall raigne Her health and life and honor to maintaine Be not in loue with earth nor earthly things Though for a time th' art troubled with the stings Of death and sinne and hell for thy offences Yet there 's a campe wherein is none but Princes And ioy and blis and peace and to that place I will translate thee from thy life of grace Vnto my life of glory thy protecter Will giue thy head a crowne thy hand a scepter Thy mouth a song to sing truthes excellence Thy backe a robe as white as innocence Thy soule both life and comfort thou shall see More perfect absolute felicity In one dayes length in heauen then if thou were To liue on earth a king ten thousand yeare Thou couldst obtaine and therefore in a word To manifest how Paradise is stor'd As things beyond thy knowledge I will leaue I must conceale since thou cannot conceiue That thou mayst fully know them hast and come Millions of blessings waites thy welcome home FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord expressing her Gratitude A Spirituall legacy bequeathed to the protection of the Right Honorable the Earle of Cumberland c. By Augustine Taylor Preacher and Minister in the Church of God LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes 1623. ⧠TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE FRANCIS CLIFFORD Ealre of Cumberland Lord CLIFFORD Westmerland and Vescy c. Most Noble REligion ioyn'd with valour lookes as well As a faire Diamond set in purest gold These man-like God-like parts in you excell And shall to after ages be inrold In leaues more lasting then the sheetes of brasse And in the fore-head of my diuine verse Your name with fame and honor forth shall passe Into all coasts of this faire vniuerse I do present to your inditious view The pistles 'twixt the Lambe and 's holy Bride A very proper present 't is for you That weares a sword to cause her deside Strike still in truths defence and you shall see Your euening crown'd with glorious victory Great Lord my natiue place neighbours your north Then since my soule inhubits in that soyle And since my muse bath wing and will flie forth She 'll tell you of more ioyes then life hath howres And lookes for welcome in your fairest towers Your floods and fords are faire your swans but few But if you please with gracious eyes to view My diuine verse and therein take content I 'll build your trophies betweene tweed and trent Your Honors truely obseruant Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT Glad Israels of-spring tunes her voyce Of gratitude to sing Accounts her selfe an vnfit choyce To Queene so great a King IF earthly kin may send t' a heauenly King Or if thy greatnesse will heare meanenesse sing Accept the sacrifice I now bestow My heart is high although my voyce be low And since thou vnderstands my thoughts before They be transform'd to breath and passe the doore Of my vnready lips my confidence Is that thou will maintaine my innocence And make my worke according to my will I know thy mercy and power continue still And since I share of both let it be seene Such qualities as doth become a Queene I doe not want and then the world so wide Shall blesse thee for thy bounties to thy Bride My gracious Lord I haue a great desire To sing thy prayses in the sacred quire And will vpon condition I may finde Thy heauenly graces vnto me assign'de In so great measure that I may approue My bounty and thy duty and my loue Tenne thousand thankes that it hath pleased thee With mercies eyes to view my miserie My griefe 's forgotten and my ioy growes full My crimson spots are chang'd to whitest wooll My soule 's content my brest can scarce containe My guilty garment that was dy'd in graine Past alteration is restor'd by thee From sinnefull red to perfect purity Thy day dissolu'd my night thy cares my feares Thy drops of blood hath stanch'd my drops of teares When I remember my estate at first Griefes bitternesse threatens my heart shall burst Feare keepes possession and that feares leads paine And paine brings death and thus I 'm partly slaine With thinking on my miseries After these Sad thoughts are past which I do pay as fees For my offences ioy comes in againe When I consider my king doth remaine A glorious conquerour of all my soes Now that I may my thankfulnesse disclose Assist me Lord and lend such grace to me As may preferre a sacrifice to thee Lapt in a sacred song that I 'm indu'd With the poores payment perfect gratitude Take this succeeding witnesse my good Lord For all thy blessings all I can afford Out of my borrow'd store is onely prayse It doth become the iust thy Prophet sayes Daily to render thankes vnto thy name I being iust through thee must do the same Or shew my selfe forgetfull I would bee As farre from that as I wish that from mee For my creation that it was thy will To shew thy loue and grace and power and skill In making nothing something and in that Placeing such beauty as is wonder'd at By heauen and earth and that of all this all Thou hast made me thy Princesse principall And to adorne my state made all thy store I giue thee thankes and I can giue no more For my election I do much reioyce Thou would vouchsafe to make so meane a choyce And was so mighty but each Dauid sings It fits th' Almighty to doe mighty things When out of Eden I forsaken fell Set in the open fields my shame to tell I grew in nature and in number great The earth was spacious yet had ne'er a seate Wherein the sonnes of Adam neuer sate Then since it pleased thee t' illuminate All nations and the best of all to choose To make thy one let that one neuer
Lord thou knowes I haue no more to giue But I 'm for more farre more indebt yet trust Since thou wilt iustifie me so vniust Thou wilt regard my nothing nothing breedes He that possesseth all things nothing needes That thou accepts my faith for righteonsnesse I can no more do and I will no lesse In words and actions then shew thankfulnesse Since it hath pleas'd thy greatnesse to admit My poore defectiue impotence vnfit To be a bride for thee I 'll hence forth striue T' extinguish all my illnesse and depriue Those vices of their lodgings that haue beene My welcome guests before I was thy Queene What I haue beene I 'll cease to be and frame My selfe to beare the beauty of thy name True modesty and loyalty shall rest To waite vpon thy spirit in my brest Assist me with thy grace and thou shall see All th' ornaments proper for Maiestie Prepared for thy seruice I confesse Thou might'st haue had thy spouse ' mongst princesses Of greater honor and of nobler race I know poore Ruth my grandame had no place Whereinto rest but by permission yet Because she 's faire and lowly Boaz will let Her gleane amongst his reapers and withall Strictly commands his seruants that they shall Not offer once to blame her tels her rather It is his pleasure that she stay and gather In his then goe t'an other field and thus Changes small fauours into Maximus And at the last this fruite his loue doth yeild Takes her and makes her mistris of the field Sure she was faire being honor'd with such store That lookt so louely when she was so poore Euen such was I a Ruth on whom no Ruth The word bestow'd vntill the word of truth Came to suruey his vineyard and gaue mee Commission to worke there and liberty To claime a sacred peny and in th' end Supposing that the office of a friend Was not grace great enough he chooseth rather To manifest th' affection of a father And builds againe of a poore wretch vndone A blessed bride for his eternall sonne My Lord I do not vtter this to thee For thou art sensible of my miserie I tell the neighbouring nations least they ghesse I 'm prone to ill but too proud to confesse I know my faults and betweene griefes and feares My body 's like a barke that sayles in teares Made to transport thy choyce the soule from th' earth Towards the faire land of euer-lasting mirth And on these seas of sorrowes Lord vouchsafe To be my Pylate and conduct me safe Vnto the shoares of peace and thou shall see My loue so beautifi'd with constancie That thou 'll be pleas'd to say I do approue The price of life is payd with coyne of loue Great Prince I 'm very poore infirme and weake Disable without thee to thinke or speake The smallest good therefore I 'll still intreate That as my dignity thou didst create Thou would'st maintaine it though the cause be mine Thou knowes it honors thee to honor thine As the Kings honor 's made of subiects duties So are thy glories made of thy Queenes beauties I take it such are thine no I mistake Thine are thy owne since thou didst please to make Me free t' inioy them when I thee adore I but repay what I receiu'd before Since by thy bounties I in plenties liue Giue thou me more and more that I may giue To others that to all it may be seene Of beauty and bounty th' ast compos'd thy Queene With hands that neuer err'd blest with the senses Of plenty the meet'st mettle to make Princes Lord lend me all thy graces till I rise From earrh to glory in thy Paradise In the meane time accept my sacrifice Which Baptist-like I send before aboue My soule flyes after with the wings of loue FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord declaring her Confidence A Heauenly legacy for the vse of of the Right Honorable IOHN Earle of Bridg-water and his most Noble Countesse the Lady Francis Written By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE IOHN EARLE OF Bridg-water c. And to his most noble Lady Francis Countesse of Bridgewater The issue of the Ancient and Illustrious House of Derby * ⎠* Right Honorable IF you admire wherefore I bring This offring to your hands My reason 's this I saw day spring The first vpon those lands That was your birth-plot and for that My heart and hand this giues And know your Honor die shall not So long as English liues Another reason's I confesse I liue vnder the wing Of your good mother Patronesse Of Syon where I sing And Preach by Gods commission I Am sent to call in ghests To see the Lambe in 's Maiesty Where peace and plenty rests And dearely humbly I intreate Your Honors to that place Where you shall sit in glories seate And see God face to face Your Noble dispositions bee So generally approu'd That for your true Nobilitie Y' are both both prais'd and lou'd And so God grant you may be still 'T is that I wish to see And if you please t' approue my will Feare God and fauour mee Your Honors to be Commanded Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT The faith of Isr'el's here express'd Her disobedience done Humility's by her profess'd And all her good begone GReat King of Israell may I be so bold To speake a few words more some part 's vntold Of that I meant to vtter vouchsafe t' heare My speech preferred with a reuerent feare Thy ancient seruants prudently fore-seeing Him men deny or doubt to haue a beeing They can doe no true seruice doe expresse The first good that man doth is to confesse The being of one God and Scripture saith The Honor thou admits is built on faith Lord I beleeue and thou mayst shew thy might To helpe my vnbeliefe that in thy sight I may be perfect and I will approue My haruest's from the seeding of thy loue My Lord this is my faith I sted-fastly Beleeue all things deliuered of thee 'Twixt th'Alpha and th'Omega of thy booke And I 'm perswaded all the paines thou tooke Tends to my rest thy promises of grace Are th'euidence I keepe for glory's place The poorenesse of thy comming birth and kinne As I conceiue was onely for to winne The loue not prayse of men thou didst agree T'ore come temptations that we might be free Thou washt their feete that did attend on thee I take it to teach me humillitie And as a friend that is to take in hand A long and dangerous voyage doth command His kinted and acquaintance to be fit To share of 's friendly farewell and being met They sole mnize it sadly and then parts With discontent and heauinesse of hearts And this last token ties their loues t' attend Euen so my Lord my husband and my friend Did institute a supper that I might Keepe him though absent euermore in sight And then he tooke his