to feed by faith thou doest me giue My bondage thus release make thou me free My barren branch shall so bring frute for thee SON XXI A Marchant I full long abroad haue straide By sea and land true happinesse to gaine The riches of the earth my eyes haue waide And see their profit to be light and vaine Such trifling trash my soule doth now disdaine And Iewels of more value I espye Among the rest one doth all other staine Which with my wealth I wish that I might buye But this rare pearle is of a price so hie As all the earth cannot esteeme the same Much lesse to purchase it can it come nie Yet doth the loue thereof my heart enflame Be thou the pledge sweet Sauior then for me That heauenly blisse shall so my riches be SON XXII AMong the prease of many that draw neare Vnto the feast of grace in Temple thine I silly widow also doe appeare With humble heart ô Lord who here encline And vnto thee a mite for offering mine Present as precious to my poore estate For heards or flocks for store of corne and wine Without obedience Lord thou aye didst hate But broken hearts and soules which lye prostrate Before thy throne of grace and mercy craue Do mercie finde though it be nere so late Thy promise hereof vs assurance gaue In trust whereof obaying thy behest My praiers to thy praise ô Lord are prest SON XXIII INto thy vineyard Lord vnworthie I Desire to come to trauell out the day Thou calledst me thereto and didst espie Me loytring idle by the worlds high way At first to come my follies did me stay Whom cold and hunger now to worke compell Though halfe my daies be spent say me not nay The other halfe to trie employed well I do not hope my paines so deare to sell As they that beare the brunt of heat of day They merit most whose trauels most excell My slender seruice craues but single pay But if thy bountie giue behold me prest With thanks thy grace to taste amongst the rest SON XXIIII AS thou art pure and iust in all thy waies O Lord so should thy offrings also bee The tongue vncleane cannot set forth thy praise The wanton eye may not thy secrets see The lame of faith the blind of skill not hee That thou alotst thy sacrifice to slay The heart that is found cleane in each degree Is fittest for thy church wherein to stay Such is no flesh ô Lord the truth to say But as thou pleasest them to purifie By faith and by repentance euerie day Who then with Christ may boldly thee come nie Behold me then thus thy adopted chyld Let me not from thy temple be exyld SON XXV I Follow thee ô Lord but far behinde As Peter did when he did see thee led To prison where the traitors did thee binde Amazed much with worldly feare and dred When as I saw the world all ouer spred With hatred and disdaine vnto the iust My courage it was quayld and quickly fled And had no liking to thy helpe to trust But Lord I know perforce I forward must If I intend to gaine the crowne I craue I must abandon flesh and fleshly lust And in thy promise all my hope must haue Grant thou me boldnesse then and constant will To perseuere in thy obedience still SON XXVI OF parents first two brothers borne that were The bodie and the soule did represent The elder Cain who Henocks wals did reare The yonger Abell dwelt in silly tent First man with plough the virgins soile he rent The other seru'd and shoare the silly sheepe To worldly lustes of flesh the one was bent Thy heauenly lawes the other sought to keepe A deadly discord twixt them so did creepe The elder did the guiltlesse yonger slay That ancient hatred grounded is so deepe It striues in me alas vnto this day Accept my sacrifice Lord me defend My powres vnto thy holie pleasure bend SON XXVII LIke pined chyld ô Lord from nurses brest Whom churlish stepdame ouer soone doth waine By wicked will alas I am opprest And crie to cruell flesh behold in vaine Who lets me languishing in sin remaine And sends no comfort to support my need My faults I know I do confesse them plaine That folly doth my weake affections feed I see my ruine neare at hand in deed And cannot call for aide whose tong is dum My feete so feeble cannot helpe at need Although I see at hand thy vengeance come Vnlesse thou giue me grace to see and feare To pray in faith and thou thy hand forbeare SON XXVIII POlluted with the curelesse leprosie Of sin which is heriditarie now So lothsome growne that I dare not come nie Thy holy temple where my heart doth bow I craue ô Lord it please thee to allow The high Priest Christ thy sonne to view my sore Whose holyhand may guide and teach me how To cure this griefe it may returne no more I know ô Lord thou hast of mercy store And onely thou doest pitie mans estate Which though my stubburne heart refusde before Repentance yet and faith coms not too late Whose sparrowes of repentance I present An offering here through worldly desert sent SON XXIX A Virgine pure ô Lord by birth I was The daughter of thy church adopt by grace But lothsome lust foule fiend did me alas Pursue and sought with me his dwelling place As many vertues as did seeke my grace By weddings band to me to be vnight So many did this fiend first night deface So oft I was depriu'd of my delight Seuen times a widow I with shame and spight Am left and liue now hopelesse of redresse Till thou with Raphaell send that medicine bright Of God to giue me grace to sinne suppresse Thy sonne thus made my spouse shall soone restore Tobias sight wealth comfort lost before SON XXX OF sinfull race of mans licentious seed Whilst heauenly ofspring with faire humane kinde Do ioyne affects where wicked lusts do breed And so pollute the frutes of vertuous minde A bastard brood my selfe alas I finde Whose nature doth in tryannie consist Of grace and reason growne so dull and blinde That I in wrong with stubburnesse persist Who seeing father Nature ere he wist A sleepe with soâ—tish wine of worldly loue To hide his shame by wisdome had no list Which iustly curse of God on me did moue A slaue to sin therefore I did pursue Like Nymrod grace of God which now Irue SON XXXI AS oft as thou by grace wouldst drawe me backe From sin whereto I am by nature thrall So oft alas I finde my will to lacke And power to follow thee when thou doest call From sin to sin I headlong thus do fall And quench repentance by a peruerse will I see my fall but haue no feare at all And to my vomit dog-like turne I still My frailtie doth thy wrathfull cup fulfill With flowing measure of reuenge and wo When I returne
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
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
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
shal speake thy praise 172 My tongue shall tell thy word of truth and walke thy righteoâ—s wayes 173 Helpe with thy hand for I entend thy precepts to pursue 174 Thy sauing helpe and law I seeke Lord do my faith renue 175 Let liue my soule to praise thy name thy mercie me vphold 176 I feare thy law then clense my sinnes and bring me to thy fold Psalme 121. 1 VNto the hils I lift my eye from whence my helpe shall grow 2 EueÌ„ to the Lord which fram'd the heauens made the deeps below 3 He will not let my feete to slip my watchman neither sleepes 4 Behold the Lord of Israell still his flocke in safety keepes 5 The Lord is my defence he doth about me shadow cast 6 By day nor night the Sunne nor Moone my limbs shall burne or blast 7 He shall preserue me from all ill and me from sinne protect 8 My going in and comming forth he euer shall direct Psalme 130. 1 FRom pit of deepe perplexities to thee for helpe I cry 2 O Lord giue â—are vnto my plaâ—â—t and 〈◊〉 me speedily 3 If strictly thou my sinnes behold ô Lord what â—â—esh is iust 4 But mercy proper is to thee and thereto dâ— we trust 5 Vpon thy promise I attend thy word is alwayes true 6 With morning and with euening watch I will my sute renue 7 Thy seruant must depend on thee in thee iâ— mercie found 8 Thou wilt redeeme their â—oules from death thy grace doth so abound Lords Prayer OVr Father which in heauen art Lord halowed be thy name Thy knigdome come thy will be done in heauen and earth the same Giue vs this day our daily bread our trespasses forgiue As we for other mens offence do freely pardon giue Into temptation leade vs not but liuer vs from ill For thine all kingdome glory powre is now and euer will SVNDRY CHRISTIAN PASSIONS CONTAINED in two hundred Sonnets Diuided into two equall parts The first consisting chiefly of Meditations Humiliations and Prayers The second of Comfort Ioy and Thankesgiuing By H. L. Call vpon me in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me LONDON Printed by Richard Field 1597. To the rIght renoVVneD VertVoVs VIrgin ELIzabeth VVorthy QVeene of happIe EngLanD her hIghnesse falthfVL subleCâ— Henry Lok VVIsheth Long Lyfe VVIth eternaL bLIsse IVne VII MY worthlesse pen To eternize In holy flame VVhich doth dispise Thee sacred dame That should protect VVhose Phoenix quil And those hath dect Heauens do distill As come from thence Ioue long you saue For whose defence Venus would craue VVhich Pallas wils Presumeth to deuise Your peerles vertuous fame Of zeale my hart doth rise A theame of vulgar frame The graces haue select The holy Muses hill Doth heauenly Crowne affect VVhich Romane Trophies fill Their happie influence You there your portion haue VVhose Scepters you dispence True English hearts he gaue And Dain doth that due Me yeeld alone to you The obseruations of the square following 1 A Saint Georges crosse of two collumbs in discription of her Maiestie beginning at A. and B. in the middle to be read downward and crossing at C. and D. to be read either single or double 2 A S. Andrews crosse beginning at E. read thwartwaies and ending with F. containing the description of our happie age by her highnesse 3 Two Pillers in the right and left side of the square in verse reaching from E. and F. perpendicularly containing the sum of the whole the latter columbe hauing the words placed counterchangeably to rime to the whole square 4 The first last two verses or the third and fourth with seuenth and eighth are sense in them selues containing also sense of the whole 5 The whole square of 100. containing in it self fiue squares the angles of each of them are sense particularly and vnited depend each on other beginning at the center 6 The out-angles are to be read 8. seuerall waies in sense and verse 7 The eight words placed also in the ends of the S. Georges crosse are sense and verse alluding to the whole crosse 8 The two third words in the bend deaeter of the S. Andrews crosse being the middle from the angles to the center haue in their first letters T. and A. for the Author and H. L. in their second for his name which to be true the words of the angles in that square confirme 9 The direction to her Maiestie in prose aboue containeth onely of numerall letters the yeare and day of the composition as thus DD. C LL LL LL LL. VV VV VV VV VV VV VV VV. IIIIIIIIIIIII For 1593. Iune V. A Square in verse of a hundred monasillables only Describing the cause of Englands happinesse  Haec   ◠   A B    F  In           â—oc  God 5 hath pourd forth Rare Grace On this Iâ—â—e And   Makes Cround 4 your rule Queene In the same so 4 still   Kings lawd THis 3 saint Faire that with truth 3 doth stand   Rule so long time 2 milde Prince ioy 2 land it will  C Forma For proofe you showes 1 wise 1 of earths race whome There Quadrata  HeaueÌ„s haue vp held Iust 1 choice 1 whome God thus sheilds   Your stocke of Kings 2 worlds rich of 2 spring and feare   States fame Known 3 farre Praise Isle which ALl 3 blisse yeilds   Hold God 4 there fore sure stay of all the 4 Bâ—st  Vinces Blâ—st 5 is your raigne Here Builds sweet Peace true Rest 5 Signâ—â— Â Fiâ—â—â— Â The Square plainely set downe GOd hath powr'd forth rare grace on this I le and Makes crown'd your rule Queene in the same so still Kings laud this Saint faire that with truth doth stand Rule so long time mild Prince ioy land it will For proofe you showes wise of earths race whom there Heauens haue vpheld lust choyce whom God thus shields Your stocke of kings worlds rich ofspring and feare States fame knowne farre praise I le which all blisse yeelds Hold God therefore sure stay and port the best Blest is your raigne here builds sweet peace true rest To the Christian Reader WHo so shall duly consider the whole progresse of mans estate from life to death shall find it gentle Reader to be nothing else but a very pilgrimage through this earth to another world for whether we obserue the common course of all flesh which from the mothers wombe to the graue is still trauelling with change of bodily constitution from youth to age from health to sicknesse so from one estate to another Or if we behold the particular incounters which each man findeth in himselfe in the variable change of hopes and crossing of his purposes in both it shall by a generall experieÌ„ce of all mens calamities be assuredly confirmed to be too true But
choise of weapons for sundrie assaults and disposeth of them diuersly according to the strength or weaknesse of the partie he besiegeth which being as different in particular persons as Gods gifts are to them thou shalt doe well to thy abilitie to reforme or supply my defect therin If in manner of the verse or stile they be as I doubt not but they are to be amended much I do not greatly seeke the praise of a curious Architector neither without neglect of more necessary duties could I attaine to the required obseruances that way And therefore craue that thy discretion may excuse my intention and abilitie And thus I hartily recommend thee to the Almightie THE FIRST PART OF CHRISTIAN PASSIONS containing a hundreth Sonets of meditation humiliation and prayer PREFACE IT is not Lord the sound of many words The bowed knee or abstinence of man The filed phrase that eloquence affords Or Poets pen that heauens do pearce or can By heauie cheere of colour pale and wan By pined bodie of the Pharisay A mortall eye repentance oft doth scan Whose iudgement doth on outward shadows stay But thou ô God doest hearts intent bewray For from thy sight Lord nothing is conceald Thou formdst the frame fro out the verie clay To thee the thoughts of hearts are all reueald To thee therefore with hart and minde prostrate With teares I thus deplore my sinfull state SONET I. HOw should my soule Lord clad in earthly mold The prison where it readie is to pine Where vile affections captiue it do hold And threaten naught but ruine in the fine Vnto one thought of hope or helpe incline Or raise my eyes vnto the heauens bright How may it Lord take hold on mercies thine Or presse it selfe in presence of thy sight Or how canst thou therein at all delight If mercy be not spokesman in this case If merit of thy Sonne should not acquite The common guilt of Adams sinfull rase Which since by faith alone man may attaine Grant me first grace not faithlesse to ramaine SON II. FRo out the darknesse of this sea of feare Where I in whale remaine deuourd of sin With true remorse of former life I reare My heart to heauen in hope some helpe to win I do confesse my fault who did begin To flie from thee ô Lord and leaue vndone Thy seruice which of right should first haue bin Performd by which so many should be wonne To praise thy name but feare alas begunne To represent to me my iourny long The dangers of the world my life should runne Which made me to my soule to offer wrong But since by show of death thou caldst me backe Thy gracious helpe at need let me not lacke SON III. WIthin this arke where in my soule doth dwell My bodie floting on worldes troubled waue Which windes of fierce affections cause to swell And hardly can my power from sinking saue I crie to thee ô Lord and comfort craue Close vp this fountaine of stil flowing sin Let me by faith againe once footing haue On frutefull earth and holie life begin Lighten the burden so vncleane within Of brutish vices raging in my minde Let cleane affects the greater partie win And so increase that plentie I may finde Of sacrifices pleasing in thy sight Of faith and loue which are thy soules delight SON IIII. IN humble wise as fitteth best my state An abiect wretch deuoyd of all desert I here approch before thy mercy gate O Lord of life with broke and contrite hart I need not to reueale to thee my smart A lump of sin and shame I am I know Wounded so deepe with deadly poysned dart Of serpents sting which did from parents grow That now my humors so do ouerflow With foule affections of my feeble minde As presseth downe my eyes on earth so low As dares not search the heauens true helpe to finde Yet since thou hast made known to me my griefe Guide me by grace to fountaine of reliefe SONET V. VNto thy princely wedding Lord are bed Of euerie sort some guests to feast with thee One that a spouse but late before had wed One oxen bought one taken land to fee They from the banket therefore absent bee Regarding not thy messengers of grace In number of the like Lord hold not mee But let me haue I craue the offred place Yet ere that I appeare before thy face A wedding garment first I must put on My owne vnrighteous cloathing is too base And marchandise of merits now are gone Then since thou cal'st with faith do thou me cloth A lame blind begger Lord do thou not loth SON VI. IN pride of youth when as vnbridled lust Did force me forth my follies to bewray I challenged as patrimony iust Each vaine affection leading to decay And trusting to that treasure post away I wandred in the worlds alluring sight Not reason vertue shame or feare could stay My appetite from tasting each delite Till want and wearinesse began me bite And so perforce to father I retire To whom I prostrate kneele vnworthie wight To name of sonne not daring to aspire Receiue me yet sweet sauiour of thy grace Poore penitent into a seruants place SON VII Lame of my limmes and sencelesse of my state Neere fortie yeares Lord haue I groueling line Before Bethesda poole yet still too late To wash me in the fountaine I encline Whence health wold come when Angel giues the sine If any one to aide me readie were But helplesse thus I readie am to pine My selfe vnable duly vp to reare Vouchsafe thou then me to this bath to beare By the assistance of thy heauenly grace Let not the force of foule affects me feare To prease forth first when Christ appeares in place Who is the fountaine Angell and the man That bath that blisse that cure my senses can SON VIII THy thundring voice and Angell Lord of long Hath cald my soule from slumber where it lay The harmony of heauenly musickes song Hath made my wandring feete at last to stay Direct thou me also the readie way Vnto thy church that in thy holy place Thy word and law I may in heart obay And worship thee before thy peoples face Grant me I say such measure of thy grace That greedily by faith I swallow vp Thy booke of truth and so thy word imbrace That frutefully I taste saluations cup. Thou who doest rule the earth the sea and land In my defence with power and glory stand SON IX AMong thy sheepe ô Lord I seemd to feed By Sacraments receiu'd into thy stocke By preached word I watred was indeed And works with fleece did seeme inritch my stocke But at my doore true faith did neuer knocke Which should be shepheard of my soules defence But thiefe like fond affections reason mocke And by the window of my wilfull sence Do enter to my heart and steale from thence Each motion of amendment which doth rise And shepheardlesse of grace transported hence By Sathan
rau'ning woolfe in fearefull wise I call to thee sweet Sauiour shepheard true Teach me to know thy voice and thee insue SONET X. BEhold ô Lord the Citie thou hast built Ierusalem this fleshly frame of mine By sin Assyrians sword is almost spilt And like to yeeld to Rabsake in fine Yet lo alas my soule doth much repine To see proud Satan so blaspheme thy name To threaten ruine to this temple thine Since thou art praysd and honord in the same Thou able art the rage of lust to tame The force of pride and furie to subdue Against Senacherib thy Angell came And all his host in one night ouerthrew So let thy holie spirit me defend And to my plaints and praiers comfort send SON XI SInce with Goliah I am now to fight And lacke the slight of holie Dauids sling Arme thou me Lord with heauenly armor bright Which power of flesh world to foile may bring Thy righteous brest-plate gird on me with truth Prepare my feet with Gospel of thy peace The shield of faith which firie dartes beare forth Of wicked Satan whose assaults not sease The helmet of saluation and the sword Of spirit which is founded on thy law All these my praiers are that thou afford To make me stedfast spight of lyons claw Who roaring daily seekes as wished pray My silly soule from thee to take away SON XII NOw that thou hast prepard me to confesse Thy seruice Lord the which I vndertake I thee beseech my purpose so to blesse That I a good account to thee may make A Nazarit I am who do forsake The delicacies of the worlds delight Whose thirst thy purest fountaine still shall slake With faith and truth the which with sin shall fight I will not tast the wine of Satans slight Which doth confound all reason and all sence My vow shall be to serue thee day and night And trust in thee shall be my true defence Till death dissolue this promise made to thee Whose strength herein thy heauenly graces bee SON XIII I Seeeke ô Lord to shew thy powrefull hand Which hath conuerted this my sinfull hart Into a rod of strength which still might stand Strong in thy truth who powrefull onely art But Iannes pride and Iambres lustfull hart By â—light imposture of slie Satans might Two Serpents frame which will not thence dâ—paert But seeke against thy powrefull hand to fight But let my faith their fury put to flight And vertue thine deuour these imps of sin Let not these fleshly frutes appeare in sight Of truth which only can the conquest win Let faith shew forth the finger of thy hand And cleane consume ech power doth it withstand SON XIIII BEhold ô Lord a tree by high way side Vnfrutefull yet of any food for thee In high way side as yet I do abide Where passers to Ierusalem I see Though sommer grow I cannot frutefull be Vnplanted by thy grace in garden thine I do confesse I am a wild fig tree For want of moisture which am like to pine Vnto my praiers Lord do thou incline Remoue me home into thy garden faire Let me behold the face of thy sunne shine Which may my withered leaues with life repaire So maist thou tast a frute of wholesome kinde And leaue a marke of mercy great behinde SON XV. VVIthin thy garden Lord I planted was And watred well with thy most carefull hand But yet vâ—frutefull I remaind alas And these thy blessings did not vnderstand In vaine I did employ possessed land Ten times three yeares thy seruants did replant My stocke and sought to bend my crooked wand And did supply ech aide I seem'd to want At length my frutes which daily grew more scant Wild thee resolue to haue me weeded out My foule affections were with folly brant My roote of faith was shakt with feare and doubt And lo I pine sweet Sauiour water me Paul and Apollos worke else lost will be SON XVI A Wicked Pharisie I long haue bene Whom sight of mercies thine allure to thee A shamed Lord of my faire clothed sinne In secret night I seeke thy face to see That thou art God thy woâ—kes reueale to me That thou art mine thy sonne doth me assure Vouchsafe that I regenerate may be And that my praiers pardon may procure Purge by thy sprite and faith faire fountaine pure The senses dull that cannot vnderstand The heauenly birth which shall in blisse endure Not subiect vnto Satans sinfull band And with thy sonne let worlds affections die My soule from hell with him ascend on hie SON XVII FIue foolish virgins in my senses dwell And seeke to make me slumber ouer long They dreame that all my deeds do fall out well Whereas indeed I headlong run to wrong To vanities their humors do belong And sin who doth their fancie chiefly feed They cheined are to linkes of lust so strong That their best foile brings forth but bitter weed They lacke the oyle which should be vsde indeed To lead them to the euerlasting light It growes not Lord in frute of humane seed Man sleeps all day and gropes his way at night Vnlesse thou lend thy hand and fill our lampes Our light goes forth with smothering sinful daÌ„ps SON XVIII OVt of the fountaine of eternall life I poore Samaritan here readie stand To sinfull lustan old betrothed wife With pitcher readie in my trembling hand To wraw a draught of liquor most diuine To quench the thirst of my inflamed hart With heauenly deaw ere that my soule do pine And qualiâ—ie the rigor of my smart A Prophet true thou art I vnderstand Or rather father of all truth thou art A stranger I from faire Iudaea land With these thy blessings craue for to impart Then guide my hand and teach my soule to tast True faith the fountaine where all blisse is plast SON XIX A Wicked soule sold to all fleshly sin Lord here I prostrate at thy feete do lie To gather crummes of grace soules health to win Which Lord to giue me do thou not denie The precious oyle of penitence will I Powre forth with teares fro out my melting eyes To bath thy feete and after will I drie Them with my haires which balms no treasure bies Though worldly loue when he my fact espies Repine to see my soule so well inclind To my defence ô Lord vouchsafe to rise And fructifie this first frute of my minde Vouchsafe to sup with humble seruant thine And that of seruice better choyse be mine SON XX. A Poore Arabian whom base Agar bare First borne of flesh but last of promist grace Of bastard kind bred vp with mothers care In wildernesse of world for a long space And famishing before my parents face Whose workes vnable were to lend me aide A bond man vnto sin as fleshly race To whom heauens heritage thy lawes denaide Amidst my wandring course by thee am staide And haue a promise not to die but liue Thy couenant Lord abundantly is paide If grace
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
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
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
do creepe Into possession of my powre and will These thoughts and works which motions are to ill And trench themselues in fleshly fortresse deepe Whose base societie will with vices fill The holy brood which grace would spotlesse saue In such a boubt my yong affections waue That they consent I should them foster still But that would spill More vertuous heritage Therefore exilde these be though hell do rage SON LXXII SOmetimes my nature seemeth to repine To see the pleasure and the plenteous store The wicked do enioy for euermore Abounding in their corne their oyle and wine But when I see my weakenesse so encline To the abuse of portion I possesse My heart with ioy full often doth confesse Thy loue doth much in earthly scarstie shine These things are good and bad as thou doest blesse Which I dare not directly craue therefore Such danger followes them euen at the dore That plentie lightly doth the â—oule oppresse And as I guesse Contentednesse doth grow In gratefull mind though state be neare so low SON LXXIII IF he vnworthie be the sweet to tast That shuns the sowre as we in prouerbe say To honor pleasure profit in the way Great perill paine and cost so often plast If as vnworthie health he be disgrast That will refuse a bitter purge to take When he doth know it will his feauer slake So do temptations proue the mind more chast If we with courage do the combat make And to the end immoueable do stay The more that Satan doth his spight display The more the pride and powre of him we shake And he will quake And sin shall haue a fall And faith in Christ shall triumph ouer all SON LXXIIII TO shun the rocks of dangers which appeare Amidst the troubled waues of worldly life Which in each company are alwaies rife Which with soules perill most men buy full deare I feare almost to keep my course so neare The conuersation of such tickle tides And thinke him blest that banished abides In desert where of sin he may not heare But when I note where so a man him hides That still affections breed an inward strife That nature beares about the bloudie knife And to the death the proper soule it guides That fancie slides Away and I prepare In combats of the world to fight my share SON LXXV WEre it not straunge that members of the same One liuiâ—g bodie and one parents childe Should by the other daily be defilde And of vnseemly thing should haue no shame And yet we which of Christ do beare the name And children of his father vs do call At discord with this parent daily fall And Christ our eldest brother do defame It seemeth well we be but bastards all Though stock be true we be but Oliues wilde Who thinks vs better he is but beguilde Our frutes are bitter and increase but small And who so shall Examine well his works Shall see that gall in purest thoughts there lurks SON LXXVI IT is no light or curious conceipt O Lord thou knowst that maketh me to straine My feeble powres which blindfold did remaine Vpon thy seruice now at length to waight But onely shame to see mans nature fraight So full of pregnant speech to litle vse Or rather oftentimes to thy abuse Whilst to deceiue they laie a golden baight And do not rather thinke it fit to chuse By praises thine true praise themselues to gaine And leaue those fond inuentions which do staine Their name and cause them better works refuse Which doth abuse The gifts thou doest bestow And oftentimes thy high contempt do show SON LXXVII FOr common matter common speech may serue But for this theame both wit and words do want For he that heauen and earth and all did plant The frutes of all he iustly doth deserue No maruell then though oft my pen do swarue In middle of the matter I intend Since oft so high my thoughts seeke to ascend As want of wisedome makes my will to starue But thou ô Lord who clouen tongs didst send Vnto thy seruants when their skils were â—cant And such a zeale vnto thy praise that brant As made them fearelesse speake and neuer bend Vnto the end One iot from thy behest Shall guide my stile as fits thy glory best SON LXXVIII HOw happily my riches haue I found Which I no sooner sought but it is wonne Which to attaine my will had scarce begunne But I did finde it readie to abound The silly faith I had was setled sound In Christ although for feare it oft did pant Which I did wish more constantly to plant That it might all temptations so confound With feruency this little sparkle brant Till it inflamde my zeale and so did runne Vnto the fountaine of true light the sunne Whose gracious soyle to feed it was not scant Men finde more want The more they couet still But more man couets this it more doth fill SON LXXXIX WHen desolate I was of worldly ayde Vnable to releeue my selfe at need Thou hadst a care my fainting soule to feed Because my faith vpon thy fauour stayde My dying hope thou hast with mercy payde And as thou didst releeue thy seruant deare Elias whom the Rauens in desert cheare So am I comforted whom sin affrayde The cries of little Rauens thine eare doth heare And slakst their hunger kindly Lord indeed When parents do forsake deformed breed That so thy prouidence might more appeare Which shineth cleare In blessings euery day To me much more then I can duly way SON LXXX AMidst this pilgrimage where wandring I Do trace the steps which flesh and bloud doth tred My comfort is that aye mine eyes are led By gracious obiect which in faith I spy Whose brightnesse guides my steps which else awry Were like to slide through Satans subtil slight Gainst whom his holy Angels alwaies fight And suffer not my strength too farre to try By day his word and works are in my sight Like to a cloud to comfort me in dread By fire through deserts and the sea so red His hand doth gouerne me in dangerous night His fauour bright Conducting this my way An host of stops shall not my iourney stay SON LXXXI I See a storme me thinks approach a farre In darkned skie which threatens woe at hand Vnto my tackle I had need to stand Lest sudden puffs my purposd course debarre These tempting thoughts full oft forerunners are Of fierce affections which do moue the minde VVhich if resistance not in time they finde The strongest tackling they do stretch or marre I closely therefore will my conscience binde And arme my vessell with couragious band Of skilfull saylers which do know the land VVhose harbors for my safetie are most kinde And in my minde Shall faith the Pylot bee VVhose skill shall make me wished port to see SON LXXXII HOw is it that my course so soone would stay Before I haue begun the thing I thought If ease or pleasure I herein had sought I
case But stay a while and let me see the end Which crowneth euery good and perfect deed And you shall find their slipperie way to bend To ruine if in time they take not heed For earthly ease securitie doth breed Securitie the soule doth lightly kill It breeds forgetfulnesse of God and still Doth quench the spright and body pampering feed Who therefore doth delights too much imbrace Among the blest may hap to lose his place SON C. LIke as the sunne whose heat so needfull is Produceth daily different effects According to the nature of obiects Which hardneth that yet molifieth this So doth the Gospell preached euen the same It makes some to repent and melt in teares Some stubborne hearts repine and cauils frame To quarrell at and scorne such needlesse feares The lowly heart in ioy and hope it reares The haughty mind as low assoone deiects In zealous hearts it neighbour-loue reflects Whiles other conscience spight and rankor beares The natiue powre it keepes of perfect blisse And holy heat consuming all amisse EPIL TEmpt me no more to dwell in Cedar tents Pauilions of Princes and of pride My tickle strength is dayly like to slide And makes my bodie do what soule repents My yeares forwarne me to forbeare annoy In liked things which do the senses feed In costly colours gems or games to ioy Or stately troopes or honors fruitlesse seed For passed vanities my heart doth bleed And vowed hath the resting time I bide If God in constancie my heart shall guide Some ryper fruits on former soyle to breed Which graunt me Lord that so thy seruant I May in thy Courts remaine and flesh defye AN INTRODVCTION TO PECVLIAR PRAYERS TO thee ô Lord who only knowst my sin And only able art my state redresse To thee alone my plaints directed bin To thee my guilt alone I do confesse In hope thy gracious aide at need to win Who giuest me grace these prayers to addresse My words can not expresse My inward griefe My deedes declare too well my true disease Yet doubt I not to craue of thee reliefe Because thy Sonne did first thy wrath appease These are my wants and many more then these But of them all vnfaithfulnesse is chiefe Yet as repentant thiefe On crosse found grace Vouchsafe my plaints with mercie to imbrace SON CI. Craues grace to pray O Powrefull God in Christ our father deare Who mad'st and rul'st all things euen by thy will Whose truth and loue the heauens and earth do fill Vouchsafe my will to frame and prayers heare Touch thou my heart my blinded iudgement cleare That sorrow for my sinnes may teares distill Let true repentance kill All carnall lust Let purpose to amend my soule direct To craue thy aide who only canst protect Mans feeble strength from thoughts words deeds vniust Fraile is mans powre and will his substance dust His purest actions hourely it detect Yet do thou not reiect Thy worke in me Who craue a will to pray and faithfull be SON CII Salutation of the Church HAile sacred seat of Gods eternall peace Where all his blessings kept in treasure are Twixt soule and bodie which accords the iarre And causest cumbers of discord to cease From wandring worldly thoughts thou doest release My doubtfull hope which sought for help from farre In Sathans fiercest warre A bulwarke strong In natures hote assault a sure defence An Arke of safety for our feeble sence A watchmans towre to those to thee belong A harmony of heauenly musicks song Kind shepherd to the soule which strayes not thence For still with sweet insence Thy lights do flame And Christ thy Priest Captaine gards the same SON CIII For constancie ALas ô Lord how fraile the flesh I find How readie to reuolt vnto distrust How willing to seeke helpe in flesh vniust Vngratefull fruit of gracelesse humane kind Which harboreth such monsters in the mind As soule and bodie both needs ruine must Like wauering sand or dust With winds which moue From good to ill from ill to worse we fall We haue not sooner grace for helpe to call And budding faith thy mercies for to proue But weary long to seeke our ioyes aboue We quench this spright and haue no helpe at all The perill is not small Lord I am in Inflame the faith and zeale thou didst begin SON CIIII. For faith SInce thus myselfe I find to be vncleane Vnfit to bide before Gods iustice throne Who recompence for sinne accepteth none But to the rigor of desert doth leane To fly to thee my Sauiour Christ I meane Who paydst my debt sufficiently alone I need but make my mone To thee I know For thou art readie to relieue my want Thy fathers loue and thy obedience brant With zeale thy mercies on vs to bestow Whereof since faith the vse to vs must show And as it is more feruent or more scant More powrefull is to dant Deaths bitter sting craunt faith may prayers frame comfort bring SON CV For grace to iudge of good euill AMidst these dangerous dayes wherein I liue Poore silly Orphane distitute of skill By parents fall forlorne by nature ill Craue grace of thee ô Lord and therwith giue Powre to my weaknesse sin away to driue That so I may thee serue and honour still Reforme my feeble will And it incline To haue henceforth a wise and solide tast Of truth and falshod let my choyse be plast On perfect patterne drawne with vertuous line With serpents wisedome let my iudgment shine To shun the snares whereto my lust would hast Vouchsafe my sute be grast With help from thee Thy word the lampe of light vnto me bee SON CVI. For innocencie in euill SInce so simplicitie thy word doth prayse O Lord as that thy Sonne example gaue By all his life and workes that he did craue His seruants wherein to direct their wayes Like to the babe on mothers breast that stayes And sylly Lambes and doues which no guile haue Since he is prest to faue And to imbrace The lame blind naked leaporous reiect Since to yeeld health to all and such protect As simply do with faith approch the place When he in mercies seat doth shew his face And prayers heare and needfull suites effect Lord do me not neglect Poore silly blind Who meritelesse yet mercy hope to find SON CVII Shame of sinne HOw could I Lord but be asham'd indeed To lift my eyes to thee to craue for ayde When I of thought word deed haue sins displayd With multitude of monstrous of springs breed The true portrait of Adams carnall seed Which made him hide himselfe when he it wayd I therefore am affrayd And shun to show Vnto the world the shamefull brood I beare Which thoughts do hatch and vile affections reare Too hatefull for a Christian soule to know And do so hastily to hugenesse grow As vaine it is a figge-tree leafe to weare I know no other where My shame to hide But with thy merits or thy
which did transgresse By parents fall and workes in vs no lesse On whom by iust succession sindoth cease Yet since Christ doth appease The penance due By bearing burden on his backe for me And faith herein sufficeth me to free Which faith must fruitfull be if it be true And workes of grace regenerate insue Which perfect pledge of safetie ought to bee I craue ô Lord of thee From day to day To guide my steps vnto a righteous way SON CXIX Aide in conflict with sin VVEake are my ChaÌ„pions Lord which fight with sin I meane my will and powre which take in hand The furie of their assaults for to withstand And victory of him do hope to win Some signe it is of courage to begin To fight but cowards part to leaue the land I faine would come in band And leige would make With thee my Sauiour ere I be assayld No other comfort euer man auayld But trust in thee when troubles them did take Thou helpst thy flocke thou dost not them forsake If so their faith in thee be nothing quayld No sillable is fayld Of all thy word Thy truth sub dues the force of wrathfull sword SON CXX Comfort in affliction VVHy do we not reioyce whilst Christ we haue Our bridgrome wedded sure to faithfull band His owne free liking made our merit stand And by his word his loue to vs he gaue First pledge wherof was Baptisme which forth draue Our feare and lent a gracious helping hand And that in sacred land We might be free And there possession haue of endlesse rest His Testament he made and with the blest Our heritage by faith he made vs see He signd the writ with his assurance best Of bread and wine which might a Simboll bee His corps nayld on the tree For our discharge From sin hell death which sets our soule at large CONCLVSION THough long my soule thou banished hast bin From place of thy repose by tyrants might By world and worldly cares by flesh wherein Thy wandring thoghts haue dazeld iudgemeÌ„ts sight Learne yet at length to guide thy course aright Vnto that end which must begin thy rest Learne once for shame so constantly to fight Against affections which please fancie best That all vnfruitfull thoughts thou maist detest And hold those common pleasures combers great Whose issue age and time with ruine threat VVhen death vnlookt for seemes a fearefull guest Retire thy selfe as wise Barzilla did From worldly cares thy purer thoughts to rid A TABLE DIRECTING BY PART of the first verse of each to the A Booke Sonet A Base borne 1. 54 According to thy 1. 41 A husband man 1. 53 Although the world 2. 70 Although these 2. 86 Amidst the graues 1. 42 A marchant 1. 21 Among the prease 1. 22 Among thy sheepe 1. 9 Amidst this famine 1. 37 A Moabite 1. 80 Amidst this pilgrimage 2. 80 A poore Arabian 1. 20 A tenant 1. 50 As thou art pure 1. 24 As oft as thou 1. 31 A sinfull Syrian 1. 98 A seruant Lord 1. 73 A seâ—uant sold 1. 75 As through a mist 2. 1 As fareth with 2. 9 As is the treasure 2. 15 As but vaine 2. 66 As doth the starres 2. 53 As doth the Moone 2. 44 A virgin pure 1. 29 Auant base thoughts 2. 37 A wicked Pharisie 1. 16 A wicked theefe 1. 78 A wicked soule 1. 19 B   BEhold ô Lord the city 1. 10 Behold ô Lord a tree 1. 14 Behold amidst worlds 1. 92 Betwixt two strong 2. 17 By many gifts 2. 62 Borne blind I was 1. 38 C   CAll me ô Lord 2. 58 Cleansd are the 2. 2 F   FAine would I fence 1. 32 Faine would follow 2. 52 Faine would I prayse 2. 40 Fiue foolish virgins 1. 17 Fâ—e fainting faith 2. 48 For common matter 2. 77 Fortune and chaunce 2. 100 For out of darknesse 1. 2 From luda wandring 8. 82 From farre I see 2. 18 G   GReat are the 2. 67 Great is thy 2. 65 H   HE is vnworthy 2. 21 How should my 1. 1 How hard it is 1. 48 How oft ô Lord 1. 63 How drunken are 1. 39 How precious 2. 21 How can I limit 2. 26 How may this be 2. 34 How fond a thing 2. 46 How many priuiledges 2. 61 How should the quiet 2. 63 How happily 2. 78 How is it that 2. 82 How loth this 2. 96 How should my 2. 85 How should I 2. 89 How do Gods blessings 2. 91 I   I Follow thee 1. 25 I seeke ô Lord 1. 13 I will not feare 2. 38 I iustly am 1. 52 I see alas 1. 99 I finde my heart 2. 49 I haue bene blind 2. 68 I haue begun 2. 6 I see a storme 2. 81 I shame to see 2. 13 I know not 2. â—2 In humble wise 1. 4 Into thy vineyard 2. 23 In bondage long 1. 79 In famine great 1. 89 In deadly sleepe 1. 43 In pride of youth 1. 6 If thou vouchsafest 1. 45 If he to whom 2. 11 If Saba Queene 2. 45 If beautie be 2. 33 If Paradise 2. 59 If he vnworthie be 2. 73 If I did hope 2. 93 If I can speake 2. 99 It is not Lord 1. Pref. It were vnfit 2. 71 It is no light 2. 76 L   LAme of my limbs 1. 7 Let earthly things 2. 47 Like pined child 1. 27 Like silly babes 2. 55 Lo how I groueling 1. 81 Loue then I will 2. 39 M   MY body Lord the house 1. 36 My body Lord infect 1. 60 My soule like 1. 76 My sinnes behold 1. 33 My wicked flesh 1. 44 Mourne thou no more 1. 101 My traiterous heart 1. 49 N   NO recompence 2. 20 No sooner loue 2. 50 Not that my faith 1. 84 Not euery one 2. 88 Now that thou hast 1. 12 Now that I see 1. 61 Now that it pleaseth 1. 69 Now that I haue 2. 12 Now will I daunce 2. 19 Now that thy mercies 2. 27 O   O Heauenly beautie 2. 32 O heauenly loue 2. 35 O perfect sonne 2. 41 Of sinfull race 1. 30 Of euery creature 1. 47 Of parents first 1. 26 Of sweet and sauorie 1. 90 Out of the fountaine 1. 18 Out of thy 1. 92 P   POlluted with 1. 28 S   SInce it hath 1. 46 Since with Goliath 1. 11 Since thou hast raisd 1. 65 Since thou by grace 1. 100 Since that it pleaseth 1. 88 Since to so holy 2. 3 Since thou ô Lord 2. 10 Since hou hast 2. 25 So blind ô Lord. 1. 77 So foolish Lord 1. 97 Some men do mourne 2. Pref. Sometimes my nature 2. 72 T   THe temple Lord 1. 67 The selly babes 1. 57 The greedinesse 1. 34 The many trials 1. 85 The dreame which thou 1. 93 The seede which thou 1. 94 The malice of 1. 96 The talents which 1. 87 The onely daughter 1. 56 The more I seeke 2.