â—…nd seekest other waies these things for to obtaine 〈◊〉 fond and frantike is thy wit so feeble is thy braine Which way thou car'st not how rather than come to me Being the well and fountaine spring of all good things that be I also readie am on thee for to bestow Each good that is if thou but aske I must my kindnesse show Such is my loue to thee not changeable but sure I loued thee before thou wast which loue shall stil endure When thou a sinner wert and wickednesse didst vse To giue my bloud and life for thee the same did not refuse Thou art now iustifide by shedding of my bloud And reconciled by my death wherein thou art made good For I that knew not sin was yet made sinne for thee That thou mightst be the righteousneâ—… of th'onlie God in mee And I doe thee assure it did me greatlie please To beare thy sin and wickednes thy weakenes and disease â—…ou but trust in me â—…d stedfastlie beleeue â—…re shal no torment paine or smart â—…r any sinne thee greeue 〈◊〉 through my special grace â—…nd mercies great in store â—…omise thee I will henceforth â—…inke on thy sinne no more 〈◊〉 in the deepe alow â—…nd bottome of the Sea â—…ue all thine iniquities â—…or euer throwne awaie â—…y doost thou toile and moile â—…nd after shadowes run â—…d shun'st the waie that leads to me â—…hich am Gods onlie sonne 〈◊〉 the giuer sure â—…f true felicitie â—…d yet for it be very few â—…hat seeketh vnto me â—…utie allureth much â—…nd rauisheth the mind â—…d drawes vnto it flockes of men that louing seeme and kind â—…dlo behold and view nothing more faire to see â—…an I and yet not one there is will be in loue with me In honourable stiles doe many take delight And of ancient nobilitie doe claime descents by right And yet nothing there is of ancient high degree In title stile or chiefe descent that goeth before me For while I am the sonne of God most glorious And mother mine a virgine was and my name is Iesus Which name was giuen to me not vnaduisedly Nor at aduenture and by chance as names are commonly Nor was it giuen by man but by an angel sent To tell of my Natiuitie the purpose and intent And vnder heauen there is none other name but this Giuen vnto men their soules to saue from all their trespasses How hapneth it therefore that scarsely on the ground Can any one that willing is to ioyne with me be found â—…his societie â—…hich I so much desire 〈◊〉 not for me but for your good â—…hat I the same require 〈◊〉 the Monarch cheese of heauen of earth all â—…y then are you so loth and shamde to come when I you call â—…m most rich indeed and ready for to giue â—…th great and many benefites to all in saith that liue â—…reatly doe desire and very faine would haue â—…titions made that I might giue to such as on me craue â—…t now alas behold not one that vnderstands â—…ow for to aske nor come to me to craue ought at my hands â—…m the wisedome cal'd of God my father deare â—…nd so I am in very deed and yet for loue ne feare â—…ill any mortall wight vouchsafe to seeke me out â—…o aske me counsell of that thing whereof he is in doubt I am the brightnesse great of fathers glorie mine And of his heauenlie maiesty the image most diuine And yet no man thereby of what estate or gree The more to honour mooued is nor yet to reuerence me I am a pleasant friend a trustie friend also To him that willing is to be my friend and with me go I doe bestow my wealth my riches and my store On them I loue with willing mind what can be asked more And yet none goes about to enter in with me To this sweet amiable league of friendships high degree I am the only waie that vnto heauen doth lead And yet but very few there be that vse my pathes to tread Why doe the ignorant bâ—…tred people blind Not trust in me seeing I am the only truth to find 〈◊〉 then doost thou refuse â—…y promise to beleeue â—…e is so saithfull as I am â—…d none may more thee greeue 〈◊〉 sithe I am of life â—…e author and of breath â—…t meane you then by leauing me 〈◊〉 follow after death 〈◊〉 your only light 〈◊〉 darkenesse is in me 〈◊〉 yet will wilfull foolish men 〈◊〉 darkenesse rather be 〈◊〉 the perfect rule 〈◊〉 liuing righteouslie 〈◊〉 then doost thou seek other formes 〈◊〉 square thy life thereby â—…ely am alone â—…e pleasure sweet and true â—…hout all gall or bitternesse â—…iected yet of you 〈◊〉 the peace of mind â—…nd comforter likewise â—…ll afflicted consciences â—…hen stormie troubles rise â—…y then doe not these men â—…hat vexed be in mind â—…e vnto me for their releefe â—…hich they are sure to find If Lyons wilde and dumbe themselues can thankefull show To such as any benefite vpon them did bestow Or if the Dragons fierce haue gratefull learn'd to bee Or mastife curs their masters know and fawne when they him see If Eagles loue returne to such as keepe them well And Dolphins likewise kindnesse 〈◊〉 as you your selues can tell If other beastes likewise depri'ud of reasons sence Can to their benefactors vse both loue and reuerence Why wilt thou then ô Man thy selfe set forth to be More brutish than the sauage beastâ—… denying loue to me Seeing that to thy vse and onely for thy sake All things that be yea thou thy selfe of nothing did I make And with my precious bloud redeemed thee haue I From sin from death from hell pâ—… and that most willingly And if the oxe doth know his owner that him sed The asse likewise his maisters crib that standeth him in stead Why doost not thou vnkind and churlish man to mee Acknowledge me to be the same that hath redeemed thee am alone to thee all things that thou would haue And I alone will furnish thee with all things thou canst craue Why runnest thou about gadding from place to place To seeke elsewhere thy benesit distrusting of my grace Why busiest thou thy selfe in many needlesse waies And dost frequent the companie of skornefull wicked straies As I am mercifull so easie to intreat Thou wretched man seeke vnto me despaire not though I threat Yea sith I am the iust reuenger of thy sin Why therefore art thou not afraid me to offend therein I can euen with a becke cast downe thy soule to hell And yet my iudgements searest not nor all the thrents I tell Wherefore thou foolish man if thou so wilfull be Headlong to run vnto thy death by thy forsaking me Blame but thy selse therefore and blame not me at all For thou thy selfe the author art of thy decaie and fall For what can I doe more seeing th' excessiue loue That I thee bare with tender care can no whit thee remoue O flintie harted man with rockie stonie brest Which
cannot be with loue reclaim'd nor mercies mine exprest Nor will perswaded be with such an hope assur'd Of heauenly ioyes and riches great ready for thee procur'd Nor can awaked be with promises diuine Not any whit be terrifide with seuere sentence mine Nor be admonished with any shame of sin But rather so egregiouslie perseuer stiii therein That thou doost sar surmount the sauage beasts in kind And doost possesse an yron hart more hard than steele to find What can pittie preuaile alas in such a place In such a peruerse froward hart becankred void of grace To saue one gainst his will and rid him from distresse Doth neither stand with wisdoms law nor yet with righteousnesse The complaint of Old-Age IN search of secret such as is beneath the sunne find Each thing by kind his course doth by natures skill to run We see the stricken deere hath caught a bleeding wound And yet by eating of an herbe becommeth whole and sound The hound a hurt receiues that greeueth him with paine By onely licking with his toong himselfe doth heale againe And if he sicklie be with inward greefe or sore He eateth grasse himselfe to purge which doth his health restore The merlings and wood doues the Partridges and Iayes Do purge their superfluitie with onely hearbe of Bayes The Pigeon and the Hen the Turtle Doue also Themselues doth cure with pellitor that on the wall doth grow The wild and sauage Bore by eating Cedria Do helpe themselues and so doe beares with hearbe Mandragora The lothsome Snake with age both feeble is blind Who slowlie slides from place to place some narrow straight to find Through which he straines himselfe thereby his skin to cast And so new health with strength sight he purchaseth at last The Lizard in his age doth change and cast his skin And sits ope eyed against the East the sun may enter in The heat whereof doth dry the humour of his eyes By which his sight againe he takes in corner where he lies The Eagle being weake much greeuous mone doth make Bicause his bill is growne so long he can no sust'nance take Yet nature hath him taught some rocke or stone to find Against the which his bill beats off and so gets health by kind When as the Pellican behols hir birds late slaine 〈◊〉 poison that the Serpent shed tormented is with paine â—…nd then doth with hir bill hir tender breast berent â—…nd so hir birds reuine againe by bloud vpon them sprent â—…he Lapwing being old to see nor flie she may â—…ntill hir birds such feathers plucke as causeth hir decaie â—…nd then with iuice of hearbs hir eies doe rid from paine â—…nd hide hir vnderneath their winges till she be whole againe â—…he Swallow in like sort perceiues hir yonglings eies â—…o be depriued of their sight foorth from the neast she flies â—…nd findeth out an hearbe that Celedoni hight â—…nd doth returne and with the same restores to them their sight â—…hus doe we see and know that nature beareth swaie 〈◊〉 creatures such as reason wants to helpe them what she may BVt now to you my friends that Physicke doe professe Which by your skill and learning greâ—… doe many greefes redresse And with the same we know you often bring to passe Sweet health againe for to restore where dangerous sicknesse was Ofhealth to write the praise I wish he could that can Health is one of the goodlyest giftes that God hath lent to man Health listeth vp the mind and makes the body light Health doth bedew the face with blouâ—… that fresh is to the sight Health makes the sinewes strong more trauell to endure And health vnto the man that 's wise great comfort doth procure What profit health doth bring to those that students be No toong can tel but such as sucke the Nectar from the tree By health the husbandman both tils and sowes the land Without the which no prince may say he able is to stand And euery man besides that liues in common wealth As some by skil and some by strength through power of noble health The same likewise supports in order as they ought And but for health all gouernments to ruine come and naught If health be done away then life is worse than death For death makes end of sorrowes all by stopping of the breath Of earthly treasures all health is to be preferd Before all thinges that eie hath seene or eare hath euer heard A Question would I aske thereby not to offend What is the cause that physicks art cannot old age defend By cunning and by skill great cures ye doo each day But age will not remoued be nor yet kept at a stay No physicks art ne drug nor potion can ye make Can force old age for to exchange the place that he doth take Age stealeth on vs so yer ye can doo vs good That suddenly it quailes the strength and dooth forestall the blood Whereby the humour fresh is brought vnto decay And gallant vigor of the mind is forst to flie awaie And looke what lustie age in yoonger yeares brought forth The same old age hath cleane defac't and made it nothing worth A thousand maladies vpon old age depend Which peecemeale wise away do pluckâ—… what fragrant youth did send Beautie is worne awaie fresh bloud is turn'd to blacke Wit is made dull the memorie lost and liuelinesse dooth lacke Age makes our sleepes vnsure our eiesight for to faile Our courage and actiuitie our strength and all to quaile The vitall heat is cold delights are driuen to shore Nourishing iuice and breathing sweet are gone for euermore All merriments and sports conceits else what ye will â—…nd to be short man from himselfe age takes and wasteth still â—…ge leaueth vnto man only of man the name â—…r what man was in times forepast now nothing like the same â—…en tell me this I pray whether it may be cald â—…ld age or rather liuing death that thus mans life hath thrald O Who is he can tell the thing that dealeth thus â—…at with such posting speed can steale our chiefest time from vs â—…d that so hastilie can taint our golden yeares â—…ith groning greefes and great annoy prouoking bitter teares â—…hat dealing may this be it is vnegall sure â—…at flouring age so so one should end no longer to endure â—…d that before we know the goodnes of the thing â—…ey ready are vs to forsake by flight of speedy wing And sooner than we knew or felt the life we craue We are forbidden by and by a longer life to haue Yet beasts of sundry kindes and fowles aloft that flie Aboue two hundred yeares doe liue before that they doo die The stag the bucke the Rauen the Elephant also So long doe liue in lustie plight and healthfullie doe shew But man alas poore man before that he may clime To fifty yeares his bodily strength doth very much decline And if that he may reach to threescore yeares or more His waining wit and
and guilt life God knowes is short â—…certaine of the same â—…inke on time so vainlie spent â—…ight make vs blush with shame 〈◊〉 sleepe let vs awake â—…d rise from sin at last 〈◊〉 time it is for to repent â—…r former follies past youth hath taken horsse â—…d posteth day by daie â—…ite and summon pale face death â—…th speed to come away â—…th is the true refuge â—…e onely perfect health dooth deserue to be embrast â—…fore all worldlie wealth â—…th is the thing most deare â—…e best thing to be had a thing that God hath giuen â—…herewith to make vs glad â—…an with his estate â—…ntented is we see 〈◊〉 those that lie asleepe in graue â—…ey well contented be graue is a strong fort â—…herein our selues we shut 〈◊〉 the assaults of yrkesome life â—…d broiles of Fortunes cut The dead we know doo rest as in a hauen of ease Where those that liue doe saile inâ—… of rough and raging seas Death is vnto the euill a whip of smarting paine And to the good a sweet reward of euerlasting gaine THe common custome is to flatter them that liue And of the dead reprochfull words and ill reports to giue But sure the fault is great to speake ill of the dead Who harme them not but quietlie doe rest within their bed As no man is so good but better might haue beene So no man liues that is so bad but worsser name might win For as there is some cause a man for to dispraise So in the same some vertue dwels that his renowme might raise And therefore of the dead I wish to speake the best And praise the vertues which they 〈◊〉 and let their vices rest â—…s our course direct â—…ile perfect mind we haue set our compasse toward Christ â—…o onely must vs saue â—…im from henceforth now â—…r onely studie be pleasant muse our cheese delight â—…r ioy and libertie â—…s not care at all â—…r worldlie matters vaine for the bodie so the soule â—…th Iesus Christ remaine â—…e soule and bodie both â—…ll at the iudgement daie â—…ed be and sentence heare â—…ich Christ himselfe shall say â—…h grant ô father deare 〈◊〉 Christ his sake thy sonne â—…e vnto our endlesse ioy life that is to come Amen FINIS The spiriâ—… God moâ—… on the waâ—… God saâ—â—â— the light 〈◊〉 goâ—… did câ—… the light daâ—… and the dâ—… night The light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beforâ—… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moone waâ—… created The water in the clouds 〈◊〉 be waters of the sea riuers 〈◊〉 That is the region of the â—…yre and all â—…hat is about us 〈◊〉 God calleth â—…he dry land â—…he earth â—…he gathering â—…ogether of â—…aters called 〈◊〉 the seaâ—… The earth 〈◊〉 bâ—…d 〈◊〉 of God â—â—ght â—…orth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…nd hearb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forth â—…heir fruite 〈◊〉 in their â—…nd before 〈◊〉 moâ—…n 〈◊〉 starres 〈◊〉 created These lighâ—… were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both fisâ—… and foule 〈◊〉 beginâ—… wherin 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…fly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…hat is God â—…ue them po â—…er to increse â—…n 8 12. The creâ—…tioÌ„ Adam in field of â—…asco 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same he was â—…ught into â—…se sinned and the sam day after mid-day he was thrust outâ—… Method usb The propagation of maâ—… is the blessing of God Gen. 8. 20. 9. Gods great liberalitie to man taketh aâ—… waie al excuses of mans ingratitude That is the 〈◊〉 the moon â—…he stars â—…nets The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goâ—… est shew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tra 〈◊〉 the sin Adâ—… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…as the fulfil 〈◊〉 and perâ—…tion of all 〈◊〉 worâ—…â—…if God had 〈◊〉 ended his work in mercy the 7. day abated hâ—… hard iudgement against mankind for Adams sin his work haâ—… not bin complet ne perâ—… insomuch as the principâ—… creature for whoÌ„ he madâ—… all things wâ—… lost for wheâ—… the final caâ—… of any thinâ—… faileth the worke is not complete 〈◊〉 perfâ—…t