againe the Lord of life As irne in fire cast takes fires nature And yet remaineth irne though fram'd what than So he who in Gods love doth burne that creature Partakes his holynesse abiding man For love seals up Gods counsels ends the law From which we sinners cords of mercy draw Love is the roote of vertue and the childe Of grace Truths mistresse and religions glasse The soule of goodnesse in perfection milde The crowne of Saints that conquer Paradise The joy of Angels O! what springs of love Flow from the Lamb for us and our behove Ingratefull Man contemner of thy good Can thou not back-bestow thy debt-bund love To him for thee did shed his precious blood And though rebuk'd yet would he not reprove Why did he fast weep watch and labour take In basenesse and contempt but for thy sake Then be not like that plant Ephemeron Which springs and growes and fades all in one day But plead remorse beg for contrition Mourne for thy sinnes make haste prevent delay In this my self shall to my self returne He best can weep that knowes the way to mourne I rather seem'd than been religious set Having Jacobs voice and Esau's rough hands I make profession practise I forget My better zeale hypocrisie commands I Serpent like do change my skinne but not Disgorge the poison lurkes within the throate Vice I have us'd under a vertuous seeming And like the sea though rivers in it fall Yet not the sweeter or like Pharaohs dreaming The leane kine yet were leane when eaten all Stay then dry soule where are thy Teares what springs Should thy pale eyne cast out when sorrow sings I meane not childrens teares when whipt for aw Nor mundane teares for losse of trash or geare Nor spightfull teares which would revenge downe draw Nor teares of grief for them concerne us neare Nor teares for death nor teares for what disasters Nor teares for friends nor wives teares for men wasters Nor drunken teares spent after sugred wine Which women waste to colour imperfection Nor Dalilahs fained teares to undermine The strong mans strength by way of fals detection Nor Sinons teares the Trojane state betrayde With the wooden horse Ulysses wit bewrayde Nor faigned teares the Crocodilean sexe Do spend I meane their husbands to deceave Nor these Courtegian teares that love to vexe Their sottish Palliards and their meanes bereave Nor teares of pitty mercy beg from men That 's not the drift of my obsequious pen Looke to thy lapses and quotidian falling Then try thy conscience if remorse creeps in Which if it doe thou art brought to this calling Of godly weeping for the guilt of sinne These tears are blest and such mine eyes would borrow But not these tears which melt for worldly sorrow Lord strengthen me with knowledge of thy word Square thou my judgement I may walk upright An intellective Heart my soule aford Endue my sprite with supernatrall light Faine would I slaughter sinne that would me slay And learne thy truth Lord teach me thy right way Confound in me this all-predominant sinne Which overrules my reason sense and will One head-strong vice that lurkes and lyth within The inmost center of mine utmost ill Lord curbe its force and purifie my soule From such uncleannesse for its wondrous foule Grant grant remorse let godly sorrow show My full-swolne sight my brinish tears my sadnesse Come sowre repentance let sweet contrition know The mourning woes of my rejoycing gladnesse What though that grief at morne worke me annoy Yet long ere night thou'le turne my grief in joy The best man lives hath one predominant ill Oppos'd to the best good he can effect The worst man breaths though curs'd pervers'd of will Hath some predominant good he doth affect Even either answering contrare to their kinde Seeme to resemble what they never finde Lord what am I whose best is even accurst Who with thy Convert is of sinners chief A sharde unsav'rie of thy works the worst Unlesse thy grace renew me with reliefe Lord will my well prepare my heart give eare If faith can call O! thou canst quickly heare The poore which almes seeks he gets not aide For any need the giver hath of him But even because he hath of us great need So we by faith on Christian steps must clim For God of his great love he freely gives us And without need of man he still relieves us A Cynick came and ask'd the Syrian king Antigonus a dram of silver coyne But he reply'd it was too base a thing For kings to give or lend so small aloane Said Cynick then I would a talent crave But that 's too much for thee said he to have Thus two extreams were both extreamly met But it s not so with God and sinfull men The more we seeke the more we 're sure to get God of his bounty is so good that when We mercy crave he grants it gives us grace Our wills and wayes may in his precepts trace Lift up my falling minde Lord knit my heart With cords of love and chaines of grace to thee As Jonathans three arrows did impart To Davids woes true signes of amitie So rouze my sprite let grace and goodnesse spell Mine Annagram I LOVE ALMIGHTY WEL O! if I could byte off the head of sinne As the shee Viper doth the male confound But not like her whose brood conceiv'd within Cut forth her wombe leave her dead on the ground Lord grant I sinne may slay ere sinne slay me The wounds are deep my health consists in Thee Lord when I ponder on this worldly pride Vaine glory riches honour noble birth Great lands and rents faire palaces beside Pastimes and pleasures fit-thought things on earth Without thy love and in regard of thee They 're nought but shaddows of meere vanitie All under sunne are Emblems of deceit Link'd snares to trap blind man in ev'ry vice They 're feather'd baits prest grines that lye in wait To catch the buyer unvaluing their pryce Then carelesse soule take heed prevent this danger Lay hold on Christ and be no more a stranger Gods will allots that my past curious sights In painfull prime all where the world abroad Should be repaid with as darke cloudie nights Of sorrows sad for now I finde the rod Sicknesse and crosses compasse me about Whence none but Christ can help or rid me out Listen to me as to thy Lazar poore That 's overstamp'd with seals of scabs and sores Both vile and wretch'd lyth at thy mercies doore Begging for crummes of pitie and implores That thou wouldst open with Lydia my heart And make me Sauls dear second thy Convert Thy lengthning hand is now no more cut short Than in old times of wonder-working dayes But thou canst turne and safely bring to Port The wilsome Wandrer from his sinfull wayes O then great Sheepherd pitie a lost sheep And bring me home safe in thy fold me keep Thou art the vine I am the
twisted branch Which on thy roote my hopes must humbly twine For in thy sap my sin-galld wounds I 'le quench No balme of Gilead to that Balme of thine O! better things than Abels blood it speaks It saves the world and Mans salvation seeks How sacred were these teares fell from thine eyes When for Jerusalem thou wept so sore Mercy did plead deploring their disease For pitties sake thou didst their well implore A kindnesse passing love when for thy foes Thou wept and cryde for prophecying their woes That spikenard oyle which on thy feet was spred Doth represent to me that bloody balme Which on the crosse from thy left side was shed To slay the power of sinne make Satan calme O! let that oyle by grace sinke in my soule To heale my sores and cleanse mine errours soule Breake downe the rock of my hard flinty heart Let moisture thence ascend to my two springs The head contains these Rills let them impart Signes of contrition godly sorrow brings O! happy stoods of ever-springing joyes That in the midst of weeping can rejoyce When pale remorse strikes on my conscience sad Mov'd with the lapse of my relapsing sinne Faith flees above and bids my soule be glad Where mercy enters judgement comes not in One sigh in need flowne from a mourning spirit Thou'le not reject being cast on Jesus merit Come gracious God infuse in me full grace Wrought by thy Sprite my souls eternall good Let mercy plead 'gainst justice Lord give place The way is thine my right rests in Christs blood Come pardon my misdeeds release my smart Then quicken me with a relenting heart Whilst I conceive mans frailnesse weake by nature How wretch'd he is how prone to fall or sinke Of all thy works the most rebellious creature Clog'd with ingratenesse ever bent to shrinke What thing is man think I thou shouldst regard him And with a crowne of glory to reward him Thus pausing too on long eternall rest That boundlesse time which no time can containe How rich thinke I these soules be and how blest In time strive here that endlesse time to gaine Strivethen poore soule to claime and climbe this Fort For faith and violence must force Heavens Port. O Lord how wondrous is thy powerfull love Whose mercies farre above thy works excell Who can thy secret Cabine reach above Or sound these deeps wherein thy counsels dwell When thou for man turnd man and suffer'd death To free slaine man from thy fierce judgements wrath Thy wayes are all inscrutable to Man For who can dyve in thy profounding love Whose kindnesse is unspeakable and whan We would most comprehend we least approve Thy wayes thy works so farre excell us men The more we strive to know the lesse we ken To look on Heavens rich star-imbroidred coat That Cannopy of silver-spangled skie The glorious firmament clear without spot The Sphearick Planets as their orders lye The worlds two lamps erect'd with mareveilous light And Elements which blinde our dazeling sight Darknesse and light all quarters and their Climes The rolling Axletree supporting All The Airts and seasons in their severall times This ovall Orbe fenc'd with a glassie wall These revolutions from proud Planets fall Portending Comets Mans prodigious thrall The rolling seas against the stars that swell Their reeling tides their turnes and quiet rest These Creatures and hudge Monsters therein dwell Nought here on earth but that shape there 's exprest Their exhalations earths concavities And shoare-set bound all wonders to our eyes These phisnomies of men their variant faces Show the Creators wisedome in creation Not one like other in forme nor in graces Manners condition qualitie nor station O strange Mans frame should thus all times be showne By gifts and Vults divers'd yet clearly knowne These birds aetheriall glyding fowles that flee To court the clouds alwhere the aire about Which nest the Rocks steep walls and springing tree Whose names and kindes none yet could all finde out Each keep their office set by natures stamp And live and die within thy boundlesse Camp That influence which man beast hearbs and trees Draw from the silver Phebe of the night The signes coelestiall aspectives to disease The Starres so different in their glorious light Time that was creat first and last shall be And ev'ry creature in their own degree How marveilous great art thou almighty God! Who by thy word wrought all and it was done Thou spreadst thy works the Heavens and earth abroad No part left vaste that can creation shunne O! what is foolish man the childe of lust That should not in this great JEHOVAH trust Dull are my senses any way to think My blind capacitie can well conceave The supreame providence by natures wink And bound his boundlesse pow'r unlesse I rave Like who can once exhaust the Occean dry No more can I in his great grandure pry A king command'd a Philosophick man To shew him what was God and what his might He strove and faild and said He could not scan That greatnesse which excelld best Natures light The Pagan king admird and yet this wretch Confess'd there was a God in power rich To show us there 's Deitie all things ascend And mount aloft as vapour smoake and fire The trees grow upward waves when tost transcend All birds and fowles aetherially aspire So words and voices still their ecchoes raise And man whose face is made on heaven to gaze There 's nought but worms and beasts which sight the ground But all denote their great eternall Maker Yet man wretch'd man is earth ty'd and fast bound To things below whereof he 's still partaker Nay worse then beasts he 's choak'd with worldly cares And kills his heart with greed his soule with snares What are the humours of our foggy braines But stupid thoughts conceiv'd of doubts and feare Best pregnant wits suspition quells their straines The wise the worldlings have their Emblemes here A shadow without substance I finde man Nay worse than Baalams Asse the truth to scan He sinne reprov'd yet never sinn'd himselfe But wofull man can both rebuke and sinne That which his words most hate becomes the shelf Whereon his inward lusts fall deepest in Mans lips are snares his lips both false and double His tongue a sting begets both shame and trouble O heavie lump the carcasse of disease O Masse of ill the Chaos of corruption O Microcosmos of infirmities O rotten slyme the pudle of inruption I mean mans stinking flesh who can expresse The worst its best is but base filthynesse A plunge of carion clay a prey for wormes A faggot without mercy for Hells fire A gulf where beats sterne deadly boystrous stormes A whirlewinde for Airts of each attire Wherein combustion sprung from contrare wills Makes thoughts arise like waves surpassing hills And what 's our beauty but a flash-showne show For when at best its filthy vile and base The nose the mouth our
a strong excuse He knowes I know enough that can misknow The thing he knowes it s well in knowing so Well said Alphonso knowledge to expone That all what we could learne by sight or show By airts by science by books to study on Was the least part of that we did not know All what we know we know but in a part And that failes oft corruption rules the heart What thou canst know another doth know more And what he knowes is but a glimpsing glance Who perfect is nay none who can deplore His weaknesse ruld by counsell not by chance Mans knowledge like the shade is swallowed soone That hangs between its substance and the Moone He knowes the ill and in that knowledge rude And cleaves to vice as wooll and briers are knit Resolv'd to erre misknowing what is good Rejects his soule then in a frantick fit Neglecting God neglects his owne salvation And quaffing excesse drinks his owne damnation How Lord these faults behelpd teach me to mourne That being humbled I may call for grace Let men presumptuous gainst thy judgements spurne And in the pudle of their labours trace Save thou my soule for now my quivering heart 'Twixt feare and hope stands trembling at sinnes smart A second Jonah from thy voice I flee And with shrunke Peter I thy name deny I Ahab-like keep spoiles of sinne for me And harbour lust in Lots ebrietie These lookes that fell from Sion on a Pond Were not so foule as mine nor halfe so fond Unworthy I to lift mine eyes above Or that the earth should beare me undevour'd Nay nor my friends on me to cast their love Nor saints pray for me hath the truth deflourd Yet what God will it needs must come to passe He looks on what I am not what I was Let grace take roome that mercy soone may follow Renew my sprite O cleanse my heart from ill Thy blood can purge me though my guilt be hollow Faith and repentance have a piercing will Infuse thy power Lord strengthen me to turne Once to rejoyce and never more to mourne As Daniel with thy servants three forsooke To feed on Babels delicates and wine But water and poore pulse they gladly tooke And yet their faces did for beauty shine Lord grant with them all worldly snares I may Forsake and learne to trace thy law thy way That kingly beast or beastly king expos'd Seven yeares to fields nev'r faild so much as I Nor these five kings by Joshua enclos'd Brought forth and foot-neckd shamefully did die Nev'r vex'd him more for they their lands defended Than I am griev'd for having God offended That Goshan flight to a desartuous soile Through uncouth way deep seas laid up in heaps Nev'r reft from Egypt such a swallowed spoile With greater right for now my soule it weeps Then Gods just judgements might on me befall Unlesse his mercy soone prevent my fall These wandrings long which Israel did recoyle Tost to and fro in vast Arabian bounds Full fourty yeares they spent for twelve dayes toyle Starv'd slaine and quell'd still galld by savage wounds This crosse they bore for grieving God so oft But ah my sinnes for plagues do cry aloft Now having seene rude Lybians nak'd and bare Sterne barbrous Arabs savage Sabuncks od Sword-sweying Turkes and faithlesse Jews alwhere Base ruvid Berdoans godlesse of a God Yet when from me on them I cast mine eye My life I finde farre worse then theirs can be The rustick Moorish sterne promiscuous sexe Nor Garolines idolatrizing shame The Turcomans that even the Divell doe vexe In offring up their first-borne to his name Nor Jamnites with their foolish Garlick god Are worse then I nor more deserve thy rod Yet Lord with Thee there 's mercy and its true Thou art not wonne with multitude of words Its force of tears from us thy pitie sue Which thou regards and pardon us afords For words are formed by the tongue but tears Speak from the heart which thou most kindlie heares Use then few words O silly soule but weepe This is the heavenly language and strong voice That calls to God for he our teares shall keep Fast bottled in his pittie Makes the choise Of teares few words let sighs and sobs display Thine inward grief then tears beginne to pray Lord thou wouldst not to Herod speak nor yet Would answer Pilat urgd by humane power But soone thou spoke when weeping women set Their eyes on Thee and streames of teares did powre These Judges sought advantage for thy dittie But Sions daughters weept for Thee in pittie These great mens words did reach but to thine eares But their warme drops did pierce Thee to thine heart Lord thou takes care on them and on their teares Who mourne for others when the righteous smart But farre more pittie on the sinfull soule That mournes for sinne and wailes her errours foule Oh! that my head were waters and mine eyes A source of teares to weep both day and night The peoples sinnes with theirs mine owne disease Which greater growes than I to beare have might Such flouds of teares would then my grief disclose In airie vapours flanck'd with watrie woes This world 's a valley of perpetuall teares And what 's the Scripture but a springing well Of gushing teares flow'd from remorse and feareâ— For godly sorrow must with Mourners dwell And who can mourne unlesse that grace begin To worke repentance this grief expiats sin All night could David wet with tears his couch And Prophets for the faults of Israel mourne But ah good God when shall mine eyes avouch Such happy teares that may with Thee sojourne If not thy judgements yet thy gracious love Might melt mine eyes and Ponds of sorrow move Thou saidst I will compassion have on all That pleaseth me compassion for to show Be pleas'd thy love may me redeeme from thrall Free will to pardon thine the debt I owe How soone soev'ra sinner should repent him Thou swore in truth thou wouldst no longer shent him Lord grant my minde may second these my words And not invent more then I practice can If I deficient prove good will afords My sacrifice obedience is the man Did not Abraham this point paternize Whose purpose was held for a sacrifice David resolv'd on Sions lower flat To build a Temple for the living Lord A daughter cloure joynd with Jehosophat Benorthd with Moriahs squink devalling bord The Lord accept'd the minde his thought was to it And said Thy sonne but not thy selfe shall do it The widows myte was thankfully receiv'd Good wills a sacrifice this seldome failes The will although the purpose be deceiv'd Is not to blame the good intent prevailes The Lord accepts even of the least desire We have to serve him though we faint or tire When Jacob had twice ten yeares Laban serv'd Yet Laban would have sent him empty gone But he who serves the Lord though he hath swerv'd Shall not misse
turne a stumbling block We were but twelve and one hath him betraide And I as worst have sworne I knew him not Mov'd by the voice of a weake womans throat O! that a Drudge should thus prevaile 'gainst me Who serves for wage to him the Altar serv'd A slendrer weed could no poore Hireling be And yet o're me shee triumphs I have swerv'd This was Gods will and now it s come to passe To show my weaknesse with a weaker lasse It s strange two Drudges made me falter thrice With quivring oathes and shivring words deny The Lord of life How could such hounds surprise My sted fast love and not with him to die No Judge controll'd me yet two slavish snakes Fill'd me with feare with it my Lord forsakes How fraile was I and fragile to succumbe Mine hopes unto such Wranglers void of grace I might have silence kept and so sit dumbe Till Cajaphas had tryde me having place But I a Weakling to a stragling sound Forsooke my vow and did my selfe confound A silly fisher wretch no lesse he thought Was I when God from slaverie did me call And now to shrunke infirmitie am brought Worse then Judaick law from Christ to fall Who me select'd to leave my nets and when He said Thou shal'st a fisher be of men How shall I answer make what shall I doe His sighs thus sobd for groanes and melting eyes Were all his words Or what 's my kindred too So base neare Sydon borne that my degrees By birth were nought but fisher men and fooles The scumme of Nature liv'd by warbling tooles Was I a chosen Vessell thus to shrinke When erst in Gethsemane my sword I drew And now beginnes to flatter lye and winke Yea failes and falls with words and oathes untrue I might have with my fellow flyers fled But I would follow and forsake my Head Love bade me venter feare bade me stay back Faith forcelesse fled a farre I followed on him Poore fainting I though forward now falls slack I went to see what doome they gave upon him Where courting Cajaphs fire O snaring sinne Warming without too cold I grew within I might have fled to hide me in some cave But curious I would swallow shame and feare Could I sustaine his crosse his death and grave To suffer that which nature could not beare All helpfull he would he crave help unto it Nay fond was I to thinke that man could do it Alone would he O! all sufficient he Straight undergoe his fathers hote displeasure Both God and Man our Lord behovd to be So weighty was that wrath laid up in treasure For sinfull man but he all-conquering he Triumph'd o're Hell got us the victorie My Lord but spoke Whom seek yee O strong power And backwards fell the Sergeants on the ground He knew confess'd it was their time his houre For so his love to mankinde did abound That as by Man all flesh accursd should dye Even so by Man all should redeemed bee Was I not witnes to his word and deed His miracles and mercies workes of loue The Dumbe did speake the Deaf did heare the dead Hee raysd to lyfe the Criples straight did moue The Palseyes Paraliticks withred hands Hee helpd and heald the blynd their sight commands Was hee not Christ the Lambe the sonne of God! Whom I confessd even face to face afore My soules Messias who bore that heavy loade Of Indignation sinners to restore Both sacrifice and Sacrificer plight A wondrous mercy set before my sight For which vile worme how could my lips deny The Lord of glore my life my love my light VVas he not there and was not I hard by VVhen that his looke gave me this sorrowing night Yet when my soules sharpe eyne saw what was done My carnall eyes in floods of teares did runne Faith wrought repentance grace laid hold on grace My bitter streames like brine extreamly gush'd I wrung my hands and knock'd my breast apace VVhilst sighes sad sobs from deep-fetchd groanings rushd Then joy appeard my conscience was assurd The fault was pardond and my soule securd Thus Peter shrunke his soule was humbled low Not like to Popes who his succession claime He sorrowing fell and made contrition show That he had faild So did himself disclaime From first election and from former grace And causd remorse give sad repentance place Then teares O bitter teares relenting woes And airie vapours from salt-raining eyes Made windy sighes and trembling groanes disclose His lip-lost fall the cause of his unease Thus teares are blest which godly sorrow brings Each drop doth serve thy soule to heaven for wings Though teares distill and trickle downe thy cheeks So vanish quite and seeme to thee as lost Their aire ascends thy heart to God then speaks He harbours all and is a gracious host The Font he loves and that 's remorse for sinne VVhich his grace works before thou canst beginne Lord frame my vvill to thine and forme my heart To serve and feare thee magnifie thy name In this obedience thou mayst grace impart For from thy favour I must comfort claime Grant me thine invvard peace refresh my minde With sparkes of love let sighs thy mercy finde All Mortals are by nature miserable Then mourning is the habit vve should vveare Who sinne deplores his case is comfortable Yet none can shunne prest natures sorrovving feare Flee vvhere thou vvilt thou shalt not finde reliefe Though thou changst place thou canst not change thy grief This life is but a Font of springing teares Weeping vvee come into this vvorld vvith cryes And vveeping vve go out fraught full of feares There 's nought but sorrovv in our journey lyes For vvhilst vvithin this vaile of teares vve bide We 're load vvith mourning griefe is Natures guide Jacob been ask'd by Pharo of his age Reply'd that fevv and evill vvere the dayes Of his abode in fleshly pilgrimage He gave this life no better stile nor praise Then sure vve're strangers vvandring here and there On this vvorlds stage each acting lesse or mair Nay vve are pilgrimes here tost to and fro There 's no place permanent on earth belovv Our dvvelling is above then let us goe To th' heavenly Canaan vvhere all joyes flovv Jerusalem Jerusalems above A glorious staunce vvhere sits the King of love It s not Judeas citie built with hands The holy grave and Calvarie containes With Moriah where Sal'mons Temple stands Nor Sions seat where Davids Towre remaines Nor Pilats Hall with farre moe relicks rare This City is eternall great and faire Nor is it compass'd with Jehosophat â—nd on the south with strait Gehinnons valley Nor on the north with Ennons den halfe flat Nor wall'd about lest Arabs it assaillie This Citie is impregnable and more It s fenc'd about with everlasting power â—deed like Olivet it overtops â—his squink Hebraick citie and excells â—llearthly Mansions which destruction lops â—ith fatall ruine O what sounding knells Fall from this
then his back could beare Then great was that sad burden Jesus bore In soule and body to exstirpe this curse His Fathers wrath our punishment therefore Our endlesse doome eternall his secourse His agonies our happinesse implord His bloody sweet our detriments restord As in a garden first our sinne began So in a Garden our redemption sprung That in like place where Adam the first Man Was by the Serpents craft exactly stung So so in Gethsemaine the Lord of light Triumph'd o're sinne put Satan to the flight Then Christ is that pure glasse wherein we spie Our wants our faults or what amisse is done Within instruction without examples lye Here death proclaimd and there salvation The lists are set then how can we come in But by repentance sorrowing for sin How precious were these tears of Magdalen Who washt Christs feet with eye-repenting drops Yea with her haire did dry these feet agen And kiss'd them with her lip-bepearled chops Last did anoint them with a costly oyle For which the Traitour Judas checkd such spoile Thrice sacred worke but more blest oyle and teares Spent in the presence of her soules Redeemer To expiat sinne Whom now the dead endeares To be a Saint for so did Christ esteeme her And for which love its memorie should last From age to age till all ages be past Besides her owne salvation she became A dayly follower to her Lord and Master Yea ministred things needfull fed zeales flame With heavenly food whereof she was a taster Nay to his death and grave she never left him And witnesse bore how thence his Godhead reft him Came not kinde Mary weeping to this grave To looke for Christ but could not finde him there The Angell spoke and ask'd Whom would you have Said she To see my Lord is all my care But he 's not here alas he 's stolne away And where he 's laid I know not nor what way The winding-sheet she found clos'd at both ends And close by the Tombe side she sate her downe She sought she felt she search'd and still suspends He was and was not there back to the towne She bends her face yet staid and cry'd and wept My Lord is stolne whom souldiers watch'd and kept The heavie stone roll'd back which fourty men Could scarce advance yet where 's my loving Lord I 'le runne and tell let the Apostles ken What villanies this night the Jews afford Yet gone she soone turnd back love masterd heart For from the Sepulchre she would not part Nor did darke midnight fright her nor the sight Of two bright Angels set at either end Of his interrement nor their words afright Her mourning zeale whose scope did deeper tend To seeke the Lord who gave her light and grace And till she found him would not leave the place At last Christ in a humane shape appear'd Whom she mistooke and for a Gardner deemd Said he Why wepst thou whom seekst thou she feard Said Tell me if thou stole him us redeemd Then Jesus nam'd Mary she turnes about And cry'd Rabboni with a joyfull shout This lessons us that when we fast or pray We should not faint but hope our suite shall speed He 'le come and come in time though he delay Our suite he 'le grant though we mistake the deed Then Mary-like let faith charge hope and do it Faile not be instant grace shall bring thee to it Christ from the worldly wise and great kept back These mysteries which silly ones did see And why his will did this poore woman take To witnesse that he rose and rose on hie That by his resurrection we might rise To cut the clouds and rent the azure skies As mines of gold and silver still are found On barren Hills and scurrile fruitlesse parts So faith so feare so zeale Religion sound Are chiefly plac'd and fixt in pooremens hearts Did not Christs wisedome this foresee and choosd The scummes of Nature whom the world refusd Lord grant with Magdalen I spend my teares With sighing sadnesse to implore thy pittie That when my conscience shall be void of feares I then may know thou hast destroy'd my dittie Speake peace I pray thee to this soule of mine Since what I have is all and onely thine As fire reserves two properties well mixt The one to warme the other light to shoe So mercy hath two branches better fixt Love to give peace and pardon to forgoe For pittie rules the helme and Mans distresse Craves calme in midst of stormie wickednesse Like so are troubles th' whetstone that doth square Stress'd hearts with prayer humble them most low Why cause adversities they still prepare The soule with patience to sustaine the blow All crosses to the just their well intend The cause being Christs their suffrings in him end Thou Joy of joyes sweeter farre than sweetnesse Thy mercy is that balme which heales my sores Thou peace and pittie oynt my wounds with wetnesse No drouth of sinne can chink my weeping gores Why cause each sinne begets a source of teares When sinne evapourats then grace appeares Then pardon fraught with pittie stops the Font Lest sorrow melt the soule in anxious sadnesse Deep sobs and windy sighes above they mount Whence they returne surcharged with godly gladnesse No finne so sterne but mercy can suppresse it If with repenting grief we but confesse it Lord save me from presumptuous sinnes and save My soule from sinnes desert mercy is thine All my transgressions kinde remission crave They lye before thee though the fault is mine Begging for pardon pardon they implore And in my frailnesse guiltinesse deplore A wounded conscience who can beare that load O racking sting that galles the quivring soule All sweet chastisements of thy gentle rod Are cleansers for to purge our errours foule But this mad grief contracts a gnawing worme Tempestuous whirlewindes of an endlesse storme What quick evasion shall my flight contrive To hide me from thy face what way or where If in the depths I drench lo thou canst dive If to the utmost coasts lo thou art there What umbrage Cell or Cave the world about Can menascond but thou wilt finde me out Above else deep beneath or here below Thy presence is Then whither shall I flee There is no point but that point thou dost know Though smaller than the smallest haire can bee No rocks nor hills nor darknesse can me night Nor blacknesse vaile from thy all-seeing sight Then in a word there 's no refuge for me But flye to thee whose sight I can not shunne To beg for peace and grace to mortifie My sinfull lusts before my glasse be runne Lord let mine eyes distill like melting sleet Or Marie-like who washd with teares thy feet It is the minde and not the Masse thou seeks My sprit is thine and longs to be refinde By it thou knowst my secreet wayes and creeks Whether I be to good or ill inclinde My soule 's the Ruther of my journey
stings I le lay about the Ruther of my minde To keep a safer loofe and thirle the winde What rapt coelestiall forceth my desire To be dissolv'd my soule may mount aboue To see these joyes that blesse that glorious hyre Which Saints enjoy lifes ever-springing love My hope resumes I might as happy rest In pleasures there as they are happy blest Now I returne good God turne thou to me As Travellers who have been long abroad Are forc'd by love their soile and friends to see No rest till then their hearts the way have trode So I 'me estrangd my Countrie is above Heaven is the place thou Lord my light my love Great is the glory of thy glorious face Enstall'd with Angels Saints and Martyres gone Set fore the Throne with legions of each race Singing applauses to that blessed One The Lambe of Love our Advocate thy Sonne Who by his death wrought our Salvation Fixe fast my thoughts to the tree of thy crosse Draw all the forces of my soule to Thee Lift up my heart let me renounce the drosse And dregs of ill let me aspire on hie And walke 'twixt feare and love in all my deeds As thou 'twixt justice and mercy proceeds Thy vertues are for us sufficient great Like as the Sunne it shines the World all where Yet ev'ry man enjoyeth so much heat As if it shinde to him in proper share So are thy graces infinite and we Enjoy the fruits of their felicitie But what our lives are short so are our dayes Except in troubles miseries alace Our continuance certaine in uncertaine wayes No time of death is knowne to us nor place Gods will is so to have us still prepard And set on watch lest that our steps be snard Each minutes life steps forward to sterne death And ev'ry act robs some part of our life Like him who sailes in ships and action hath In toylesome paines yet forward flees his strife We can not twice returne in Natures state 'Cause time runs post and can make no retreat My Sunne of life hath his Meridian past And plungd I am in th' after-noone of age The night of Nature fastens on me fast And death waits closse to pull me from this stage But Lord thou wilt not leave my soule in grave Let ly the Corps they 'le once conjunction have Now having sung of deep remorse and teares Lord save me from these weeping teares of Hell Which grief declares and ever-gnashing feares For losse of joy and sense of horrours fell Who would not here a few spent teares disclose Shall there be waile in floods of bitter woes As sea-bred fishes never saltnesse wed But still their bodies stay both sweet and fresh So grant my soule that 's with corruption cled May live as pure not medling with the flesh But sinne begins first in the sillie soule And ends into the body base and soule What shall I say when mans rot in disease And ulserd sore the Phisitian draws neare To give him pills and potions worke his ease And lets him blood he may his health endure Much more Christs bloud can purge and cleanse the soule Of all uncleannesse pardon what is foule Then to great Jove the mighty King of kings I le prostrate fall on my low bended knees To beg for mercy mercy comfort brings And joy of sprit works peace from gushing eyes So Lord of Lords sweet Christ what I would have Is knowne and showne I call I cry I crave Now by these words whom seek you and confession By thy breath made the Sergeants backward fall By that care rouzd thine slumbring in digression By thy pangs in Gethsemane one and all By that power and patience fore Anne exprest By that prophecie of Cajaphas the Priest By that deep agony of bloud and sweat By these sore scourgings spittings on thy face By these rough nailes piercd thy hands and feet By all these mockings done thee for disgrace By that sharpe speare which smote thy tender heart By that Viniger thou drunk and gall of smart By that crowne of thornes thrust on thy bare head By these blood sprinklings downe thy face that fell By that heavy Crosse on thy shoulders spread By thy descending downe in earths dark Cell By that great power of thy great resurrection By thine ascension O profound election By thy five bleeding wounds I thee implore And by the vertue of thy death and passion By that purple Roabe forc'd in scorne thou wore By all these taunts these Ruffians spent for fashion Nay by that superscription wrote for news Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews By thy nativitie and incarnation Yea by these words Mother behold thy Sonne And Sonne Behold there thy consolation Go live and live in peace live both as one Nay by this moode for heavie was thy load Why thus forsakst thou me my God my God By thy baptisme fasting humiliation By all thy miracles and wonders done By these teares thou shed and transfiguration On Tabor seene As thou art Christ Gods sonne Save shield and shelter my designes my wayes For my souls health and thine eternall praise Nay by and for and from thy selfe I beg For pittie grace and pardon free remission Of all my sinnes O cleanse me the least dreg That lurkes within my Temple thy possession Let all be cleane Lo there 's the totall summe My soule implores come now Lord Jesus come Great King of ages Monarch of all times Thou first and last is was and ever blest Redeemer unredeemd Purger of crymes Thou Light of lights thou Mans sole-soveraigne rest Encrease in me thy Sprit infuse thy grace Confirme my heart show forth thy loving face Sweeter than hony or the hony Combe Life light and love all goodnesse peace and grace Sonne of Mercy that in blest Maries wombe Incarnate was left Heaven thy Mansion place Where now thou art and art all where Come see My heart my help my health depend on Thee In Thee I rest Lord sanctifie my hope In Thee I trust Lord fortifie my faith In Thee I grow Lord fructifie my scope In Thee I walk Lord rectifie my path In Thee I stay in Thee I live and die In Thee I move in Thee above I flie Lord grant thy grace may make these TEARES so blest And blesse them all shall them peruse for blis That godly griefe may in their blessings rest Remorsefull soules whose teares implore for this LORD pittie me LORD pardon my TRANSGRESSION Lord cleanse my HEART Lord blesse thou this CONFESSION FINIS Applicâ— on anâ— vocatiâ— â—mble 〈◊〉 The Creators greâ— love towards 〈◊〉 his creatures â—rists 〈◊〉 love Love co quers hâ— ven 〈◊〉 conâ—ions distinâ—ion twixt â—orldly â—d godly â—ares The repugnancâ— of ill and good â—ntrary 〈◊〉 Thewo is a map of evils â—hrists â—res over â—rusalem We shâ— not desâ— but hoâ— for meâ— Impeneâ— trable counsel the â—orks of â—ation 〈◊〉 of manâ— â—ds â—orks â—evv his â—odhead â—ns inâ—mities Mans beauty summers blossome â—elf-love â—ules the â—orld Sinne and the causes of sin Mans life awarfare Deceitful greed Jonah disâ—ered â—ul conâ—ed Gods omnipotency Repugnant comparisons The â—eaknesse â—nd â—hanges of â—ur nature An objection between man and beast The pang of Hell Prayer and meditation two heavenly exercises The effects of prayer Christs wounds our healtâ— The instabilitie 〈◊〉 man Wicked men delite to make the simple sinne Moments pleasures eternall paine Will overcomes reason Sighes anâ— teares are holy sacri fiâ—es The godly â—ometime all and â—e recalld Joshua's gratefulnâ— to Rachaâ— Jesus at Jericho saved Zacheus â—acelesse â—quence â—rd obduâ—nce Worldly wisedome â—nd pride 〈◊〉 Saikles erâ—vie retorâ— reply Wormes are sepulchrall mates Man headlong falls The lake Maronaâ— fathers Jordan Godly teares saving grace â—obs patiâ—ce and â—nstancy Love the Lord for his loves sake Gods loâ— our life The breâ—itie of life Corruption corrupteth all things The povver anâ— varieties 〈◊〉 corruptioâ— The vicissitude of fortune Noah first set vines and first was drunk with it Lots drunkennesse begot incest The shame full effects of drunkennesse Beasts and Philosophers condemne excesse No perfection in humane knowledge Great defects in greatest Saints Daniels dainties poore mens plenâ—es â—ges â—e better â—en bad â—ristians In prayer use few words and many teaâ— Christs silence and patience Davids teares wet his couch God accepts the will for the deed Christ is our Physician The insolencie of youth Delay in repentance is dangerous Youth and age are disagreeing Continencie by Pagans commended A brief tract of bitter repentance Peters confession Peter reprehending himself Peters tears consummated in peace The blessed fruits of godly tears Mortalitie is miserable Mans a pilgrime here Our heavenly Jerusalem Sions tears Sions beauty Sions crosses Sinfull â—ust suddain darknesse Plenty of mercy â—hrists â—ssion â—r salvaâ—on Magdalenâ— teares Christ reveals himself to Mary Magdalen Fire hath two properties Ther'si no flying from Gods presence God â—aves the heart Greed breeds enâ— A contempt of riches The immortall substance of the soul The misery and shortnesse of life Frailtie and falling follow man The varieties of vanitie â—gratefull â—ildren to â—ed paâ—ts Elemental changes The present miseries of Christendome The craftinesse aâ— cruelty of Rome Compariâ—ons of â—reedome â—om sin The Jewish tears on Babilons banks Correction begets awe Short and evil are our dayes Athens made the mother and miâ—our of miseries The inconstancie of worldly pride Ambitious Xerxes bewailing the brevitie of life This lifâ— is loaden with croâ—ses the flatâ—ry of â—ourts Sions prosperities prayed fâ— The Sun â—ines on â—e good â—d bad Our day nor time can never returne â—rist is â—r Phyâ—ian The sufferings and passion of Christ
glore To thee knee-bowd before thy face I fall Come help O help now I begin to call Most holy mighty high and glorious God! Most mercifull most gracious and kinde Most Ancient righteous patient and good Most wise most just most bountifull of minde Infuse thy grace enlarge thy love in mine Confirme my faith conforme my will to thine Eternall One Beginner unbegunne Thou first and last Heavens founder and Earths ball Container uncontaind Father and Sonne Thou All in All unruld yet ruling All Great Light of lights who moves all things unmovd Hearke help and heare for Christs sake thy belovd Sole Soveraigne Balme come heale my wounded soule Which fainting fals under thine heavie hand Regard my plaints remit mine errours foule Let mercy far above thy justice stand Be thou my Heaven place Heaven within mine heart Thy presence can make Heaven where e're thou art Come challenge me come claime me for thine owne Plead thou thy right take place in my possession Lord square my steps thy goodnesse may be knowne In pard'ning each defect of my transgression Arrest my sinnes but let my soule goe free Baile me from thrall let sinne deaths subject die Lord wing my love with feather'd faith to flee To thy all-burning Throne of endlesse glory Mercie is thine for mercy is with thee Lord write my name in thine eternall story O! help my strength farre weaker than a reed Accept my purpose for the reall deed The good I would alace I can not do The ill I would not that I follow still The more thou citst me I grow stubborn too Preferring base corruption to thy will For when thy Sprite to serve Thee doth perswade me The World the Flesh and Satan they disswade me What should I say no gift in me is left To doe to speak to think one godly motion Lord help my wants for why my soule is reft Twixt feare and hope 'twixt sinne and true devotion Faine would I flighter from this lust-lymd clay But more I strive the more I faster stay Lord with the sonne forlorne bring me againe And cloth me with the favour of thy face The swinish husks of sinne I loath and faine Would be thy childe adopt'd the childe of grace Thy Lambe was kill'd for my conversions sake Of which let me some food and comfort take Thy glorious Hierarchy and Martyres all Rejoyce at the returne of a lost sheep Lord in that number let my portion fall That I with them like melodie may keep So with thy Saints my happynesse shall be One and the same as they are blest in Thee Yet whilst I pause and duely do consider Thy will my wayes thy righteousnesse mine errours I cannot plead to flie I know not whidder So grievous are the mountains of my terrours My sinnes so ugly stand before thy face That I dare hardly claime or call for grace What am I in thine eyes if I could ponder But brickle trash compos'd of slyme and clay A wretch-worne worme erect'd for sinne a wonder Whilst my souls treason is thy judgements prey I have no health nor truth nor divine flashes So wicked is this Masse of dust and ashes Lord stretch thine arme put Satan to the flight Exile the world from me and me from it Curbe thou my flesh beat down my lusts delight Rule thou my heart my will guide with thy Sprit Infuse encrease confirme here from above Thy feare thy law in me thy light thy love So shall I through Heavens merit onely rise And kisse thy soule-sought Sonne thy Lambe thy Dove For whose sweet sake I shall thy sight surprise And lift my hope on his redeeming love Blest be the price of mine exalting good Who payd my ransome with his precious blood In Thee I trust Lord help my wavering faith And with thy merits my demerits cover Dispell my weaknesse strengthen my faint breath Renew my life and my past sinnes passe over Be thou my Pilot guide this barke of clay Safe to the Port of thy coelestiall stay Grant me obedience to thy blest desire Instruct my minde environe me with ruth Cleanse thou my heart with flames of sacred fire Fraught with the fulnesse of thy saving truth Build up mine Altar let mine offerings be Faith feare and hope love praise and thanks to Thee Lord spare me for his sake whom thou not spard For my sake even for him from Thee above Was sent down here and slaine O! what regard Bore thou to Man to send thy Sonne of Love To suffer for my guilt the fault being mine But ah good Lord the punishment was thine Thy love great God from everlasting flowes To everlasting Mans reach onely brings Forth the Creation but thy love forth showes From all eternitie eternall springs Of light unsearchable then praise we Thee That ere time was ordain'd our time to be God made all things and God was made a Man All things he made of nothing but come see Withoutten man all things the truth to scan Had turnd to nothing for from one degree God of himselfe made all things and what more He would not all things without Man restore He was of God begotten all things made And borne of woman all things did renew For without man all things had been a shade So nothing well without a Virgin true Thus God and Man conjoynd in one we feele Life of our life and soule of our souls wâ—le What was he made and what hath he made us I pause with joy with silence I admire This mystery I adore who can discusse That goodnesse great sprung from so good a Syre Can reason show more reasonable way Than leave to pry where reason can not swey The Sonne of God behold was made a Man To make us men th' adopted sonnes of God By which he made himself our brotherthen For in all kindes he keeps our brotherhood Though Judge save sinne and Intercessour see He brothers us we must his suppliants be With what assurance then may we all hope What feare can force despaire or yet distrust Since our salvation and our endlesse scope Hangs on our elder brother Christ the Just He 'le give us all the good which we desire And pardon all the sinnes on us engyre The burden of our miseries he bore And laid his merits weight on our sick soules A kindnesse beyond reach his goodnesse more Engross'd his name for us in shamefull scroules O! wondrous love that God should humble thus Himself and take Mans shape to rescue us He who in heavens was admirable set Became for us contemptible on earth And from the Towre of his Imperiall state Imbrac'd a Dungeon for angelick mirth And chang'd the name of Majestie in love To shelter us with mercy from above What eyes for grief should not dissolve in floods Whilst our vile sinnes procur'd his wofull paine He sought our well unsought when we in woods Of wickednesse lay wallowing amaine And daily yet by sinne distrust and strife We crucifie
excrements we know And breath stinke worse than beasts of any race Nay sweetest things that ever time made faire They loathsome grow unlesse the use be rare The soule except'd when I consider all Gods workes and Creatures Man is onely worst The rest sublunary succumbent fall Mans â—ly blest or else for ever curst All things as servile serve for mediate ends Save Man whose wage on joy or woe depends Lord what am I within this house of clay But brickle trash compos'd of slime and dust A rotten fabrick subject to decay Which harbours nought but crums of wretched lust And if a guest of one good thought entreates me I barre it out to lodge the ill that hates me Impietie and custome scale my Fort To rule my minde like to their blinde desire Will head-strong helpes corruption keeps the Port The hands and feet set eye and tongue on fire Then Eloquence breaks forth a subtile foe To trap the object working me the woe Why cause affection begets opinion Opinion rules the World in ev'ry minde Then sense submits that pleasure should be Minion To base conceit absurdly grosse and blinde Thus fond opinion self loves halting daughter Betrayes my scope commits me to sinnes slaughter Then judgement falls and fails and reason flees To shelter Wisedome in some solid breast They leave me both left loaden with disease Whilst frailty fastens sorrow on my creest Delite contracts despite despyte disdaine Thus threefold chaind their furies forge my paine My best companion is my deadly foe Sin is my Consort and would seeme my friend Yea walks with me where e're my footsteps goe And will not leave me till my journeys end The more I flee the faster it cleaves to me And makes corruption labour to undoe me There six degrees of sinne in man I finde Conception first and then consent doth follow The thirds desire that turns his judgement blinde The fourth is practise ragged rent and hollow The fift is flinty keeps fast obduration And last the sixt lulls him in reprobration Mans owne corruption is the seed of sinne And custome is the pudle of corruption Swift head-strong habit traitour-like creeps in And blows sinnes bellowes to make more inruption Nay the worlds example sinnes strong secourse Makes both the object and the subject worse How many foes hath man within without him Within lurks concupiscence vertues foe Without the world which waits and hangs about him Both ghostly and humane to worke his woe Last comes the conscience judge-set to accuse him And verdict given then terrour would confuse him Thus man is ev'ry way tost to and fro Like Tunneise balls when banded still rebound All things have action Nature rules it so The secret sprite of life these motions bound Their being honours God who gave them being But Man fals back from him gave reason seeing And yet to quench these fires remorse creeps in And brings contrition with confession crying Faith flees before pleads pardon for our sin Then ragged rottennesse fals down a dying For repentance and remission of sinnes Are two inseparable sister twinnes Most have no tears for sinne but tears of strife To plead malicious pleyes and waste their meanes On Lawyers tongues that love their envious life And what like partie loose the Cormant gleanes Their cause and charges lost O spightfull pride They spend at last the stock they had beside Like to the Mouse and frogge which did contend Which of them should enjoy the marish ground The Kyte as Judge discuss'd this cause in end And took them both from what they could not bound So Proctors seaze on Clyants lands and walls And raise themselves in their contentious falls They 're like to Aesops dogge who had a bone When through a flood he swim'd fast in his head Where spying his shade he lets it fall anone To catch the other lost them both indeed So spitefull men and greedy well it s knowne In seeking others state they loose their owne Thrice blest is he who knowes and flyes like men Since greed begets oppression or debate And though Deceivers play Politicks then To make their wrongs a right to raise their state Yet forth it comes no subtiltie can close it For time and truth will certainly disclose it They thinke to hide their faults by craft and plots To blynde Gods eyes as they inveigle man O strange what villany their soule besots That dare 'gainst truth the traitour play and than Deceive themselves by a deceitfull way Which tends to death and make them Satans prey Then there is nought but once will come to light No sinne so close but God will it discover No policie can blinde Almighties sight Nor fault so hid that he will once passe over Unlesse repentance draw his mercy downe Thy darkest deeds shall be disclos'd eftsoone Behold Jonah from Joppa when he fled And would not stay to do the Lords direction Clos'd in a ship and hid yea nothing dread Yet found he was and swallowed for correction And Paul for Damas bound to persecute His Saints was stroke yet sav'd his drifts refute Looke to Cains murder how it was clear'd And Davids blood-shed with adultrie mixt Remarke the bush whence Adams voice appear'd And Israels thoughts when they their Maker vext Then he who made thine eyes and gave them sight Can he not see who gave thy seeing light It 's not with God as men Gods ev'ry where In Heaven and earth Gods presence filleth all In Hell below his Justice ruleth there All things must to his omniscience fall Man knows but as he sees and in a part But God doth search the reynes and try the heart How swinishly alas have I then liv'd Nay who can say that I have liv'd at all Whilst buried else in sleep in sloth or griev'd With fals-forgd cares conglutinating thrall To tempt my loving and most patient God I have contemn'd his mercy mock'd his rod There 's nought so smooth and plaine as calme-set seas And nought more rough when rag'd by stormy winde The lead is cold as yce or Winter freize But when been firde its scolding hote we finde Theirne is blunt till toold and edge be put And then most sharpe to stobbe to shave or cut So patient God is loath and slow to wrath His patience is as great as great his love Long suffring he deferres to threaten death Till our grosse sinnes his just drawn-judgements move And then his anger stirr'd it burnes like fire Consuming man and sinners in his ire Next pause I on the momentany sight Of mans short life that like a shadow flees Much like the swiftnesse of a Faulcones flight Or like a bird glydes by our glancing eyes Then marvell I how man can harbour pride Or wherein should his vanitie confyde To day he 's stout to morrow laid in grave His lookes alive are plumd like variant feathers Been throwne in dust he turnes to earth a slave And as he breaths
the crummes of lust he gathers But would he muse on long eternitie He would forsake himself and learne to die To learne to die that he may learne to live For in this course his happinesse consists Die to himself that grace may vice survive In mortifying sinne his blesse subsists Come life come death thus dying so he 's blest And doubtlesse shall in peace of conscience rest O Jesu who redeemd us being dead Whence could thy love so farre to us extend We had no merit thou of us no need And yet thy grace our weaknesse doth defend For as Man first to be like God condemn'd us So God turnd man that God should not contemne us Farre better is a life unfortunate In end with honour that yeelds up the breath Than honourable life and wealthy state With shame to perish and untimely death I rather wish to be a sheepherd borne Then live a Prince and at my death forlorne Come answer me who would be undertaker Whether its best to be a man or beast The beast dissolves and not offends his Maker Nor makes no count save to some carnall feast But godlesse Man in grieving God is worse Throwne downe to Hell and with that fall his curse Who rightly weighs the variable kindes Of Mortals all in either death or life Shall see their bubling breath tost with sharpe windes Of stagring doubts ingorgd with timerous strife Their conscience and their living disagreeing In will or worke most vanquish'd are in dying Nay soule and body at that dreadfull day Shall be conjoynd and hurld downe to hell This wretch thus damn'd in tortring flames shall stay Chaind in that howling Radamanthan Cell The beast he fals and turnes to nought we see But Man adjudgd his worme shall never die As for the vertuous Saint his happinesse Begins at death which end all worldly noyes He swarmes in pleasures rich in blessednesse Death makes the passage to his heavenly joyes He feares no stop nor stay his faith instructs him The way though strait his good Angel conducts him And wouldst thou learne whilst here t' attaine that way Be humble first and then religious set Place Heaven before Thee make faith thereon to stay And then let zeale and love fast setling get To grip Christs wounds then feare then praise then pray Let earnest prayers thy best devotion swey For prayer is the souls great sacrifice Which speaks to God and meditation Is Gods speech to the soule an exercise Conjoynd together two revolv'd in one The one invelopes the other and speaks Reciprocall Both our salvation seeks Which two like Hypocrates twinnes are bred Who liv'd fed slept joyd wept and dyed together So can they not be separate indeed Though fasting doe prepare their journey hither This outward action like t'a potion scoures The other sprituall are divinely ours Like to a paire of Turtles truely set Whereof the one by death been slaughter'd gone The other mournes for loosing of her Mate And languishing doth die No life alone So meditation gives matter to the minde And without prayer nothing shall we finde For both bring reconcilement and acceptance And makes thee to thy father a loving sonne So by his Sonne a brother of acquaintance And by the Sprite a Temple squard and done Last in the court of Heaven thou art made free A fellow with th' Angelick hierarchie O joy of joyes O happy endlesse blesse Who can expresse that glory there reveal'd The eye the minde nor tongue can dascon this Since ravish'd Paul amaz'd hath it conceal'd Then labour silly soule this marke to aime Which seen and got how great is thy good name But ah I stagger in the myres of sin And daily sinks in pudles of defects The more I flee the more I swallow in The stinking marish of absurd effects The very boggy quagmyres of vice I plunge them all unvaluing weight or price The price alas is great and I must pay it Unlesse Christs wounds break open plead for pitie O pledge divine thy merits will defray it Thou art my surety O prevent my dittie Evert the sentence least I lye in Jayle Stand to thy mercy Lord be thou my bayle To square the lives of godly men with mine How farre my selfe fled from my self I finde Thrice wretchd am I to thinke me one of thine In whom corruption rules the inward minde It 's more then strange I should expect for good Whilst still I trample on my Saviours blood There is no sense in this that I should slay My silly soule to crosse my crost desire Can head-strong passions mine accounts defray When my just Judge my reckning shall require Nay spare thy spurres poore wretch and call to minde A self-soule Murdrer can no mercy finde That sinne which I hate worst I follow most Yet faine would sift the evil of deceit Loe with repugnants how my breast is tost Here lyes my safety there the snaring bait Sinne like a Fowler with a whistle takes me And that good which I would it then forsakes me O! love and love it self Father of love And God of mercy mercy is thy Name O King of pitie all my faults remove Farre from before Thee coverthou my shame That here me to accuse they never come Nor hence to damne me at the day of doome Ah! wicked men they triumph in excesse To tempt thy patience O long suffring God! They glory to cast downe the fatherlesse And on the Widows back they lay their rod They lose themselves and so would lose their brother With them thy honour in their pride to smother Unwise is he and thrice unhappy too Who ill commits that good thereon may follow He 's like the Crocodile that loves to wooe The gray Nyle Rat and eftsoone doth it swallow Which when enclos'd it cuts his wombe seeks breath And with its freedome workes the others death So haplesse man in hurtfull wayes of sinne His hopelesse heart he suffocats with lust Till custome bring sterne obduration in And then he turnes a Reprobate injust The doore of grace is shut his soule wants faith Then sinne leaves him squard for eternall death They gallop on in dark-drawne pathes of Hell The glen is hollow but the way is broad In two extreames the least they quite repell To shunne a fardell they receive a load The yoake of Christ is light but ah they swallow The weight of sinne which all their labours follow I crosse my crossing armes on my crost breast And musing lurks to looke on humane state How wretch'd it is how carelesse how deprest To ev'ry snare makes man unfortunate That haplesse he for one small moments pleasure Dare hazard ah his souls eternall treasure The will 'twixt reason and sensualtie plac'd Is apt to be apply'd to either side But first and firmest Will by sense is trac'd Which is of youth and childish age the guide For seldome reason can once conquer will Cause sense presents for good a
to their devouring plenties My bones shall rot then turne in mouldring dust This is the way of flesh both bad and just And yet vaine Man he little thinks or dreames Once of his death nor what his end may be His sense deludes him and the world it seemes A glasse to looke on for his sensuall eye He neither mournes for sinne nor sinne forsakes But from one ill another worser takes What surging follies overcloud my minde With vain-wing'd fancies and surmysing flashes Such fleering thoughts more lighter than the winde Breed nought but foolerie which opinion dashes My wish'd for wishes straight conceiv'd and done The care of carelesse dreams I scarce can shunne I posting runne in wayes of naughty ends Lord crook and stop my course with streames of grace Which flood can carry none that ill pretends Like Jordan that receives no barbarous face Unlesse they swim So sans remorse they 'le drowne Who hazard here quick sandie sins pull downe This saving grace the soule guards with strong hand And if it slip it can not fully fall It s like Maronahs full disgorging strand Hembes in Canaan from barbarian thrall Like keeps the Lord his owne and guards their wayes They perish not though chargd with fraile delayes As Jordan circuits the holy land Twixt Liban and that south-lake smoaking show From the Petreian soyle joynd with a strand Which tribute payes 'gainst Jericho I know To famous Jore One parts the Midian soyle The other sackt Samarias confynes coyle This is the march girds Canaans south-east side But more the Lord preserves and guards his owne From ghostly ill and from aetheriall pride From terrene sprites from Hell and what is knowne To plague the soule he is a bulwark strong Fens'd with good Angels free all his from wrong Then happy they can creep within this Tent And sheltrage seek under his mercies wings Sigh for thy sinnes O! let thy soule repent Thy misdemeanour to the King of kings First grieve then weep last seeke thy Saviours face Let teares implore for teares can plead for grace Kinde were these teares which Josephs love had spent When with his brethren he his brother saw His heart surchargd with joy it shrunke as shent To plunge that deep which Benjamin did draw But loe moe teares were shed one with another When Joseph said Behold I am your brother Feare not said he the strict Aegyptian law Though to the Ismaelites my life you sold For what was done was done by God I knaw No spight of yours his providence behold Foresaw your need and brought me here to be A father to my Fathers miserie There five yeares famine yet shall worke your woe Wherein ag'd Jacob and his race may starve Unlesse he flit then get you up and go To fetch him downe faile not in this nor swerve They went he came all met in melting joyes For passions have extreames as bairnes have toyes Since Nature then in floods of teares can melt For joy of sight to overjoy their love Much more our teares when we remorse have felt For sinne shall glade the powers in Heaven above These tears are blest and make us blest for ever For godly grief from grace no crosse can sever Let patient Job be paterne in like case Whose losse was such as never yet was none Yet shrunk he not sound stedfast love took place Faith forc'd his hope and both proclaim'd in one Sure my Redeemer lives and he is just Though he should kill me yet in him I 'le trust Mine eyes shall see him and he will me save As I am confident he will not faile Sterne rough calamitie would me deceave But that 's a shade my purpose must prevaile In God my soule is fixt nought can dismay me Nay death it selfe nor Satan can betray me See! here the Columne of a lively faith The type of Christ in meek and milde behaviour His friends they slight him he contemnes his death And in his miserie still avowd his Saviour This was a love excell'd all loves on earth For Christ he lov'd who lov'd him ere his birth Then how hate I my selfe if I love not My loving Lord who lov'd me from his love He truely loves who for thy sake I wot Loves thee and himselfe for thee this we prove All kindes of love without thy love breed loathing Unlesse we love them for thy sake they 're nothing Great king of glory all thy works invite Us to love thee since thou first loved us As starres do from the Sunne take light and heat For from that fulnesse we the like discusse How can our soules thine Jmage want the sight Of thy bright love whose love is perfect light Lord we do all depend upon thy love Because our being had of thee beginning Next thou preserves us as we rest or move And art our end controlls us when a sinning All what we have we have receiv'd from thee And what we want thou wilt the same supply O God of love thy nature is all love In love more glorious than the sunne in light Thou art an infinite fire from above Which here enlightens with its beames each wight A fire of love a loving fire we finde A light not burnes a flame not quels the minde O Lord if thou thy tender love withdraw And from us slips one step to turne thy back Are we not dead in sloth and sleep no awe But each temptation shall presage our wracke Then Lord uphold us since all worldly things Are ever changing tyme their ruine brings To day we live the morne to grave we 're sped We sight this world as birds by gazers glyde As dreams evanish so our dayes are fled Like water bubles as soone quelld as spyde Thus heart-grown man ingorgd with pryde and lust He posts and posts to death then turnes in dust To argue on corruption that subverts The good we would and choaks our best desires It is a senslesse appetite perverts The light of reason with entangling fires A head-strong blinde irregulary ill That captives wit and wounds both sense and will It s strong in all infirmities injust Still fraile in goodnesse weak in sound conception It s rull'd by nature and her daughter lust Which blinds the light of knowledge with deception Like pitch corruption blacks the purest soule And where it comes makes ev'ry clean thing foule It takes best hold on imbecillitie And where that fortitude deficient is It dare not wrestle with dexteritie Nor count with Temprance one defective misse Much like a Ruffian or a Theefe by night It loves and lives in darknesse more than light Corruption many wayes may be defind To be a Hydra neck'd Herculian snake Stop'd at the eye it compasseth the minde Barr'd from the soule the heart it soone will take Say if the eare be deafe the hand will feele And if it smell not it can taste too well Corruption rules most states and office places In Church and
his reward nor go alone The Sprite of grace shall second him and love Shall fill his soule his faith shall mount above Then forward go so runne you may obtaine Great is the prise hold out the journeys end Keep course and runne thou'le get a glorious gaine He who endures shall onely there ascend Rise eare when young and runne betimes then do it Who gets the start and holds shall first come to it The journeys long the path is strait and thornes Ly in the way to prick thee on both sides Sinne like a Traitour hourely thee subbornes To misse the marke and blinde thee with crosse guides Yet constant runne runne on and be not sory So runne thou mayst obtaine a crowne of glory We see for a light prise a man will runne His utmost speed and often loose his paines That Caledonian hunter never wonne By strife of foote a hare was all his gaines But he who runs this course shall earne a treasure The butte of Heaven must be his marke and measure Then blest is he keeps dyet for this race And fits his soule to take coelestiall physick Faith is the compound and the potion grace Christ the Physician mercy our soules musick Then pardon seeks our suite last love crownes all And raignes with glory rivalls in one saule For this prepare thy selfe since our short dayes Are but a blast and yet our longest time Is scarce a thought Looke what experience sayes That space 'twixt wombe and Tombe O falling slyme Is but a point then see and not suspend A happy life must have an happy end Our day of death excells our day of birth And better wer 't with mourning folks to live Than like to fooles that in the house of mirth Would passe their time and would that time survive Relenting cryes all times more needfull growes Than laughing feasts blest are all godly woes How vaine are frolick youths to spend their prime In wantonnesse and slouth lust galling joyes They quite forget the substance of base slime Till rotten age ramverse their masked toyes And then diseases hang about their bones To plague their flesh with sores their hearts with groanes The concupiscence of youths sqink-laid eye Which lust begets and inflamation brangles â—s but the bait invelops luxurie To follow practice custome still entangles The eye supports the thought the thought desire And then corruption sets delight on fire Yet youth remember in thy dayes of youth Thy sole Creator remember thou must die â—est that these dayes may come when helplesse ruth â—hall say No pleasure in them thou canst see Remember in thy youth O youth remember Thy Christ and Maker thou maist be his member â—hall youth take pleasure in vaine wantonnesse And with his fleshly lusts go serve the Divell Then when growne old in midst of rottennesse Would turne to God and shunne his former evill This can not be when thou canst sinne no more Thou wouldst serve God whom thou didst hate before â—are thou example take of the good thief Nay Christ was once for all but sacrifiz'd This can not ground thy faith nor lend relief That one Thiefs mercy thine is paterniz'd Can thou repent at will choose time and place Nay that falls short its God who gives the grace â—s any sure when death shall call him hence Nothing more certaine more uncertaine too Time place and how concernes Gods providence Then arme thy selfe take heed what thou shouldst do Bridle thy youth amend thy life repent Such fruit is pleasant from thy spring-tyde sent The morne is cooler than the sun-scorch'd day The tender juice more sweeter then old sap The flowry grasse more fresh than withred hay The floorish fairer than the Tronke we trap So dayes of youth more sav'rie are to God Than crooked age all crooked wayes have trode Would thou live well and live to live for aye Beginne at God obey his word and law Love feare and serve him make him all thy stay Honour thy Parents of the Judge stand awe And neighbour love conserve But ah this age Can show none such but rot with lust and rage The fin-flowne Dolphin after flying fish Nev'r swim'd so swift as youth hunt after lust They dip presumption in a poysond dish And fearlesse tumble in a fearfull gust They wrestle not to wrest but strives with strife To humour pleasures in their head-strong life It s incident to youth to mock old age And usuall too for age to jeere at youth The one he dotes the other playes the page A fondling foxd with wantonnesse and slouth Yet age is best because experience schooles him And youth is worst 'cause vice and pleasure fooles him Then 'twixt them both the golden meane is best Neither too young nor doting dayes are good Yet happy both if faithfully they rest With confidence fixt on their Saviours bloud For it can purge the old of what is past And cleanse the young post after sinne so fast Both Timothie and Titus othersmoe Of rarest worth though young their youth-head chaind In cords of temperance made vertue grow In fortitude by which they glory gaind Nay Alexander in the prime of youth Was wondrous chast till strangers taught him slouth The Persian manners spoild him But behold What good Aurelius said the Romane King If I were sure that lust were not controld Nor punishd by the gods above which ring Yet for the fact it selfe I will disprove it Cause why its filthy base and who can love it Would God! that younglings and the fry of nature Could so resolve and play the Pagans part Yea old and young and ev'ry humane Creature In this were blest to take these words to heart Then modestie should live Religion flourish And good example one another nourish A noble youth been askd whether he went Reply'd he to the house of teares did go To mourne with Mourners that he might lament And learne to weep when he did older groe If hethnicks can show Christians such instruction Our blind-set eyes had need of their conduction Who sowe in teares shall surely reape in joy For godly griefe shall blessednesse inherit They who thus mourne and thus their soules imploy Are firmely shelterd under Jesus merit Who shall transchange their griefe in glorious gladnesse True happinesse expells all sorrowing sadnesse Blest were these teares were spent neare Cajaphs house By Peter griev'd for imbecillitie Brought downe so low he was nought could arrouze His hope for pardon of infirmitie Yard-closde alone he weept and wofull hee With dolefull cryes thus spoke on flexed knee Have I would he have said deny'd my Lord With triple oathes before the Cocke crew twice Which he foretold ah feare my faith had smord His looks accusd me I had done it thrice Was it not I who vowd with him to die And now forsworne I from my Master flee Was I not Cephas lately thought a Rock And now the tongue of a base serving maide Hath made me shrinke and
fabrick Angels singing musick To lure our soules to take coelestiall physick â—hen come stress'd thou who loaden is and weary â—nd here refresh thy fatigating soule â—ake haste and come and now no longer tarry â—est others barre Thee from Bethesdaes Poole When grace would touch thy sprite thy heart is troubled But be not slow lest losse on losse be doubled â—onsider Lord these times wherein we live â—d harken to thy chosen deare Elect â—t Israel joy and thine enemies grieve â—o time good God their sacrifice neglect But heare and help them guard them round about With heavenly hosts and thine Angelick rout Looke downe on thy stress'd Sion and her teares And bottle up her woes within the Urne Of thy remembrance Grievous grow her feares By Wolves in Lambskins topsolturvie turne Most fearfull seeme these whirlewindes of time Bred from the base seditious dregs of slime Such wound her sides but can not dimme her light The blood of Saints is her espousall seed When darkest stormes would theat to bring downe night Thy Spouse triumphs in Christ her soveraigne head No winde so high nor wave so great but grace Can calme sterne blasts when thou seest time and place When Man is snard by sinne and seemes as lost Then God drawes neare and makes his Sprite prepare The soule for grace So when forlorne or crost Christs Church appeares that even her Saints despaire Then comfort comes the Lord will not exile her Nor let the spight and craft of men defile her Pure like the gold is she and christall cleare White as the snow and sweeter than the hony Thy virgine Spouse most neare to Thee and deare Is farre more precious than ten Worlds of money The silver-fornace tryde is not so fine Nor halfe so sweet tasts Rethimosean wine Lord looke upon her crosses and relieve Her troubled Saints for Thee and for thy Sonne She springs through briers and mongst sharpe thorns doth livâ— Like to the Rose in midst of thistles wonne Her bloudy foes confound protect her Saints Erect maintaine their zeale Lord heare their plaints Faire is thy sister sweet thy Spousall love Her sent is bundled Myrrhe fixt on her breasts She 's thine cled with thy power thine harmelesse Dove For in the Garden of thy grace she feasts Come clasp her in thine armes come gracious Lord And shew thy Virgin Queene misericord Red shines the blush of Sions fragrant flowres Greene spring her boughs like Liban Cedars tall Swift flee her wings to court her Paramours Knowne to her friends but never knowne to all Whose purple Roabes are pure and finer farre Then Tyrians wore ere they were sackt by warre Like the Apple in midst of Forrest trees Thy Welbeloveds so 'mongst sonnes of Men The fairest 'mongst Women with radiant eyes Would succour have to save her from the Den Of darknesse black Lift up thy face and see The spices and ripe fruit of her fig-tree Whose breasts are like two twinnes 'mongst Lillies fed Her rosie cheeks more brighter than the Sunne One marke she beares that in the soule is bred Another badge lasts till our glasse be runne The thirds a sparke that mounts to Heaven above The light of Saints the love of endlesse Love Her richest garment truth and righteousnesse And that 's broudred with mercy grace and peace â—aithfull in all and patient in distresse Constant to stand unchangeable of pace And yet her beauty Heavens no fairer fixe Than mens tradition would the same ecclipse She 's Catholick now not ty'd to a place As Jewrie land where God was onely knowne Christs Church points forth the Universe for grace Came with th' Evangel peace to Pagans showne The Gentiles then were call'd as well as Jews For mercy came with Jesus Gospell news And yet there many darknesse love than light For sinne craves silence and umbragious places The cloud 's their covert and their friend the night The day their foe their Darling obscure faces Thus blinde inveigling vice turnes darknesse darke For jet-black sin can dim their foggy warke Too many darknesse love so sinne provides That blinded eyes must follow blinde tradition Blinde are they bred but blinder far their guides Who maske poore Ignorants with superstition Whose Church maintaines false miracles and treason Blood murther incest powder plots and poyson Besides this Church idolatrous and drunk With indulgence and pardons Policies At Limbus forgd Absurd for gaine and sunk In Purgatories avarice and lyes There other orient Churches erre and fall From Gospell truth they know it not at all The Aethiopian Abbasins the Moore Aegyptian Gopties Chelfanes Georgians Greeks Nostrans Syriacks Jacobines what more Grosse Armenians th' Amaronite that seeks Talp-drawne ignorance all of which do swerve Tradition is the mistresse whom they serve I could dive here in their distract'd conceit And blinde surmises sowne these parts abroad But I suspend yet here 's a dangerous state To cast opinions on the face of God Their Patriarchs like themselves do play the foole That will not square Religion with Christs rule O! if I could with Jeremie lament The worlds great errours and my fallings too And with grievd Ninivie in time repent Lest with my slippings justice me undo Thrice happy were I in this resolution Ere death enhaunce my life bring dissolution Yet soule despaire not God is mercifull Long suffring patient full of kinde compassion His love to Man is passing plentifull Whose grace and mercy flow on our confession For if one teare for sinne fall from our eyes He 's pleas'd to pardon our infirmities How gracious then is God how rich I say Is Christs redemption fraught with saving bloud If we have faith in him if we can pray And lift our eyes fixt on the holy Rude And then to suffer in our zeale those pangs Our Saviour thold in this our welfare hangs My merit is thy mercy that 's the end Although good works they are the way to heaven Yet not the cause why I may there ascend That in thy love remaines makes mine oddes eaven For if thou hadst not dyed what had I beene And if not risen what had my soule seene Thou wilt not gracious God break the bruisde reed Nor quench the smoaking flaxe for said thou hast That if our sinnes were dy'd in scarlet red Thou'le make them white as snow to let us taste Of grace and gladnesse 'Cause the broken heart Thou'le not reject contrition would convert Lord thou ordaind that death no flesh should shunne Cause why it was the doome and curse of sinne And so the punishment of thy deare Sonne Which for our sakes thy judgements cast him in That as the Divell prevailed by a Tree So by a Tree his power should vanquish'd be Then let the sight of thy transgressions rude Draw drops of teares from thine inunding eyes Since they did draw so many drops of bloud From thy Redeemers wounds thy soule to ease And looke what David said in faith and feare His sinnes were heavier
which we grieve The Woman for adultrie been accusde Was brought to be adjudgd before our Lord Their thoughts he saw and what deceit they usde They fled she stood and found misericord Woman said he thine adversars are gone I le not condemne thee mercy is my Throne How good and gracious was the light of grace That purgd and pardond this Woman unrequested She 's gone and freed the law could take no place No roome for Moses when his Master feasted For why from double death he set her free The Judge was pleader he discuss'd the pleye Alas when I recall preteriat times What losse finde I in my lost dayes and deeds For morall slips a world of weightier crimes And to condemne me justice judgement pleads Yet stay sad soule conceive confesse condole With me my sinnes my frailties I le controule What frivole fancies flow from my flowne minde Which often blinde my judgement and divert My better aimes whilst reason can not finde The cause of such delusions for I smart In their velocitie abusing will They thrall combustion to assist their ill What foolish prancks in gesture deed or word What fond conceits in flash-flowne merryments What scoffing squibs which taunting mocks afford What idle straines in vaine spent complements Have I not done and in such actions quick To foole my fellows with a jeering trick This thought that surmise this flash that reglance Of suddaine motions else of flowne conceats More voluble they were than wide-wingd chance Which tops all things all where and at all dates There 's nought more swift than fancie nought more fond More light than winde which flees and is not found Then Lord ingraft in me a constant heart Sound grave and solid holy wise and just Prudent in much and provident in part That all my all may in thy mercies trust Rule thou the Ruther of my foggy minde Lest in dark mists I wander and turne blinde Bring me unto my selfe from outward things And from my selfe even to thy selfe bring me That I in chast will and pure desirings May be like Thee as I 'me in nature see Lord set me wholly â—on fire with thy love That my lights and delights in Thee may move This Worlds a Mappe of transitorie toyes Which to expostulate were labour lost A shaddow mask'd with hypocritick joyes Fals in the face and hollow in the cost And what 's our love or life when dead ere rotten Our short stay here is presently forgotten Man like to vapour melts wealth as the winde Doth flee away and honour like fond dreames Dissolves to nought so Parentage we finde Unnaturall oft Yea children by extreames Rebellious grow So mighty men grow meane And meane men great this change is daily seene Would God mens sonnes could learne how Storks they do Who when their old growne weake diseasde distrest Their young ones beare them on their backs and lo They flee with them all where from nest to nest With care they keep them bring them what they need Though they them selves have their owne young to feed It s strange aetheriall love should passe humane For our young brood would have their Parents die That they might get their goods and thereby gaine If poore so want they will them straight denie Nay slight them scorne them raile on their distresse Thus they decline and here their wretchednesse lovelesse age you might this fault amend And pittie Nature gave you life to live Be not like Vipers for to make an end Of these who did your blood and beeing give If not the Turtle play the Eagles part Since Parents are your Pelicanes in heart All thinges runne contrare in a head-strong change The world growes grim mens hearts grow false and double Twixt sonne and father this is nowayes strange To see each one forsake anothers trouble Nay friends familiars blood kinred mother Live most in strife no love 'twixt one another So elements are changd in part from nature But above all the earth growes bare and old The Moones prest influence failes in some Creature Short falls her force The Sunne growes tyrde and cold And seasons frozen the airie clouds convert In boistrous windes most Climes like tributes part Most grounds grow barren and their fruits are blasted And bestiall perish by depressing stormes The aire 's intemperate and the fields ly wasted With nipping frosts and canker spoiling wormes Nay mens conditions change and Christian love Growes worse then barbarous we hourely prove Mercy good Lord grant mercy for thy Name Is Mercy mercy Lord of kinde compunction Father of pittie compassion we claime Lover of love thou life of loves conjunction Come patient Syre O thou long suffring God! And slow to anger come spare thy threatning rod Looke downe on Christendome this Westerne world Whose lands with fatall sword are drunk with blood Where Kings and kingdomes in combustions hurld Turne spectacles of scorne to Pagans rude There is no Nation within Christian bounds That suffers not disasters threats or wounds The Infidell beholds and swearing sayes That our Religion is a bare profession For Christs dishonourd in our ambitious wayes No faith we show farre lesse of truth confession Pryde puft with malice is our Christian marke Deceit despight our daylie divelish wark Here wounds there bloud here death and there disasters Here Mothers mourning for their slaughterd sonnes There Widdows weeping servants for their Masters Here helplesse Orphanes bursting forth starv'd groanes There sisters for their brothers sorrowing sore Last fatall framelings one another gore This universall scourge is grievous great For kinred nor alliance nought can swage Faith for performance breeds but greater hate Deep words and seales turne reason ragg'd in rage Kinde honesty is fled true love exyld And conscience with deceitfulnesse defyld Looke on this halfe Europian angry face And thou shalst see the mother of mischiefe Point forth at Rome that hollow hellish place Eye but her Prelats hatchers of our grief And thou shalft finde that Antichristian Whoore Would nought but Millions for one life devoure She hunts her hounds abroad and they obey Some worke some runne some plot some poyson Nobles Some treason hatch some murder what they say Is fac'd with Sophistrie perjurie doubles Their mentall muttrings The Jesuites their Trumpet Must sound the cruelties of that Babell Strumpet At home we have at home at home alace A world of woes and rogueries of like kinde I could I would I should bewray this cace I dare but dare not signifie my minde That faction is so strong and I so weake That thrice the Prison they my lodging make They bragge like Butchers of their beastly deeds And laugh at cruelty as at a play Their hornes they push and policie them leads Nought but mischief their head-strong course can stay And glutting gape to have old rotten Rome Erect'd our Mistresse else them selves consume What kinred can they claime to Tybers banks The river shallow and in Summer dry We have Gods
word and they posternall blanks The light here shines with them doth darknesse lye Or shall the truth in foppish relicks rest That were to Britaine an Egyptian pest But stay O stay long have I liv'd and liv'd To see their blindnesse in dejections fall I know their wayes and at their lives have griev'd They pierce our wills and we their projects thrall Is any under Sunne so well acquainted VVith them as I whose body they tormented They wish that Malaga had burnt me quick As doom'd I was so by Spaines Inquisition Whose tortures ah fast to my bones doestick And vexe mesore with pangs of requisition Great God avenge't confound them and restore Me to my health for I le debord no more Lord give me grace of all things to praise Thee Who never leaves thine owne left in distresse Thou first discoverd then deliver'd me A worke of love beyond my hopefulnesse I sought thou wrought then did enlarge my life Free from destruction last from Papall strife Now to observe my method I le returne To square construction with deploring Saints Then here 's my rule I le both rejoyce and mourne For teares bring joy when mercy crownes complaints The just man sinnes seven times a day and I Full seventy seven times may each houre descry Oh! if mine eyes like Arathusean Springs Fled Greece to Syracuse could yeeld three Fonts One to bewaile originall sinne stings The life of nature the other ah amounts To actuall trespasse the last and worst comes in To consuetude a deadly dangerous sinne Yet as the Malefactour when set free From death and pardond his heart is overjoyed Or as the Prisner set at libertie Which long before he never had enjoyed So Man when freed from sinne and Satans clawes His soule triumphs and loves religious lawes A â—hipwrackt man cast on some planke to seeke The safe set land which got how glad is he So shipbroke sinners in some stormie creek Of sinfull seas and sterne iniquitie Beene free to coast the shoare of grace and landed More greater joy than theirs nev'r soule commanded A wandring sonne long forraniz'd abroad In Parents hopes left desolate or slaine Yet when returnd and shaken off the load Of strangers rites how they rejoyce amaine So Saints so Heavens so Angels joy when changd One sinner turnes who long from God hath rangd These teares at Babell spent on Tigris banks Where Euphrates salutes that stately station Sowre-set Hebraick plaints powr'd forth by ranks Of mourning Captives banishd from their Nation And Sions face O sad Judaick songs Wailing for sinne and sterne Chaldean wrongs None of their teares were lost they pierc'd the heavens Whence kinde compassion free deliv'rance sprung God from his deoperculate Cherubins â—mbracd these feares his chosen flock had stung Then Mordecais sackcloth Queene Esthers woes Wrought Hamans death made Israel to rejoise Thus teares and pale repentance brought reliefe Though once exyld see now they 're back-reclaimd The least construction bred from godly griefe Begets like mercy mercy stands proclaimd At Heavens court gate for Christ the trumpet sounds And bids all sinners come he 'le heale their wounds VVho pleads for peace shall mercie finde with God The oyle of grace shall oyle their stinking gores All fatigating soules griev'd with the load Of sinne may come whose case remorse deplores For sanctify'd crosses all just Mens troubles Are not prest sorrows Mercy comfort doubles I never finde affliction fall on me VVithout desert for God is true and just Nor shall it come and without profit be For God is good as mercifull I trust Then welcome all afflictions sent from God He whom he loves he chastens with his rod VVho loves his childe administers correction And keeps him under awe cause of complainers Yet notwithholds kinde Natures best affection But curbes his will to rectifie his manners Much more Gods love abounds cause we are fraile And playes the Jayler then becomes our baile He lets us fall that he may raise us up And though we sinke we can not headlong drowne By gentle stripes he represents the cup VVhich Christ drunk of our patience for to crowne As Peter sunke then shrunke was twice recall'd So if we sinke or slyde we are not thralld The love of God is free his mercy gracious There 's no constraint binds God to pittie man But of free will would make our soules solacious To glorifie his goodnesse if we can But apprehend by faith what he hath done For us through Christ his onely righteous Sonne Man pondring on his momentany dayes May well conceive the brevitie of time From which extract he should contract the praise Of him who hastes to short the sense of slime And if it were not for his owne Elect He would prolong the day and speed neglect What is this age of ours much like a span Yea like the water buble shent as swelld Even as the glyding shade so fadeth Man Or like the morning grasse soone sprung soone quelld Nay like the flowre which falls then rots ere noone So melt our dayes and so our dayes are done And yet what are our dayes the longest liver As one man once I saw seven score yeares old Nay diverse six score health was such a giver Of lengthning time ere they returnd to mould And yet a dreame whose larger halfe of life Was spent in sleep the rest in toile and strife Oh! if ambitious men their ends were showne That like the froth do beat on rocks of death That shadow short from a fled substance flowne Much like a dreame so vanisheth their breath Then would their deeds forbeare to tyranize The Just might live and offer sacrifice But ah their thundring spight liket'a storme thuds And boasting men would thereby God upbraid The light they scorne and in Infernall clouds Would smother vertue with a sanguine spade Is not this Christian world with bloud o'rewhelmde Their swords with strife their heads with hatred helmde See! godlesse Tyrants tyrannizing still And scourging Saints themselves they scourge with shame Like Nimrod they gainst Heaven will have their will Though justice in sad judgements plague the same At last behold where they themselves sojourne Their threatning swords back in their bosome turne When Dionisus for tyranny had fled He kept a schoole in Calabria eight yeares At Montecilion opposite indeed To Sicilie which he at last endeares A king to turnea schoolemaster was strange But back to turne a King a rarer change In this our age what kings have beene dis-thrond Detect'd cast downe last banish'd from their bounds I could recite and where th' injust were crownd And Princes headlong hurled from their grounds Pryde fosterd spight with them the Ulcer brecks Which gored the harmelesse broke ambitious necks Would God mens choler could with patience lurke To blunt the edge of anger and to curbe With Job their passion let forbearance worke The stress'd Athenian suffring Not disturbe Times meek-fac'd calmenesse prosperous in peace With which no