to feed by faith thou doest me giue My bondage thus release make thou me free My barren branch shall so bring frute for thee SON XXI A Marchant I full long abroad haue straide By sea and land true happinesse to gaine The riches of the earth my eyes haue waide And see their profit to be light and vaine Such trifling trash my soule doth now disdaine And Iewels of more value I espye Among the rest one doth all other staine Which with my wealth I wish that I might buye But this rare pearle is of a price so hie As all the earth cannot esteeme the same Much lesse to purchase it can it come nie Yet doth the loue thereof my heart enflame Be thou the pledge sweet Sauior then for me That heauenly blisse shall so my riches be SON XXII AMong the prease of many that draw neare Vnto the feast of grace in Temple thine I silly widow also doe appeare With humble heart ô Lord who here encline And vnto thee a mite for offering mine Present as precious to my poore estate For heards or flocks for store of corne and wine Without obedience Lord thou aye didst hate But broken hearts and soules which lye prostrate Before thy throne of grace and mercy craue Do mercie finde though it be nere so late Thy promise hereof vs assurance gaue In trust whereof obaying thy behest My praiers to thy praise ô Lord are prest SON XXIII INto thy vineyard Lord vnworthie I Desire to come to trauell out the day Thou calledst me thereto and didst espie Me loytring idle by the worlds high way At first to come my follies did me stay Whom cold and hunger now to worke compell Though halfe my daies be spent say me not nay The other halfe to trie employed well I do not hope my paines so deare to sell As they that beare the brunt of heat of day They merit most whose trauels most excell My slender seruice craues but single pay But if thy bountie giue behold me prest With thanks thy grace to taste amongst the rest SON XXIIII AS thou art pure and iust in all thy waies O Lord so should thy offrings also bee The tongue vncleane cannot set forth thy praise The wanton eye may not thy secrets see The lame of faith the blind of skill not hee That thou alotst thy sacrifice to slay The heart that is found cleane in each degree Is fittest for thy church wherein to stay Such is no flesh ô Lord the truth to say But as thou pleasest them to purifie By faith and by repentance euerie day Who then with Christ may boldly thee come nie Behold me then thus thy adopted chyld Let me not from thy temple be exyld SON XXV I Follow thee ô Lord but far behinde As Peter did when he did see thee led To prison where the traitors did thee binde Amazed much with worldly feare and dred When as I saw the world all ouer spred With hatred and disdaine vnto the iust My courage it was quayld and quickly fled And had no liking to thy helpe to trust But Lord I know perforce I forward must If I intend to gaine the crowne I craue I must abandon flesh and fleshly lust And in thy promise all my hope must haue Grant thou me boldnesse then and constant will To perseuere in thy obedience still SON XXVI OF parents first two brothers borne that were The bodie and the soule did represent The elder Cain who Henocks wals did reare The yonger Abell dwelt in silly tent First man with plough the virgins soile he rent The other seru'd and shoare the silly sheepe To worldly lustes of flesh the one was bent Thy heauenly lawes the other sought to keepe A deadly discord twixt them so did creepe The elder did the guiltlesse yonger slay That ancient hatred grounded is so deepe It striues in me alas vnto this day Accept my sacrifice Lord me defend My powres vnto thy holie pleasure bend SON XXVII LIke pined chyld ô Lord from nurses brest Whom churlish stepdame ouer soone doth waine By wicked will alas I am opprest And crie to cruell flesh behold in vaine Who lets me languishing in sin remaine And sends no comfort to support my need My faults I know I do confesse them plaine That folly doth my weake affections feed I see my ruine neare at hand in deed And cannot call for aide whose tong is dum My feete so feeble cannot helpe at need Although I see at hand thy vengeance come Vnlesse thou giue me grace to see and feare To pray in faith and thou thy hand forbeare SON XXVIII POlluted with the curelesse leprosie Of sin which is heriditarie now So lothsome growne that I dare not come nie Thy holy temple where my heart doth bow I craue ô Lord it please thee to allow The high Priest Christ thy sonne to view my sore Whose holyhand may guide and teach me how To cure this griefe it may returne no more I know ô Lord thou hast of mercy store And onely thou doest pitie mans estate Which though my stubburne heart refusde before Repentance yet and faith coms not too late Whose sparrowes of repentance I present An offering here through worldly desert sent SON XXIX A Virgine pure ô Lord by birth I was The daughter of thy church adopt by grace But lothsome lust foule fiend did me alas Pursue and sought with me his dwelling place As many vertues as did seeke my grace By weddings band to me to be vnight So many did this fiend first night deface So oft I was depriu'd of my delight Seuen times a widow I with shame and spight Am left and liue now hopelesse of redresse Till thou with Raphaell send that medicine bright Of God to giue me grace to sinne suppresse Thy sonne thus made my spouse shall soone restore Tobias sight wealth comfort lost before SON XXX OF sinfull race of mans licentious seed Whilst heauenly ofspring with faire humane kinde Do ioyne affects where wicked lusts do breed And so pollute the frutes of vertuous minde A bastard brood my selfe alas I finde Whose nature doth in tryannie consist Of grace and reason growne so dull and blinde That I in wrong with stubburnesse persist Who seeing father Nature ere he wist A sleepe with soâ—tish wine of worldly loue To hide his shame by wisdome had no list Which iustly curse of God on me did moue A slaue to sin therefore I did pursue Like Nymrod grace of God which now Irue SON XXXI AS oft as thou by grace wouldst drawe me backe From sin whereto I am by nature thrall So oft alas I finde my will to lacke And power to follow thee when thou doest call From sin to sin I headlong thus do fall And quench repentance by a peruerse will I see my fall but haue no feare at all And to my vomit dog-like turne I still My frailtie doth thy wrathfull cup fulfill With flowing measure of reuenge and wo When I returne
a litle backe from ill To wallow in the myre againe I go No powre is in me Lord my life to mend Vnlesse thy hand from heau'n me comfort send SON XXXII FAine would I fence this feeble flesh of mine From Satans furie who me thus assailes Which doth besiege my soule and meanes to pine My conscience which my sin so sore bewailes His busie braine to win me neuer failes And leaues no stratagem at all vntride My fainting hope I know not what it ailes But it doth feare the batt'ry to abide The safest way must be what ere betide To set a watch to looke vnto my waies Lest pride or lust or wrath do let him slide Into my hart which yet vnyeelded staies But like a theefe he stealeth me vpon Watch thou me Lord ech houre else I am gon SON XXXIII MY sinnes behold ô Lord are manifold VVhich do incamp my soule each houre about Still me intrenched with distrust they hold So that no frutes of faith can issue out Their fleshly champion is a soldiar stout VVho is assist by world and Satans aide And foule affections readie are in rout To further force to lust but hardly staide The earthly treasures haue with pleasure paide The hatefull Army which doth hast to hell My natiue powre their passage not denaide VVhich makes their pride and peruerse wil to swel I see no way to helpe to shun decaie But on thy graces rescue Lord to staie SON XXXIIII THe greedinesse of this my corrupt minde VVhich tasteth not but of the earthly gaine And in thy glorie can no profit finde But seekes with symonie my soule to staine Makes me alas for carnall treasor vaine Like Elizeus seruant to desire A present of worldes pleasure mixt with paine As recompence of heauenly comforts hire I sorcerer like do also oft require Like marchandise thy graces for to buye Supposing morall vertues may aspire To saue my soule and sin to mortifie But lo I see soules leprosie herein And craue that praiers may my pardon win SON XXXV VOyd of true life and buried in the graue Of wicked flesh alas I long haue bin No earthly comfort can my conscience haue VVhich was corrupted with all lothsome sin My sister vertues to despaire begin Of euer seeing once my lifes restore Ne is there any other way to win True life indeed which shall decay no more But prostrate Lord thy helpe for to implore And craue thy gracious presence at the last To aide the soule thy sonne hath lou'd before For time of grace with thee is neuer past Roll backe hard stone from heart bid him arise VVho slaue to sin in earthly coffin lies SON XXXVI MY bodie Lord the house which hath bene long Possest with spirits to ruine of the same VVhich forst me forward vnto open wrong Of conscience by defacing of thy name Hath found some comfort since thy message came Vnto my soule which in thy word was sent VVhose powerfull truth hath bound seeks to tame The furious lust which to my ruine bent Grant Lord from heart I may indeed repent And therewith chase these fiends fro out of me Sweep cleane my house fro out of which they went And garnished with graces let it be Let puissant faith henceforth possesse the place Lest sin returne with legions of disgrace SON XXXVII AMidst this famine of Sarepta soile Where I a widow dwell poore and abiect Compeld by sin with sweat of browes to toile To gather stickes from cold me to protect Behold me Lord a caitiue thus neglect Whom sin hath banished thy blessed land Who yet in heart thy Prophers do affect And with thy church to life and death wold stand I offer all my treasures here in hand That litle sparke of grace yet left behinde Increase it Lord vnto a great fire-brand Of faith which may a frutefull haruest finde My meale and Oyle ô Lord do thou increase My selfe sonne shall praise thee so in pease SON XXXVIII BOrne blinde I was through sinfull Adams fall And neuer since could see with carnall eyes Ne know I where or how for helpe to call From out of sin to holie life to rise It pleased thee ô Lord that in this wise Thy powre and glorie might to man appeare Who gracelesse groueling in earths darknesse lies And wants the eyes of faith his soule to cheare But since thou sentst thy sonne my Sauiour deare To shine in light to those in darknesse weare To dym the worldly wisdome seeming cleare And sinfull soules froÌ„ hell to heauen to reare Touch thou my eyes with faith wash me with grace In Sylo poole thy word which I embrace SON XXXIX HOw drunken are my humors all alasse With wine of vanitie and sensuall lust Which from one sin do to an other passe And after euill daily more do thrust Of force my faults for shame confesse I must My lauish vsage of thy graces sent My soules consent to action so vniust As death of Prophets teaching to repent Like Herod I about the matter went To please the follies of my flesh delight Incest'ous I to sin so much was bent That offred mercie pleased not my sight But Lord prepare my heart to see my sin That sorrow may a way to mends bigin SON XL. THough with thy Saints ô Lord I choise haue made To spend my daies in praising of thy name And in the studie of thy word to wade To feed my faith with portion of the same Yet can I not my choice so rightly frame Aâ—midst the spacious fields where truth doth grow But whilst to gather healthfull herbe I came A bitter bud I found of fearefull show Which threatneth me with death and ouerthrow Vnto my soule which feedeth greedely On sin the weed which Satan did bestow By poisoned tast thereof I pined lie But Christ thy sonne by faith me helth shall bring Discharge the law and bruse this deadly sting SON XLI ACcording to the promise of thy word To giue the victorie ô Lord to those That fight thy battels with a faithfull sword Against the world flesh diuell and thy foes I seeke ô Lord proud Iericho t' inclose Incouragde by thy graces from aboue My shooes of foule affects I pray thee lose Before on holy earth my path I moue Thy powerfull hand by prayers let me proue Which daily seu'n times I to thee direct Shake thou the walles of sin for my behoue And in this skirmish do thou me protect The frutes of flesh pride lust and error all So shall be wract and sin not raise a wall SON XLII AMidst the graues of death this many a yeare My soule possessed with all sorts of sin Hath liu'd and held that frutefull place so deare That from the same no counsell could me win To beate my selfe my follies neuer lin No reason can with chaines binde so my will But to vnlose my lust I do begin With helpe of furious fiend who aides me still But since thy sonne appeareth me vntill I craue I
But yet in hope of grace from thee I stay And do not yeeld although my courage quaile To rescue me be'prest I do thee pray If sinfull death do seeke me to assaile Let me runne forth my race vnto the end Which by thy helpe ô Lord I do intend SON LIIII ABase borne sonne to sin by kinde I am From natiue soile by want of grace exilde Of idle fances captaine I became Whilst I in Tob my resting place did bilde With worldly vanities I was defilde Till home thou caldst me by thy heauenly word Who trusting to my selfe was soone beguilde When I sought workes to be a conquering sword Whose vowes did seeme a present to afford Of frute of victorie at my returne Which rashnesse hath a mischiefe great incurd Compelling me my owne deserts to burne And now I mourne and better frute do craue The blessing of thy sonne Lord let me haue SON LV. WHen thou vouchsafedst Lord to raise my state From base degree of common humane kinde And gau'st me knowledge and a will to hate Each wickednesse contrarie to thy minde By promise thou didst me most strictly binde To slaye each wicked seed which doth possesse My sinfull flesh Amalekite most blinde Which vertue and thy grace seekes to suppresse But wretched I alas I do confesse Haue kept a part of that accursed spoile Vndaunted which thou seest nere the lesse And therefore wilt accurse my sinfull soile And take from me the kingdome thou didst giue Except thy mercy do my soule relieue SON LVI THe onelie daughter Lord of my delight Dina the vertue of my iudgment best Is rauished alas by Satans might Whil'st I secure in Hiuits countrie rest In worldlie vanities a wandring guest Amongst the wicked I remainde a while Where sillie she by foolish will addrest Gazde on those godlesse youths which her beguile For lustfull Sichem sonne to sin most vile Did lay a traine of loue which led to shame Whose flattering speech did modestie exile And left a spot of guilt and foule defame But faith zeale the first frutes of my strength By grace shall venge my honour iust at length SON LVII THe silly babes the motions of the minde Which natiue vertue seeketh forth to bring Concupiscence the midwife most vnkinde To deadly sin and Satan straight doth fling The mothers power suffiseth not to wring Out of this tyrants hands her dying childe Her mone to see it is a piteous thing When reasons lawes so lewdly are defilde But if thy fauour Lord be reconcilde By loue vnto thy sonne by him to mee Then though my hope of grace be neare exilde Yet thou a childe Of faith wilt let me see A coffin Lord of comfort for me make Where safe I may swim in the words wilde lake SON LVIII VVHere shall I build ô Lord a quiet rest To bring forth birds of turtle Pigeons kinde My wearied wings do wander without rest And cannot gaine a harbour to my minde The Swallow Lord a setling place doth finde Within thy temple free from Eagles claw Not moued with tempestuous stormes of winde Or dangers which their kind doth stand in awe A place as fit for me my faith once saw VVheras my soule might safely be inclosd Thy Church inuisible to which I draw My life retirde therein to be reposd Make frutefull Lord my barren heart therein Shield me from storme of still assailing sin SON LIX VVHilst in the vale of carnall sense I dwell Foule Sodome sinke of sin and badge of shame Of whose polluted nature I do smell And aptly bend my selfe to them to frame Sent by thy mercie Lord thy Angels came And did vouchsafe a harbor to accept Within my soule which did professe thy name But Satan who a watch on me had kept When as these guests within my conscience slept Inuironed with lust my harbor weake For sorrow of this sin my soule it wept Whilst violently my bodies bands they breake But strike thou blinde their fury them expell Take me Lord from the flame of burning hell SON LX. MY bodie Lord infected long with sin Whose running issue is almost past cure Which helpe my humane phisicke cannot win And without comfort cannot long endure By viewing mercies thine becommeth sure If but thy gracious hem my hand may reach That loue in Christ my pardon shall procure And reunite in strength healths former breach Through presse of worldly lets faith shall me teach To seeke my safetie in thy promise true Vouchsafe thou eke repentance so to preach That I no more offending health insue Thy vertue Lord which bidding me be cleane To yeeld me health of soule is readie meane SON LXI NOw that I see ô Lord my open shame Conuict of sin and voyd of clothing pure Which couer might my soule which naked came Of grace and me from storme of world assure I do mistrust my selfe long to endure The heat and cold which feare and frailtie bring And clothing of my owne workes to procure I finde in deed to be a frutelesse thing To hide my selfe vnder thy mercies wing I therefore hasten now in hope of grace Grant I beseech the world no more me wring Out of thy hands but let me see thy face With faith and comfort clothed by thy hand And Christ thy Sonne in my defence to stand SON LXII VVHilst that the chosen chieftaines of thy word Do bend their power by preaching to subdue The fleshly Canaan and put sin to sword And giue the soule to be possest a new With righteous Israel vnto whom of due Those earthly blessings rather do pertaine They send two spies my secret thoughts to vew The law and Gospell which discouer plaine My fainting force in feare for to remaine Where yet repentant Rahab readie is To lodge them safe whilst Satan seekes in vaine To slaie these messengers of heauenly blis I craue therefore sweet Sauiour for a sine Faith bearing frutes as pledge of safetie mine SON LXIII HOw oft ô Lord with more then tender care Hast thou by Prophets cald me to repent How great thy loue by sonne which didst not spare To staie me backe from hell whereto I went Who to that end from heauen to earth was sent Whose graces daily preached offred peace And sought to stop my course to ruine bent And me from guilt of death for to release Like as the henne whose voice doth neuer cease To clocke her tender chickens vnder wings When furious foules on silly pray do prease And would deuour alas the helplesse things Such Lord thy care I feele and loue of me That thrall to Satan wouldst not haue me be SON LXIIII. VVHilst with the wholesome food of heauēly truth The Manna which thy written word doth giue Thou soughtst ô Lord to feed my wandring youth That it in plenteous peace by grace might liue By lust lo Satan sought my soule to driue To breake obedient bands vnto thy law Which my offences I protest do griue My helplesse heart the which delight did draw
fine Where all thy treasures safely I may see And happie hee Bestows his loue so well Whose hope is payd with pleasures that excell SON XXXIX LOue then I will and loue thee Lord alone For fellowship in loue there may not bee Loue for thy loue ô Lord shall be thy â—ee For other recompence thou crauest none My vowes and deeds they shall be alwaies one All dedicated to adorne thy name My heart my soule my strength shall do the same Thy loue shall be my faiths true corner stone The loue of thee shall my affections frame To follow that may pleasing be to thee My eyes no beautie but in thee shall see And thy regard my wandring will shall tame Yea I will blame And scorne each other thing Saue what shall me vnto thy fauour bring SON XL. FAine would I praise thee Lord with such a zeale And feruencie as might my loue expresse Faine would my loue yeeld vnto thee no lesse Due praise then thou didst loue to me reueale But wanting power thereto I yet appeale To that thy goodnesse which thee first did moue In fragill flesh of mine the strength to proue Whose weaknes thou by heaueÌ„ly powre didst heale Mans wit in words comes short in this behoue To recompence nay onely to confesse The many waies thou doest our bodies blesse Much more our soules which freely thou didst loue Thy trustie doue Thy holy spright of grace Makes yet our weaknesse stand before thy face SON XLI O Perfect Sunne whereof this shadow is A slender light though it some beautie show On whom thy influence thou doest bestow Whose constant course still shines in endlesse blisse To scan thy glorie wit of man doth misse How far thy mercies beames abroad extend Tong cannot speake nor wit can comprehend And humane frailtie is bewrayd in this The fire ayre water earth they wholly bend The host of heauen and creatures belowe To pay their dutie vnto thee they owe Which didst their being and their vertue send And I intend With them in what I may To witnesse forth thy laud and praise for aye SON XLII WHat present should I bring of worthie prise To witnesse well the loue to thee I owe I nothing haue but what thou didst bestow Ne likest thou the toyes of mans deuise I would not spare my powre in any wise No treasure seemes to me for thee too deare The pleasures of the world the which are here Too base they are how ere wit them disguise To yeeld thee faith it doth the best appeare But mine is very weake alas I know To yeeld thee praise doth make a decent show But to thy merit neither doth come neare With garment cleare Yet clothd of righteous son My selfe to offer vnto thee I run SON XLIII WHo so beholds the works ô Lord of thine The stretched heaueÌ„s the seat where thou doest dwel The earth thy footstoole which dares not rebell Which all vnto thy will do still incline The Sunne and Moone by day and night which shine The changing flouds the firme and frutefull land The Planets which do firme for euer stand All which gainst thy behest dare not repine The host of Angels in thy heauenly band Th' infernall fiends with Lucifar which fell The fish the foule the beast agreeing well And all obedient to thy heauenly hand May vnderstand Thy glorie loue and powre Without whose help maÌ„ could not liue an howre SON XLIIII AS doth the Moone by daily change of hew By growing or decreasing beautie show The influence the greater lights bestow Whose absence or whose presence her renue So must all flesh confesse and thinke most true The faith or feare they haue for to proceed From heauenly grace which heaueÌ„ly gifts doth feed Without whose face blind darknesse doth insue Mans proper powre is so obâ—curde indeed With shades which rise froÌ„ earthly thoughts below That nothing but blinde ignorance would grow Vnlesse this sunne did shining comfort breed Which serues in steed Of fire vnto the same Fro whence this light of faith receiues his flame SON XLV IF Saba Queene a iourney tooke in hand From South to North wise Salomon to heare If humane wisedome was to her so deare That she did visit thus his holy land Then do I muse why men do idle stand In pride of youth when wit and meanes abound Their tender braines to feed with wisedome sound Far passing that this Queene for trauell found This error is the scarre of Adams wound Who sought his knowledge not in fountain cleare To whom forbidden skill did best appeare Neglecting graces him inclosing round But on the sound And written word I build Not Salomon such Oracles could yeeld SON XLVI HOw fond a thing it is which men do vse To beat their braines and so torment their hart In compassing the thing which breeds their smart And do not know what is the thing they chuse They childishly the name of loue abuse And would define the nature of the same By passions which belong to hatreds name Wherein to pine with pleasure they do chuse Who euer saw that figs on thorne-tree came Or thistels roses beare by any art With pain with grief with shame with losse impart Their passions which they for their loue do frame With iudgment lame Loue is a heauenly thing Where being plast it perfect loue doth bring SON XLVII LEt earthly things in earth their loue repose For flesh and bloud on faith they cannot feed It is a frute indeed of heauenly seed Which who disgesteth well life cannot lose The soule fro out of other matter growes And vnto other matter turnes againe Immortally to liue in ioy or paine As grace to sundry vses it hath chose Then is it time my thoughts at length to waine From laying vp my treasure for my need Where mothes and canker do so common breed As in the world whose wealth is meerely vaine If I attaine But faith layd vp in store In Christ my Sauious I desire no more SON XLVIII FYe fainting faith disswade me not so much From following of my louely heauenly choyce To thinke on whom I cannot but reioyce Whose name or memorie my heart doth touch What trauell ere befall I will not grutch Through fire and water I will him pursue Whose sight my fainting soule doth straight renue His loue and mercy both to me are such If I should dye for him it were but due By him I liue and follow will his voyce Regarding lightly fame or common noyse Which threaten paine and trauell to insue There are but few That passe the narrow way But crowne of honor doth their trauell pay SON XLIX I Find my heart is bent for to amend And follow thee forsaking wicked way From wickednesse my foâ—tsteps for to stay And to thy will my works henceforth to bend But yet the cause which makes me this intend I finde is rather feare then loue of right Yet free-will offrings do thee more delight And to such works thou doest thy
is none SON XCIII IF I did hope by pen to patterne out The many merits of thy Maiestie Which of thy mercies we do daily trie And endlesse matter I should go about But I alas my strength so much do doubt That nothing lesse then such a thought I haue To point foorth others to a thought I craue Whose confidence in skill is much more stout Yet dare I say that nature neuer gaue The power to flesh and bloud to looke so hye Nor gifts of grace full few there are apply To giue him laud aright that did them saue How to behaue My selfe herein I learne And wish my will might others likewise warne SON XCIIII VVHat tongue or pen can shew it selfe vnkind Vnto a father full of mercy so Who freely doth such benefits besto And of our case hath such a carefull mind Before we were a way he forth did find Whereby to purchase vs in heauen a place When natiue strength our glory should deface A remedie therefore his loue assignd He giues vs knowledge of the same by grace Which offered is to them the which will go Vnto the word where sauing health doth grow And faith through which our Sauiour we imbrace And being base By birth and thrall to hell He vs adopts in childrens roome to dwell SON XCV VVHy should this worldly care haue now such power To quench the comfort which the soule shall find In this our God who is to vs so kind The memorie of which should feare deuoure If faith were watred well with heauenly shower Of grace and knowledge of our happie state It would the force of all assaults abate And be a bulwarke strong at trials hower If we the world and flesh did truly hate And made his will a law vnto our mind If doubt of power or will did not vs blind Which to distrust sets open wide the gate Then would this rate Of worldly care be lesse And he our faith with fauour more would blesse SON XCVI HOw loath this flesh of mine remaineth still To part from sinne his old companion deare Of death or of a change he would not heare But would imbrace him aye with his good will The very thought of death his thought doth kill The very feare thereof his sorrow brings So sweet the pleasures seeme of earthly things That nought else can our fond affections fill But who is wise fro out the snare he wrings Before perforce death doth approch him neare That abstinence no vertue doth appeare When want of power subdues affections stings But who so flings From them when they pursue To him pure name of vertue indeed is due SON XCVII VVHo so would liue of force he first must die Death is the doore which leadeth vnto life Life which shall be deuoyd of change and strife Whose comfort shall our teares of sorrow drie The way is straight the which man must go by If to the heauens he purpose to ascend His grosse corruption must to graue descend And dead the power of sinne therein must lye If he to be regenerate intend First must he mortifie the motions rife Of lust which kill the soule with cruell knife And eke his ruine presently pretend For God will send A happie change indeed As haruest paies with plentie plow-mans seed SON XCVIII VVHen I with griefe sometimes to mind do call The wofull losse that sinne to man hath brought And want which to all creatures it hath wrought By Satans slight and Adams fearefull fall I find no comfort in worlds vse at all But wish to be dissolu'd with Christ to dwell From whom all blessings flow and do excell In thought whereof my comfort is not small Yea I do grow by thinking hereof well Into a doubt if that in truth I ought More sorrow parents fall which death hath brought Or ioy the life through Christ to me befell Yet truth to tell I find the change so good Our state is better now then when we stood SON XCIX IF I can speake and like a coward crake If I can tell the thing the which is best If I in muster seeme to battell prest And yet shrinke backe when I should triall make If I indeuour others to awake Fro out the deadly slumber they are in And yet my selfe cannot reuolt from sin But in the pride thereof do pleasure take By all my trauell I no gaine shall win Although my paine might proue to others blest But as the Symbals sound doth to the rest I mâ—ght haps morne when others mirth begin The feast but thin Would be vnto my share Though many dishes to the guests I bare SON C. FOrtune and chance blind guides to blisse farewell Vpon your leasures I no more attend I not regard what good or ill you send Nor in your tents of pleasures wish to dwell A greater blisse then ere through you befell Ye made me to neglect I now do see Whose hope from feare could nere continue free But aye distrust did gainst my faith rebell The earths delight the which ye promist me Could not my soule from sorrow ought defend Your sweete with sower was mixed in the end So vaine and variable both they be Then happie he That seeketh blessed rest In Christ alone and doth the world detest CONCLVSION VVOrds may well want both inke and paper faile Wits may grow dull and will may weary grow And worlds affaires may make my pen more slow But yet my heart and courage shall not quaile Though cares and troubles do my peace assaile And driue me to delay thy prayse awhile Yet all the world shall not from thoughts exile Thy mercies Lord by which my plaints preuaile And though the world with face should gratefull smile And me her pedlers packe of pleasures show No heartie loue on her I would bestow Because I know she seekes me to beguile Ne will defile My happie peace of mind For all the solace I in earth may find FINIS SVNDRY AFFECTIONATE SONETS OF A FEELING CONSCIENCE PREFACE VVHere hast thou rangd my retchles soul so long How too securely hast thou luld my mind In so long space no cause or meanes to find To once againe renue thy vowed song Be not too bold thinke not thy perill past May be thy iourney is but new begun Pleasures do vanish dangers fly as fast To stop thy course if slowly thou do runne Thy vowes are made they may not be vndonne And cause thou hast if blessings not thee blind To keepe thy promise to a God so kind By whom alone thou freedomes rest hast wonne To him nay to thy selfe then do not wrong To whom thy hart powre will by vow belong SON I. OF thee and of thy prayse Lord will I sing Who rid'st on winged Chariot of the skie Whose throne is plast aboue the thrones most hie Whose will doth forme change ech formed thing To thee the offerings of thy bounties gift To thee the due of my attaynd desire I will present and with a voice
wrath to bide SON CVIII Against defection VVHen I ô Lord vnto my mind do call The fearefull records of the Patriarkes best In whom great gifts of grace did seeme to rest And yet to foule and fearefull sinnes did fall I do deplore the frailty of vs all And feare defection euen in those are blest And since I am the least O Lord alas Of many that in word professe thy name And I some feeling tast haue of the same Which doth not forward to perfection pas It makes me see as in a looking glasse The feeble strength of this my present frame Which clogd with sin is lame And wold look back To hell from which I fly if grace should lack SON CIX Not to trust in flesh WHat trust may I ô Lord on flesh repose Whose mould is earth whose substance is but dust His thoughts vncleane his actions all vniust As is the stocke of parents whence it growes Whome fraud vntruth pride lust distrust inclose By which by nature rul'd wee are and must I know the feeble trust I may expect And safety which on such a frame is found Where weake foundation is the sand vnsound Which may â—â—t byde the brunt of stormie day When as temptations shall their powre display Or yet afflictions vs enuiron round Vpon a surer ground Faith must me build And Christ my sauiour so my soule may shield SON CX Praye for humilitie SInce thou ô Lord and Sauiour doest confesse Thy selfe a true Phiâ—ition vnto those Who with humilitie their griefes disclose And vnto thee for ayd by prayers presse Vouchsafe thou so my heart to thee addresse That on thy helpe alone my faith repose Vouchsafe my sight vnlose Make me to see The naked show of natures powre and shame Let me behold my workes weake lewd and lame And let my heart with sorrow pierced be And pressed downe procure such mone in me As may in fine repentance truely frame That humbly so thy name I may adore And faithfully in fine thy helpe implore SON CXI For Comfort in affliction LEaue me not Lord most humbly I thee craue In this distresse whereto my sinsme bring VVhich headlong vnto hell my soule would fling And make me thinke there were no powre could â—aue My wretched state from deaths eternall graue Which poysoned is by Satans deadly sting But teach thou me to sing O Lord thy praise Amids thy saints which see thy mercies still With ioy and comfort do my courage fill Once Lord my soule which yet in terror staies Make me to bend vnto thy will my waies And frame my powers vnto thy holy will The powre of Satan kill And so increase My soule with comfort of thy lasting peace SON CXII Iâ— prosperity not to forsake God THe more ô Lord I see before my face The daily blessings which thow doest bestow On me vnworthie wretch who well do know How farre affections vile in me haue place The more I see iust cause to call for grace Lest for abuse of them thou vengance sâ—ow For then most soone we grow For to forget The giuer when the giftes we once haue gaind Ingratitude our natures so hath staind Thy greatest blessing we most lightly set So far we are from paying praise for debt VVe do forget the nurse vs fed and wainde As Israell not refraind Thee most t' offend VVhen most thou them didst feed comfort send SON CXIII Mans Sorrow for sin I Must commend the thing the world doth hate And like the thing that flesh and bloud detest The cares and griefes by which I was opprest Which made me see and know my wretched state Wisdome is dearely bought but not too late Who tasts true frute of care knowes cumfort best Make me then Lord disgest each bitter pill Which for correction of my sin is sent Purge thou thereby my drosse make me repent Each lewd affect offensiue to thy will A new and better nature Lord in still Which to thy seruice alwaies may be bent With sorrow often rent My hardoned heart And let repentance purchase cure of smart SON CXIIII For true feare FEare is a frailtie knowne to humane kind Which witnesseth a guilt where it doth dwell Since Adams fall his ofspring knew it well And euery man in conscience doth it find It takes possession in atroubled mind And if grace want dispaire driues downe to hell Yet these thy praises tell O Lord they shall Who danted for their frailties do require Grace to resist their lustes and doe aspire For strength of true perfection for to call And haue a feare of sin though neare so small For loue of right as well as shunning ire Kindle their loue with fire Sprinkle it with feare That incense of obedient smoke it reare SON CXV Sorow for coldnesse of compassion I Feele ô Lord and sorrow for the same The slender feeling and compassion small The which I haue of neighbours case at all Which to assist their states my heart should frame Who with my lips professe a Christian name But stop my eares when they for help do call So easily we fall And do forgett The lesson which our Maister Christ vs gaue Who vs with mourners to lament would haue And on our brothers good chiefe care should set But selfe-loue and cold charitie doth let No frute of faith proceed though neighbour craue Yet thou didst freely saue Me wretch cleane lost Whose life the blud of thy deare Sonne hath cost SON CXVI For Patience WHen I ô Lord in troubles sore opprest My heauie state with carefull thoughts do way Which hope of happie issue doth denay Aâ—d frailtie of the flesh can scarse digest I onely find here in at length some rest When on thy mercy promised I stay And when from day to day I see with shame My new offences which do trespasse thee And note how long thy iudgements spared me Which iustly might burst forth in vengeance flame Ye when my Sauiours sufferings show the same Which ought a rule to his elect to be I craue that I might see Like fruites of grace So that impatience hold in me no place SON CXVII For continuance of Gods word THe greatest plague that I see cause to feare To such as I who haue so carelesse bin By reading and by preaching for to win True knowledg which our harts to thee might reare Is lest thy Prophets sound should so forbeare To preach thy word that we should dwell in sin And wallowing therein We should delight In ignorance the headlong path to hell And wickedly in carnall tents to dwell And so surcease with sinne or lust to fight Grant therfore Lord thy sword may alwaies smight My soule till sinne it from me cleane expell Let Prophets alwaies tell To vs thy will And keepe vs vnder thy obedience still SON CXVIII For grace to bring forth fruits ALthough ô Lord I do as truth confesse No powre in humane art that can thee please That all polluted are with first disease Of sinne originall
affections free And in that world no vaine delights shall bee verse 9 These things and more he spake for more he knew the more he taught His people knowledge for their good in all his words he sought 9. And the more wise the Preacher was the more he taught the people knowledge Full many other learned workes beside He wrote for more he knew the more he taught Whereby themselues the godly sort might guide Vnto the wisedome which they wrongly sought And he with care and study dearely bought Three thousand morall rules in writ abide In prouerbs and in adages for skill So sound that they worlds censure may abide And to a ciuill life reduce thee will Without offence of lawes and with content Of such with whom thou daily shalt frequent And caused them to heare Of natures workes with supernaturall skill He many volumes did compose likewise Not curious workes as some profanely will Of Alcumy or iudgements which arise By heauenly motions farre aboue the skies But he his knowledge hath contained still Within the lawfull bounds of Gods decree And therefore many volumes he did fill With medcinable vse of things which bee Abstracted out of tree shrub mettall stone Of beast fish fowle and creatures euery one He sought by parables to giue them precepts how to liue verse 10 And with adorned words to them he doubly grace did giue 10. And searched forth and prepared many parables His heauenly Muse with wings of zeale did fly Aboue the common pitch of earthly men And so inflamed were his thoughts thereby With holy liking of his loue as then That he could not containe his gratefull pen. In thousand songs and fiue his powers did try The prayses of his sacred soules delight In whom sweet peace and loue he did espy Which from him loue of world did banish quight Among the which that song of songs by name Describes her beautie did him so inflame The preacher sought to find out pleasant words and an vpright writing euen the words of truth But this his large discourse was chiefly ment To teach the world to know how farre they stray That do by earthly helpes a meane inuent To leade their liues vnto a happie day Since nature wholy doth the same denay Which for it crosseth carnall mens content And hardly may amongst most wise haue place By this most pleasant stile about he went To giue to naked truth a comely grace For hardly can corrupted man digest Right wholesome food vnlesse it well be drest verse 11 For wise words are like goades and nailes which workmens hands do ding verse 12 Vaine bookes and reading shun they wearinesse of flesh do bring 11. The words of the wise are like goades like nayles fastened by the masters of the assemblies which are giuē by one Pastor And wise mens sayings spoken to the wise Well fraught with matter couched well by art Adornd with words and figures whence arise Content vnto the eare and moue the hart Most soone do worke impressions in each part And as they sooner pierce so firmlier lies The mind resolued in such fownded ground Than any planke or post you can deuise With nayle by hammers forced nere to sound And such this princely Prophets words esteeme Which are more waighty far thē thou woulst deeme 12. And of other things besides these my sonne take thou heed for there is none end in making many bookes and much reading is a wearinesse of the flesh And let this graue aduice of father mild Which louingly he wrote I bring to thee Be neuer from thy hart so farre exild That with the world againe sedust thou bee Wherein is nought but wretchednesse you see And striue to practise as you knowledge build Else is your learning vnto little end These many bookes wherewith this world is fild Do slender profit to the readers lend Which stuft with words of superficiall show But little fruit by them to world doth grow verse 13 Heare th' end of all feare God keepe his law this is mans dew verse 14 For God wil iudge ech work bring our secret thoghts to vew 13. Let vs heare the end of all feare God and keepe his commaundements for this is the whole dutie of a man The end of all true wisedome is in this To know the will of God and it obserue To know his will and yet to walke amis A double chastisement must needs deserue Then feare henceforth therefro so oft to swarue No seruile feare which I perswade it is But such as gratefull child to parent owes VVho though he feele the smart the rod will kisse Because the fruit of fathers loue he knowes And this doth God require of man indeed That our obedience should from loue proceed 14. For God will bring euery worke vnto iudgment with euery secret thing whether it be good or euill The breach whereof will heauie iudgement call VVhen God the searcher of the heart and raines Shall vnto reckning with vs for them fall And pay our passed ioyes with lasting paines For sinfull worke no other guerdon gaines O happie then shall they be most of all VVhose heedfull liues in holy workes were spent The gaine of this their trauell is not small For blessed they the narrow path that went And though this narrow gate few enter in Yet who runs on this race the prize shall win FINIS Adue to worlds vaine delight YE worlds delights blind guides to blisse adue VVeake helpes which fit a carnall vaine desire My soule can find but comfort small in you Though as true blisse profane sort you admire My soule doth will my thoughts from ye retire In faith to place my hope of firmer stay To gaine true blisse lesse toyle it doth require Then worlds vaine pleasure doth by farre away Your false and fickle grounds do well bewray Your liking base effect of fond desire The earth your seat doth perfectnesse denay My soules true hope inspir'd with heauenly fire There seekes to liue where blisse is firme and true And by reformed life would heauen pursue Sundry Psalmes of Dauid translated into verse as briefly and significantly as the scope of the text will suffer by the same Author Psalme 27. 1 THe Lord he is my sauing light whom should I therefore feare 2 He makes my foes to fall whose teeth would me in sunder teare 3 Though hosts of men besiege my soule my heart shall neuer dread 4 So that within his Court and sight my life may still be lead 5 For in his Church from trouble free he shall me keepe in hold 6 In spight of foes his wondrous prayse my song shall still vnfold 7 Haue mercie Lord therefore on me and heare me when I cry 8 Thou badst me looke with hope on thee for helpe to thee I fly 9 In wrath therefore hide not thy face but be thou still my aide 10 Though parents fayle thou wilt assist thy promise so hath said 11 Teach me thy truth and thy right path
how much more may we find in the direction of our sâ—ules to the proper hauen of their habitation euen to heauen a multitude of aduersaries lying in the way to hinder out tâ—auell to that Promised land how many afflictions of the minde frailties of the flesh bayts of the world and snares of Satan are bent against vs to slacken if not cleane to diuert our due course thitherwardes in such sort as if God of his infinite mercie and prouidence did not oftentimes preuent and stop our willes and powers and bridle the malice of these aduersaries we should all assuredly perish by the way But now such is his fatherly care and loue to vs in Christ that he hath left vs a direction ready way of safetie in the midst of all assaults or afflictions how perillous soeuer euen praier which being formed according to the rules prescribed vnto vs by his Sonne and with feruencie of faith offered vp vnto him are of power to penetrate the heauens purchase our safetie pay our debts and procure vs peace of heart in the midst of all earthly perils yea knowing our coldnesse herein and feare of our owne guilt deterring vs from his presence he doth not onely licence vs to this boldnesse but allurâ—th vs by many sensible blessings felt in our owne consciences and calleth vs by a supernaturall courage sometimes with confidence to come vnto him and euen to hope against hope in our most desperate necessities He doth direct our tongues oftentimes here in before our mindes and our mindes before our hearts being himselfe readier to giue then we to aske and giuing with more regard of our good then we can craue or conceiue for all which he expecteth nothing else at our hands but continually to flie vnto him and to yeeld him due praise to relie on him onely in the day of triall and to encourage others thereto for in this sort alone he will be honoured of vs. This our earthly pilgrimage being then so daungerous to all flesh so readie a way prescribed vnto vs for our safer passage therein â—e were very vnwise that would not furnish himselfe with such prouisioâ— which costs so litle as our wils to haue it more vncharitable that would nor do his best to assist his coÌ„panion in his iourney with both couÌ„sell coÌ„fort of the same For this cause gentle Readers I hauing through gods great goodnes felt in the direction and protection of my vnstable youth a plentifull portion of the wonderfull care he hath ouer vs of the vnspeakable force of praier thanksgiuing in all extremities the more to stirre vp my selfe to a memorie thereof haue thought good to set downe these abrupt passions of my passed afflictions as witnesses of the impedimeÌ„ts most stopping me in my Christian pilgrimage and testimonies of the meanes of my euasion hitherto which may serue for presidents for my selfe in the like future occasions and not be altogither vnprofitable for others to imitate In which as in a glasse may be seene the state of a renegerate soule sicke with sinne sometimes Ague-like shiuering with cold despaire straight waies inflamed with feruencie of faith and hope One while yeelding vnder the burden of sinne to eternall death and presently incouraged to runne chearefully forward the appointed course of this his pilprimage and like a practised traueller vsed to the change of company dyet heat cold paine pleasure plentie and want not to amaze himselfe long with any change but by a consideration of pleasures passed or rest expected patiently to passe ouer this world full of incombrances from a sence and feeling whereof in some measure no true child of God is any long time as I suppose expempt Now although I doubt not but euen these reasons will carry the iudgement of the godly Christian Reader to a fauourable interpretation of my purpose herein and to some delight in the tast thereof to whom no person or occasion style or phrase will seeme vnseasonable being imployed to the glorifying of God and profit of the Church or proceeding from a zeale of that effect yet the consideration that the greater number to whose handes this Treatise may happen to come are either not so well affected or so discreet and temperate as were to be wished maketh me thinke it needfull to say something in declaration of my purpose herein not in excuse of my exercising my selfe in such theames which in deede ought to be the common action in some measure of all men as oft as necessary affaires of this life wil permit them neither in that I make common with others this my exercise which seemeth in secret only to be practised by my selfe for that I take it not to be alwaies a token of pride or vaine-glory to make knowne for a common good to others that which may breed a suspect of ambition in the Author among the prophane or cauelling multitude though how herein I am caried my selfe I leaue to God the searcher of hearts to iudge only I would satisfie them first in the cause of my writing them in verse then of the confused placing of them without speciall titles To the first I was induced for that I find many oftentimes speciallie such as had most neede to praie and meditate to reade bookes rather for the affection of words then liking of matter and perhaps more to controll the compiling then commend the contents Such yet so as they read shal giue me al that I craue find I hope that good they loked not for if not in all yet in some among many of these Sonnets As for the apt nature of Poetrie to delight to contriue significatiuely in fewe words much matter to pearce and penetrate affections of men with the aptnesse thereof for helpe of memorie I will not saie much but for my deducing these passioÌ„s and affections into Sonnets it answereth best for the shortnesse to the nature and common humor of men who are either not long touched with so good motions or by their worldly affaires not permitted to continue much reading To the cause of my so preposterous placing of them and deuision onely into three sorts I confesse indeed I am perswaded their disorder doth best fit the nature of mankind who commonly is delighted with contraries and excercised with extreames and also as they were by God ministred vnto my mind to set downe by sundrie Accidents so I suppose my prouidence could not by a formall placing of them so soone hit the affection of euery reader as Gods direction by that which meÌ„ call chance might often do As they are therefore I recommend them to thy courtesie in reading and thee to Gods holy spirit in the perusing of them If they may haue the same working in thee that I praise God some of them had in me they shall not be vtterly vnprofitable If in matter they iumpe not to thy passions in all pointes thinke that in the great Arsenall of Satans Armor he hath
And sell the patrimony to ensue I carry water in an open siue And change for lentil pottage birth-right due Too late alas my folly I do rue Who worlds delight preferred haue so long Reiecting heauenly knowledge treasure true Vnto my soule imposing open wrong Yet not so late ô Lord I pardon craue But yet one blessing thou for me wilt haue SON XCVIII A Sinfull Syrian Lord my father was Exilde from Paradise by iust desart I wandred into Egipt there alas To finde in world some food to please my hart Where seruile bondage vnto sin and smart I suffered so long through Satans rage That heauenly aide I crau'd thence to depart Which only able was my griefe t' asswage From silly seruant and an abiect page Thou broughtst me forth to knowledge of thy truth The blessed land and showdst me on a stage A patterne how to guide my wandring youth Such frutes therfore as faithfull soile doth yeeld I offer here first crop of blessed field SON XCIX I See alas proud Satan hath too long Defrauded thee ô Lord of that is thine And loue of world hath drawne me vnto wrong Whose heart thy offrings to bestow repine My outward knees vnto thee do incline My tong doth promise present of my store I say these gracious gifts are none of mine But will them all thy Aulter laie before But vanities doth presse me euermore And want of faith to leaue some part behinde Although I see death readie at the dore My hollow heart and lewd deceipt to finde Grant that I may my soule my power my will Present ô Lord to serue thee onely still SON C. SInce thou by grace out of wilde Oliue stocke Hast pleasd me Lord within thy Church to plant And reckon me as of thy proper flocke Who else all pleasant frute by nature went Vouchsafe my thankfull frutes be not so scant As cause thee to reiect me backe againe Of former bountie Lord do not recant But let me in thy garden still remaine By mercy not by merit I attaine This blessing promised so long before Let not this gift of thine returne in vaine But let thy goodnesse multiply the more Make sweet the frutes which bitter are by kinde Increase thy grace in bodie and in minde CONCLVSION MOurne thou no more my soule thy plaint is heard The bill is canseld of the debt it owes The vaile is rent which thee before debard And Christ his righteousnesse on thee bestowes Thus comfort to the patient alwaies growes If they attend the time God hath assignde Our strength to beare our maker best he knowes And at a need is readie for to finde Our Sauiour is so mercifull and kinde Vnto our selues he will not leaue vs long He castes our faults through loue his back behinde And turnes our plaints into more pleasant song And when we are euen at the gates of hell His glorie mercie power doth most excell THE SECOND PART OF CHRISTIAN PASsions Containing a hundred Sonets of Comfort Ioy and thankesgiuing PREFACE SOme men do mourne for suddeine ioy they say And some likewise in midst of sorrow sing Such diuers frutes do passion often bring As reason cannot course of Nature stay And happie sure he is I not denay That both these motions hath from heart contrit When frailtie of his flesh appeares to sight And mercy calling him backe from decay Who can behold the flesh and spirit fight The doubtfull issue and danger of the thing The losse whereto our nature might vs fling And gaine which grace doth giue through Sauiors might And not delight To glorifie his name And yet lament his proper natiue shame SON I. AS through a mist or in a cloud a farre I see a glimse of heauenly grace to shine And to reuiue the fainting faith of mine And spirits which with darknesse shadowed are The fleshly fog of sin did iudgment barre Of proper vse of power of reason sound Which in first parents franckly did abound And better part of natures strength did marre But since my eyes of grace a sight haue found Of that eternall light which doth incline Fro out these fogs of feare I hope t' vntwine And force of fainting faith for to confound And on a ground More firme wil build my trust And that in Christ whose promises are iust SON II. CLeng'd are the cloudes and darknesse fled away And now in triumph doth my Sauiour ride Sin hell nor death dare not his sight abide The world nor Satan can his progresse stay This piercing light of truth shall so bewray Ech stratagem their practise doth deuise Against my soule that there shall not arise One cloud of care to darken this my day But that my thoughts like to the Pilate wise Shall looke about lest that my heart should slide And by this sunne my course so constant guide That all their slightes shall not my soule disguise Which now espies The malice they me owe Which lōg they clothd with shade of plesāt show SON III. WHen as my conscience layeth forth before My thoughts the sinnes which daily I commit I thinke my selfe an instrument vnfit To witnesse forth thy glory any more But when I see that sin was first the dore By which death entred and such hold did take That death did first our want apparant make And want first cause that man did ayd implore That praiers first thy mercies do awake That mercies do renue our dulled wit That ioyed heart should not vnthankfull sit And thanks to thee doth fleshly glory shake It straight doth slake The fear which bad me stay And bids me still proceed to praise and pray SON IIII. SInce to so holy vse I consecrate The silly talent Lord thou lentst to me That it a trumpe vnto thy praise might be And witnesse of their woe that thou doest hate Doe thou ô Lord forget the abiect state Of flesh and bloud base mettle of my frame And since that thou hast sanctified the same Vouchsafe thy grace my weaknesse may abate Thou that my former wandring will didst tame And me prepare in minde to honour thee Canst giue me gifts the which thereto agree How ere my proper power be weake and lame So shall thy name Be precious in my sight And in thy praise shall be my whole delight SON V. VVOuld God I were as readie to confesse And yeeld thee praise sweet Sauiour day by day As to craue my wants I am forward ay And feruently at need to thee to presse To beg of thee alone thou wilst no lesse Because thou onely able art to giue And with each needfull thing by which we liue Thou promisest our prayers thou wilt blesse But we with vse of them should not so stay And onely seeke to thee when need doth driue Whose blessings running through an open siue No praise for recompence vnto thee pay But when we pray We should thee laud also Our thankfull harts with bountie thine should go SON VI. I Haue begun ô Lord to run the
with heauenly grace My comfort wealth that hell cannot rebate In such a rate Thy fauour do I finde As bindes me loue a father found so kinde SON XXVIII WHat should I render thee my Sauiour deare For all the gifts thou doest on me bestowe Whose gracious measure so doth ouerflow As power of recompence cannot appeare I do imbrace thy gifts with ioyfull cheare And to thy alter speedily do runne To follow forth thy praise but new begunne Till all thy people may thy mercies heare Thy glorious image shineth in thy Sonne Thy loue to man did his obedience show His loue and mercy vnto man hath wonne The gifts of grace whence faith and comfort grow Where through we know That we are thy elect And these our feeble frutes wilt not reiect SON XXIX THe powerfull pen the which records thy praise O Lord of life hath many volumes made Thy wondrous works each leafe doth ouerlade Which aye increase as growing are my dayes Vnsearchable indeed are all thy wayes In multitude they number do exceed In glorie they do admiration breed Their goodnesse power of recompence denayes The hungry thou with plenteous hand doest feed Thy fauour to thy creatures doth not fade The more in view of all thy works I wade The more I finde my sense confound indeed But yet in steed Of Eccho to thy fame I will giue thanks and laud vnto thy name SON XXX THis stately stage wherein we players stande To represent the part to vs assignde Was built by God that he might pleasure finde In beautie of the works of his owne hand All creatures of the ayre the sea and land Are players at his appointment of some thing Which to the world a proper vse may bring And may not breake assigned bownds or band Some do in ioy still forth his praises sing Some mourne make their mone with heauy mind Some shew the frutes of nature weake and blind Some shew how grace base sin away doth fling God like a King Beholds Christ doth attire The plaiers with the shape their states require SON XXXI WHo so beholds with constant fixed eye The fauour and perfection of my choyce He cannot chuse but must in heart reioyce That mortall sight may heauenly blisse espie All earthly beautie he will straight defie As thing too base to occupie his braine Whose fading pleasures so are payd with paine That they true tast of pleasure do denie But who so can this perfect sight attaine Cannot containe but yeeld with cheerfull voyce An Eccho to the Angels heauenly noyse Who to his praise do singing still remaine They then are vaine Who fix their sight so low That such a glorious God they will not know SON XXXII O Heauenly beautie of loue the fountaine true Whose shining beames do penetrate my soule With such a zeale as former thoughts controll And drawes heart powre and will thee to insue Thou mak'st my fainting sight for to renue And dazeling eyes new strength thus to attaine To whom alone perfection faire is due Thou mak'st earths bewteous shadow seeme but vain Thy works of glorie and of powre remain Ingrauen in thankfull hearts which them inroll Thy loue and mercy made thee pay the toll Which to our dying soules true life did gain Thy loue doth wain My thoughts frō baser loue And mak'st my heart and mind to soare aboue SON XXXIII IF beautie be as men on earth suppose The comely shape and colours which agree In true proportion to the thing we see Which grace and fauour both do neuer lose If white and red be borrowd from the Rose If bright and shining to the sunne compar'd If high and straight to goodlinesse w'award And beautie haue such base descriptions chose Then let the wise this beautie true regard Where all perfections in one subiect be Surpassing frute of the forbidden tree Which but to tast man suffred deaths reward Which is prepard And offred to our sight In Christ to loue and feed vs day and night SON XXXIIII HOw may this be that men of searching mind Whose curious eyes in beautie do delight The pleasing obiect of their fancies sight In outward shape and colour comfort find And yet the better beautie leaue behind Vnsought or vnregarded of at all Compard to which none can it beautie call Vnlesse a buzzard whom affections blind This earthly forme of flesh it is so small Of worth to charme the sence of noble spright As is a starre before faire Phoebus bright Whose glory doth their borrowed beauti apall Thus wise men fall Whom camall eies do guide Whose iudgement may not vertues sight abide SON XXXV O Heauenly loue with God thou dwelst for aye Thou passest faith and hope in dignitie Thou keepst the law thy feet step not awrie In all mens danger thou the surest stay To our request thou neuer sayest nay Ne wrath ne enuy moue thee ere a whit Thou multitude of sinnes in man doest quit Thou law and Gospell both dost ouer sway Thou doest with God aloft in heauens sit With God in counsell thou art alwaies by Thou causest Christ mans weaknesse to supply And makest vs receiue the frute of it And euery whit Of goodnesse that we haue Loue made him send who loue therfore doth craue SON XXXVI THe shining face of my faire Phoebus deare Whose glorie doth eclipse each other light Presents himselfe vnto worlds open sight Their blinded eyes with ioyfull view to cheare But sluggish so the greater sort appeare That sleeping in selfe-loue and mind secure The cleare aspect of truth they not indure Nor of their blindnesse willingly would heare But so my sences do his beautie allure To gaze vpon his louely fauour bright That therein onely haue I may delight Where is all happinesse I do assure He doth procure A plentifull increase Vnto my soule of perfect loue and peace SON XXXVII AVaunt base thoughts incomber me no more By laying forth these earthly wants of mine As though thou wouldst perswade me to repine Because of wealth I haue not needlesse store If thou didst know thy nakednesse before He cloth'd thy soule and fed thy fainting minde With righteousnesse and faith in Sauiour kinde Thou wouldst that former state much more deplore And then confesse the comfort thou doest finde By peace of conscience in this flesh of thine Is greatest riches truly to define So that contentment be not left behinde These gifts me binde To praise his holy name And place chief wealth in knowledge of the same SON XXXVIII I Will not feare with feruency of zeale To follow forth this faire affect of mine To loue of thee which doth my soule incline O Sauiour deare who sure my griefe wilt heale Vnto thy proffred kindnesse I appeale Who of thy selfe didst call me vnto thee And promisedst I should thy darling bee Made free within thy Church and common weale Disparagement there is not now in mee Ne shall distrust forbid me to be thine But faith shall flie aloft to thee in
had not then made choyse of such a way More facill is the course vnto decay More fauour with the world it will attaine But I mislike the ioy requit with paine And faining words not meaning as they say Men breake their sleeps some silly pelfe to gaine With losse of life small honour some haue bought Yea Philosophers pleasure set at nought To win a name of vertue to remaine Then I will waine My selfe from earthly rest With heauenly crowne and honour to be blest SON LXXXIII VVHen I begin to faint in my conceipt To see the little powre I haue to good How sin hath vertue in me still withstood And frailtie on my flesh doth alwaies waight I am confounded and amazed straight And readily could turne and flie the field And all my trauell to the tempter yeeld Before I would aduenture more to fight But when I duly note whereon I build My faith which watered is with Christ his bloud Of force sufficient to withstand the floud And me from perill and destruction shield I easily welde Each burden on me layd And of my safetie nothing am affrayd SON LXXXIIII THe chastisements which often do befall Vnto the most belou'd of God and blest Doth breed vnto their soules both peace and rest And home from wandring thoughts their mind doth call And sure are tokens not of fauour small Who father-like doth vs in time correct Who else the care of him would soone reiect And haue no heed vnto our wayes at all The good Phisition that would life protect Cuts of a limbe sometimes as it seemes best And yet the patient doth the same disgest Or any payne that worketh good effect Should God neglect Vs then to exercise With rods wherby to make vs grow more wise SON LXXXV HOw should my feare or sorrow long remaine Although the world did swell and ouerflow With danger which nought else but death do show When I by death do finde a present gaine Faith me assures that all assaults are vaine That seeke to seuer me from heauenly blis The loue of Christ assureth me of this That I with him shall safely still remaine What though of earthly pleasures I do misse And though the care of them vnpleasing grow Yet this by good experience I do know All things turne to the best to children his I therefore kis The crosse with ioyfull cheare Because in chastisement doth loue appeare SON LXXXVI ALthough those Gibeonites the natiue borne Of sinfull flesh haue slily me beguilde When as I thought all lust to haue exilde By showing faynd repentance raggd and torne Though flesh and bloud vnto this league haue sworne Not asking counsell of the Lord at all By which into a snare my soule did fall And deepe hypocrisie my powre did scorne Yet meane I them vnto account to call And since they haue my holy thoughts defilde Accursed I will hold them and as vilde Will hate their ofsprings all both great and small And be they shall But bondmen to my soule Who daily may their proud attemps controwle SON LXXXVII WHen I began a conquest of my will To make and yeeld it vnto reasons law My reason to the rule of God to draw And by that rule to guide my actions still It had bene wisedome first the flesh to kill Who breeds affections which do still withstand The building of the worke I haue in hand And thornes are in my sides to worke me ill But now my error I do vnderstannd And must by feare of wrath keepe them in aw And by the chastisements of sinne they saw Make them to yeeld vnto obedient band Then shall my land With faithfull souldiers be Replenished and armed strengthen me SON LXXXVIII NOt euery one that with his lips doth pray Or praise thy name is gratefull in thy sight Thy searching eyes haue not so much delight In those that cry Lord Lord each houre of day But such as in thy bounds obedient stay And make thy will a law vnto their mind That in thy promises do comfort find And follow not the worlds deceitfull way To such thou showest thy selfe a father kind And doest coroborat their heart with might Against all powers wherewith they daily fight Their sores thou tak'st to cure and doest vp bind Angels assignd Do them inuiron round And to their comfort mercies do abound SON LXXXIX HOw should I quicken vp my selfe indeed To true and faithfull loue euen as I ought Vnlesse I call to mind whence I was brought And by whose aide who did this kindnesse breed Which when I only waigh my heart doth bleed To see that bountie of a God so kind And note the dulnesse of my nature blind That should forget the Lord who me doth feed When I was almost lost he me did find When I forgat him cleane on me he thought When I was sold to sinne then he me bought When I was wounded he my sores bid bind Yea when I pind He gaue me plenteous store Which gifts I will record for euermore SON XC VVHy should I faint or feare or doubt at all How fierce so euer fleshly combat show Since I so sure a succour readie know To shield me safe what euer do befall If he haue such regard of sparrowes small As none of them till God appoint do dye If to our haires which fall he haue an eye That none of them vnnumbred perish shall Why should I thinke him deafe when I do cry As though he had no care of vs below As though he would not needfull things bestow Although our patience he delight to try Who can deny But flowres that grow in field In glory staine the beautie pride doth yeeld SON XCI HOw do Gods blessings to his Saints abound Whose gifts of grace although they be but small At first yet more and more increase they shall As seed well watred in a frutefull ground The proofe whereof I sinfull wretch haue found Whose faith nigh famished he now hath fed From heauen with great increase of fish and bread Which strengthen dying soule with comfort sound His word for table he did open spred His seruants for to feed me he did call Their dole so free I find more fragments fall Then in my basket sences home haue led Yet he hath bed To such more to bestow As greatest store of former treasure show SON XCII I Know not Lord how to discharge aright The dutie that for graces great I owe No need thou hast of me at all I know Yet in thy seruice shall be my delight To publish forth thy praises day and night To serue thy Saints with gifts I shall possesse Thy wondrous workes by all meanes to confesse I will imploy my substance wit and might The remnant of my life shall well expresse That dead to sin in Christ to life I grow Which shall to world my mind regenerate show Although that I cannot sinne cleane suppresse And will addresse My thoughts to thee alone Because on earth true ioy or blisse