of friends goods or the like which come Indeed from God as sent to call vs home To him and teach vs thence that all beside Himselfe are vanitie and cannot bide Long time with vs. Yet here they also faile Those that lye sole on them for they are fraile Themselues and cannot be a remedy To any one but him that doth apply Them rightly to his griefes as mediums sent From God or else they are a punishment If made as gods as mostly now they be By such as place their sole felicitie In them for so they doe not heale but kill Although they giue vs not a sense of ill Alas they soothe our senses fast asleepe And then as enemies they slyly creepe Vpon the soule which if it stoope so low As homage them they quickly ouerthrow And make it wholly slaue to them and this Is quite indeed to reaue it of the blisse Which earst it had in God and that 's as bad As take away the essence that it had Which gone its beeing else is nought but ill And misery And is not this to kill Alas it is Nay shall I speake more free To be so ill is worse then not to bee Thus wheresoe'r I go or turne mine eie Within these nether vales of vanitie I feele no more of comfort or of hope Then Protestants in Pardons from the Pope They 're meere delusions all or worse they 'd keepe My fainting soule in a perswasiue sleepe That I am well and so I should not fly Vnto the Mercies of eternitie The soueraigne salue of soules from whence alone I must haue solace or I must haue none But here behold when I had throwly seen The miserable state my soule was in By nature and had read with wearied eies The tedious booke of all the vanities Which here I saw on earth for all that I Could see alas was nought but vanity And when I 'd seene that I was quite bereft Of all my good and there was nothing left In me but miserie for lo I saw My horrid doome was past and by the Law I needs must die the death and this within I saw engrauen in my soule by sinne And when I 'd also cast mine eyes about To see those wofull helpes that lay without Satan and faithlesse vanity and these As Iobs vnhappy wife would giue me ease By killing me for all their remedie Was this To curse my God despaire and die I say when I had seene what here I saw I gan repent my frozen heart gan thaw Into a flood of brinish teares that I Had doted earst so much on vanitie For here alas my terrors still increase My sore runnes more and more and will not cease Or day or night My soule is troubled so 'T will not be comforted and I in wo Am hurried in and out so sore opprest With killing griefes and feares I cannot rest I looke within and dye without I see There 's nothing left alas to comfort me But sad despaire Thus wheresoe'r I go From God I wander further still in wo. But courage here my fainting soule for now I bid defiance to the world and vow To prosecute with an eternall 〈◊〉 This miserable All which I of late Esteem'd so much and Satan here farewell And farewell all that leade the wayes to Hell For now alas vnto my griefe I see VVhat miserable comforters yee bee Physicians of no value as those friends Of patient Iob or rather Hellish fiends To vex distressed 〈◊〉 Lo here I fly From offâ—…ll and in my misery I run vnto my God for onely He That out of nothing hast created me Can now againe giue life vnto my smile And make it white as snow though e'r so soule Besides he 's mercifull and well I know Hee lookes vpon the troubled soule below Himselfe hath said it and he cannot lie Although his habitation be on hie He 's present with the humble to enlyue Their deadned soules and sweetly to reuiue The truly contrite heart or were not be Thus gracious as he cannot chuse but be Yet wheresoe'r I go besides I 'm sure Of nought but death for they are all impure Meere vanitie not good but bad as sin Saue as they haue dependency on him VVhat may I doubt of then Suppose I go And he denies his fauour as I know He cannot doe for where he daines to giue His Grace to come he giues the Grace to liue Yet howsoe'r I 'm sure I cannot bee VVorse then I am for here alas I see I am in Hell already and vnlesse He helpe me out there 's nought but glooâ—… Sad thoughts ne'r dying deaths and all that dwell VVithin the limits of a perfect Hell VVill hence be my companions and will be As hellish furies all to torture me Then welcome here ye sweet melodious sounds Of that reuiuing Trumpet whose rebounds VVithin the turning Labâ—inth of mine eares Did earstly so affright my soule with 〈◊〉 And wake'd me from that drowzie sleepe wherein I slumbred earst vpon the bed of sin And welcome here thou sweet celestiall Sprite Thou very God thou euerliuing Light That thus hast quickned me and with thy beames Hast daz'led both mine eyes to weeping streames Of penitentiall teares and made me see My miserable state and now to thee I humbly come againe to be my aide In these my high disputes that when I 'ue said I may finde mercy and my tongue and pen May sing thy mercies to the sonnes of men Thus humbly I appeale vnto thy Throne Of euerlasting Grace from whence alone I seeke for sauing solace and implore For mercy for there is enough in store And here as Esther when she entred in To th'awfull presence of the Persian King On hazzard of her life euen so doe â— Appeale my God and if I die I die O thou great Maker of this goodly frame And all therein at whose dread glorious Name The deuils tremble by whose Word alone This All had beeing and without had none And thou that hast thy seat of Maiestie Beyond the reach of any mortall eie Within the Heau'n of Heau'ns and as a King Of Kings dost sit in glory where each thing Is subiect to thy book and all those traines Of Heau'ns blest Citizens with highest straines Doe warble forth thy prayses and adore That Three-Vnited-Holy which tofore Hath been and is and shall hereafter be From this time forward to eternitie Lo here a wretch that 's summond to appeare Before thy seat of Iudgement there to cleare Himselfe within thy fight if that a soule In rags of humane flesh may dare controle As 't were thy high discourse and shew that hee Hath reason good whence to dispute with Thee See here he comes but lo my dazled eie No sooner saw thy glimmering puritie As shining through a cloud but there I gan To see the spots of miserable man As men by opposites more plainely see
fall vpon the good and dispossesse Them of their rights fill all with heauinesse But to my selfe againe When carelesse I Had swallowed downe this pleasing miserie Of one vnhappy thought O how my heart VVas strucken straight with a benumming smart Prest with a heauy drowzinesse my sin Had cast such gloomy mists on all within And hereupon O that so light a toy Should seeme to ship-wrack all my former ioy And so o're-whelme my soule with feares that I Should lose my selfe so long in misery A Legion more the most vnlucky shade That euer yet did my poore soule inuade Of thoughts distracted thoughts came rushing in And faine would haue mee desp'rate on in sin Ne'r hope for Goodnesse more ne'r spend my paine For that which was so difficult to gaine Nay more alas O that my shamelesse pen Should dare to whisper out to other men Those priuate conflicts of my soule for feare I should offend the true religious eare For Christians should not once so much as name Such things as these lest some say 't is prophane They drew mee to such dangerous Rocks that I Was put to doubtings of a Deitie Whether I had a God or no that Hee Should seeme to goe so far away from mee In those my greatest deeps O how my sprite Was mazed at this vnaccustom'd fight How was I shaken How was all my man Strook downe with feare Good God! how pale and wan My outward visage was which might bewray The grieuous conflicts of mine inward fray How did I walke disconsolate as one That had no life in him or had alone His life to liue in misery wherein T were better not to bee then to haue been But here deare Christians you whose happier Eyes Are alwayes blest with feeling Theories Of Heau'ns chiefe Goodnesse you that sweetly run These happy paths ne'r clouded from the Sun Condemne mee not I pray you straight that I Beare not a part in that felicitie Which you your selues are in but rather prayse The goodnesse of that God whose Gracious Rayes Hee would in mercy make your eyes to see But in his Iustice hide them now from mee For reasons knowne best to himselfe and who Shall dare gaine-say what pleaseth him to do O bee your selues I pray which if you bee Then am I sure you 'l rather pitty mee With earnest prayers in my behalfe that I May win at length a happy victory After these dreary stormes Oh these are they I neede especially Good Reader pray To helpe mee out and know what now is mine If Iustice please to morrow may bee thine Calmes seldome hold continually and wee Though now in stormes haue yet a hope to see A fairer day Thus may the loftiest eyes Looke for a fall and I may looke to rise And I may looke Alas poore soule how faine Would'st thou bee lifting vp thine eyes againe To see that Light of happinesse that Sun Whose beames ere-while so wondrously begun To glad thy drooping sprites and to expell The dismall clouds of all thy former Hell But O vnhappy wretch how doe I see My gloomy sinnes o're-vaile and shaddow mee What gastly thoughts doe wrest away mine eyes To gad and gaze on thousand vanities And various shows of ill which giue to mee No more content then doth my misery Alas they vex mee ten times more for these Will not so much as let mee seeke for ease Which that enforceth mee to doe but still They vrge mee onwards to some other ill Which seemes as though 't would giue mee ease but when I 'ue also try'd its Remedy Oh then I grieue to see my foolishnesse that I Should bee thus flatterd on in misery For still the more I adde to ill the more I adde of poyson to my festred sore The more I adde to weigh mee downe to Hell And more of paine my conscious soule doth tell That I of force must vndergoe e're I Recouer backe my first felicity Such ease it seemes to fall tow'rds Hell but then Alas how full of teares to rise agen And thus I adde vnto my griefes altho My stupid flesh would faine perswade mee no Oh this is it that kills my soule to see I 'm sicke euen to the death yet not to bee Touch't truely with the sense of it whereby I might in haste goe seeke for remedy With some new kinde of Rhetorick with cryes And teary-words making my weeping eyes My humble intercessors and my groanes To vtter forth more lamentable Tones Then euer yet before which might enforce The Heau'ns and all vnto a new remorce And chiefly to appease the angry frowne Of my Great God whose absence throwes mee downe To all those deepes of misery that I Should so misprize that high benignitie And Riches of his loue which was to mee The very summe of true felicitie As to exchange it for a taste or twaine Of Satans sweets and so to entertaine In stead of him those guests which now possesse My soule with nought but cursed bitternesse And sad desparing-heauy thoughts and these Are all the salues that Satan hath to ease The troubled soule O what a foole was I Thus to beleeue his damned flattery Did I not know enough before how hee Beguild my Parents as hee now doth mee To eate of the forbidden fruite and said That they should bee as Gods ere hee betrayd Their soules into his cruell hands But then Hee threw them downe below the state of men And then hee triumpht in their falls as now He doth in mine But Adam where art thou Or rather where am I Why doe I runne Amongst the trees to hide mee from the Sun I le goe vnto my God againe and there Will neuer cease to call vntill hee heare From out his holy Place and thence come downe To take mee vp and till that angry frowne Bee turn'd to wonted pleasing similes and hee Shall sweetly come againe and show to mee Those endlesse Riches of his loue wich erst Hee 'gan reueale for lo I cannot rest My soule will not bee comforted till I Shall see at full that happy Mystery Of his eternall loue whereof while-ere I had a glimpse O let mee but come there To that high seate of happinesse to see The fulnesse of that true felicitie And in the mid'st of that sweet Theorie O let my body melt away and dye Or let mee dye vnto the flesh that so My soule may ne'r more taste of bodies woe But alwaies bee hereafter thron'd so hie As still enioy that happy Theorie Where is my God so long O where art thou My Light my Life my Happinesse Come now O quickly come and take mee vp for feare I fall into the gastly pit and there Bee none to helpe me vp againe O why Did'st thou in anger take away thine eye So suddenly from mee Thou knew'st full well I needs must fall downe to the pit of hell When thou didst faile to hold
shades may bid adue While his sweet rayes come vsh'ring in the day Or run as Iohn before to make the way And here great Lord come raise mee vp so high According to thy word that now mine eie May soare vp to thy Mercy-seate and there As Heau'ns pure eyes fixt in a holier Spheare Bee freed from all corruptions taint while I Go bathe my soule in that sweet Theorie Of thine eternall loue and when I see Those high prerogatiues I haue by thee How thou hast made mee free from death from sin From hell and all those miseries wherein I now lye plung'd and those whereto I tend As of my selfe and lesse thy Grace descend And quickly come and take mee vp alas I needs must fall and when it comes to passe That thy sweet Comforter shall come and tell To my sad soule againe that all is well VVith mee and when I feele thy quickning Sprite That harbenger and pledge of true delight Beare witnesse vnto mine that I am made Free man of Grace whereof I 'ue but a shade Whiles here on earth but shall hereafter haue The very substance much as I can craue Or shall know how to wish as earst to me Thou didst declare in that sweet mysterie Of thy great loue then shall my tongue and pen Be wholly votaries to thee and then My sad Vrania whose now weeping eies Are quite worne out with plainings teares and cries When she but apprehends those gladsome raies Shall metamorphose all her notes to praise And I myselfe with all I haue will be As one that 's wholly consecrate to thee Who am alone redeem'd by thee Oh then Here come my God here quickly come agen And take me vp here let me sweetly heare Those heau'nly tunes againe which did while-ere Giue such reuiuals to my soule that I Was almost past my Sea of miserie Ne'r to be plung'd in it againe if thou Hadst not so suddenly with-drawne the brow Of that sweet Sun-shine of thy Grace whereby I 'gan to see the blessed libertie Of those who are the sonnes of God But come Great Maker now and what thou hast begun In me thy creature perfit vp that so When after-ages shall both see and know How kindly thou hast dealt with me they may Appeale to thee in like extremes and pray To thee alone for helpe seeing that I Dauids poore man did humbly call and crie To thee and was deliuer'd for if he Were heard they 'le say then doubtlesse so shall we What wilt thou more This is the time and place As earst I said thou seest I want thy Grace So much poore soule as scarce I 'm able call To thee for Grace and if thou 'lt let me fall Alas I 'm ready to consent altho It be my thraldome to eternall woe Ne'r thence to be redeem'd againe nay more Alas I cannot chuse but fall so poore And weake a wretch am I that faine if I Might haue my will 〈◊〉 decreed to die I 'd seeke out opportunities wherein I would enact sâ—me higâ—â—vnhallowed sin That might exclude not quite from thee alas Such are the deeds my selfe would being to passe And none but such and then how canst thou haue A fitter opportunitie to saue Then now thou hast in me Was euer man Brought neerer yet to hell then now I am That want but one vnhappie step Oh no There 's none can fall to greater deepes of woe Vnlesse he fall to hell it selfe for I Am the next step so full of miserie As quite ore-come with it or one whose sense Is dull'd with its exceeding violence That so I cannot feele my selfe vnlesse It be like him that 's in a drowzinesse Or some vnhappie Lethargie whereby He dully feeles but knowes not how to crie Or plaine himselfe or call for helpe and sure This dangerous sicknesse is beyond the cure Of humans best preseruatiues which can At most but reach vnto the outward man To ease or comfort that awhile but when Those heauie pangs oppresse the soule O then All these are vaine for what were it if I Should liue in body whiles in soule I die Alas this were the life of death when that Which is my bodies life is dead But what What doe I meane Why is my troubled sprite Distracted thus Can griefe be infinite Which rises from that inward sight of sin Whereby we waile that wofull â—ase wherein We see our selues by nature and whereby We learne betimes to climbe so humbly hie As wholly to forsake our selues and cast Our hopes alone on thee who onely hast The treasures of eternall life Sure no This is that happie path by which we goe Into the way of sauing 〈◊〉 and this Is that sweet mâ—lium to our future bliâ— Through which indeed we must before we may Approach those 〈◊〉 of eternall day Here then deare God here will I humbly waite With lowly confidence in this my straite A straite more great then Dauids was when hee Did earst betake himselfe alone to thee Because thy mercies were so great and here Because thy mercies also are full neere In mid'st of humanes greatest deepes that hence We might obserue 't is thy Omnipotence And Goodnesse onely that relieues when wee Are ready to despaire because we see Nought else but death within our selues and how There 's nought beside can doe vs good that thou May'st be made all in all because I say Thou art so good here will I humbly stay Vntill thy mercies raise me vp euen here Confounded in my plaints without a teare To tell my further griefes to verifie That sorrow in extremes is alwaies drie Here will I lay me downe here will I stay Alas because I haue no more to say For lo I 'm dead in sinne and griefe Oh then Here let thy goodnesse shew it selfe my Pen And Muse can speake no more till thou descend And teach them more needs must I make an end And thus in deepes of this my silent griefe I humbly waite for answer of reliefe Here laying downe my selfe much like a man That 's carelesse growne I sleepingly began To drowzie out my dayes not caring how I plai'd the Prodigall with time for now Said I Sure I can doe no more mine eies Are wearied with my teares my sighes and cries Haue quite ore-whelm'd my feeble soule and I Am plunged in so deepe a miserie That now I know not what to doe alas For who am I My pilgrim-daies doe passe Away as shades and still the more I haue Of life the more I doe approach my graue All this I see aye me and more then this That very cloud that hinders all my blisse My sinnes doe still increase on me yâ—â— they Will haue no interruptions though my day Be clouded ere so much they will not cease To vex my soule nor let me liue in peace Alas and these distract me quite while I Haue not
the worldly wiâ—e So greedily pursue as wealth delights And honours all esteem'd in their blinde sights As Deities And didst more wisely craue What they indeed thought foolishnesse to 〈◊〉 To bee entitled one of mine to bee My sonne by Grace a heauenly high degree Which flesh and bloud can ne'r conceiue and hence It is that they led only by the sense Can ne'r attaine vnto 't nor thy weake eie Poore soule can ere bee able reach so high Do what thou canst vnlesse my lightning Grace Reueale it thee for t is nor wealth nor place Nor labour that can worke it out but I Alone must giu 't of my benignity Now what is this great gift Why sure it is The very Treasurie of perfect blisse And hence deare soule bee not a whit dismai'd To passe those many deepes my Gracious ayd Shall still bee with thee go and prosper on 'T is worth thy suffrings to bee call'd my Son Thou seek'st no meane preferment know one aske Is not enough no 't is a weightier taske And craues thy longest paines so hard an Art For flesh and bloud to learne that 't would dis-hart The wisest of you all did hee but know The many plunges he must vndergo Before hee can attaine this height Alas 'T is not a common I beleeue will passe Thereto only for fashions sake No no There is an inward feeling-faith must go With euery word thou speak'st and this proceeds From my sole purer Sprite which only feeds Those truly contrite soules whose happier eyes Haue seene the deepes of their owne miseries As thou poore humbled soule hast done whereby Thou' rt made a subiect fit for mercies eie To work vpon and pitty Now 's the time Indeed to comfort thee when pow'rs diuine Alone can helpe and nothing else beside Can come so neere in this so deepe a tide As doe thee but least show of good vnlesse It bee to drowne thee quite in thy distresse And headlong send thee downe to Hell Then coâ—e Come my deare soule or rather my deare son For so thou shalt be called hence arise Shake off thy quondam sins and miseries For I thy God will haue it so and now Come on with me where I will shew thee how Thou shalt obtaine thy full desires but know There 's one thing yet before thou further goe Which must be done and though thou thinke it hard Yet neuer faint it must or all is marr'd Thou needs must vse all meanes hereto but here I know thou 'lt say Alas I cannot beare This heauie yoake Goe too I know full well What thou canst do Nothing but goe to hell Without my sauing Grace but know with this Thou shalt vse all those mediums of thy blisse With wondrous ease and this my yoake shall bee More pleasing farre then worlds best ioy to thee For I my selfe will be thy strength in whom Thou shalt performe what ere I will and none Thy foes shall dare resist or if they doe Thou shalt both fight with them and conquer too To thine abundant hearts content Now then This is the taske which thou must doe to men I know full harsh which is still to represse The swelling pride of thy rebellious flesh To crucifie thy man of sinne to die Daily with Paul to giue to vanitie A resolute farewell and part withall That earst occasion'd thee so great a fall I meane thine owne innatiue lusts for they Indeed are those that caus'd thy soule to stay So long in these vnhappy deepes but now Thou needs must turne another leafe and vow Perpetuall warre against them all yea tho It be against thy very selfe in show I meane against thy outward man thy flesh That Stewes of ill that Cage of filthinesse Which needs must be pull'd downe and purg'd of sin Or my pure Sprite will neuer enter in To fill it full of ioy no no my Grace Cannot abide the house till these giue place Out then you diuelish lusts goe quickly flie Into some Swinish Heard my Deitie Commands your hastening flight you must not stay To make it night where I will haue it day And thou dead heart I charge thee vomit vp The poys'nous drugs of that deceitfull cup Which earst thy flesh did giue thee and whereby Sh'ath brought thee to so deepe a Lethargie That thou hast quite forgot thy selfe yea mee Who earst haue done such wondrous things for thee And you corrupted Trades-men of the minde You wanton eies you leaders of the blinde I charge you hence be pure ne'r wander more To gaze on vanities play not the whore With euery idle obiect that you see Which cannot satisfie but looke on mee By often reading of my Word and by Perusing me in that sweet Theorie Of my most beautious Workes where you shall see That nought indeed is worth your eies but me And you corrupted Listners too you Eares Whose hollow intricate Meander beares Each sound vnto the soule wh'are alwaies apt To ope your doores to ill but closely clapt To euery thing that 's good I charge you too That hence you sanctifie your selues and doe Nought but my will which is to entertaine All messengers of good but to refraine From hearkning vnto any ill whereby Thou mayst conceiue one thought of vanitie Yea Mouth and all which haue your seuerall parts To act in this great mysterie of Arts I charge you all be pure let not a word Be spoke of thee but that which doth afford Matter of praise to me whence all may know The Fount is pure from whence these waters flow Besides accustome not thy selfe to eate Of ouer-much or too delicious meate Whereby to pamper vp thy flesh for these Although they seeme bewitchingly to please Thy all-corrupted man of sinne and feed Thy sense with seeming pleasures yet indeed If thou but duly thinke on them they be The chiefe maintainers of that miserie Which thou so fearefully hast felt for they Are alwaies stirring vp those foes that sway So domineeringly o're thee thy sin And raging lusts which fight so sore within Against thy soule against thy drooping Sp'rite And these are they that cause this gloomy night Of drowzie carelesnesse in thee yea these Would lull thee faine along in thy disease As one that 's in a sleppe to hell where thou Shouldst be impris'ned fast ere knowing how Wherefore I charge thee specially from hence Forbeare these luring baites which feed the sense But famish vp the soule forbeare I say And hence inure thy selfe to fast and pray The readiest meanes whence to cast forth this kinde Of diuelish thoughts that so disturbe the minde This being duely done 't is now high time I send my sanctifying pow'r diuine To purge thine inward faculties thy soule And her attendants made so lately foule By thine owne sinnes and thence to driue away Those theeuish lusts there gotten
onely fount but here I could not but admire with holy feare That such a gracious light should shine yet man Would turne away his eies and rather ran To follow shades of vanity which bee Indeed but a meere wearinesse and flee Away as soone as ouer-tooke wherein Lyes nothing hid but misery and sin The Parents of eternall death But here Sending my thoughts from Luke to Iohn lo there I quickly found the reason out this Light Did shine indeed but mans all-darkned sight Had not the pow'r to comprehend what here VVas offer'd him till hee himselfe appeare I meane this Light and giue it him for hee Must not bee borne of flesh or bloud but bee New borne of God and drawne as 't were by him To see and come to Christ 'T is not within Mans owne ability Oh no I see It is my God workes all this all in mee Thus hauing found his happy birth I meane Happy to vs spectators of this scene Though not to him that acted it I now 'Gin trace his holy life for here I vow If hee but please to giue me aid and breath I 'le follow him a long euen to the death And thus returning back to Matthew Marke And Luke thence to my John somewhat more darke Though being full of light I here did see The Prologue was begun in miserie As earst I 'ue said the Acts that went betweene VVere not lesse grieuous who had hee but seene His conflicts in the wildernesse when hee Was tempted of that grandest enemie To him and vs who is 't againe that saw Those wordy-warres hee had about the Law With th' enuious Scribes and Pharises when they Laid all their wicked plots how to betray His innocence to death but hee would bleed In heart to thinke on such a horrid deed For hee good Man did neuer harme nay sure Hee was so farre from this so godly pure That hee was good to all his very foes Had neuer better friend then him yea'uen those That sought to take away his life yet he Was patient still But would you farther see His wondrous works of mercie how hee heales The sick the blinde the lame to some reueales His pow'r by raising them from death to some By casting diuels forth yet when all 's done Much like the thanklesse Gadarens they faine Would haue him leaue their coasts 't was not their gaine They thought to lose their swinish sins No no They 'le rather part by far with Christ then so Thus did hee wander vp and downe good man Hauing not where to lay his head and can Wee tearelesse yet stand looking on Sure no Or if there be a stone that can doe so My bowels yearne I must confesse when I But thinke on this nay more my griefe-worne eye Doth either ouerflow or longs to bee Made Jer'mies weeping Well when I but see My Sauiour thus hee comes vnto his owne But they receiue him not nay worse are growne Offended with him Thus hee goes about Meeting with still increasing-griefes throughout The course of all his life yet in this case Hee ceases not his worke but shewes his Grace To many a sad and sinfull soule for hee Was Phisick vnto all that did but see Themselues were sick and needed him but those That stood on their owne righteousnesse his foes The Scribes and Pharises who thought indeed Much like the Papists now they had no need Of Christs all-sauing helpe but did presume To fly to Heau'n with that deceitfull plume Of their owne works hee iustly leaues to bee Condemn'd in this their gracelesnesse to see The fruits of their owne froward pride when they Will go to Heau'n yet scorning Christ the way But to leaue them I here returne againe Vnto my Christ whom I haue seene in paine Thus farre to trauell with the load which hee Did take on him only to set vs free Now for his vsuall meat this was indeed To do his Fathers will to go with speed And finish what hee came about not fed With fulnesse or variety of bread As wee vnhappy lumpes but was with Paul In fastings oft in wearinesse in all Which might expresse his misery so far ' Yond all the Sonnes of Adam as they are Inferiour in integritie to him Who neuer harbourd the least thought of sin Which well might adde vnto his griefes yet hee Was patient still O hearers come and see Wirh rented hearts here is a wofull scene Continued on thus thus did he demeane Himselfe in euery Act and thus was hee That perfect patterne of humilitie But O my soule these are the acts betweene And sad enough but O there lies vnseene The very woe of all the rest his death And passion this that takes away my breath With too fast running doubled sighes that I Shall ne'r bee able speake sufficiently As I desire or as I ought beside I 'm dull'd with former griefes my fount is dryde I haue not teares enough to spend whereby I might re-act this wofull Tragedy In wotds that nothing else but weepe yet here I must supply something of what while're At first I neuer thought to speake when I Began this worke for there in breuitie I scarcely spake saue of his death but now My soule hath vndergone a larger vow Being led by that all-ruling Sprite which here I must performe And thus with wonted feare I enter'd on the Epilogue where I 'Gan first obserue that wondrous Agonie My Sauiour in the Garden had when hee Did pray so earnestly Lord if it be Thy sacred will then let this fearefull cup Yet passe away and I not drinke it vp This fearefull cup Good God what hideous draught Was this at which thou that wast so well taught In bearing miseries didst yet intreate A scape from it Sure sure that feare was great That made thy soule to shrinke who couldst beare more Then all the world besides O then wherefore Did'st thou yet feare my Lord Alas thy Sprite Thus answers me 'T was at th' amazing sight Of mine and euery sinners sinnes which now Were laid vpon thy back because that thou Would'st vndergo so much for vs to bee A Sacrifice for these our sinnes that wee Might bee disburdend quite of them and so Bee freed from that accursed weight of woe Which follow'd them so great so infinite That neither tongue can speake nor pen can write And yet thy loue was growne so strong that thou Didst beare them all for vs. Hence was it now Thy present plunges were so great and hence It was thou felt'st such terrors in the sense Of thy humanitie that made thee call Thy Deitie to helpe hence was the fall Of those great drops of blood which thou didst sweat In this thy fearefull Agonie and yet Do I aske why thou didst intreat Aye mee Some little glimpse of this
wherein Wee earst lay fast implung'd as to bee made His happy Images to haue a shade Of his Diuinitie as 't were and bee Made like to him in holinesse that wee Might bee made Citizens of Grace and hence Might leade a life beyond the Spheare of sense That happy life of faith I meane in him Till hee e're long come end these dayes of sin And take vs wholy to himselfe where we Shall liue with him through all eternitie In neuer ending speakelesse ioyes which hee Hath merited for vs. Thus may you see What God hath done for my poore soule when I Was in distresse thus did hee magnifie Himselfe in this weake man of mine which hee Hath so redeem'd to bee his owne to bee Made only blest by being so But here O thou my God why wouldst thou yet appeare So rig'rous to thine only Son that hee Should bee accurst thus with our miserie To blesse vs with his happinesse Alas Thou surely could'st haue brought thy will to passe By any other easier meanes and then If needs thou'dst bee so good to vs poore men By sauing vs aliue why didst thou yet Thus leaue thy Son as seeming to forget Thy loue to him and show it vs Why sure With thee 't was small still to haue kept vs pure And n'er haue suffer'd vs to fall if thou Would'st endeare thy selfe to vs as now Thou show'st thou hadst decreed to doe and hee Thy Christ I meane might stil haue staid with thee In his owne speakelesse happinesse and not Haue spilt his precious blood to wash this spot Of sin from our defiled soules Oh no My reason erres thy loue was more then so Thou would'st not buy vs thus for nought though wee VVere thine before indeed as dues to thee That had'st created vs of nought but here Thou needs would'st haue thy wondrous loue appeare By making vs to see our selues what wee VVere of our selues without depends on Thee To wit meere slaues to sin and death and then To buy vs with a price so high that men Cannot conceiue its speake lesse worth so deare As thine owne only Son Hence did appeare The wondrous riches of thy loue which thou Indeed didst show to mee and them that now Are thine alone by Grace What shall I say Here 's loue indeed beyond Compare the day Of my short life would surely faile if I Should striue but to expresse it worthily As it deserues VVhat then VVhy surely now I le onwards in my thanks here will I vow And pay vnto my God But what haue I Poore soule to pay Sure I will thankfully Take Dauids cup here will I on and call Vpon his name here will I sacre all That e'r I haue vnto his praise and now O thou my Lord bee present with my vow And sweetly ayde thy seruant on till hee Performe at full what e'r hee vowes to thee First then my God here doe I hence commend My selfe into thine hands here I â—urrend That right thou iustly hast in mee by Grace And nature both here come and take thy place Within this temple of thine owne I meane This man of mine Come thou â—â—d make it cleane By thy alone pure-purging Sprite and hence Vouchafe to make continuall Residence Vnder this lowly roofe of my poore heart Whereof thy selfe art Lord that chiefest part And roome of all my clayey house wherein Thou' rt also wont to take delight if sin That cursed foe of mine come not before And keep thee out by lying at the doore But O my God hence let it not bee said That thy Omnipotence should bee afraid At such a nothing as it were that it Should keepe thee out and as a Tyrant fit Vsurping proudly on thy right Oh no Bee thou thy selfe my God Come here and shoâ— Thy all-commanding power and let not sin Dare make a start so much to enter in And domineere on what is thiâ—â— for I Am wholy thine Come come and magnifie Thy selfe in my infirmities that hence Led as it were by thy Omnipotence I may bee alwayes doing good nay more And alwayes take delight therein for sure That only giues mee true delight when I Am doing so in sweet dependency On thee my God the chiefest good O come And banish throughly as thou hast begun Away from mee those my most dangerous foes Which earst o'rewhelm'd mee with so many woes All my despairing thoughts I meane and all My thoughts of vanity which did enthrall My soule while ere so fast to hell that I Was brought into such deepes of misery I knew not what long time to doe Come come Euen for the Passion of thine only Son And free me from these tyrannies Nay hence Let mee be ty'd to any paine of sense Rather then this of losse of losse I say Of thy sweet countenance O let the day Of that alone shine still on mee and then Come all the gloomy frownes of mortall men Come all the stormy pow'rs of Death of Hell Come any thing in thee I shall bee well In thee alone I shall bee well in thee Knit fast I meane in Christ by that sweet tye Of thine abundant loue through him for hee Hath broke the bonds of hell and set mee free Hee hath redeem'd my life from death that I Should hence enioy the glorious libertie Of those that are thy happyed sonnes and hence Walke on alone in thy Omnipotence Still prosp'ring in thy waies which is to be Raysd vp to heau'n whiles yet on earth to mee The very chiefest happinesse that I VVould here desire O let mee liue and dye VVithin these links of thy sweet loue for here My hopes are firme with Paul no faithlesse feare Can breake this chaine by which I 'm tyde for I Am thine in Christ there 's no calâ—mity Nor life nor death things present nor to come Nor height nor depth nor ought that may be done Can sep'rate mee from thee in Christ And now VVhat yet remaines here will I pay my vow Of thankfulnesse to thee my God yea'uen here Led onwards in thy strength I le sweetly steere My leaking boate along till it hath brought My wearied muse vnto the shore shee sought VVith so oft doubled teares and sighes But here O you my friends you all I meane that feare The Lord with me pray ioyne your helping hand That wee the sooner may obtaine the Land Come then I say wee all that are combin'd To God in Christ hence let vs bee refin'd From all our former vanities from hence Let vs shake off those menstruous clouts of sense VVhich earst wee were polluted with and now Bee cloath'd anew with Christ hence let vs vow Our selues as holy to the Lord that wee May still grow vp in faiâ—hs sweet vnitie Till wee bee perfect men in Christ Come come Let others doe they know not what go on Still reu'ling
faithfull seruant to be commanded in the Lord Iesus Samuel Austin From my Study in Exetâ—r Colledge in Oxford this 11. of Aprill being the day of our Sauiours Passion 1628. TO THE CHRISTIAN READERS Good Readers FOr I write onely to you that haue or at least desire earnestly to haue a part in that glory which is already in part and shall shortly be fully reuealed I haue here presented you with a birth as farre I suppose beyond your expectations as it seemes beyond the abilities of my younger yeeres but howsoeuer I shall intreate your kind acceptance of it and craue you all to foster it vp in your owne bosomes for I dare warrant you in the Lord that if you but saue it from death by your fauourable warmings it shall liue to giue you all wished thankefulnesse If I should but tell you of those fearefull conflicts I had in my trauell of it and my many grieuous cares in nursing it hitherto you would surely say it were an inhumane impiety presently to stifle it Pray peruse it well and I hope I shall not need much to speake for it it hath teares enough of it selfe to enforce your pity and is of so good a nature you cannot well chuse but foster it If you imagine it is too faire to bee mine I shall not be so presumingly proud on selfe-abilitie as quite to denie you for I must confesse indeed I haue had such large experience of mine owne infirmities in the trauell hereof that I can attribute nothing vnto my selfe but the imperfections herein and the glory of an instrument onely in producing its better parts I haue been indeed as a common Father as they say in bringing forth the matter but the forme life and soule of it was from God alone the Father of life to whose sole guiding and blessed aydance I must alwaies thankfully ascribe these my better performances When I began this worke I intended onely to treate of our Sauiours Passion but I was so led away by that all-ruling Spirit of my God that I ceased quickly from being mine owne man in it and brought this to passe which now you see according to the good hand of my God vpon me both beyond mine owne aimes and naturall abilities And now deare Christian friends I humbly beseech you in the Lord for your faithfull perusall of it and may the God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of glory giue vnto you the Spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him that the eyes of your vnderstandings being enlightened ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of his inheritance in the Saints Yours euer in the Lord Iesus S. A. From my Study the 11. of Aprill 1628. My Muse to my Censurers YOu that are troubled with the Dog-disease Pray reade me o're then censure what you please Vrania To that famous Nursery of Learning and Religion my Mother Exeter Colledge in Oxford all happinesse GReat Mother of the Muses thou whose fame Hath long time been more glorious by the Name Of thy Learn'd Rector let I humbly pray A worthlesse sonne of thine haue leaue to stray Abroad with his poore Muse a while to sing A timely welcome to the weeping Spring Let other Muses that deriue their birth From forraine Springs or from some baser earth Enslaue their wits to toyes of Loue but wee Must be Diuine that take our births from thee My Muse shall sing of Heau'n and in thy prayse Great 〈◊〉 shall scorne the momentarie bayes Of perishing mans applause which dies away Wâ—â—h those that giue 't but she shall sing a Lay Whâ—â—e Heau'n-borne wings shall raise thy Name so hie 〈…〉 it liue euen through eternitie The vnworthiest of thy sonnes S. A. TO MY EVER HONOVRED FRIENDS THOSE MOST REFINED Wits and fauorers of most exquisite learning Mr. M. Drayton Mr. Will. Browne and my ingenious Kinsman Mr. Andrew Pollexsen all knowne vnto me and to the rest vnknowne the Poets of these times S. A. wisheth the accomplishment of all true happinesse Austins aduertisement MY Noblest Friends you that deriue your birth From some thing that 's more excellent then earth From some sweet influence or some Deitie That liues aboue the base capacitie Of ignorant Spheares those rude vntutor'd braines That neuer trauell'd farther then their Plaines To learne of ought but Heards and Flocks or how They might dispose a Cart or guide a Plow To you alone I write what I of late Haue scene and heard the lamentable state Of these our latter iron times and hence It is I speake from sad experience The matter 's this Occasion did inuite Me hence of late to take a Summers-sight Of our farre-famouz'd London where when I Was come I tooke an opportunitie For venting of these plaints of mine which here My Vran ' hath brought forth with many a teare And speakelesse pang of griefe with losse of time Most precious to my soule O that a rime So poore as this should cost so deare but lo When I would faine haue let these waters flow Abroad vnto my Countrimen I went To see how well our Stationers were bent To further me herein but they reply Sure 't will not take for 't is Diuinitie Poems diuine are nothing worth but if I had portray'd a pretty Sea of griefe For some lost Mistresse or compos ' a toy Of loue in verse this would haue been a Boy Worth the conception each would take it vp And play with it or had I but a cup Of strong-breath'd Satyres mixt with spleene gall And could but powre it handsomely to fall Vpon some high-mans head Oh this would take Eu'n like Tobacco each Barbours shop would make A sale of it or had I but the time Neately to weaue some loose-lasciuious rime Stuft with conceits of wantonnesse Oh then I had been call'd one of the Wits for men Must haue their humours now they say but this Is quite against them euery one will hisse It off the Stage And is it so thought I Why then 't is time for our Diuinitie To stirre her selfe and speake in Verse if she Can ought perswade O what a miserie Is like to fall vpon this age when men Shall so forget themselues as turne agen To their first veines of childishnesse and will Giue any price to buy each toy of ill But will not giue a straw for good altho It be to saue their very soules What wo And horror 's this when men grow desperate To buy damnation at so deare a rate To pay a price for hell but will not giue A pin for heau'n O that my soule should liue To see such drearie dayes as these But now Since things are so what shall I say or vow Or doe to make them otherwise Why sure Great friends my present suit 's to you whose pure And heau'nly essences doe plainely say You are Diuine let me presume to pray And challenge you on all those bonds
that be 'Twixt God and you 'twixt heau'ns eternitie In blissefulnesse and your deare soules that hence You aide me on with your high eloquence And heau'n-commanding tenors to reuerse If our Diuinitie can ought in Verse Those strong opposing humours of this age This wayward madnesse this prepostrous rage Of humane hearts which gape so greedily To swallow sinne and drinke iniquitie Like water as the Scripture speakes but good They will not taste so much lest their ill blood Should be infected by 't and so perchance They might be drawne from hellish ignorance Into the glorious light of Grace whereby They might be brought to heauens felicity Before they were aware of 't O my soule What fury 's this How should we not controle Such stupid waywardnesse when now aday Men labour more it seemes to finde the way That leades to hell then euer heretofore The Saints for heauen O how should I deplore This wretched hum'rousnesse How should I chide My Countrimen for this that they 'le abide This cursed Achan to remaine so long Within their tents which hath done all the wrong Our Countrey hath of late endur'd how-ere Some ignorant braines thinke otherwise But here O that I might obtaine but this of them Which is that these my deare-wise-Countrimen Would onely duly thinke vpon and wey The way wherein they goe knowing when they Haue had their filles of vanitie at last They must expect a change that fearefull blast Of the last Trumpe will one day sound and then That dreary doome also will fall on them Depart from me yee curst and they must goe Into those prisons of eternall woe The deepes of euerlasting hell where they Shall be in paine beyond conceite no day Or instant shall giue ease to them but still They shall drinke vp those poys'nous drugs of ill Hells most reuengefull torturings if they Doe not repent themselues while 't is to day I meane ere deaths blacke night approach O then Thinke you on this my dearest Countrimen And thou deare Drayton let thy aged Muse Turne now diuine let her forget the vse Of thy earst pleasing tunes of loue which were But fruits of witty youth let her forbeare These toyes I say and let her now breake forth Thy latest gaspe in heau'nly sighes more worth Then is a world of all the rest for this Will vsher thee to heau'ns eternall blisse And let thy strong-perswasiue straines enforce These times into a penitent remorce For this their sinfull frowardnesse and then Heau'n shall reward thee neuer care for men And honour'd Willy thou whose maiden straines Haue sung so sweetly of the Vales and Plaines Of this our Ile that all the men that be Thy hearers are enforc'd to honour thee Yea and to fall in loue with thee I say Let me intreate thee to transport thy Lay From earth to heau'n for sure thy Muses bee So good the Gods will fall in loue with thee As well as men besides 't is fit thy Layes Should scorne all Crowns saue heau'ns eternal Bayes Then bid the world farewell with Sydney he That was the Prince of English Poesie And ioyne with me the worst of all thy traine To bring these times into a better straine And dearest Pol'sfen last of all the three Which should be first by that affinitie And int'rest that thou hast in me I here Intreate thy helpe amongst the rest whose deare And precious apprehensions reach so high As nought but heau'n or pure Diuinitie Should be the subiect of thy straines for they Are farre too good e're to be cast away On earth's base worthlesse vanities which be At best but emblems of mortalitie So soone they die and quaile away but thine Thy wits I meane are heau'nly and diuine Emblems of Euerlastingnesse and can Create conceits were neuer form'd by man No nor so much as thought vpon ere thou Thy selfe gan'st being vnto them but now Since things are thus proportion'd out I pray Come aide me with that heau'n-commanding sway Of thy high Verse which rather will compell Men to be mad then let them goe to hell In such a childish hum'rousnesse nay will Enforce them to be good against their will If they can be so dull or voide of sense As not loue goodnesse for selfe-excellence Whose sweet and louely fairenesse at first sight Without gaine-say obtaines a soueraigne right Ore all ingenious hearts at least if Grace Reside in them then nothing else takes place Come then I say deare Drayton Browne and thou And all the rest that euer made a Vow To keepe the Muses sacred Lawes come here And ioyne with me let neither loue nor feare Make you proue partiall till this hum'rous rage Be banisht quite from off our Englands Stage What shall I vrge you more or why intreate Your Wisdomes see the cause is wondrous great That craues your helpe nay more it craues the Pen And tongue of our best Angels too for men Must not be humour'd thus in ill or if It should be so sure goodnesse then for griefe Would run away or hide her selfe when she Should be discourag'd thus alas and we That honour her should not once dare to speake O 't were enough to make our hearts to breake Be valiant then my friends and let all those That wish our England well and hate her foes Be of like minde with vs yea those that bee The Princes of our Ile so shall we see Our England flourish spight of Pope and all That thirst with bloody hearts to see her fall So Goodnesse shall proue Conquerour but ill Shall not dare shew it selfe within this Hill And holy Mountaine of our God which he Preserues by speciall prouidence and we To see it thus with gladsome hearts shall sing Our thanks to God who rays'd so good a King To sit on our late Dauids Throne and may He grow as great as good still let vs pray Yea Peeres and all ioyne with my humble Pen And so let all the people say Amen The true well-willer and seruant of you all in the Lord Iesus S. A. Errata Page 4. verse 27. for rhus reade thus v. 36. for intrust r. instruct p. 7. v. 9. for I'm r. ioyne p. 8. v. 31. to say in the beginning to be left out and in the end for hapy r. haply p. 10. v. 39. for an Ambassage r. in ambassage p. 24. v. 24. for the r. thy p. 25. vers 6. for Sonne r. Sunne p. 28. v. 18. for there r. here p. 32. vers 30. for Sonne r. Sunne p. 34. v 39. for gifts r. griefes p. 39. v. 27. for tremble r. doe tremble p. 41. in the Margine for Exod. 16. r. 19. p. 42. v. 21. for hight r. light p. 52. v. 33. for hell r. ill p. 53. v. 39. for enow r. enough AVSTIN'S VRANIA OR THE HEAVENLY MVSE THE CONTENTS FIrst my VRANIA from the Spring Doth take occasion here to sing Our Sauiours Passion but her rime Leaues
that they Had flattred all that e're hee had away And seem'd to promise much as long as hee Had any thing to giue but now they see That he was left in deepes of misery They run away at once and let him lie Hee then gan know himselfe and hauing seene The fearefull deeps of want and wo wherein Hee now was plung'd hee gan with weeping eyes To thinke on these his wilfull miseries And hauing deepely counted with himselfe What once he was and now vngracious Elfe Whereto hee 'd brought his state hee would not rest But needs returne to him that lou'd him best His first offended Father where he hies All totter'd o're with ragges of miseries The fruits that he had got and there he showes His great extremes in swelling tides of woes Vncessant teares and penitentiall groanes For none besides would pitty these his moanes Vnto his Fathers eyes But soone as hee I need not speake in parables to thee Thou knowst it well enough had told his sin His pittying Father runnes and takes hiâ—â—n Embrac'th him in his armes with kisseâ—â—eet To shew how glad the Father was to meet His conuert son he yearned more to giue Him life then hee himselfe did yearne to liue For lo before the Son could well intreate The Father grants his loue was growne so great This is my case O Lord t is I that am That wretched Prodigall who earstly ran Away from thee my God who wast to mee By far a dearer Father then was hee Who was the Prodigals and lo t is I That brought my selfe to all this misery VVherein I am but now I 'gin to see My poore estate Behold I come to thee VVith Father I haue sin'd my deep distresse Enforceth mee vnfainedly confesse My wofull wandrings that haue gone astray From all thy sacred paths and spent away Thy talents all in hell done nothing well As earst I did confesse and now I tell Againe with griefe of heart with watery eyes With inward sighes with soule-relenting cryes With teares of penitence and deepe-fetcht throes The dull expressions of my deeper woes The Caracters wherewith the soule doth write The recantations of her past delight Lo here I feele the reward of my ill The penury of Grace which yearks me still Into the very soule As earst did want The Prodigall when all things were so scant And here of force I cry'd for helpe but none Of all my friends would hearken to my moane As earst I said for they did flee away As fast as cowards from a fearefull fray But when I saw that all were fled and I Was left alone beset with misery And there was none would helpe I gan to rue With solitary sighes and weeping Dew My wilfull foolishnesse and now I see My running thus so farre away from Thee So good a God is cause of all my wo Behold I cannot rest vntill I go To thee againe for it was onely Thou That first gau'st being to my soule and now There is no other Name I know full well That can redeeme me from the deepe of Hell But onely thine Thus in extremes I flie To thee for mercy in my miserie To thee alone for lo with griefe I see All other helpes are burdens vnto me Alas they kill my soule and doe but feed My greatest foe where all my horrors breed This corruptible clog of flesh that faine Would sinke me sleeping to eternall paine Whence nothing may redeeme Oh then I pray Come purifie this filthy piece of clay By those sweet streames of thy e'r liuing Grace Which issue from that holy-holy place Where thou art resident thy purest Sprite The Comforter and pledge of true delight And giue my soule free liberty to see The very fulnesse of its miserie Alas It doth not see enough I feele My heart continues yet as hard as steele It will not yeeld me teares enow to spend In wished penitence vntill I end My little day of life and here againe I am inforc'd with doubled sighes to plaine To thee for remedy this forceth more Then all the miseries that went before Alas and what 's the reason Sure I see And feele t is nothing but the want of thee He that wants thee wants all that 's good and I By wanting thee haue more then misery O then behold if euer Prodigall Thus pincht with pouerty had need to call Good Father come and helpe sure I am hee That thus in humblenesse appeale to thee Or looke vpon these caracters of wo The rags of misery wherein I goe Or were not that enough yet looke vpon My greater want of thy saluation See how I sigh to thee for grace or more I sigh alas because I am so poore In sighes and teares and weeping words that I Cannot bewaile inough my misery By reason of my sinnes which striue to keepe My gasping soule in an vnhappy sleepe Much like those lumpish clouds that I haue seene In lowring dayes to thrust themselues betweene The Sun and vs and so to keepe away Those sweet inflowings of bright Phoebus ray That quickneth vp our Spirits by which wrong It makes the sluggard lye a bed too long Enthrals vs to a drowzinesse that wee Are quite vnapt for good vntill wee see Those sleepy clouds dispell'd and Phoebus eye Doth cheere vs vp with new alacrity Such are my sinnes and till that sacred Sunne Which is indeed the light shall shine vpon This sluggish soule of mine and driue away These cloudy aduersaries of my day I cannot cry with cheerefulnesse or weepe The enemy enforceth so to sleepe O then my God thou thou that art the Sun And all I want come quickly shine vpon My deadned sleepy soule and let thy beames Of grace resolue my Icy heart to streames Of faithfull feeling penitence that I With perfect sense of this my misery May swim in teares vnto thy Mercy-Throne There to enforce thee to compassion And further let my teares be all as tongues To intimate the penitentiall songs My heart endites or rather let my pen As Dauids be the Scribe to publish them And last of all O let my sprites loud groanes Expreslesse vtter forth the saddest Tones That euer yet true penitent did weepe To wake our drowzie carnalists from sleepe And by a secret vertue to enforce My hearers all to melt into remorce When they haue seene themselues by me for all As well as I haue play'd the Prodigall If they but duly thinke vpon 't and then They 'le all vouchsafe to company my pen In weeping meeters too or if not so For want of measures to expresse their wo Which is so measurelesse yet out of loue Thus farre I know they will my griefes approue As to affoord me teares in euery line To write their penitence as well as mine Which done I doubt not but we all shall be Compartners in the same felicitie As well as griefes ere my Vrania end Her happy taske for lo I apprehend
This being said behold my deadned soule Began reuiue the sprite that was so foule That Messenger of hell which often brought Me downe into such desp'rate deepes me thought Did leaue me by degrees and all gaue place To entertaine a sweet succeeding Grace VVhich seiz'd vpon mine inward parts whereby I 'gan to feele a secret new supply Of an vncustom'd strength and now againe Me thought I had a pow'r whence to refraine From swallowing Satans luring baites which he Did vse erewhile thus in bewitching me And here me thought by secret sweet degrees My selfe gat ground and Satan 'gan to leese By sweet assistance from my God for he Indeed did worke these miracles in me O how I wish to thanke him for 't and I Began to feele a happie libertie From that most loathsome slauerie wherein I was enshackled earst so fast in sin My stormes blew ore and this my troubled Man Seem'd to be somewhat calm'd the clouds began To fleet away and an vnwonted light Fills vp the place of former gloomie light VVhereby mine eies began to wake and I 'Gan call vnto my drowzie memorie Those happie notes I heard of late from whence I felt these holy changings in my sense As well as in mine inward soule and here With awfull reuerence and submissiue feare In thus repeal'd vnto my God Great IOVE Thou sole Commander of the pow'rs aboue And these below who only with thy word Do'st whatsoe'r thou wilt lo here my Lord I am thy seruant son of thine hand-maide Bee 't done vnto mee all as thou hast said I humbly here submit my selfe to bee Obedient to thy will to giue to thee All glory due vnto this worke for I Desire herein no greater dignity Then to bee made thine instrument by whom Thou 'st pleas'd to show thy great saluation To mee and all the rest of thine which bee Implung'd in deepes of griefe as well as mee Here then great Lord in humble confidence Of thy sole promis'd aide as hauing sense Of these mine owne infirmities whereby My wings are clipt with Paul from soaring hie On selfe-presumptious perfectnesse lo here I doe proceed in humbled faith and feare Crying aloud to thee with teares of griefe Lord I belieue O helpe mine vnbeliefe Thus going on from Moses sacred Law Wherein ere-while with weeping heart I saw Mine owne defects and miseries and now Pearching aloft to Esay's happier bow Which sprang from out of Iesses root I 'gan To see saluation preach'd to sinfull man By God himselfe his holy Cryer calls Prepare the way the former humbled vales Shall bee exalted but the towring hill Shall bee throwne downe as low for lo hee will Reueale his glory forth all flesh shall see The wondrous light of his benignitie Himselfe hath spoken it And here mine eie 'Gan see some glimm'rings of that mystery Which I so much desir'd but going on Those pleasing high-waies of Saluation To finde more sweet assurances I past The Prophets all by whose good help at last I came vnto Mount Sion-hill where I 'Gan see my Sauiour with a clearer eie Then e'r I did before this was the place VVherein I found that couenant of Grace VVhich earst the Prophets pointed at the VVell And Spring of life where all true comforts dwell To euery sad wearied heart that lyes O're laden with his heauie sins and cryes VVith thirsty Soule for ease Here did I finde Those sweet reuiuals to my drooping minde VVhich flesh and bloud cannot conceiue I meane VVithin the Storie of that happy Scene VVhich God himselfe came downe to act when hee Out of that boundlesse loue hee bare to mee And all the rest of his tooke flesh on him To beare those punishments which wee by sin VVere subiect to but could not beare vnlesse VVith euerlasting losse of happinesse And durance of expresâ—esse paine which hee Alone of loue did vndergo that wee Might haue our freedome all in him But here Beeing much desirous yet to come more neere And pry into this sacred Fount wherein I might wash off my leprosie of sin And bee made fully whole at length I came To Matthew's holy VVrit mark't with the Name Of Iesuâ— in the Frontispice where I Did quickly finde his strange natiuitie As was foretold for this indeed was hee That should bee borne of that pure Virgin tree VVhich sprang from Iesse's holy Root yea'uen hee That was to ope the blinded eyes to free Vs that were pris'ners fast to sin to preach Good tidings to the meeke in heart to reach His comforts out to those that mourne whose Name VVas to bee called Wonderfull the same With God himselfe which was ordain'd to saue The people for their sins Thus farre I haue Gon on with him but going sweetly on As I began behold I see anon The VVise-men comming from the East and they Being guided by his starre were come to pay Their duties to this God made man to see And worship him for so it ought to be O thou my God send here thy lightning Sprite To bee my starre also to guide mee right That I may finde my Sauiour too and then Though not with th'offrings of those wiser men For lo I am vnwise alas and poore Yet may I truly worship him with more Then e're they did with heart with soule and all That now I haue or euer after shall Thus passing on at length my thoughts were brought To holy Luke for Mark indeed had nought Of this his birth where when I ent'red in I saw the Angell speake againe of him As earst in Matthew's sacred Writ but here I went not far before there did appeare A wondrous change this Heau'n-borne Maiestie Whom earst the Magi came to gratifie With these their best adoring gifts with Gold With Frankincense and Myrrhe which plainly told How great a King a Priest and Prince hee was Whome they ador'd I say it came to passe This Maiestie so great being now disgrac'd As 't were with Ragges of humane flesh lay plac'd In an vnseemly manger for the Inne Was haply stuft so full with guests of sin There was no roome for this great Lord but hee Must seeke a Stable for his high degree Being thought the very scorne of men but sure 'T was not without a Prophecy so pure And innocent a soule should bee thus left Both in contempt and misery bereft Of worlds best seeming-comforts But behold When earth and cruell men were growne so cold In charitie the Heau'ns themselues proclaime His wondrous worth for lo a glorious Traine Of that celestiall Quire were come to bring This happy Tidings to the world to sing His high natiuitie in their high-layes Where euery Period eccho'd nought but prayse And glory to our God on high on earth Peace and good will tow'rds men all from his birth Issuing as from one
of this horrid deed Wherefore I now returne againe and come Vnto my Sauiours latest part the Summe And woe of all the rest that dreary seene Which now hee was to vndergoe I meane On this sad Scaffold of his latest crosse The first was paine of sense but this of 〈◊〉 That was his bodies paine but here againe His paine of soule which is the soule oâ— paâ—â—e For now behold not to enlarge my verse With each sad circumstance I here rehearse Only that one expreslesse plunge of all The great'st that euer was when hee did call At his extremest gaspe My God my God Why hast thou now forsaken mee What rod Was it that strook this wondrous blow Aye mee My blessed Christ what God forsaken Thee Thy selfe forsake thy selfe O thou my life How could this bâ—e Ne'r was there fatall knife Could cut this threed no Thus it came to passe Thy Sprite of loue hath told mee how it was Now was that wofull time at hand wherein Th'intolerable weight and curse of sin Which I and all the world had done were cast Vpon thy backe at once Now was that last And very vtmost deepe which thou while-ere Didst seeme in thy humanity to feare Now didst thou drinke of that accursed cup Which earst thou didst intreat thou mightst not sup Vnlesse it were thy Fathers will and here Behold it was his will and thou didst beare Those heauie brunts alone for vs from whence It was indeed thou hadst such feeling sense Of these thy miseries in vs that wee Might thereby feele our happinesse in thee Nay more thou now of wondrous loue hadst tooke Our sinnes on thee whence 't was thy God forsooke Or seem'd at least forsake thee thus and why 'T is sin indeed vndoes that happy tie Betwixt humanity and God for this Is that whiâ—h sep'rates vs from all our blisse I meane from God and this is it which made Him thus withdraw himselfe from thee or shade As 't were his present â—â—dance from thy sight And leaue thee to thy selfe prest with the weight Of sin and hell and of thy Fathers rage ' Gainst these our siâ—â—es since thou would'st so engage Thy selfe for vs and here thy soule was brought Downe to the lowâ—st plunge of woe where nought VVas left to comfort thee but thou meane while Being made as ' tweâ—e a desolate exâ—le From all true happinesse didst vndergo Such sad expreslesse pangs that none can know Their depth but thou that suffer'dst them nay sure That only paine of losse thou didst endure VVas more by farre in reference to thee Then hells most cruell torturings can bee In reference to vs. VVhat shall I say This was indeed a lamentable day For thy pure eies to see ne'r was there griefe Like vnto this of thine where all reliefe VVas held so long from thee and here indeed I found that true which I ere-while did reade Foretold of thee thy comlynesse was gone And forme or beauty there alas was none To make thee now desir'd Thou wast a man Of sorrow friend of griefe whence wee began To hide our faces ' way from thee or thou Didst hide as 't were from vs Thus didst thou bow Thy righteous back to heare our griefes while wee Like cruell Iewes went on in tort'ring thee By adding sin to sin Thus didst thou cry Aloud for vs and thus for vs didst die Didst die yea more didst rise againe that wee Might rise againe from sin and bee made free From all the pow'râ— of death and hell and then Being thus reuiu'd by thee to liue agen The happy life of Grace till thou shalt please To call vs gently hence and sweetly seize Vpon our soules to carrie vs vp on high To liue with thee through all eternitie The endlesse life of Glorie there where wee Shall sing of nothing else but praise to thee But O my God thou thou that hast been pleasd To ayde mee hitherto thou that hast easd My wearied soule at length in this sweet Ford The sacred Spring of thy all-sauing VVord Come here againe and as it pleas'd thee show Those mirrours of thy loue to mâ—e euen so Enable mee as thou hast said that I May sing thy mercies to posterity In a ne'r-dying verse whereof each word May speake my thankfulnesse and each afford Eternall matter of thy praise Nay more May here bee found a salue for euery sore To each good soule that euer felt the smart And terrors of a truly contrite heart Come then my sweet Vrania come againe And raise thy selfe here change thy dolefull straine Into some happier notes of ioy and here Come come my sprites I charge you all appeare In ioyous readinesse yea soule and all Giue your attendance to my instant call For now behold I speake Come come away To celebrate this high-made Holy-day Of reconcilement with my God First then O thou sole Guider of my tongue and pen And all my thoughts and all my Acts whiles they Are good Lo here I humbly come to pay My tributarie thanks that thou hast brought Me hitherto the place which earst I sought And here hast rais'd my soule againe to see Those wondrous things which thou hast done for me When I was past recouerie if thou Hadst not been timely mercifull and now Redeem'd me by thy loue as thou hast done Though by the death of 〈◊〉 owne onely Sonne Thine owne beloued Sonne but O my life Life of my soule I say whence is the strife I feele in me if this be so that I Am subiect yet to Satans tyrannie And cannot praise thee as I would for lo My sinnes step still betweene and 〈◊〉 so I cannot raise my drowâ—ie eies to see As here I ought thy wondrous 〈◊〉 to mee But O my God! here is the reason sure Of this my miserie thine eies so pure Will not vouchsafe to loo◠〈◊〉 I meane In smiling sort because I am not 〈◊〉 But thou conceal'st thy coâ—nce ' cause I Haue broke indeed thy Lawes most â—ankelesly Both in my thoughts and 〈◊〉 and yet alas I am not truly penitent but pâ—sse My time in senslesnesse as 't were and 〈◊〉 Burst forth in teares to wash away the blot Of this my great ingratitude aye mee All this is true my God for thou dost see My secret paths and yet behold thine eyes Do also see my griping miseries How oft indeed I grieue and sigh and groane Because I am become so dead a stone And cannot weep as faine I would but here O thou my Lord why should I further feare At these mine owne deficiencies behold My Sauiour burnd in loue though I am cold His wounds did weepe to wash away my sin Though I am dull O cast thine eyes on him Or looke on mee but as in Him that when Thou seest me thou mayst finde mee clear'd and then Thou canst not bee displeas'd with mee for hee Hath made a full supply of all
in their ills let them â—ke vp The seeming sweets of sins impoys'ned cup Let them carouse in vanity and draw Iniquity with ropes ne'r stand in aw ' Of future iudgements Let them prosper still As they suppose by adding ill to ill Let them be carelesse of themselues and spend Their precious daies ne'r thinking on the end Let them make flesh their guide taking delight In their owne lusts still glorying in the hight Of their ambitious titles and their wealth Got by obliquitie and lawlesse stealth Let them be-pride themselues in rich attires And robes of State burning with lawlesse fires Of lusts not to be nam'd let them be fed With choycest meates and glutted vp with bread Like pampred Horses to the full I say Let them spend all their happinesse away In these and such like vanities nor thinke On death at all thou standing at the brinke Of their vncertaine graues and heau'ns high hand Of vengeance ouer them doth alwaies stand Readie to strike them downe to hell but we Will ioy alone in this sweet libertie We haue in Christ we will delight I say Our selues in him in him wee 'l vow and pay Our dues of praise vnto our God in him Wee 'll hence triumph o're all the pow'rs of Sin Of death and Hell in Him we will expresse Our vtmost thanks by liues of holinesse And walking in his waies till by the hand Of his good Sprite hee'th brought vs to the Land Of righteousnesse where we would be on Him We will build all our confidence and clim To Heau'n alone by Him vnder his wings Wee 'l alwaies shrowd our selues nor shall the Kings Of th' earth be able doe vs harme though they Rage ere so much Our foes shall melt away Like Snow against the Sun and ' cause wee 'ue made The Lord our dwelling place vnder his shade We shall be surely safe yeâ— though the earth Be mou'd with all the pow'rs thereof though death Triumph on euerie side of vs yet wee Shall surely be preseru'd and liue to see The wondrous riches of his loue wherein He hath endear'd himselfe to vs through him We shall passe all these nether-stormes and spight Of all with-stands walke onwards in the light Of his sweet countenance still singing praise Vnto his Name till he at length shall raise Our Muses to a higher pitch where we Shall sing his praises to eternitie In his ne'r-ending place of blisse euen there Where he himselfe remaines where neither feare Nor griefe shall interrupt our ioyes but we Shall haue our fills of all felicitie And glory inexpressible the hight And chiefe of which is in the blessed sight Of this our glorious God whom we shall see There face to face euen as he is yea bee Made like to him what would you haue me say Mine eyes are dazled at this glorious day And reason stands amaz'd when it would reach This wondrous hight how shall a Mortall preach Of this immortall state O had mine eye But one sweet glimpse of this how should I tye Your eares vnto my tongue when I should speake Of what I saw 't would make your hearts to breake With earnest longings after it and you Would scorne from hence so much as take a view Of these inferiour vanities which be But toyes as 't were not worth your thoughts and flee Away almost as soone as come withall Leauing behind them nought but cursed gall And bitternesse to vex and gripe and grieue Those foolish soules which did ere-while beleeue Their false pretended sweets but here alone Is fulnesse of all true delight where none Can euer be deceiu'd vnlesse it be As that wise Queene of Sheba was when she Heard of the glory of King Salâ—â—on And of his happinesse but when anon She came and saw it with her eyes she than In great amazednesse thereat began Confesse that all was true yea sure the fame Said she came farre too short If then the name Of Salomon were such behold here 's one That 's greater farre then was King Salomon What shall I say of him sure my report Will speake but truth and yet come so farre short As finite doth of infinite what then She spake of Salomon and of his men So may I speake to thee my God O how How happie are thy Saints which fall and bow Before thy Maiestie Happie I say Are those that haue the priuiledge to stay Continually with thee there to behold Thy glorious face wherein as Dauid told Are ioyes at full and sit at thy right hand VVhere pleasures liue for euermore where stand Thy blessed troopes of glorious Saints that sing Eternall Halleluia's to their King To thee their King to thee alone for thou Art onely worthy O my God And now Here doe I craue to ioyne with them euen I Though yet on earth here doe I thankefully Fall downe before thy glorious Throne and here In humbled confidence and holy feare I offer my poore mite to thee of praise And thankfulnesse in these my lowly Layes All glorie be to thee my God to Thee And to the Lambe which hath redeemed mee By his deare blood and to the sacred Sprite The Comforter and pledge of true delight Which hath been with me hitherto and brought My soule into thy peace Sure I haue nought That 's worth thy great acceptance Lord for I Am poore thou know'st and full of miserie Happie in nothing else but thee I meane By being thine and yet I 〈◊〉 vncleane Vncleane alas vncleane well may I cry Come thou and wash away my Leprosie And make me fit for being thine O then What shall I pay who am the worst of men To thee for all thy mercies Lord VVhy here I le pay thee with thine owne the case is cleare I offer vp my selfe to thee with all That here I haue hence may it please thee call And count me wholly for thine owne for now I bid farwell vnto the world and vow In thy sweet aide eternall enmitie To all my wonted sinnes to vanitie And euery luring baite of hell And here I humbly doe deuote my selfe in feare And holinesse to thee my God that I May still be praysing thee vntill I die In all my thoughts and words and acts and hence May walke along by faith and not by sense Still gladded with thy countenance till I Haue ouer-past the present miserie Of this short life and till my soule at length Being cloath'd vpon with that immortall strength Of my blest Sauiour Christ shall sweetly flee Into thine hands there to remaine with thee In thy expreslesse happinesse till thou In that last day shalt swiftly come and bow The heau'ns and raise my body vp though dead And rotned dust and ioyne it to my Head And Sauiour Christ where it againe shall bee Vnited to my soule and I shall see My