pretious spiritual soule Which flies aâ—â—y when body goes to ground Let conscience say where then it must be found Which it wel knows and wil not then dissemble When flesh blood with fear shal shak tremble Then let thy bed be made to thee a grave If thou expect a room in heaven to have Prepare for grave when dost pâ—epare for bed So idle thoughts wil vanish out thy head Think thou art dying when thou gost to sleep 'T wil be a means thy soul from sin to keep Or else take notice that thy heart is hard When thought of death with it 's of no regard And that thy God hath suffer'd it be so Lest it might melt and to its Saviour go O fearful fearful is thy God then gone And thought of him in thee remaineth none Are neither hope nor fear of any power But thou wilt stil forsake thy Sâ—viour O cruel cruel cruel stony heart Art so resolv'd that Christ shal have no part Can fear of hell not melt that heart of thine Nor hope of heaven with Christ in it to shine Dost live to follow Judas in his sin That thou canst find no time to repent in O wretched heart are grown so obdurate As joy nor fear are able penetrate Is this the nature of that flesh and bloood As 't wil retain nought that may tend to good Art grown so sullen in thy own esteem As th'blood of Christ thou wilt not thee redeem O let that blood wash off beloved sin Or be assur'd thy Saviour comes not in O do not shut the gate gainst that sweet guest In whom alone thou shalt be ever blest For by him only and by him alone Thou must have help or else thou must have none Then beat thy heart and beat it under ground Or be assur'd that Christ will not be found For that which makes thy heart so hard is pride A sin sufficient though nought else beside Then strive to gain humility in'ts room For humble hearts are they will win the crown Then strive and strive and strive and watch pray To him is able put that pride away Without great suit be sure he will not doe it Then pray with zeal and he'â—l be willing to it And bend thou heart and hands and knees all And on thy Saviour never lin to call Till he shall please to cleanse that hollow place From pride and then to fill it up with grace Grant gracious God to free it from this sin And many more which I have lived in Sweet Jesus help help me good Lord with speed For without thee sweet Saviour I am dead For my hard heart good God is hardned so As 't never fears this fatal word of Go. Sweet Jesus grant repentance to me Lord As thou hast promis'd by thy sacred word To heâ—r all them that on thy name do call Then hear me Lord or I am sure to fall Grant me good God I thee most humbly pray That I from henceforth never fall away But still be lifting up my heart to thee And to thy name sing praise continually But how can I sing praises to the Lord When I have not observ'd his holy word Noâ— him regarded as indeed I ought Who with his blood hath me so dearly bought But his my sin deprives me of that good To be obtain'd by Christ his precious blood For my hard heart in truth cannot deny I 've turn'd back when I heard my Saviour cry What hope have I then that he will hear mee Though I come to him on my bended knee Then bend and beat and break that wicked heart Whose sin is cause of all my woful smart And on thy knees lift up thy heart in pray'r No way to heaven but by this only stair Then strive t' ascend this stair on bended knees Or nere expect thy Saviours wrath â—'appease And wash it likewise with thy briny tears For no unclean thing comes to th' Saviours ears Or if it do he 'll turn his back and frown And in his rage from heaven hâ—'â—l throw it down Then cleanse thy heart eject all idle thought Let no unclean thing 'fore the King be brought Search every corner in that hollow cave For Satan's cunning and a hole will have Where he may lurk and lie to th' eye unseen Still waiting on thee when thou dost not ween Be careful then he do not there remain For if he do he 'll leave behind a stain Which will not out no water will it cleanse But only th'oyl of hearty penitence Use then this oyl and mix it with thy tears And wash the stair ascends up to the ears Of great Jehovah sitting in his throne Who accepts all clean things despiseth none Then cleanse thy heart from that foul stain of sin Or nere expect that it can enter in Jehovahs sight where nothing can appear But such as are from stain of sin made clear Then strive to cleanse thee from all sinful thought The only means which have thy body brought To be cast down from out thy Saviours sight Where Saints and Angels in continual light Conjoyn themselves with those the Cherubims Th'Archangels and those blessed Seraphims And all the rest of that most glorious quire Who joys enjoy beyond all hearts desire The glorious presence of our Saviour sweet The very essence of all joy compleat To sing the praise of that most Holy one Who 's God of gods and other there is none Then sing my soul and strive to apprehend Those heavenly joyes which never shall have end Use all the helps may bring thee to that place Let none pass by without some use of grace And so in time thou mayst thy Saviour win By earnest prayer for to remit thy sin Then without ceasing pray continually For such in time may gain eternity It is the counsel of that Preacher Paul Whose pains exceeded after that his call To come to Christ but first he fell to ground Before his Saviour could by him be found Then fall and fall and fall upon thy face And cry to Christ that he may grant thee grace To make good use of all occasions offer'd And so avert all are by Satan proffer'd For godly minds make godly use of all Where sinful hearts make such as tend their fall By their submission to black Satans wiles Whereby poor man of goodness he beguiles For man by nature's apt to what is ill Though soul and body both thereby he kill For man doth aim to please this flesh and blood But sees not th' end if it do tend to good For fleshly mâ—n sees nought but 'fore his face Without respect to that the spiritual grace The soul aims at and so this worldly man Thinks worldly things but heavenly none he can For earthly substance earthly matter minds When heavenly substance heavenly matter finds And so by th'sequel man may easily know When life is done where then his soul shâ—ll go But few look further then this life alone And so for th'
And Maker-like thou sinner might have stai'd If thou thy maker had'st in heart obey'd But willingly thou wretch didst lose that grace And so became a miserable sinful race Of runagates from ought that tends to good But that thy Saviour shed his precious blood To bring thee back to that happy state again If thou had'st grace being there in it remain Praise him praise him and for thy self do pray That thou in him may'st ever live and stay And on his passion daily ruminate To work in thee of horrid sin a hate And keep in heart for what cause he was sent To call poor sinners that they may repent For without that be sure thou hast no part Nor any portion in thy Saviours smart But thou thy self dost him still crucifie Whom thou oughtst rather even to glorifie Repent betime if thou hast any grace Or else in heaven expect to have no place For no unclean thing can ascend on hy Where Angels sit and sing continually The Praises due to that heavenly holy one Who made all creatures by his word alone And is desirous for to have them all To come to him and doth them often call Then go with speed thou wretch and do not stay For great 's the danger of one hours delay And if thou shalt thy Saviour now deny He 'll not be heard when thou dost to him cry Then thou beware of being drawn away By him that seeks thy ruine and decay And doth delude thee by some slie deceit Enticing thee with his sweet sinful baite To overthrow thy soul and body there Where nought appears but onely horrid fear Of ugly feinds whose mouthes like lions roare And with their teeth do rend and eke devour All such as come within their hellish reach Then learn by others thee thy self to teach Of sinful life and death to stand in fear Lest soul and body both these hell-hounds tear And torture them in that most fearful place Where all must live do not partake of grace Then fast and pray and fast and pray againe That thou with Christ in heaven maist aie remain And do repent thee of thy sinful crime And be thou sure thou do 't whiles thou hast time For time 's not tyed no not to th' best mans leasure Therefore this day do thou give ore thy pleasure And strive to please thy heavenly God and King And to him alwayes his due praises sing And give him thanks that he hath spared thee Till thou hast time thy sinful life to see And blame thy self for thy hard stony heart Since that thy God hath plaid a loving part In often calling and recalling thee To search thy heart and secret sins to see For though thy conscience hourly thee accuse Yet to repent thou sinner do'st refuse So that death's due for this thy great neglect But that thy God doth lovingly thee respect And though thy sins do justly death deserve Yet still thy life this good God doth preserve And stead of death he heapes on thee blessings By sparing thee and eke long-sufferings To try if thou'lt thy sinful life forsake And to this good God thee thy self betake Who poureth out his blessings on thee still To try if he by gifts may win thy will To follow him O do thou follow then And follow fast withouten all delay This thy good God and from him do not stay With all thy heart and that unfeignedly And free from that vile sin hypocrisie Lest sleeping conscience justly thee accuse That thou thy self do'st thee thy self abuse By seeming other then indeed thou art But God above seeth th' secrets of thy heart Though man believe thou art the very same Which thou dost seem as if free from all blame Or blot of sin but what to them appeares In outward show or to their fleshly ears Report doth bring but sinner be thou sure Thy Saviour cannot this vile sin endure Thus to be mock't with that the outward part Which differs far from the inward sinful heart For he desires to have thy heart alone Then give him that or else thou givest him none For soul and body are ordain'd to go At th' end together whether they will or no To th' great accompt and therefore do thou see Thou daily use to obey the Deitie And be not thou with this wicked world beguiled For then a sinner thou art sure be stiled But have a care that thou do daily use Of daily sins thy self for to accuse And keep a strict account of thy weak state And then by that thou wilt discern thy fate Which must be hell or else that heavenly bliss Fie flie from that and care to cleave to this Where be assur'd thy Saviour thou shalt see Who hath endur'd the torments due to thee To suffer death as Christ himself hath done For all of them that to him freely come Then freely go and that without delay To him that putteth no man off with nay But willingly with love embraceth all Who on the name of Jesus onely call Then call and call and do thou call againe That thou in him may'st evermore remaine And then fear not but thou shalt with him finde Eternal joyes yea far beyond thy minde For be assur'd no earthly creature can Express the real happiness of that man That cometh there and therefore do thou strive At that great happiness that thou mayest arrive Where Saints and Angels sing continually To him that lives and shall eternally O let both heart and tongue and all agree To sing his praise so lovingly dyed for thee Let all the earth the worthy praises sing Of Christ our Saviour our heavenly king And join themselves in prais w th one accord To sing the praises of the heavenly Lord On whom th' arch-angels daily do attend And shall for aye e'n world without all end And all of them do all times sing To God our Saviour our heavenly king O mount my soule and strive to apprehend These heavenly joys which never shal have end And set thy song to that glorious Angels Who joys enjoy beyond all harts desire quire Even that the presence of our Saviour sweet The very Essence of all joy compleat Sweet Jesus please my soul may there reside And in thy Passion faithfully confide And thereby draw from hence this terren part As onely guided by a fleshly heart Subjects it self unto the inferiour power Who doth not cease torment it ev'ry houre With sundry passions it cannot resist But willingly complyes to what he list For to command untill he so shall please My Saviour sweet to grant to me some ease Of this tentation wherewith wretched I Have still been govern'd from my infancy Then come sweet Jesu and that presently Or else Lord Jesu I shall surely dye In this my sin except good God thou wilt With thy dear blood wash of my sinful guilt And take from me this wicked Legion out Of my poor heart and cause be put to rout All the tentations
How far the cursed goats are separate From the blessed sheep who ever sit and sing In th' glorious heaven the praises of their king But they from thence are headlong thrown away Down to hell pit therein made a pray To th' ugly fiends whose cheerful office is For to deprave them of all heavenly blisse O let this horrid fearful sentence move Thy soul to elevate it self above Up to the highest heavens and there upon Spend thou some time in deep contemplation And then no doubt to thee it will appear What difference great between this joy and fear O have a care that these two ne're depart But alwaies keep them close within thy heart And think upon them seriously day and night And they will teach thee keep thy way aright Forget them not when thou art in thy bed For they will cure a sick and troubled head From all its grief and further more then so They 'l keep thee free from all eternall wo And be a means to bring thee to that blisse Whereas no doubt but thy dead father is Stay there a while my soul and do not range To think the things whose nature may be strange Or wh ch to these two are impertinent Lest they may prove to alter the intent Of gaining that which is the souls desire To keep thee free from th' deep infernall fire That Tophet which God hath prepar'd of old Both deep and large that it may sinners hold The fuel wood which doth maintain that fire By great Jehovah kindled in his ire By th' only breath which from this great God cometh And with fierce brimstone like a river runneth The strange effects whereof some say are such As differs far from all other fire in much For this wee 'r sure its nature's extreme hot There 's some do hold the fire of hell is not This comforts like the Sun from Sion's hill But that burns souls who yet w th cold are chil This we do see doth cast a glorious light The fire of hell more dark then darkest night Though this be hot we can away from 't turn But in that other sinners ever burn This fire on earth w th water may be quenched But that in hel not w th the sea though drenched The fuell here in time consumes away But that in hel it never doth decay Here we receive great comfort by this fire But they in hell have nought they do desire All Dives wealth not worth one water drop Nor all on earth procure for meat one sop There souls desires are ay insatiate Without all ease tho ne're so moderate There rules revenge with irefull anger raging Without all hope even of the least asswaging Here souls are free from bodies greatest pain But there the souls in torments aye remain Here greatest griefs are not without some ease There the tormenters rage doth never cease Here each sence hath its own particular grief There all do suffer without the least relief All sinfull souls are very sensible There is no light in 't which is visible But think black darknes doth appear to th ' ey And so shall do for all eternity Here all created shall in time decay But them in hell shall therein live for ay Death here 's a salve for every kinde of sore But they doth life torment still more more Here we desire to live and yet we cannot But there to die yet so decreed we may not Make use of this my soule and fly from hence Up to the heavens and take thy recompence For all thy service to thy Saviour done When thou with bread did'st feed the hungry one The naked cloath and eke thy neighbour love Then thou didst please thy Saviour God above Whose will is such that thou shouldst ever do So as thy self desir'st be done unto Then do so still and it will keep them free From future woe for all eternity Here stay a while my soul and think of this What difference great between sad lore bliss And do reflect at present on thy self Who whilome was in good and perfect health And thy girt loins were all so firm and strong As they presume that nought could do them wrong But leading out a sullen skittish Jade Tho having such provision therefore made As in mans judgement I was safe and free From any danger of indempnitie VVhen suddenly the horse did run about And with a fall my right hip he put out And I in danger was most imminent To have had each part from one another rent But that a stranger haply coming by Led by Gods spirit chancing me to spie God made a means whereby me to preserve From sudden death which I did well deserve But that the Lord was pleas'd to give to me A longer time that I my sinnes might see And that of them I should in heart repent VVhich no doubt was the onely cause he sent Me help from heaven and cur'd my heart again But wretched I did still in sin remain Forgetting also this his mercy great Tho carefully his Judgement did me threat Presuming still that he would alwayes be As formerly he had been unto me Ev'n heaping blessings upon blessings still Tho sinfull I did yet neglect his will and after that well nigh about a year Forgetting this my gracious God to fear And being secure as then was in my thought From any danger could to me be brought VVhen suddenly did my most gentle horse Give me a fall which prov'd to me much worse then th' other was and also danger more But that God did as he had done before VVith th' second fall disjoynt my other hip VVhen 't was more danger w th that suden skip T' have broke my neck but that my gracious God Did in his mercy with his gentle rod Me so correct as he before had done To try if I would yet unto him come And lest I should again now fall away As I had done he forceth me to stay And in a room my body doth confine Yet sends his Son with comfort on 't to shine For day and night I have therein a fire And all things else I do in heart desire So as if now I shall again neglect My gracious God who doth me thus respecâ— And be so still as I have hereto been Sleeping securely in all deadly sin Unmindfull also of his great blessings In sparing me and eke long sufferings And all things else whats'ere befitting life A loyall loving and a gentle wife And many children which are dutiful Obedient all and also most thankfull All of them able and most willing be T' affoord all kindnesse freely unto me So as my conscience telleth me now plain If I shall fall from this good God again I do deserve far worse then Sodom ever did In the dead sea for to be drown'd and hid And to the world a common by word be There in that sea lies justly drowned he VVas so ungratefull to his gracious God VVho did instead of his
it will freely tell thee When death comes what it is that shal befall thee For though thy conscience now securely sleep ' Gainst th'day of death it will thee waking keep Then be not thou like to the Libertine Who guls himself with saying All is mine Come eat and drink and now let 's merry be When morrow comes then we shall surely die But yet when death doth to him come indeed Then this mans fear a deep despair doth breed And he to death as that King Ahab did Unto Elias thinking he was hid Hast found me out O fearful than O than Comes death most dreadful to the dying man But thou my soul thou know'st tâ—'assured way To make this death thy only happiest day If that thy porters be not lulâ—'d asleep Whilst they these outer gates of thine should keep And suffer thieves at them to enter in who 'll steal thy good and leave behind thy sin Then watch and pray and do thou waking keep And fast and pray and so prevent thou sleep And then let death come whenas God shal please Can do no hurt but do to thee great ease For then shalt thou from earthly labours rest And live with whom thou shalt be ever blest Live there my soul and then thou needst not care Come life come death to thee both equal are The fool would fain he might do that at last Which the wise-man thinks fit be done at first For that thinks time is ever in his will But this doth know that time is going still Seeing if man sleep this time it doth not rest But still keeps pace and flieth on full fast For though that all men are ordain'd to die Yet none know when or where 't is they must lie Man stands in need prepare for death and will not But death wil com to this man when he would not And such may well be likened to a beast Who 's feeding fat like this man at a feast Till th'slaughter-axe give him his fatal blow And then his stubborn heart begins to bow Yet struggles hard this death-stroke to resist But now too late he mourns out had I wist For all of life we very careful are But for this death we not at all prepare So many come this death-stroke to abide Before they do themselves for death provide And then are they to go to learn to die When death appeareth palpably in th' eye Then willingly doe thou perform that part Which needs thou must tho 't be against thy heart And thou my soul do thou in thy youth-dayes Remember death for so the Wise-man sayes Before that those thy ill dayes come along For then thou 'lt sing another sorrowful song When age and sickness both of them appear Thou hast no power good councel then to hear But heart and mind are both so hurried hence With age and sickness they are void of sense Is this a time then to prepare for death When 't is a burthen heavy to have breath When Doctor physick for thee doth prescribe And Lawyer he is going with his bribe And Parish-Parson for thy soul doth pray And friends neighbours round about thee stay And wife and children sadly weeping are Content of death to take from thee a share If so they might to ease thee of thy pain Which all the earth unable is to gain But thou art left unto thy self alone To make an answer for thy sins each one When powerful death hath entred on thy eyes And into all parts of the body pryes And stayes the organ of the nimble tongue Lest it might utter ought may tend to wrong And by chill cold doth fall upon the feet And takes from them their blood and nat'ral heat And so ascends to every other part And then at last it seizeth on the heart Who now with sobs and sighs somes out its breath Which by and by is staid by powerful death And at his entrance on this flesh and bone Gives Conscience leave to lord it all alone Who nere till now had audience of a word By help of death is made a puissant Lord And then that heart was stony-hard before Is now made soft lamenting more and more But nere till death had struck him with his dart Gave any way for Conscience play his part Who hath recorded all what heart hath done And lays them ope that it may see the sum And cast it up before the day of doom Which grant good God it may to me be Come Being hard at hand as plainly doth appear When heart and hands and feet are all in fear Who nere till now did ever think of death That he would come to fetch away its breath For who by flesh was highly monarchised By Conscience now is basely vassalised And so doth yield to what the conscience saith That till death came he had not any faith For health and wealth so pufft it up with pride Save only pleasure it minded nought beside And now intreats to have a little time With full resolve for to amend its crime But Conscience saith whom now it doth believe That death is sent it of its life bereave And so no hope of pardon to be got But like its life so death fals to its lot Which conscience tels it then it is dejected And doth confess it justly is rejected Without all hope of any pardon sending For that this life is now at point of ending Then this proud heart with terror conscience pricks And it to hell with horror down he kicks And tels him plainly that the poorest swain Whom in his pride with scorn he did disdain Being naked begging at this proud hearts dore In Abrahams bosom him shall sit before And in requital of this hard proud heart Was loth to yield to Lazarus any part Of his vast store wherewith he did abound Is now by Lazar trodden under ground And lets it see whom it did scorn before He would be glad he might beg at his dore But conscience tels him he is now debaâ—'d ' Cause pride in wealth did poverty not regard So this proud heart who poverty held in scorn Doth beg of death a while to be forborn But conscience tels him 't is not in deaths power For that he cannot spare him now one houre Because his time is limited by God Whom he nere knew so did not fear his rod Which now he feels by conscience information That he must hence into some other nation Where soul must suffer for the bodies sin And horrid life which it hath lived in Without so much as any care for th' soul But all for th' self although in substance moul Which then by conscience is in heart confessed And better life if time is now professed When time is past to it a period's put And ' gainst this soul the gates of heaven are shut So then in lieu of hope comes in despaire And tels it now it must for hell prepare Because it did not think of this in time So soul must
suffer for the bodies crime Which conscience offer'd often to inform But pride of heart held conscience aye in scorn And would not hear when it made suit to speak For worldly affairs such suits do always break And so the soul is now depriv'd of bliss Or sight of heaven where its sweet Saviour is And that proud flesh of earth at first was made Must to the earth and there a while be staid For crawlers meat till that loud trump shall blow When soul and body both must undergo That final doom by God himself pronounced Because in life this God they have renounced And that most justly doth the conscience tell Depriv'd of heaven and doom'd to th' deepest hel Where they must live but wishing still for death Which they did fear at parting with their breath So what in heart in life was always loathed Will after death in heart he ever loved But not obtain'd as Diver doth thee tell Decreed for ever now to live in hell O eloquent death hath done more in one day Then Moses did with all that he could say Or yet the Prophets by their crying out These eighty years or now neer thereabout Yet all unheard or not in heart believed Till this hard heart of life is like bereaved O powrful death whose presence without speaking Hath done what Prophets could not by their preaching This conscience knows doth at large relate What th' heart hath done and what shall be its fate But out of time because it would not hear That it should come be laid on th' fatal bear Which now stands ready waiting at the dore To carry away who did it scorn before Is this a time then now for thee begin To think in what state thou at death art in For now thy conscience guilty of sin will say That th' weight of it to Topher doth thee sway Without all hope of thee for ere returning Whâ—n th'souls before and in that Tophet burning So all thy helps are surely now but weak If thou didst not in former times bespeak Them at his hands who always willing is And able also to bring thee to bliss If thou hast made the way for it before Or else there 's danger of it at deaths dore Thou foolish man observe the harmless Bee Who summer-time doth fill her downy thie And in her storehouse hoards up plenty of meat Against the time when there is none to get Look likewise on that little creature Ant Who being careful how to prevent want Foreseeing winter to be coming on In time of summer makes provision These little creatures teach thee time well spent In its due time and that with good intent May gain unto thee blessings happily Which shall continue for eternity But th' old man he is blind and cannot see And th'young man he is stout and will not be Correct with death this death which only can As all things else unmake this creature man And that being done then all this massie earth Unable is for to regain him breath And therefore now be sure whilsâ— thou hast power For to remember death comes at an hour When 't is not look'd foâ— like unto the thief When man 's in health and is of full belief That he shall live and so he still expects The length of daâ—eâ— but th'day of death neglects And yet doth know that he 'fore all the rest Who dyeth well thus only shall be blest For if a man were able spend his time Dâ—void of sin or any sinful crime And prove an Atheist but for one half hour And therein comes his blessed Saviour And doth demand what only is his own And roâ—peth there where he hath never sown O what a case may this man now be in Who long liv'd well yet dy'd in deadly sin Since th'tree as 't grows that way it surely fals And as the thief doth come so God he cals For th'foolish Virgins had their final doom For want of oyl shut out of th'marriage room O what a fearful horrid case is this For one houres pleasure lose eternal bliss Then watch my soul and do thou always say Good Lord give us our daily bread this day For after one day filthy worms did eat That precious Manna which was heavenly meat Because that they who every day would have Should every day for daily blessings crave And knew those worms did food of Angels eat Within a while will of the flesh make meat And though thy soul it cannot then be there Yet soul and body are decreed to beare Their share alike at the last reckning day Then do not thou this reck'ning now delay For wretched man this time doth draw fast on Neer unto death by computation And every day thy sins they do increase Time for repentance daily doth decrease And if repentance by grace be obtained There 's satisfaction also must be gained Or else I doubt repentance very much Without repayment cannot prove be such As it should be and then I greatly feare There will no dayes be longer granted there For death is strong and will not be orecome By threats nor treats whenas the day doth come Then thou fond man who seeing thy sick friend Wilt not say to him he is neer his end Till he be likely to yield up his breath And then thou wills him he should think of death Lest that the name of death should fearful be To him that is now at the point to die Then fear this death before he so neer come For 't is too late to do 't at th'day of doom Seeing if deaths warrant shall but once be sealed There is no wealth can cause it be repealed And therefore now have care prevent the worst Lest thou doe hold thy day of birth accurst When hils nor mountains are not able hide But this thy life must then be justly tride By thine own conscience 'fore that dreadful King Who knows and sees even every secret thing And sendeth this his servant powrful death To take away from thee thy dearest breath O then have care thou do thy dayes spend well If thou intend to keep thy soul from hell And be thou often thinking of this death How 't is his office to take away thy breath And do it daily since each day thou may Even lose thy life in that one dayes delay And so by this accustom'd daily count Thou 'lt see thy sins how they decrease or mount And if th' hast wealth thy care is so much more To leave'â— then he that is esteemed poor O living look thou stare upon deaths face That dying thou maist know his comely grace For familiarity will only bring A loving liking of a loathed thing Then thou my soul acquaint thee with this death Before he come to fetch away thy breath For tho his physnomie be pale and grim If daily seen thou 'lt stand no fear of him Then do thou look upon him every day As he were coming to call thee away By so much oftner that thou
dost him see By so much more familiar you will be And do esteem him always as a friend Seeing he may greatly stead thee at thy end Assure thy self he 's stout and will not flie But he is always waiting on thee nie For he is one of whom thou shalt be found Tho thou wert hidden underneath the ground And if thou think from him to run away Then he 's so swift that he will make thee stay O view him love him and him look upon His countnance's comely so 's his complexion Though it be pale yet sweet 't will be to thee But th'hinder parts shalt nere be able see For he doth always forwards towards thee come And never backwards he is seen return He feareth no mans face nor yet his strength But overcometh all whatsoere at length There 's neither King nor Keisar he will spare But all in th' end do fall unto his share Though there be millions of arm'd men in field If he but throw his dart at them they yield There are no guns so great can make him flee For none on earth but only he 's shot-free His dart is always very sharp and keen And flies so fast it cannot well be seen Do but observe the nature of his dart It always aimeth at the very heart The strongest wals that ere with hands were made When he doth come by them he 'll not be staid He hits his mark as well in darkest night As when the sun doth shine tho nere so bright Then do not thou this deaths acquaintance shun From whom the swiftest of all cannoâ— run And who will cause the stoutest stand in fear If of his coming they by chance do hear Make much my soul of his acquaintance then If thou dost love him he will tell thee when He means to come if thou do often use Of him and his condition for to muse O then love thou this death his company well There 's in it more then I am able tell Yet this my soul I do in him observe That his acquaintance may in time preserve From second death which is a kindness such More worth by far then all the earth by much Thâ— make accompt of such a special friend Who is so powerful with thee at thy end As by his means there 's hope thou maist procure A happy life which shall for aye endure Amongst that blessed glorious company Who live and shall for all eternity And evermore the worthy praises sing Of Christ our Saviour and our heavenly King Then thou my soul make now a standing there And yet some more do thou of death enquire Since he is such and of so sweet a nature Whom some esteem to be of horrid feature But by observance I do in him find To thoâ—e that love him he is very kind And th'more I look upon his comely face The better still I like his comely grace As though he scorn'd the greatest earthly Kings Esteeming them to be but even base things And more then so I in him this observe If I have grace my self in time preserve From sin that then he can do me no harm If I do so I do him quite disarm For he no weapons with him bears about But with my own sins he doth beat me out From off this earth where wretched I do live But mine own sins mine own death-stroke do give So as I find if I from sin were free That then were death not able conquer me For now I see 't is only my own sin The wicked harbinger to bring death in Then do thou beat this harbinger but out And then fear not thou shalt put death to rout For if there were no sin within thy heart Then thou wert able take away deaths dart O then my soul hear this O doe thou hear Thy sin 's the cause of all thy greatest fear Then fear to sin and thou art able fray This thing calâ—'d death and force him flie away And if thou leave thy sin thou may be sure Th' art able then the sting of death to cure Then use all helps to leave thy loved sin And let slip none may bring thy Saviour in But set a watch and guard thy heart about To keep thy Saviour and shut Satan out For if thy mind be set on God above And thou resolv'd to follow him in love Then all thy actions which thou dost intend Are helps to bring thee to a happy end And no occasion can come then amiss May help to bring thy soul to th' King of Blisse Nor none let pass without some godly use Which some are wont with wickedness abuse But godly minds are ever apt to good And more for th'souls then for the bodies food Think with thy self how dost thou thee behave Canst go to bed and then not think on grave Since it 's more sure then is thy laid-down bed Shall not that surety enter then thy head Canst thou prepare to go to take thy rest And nought prepare for him hath so thee blest Thou knowst thy sleep may wel be said like death Save only that affoords a little breath Which this doth take and all what else is thine Then think of death and think on 't now in time In sleep no sense no not of greatest pain And so in death if heaven by it thou gain Then aim at heaven let it be all thy care Or else be sure have hell fall to thy share Canst thou uncloath thee to thy naked skin And then forget to cleanse thee of thy sin Hast thou the care thy bed may be made warm And then no care to keep thy soul from harm Canst thou be careful see thy linnen sweet And not remember that thy winding shee Hast thou the sense to feel thy bed is cold And yet no feeling that thou art grown old Canst thou have care thy bed should be made soft And then no care to lift thy soul aloft Canst thou be carefull for thy bodies rest Yet careless how the soul may come be blest Is flesh and blood of more esteem with then Then th' soul for which thy Saviour so did dâ—e Dost thou not know when body goes to grave The soul expects a place in heaven to have Dost pamper flesh for filthy worms to eat And starve thy soul for want of spiritual meat Thou sayst th' art sure of a living soul in thee And yet thy life doth shew it cannot be Shal no occasion slip for th'bodies good And none be found to furnish â—h'soul with food Can any think that man hath any sense Cares all for th'corps and nought for th'souls offence Is flesh and blood with thee of more esteem Then that thy soul whose care is only heaven Those go to ground from whence at first they came But this to God in whom is onely its aim Let conscience say for soul and bodies care How little 's that how great this others share So as it seems thou more esteems of monle Then dost of that thy
my God beholdeth me Shall I fear more that brings a mortal shame Then that which doth bring me eternal blame Doth th' eye of man deter me from my sin And th' eye of God have no power me within Have I discern'd this weakness in my mind And cannot see 't is Sathan makes me blind Examine conscience see what it now saith For it well knows thou hast not any faith Not yet dost think that there is any good Although he beat thee with his heavy rod Yet thou perchance wilt say thou dost believe But that even then the serpent did bereave The thought of heaven out of thy faint weak heart And would not suffer conscience play his part Who knoweth well that though thy tongue say so Thy stony heart within thee will say no For it doth use and love with God dissemble Or els no doubt w th fear 't would shake tremble Seeing neither hope of heaven nor fear of hell Can win this heart as conscience can thee tell O hypocrite leave off with God dissembling And pray him please to smite this heart with trembling This stony heart who thinks God doth not see Because even then he 's not in heart with thee But when thou comes unto thy God again And he so please with thee a while remain Thy tongue will then confess thou hast offended And for thy sin most justly reprehended But conscience knows thy heart is broken nought But still the same and aye doth yield to ought The Serpent offers to the fickle mind Rejecting Christ thy God and Saviour kind So as thy tongue may seem to praise his name Yet is thy heart even still the very same Involv'd in sin and therein takes delight Although thy conscience tell thee 't is not right And then perchance thou wilt presume that he Although thou sin yet still will pardon thee And so thou spends this time of grace in sin As if for sinning death had never been But think not so but think thy Saviour stands Before thy face two tables in his hands Wherein are writ our duty there commanded And its observance now by him demanded Canst thou reply thou sin'd in hope of grace Fie sin not so let such hope have no place Within thy heart but then think death is come With thy desert O fearful fatal doom Consider wretch and think what this may be Thou 'lt find it prove a fatal doom to thee When neither hils nor mountains can thee hide But still before that just Judge thou must bide Till thou do hear this sentence there pronounced That for thy sin thou art of God renounced Canst thou now sin and then not think of this Thou must be cast from out eternal bliss Where 's then that hope wherein thou hast presumed When death is come and all thy dayes consumed And then no hope of any longer stay But doom'd by death to Satan for a pray Canst thou now sin and not lay this to heart O lay 't betime lest soul and body part O sinful soul take notice of thy sin Lest death do come before thou dost begin O now begin and that without delay Lest death arrest thee'fore to morrow day When soul must suffer for the bodies sin And careless life which it hath lived in Without so much as any one dayes accompt To what a height thy sins that day will mount Begin this day and so go on to th' end And by that course thou 'lt see how life doth mend Neglect not this but use it constantly Lest thou be taken unprovided dy Be watchful then and alwayes be provided ' Gainst soul and body come to be divided Provide for this can no way be eschewed And let this course by all meanes be ensewed And so in time there may be hope of gaine Or else expect in heaven to have no place Strive for that place and strive and strive again For without Christ thy labour 's all in vaine And fast and pray upon thy bended knees To him who thee and all thy actions sees And ne'r forget thou canst not void his sight Who doth discerne thy heart in darkest night And now my soul do thou observe with care What over-weenings in thy judgement are If thou didst know it be an others fact Couldst thou approve on 't for a lawful act Wouldst thou allow that in thy onely son Which thou thy self hast now but newly done Art not ashamed that thou shouldst do a thing Which were not lawful though done by a King Can'st thou espie thy brothers mote unknown Yet canst not see the beam is in thy own VVilt thou be mindful of anothers ill Yet careless how thou bringst thy self to hell VVere eyes given thee to look into another And thy own sins in thy own brest to smother Can'st thou have feeling of thy friends offence And canst not see thy self is void of sense Can'st thou see faults within thy brother shine Yet canst not think that he againe seeth thine VVilt thou allow thy senses alwayes rome And ne'er attend to ought that 's done at home VVere senses sent to shew thy brothers faile VVithout respect what tends to thine availe A wise man may make use of others ill And by their faults observe his own to kill VVilt thou it be foul if 't be anothers fact And yet be faire if it be but thy own act Is there such difference in a brothers blood VVhat 's ill in th' one is in the other good If any such it is of their own making And not of judgement but of meer mistaking Art thou resolved to dye as thou dost live And canst expect that God will thee forgive But though thy sins be to this world unknown Assure thy self that hell will have its own And though thy Saviour still do suffer thee In thy own sins which he makes known to thee By his holy Spirit who daily doth attend Upon thy heart to see if thou wilt mend Yet do not think he 'll do as he hath done In often calling that thou'lt to him come But rather think that he hath given thee over Unto thy self without hope to recover So as thou'lt see that thy sad and weak estate As Judas-like become be reprobate O woe 's my heart neer ' yet could harbour wo Though often threatned with this word of Go Thou cursed cursed into th' hell of fire Where thou must burn without hope to retire O cry O cry cry to thy Saviour sweet And never cease till he shall please to meet Thy humble heart and grant it some remorse Which daily's grown each day be worse worse Sweet Jesus come good Lord I humbly pray And drive that Satan far from me away For he hath drawn me from my God and King Who 's worthy praise I am ever bound to sing Sweet Jesus hear me hear me Lord I pray And hear me so as I may ever stay And never more so fall as I have done But aye expect this blessed word of Come But I
he did repent I heard him often yet will not relent Though Peter sinn'd repentance gain'd remission I commit sin yet to repent omission When Peter sinn'd he saw it and did refuse it I see my sin yet still resolve to use it O wretch O wretch O wretch wilt ne'er return Till thou be doom'd in that dark fire to burn Will nothing draw thee say this Satan no As though thou lov'st this fatal word of Go Canst thou expect thy Saviour shall retaine thee When thou dost know that Satans self hath gain'd thee Thou art ready prest hear Satan at first call But thy blest Saviour thou'lt not hear at all Peter heard th' cock made use of his preaching Thou hearest Peter without use of his teaching Each creature taught this Peter for to pray But all created thy sin cannot stay Peter was left to bring unto thee life Yet thou lov'st sin as Satan loveth strife Peter did weep and did his sin forbear But thou sinn'st still yet cannot shed one tear With Peters sin his heart was mollified But mine with sin is rather stupified O wicked heart art not ashamed to see How all thy sins have nothing softned thee Art so resolv'd as nothing shall remove thee To leave this Satan though thou seest he loves thee Consider well the cause of this his love Because thou hast forsworn thy God above O Jesu Jesu have I thee forsworn Who came from heaven and on this earth was born For to redeem me from this bond of sin And horrid life which I have lived in And here endured the paines of death for me In hope I should from this foul Satan flie And notwithstanding shall I follow him still Forsaking good and following what is ill O weep O weep even rivers of salt tears To keep thee free from greatest of all feares Shall Satan say thy Saviour is forsaken Who dyed on earth and then to heaven was taken Desirous thou shouldst do as he had done Live here a while and then unto him come Yet thou a wretch a most ungracious wretch Whose sufferings are not able thee to teach That thy hard heart is harder far then steel Wilt not be drawn thy Saviours sufferings feel O weep O weep let tears fall from thine eye For him who shed both tears and blood for thee O weep O weep now spend thy time in sorrowing For to redeem thy time is spent in sinning O weep O weep let Peter teach thee weep And it will teach thee from thy sin to keep O weep O weep let tears fall from thy eyes That they may prove for sin a sacrifice O weep O weep with tears produce thy grief If thou do hope for sin to have relief O weep O weep let tears make soft thy heart If thou expect in Christ have any part But how can I expect in Christ a part When there 's in me not any good desart For I have spent most of my time in sin And my amendment is yet to begin Can I presume then God will pardon him Who hath liv'd all his life in deadly sin With what face can he now for pardon pray Hath so offended deeply every day O hypocrite thy conscience can thee tell That thou dost think ther 's neither heaven nor hell For if thou didst it surely would appear That thou didst stand of this great God in fear Seeing thou didst see his plagues on Egypt sent When Pharaohs heart would not be drawn repent Untill the Lord had so decreed and doomed That he and his should in the sea be drowned And his elected safely brought to land Through the read sea by great Jehovahs hand For which did Moses sing praise to the Lord Who did preserve them by his onely word And Miriam she did lead the maides a dance Which highly did the praise of God advance Her Timbrel sure did make a joyful noise With which hearts hands feet keep equal poise Good God! what diff'rence now in this new world How it is alter'd from it was of old Though our solemn Revels make a stately show Yet these to them cannot compare I know Their dance set forth their joy was in their hearts But this the practice of the outward parts That shewed their thankes for a great deliverance These only th' state is in a courtly dance Such are the Masques and shows to court are sent Whose cost are cause make many a youth repent What other good in them I do not know Yet this new worlds proud humour it doth show But there leave court let country shew its skill How apt it is to practice what is ill Where Pipes and Shawms and Fiddles fill the street With filthy tunes for chast ears most unmeet And yet to these will men and women dance As though they meant the praise of hell advance Here Miriams timbrel sure hath not been heard Or if it were it was with light regard Her timbrel sounded out a heavenly tone But these do pipe or little good or none Their musick mounted hearts up to the heaven But these keep souls with bodies station even If one should dance as David did 'fore th' arke There 's many Nichals would him readily mark But now his like on earth 's not to be seen Nor many such as he have ever been Or like to Miriam are not many more Though such as Michal now there are great store Not many Miriams on our English ground Though millions like to Michal may be found Whose light behaviour in their dancing's such As doth conduce to sinful lust in much And no great need where all are apt to ill Though this their aptness soul and body kill When Miriam danced 't was with fatal fear Of that Jehovah who had plac'd them there And in their songs his praises they do sing Whose wondrous works o're al the earth do ring But now our Michals songs are nothing so For they are such as bring their souls to wo. Their dancing sent a most sweet smelling savour But ours casts us out of our Makers favour Good God! that this our English fertile land Should harbour such as will not understand How much they 're bound unto this gracious God Though now we are beaten with his heavy rod Because we have neglected him to serve VVho with his blood did us from death preserve VVithin this Isle wherein his Sun did shine Like to that blessed land of Palestine O Wicked world behold how God hath lest thee And Satan he of all good hath bereft thee For Abraham's seed can hardly now be found Except it be in graves are under ground When who 's a Christian hardly can be known If by their works their faith it must be shown Though we profess and say that we have faith Our works deny it so sacred Scripture saith For all the world so madly runs awry As most forget they 're born to live to dye O what a wicked wretched world is now When most of men do unto Baal bow Though they
may to thy soul reveal The secret vertue of his death and blood Which he so shed for thine eternal good Here do thou build here 's good foundation Freed from all danger of inundation The onely rock whereon stands saving health Which is more worth then all this worldly wealth For herein solely's perfect happiness The very essence of all blessedness Here build my soul and do thou build so high That th' building reach above the starry skie Where thy blest Saviour sits himself alone Upon that blessed glorious heavenly throne Which none beholds but them are onely his And by his passion enter into bliss For all th' accursed are from thence thrown down By God above with such a furious frown As they shall ne'er enabled be to see The face of th' sacred glorious Trinitie O fear O fear beyond all other fears The thought whereof my very heart even tears Then if thou wilt this hideous fear prevent Remember th' cause for which was 't hither sent And if thou dost not that thy end forget It may procure a place for thee to sit Among that glorious heavenly angels quire VVhich is thy soul 's it chief and sole desire O be not thou so far then overseen As thou hast all thy lifetime hereto been To sleep in sin and that so securely As though in it thou didst intend to dye But now 't is time to rouze thy self from sleep If thou intend from sin thy self to keep Or else be sure in lieu of sleeping sink Into that horrid fearful place of stink Where thou shalt live depriv'd of heavenly bliss Or sight of heaven where thy sweet Saviour is Then sleep no more but rise and stand and pray And to thy Saviour do thou alwayes say Come blessed Lord vouchsafe on me to call That I do never herehence from thee fall But if I do then call good Lord againe That I from sin my self may now refraine And freely come to thee at this thy call And so in time prevent that fatal fall From whence no hope that thou canst rise againe But ever live eternally in paine Then stand in fear to fall if thou be wise And from thy sleep in hast do now arise And fast and pray and fall upon the ground That blessings may from heaven on thee abound And these thy prayers do thou iterate That they thereby thy paines may mitigate And heav thy soul up to the heavens from whence If not thou must receive due recompence For sin the wage whereof assure thy self is death VVhich thou must pay with loss of deerest breath Then do thou look upon this death againe And see if he be now the very same He seem'd to be when justly thou condemn'd Thy self of sin which did so fore offend Thy God and King who't was did place thee here That thou mightst alwayes live of him in fear And then thou shouldst not need have any care Though death did come and take thee to his share Death hath no power that man at all to harme Who is defended by Jehovah's arme And though that death indeed o'recometh all He onely comes when God himself doth call For God makes death to be his instrument To strike when he by God alone is sent Then make thy suite to thy blest Saviour sweet As 't is thy duty and not all is meet That he will please both thee and thine defend From deadly sin until thy life have end And then fear not for sure thou shalt not miss Of gaining that is thine eternal bliss Which is prepar'd for all that onely cry Upon their blessed Saviour heartily But this most sinful hollow heart of mine Doth stay my soul that it can never shine As it desires but forced is comply With my hard heart which daily doth deny To entertaine ought that shall tend to good But ill it loves like as doth stomack food Vouchsafe good Lord I do most humbly pray Be pleas'd to take this tempter quite away For it is he who maketh me thus blinde And leads this man even up and down with th' winde For wheresoere the winde doth turn to blow That way doth he entice me likewise now O teach O teach me Lord I humbly pray That I in thee may ever live and stay And so to shun each ill occasion Which doth proceed of that illusion Of him is wont and yet still leadeth me To take his bait and so to forsake thee Deceitful bait which did me so entice The apple eate and yield my life the price O wretch O wretch that will so wretched be Was never born a man so blinde as thee Thus to be gull'd as thou hast ever been To loose thy life in lieu of a little sin Was ever sinner seen so fool'd as thou To such a feind as Satan is to bow Yea though thou seest him plainly 'fore thy face Yet thou dost hold it for no great disgrace To be led by him as thou willing art Because he 's harbour'd close within thy heart O call thy wits about thee now at last When all thy dayes are done and life is past Look at thy end thou canst not chuse but see How subtil Satan hath deluded thee Whereby thou now art brought to such a stay As neither devil nor yet this death can fray Thee from thy sin O see man do thou see What is that sweet in pleasing sin can be Whereby th' art brought to be so overcom'd As all thy senses are indeed benum'd For Satan makes thee so insatiate As thy case now is grown be desperate Did ever man by any pleasure gaine When by that pleasure he was in it slaine Is not he mad that will of poison eat Although he have not any other meat Will any drunkard pleasing poison drink When suddain death doth make him down to sink To th' deepest hell and there in it remaine Without all hope of turning ere againe And yet art thou more mad by much then he And wilt not from this thy great madness be Reform'd but still in madness thou runst on Till thou hast gain'd thy self confusion Both of thy body and thy soul and yet Thou wretched dost thy self so far forget As thou wilt not so much as think of th' end For which thy God did to this earth thee send Hast thou thy sense to take a taste of food And difference make betwixt the ill and good And which of them doth best thy pallat please And by thy sense art able judge of these But yet if thou didst know of poison there I hope thou wouldst not take it without fear And yet mad man so taken art with sin Though worse by much then poison be therein As that thou wilt not this thy sin forbear But thou wilt act it boldly without fear Art thou not mad nay further more then so Thou runst from heaven that thou to hell maist go And yet 'twixt these there is a difference great He that is mad hath no tast of his meat And so
more Me overcome as he hath done before This my weak heart who 's faint hath no power Within it self no not for one half hour It self to keep except it so shall please My Saviour sweet this great tentation cease For thou O Lord and only thou alone Must either help or other I have none And therefore now I humbly to thee pray Thou wilt vouchsafe with me good Lord to stay And safe me keep from all tentation Of that most subtle wicked Legion Who winds himself into my very heart And will not thence by me be drawn depart Except thou please good Lord to cast him out And let him range this terrene world about And nere attempt to set on me again But cause me still good God in thee remain That I O Lord may ever in thee live And heart and mind unto thee freely give That with good conscience I may safely say Thou'â—t in my heart and there dost live and stay ' Cause in my thoughts I doe it surely find That thou art firmly seated in my mind And will not suffer idle worldly toyes For to deprive me of those heavenly joyes But that in them I may put my delight And banish all whatsoere that are not right So as no pleasure shall be able move My heart from thee my Saviour God above But that in thee I may repose my rest In whom alone I shall be only blest So I from thee do not again now fall But on the name of my sweet Saviour call When Satan doth my weak faint heart delude And on my weakness doth himself intrude Whereby he seeks to draw me still away From thee my Saviour and my only stay By some deceitful bait which he hath set To overtake me in that woful net Wherein are taken every one of those Who in that Fiend do any trust repose For who him trust them surely he deceives And of all goodness he them quite bereaves Then trust him not for if that so thou dost Assure thy self thy soul is utterly lost For there was never any gain'd by him Who doth endeavour invite all to sin Whatsoere he seems in show for to pretend Be sure to find a horrid death in th' end For all his projects are but crafty wiles Whereby poor sinners he of good beguiles And doth not suffer them to see their sin Till they be taken in his hellish gin And if by chance poor man it hap to spy Then he will have some other readily Whereby he may entrap this silly man Who of himself no good at all he can So as he is not able senses use But their right end he utterly doth abuse And here my soul do thou observe with care How by good use all parts assistant are With help to bring thee to that happy place Where all shall live who are endow'd with grace And in their journey care to keep the path Which leads to life or else they gain the wrath Of that great God whose wondrous works are such As in this pilgrimage our journey may help much If we but mark and to the Spirit give ear When God himself doth in each part appear And every minute doth some warning give Which may direct us how on earth to live So as with care we attend unto his call Who takes no pleasure in the sinners fall Although in them he will be glorified Because his name we have not magnified Have I receiv'd my senses all in vain So as their use affords to me no gain But loss of life and my sweet Saviour Who doth not cease to call me every hour O now O now begin to look at home And see thy senses how they all do come Without respect of him who hath them sent Or th' end for which they were unto thee lent And do not quench the Spirit of God in thee Lest thou be blind when dost desire to see O then use eyes and use them to that end For which Jehovah did them to thee send For wheresoere thou turn'st this eye of thine The work of God most plain in it doth shine If to the heavens thou seest his glory there Who for thy sins was pleas'd on earth appear If to the earth each herb a wonder is And by that wonder help thy soul to bliss Look in thy heart and there thou mayst behold How Satan's black although he shine like gold Then see thy soul the chiefest of thy rest How it desires to be whereâ—t may be blest O further that desire with every sense Who shall for it receive good recompence Observe how God bestowed on thee a Taste And in that part of th'body it hath plac'd So as there 's nothing into th'corps can go But it gives warning whether 't be so or no. Then use this taste unto its own right end Thou 'lt see that God did it unto thee send Not for to taste that Evahs bitter apple Lest thou want strength with Satan for to grapple But 't was to taste the things for th'body food Lest ought may enter there which is not good O then do thou of good have only care And all things ill of them be thou aware Lest that thy soul may lose its spiritual health Which is more worth then all thy worldly wealth O be thou curious of thy bodies taste Lest pleasing sins may make thy soul to waste Liâ—e as the body with it's poison'd pils Tho gold without within they 're stuff'd with ils Another Sentinel hath Jehovah sent Lest thou should smel somthing thou might repent Thou 'lt stop thy nose when 't feels a scent is ill Then stay each member and restrain thy will Which are delighted with each pleasing smell But have a care such scent not towards hell All finest flowers have not the sweetest smell Scent thou then such as to thy soul scents well Let that scent only please thy inward mind Although thy corps esteem it most unkind For soul and bodies scent have several sense This loveth sin but that loves penitence O then prefer that which thy soul doth scent Lest that in th' end thy corps have cause repent Use that restriction with this Sentinel That it scent nothing but that doth scent well Unto thy soul let it thy scent approve Who hates all ill and what is good doth love Another sense hath this great God thee sent To feel thy sins and of them to repent Thou well canst feel a small stroke of thy skin Yet wilt not feel the Spirit how quench'd within Canst thou feel hurts if in thy bodies members But thy souls hurt thou l't not be drawn remember Consider well how God hath plac'd this sense In th' outward part of th' inward for defence Thou wilt prevent the falling of a tree But th'greatest sin thou thinkst cannot hurt thee Canst thou be careful of thy bodies food And have no feeling of thy soul its good Canst thou feel prickles in thy tender skin And cannot feel thy soul is prickt within Dost thou not
most heavy rod Powr blessings upon blessings ev'n far more Then erst was in my heart that time before To ask of him O thou hard stony heart That 's flinty grown in every sevâ—rall part Harder by much then th' hardest marble made VVhich neither gifts nor any threats invade Nor yet those judgments God hath justly sent On sinners such as did not then repent So as my sin in justice now doth call For vengeance great on me vile wretch to fall And if his mercy were not even much more And all his other Attributes before I do deserve in every minutes space To be cast out from off the massie face Of this his earth whereon he hath me set To serve my God whom I do still forget For every part of mine is set to sin And no part 's free but every sev'rall limb Doth smite with these my wicked sinful heart And each one doth perform his utmost part To further sin for when did wretched I Speak many words which were without some lye How often did I think but any thought Which had not in it somthing which was nought Yea often tending unto murther much Revenge or envy or some else was such As malice lust and other sin what not When as my Saviours sufferings are forgot Then presently the wicked enemie's in And every severall part procures to sin Untill he please to let some Angell come And thrust this legion out his wonted room Sweet Jesus bind him bind him blessed Lord As thou hast promis'd by thy sacred word From all temptation for to keep them free Who in tentation heart'ly come to thee Now take me Lord 't please me safe to keep Who for my sins have justly cause to weep For Satans self yet still deludeth me By trusting him my utter enemie Who draweth me to do whats're is ill That he by it my silly soul may spill Except thou please good God vouchsafe me send Some help from heaven and further to me lend Thy holy spirit that it may comfort me In this the greatest of extremity For he hath hereto had on me such pow'r As he hath drawn me from thee every hour Vouchsafe good Lord be pleas'd take him away That he do n're o'recome my longer stay From thee my God my helper and my King But that here hence I may for ever sing Thy worthy praise for all thy blessings sent And by thy help my sinfull life repent For without thee sweet Jesus I am nought Sinc Satan he hath me and mine so wrought As that no part thereof good Lord is free From his most sleightfull guilefull gullerie Help Lord help Lord I on my knees do pray And keep me free from out this satans way For where thou art good Lord there dare not he Once to come near nor in thy sight to be Sweet Jesus please vouchsafe to keep me there That crafty Satan never come me near For if he shall I know I have no pow'r Within my self to shut him out of doore Except thou please good God the porter be And then away all hellish fiends will flee For th' house that 's built upon that stable rock Will bide all floods and subtill Satans shock But mine is built upon the slippery sand Which either must be kept by Gods own hand Or else it shakes with every rising flood Because th' foundation of it is not good Sweet Jesus please to set this house of mine Upon that rock where it may stand and shine And ' bide all floods whats're against it beat And ever force them from it to retreat Here stay my soul upon this firm set rock Where thou art free from wicked Satans shock And recollect thy self with joy and go To th' Savior sweet who suffered so much wo To bring thee back to that most happy place VVhere thou maist live if endued with grace My wandring thoughts be pleas'd good Lord to stay That they from henceforth never from thee stray But always rest in thee both day night And everâ—ore therein take their delight Sweet Jesu let them never wav'ring run From place to place as hereto they have done But be thou pleas'd good God the mark to be VVhereat my thoughts may aim continually And tho som times they do both rove rome Vouchsafe good Lord to be their only home For they in thee good God are onely blest And out of thee they 'r sure to have no rest For they are boundlesse ever when they stray From thee their God their comfort their stay Then thou my soul be sure build there thy nest And let him build within thy bony breast VVhose presence onely's able to expell Ev'n all the fiends that do belong to hell O do thou make much of that blessed guest And alwayes love to have him in thy breast O bid him welcome there with all thy heart And then be sure that thou shalt have a part And comfort great in his bitter sufferings The very chiefest of those great blessings Which he so freely hath bestowed on thee Untill this time from thy very infancy O yeeld him thanks for they are well deserved T is he alone who hath thy life preserved And saved the wretch from that eternal death Was due to thee with th' first received breath O do not thou so much neglect him then Who these great blessings gave unto thee when Thou knew'st not from whence this goodness came But that his bounty was to thee the same That formerly it hath for ever been Tho thou didst live so long in mortal sin Now then repent and do no longer stay For there 's no greater danger then delay And that 's all th' hope the cruel enemy hath To bring thy soule unto eternal death For all his other cunning gullery's seen And no delay by him doth interveen To keep thee still within his hellish power Who 's danger 's great tho 't be but for 1. houre O fly fond man O fly and do not thou Delude thy self and unto Baal bow Who seeks thy ruine and thy overthrow By this delusion which is now delay Whereby thine own heart doth it self bewray That thou art guilty of that horrid sin Whereto thy conscience hath as yet not bin Consenting but hast even most wilfully Forsaken him who did for thee so dy O what a fearfull horrid thing is this To sell all hope of that eternal blisse For lesse by far then Esau got for his Stay there my soul and deeply contemplate In what great danger now is thy estate Whereon dependeth thine eternal blisse Or else the losse of all true happinesse And think how thou thy time on earth hast spent Which doubtlesse God hath onely to thee lent That thou in 's service it should solely spend Since he ordain'd it for no other end And see how much thereof's already gone And how much now at most can be to come And how that 's spent which is already past By which thou 'lt have a good and perfect
thee go Then keep me Lord shield me with thy wing That under it I may thy praises sing For out of thee good God there is no rest Nor any safety in my fleshly brest For flesh and blood cannot in them contain The thoughts are hourly hatched in my brain Which rovening run and reel from side to side And on no good thing they 'l be drawn abide Sweet Jesus please to bounder them in thee Or else they 'l not be boundered for me But wander often quite without my reach Which sometime causeth in my soul a breach For that by force I cannot them retain That they in thee might evermore remain Call them good Lord and do them firmly bind That I may know with thee I shall them finde For no occasion ever comes amisse To draw my mind from th' heavenly king of bliss O glorious king vouchsafe it so command My thoughts b guided by thine own â—ight hand For it alone most either make them stay Or else good God they 'l not b drawn obay My silly soul within me drooping lies And without help good Lord in hell it dies Then help Lord help let help come w th speed To rouse this soul that liâ—th w th griâ—f half dead And of its health it justly might deâ—pair But that it knows my Saviour is so neer Yea neerer much then th' hart of man can ween But that his wonders have on earth been seen To save his chosen elect children all When in red Sea did wicked Pharaoh fall With all his host and yet did Gods own hand Bring his elected safe y to the land Whose way was after guided by a cloud And hunger staid by heavenly Angels food In th' wildernesse where they did â—eel no cold Nor yet their cloaths did wear or waxen old And had a river brought out oâ— the rock In great abundance with a little knock An Angel ever guiding them their way From all annoy wheres'ere God leâ—s'd they stay And when o're all the face of earth was night Then did the cloud afford to them good light And yet even they for who 's own onely sake That great Jehovah did these wonders make Which they beheld with their own fleshly eyes And many more as great besides all these Did they forget to bear them in their mind Tho in their brests they might them easily find Whereof they were themselves eye witnesses Yet when the Lord did but a while leave these Tho they were these the chosen and elect Whom he alone did to himself select Even them that were the seed of Israel ' Gainst this good God did trait'rously rebell And â—oully too from him did fall away Who was their sole preserver and their stay Unto a God which their own hands did make And this their kind and loving Lord forsake O stay my soule with ravishment admire That God sent not from heav'n consuming fire To burn them all from off the face of earth Whose horrid sins deserved horrid death Yet did this good Lord this vile deed forgive And on repentance suffer them to live And all those blessings they do still enjoy Whereby he freed them from all kind annoy O think O think and do thou think again What weaknesse did in these weak men remain Who left their God and that so suddenly When he left them awhile their strength to try May it be possible that there 's any can Conceive such weaknesse in this creature man Whom God was pleas'd so far before the rest Of all he made this man hath onely blest With a precious soul in some is reasonable Thou of it self it self is far unable To guide it self by that its reasons power If God shall please to leave it one half hour Were these that seed the chosen of the Lord Who said his wonders also heard his word And all of them in compass of their sight Yea more apparent then the sun so bright Least that impression in their inward minde Could not be hid but Satan made them blinde For mortall eyes can have no power of sight When God's away by whoÌ„ they have their light Since that the serpent he did make them so As of themselvs nothing that 's good they know And what is ill they ever like and love But all that 's good it comes from God above Now rest my soul and keep the ever there Where thou art freed from al this worldly care And of his wonders do thou contemplate VVho doth thee thus poor soul illuminate With these good thoughts Odo thou them retain And let them alwaies w th thee stâ—l remain For they will banish those â—hy thoughts are ill Which often use restrain thee of thy will And bring thee this great God and Lord to love Who sends al good things froÌ„ the heav'n above And doth them likewise plenteously bestow On such as are his servants here below Then drooping soul do thou in me revive Now rouse thy self and do begin to live For with Gods help thou maist safely say That chearful hope hath driven dispair away Then put thy trust in him alone that lives And able is and also freely gives Even all good things unto all them that crave And do desire of him good things to have Then fast and pray my soul and do repent And give God thanks for his great blessings sent And then of mercy the deepest sinners sure For that his mercy doth for aie endure From age to age to all of them beleeve That he for them his deerest life did give Make use of this his bount'ous great mercy Bestowed on them deserved well to dy Besides the blessings he them freely gave The like whereof no other Nation have Nor ever had but onely them alone For he such blessings ever gave to none Besides his wonders they did daily see For to preserve them from indempnitie And yet from him ungratefull these did fall And worshipp'd wors then that th'painted wal And wilfully this gracious God forsake Who lovingly did them in mercy take From danger great which was most desperate But that their God himself besides them sate Then live by hope and do thou leave to fear Since God no doubt is all his servants neer That trust in him then faithfully do so My soule and live and to him freely go But stagger not my soul nor do not shrink As Peter did for fear that he should sink When Christ his Master walked on the Sea Whom his Disciples did afar off see And Peter pray'd him that he might do so Then God him call'd and will'd him so to do With that did Peter leap out of the boat And walked along aloft the Seaâ—on foot Untill the winde did cause a little wave And then cry'd Peter good Lord do me save To whom did Jesus then put forth his hand And so brought Peter safe again to land Now thou my soul observe here Peter's saith With willing minde to do what 's Mr. saith Leap into Sea without delay or
fear Because he saw his Master was so neer And then his want of faith when as he sawe His body like to sink with a little wawe And then his prayer to that blessed Lord Who did preserve him by his onely word Observe my soul this passage seriously There 's in it great and deep divinity The Apostles being in a Ship aboard Upon the Sea they did espy their Lord But not discerning that it should be he They said it is some spirit which we do see But he well knowing this their cause of fear He cryed to them and said t is I is h re And then when Peter did his Master know He did intreat that he might to him go Desirous greatly to be him more nye Whom at some distance he did then espie And so by that it did right well appear His faith had then abandoned all fear For when his Master cryed and bid him come He did not then delay his time as some Do use to do but suddenly he leaped down Into the deep sea and yet did not drown But on the same did stand aloft upright For then his Saviour was within his sight His faith well knowing that there is none can Sink where there is that blessed Son of man And now his faith here hoist him up aloft So as it bore him on the water soft As if it had bin on the Sea dry shâ—aâ—e Because had faith his body then upboare And so presuming still that he had faith Which was sufficient for to keep him safe He went on boldly untill that he sawe A puft of wind did raise a little wawe And then his faith begun within him fail For faith in flesh is oftentimes but fraile And being let but even a little down Wiâ—hin the Sea which now begun to frown His faith was then turn'd into white pale fear Although his Saviour was hard by then neer And then did Peter with himself thus think Without some help I shall be sure to sink And knowing well where help did onely ly He to his Saviour did addresse his cry So he ne're sought for help at th'wooden boat Although she were hard by on Sea a float But on his Saviour solely set his eye And cryed help Lord help Lord or else I dye And then his Lord did reach to him his hand And bid him boldly on the water stand But yet reproved him and thus to him saith O wretched thou can'st have so little faith Why did thou doubt for surely thou dost know My power doth reach unto the deeps below And out of them I 'm able thee to fetch If 't be my pleasure O thou faithlesse wretch Who hast so long been in thy Master school And yet dost show thy self to be a fool Canst thou forget to think what Jonas did When in the Whales wide belly he was hid Or when the Sea did make it self a wall To save all them who on my name did call Or Jordan deep was made like to a sand To bring mine over as on hard dry land Then set thy self to go to school again And do thou learn where all help doth remain That thou mayest not be likened unto them Who never seek for Christ but onely then When they have need and then aloud they cry Help Lord help Lord or I am sure to dye Stay here my soule a while and meditate And with thy self a little thus debate Can it be possible that Peter saw His own good Master yet did not him knaw His thoughts sure then were not with him at home When he did not remember him on whom His heart was alwayes bent to think upon Which was on Christ and onely him alone To serve with zeal untill his dying day Which as he did good Lord grant that I may But when at last he did his Master know His humble heart did then begin to bow And prayed that he might safely come to him To whom before he had vow'd every lim Whom God accepted and strait bid him come Sweet Jesus grant that it may be my doom Then he neglected all that brittle hope Of help might rise out of the wooden Boat Or yet by active laboring of the lim Tho he were skilfull on the water swim Or any other help from earth may rise For by such earthly helps there 's many dies But putting all his trust upon the Lord Who to him now had only said the word Without all fear of greatest danger he Did boldly leap into the raging Sea Which stood as tho 't had been a rock of stone For God himself and onely he alone VVas able and the sea did so command And then did Peter light as on a Sand And walk'd along from imminent danger free As on safe ground untill that proudly he Presuming faith in his own power too much For this presumption overthrows all such As on their own strength onely do relye If that their Saviour please not to be nye For when the winde begun a little blow And force the sea to rise and make a show As if it ment to swallow Peter in Then Peters faith begun to fail with him And he in lieu of faith had then some fear When as the Sea forbore him up to bear And he begun on it a little sink He then himself did of some help bethink To save himself for death was surely there But that his Saviour did even then appear To whom with zeal he did himself addresse And prai'd him pleas he wold vouchsafe to bles Him with some help or else without it he Might surely sink into the raging Sea Now God well knowing th'sorrow was in 's heart VV ch did it self to his Saviour Christ impart He did with speed stretch forth to him his hand And bid him boldly on the water stand O blessed Lord that thou should alwayes be So ne're to them that put their trust in thee Although their sins do prove be ne're so great If they from them do but in heart retreat And turn again and to their Saviour go VVho is onely able and saith no man no. And then had Peter strength of faith again So long as he in Jesus did remain And safely stood on th' wavering sea upright Because he then was in his Saviours sight Now do thou think what joy was Peter in VVhen he repented of his faithlesse sin For God did hear him then most willingly At the very first when he did on him cry O blessed Lord be pleas'd vouchsafe to be On all occasions so ne're unto me As that this Legion thou may'st please to rout which my weak strength O Lord cannot keep out For he hath hereto had on me such power As he still haunts me every day and houre Yea when my heart is set resolved to serve My God and king even then I do observe He 's bustling hard within my bony breast And will not let my silly soule take rest O thou blind soul which art not able see VVhere God is not no good
makes it so And have I then right end thereof observed And its right use have I therein preserved Hath my delight been always moderate And hath my tongue been also temperate Have I done this for to preserve my health And have I therein injur'd no mans wealth Have I in me a heart that is upright Being ever mindfull I am in Gods sight Have I for these his blessings thankfull bin In th' use of them did I commit no sin Can I forget whenas the wind doth blow 'T is wind that doth support me here below Did I lift up my heart to God on hie Whenas the heavens above I did descrie Have I observ'd the fairest flowers to fade And yet forget why I my self was made Did I see weeds and store of thistles grow And not remember th' cause why they did so Have I this day cast up this dayes account To what a sum my several sins will mount When have I took such pains my God to serve As now I have my health for to preserve And if thou dost it really intend That thou wilt solely in his service spend Then mayst thou say with safety that thou hast This time so spent not to be spent in waste And give him thanks that he hath so thee blest As thou mayst now go home and take thy rest For man ought not to idleness be giv'n Without all doubt in idleness is sin Since all must labour that doe look to live Or else God will to them no blessing give For to the curses God himself doth add Ith'sweat of brows that man should eat his bread And though that all men labour not with th' hand Yet all doe labour with th'unstable mind For its condition is not to be idle And therefore care for it to keep a bridle Lest th' mind doe run out of that narrow way Wherein thou dost desire thy thought should stay For man doth love to keep the plainest street Which broad and beaten is with many feet And then make use of this thy harmless pleasure Since God hath blessed thee with so much leasure And given thee time a perfect reck'ning make Before death come thy life away to take This blessed time if thou wilt so but use it And cursed also if thou dost abuse it For its the use makes difference of the day And different uses doe the most men sway Without respect what may he the right end For which God did to thee these pleasures send But thou my soul have care not to forget The end for which thou here on earth wast set And always keep it constantly in mind And then fear not but thou shalt ever find Good use of all things this good God hath sent Then use thy pleasure without discontent And be not thou unmindfull ruminate Of that which doth in time determinate Both them and thee and that ere long thou must From whence thou cam'st return to be but dust And think my soul and think of this again The end for which thou dost on earth remain Within this fleshly crazie corps of thine Which of it self even daily doth decline Unto the earth from whence at first it came For th' end of all flesh ever is the same Observe this end and hereof be thou sure That on this earth thou canst not long endure And then must thou a perfect reck'ning make Of this thy pleasure which thou here didst take O make that reck'ning here upon this earth Lest death doe come and take away thy breath And then thy corps unto its like must go But thou my soul be sure must not do so For thou shalt then receive thy final doom Which grant good God it may to me be Come O stay my soul and do thou think of this For in it is thine everlasting bliss O think of this and do thou think on 't right And think on 't still think on 't both day and night For now thy pleasure is come unto an end And thou my soul must now thy doom attend Then now O now do thou this reck'ning make And to thy Saviour thee thy self betake Who willingly was plea'd for thee to die That thou for him might'st live eternally O live in him and do him ever lâ—ve Thy Saviour sweet who is in heaven above Let all thy thoughts 〈◊〉 him alone attend Thy labours then in him will only end O happy end of all this earthly pain Whereby thy heavenly Saviour thou dost gain He will make all their labours be but light Who always love to be within his sight Live there my soul and so thou mayst be sure Thy life shall then for evermore endure In height of joy and all true happiness The very essence of all blessedness Stay here my soul and do thou now admire The joyes of that most glorious heavenly quire Where Angels alwayes singing spiritual hymns Th'Archangels and the blessed Seraphims Continually do praise his holy name Who was is now and aye shall be the same There mount my soul and do thou ever stay ' Mongst them in heav'n whose joys do ne'r decay Nor yet admit of that the least decrease But ever live in sight of th'God of peace Then pray to him that he will please to send His peace to thee for world without all end And do thou always give him praise therefore From this time forth and so for evermore But stay my soul remember 'fore thou can Ascend thou must shake off this thing call'd man This case of thine wherein thy soul doth breath And leav 't behind unto this earth beneath Where it shall reap such seâ—d as it hath sown Th' end of all flesh which is corruption Whereby it fears this thing is call'd pale death Because it only takes away this breath For man's of nothing on earth sensible But that which is on earth corruptible And so it comes that he doth nothing fear But that which heart should wish and soul desire For death is such and only terrible To him whose conscience lives insensible The labouring man likes well to go to rest The weary traveller hastes to th' Iune is best The mariner strives to get within the port Yet if there prove in it to be a fort And he no friend then he hath cause to fear And with great terror he will enter there The toiled traveller likewise fears his host Where theevish ruffians haunt and rule the rost The weary labourer doth not lâ—ke that bed Wherein he knows an ugly toad hath bred The heathen they did much desire their death Because they knew not th' Author of their breath For it they held to be their chiefest good Because that God they had not understood For they did dream that when this life was done That th' end of all things was already come But thou my soul I 'm sure thou knowest more Thou know'st thou hast a loving Saviour Who conquer'd death and of himself 't orecame That thou through him might likwise do the same Ask but thy conscience
taught thee how thou ought to live In serving God and to him praises give Praise him praise him praise him continually Who was so pleas'd for sinfull man to dy Forget not then when canst not see the sun To think how Christ down to this earth did come To gain thee to him and with him to live Then yield him thanks and to him praises give Who did endure the torments due to thee A wretch a wretch a wretch most unworthy Follow his example then thou needst not fear Tho th' Prince of darkness do to thee appear For if he shall he hath no power to hurt thee If thou hast faith fear not Christ will defend thee And grant thee strength for to withstand his powr Tho he assault thee every day and hour But thou must strive and ne'r be drawn to yield For if thou dost be sure to lose the field Expect this Fiend to have him fall upon thee Since he spar'd not thy Saviour who did make thee But carried him into the wilderness Making expression of great holiness For when he fasted had full forty dayes Being hungry then the tempter to him sayes If thou be Christ the Son of God indeed Comand these stones that they may be made bread But he replied Life 's not by bread alone But by the words which come from God each one And yet the tempter did not leave him thus No marvel then if he do so with us But set him on the Temples highest stone And will'd him thence to throw his body down Seeing it is writ his Angels shall protect thee Lest dash of stone at any time may hurt thee But answering he replied this holy word 'T is writ thou shalt not tempt thy God the Lord. Yet still the tempter did not give him over But set him higher where he might discover Even all th' earths kingdoms then within his eyes And th'glory of them did to him descrie And said if he would fall and worship him He freely would bestow them all on him But Jesus then bid Satan to be gone Saying thou shalt worship only God alone And only him none other shalt thou serve Doe so my soul 't will thee from death preserve So Satan left him and the Angels came And fed him then in great Jehovah's name Observe my soul the subtlety of this Spirit Alleadging Scripture ' gainst the meaning of it To private ends his fancy for to please Without respect how it did God displease Then fear the spirit make trial if 't be of God Or else be sure he 'll send his heavy rod To punish such as aim to wrest the truth But cleave to it as did to Naomi Ruth Take th' sacred sense beware of any wresting With holy things be sure there be no jesting Apply not places to thy private sence Lest pleasing thee may give thy God offence Read with great rev'rence when thou readest such An humble heart helps understanding much Make use of this and here observe with care How by ill spirits the Scaiptures wrested are And uses made unto some wicked end The Lord of life me from such spirits defend For these Expositors Scriptures do expound ' Gainst ancient writers men much more profound Who spent their lives in following that profession which is now gain'd by some few mouths possession They studied hard before they could obtain it But some new teachers think but light to gain it And when they purpose to the people preach They think it Gospel whatsoere they teach Without respect what our forefathers told Or what hath been in those the dayes of old As though by nature Learning now were gain'd When God doth know it is by some profan'd But thou my soul such shallow places read As thou maist wade them without any dread And leave the deeps for such have art to swim Whatsoever seas of deeps they do come in Learn no such art but leave 't to them that think No sea so deep wherein they cannot sink The Lord of host deliver me from such thought For his sweet sake hath me so dearly bought And keep me safe from this presumptuous sin And many more which I have lived in For ' spiring minds are seldom satisfied Although their wisdom be but folly tried But thou my soul let others folly teach Thee be content with that 's within thy reach Make godly use of what thy God hath given And by such use thou l't keep the way to heaven Keep that way still let nothing turn thee out Then God will prosper all thou goest about Though for the present he may please to try Lest in affliction thou wilt him deny As that just Job whom Satan could not touch Although the Serpents power did tempt him much But he us'd all temptations to good ends Observe his strength for to withstand his friends Take his example when thou tempted art And have a care thou do perform his part Observe his carriage let his patience move thee To serve thy Maker who entirely loves thee Although he teach thee with his heavy hand He will in th' end give thee thy hearts demand But then thou must not curse thy God and die For if thou dost 't is death eternallie And such a death as cannot be redeemd With all th' earths wealth how much soer esteemd Respect no pleasure nor no cruel pain Whatsoere thou suffer so that heaven thou gain Let no affliction alter thy resolve Altho't be such as life on earth dissolve For that this life on earth cannot be long And then there 's hope thou l't sing a heavenly song Among the Saints where glory doth abound Beyond the reach of th' best on earth are found For earthly minds unable are conceive What heavenly comfort Saints in heaven receive By th' glorious presence of that King of Kings Who doth abhor the sight of sinful things But casts them down to that infernal lake Where all must live that do of sin prrtake Then fear to sin and always it eschew Like death it self lest thou may come to rut And fall to curse the time of thy birth-day And to thy self thou thus lament and say Have I spent full out seventy years in sin Have I this while in them uncareful bin What shall befall me after I am dead What is it I have oft had in my head Have I esteemd this life as if immortal And after death of life to be but mortal Have I so much this wicked world esteemd As of this death I have but only dreamd Have I felt limbs how they grow stiffe and weak And cannot see how fast my life doth break Have I observed that my eyes grow blind And cannot know that even so doth my mind Have I discernd my memory to fail And cannot find my vital parts to quail Have I seen wrinkles in my withered skin And cannot see my life is weak within Have I observd my hair to fall away Yet cannot feel my life is in decay Doth not the baldness of my
known to be much more And all his other attributes before So as there 's hope if thou hast grace to pray That this foul Satan may be driven away Where he shall ne'er attempt on thee againe If in thy Saviour thou hast grace remaine And to hâ—m onely thou thy self apply Who able is and will most willingly Help all of them that on his name do call If they bring with them heart and soul and all Or else 't is bootless offer to him go For without th' heart be sure he will say no. Then call this heart of mine thou blessed Lord Which thou hast made in me by thine own word Vouchsafe be pleas'd good Lord to call it so As it from henceforth never further go From thee my God my Saviour and my King But ever more thy worthy praises sing And grant good God that though my body trade In earthly things because on earth 't was made Yet that my soul may aye ascend on high And ever love the sacred Deity Then fast and pray and fast and pray againe That thou in sin do never more remaine But herehence hartily thou thy self repent Performing duly wherefore thou was sent Which was to serve thy God and King alway And in his service ever live and stay For all the time that he to thee hath lent Ought in his service to be solely spent Since thou thy self hast many servants had Though some of them have been approved bad Yet thou didst alwayes this of them expect That they should thee and what was thine respect And if they careless disobeyed thee Then doubtless thou wouldst very angry be But if they should ' gainst thee reply in word When thou wast ready smite them with thy sword And though their wages were but very small Yet thou expectedst they should spend even all Their time as thou by order didst direct Or else such servants thou wouldst not protect About thy house but frowning thrust them out And then like vagabonds they went about Reflect my soul a while upon thy self Let conscience say what thou hast done for pelfe And pleasing this soul filthy flesh of thine Wherein is spent most part of all thy time For if thou didst resolve one hour to spare In holy service of thy Saviour there Where Saints should be yet thou that hour didst finde Was long and tedious to thy tired minde Who then had thought of divers several things And not attent to that which angels sings O what a wretched wretched beast art thou VVho seems to man thy knees to God to bow And yet thy heart is all a whoring gone So that thy God indeed hath service none O wretch O wretch with what face canst thou crave Or any spiritual blessings look to have Of him who hath so much encreas'd thy store And doth bestow on thee poor miscreant more Then erst became that heart of thine require Or without shame thou couldst of him desire Yet thou a wretch ungrateful wretch to think Thou art born to live for nought but eat drink And so to do as though indeed there were No place of reck'ning any otherwhere Then on this earth where we do live and see Nought else but what appeareth to the eye Of this our flesh but not of that our faith For it hath often said and to thy soul now saith That thou art blinde and therefore canst not see That thou hast any living soul in thee O wretch O wretch O thou most beastly wretch Hast lived so long and yet thou art to teach That there is now a living soul in thee Which daily doth expect eternitie VVhich on this earth by no meanes can be gotten For earthly things at best are all but rotten O thou my soul shake off this clayie case This case of thine which is so filthy base As to forget that it ought ever live For him alone who did this life it give Yet give he did not but it onely lent And looks to have it to him solely sent For to dispose of as he thinketh best Or go thou down thou curst or come thou up thou blest O think my soul think seriously of this line In thinking of it now spend all thy time A man of reason would esteem of this A theam sufficient for eternal bliss Then ruminate upon this pithy line And keep it alwayes in that heart of thine And it will bring thee to thy way aright Then leave not thinking neither day nor night But bear 't about thee ever in thy minde And thou shalt surely in it treasure finde But if thou think or intend to gaine this treasure Thou must this day give o're all earthly pleasure Or else be sure thou shalt with sorrow prove Thy self accursed by great Jehovah above Then look in time and do thou fear this cursing And lieu thereof do strive to gaine this blessing Sweet Jesu grant that I may here so live As thou maist please vouchsafe unto me give At my departure this my latest doome Blessed of the Lord do thou unto me come O here my soul be sure set up thy rest And keep this alwayes in thy bony breast And write it there thou'lt finde it is so good It doth deserve for to be writ in blood For here thy deerest blood were well bestowed To gaine that blessing in these lines is showed Which thou must either now on earth obtaine Or else thy dayes are all spent but in vaine And if onely so the matter 's so much less Though it were loss of thine eternal bliss But thou in lieu thereof shalt surely gain Both loss of bliss and eke eternal pain O cruel cruel wretched wretched thee That wilt not solely in his service be Who lost his dearest blood and life to bring Thee to be capable of that great blessing Which none can have but onely them alone Who come to gaine it by his passion Then thou my soul his passion so apply As through it only thou maist live not dye Apply it then and do apply it right And it will keep thee alwayes in his sight Who dyed for thee and greatly did desire That he may free thee from th' infernal fire Wherein thy conscience tells thee thou must burn Except thou quickly to thy Saviour turn Then turn thou to him and turn to him so As thou gaine not this doleful word of Go. O fearful saying of all the very worst That erst was heard these words of Go accurst O horrid horrid horrid fearful thing To be cast out from sight of this our king Who lovingly did freely suffer death To bring thee sinner to eternal life Then gaine this life how deer soere it cost For this of all whatsoere concerns thee most Then think of this and think on 't seriously And it will teach thee live most vertuously And then be sure that thou in th' end shalt have What this thy soul can in it soul but crave Then crave it crave it do thou crave with zeal That Christ himself
not be tyed to th' best mans leasure Therefore this day do thou give o're thy pleasure And think of death who 's knocking at thy door And enter may perchance within an hour Except thy hearty prayers him prevent Being made to that Jehovah hath him sent Then sue to him who is thy Saviour sweet And on thy knees most humbly him entreat That he will please to safe keep thee from sin Which all thy life thou hast lov'd and lived in And pray that henceforth thou maist live aright Being ever mindful thou art in his sight As if this were of life thy longest day And thou mightst here on earth no longer stay But yet before this day might have an end Thy Saviour should for thee this servant send And call of thee to make a strict accompt Of sins whose sum I fear will highly mount As well thy thoughts and idle words and deeds As what thou dost nor do nor think nor heeds And then wilt thou intreat him he will spare Thee yet a while that thou maist thee prepare To make thy reck'ning such as may be streight Which thou ne'er dream'dst it should ere come to light Or if thou didst thy sin 's so much the more That being known thou didst not do 't before Whil'st thou hadst time because in time thou might Have made thy reck'ning such as should be right But now th' art taken in that Satans snare Because thou didst not thee in time prepare Then think my soul in what case thou art in O'recome with thy own best beloved sin Whereof thou alwayes hast more reek'ning made Then of thy Saviour was for the betrayed And suffer paines of death for thy sins sake That free from death he might thee sinner make Although himself did never sin at all But to preserve thee that thou shouldst not fall O what a loving kinde sweet Saviour's this Who came from heaven that glorious place of bliss Down to this earth where he did freely give His life that thou through him mightst ever live Then live in him and do him ever love This thy good God Jehovah who 's above Here stay my soul a while and ruminate What blessings came by Christ to thy estate Even the onely death of this thy God and king And evermore to him due praises sing For he doth well deserve the same alwayes Then sing with joy to him eternal praise O sing my soul and now let 's jovial be That this thy Saviour pleas'd to dye for thee But if it were for thee thy Saviour dyed Then must thy life to his be thus applyed Have I lived so as my Saviour Christ hath done Although he were God's own and onely Son Who never had but one poor simple coate And that even plain not laid with lace I wot But was all woven without any seam Marke well this coate for it 's a worthy theam To think upon since it so well became Both childe and man and alwayes was the same And grew as he grew yet it did not wear Nor waxed old but did indeed appear As fresh at last when as it was put off As 't was at first when as it was put on He had nor hat nor band nor had he boots Nor any change had he of other suits For head and feet he did not like thee care But all his life he ever ware them bare And when he prayed his knees were ever such For his fleshly corpes he ne'er respected much But kneeled alwayes down upon the ground For cushions were as yet not to be found I do not hear that he did eat his fill Of too much meat there ever cometh ill But I am well assured that he did fast Till fourty dayes were ended all and past Nor do I read that he did use drink much For doubtless sin is often seen in such Nor did he look to lye so very soft As most of men will now a dayes do oft But on bare earth was ever his best bed Whereon he alwayes us'd to lay his head If lye at all And yet for all of this The earth it self and all therein were his Now thus my soul say to my sinful heart If thou expect in Christ have any part Dost thou not fine apparel like and love For by it thou thy self art set above Some neighbours who much better do deserve But that thy cloathes 'fore them do thee prefer Whereby thy heart is somwhat touch'd with pride If there be nothing in it else beside He was not wont to alter his old fashion But us'd the same in every several Nation Hast thou done thus I stand in fear on 't much For now in England fashion is not such But thought it better out of th' world have been Then out of fashion in the world been see But know betimes who use this fashion follow Shall bring their soul in th' end to mickle sorrow Hast thou my heart observed his bare head Or dost thou keep thine own uncovered Even in the temple since example 's much For there be many fools are led by such Or dost thou use in thy privy chamber so When to thy Saviour art resolved to go I know to th' most thou wilt put off thy hat And yet sometimes there may be pride in that And here observe what thou thy self hast seen How many fashions have in England been Of these same hats which sure at first were sent But for an idle needless ornament And yet of them one fashion will not stand Scant twice twelve months within our English Land If thou have a suit unto an earthly lord That he 'l but please to speak for thee a word I hope thou'lt then come with thy hat in hand Although 't be made but for some smal demand And yet now when thy life and all 's at stake And thou alone must to thy Saviour make Who 's King of kings and also Lord of lords And makes them by his own and onely words Yet in his presence thou base earth wilt stand Yet not vouchsafe to have thy hat in hand Consider well and think what this may be I am sore afraid of a fearful sin in thee When thou dost kneel are both thy knees then bare Or dost thou kneel at all but onely there Among the chosen congregation Whereas this kneeling is an usual fashion And dost thou do it then on God's bare ground As thy sweet Saviour oftentimes was found If not I fear thou hast thy God offended Because thou prayedst and yet thy knees unbended Hast thou been used barefooted for to go I fear thy heart will tell thee truly no. Hast thou forborn being hungry eat thy fill Or hast not thou oft-times even eaten till Thy stomack did desire to have no more If so there were of pleasing viands store Nay hath not thine offence been sometimes such As that thy stomack did desire too much Or hast not thou been often choice of meat Or else with pleasing pallat couldst not eat Nay hast not thou
sometimes with too much cost Provided what was pleasing to thee most For to content thy dainty appetite I do much fear herein thou didst not right Hast thou forborn at all to drink thy fill Or didst not thou even drink so long until Thy stomack did desire to have no more If pleasing wine there were but any store Especially when the drink did prove be such Wherein thy pallat was but pleased much Nay hast not thou thereby been sometimes made So very drunk that thou would'st not be said Then was 't not sin in taking of this drink Yes sure there was and so I know dost think Hast thou forborne sometimes to eat thy meat Whenas thy stomack did desire to eat And hadst it ready then within thy power Didst thou forbear to eat for fourty hour And if thou didst then say now for what end Didst thou so fast was it from heart to send Thy prayers up unto thy God on high Who for his service onely did make thee And was it thus thy fleshly lust to tame Which needs would force thy body be to blame The tempter he did move thy Saviour much Yet Satans self thy Saviour could not touch For he would not believe the Serpents wiles Since it is trust which most of men beguiles Then fast and pray and do thou put thy trust In God alone for he is onely just And fear this feind and him forsake and flie And trust him not for he is too too slye But have an aiming alwayes at thy end And in thy way expect to meet this feind For he at all times well prepared is For to advise thee do what is amiss And therein he doth take his most delight And will perswade thee that thou art in right Hast thou been us'd to lye upon the ground I fear there will but a very few such be found Nay hast not thou delighted often lye On th' softest bed thou couldest well come by And say hast thou forborn thy bed at all That on thy Saviour thou for grace mightst call Nay hast not rather much more loved sleep Then that thou shouldst from rest thy body keep Nay hast not thou committed horrid sin And without pardon on thy bed down lyen Nay hast not thou even often faln asleep Without entreating God would please thee keep Nay hast thou thought how thou thy life hast led That day before thou wentst unto thy bed Didst thou cast up that day its sin's accompt Or to such custome art thou daily wont Didst thou give thanks to God for blessings sent Of sins committed didst thou thee repent Nay rather didst not thou omit them both Because leave sleeping thou wast very loath Nay hast not thou sometimes thy sleep forsaken To commit sin whenas thou wast awaken Nay hast not thou forsaken thy sweet sleep That thou thy self in pleasing sin mightst keep Nay hast not thou spent many a life-long night To follow that which was thou know'st not right Nay hast not thou delighted more in night Yea often better then thou didst in light Examine truly th' cause of this thy love If so it were to serve thy God above Or rather was 't not to avoid his sight Who thou didst dream unable see in night O wretched beast canst thou conceive it so Then be assured that God thou dost not know But 't cannot be that thou art of that minde But that the devil hath made all of thee blinde For fear thou shouldst thy sensual sin now see Which thine own conscience knows a shame to be For never man on earth so brutish born But brutish sin if in his sight did scorn And therefore such as work of darkness nam'd Because if seen that man would be asham'd O shameless man that 's blinde and cannot see How subtle Satan hath deluded thee To act a sin in darkness of the night As though thou wert then out Jehovah's sight Yet though thy sin were such and ended were Thy conscience tells thee that thy God 's not there Yet saw thy sin and also punish't will Except thou dost repent thee of that ill O then for shame repent thee of that fact Wherewith thou blusht to have been seen in th' act For though that mortals have no power to see Without the light comes from the Deitie Yet God himself who Maker was of light Did likewise make for th' good of man the night But not to hide our sin it was he made it Although the Devil by cunning so abuse it For he delights himself in darkness much And so do all of them are sinners such Whereby their conscience doth them plainly tell They darkness love and therefore shall have hell O horrid horrid fearful horrid minde Which canst not see that thou art even stone-blinde But thou wilt say that thou didst so much know But that even then thou didst forget it though O wretch O wretch that canst so soon forget That thou hast any soul within thee yet And that thy Saviour suffer'd death for thee If thou dost fear and from this Satan flie But thou dost yield to follow this feind still And love him dearly with good heart and will Yet thinkst that God himself cannot thee see Because he 's secret in thy heart with thee Which keepeth close within thy brazen brest Where none can come but them whom thou lik'st best Yet outwardly it plainly doth appear Whom inwardly thou lov'st and harbourst there For the very secrets of thy heart are shown By the outward actions which are too wel known For to proceed thy conscience can thee tell Not from above but even from lowest hell For 'twixt these two thou canst not finde a mean But thou must either go to hell or heaven Then blame thy self if that thou dost amiss To make thy choice of that and forsake this Hath ever man been born so blinde as he Which can and may and yet oft will not see For such are all of them are so behaved Whose sin to Satan hath their bodies slaved For they are well said slaves to death and sin Who faithful servants to the Devil have been O horrid horrid what more horrid still To think of this which is the end of ill Can it be possible mans Reason should forget 'Fore all his actions th' end thereof to set But if a man be able see yet 's blinde No marvaile then if he forget in 's minde For that proceeds out of his wilfulness But this out of defect forgetfulness And both these weapons doth the Serpent use And many more besides this man to abuse And no great need for that this man alone Even of himself to sin is ever prone And doth in 's pleasure take so much delight As what is wrong he will it shall be right Yet cannot he from such vain thoughts be brought Cause blind to good yet willing see what 's nought O wretched man to be of such a feature And yet o'recome by such a wicked nature And then thou 'lt say that
know that when thy soul is gone Thy body then hath feeling in it none Examine conscience whether's greatest care For this thy body or thy soul is there I fear thou feel'st this of thy body more Then dost thy soul though smitten nere so sore O sensless man have feeling of thy sin Or else thou'lt feel that God is not within Another member hath Jehovah given Using all helps to bring this man to heaven On either side of th' head hath set an Ear That either side the Spirit of God may hear Then hear this Spirit which loudly crieth on thee Lest thou too late mayst cry Good Lord help me Thou knowst that God hath promised all to hear That call on him then do not thou forbear But call in time lest it may prove too late When death hath deem'd deep hell to be thy fate Doth not God send a tinkling in thy ears To make thee think 't is th'passing bell thou hears O do not stop thy ears from this sweet bell For it may help to stop thy way to hell Say hast not heard thy sins oft-times reproved And notwithstanding thou thy sins hast loved Remember Adam he heard Evahs voyce And left his seed by it no cause rejoyce Then stop thy ears against the Syrens song For sweetest singers often lead to wrong But ope them wide unto thy Saviours cry And then fear not he 'll not thy suit deny But then must thou leave off thy pleasing sin Or else be sure thy sâ—ul is lost within But there is nothing that is in mans power Without the help of his good Saviour Then to him to him to him freely go And be not thou put off from him with no But fall down flat upon thy bended knees And nere rise up till such time he shall please To call thee thence and shew to thee the way Wherein with safety thou mayst walk and stay But 'fore thou art able to accomplish this Which is no doubt a perfect heavenly bliss Thou must repent thee of thy former sin And horrid life which thou hast lived in And that being done from th' bottom of thy heart With resolution nere from him depart Nor be orecome as hereto thou hast bin With willing mind to commit any sin Assure thy self he will thy prayers hear And to thy soul he will himself appear And yield thee comfort from the heavens above Even from thy Saviour who is God of love Then mayst thou think that there is hope of rest In him by whom thou shalt be ever blest For only by him and by him alone Thou must have rest or rest there will be none Then since thou knowst where rest is to be had Be not dismayd in any sort with dread But let him always be to thee a guide And stand resolv'd thou never from him slide But have a care to keep him in thy mind And then be sure that thou shalt ever find That saving health thou didst in heart desire If thou doe it with heart and soul require Without all fear of any opposition Of that most hellish and most wicked Legion For if thy blessed Saviour be but there Assure thy self be will not come thee neare But if that Christ shall once but turn his back Then look about thee have care be not slack For if thou be then thou shalt surely find That he will quickly enter on thy mind And if by cunning he get in a foot Thou art not able get his body out But he 'll have all and then he there will dwell Untill he draw thee down with him to hell Then he thou carefull of thy inward mind To fixe it always on thy Saviour kind And then fear not but well assured be He 'll keep it during all eternity For now I find what I have so long sought That th' only cause of my unruly thought Is want of constant setling them on thee On whom they alwayes solely ought to be Since I now know that never sin was seen Which to this wicked thought did not prevene For first 't is hatched in my barren brain Before in heart it can come to remain And thence it spreads it self to every part Because that all the whole man should feel smart For doubtless know that every several sence Shall suffer deeply without penitence For every part of pain participate Of weal or woe of love or else of hate Then keep a good guard of thy outward thought Lest ought may enter in it whâ—ch is nought For there will Satans battry first begin To bring thy body into deadly sin Then look thy guard be watchful good strong That it may always walk with thee along To give thee warning of thy enemy That thou mayst ay be ready from him sly For few that strive do obtain victory And to some strong force do thou thee betake Ev'n him alone who dy'd for thy sins sake And will safe keep thee unto thy lives end But then must thou thy life on earth amend Else little hope that he will keep thee free From this deceitfull watchfull enemy Then give thy heart unto thy God alone For he 'l have that or else he will have none Nay give him all ev'n all whats'ere thou hast For what he wants be sure thou dost but wast And more then so for that which he hath not Shall surely fall to Satans only lot Seeing he is watchfull ever ready prest To thrust himself into thy bony breast If that thy Saviour be not biding there And therefore see that thou my soul do nere Depart from out Christs blessed company For if thou dost assure thy self to dy Since Satan he is always at the dore To enter there if that thy Saviour Be out of th' way and therefore have a care That Satan nere have power to enter there For if he do then sure thou art but gone Seeing Christ will all or else he will have none Then giv 't him giv 't him give thy Saviour all And never lin but to him heart'ly call That he will please this all of thine accept Which he alone with his right hand hath kept Out Satans power who hath so long led thee Untill this time from thy very infancy So now full time from this foul Fiend to flie Or else nere look to live but look to die For death 's the best that he is able give To any of them who in their sins do live So if thou purpose now to prevent death It must be done whilst thou on earth hast breath For when thy life upon this earth is done Then doth that dreadfull day of judgment come And 't is decreed that all must undergo Their latest doom which is or Come or Go And that pronounc'd thou mayst of this be sure Or weal or wo shall then for ay endure And after that decree is done and past There is no hope it can be ere reverst Then pray that this may be thy finall doom Bless'd of the Lord do thou unto
me come Was ever comfort heard of like to this Which brings thy soul into eternall bliss Where all the Saints with joyfull noyse accord To sing the praises of the heavenly Lord Who was and is and evermore shall be Till th' end of Time and thence eternally Let all the earth joyn and due praises sing To this our God and glorious heavenly King ' Mongst these my soul do thou set up thy rest Here none abide but them are onely blest Then do thou strive this blessedness to gain That thou with them mayst evermore remain And always joyfull Alleluja's sing To Christ thy Saviour and thy heavenly King Who hath thy soul thus far enlightned so As 't may be freed from that most dolefull wo And wofull word of Go from hence thou curst Of all that ere was heard the very worst Sweet Jesus please for to preserve me so As I may never hear this word of Go Which is so fearfull to my fleshly heart Which makes it grieve and inwardly to smart Come blessed Lord be pleas'd vouchsafe me cure Of this my grievous pain which I endure For very sorrow of this horrid fear More heavy then I am able to bear To think what danger this my soul is in By my long life spent all in deadly sin But that my Saviour pleaseth comfort me When I remember how he dy'd for me And that his coming was for this intent To call me to him that I might repent Then please sweet Jesus sinfull me to call And so as I do never from thee fall But ever worship thee my God and King And with a joyfull heart thy praises sing Amongst that glorious heavenly Angels Quire Whose joys are full beyond all hearts desire And with them sing to thee continually And so shall do for all eternity The worthy praises of that heavenly King Whose wondrous works ore heaven and earth do ring Then sing my soul and ever jovial be The praises due to him that dy'd for thee Let all the earth conjoyn and praises sing To this our God and glorious heavenly King Both Father Son and eke the holy Ghost Who 's God alone and of all might is most And worthy is of all be ever blest And here my soul do now set up thy rest And have a care serve him continually And then be sure that thou shalt never dye Vouchsafe good GOD to this to say Amen SAMUEL BRASSE O Almighty ever-living most mercifull God and to me a most loving and kind Father I the work of thy hands unworthy even the very least of thy benefits unworthy so much as to lift up mine eys towards thy divine Majesty much less worthy to call unto thee for mercy or to receive any mercy thy hands Yet gracious God for that thou hast appointed all them that are heavy laden to come unto thee and thou wilt ease them I most entirely beseech thee of thy abundant goodness to ease me of this burthen of sin vnder which I have spent most part of that time thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me for thy own service soly Lord lay them not upon my soul now at my departure but wash them away w th the pretious blood of thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ bury them in his wounds dear Father that they may never rise up against me either in this life or that everlasting but please good Lord at my death to vouchsafe me this comfort of all others most comfortable Come thou blessed receive the Kingdom I have purchased for thee In full assurance whereof I commend my soul into thy hands Lord keep it there for his sake who so dearly bought it w th his pretious blood in whose Name I make bold to call unto thee in that perfect form of prayer he himself hath taught me saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. To my dear and onely Son WILLIAM BRASS SON these three letters imply three distinct persons Father Mother and Child these their severall offices the Father to educate his child in the fear of God and provide for his livelihood the Mother to assist as a helper the Son to obey both and observe them with a filiall care I thank my God there hath been no neglect of any part since you had your being and now at my departure I have left you this litle Book useful in this woful time of War though not against lime and stone yet against that active Enemy is ever ready upon all occasions to assault you and therein also you may view the infirmities life and by them apply some good use to your own Other wealth I am likely leave but a little since God hath so appointed it should be reft from me by the Sabeans Esteem this as your Fathers last Will read it with deliberation meditation and contemplation there may happily some thing be found in it will redound to your good when I am in grave Keep it in your pocket and peruse it often it may prove more worth then much wealth and as you tender your own good or your Fathers command I charge you upon all accasions which doubless will be many have recourse to the first Lines and in assurance thereof I shall live and die your loving Father Samuel Brasse A Note of the principal Points casually handled in this Book OF our Saviours passion 1 Of the Mind 18 Of Englands broyles 30 Of Moses 25 Of Dooms-day 35 Of joy and fear 37 Of Hell 39 Of lameness 41 Of accompt of time 48 Of repentance 49 Of King David 53 Of dreams 56 Of wonders 59 Of mans frailty 60 Of Peters walk 63 Of Faith 67 Of Angels 72 Of Toby 72 Of the alteration of times 82 Of the Soul 91 Of the Sacrament 93 Of the abuse of creatures 95 Of hunting 96 Of Death 52 Of the Bed 69 Of the Stair to heaven 73 Of the Garden 77 Of Adams fall 79 Of the Sun 82 Of the Spirit 86 Of Jobs patience 88 Of lamentation 89 Of woe 99 Of the Heart 105 Of Peters Cock 108 Of dancing 112 Of dissimulation 114 Of Englands tears 118 Of accompt of sin 122 Of the Prodigal 125 Of Pleasure 128 Of the end of mans creation 134 Of Madness 143 Of Repentance 146 Of our Saviours life 150 Of wandring thoughts 160 Of the use of Senses 220 Of sinfull thoughts 224 The Authors Prayer 229 Reader Some Numbers of the Pages are mistaken in the book but the order of the Contents is rightly observed FINIS
with madness may be overtaken For want of reason makes man be mistaken But thy case differs from this mad mans much For thy mad senses they cannot be such Seeing they their reason with them do retaine And commit sin in hope to get some gaine As pleasure profit or some private end Or somewhat else may unto pleasure tend Which to the senses plainly do appear Although in that they surely sensless are And thereby they of selves and souls make sale To gaine a thing being got's of no availe And yet by it they lose eternal bliss The onely end of perfect happiness O fondling fondling do not fool away Thy soul as thou hast done this present day For want of good and due consideration Which is a maine step to confusion Do but consider what is th' end of all And then there 's hope that thou shalt never fall Except thou be as hereto thou hast been Most wilfully bent to be loved sin And then there is not any hope of thee But for thy sin thou shalt be sure to dye And thou shalt reap the wages therefore due For pleasing sins ill pleasing death accrue Are there no threats can mollifie this heart Is' t hardned so in every several part As threats nor treats have power to enter there Till death do come and with his dart appear And then wilt thou begin with sorrow finde How Satan he hath made all of thee blinde And gull'd the so as thou shalt then well see Thy very soul within hell gates to be And then O then with sorrow thou 'lt begin To weep and grieve for this thy deadly sin When time is past and dayes one earth are done Then 't is too late for thee thy sins to shun And then thou 'lt see that thou thy self wast mad To sin so long and that without all dread And never look nor aime at that thy end For which thy God did to this earth thee send Or if sometimes thou didst yet presently Thou felst to sin and from thy Maker fly And though thy Saviour called on thee againe Yet still didst thou in that thy sin remaine And turn thy back when God himself did call And wouldst not turn thy self to God at all So as thou canst not now of right repine If he should smite this wicked heart of thine And in his anger from heaven throw it down From out his presence with an angry frown And further say unto thee Cursed go To hell which is prepared for thy wo. O wo beyond all other kinde of woes To him that runs from heaven to hell that goes O wretched wretched wretched miscreant thou To leave thy God and to his enemy bow For both of these do admit of no mean Since God and Mammon they do differ clean Then leave thy madness and do now become A new man 'fore that dreadful day of doome There 's yet some hope if thou hast any grace By help of Christ for thee to gaine a place Within that City new Jerusalem Which is prepar'd for every each one of them That to him come with humble heart and voice And in his service do live and rejoyce And do repent them of their former sin And wicked life which they have lived in Then do repent if thou hast any grace Although for it there 's but a little space The lesser time the sorrow 's so much more Then fill this short time now with sorrow store And weep and grieve for all thy sins and groan And to thy Saviour make thy sorrowful moan It may be he will please to lend his ear If that thy sorrow from heart roots appear But if thy sorrows should not come from thence Ne'er think that he will pardon thine offence Then search each hollow in thy sinful heart And look that Satan have not any part For if that feind shall have but the least share Be sure thy Saviour he will not come there For he will have thy heart himself alone And partners in it he 'll admit of none Then bend thy knees and lift to heaven thy heart That God on high may hear by whom thou art In some hope yet of gaining heavenly bliss If he 'l but say that thou art onely his VVhich he hath promised faithfully perform To all of them that to him heartily turn Then turn my soul with heart and minde and all To this good God who thee doth often call And is desirous for to receive thee If heart and minde do thereto but agree To leave thy sin and of it to repent And really with good and true intent Resolve for ever to continue free From Satan's subtil slightful gullerie And further make good restitution Of all the wrongs to any thou hast done Then willingly be sure he will thee hear And to thy suite he will apply his ear And yield thee comfort from the heavens above Thy Saviour sweet who 's God of peace and love And is desirous to have sinners all To come to him and doth them often call Then to him to him do thou freely run For he doth no man's prayers use to shun Are made in zeal but willingly will them hear And to them then most lovingly will appear And grant them all their hearts petition And of their sins a full remission But this remission thou thy self must gain VVith grief and sorrow and some bod'ly pain For all thy members must of pain partake As well thy aged limes as that thy heart Then teach thy knees that they may bow bend To God on high who did them to thee lend Not for to serve his cruel enemy But rather 't was to eschew his company Then flie him flie him and do him forsake That he be never able thee o'retake For he is alwayes waiting oportunity To wind himself into thy company And there he seemes a faithful friend to be When he 's profest thy deadliest enemy And fawnes and flatters and doth love to lye For fear that falshood thou in him might spy For he is cunning in each one of these And doth desire thy senses for to please That he with slight might so to them winde in As he may keep them still in their own sin By offering some faire goodly guilded pills Who 's golden outside 's stuft with inward ills Beware of such for such he often useth And with such shifts fond man he thee abuseth O trust him not for he 's at best a thief And seeks his own ends but in fine thy grief For he delights himself in nothing more Then to see a man who is to sin given o're And such a one he likes and loveth well And to him will he pleasing stories tell Of great contentment he shall surely have But ne'er a word as yet he 'l speak of grave Or if he do there 's time enough he 'l say Thou maist do that upon some other day But take time now whenas the time doth serve If thou intend thy soul for to preserve For time will