mute He does not stand the matter to dispute He entertaines no malice in his brest But meekly dies with Consummâ—tum est In times of trouble then the Godly may Ponder these things well in their minds and say Unto their stubborne hearts why are you sad Why do we fret and fume as men halfe mad Didst thou sweet Jesu with such meeknesse beare The heavie weight of sinne for us who were Thy deadly foes didst thou not shun nor scorne O mighty King to be so meanely borne O blessed God Heb. 7.17 wert thou content to take On thee our humane shape and for a our sake Become a servant who art Lord of all Wouldst thou come from thy throne unto a stall To be so meanly lodg'd as in a manger To be scarce entertained as a stranger Wouldst thou oh great Law-giver subject be Unto the censure of the Law that we Might be set free didst thou oh Lord I say For us poore slaves so great a ransome pay Wouldst thou oh blessed God become accurst For such as were of all thy creaturrs worst Wouldst thou oh supreame Judge so farre submit As to be judg'd of men didst thou acquit Those that condemned thee yea didst thou pray To God for their b forgivenesse who did lay Their bloody hands on thee and shall not we In all estates and times contented be Didst thou such drops of blood and water sweat To cleanse our soules from sinnes so soule and great Wouldst thou be taken when thou mightst have fled That we to hell might not be captive led Wouldst thou by sinfull men be bound that so The twisted cords of sinnes thou mightst undoe Didst thou in meeknesse blessed Lord permit Those sinfull-shamelesse wretches for to spit Disgracefully upon thy blessed face To cleanse our faces from sinnes soule disgrace Wouldst thou be hoodwink'd with a vaile that wee Thy lovely face and countenance might see Wouldst thou be buffetted and beat with staves From strokes of hellish fiends to free such slaves Mat. 26 6â— Couldst thou sweet Lord of life contented be To suffer death for such as hated thee Hast thou done this all this and that for such As rebels were and now shall we thinke much To beare thy crosse who understand and know How thou such love didst manifest and show Freely and fully when we were both slaves To sin and sathan helfire and our graves Surely sweet Jesus did we understand This love of thine aright it would command Our stubborne wills and stony hearts constraine Before all things thee to affect againe And surely did we love a thee as we ought Our hearts to such a temper would be brought That at thy hand we should not so repine But chearfully submit our wills to thine Then God of love we humbly thee desire With this thy love our hearts so set on fire That in these evill daies we may submit To beare what punishment thou shalt thinke fit To lay upon us give us faith to stay Our selves upon thy promises alway The fift thought 1 Pet. 1.6.7 Prov. 17 3. Eceles 2. leg cap. â—ot Psal 119.176 VVE ought to count all trialls as the rod And favour of an over-loving God Who still corrects us when we goe b astray And erre like lost sheepe in an unknowne way Yet so corrects that he his c love might show And that the world may plainly see and know That he will not spare sin though in the best Of his deare Saints and servants truly blest That he from sin their hearts might purifie And prove their faith love zeale and constancie 1 Pet. 1.6 7. A tree well-rooted in the ground stands fast And is not shaken downe with every blast Silver and gold the furnace can endure The drosse consumes the gold remains more pure So by these trialls some are a purer made When others like to drosse consume and fade Who in the time of peace will make such show Of zeale and godlinesse that none can know Or judge by outward works but that they are Such as Gods holy will and word preferre Before all worldly profits yea before Their lives and liberties their pompe and store Although they reigne on earth as petty kings Fully possessed with all outward things They go to church twice on the Sabbath day As if they went to heare what God would say They heare they read they fast and daily pray And where their tythes are due they duly pay Out of their plenty great excesse and store They give unto the needy and the poore Yea in their lives such fruits they will expresse Of truth integrity and godlinesse That all the world would judge them pure in heart And such as would from Gods lawes never start Yet when the time of triall draweth nigh And God begins his Saints to prove and trie They are so danted 1 Kings 18.21 that they do not know Which way to take what in this case to doe For want of faith on Gods word to relie Meekenesse to waite and servent zeale to flie To him for aide who never failes the just Or such deceive as in his mercy trust They fall away from God and godlinesse And scoffe at what they did before professe They are not semper idem for their minds Are found to varie ofter then the winds And such as these would sooner shed their bloods If there were cause for saving of their goods Then for the Gospel such will lose their lives Undo themselves their children friends and wives Rather then want their wills or put up wrongs When in Gods cause they want both hearts and tongues Simile As when much water falls and westwinds blow Luke 8 13. And flouds come in so fast to overflow The wonted bounds or limits know we shall Whether our houses will stand firme or fall In times of triall some are constant found Others like seed cast into stony ground Wanting both root and moisture faith to lay Fast hold on God and meeknesse for to stay The leasure of the Lord cannot abide The scorching heat wherewith the just is tride The empty vessell makes the greatest sound Those that seeme best the worst are often found The fairest birds may have the foulest feet Mars for a time great Iove may friendly greet And promise weather faire and happy gales And make the Navigator hoist up sailes Yet in this case he dares not be too bold Because he feares it is too calme to hold For if Saturnus crosse him in his way He comes forth as a Lion for his prey Thus did the Lord proove in the wildernesse The Israelites whereby they did expresse What was in each mans heart for we may find How some adored Idols some repin'd At Gods just dealing how some were content Meekely to beare his plague and punishment How some grew worse and worse and did commit Offences fetched from th' infernall pit Thus God the faith of Abraham did try Gen. 22 1. Heb. 11 17 To manifest unto the world thereby
with patience stay his fathers leasure But if he have not one thing or another He grows sicke of the father or the mother What is the cause that there is so much strife Between the husband and his lawfull wife Who ought to have one heart one will and a minde What is the cause so many are inclin'd Closely to filch and steale one from the other With fraud and guile such things as they can smother What made that cursed cative to betray His loving Master sure the love of clay Mat. 26.15 Quid dabitis O cursed avarice Which the Apostle tearms the root of vice What makes the Judge b the poor mans cause neglect And with such reverence the rich respect The clinch-fists Lawyers mouth is closely shut Till in his hand a fee his client put And after that his cause shall have no end Whilst he hath land to sell or coine to spend And thus with tricks and shifts and strange delaies They wealthy grow by other mens decaies And to requite the Divell for his shifts They give their soules to him for new-yeares gifts The sacrilegious c patron robs Christs Spouse Sacriledge The holy Church to furnish his owne house The cruell Land-lord racks his rent so high That he racks out his tenants hearts thereby The Tradesmen playing upon poore mens needs In raising of his prices much exceeds Cruelty and deceit Or by false weights or insufficient wares The Countrey man beguiles cheats and insnares Some Barber Surgeons as I have been told Will oft prolong a cure for love of gold For if perchance one fall into their hands That hath good store of money goods or lands Their hearts consent to make of him a prey Their heads invent how in what friendly way They their intent may bring to passe and seem Such as they would the world should them esteem And that of them men might not judge amisse They use some complementing way as this Which I will briefly unto you relate That honest men their knavery may hate Y' are very welcome Sir boy reach a chaire A cushion too and fetch a cup of beere This Gentleman and I may drinke a cup Before his sores we venture to rip up Oh art thou com'd 't is well where is thy dame In bed now fie upon her fie for shame These City dames minde nothing but their ease Run quickly sirrah to her for her keyes Come cut a toast and wash a pot and fill Me a full cup Sir with heart and good will I drinke to you I thanke you honest friend And I would pledge you would it not offend The humour of my leg you need not feare To drinke a cup or two of such milde beer Boy fill him up his cup I dare presume Into his leg this beer will never sume Now in the name of God Sir when you will I shall be ready to improve my skill I feare you have conceal'd your griefe too long And thereby done your selfe the greater wrong Turne but your chaire more fully to the light And what it is I will resolve you right Oh heavens what a malady is here I vow 't is ten times worse then I did feare To meddle with it I am halfe afraid Yet Sir I pray you be not you dismaid You may be sure I 'le do the best I can And I can do as much as any man Yet for my part I will assure you this As yet I do not know what sore it is But be it what it will or can I feare It scarcely will be heal'd in halfe a yeare Well to be briefe he takes in hand this sore And seemes for aid the heavens to implore But note their knavery for when they please They can asswage their paine and give them ease Perhaps this monster is six months and more In healing of some ordinary sore And sometimes makes him better sometimes worse According as he finds him strong in purse For if he find the yellow humor stay With speed he takes his corrosive away And in a weeke or two will heale it more Then he had done in twice six weekes before I might speake more at large and somewhat say Of such Physitians as incline this way But they by this may see their owne disease And cure themselves if that their worships please The cursed Usurer that biting thiefe From others labours gets his whole reliefe Vsurie And for this truth as well by night as day Christ in his members closely does betray Not with What will you give me but commands Eight in the hundred at his debters hands Let him be rich or of a meane estate He will not lose a penny of the rate Before he will do so his greedy hands Shall seise upon his body goods and lands Some of this sort in theft theeves far exceed Prov. 6 30. For oftentimes they steale but for their need Yea some are worse then Iudas in this kind Iudas betraying Christ but once we find Iudas struck with remorse desires to pay His mony backe these oftentimes betray Christ in his members and have hearts so hard That they no honest course of life regard They care not so they get but muck and mire And satisfie their lust and fond desire Though they their Lord and Master Jesus sell And damne themselves unto the pit of hell Nay shall I say that some are worse then hell Should I say so the truth I should but tell Hell and the divell torment only those That unto God and godlinesse are foes These good and bad hell none before they die These while they live in want and miserie Vanitie of youth and old age We are growne vaine in words in thoughts and deeds With vaine conceits each man his fancie feeds Some in the aire build-Castles and suppose True honour chiefly to subsist in showes Old doting Misers are most prone to crave When they should have their minds upon the grave As if they thought true happinesse and blisse Was not in worth equivalent with this We may admire it yet it is no wonder Sith that their thoughts have ever been kept under The yonger sort of each sex and degree Make this their care that they from cares be free Therefore their minds and wits are ever bent To find out sports and pastimes to prevent The melancholy humour for say they In such the divell beares the greatest sway Hang care and sorrow saies mad-braines for that My father spend-all said would kill a cat Fill me the tother pipe and tother pot What shall I spare that which I never got Lightly it came and lightly it shall goe By others gaines I will not wealthie grow E're this estate be gone some friend or other Will leave the world and give me such another Le ts a eat and drinke our fills whilst we have health In sicknesse who can take delight in wealth God knowes what may become of our estates When we are gone who knowes at what low rates Land
doome Venite ite come ye truly blest Matth. 25.34 Enter into my everlasting rest Come you true Iacobs and my blessing take Goe cursed Esau's to the burning lake For you have sold your birthright grace and glory For gaine and pleasure and things transitory O come ye blessed Martyrs you at stake Have burned for my truth and Gospel sake Lives lands nor livings friends nor kindred deare Matth. 3.18 Could make you swerve or to forsake my feare You have not serv'd the Lord your God in vaine Your greatest losse shall be your greatest gaine Come now from labour unto perfect rest From bloudy Tyrants hands to Abrahams breast From shame to honor from the jawes of death Esay 25.8.9.10 To joyes eternall from those toyes beneath To things of consequence from drosse and losse To perfect gaine from bearing of my crosse Unto the wearing of my Crowne from paine In happinesse for ever to remaine In meeknesse you have suffer'd at the hands Of wicked men much wrong in cruell bands Of slavery and thraldome many yeares You have been kept Apoc. 21.4 Esay 25.8 Apoc. 7.17 but now behold your teares Are vanished you shall possesse a Crowne Of everlasting glory and renowne Upon my a throne you shall in judgement sit 1 Cor. 6.2 And see your foes sent toth'infernall pit Which burns with fire and brimstone they shall hear Unto their great astonishment and feare This dreadfull sentence past Depart from me O all ye workers of iniquity Mat. 25.41.7.23 Psâ—l 5.4.5 The pleasures of this life like as a streame Have flow'd upon you Psal 76.5.73.17.18 19 Iam. 5.1.2.3.4.5 Psal 17.14 but now as a dream They shall deceive you and not only so But aggravate your misery and woe Because your b plenty you have oft abus'd And to relieve my servants have refus'd Nay in their wants you have so backward been To comfort them that I have often seen You persecuting some with bloudy hands And driving others into forraigne lands Therefore depart from me but is this all No it might seem a punishment too small Yea in some sort a favour if they might Have leave to goe and keep out of his sight Simile As at th'Assises some desire to see The Judge the malefactor glad would be If he might have that favour or that grace As not to see his countenance or face But being upon force constrain'd t' appeare Before an angry Judge in how great feare And horrour stands he then because he knows He cannot justifie himselfe in those Condemning crimes which are against him brought Nor have of friendship one conceit or thought Because he is indited for such things As present death unto the actor brings High treason he against his King hath wrought And the destruction of his Judge oft sought And can he hope for mercy at his hands Who hath thus forfeited his life and lands Out of his sight the Judge bids him depart That 's his desire but this strikes to his heart Be gone depart from me unto that place From whence thou can'st and there for a short space Thou shalt remaine and after dragged be To end thy dayes in paine and misery Thus at the great Assise when Christ shall come To judge the world no doubt there will be some 1 Cor. 1.7 Heb 9.28 Apoc 9.6 Esay 2.18.20 21. Hosea 10.8 Luke 23.30 With joy expecting when he should appeare When others seek to hide their heads for feare Not daring to behold the Judge his face Nor to abide the splendor of the place Such being guilty will with all their heart Wish that they might out of his sight depart So holy is the Judge so pure his throne That it can be delightfull unto none But holy Saints so that if Christ should say Depart from me and there his censure stay It might a favour seem could they thereby From everlasting paines and torments flie Therefore a this holy Judge in his just ire Bids them depart unto eternall fire Matth 25.41 Esay â—0 33 Is this Gods dealing let us then induce Unto our profit hence a triple use As first let no man thinke that man most blest That hath most gold and silver in his chest For outward things we fully may possesse And yet fall short of reall happinesse The raine both upon good and bad doth fall The Sun sends forth his beames alike on all Yea oftentimes the wicked wealth possesse When as the godly are in great distresse Ierem. 18. Eccles 2. tot cap. And secondly let not the godly be Much troubled when they wicked men shall see Grow wealthy in the world but labour still To be submissive to their Fathers will Simile Perhaps the hired servant or the slave May for the present time more money have Then 's Masters son yet must he not compare For mastership because he is his heire Ungodly men may for a time advance Themselves o're Gods belov'd inheritance They may command as Lords and domineere And think to make the godly stand in feare Of their high lookes and threats but God one day His mercy and his justice will display Psal 58.10 Mal. 3.17 18. And with an everlasting crowne reward Such as unto his laws have had regard 2 Thess 1.6 7 8 9 10. Mal. 4.1.2 When such as did on earth the just disdaine Shall be rewarded with eternall paine As sheep goe to the fold they to the grave And in that day the just shall Lordship have Their beauty shall consume when they shall go From their brave buildings to eternall woe Simile It falls out with the godly in this case As with a Partridge which the Hauke doth chase The silly Partridge knowes not where to rest Nor where in safety she may build a nest To save her selfe and young ones for if she Presume to foare aloft and in a tree Shall thinke to hide herselfe the Haukes quicke eye And flying vermine her would soon discrie Should she creep in some hollow place ith'ground To save herselfe from harme she would be found By creeping vermine should she take a flight Up to the mount the Hauke still by his might Would make her fall the greater should she take The water for her refuge it would make An end of her should she creep in a bush Into the same the nimble dogs would rush And pull her out againe and thus we see That she from feare and danger is not free When as the Hauke is highly entertain'd And worthy thought of most to be mantain'd In Princely houses and esteemed fit Upon the hand of some great Lord to fit But now observe their ends and you shall see That there a greater difference will be The Partridge being dead and neatly drest With Kings and Princes is in great request When as this stinking fowle as nothing worth Unto the dunghill with disdaine's cast forth God suffers many times his children here To be in extreame wants and as it were Lost and forsaken
sometimes giving leave Unto bloud thirsty tyrants to bereave Them of their lives and livings so that they Not without cause may with their Master say That foxes have their holes the bird her nest Luke 9.58 But we have not a place wherein to rest Or put our heads but are from place to place Toss'd like a tennis-ball with great disgrace When such as have their minds bent unto ill In honour and in wealth doe flourish still But now observe their ends well in thy minde Esay 65.13 14. And thou the godly mans estate shall finde More to be wish'd Psal 37 37. the wicked we may see A while to flourish like a laurell tree But so he dies and suddenly to hell Is drag'd by divells Luke 16 evermore to dwell In utter darkenesse and for aye to be In everlasting paines and misery Behold the world 's turn'd upside downe with him For he that did in worldly pleasure swim Must now sustaine an angry Judge his ire And ever burne in ever burning fire He that was wont to feed on dainty fare Now pines away with horror and despaire His dainty mouth that relish'd nought at all But what was sweet now nothing tastes but gall His throat that once did swallow down strong drink Is now more full of filth then any sinke He that had musick once to please the eare Can nothing now but hellish yellings heare He that had all things that might please the eye Sees nothing now but what may terrifie Him to behold he that was wont to have All pleasant odors that contentment gave Unto the sense of smelling now in hell Can nothing else but noysome savours smell He that was deckt with silks and crown'd with fame Is cloth'd with horrour and eternall shame He that had many friends and kinsfolke deare In time of sicknesse to revive and cheare His dying heart salves for his griefe and sore Shall weep and howle in hell for evermore And shall no comfort ease nor succour finde Nor any friend where to disclose his minde He that spent many dayes and nights in vaine Would give a world one minute to regaine He that was wont to brag and brave it out With big and daring words and valour stout With thunder threatning words can neither daunt Nor with faire speeches hellish fiends inchant His feet that nimble were to run and goe Cannot convey his soule from endlesse woe His hands that once were able to defend Himselfe his goods his neighbour and his friend Are now fast bound in everlasting chaines And cannot free his soule from endlesse paines And last of all he that did once possesse All pleasures and delights this wildernesse Could yeeld to man is now in such distresse That men nor Angells can the like expresse He that did once drinke wine and water strong A drop of water craves to coole his tongue Those pleasures which before he thought most deare As daily soule-tormenters now appeare Sweet meats require sowre sawce vain pastimes paine Mirth misery after fair weather raine Hot summers thunder lightnings and strange sights Cause in the aire faire dayes oft foulest nights The just shall this behold and feare the Lord Prov. 29.16 Psal 103.15 16 17 18. And laugh at him and say with one accord Behold the man that made not God his stay But trusted in his strength his muck and clay But now observe the upright and the just Psal 119.142 Which in the Lord at all times put their trust For sure the end of such is endlesse peace God in the end their comforts will encrease Behold poore Lazarus falls sicke and dies And ther 's an end of all his miseries The case is altred much for he that lay At Dives gate in want is now for aye Ev'n with an everlasting Crowne possest And ever shall in Abra'ms bosome rest He that at Dives gate beg'd crums of bread And such as from his table fell is fed With blessed Angells in that blessed place Where he beholds his Maker face to face He that a beggar was of petty things Is now advanc'd above all earthly Kings Then let us be content in a each estate And not esteem our selves unfortunate When we the wicked and ungodly see To flourish as it were a lawrell tree For sure the just mans poore estate 's a worth more Then the ungodly mans great pompe and store Yet ought we not in any case to be So far content with our estates that we Thereby grow carelesse if with plenty blest Or desperate in minde if long opprest With want and need for such unpleasant weeds Not from the spirit but the flesh proceeds If God then give us b peace and happy daies Deut. 6.10 11 12. Let us remember evermore to praise And blesse his holy name and humbly crave His blessing on our selves and what we have Or else our c health and wealth our strength peace Will our eternall misery encrease Simile He that hath been halfe pin'd for want of meat And comes unto a place where he may eat His fill may glut his feeble stomach so That he thereby more faint and sick shall grow So when we fading-false-conceived pleasures Honours preferment and all worldly treasures Embrace with too great and too deep content They often prove to us a punishment Or if the Lord afflict us any waies With sicknesse or diseases that our daies Grow wearisome to us yea if he send The plague so hot amongst us that one friend Dare not come to another if his hand Bring the devouring sword into our land And after that a famine if he smite Our soules with pangs of hell and so affright Our minds with honour of our sins that we Cannot tell where to rest still a let us be Gratefull and meek yet ought we not to stand Like stocks and stones when God shall lay his hand Upon us or our Kingdome as if we Did not discerne or feele our misery This is no true contentment but a kinde Of sottishnesse or wilfulnesse of minde 'T is not enough to say in God we trust Though we say well therein for so we must Such thoughts as these must not be entertain'd Without we use the meanes by God b ordain'd To set us free for this may prove a signe That we are such as tempt the powers divine Let 's not in anger then with God dispute Nor through despaire in minde grow resolute Iames 5.13 But take St. Iames his counsell whilst we may Are we affl cted Let us humbly pray We may in times of trouble and distresse Unto the throne of grace have free accesse We may with boldnesse to the Lord draw neare Heb. 10 19 cap. 4. v. 14 15 16. And crave as many things as we want here So that we crave them in that manner still Which is best pleasing to his holy will If grievous troubles long upon us lie And God seems for to slight our dolefull crie Let us reflect unto
all ungodly walking For these infect pollute and much defile Each house and Countrey City Towne and I le Psal 38.18 For what is past unfainedly be sorry And spend your time hereafter to his glory Boast not great Britaine of thy force and a might 1 Sam. 2 9. It 's God that does prepare the hands to fight If thou hast great Jehovah on thy side Thou need'st not fear thy foes ouâ—rageous pride But if he be against thee all thy powers Psal 127.1.2.3 Wel-fortified Cities Castles Towers Thy multitude of people store of weâ—lth Bulwarks and walls thy fortitude and health Thee cannot save thy Towers whose lofty roofe Threaten the Heavens are not vengeance proofe Thou by thy sins hast highly God offended And without doubt some evill is intended Unlesse thou b meet him by thy true repentance And thereby cause him for to change his sentence Thy forty dayes have been twice forty yeares And yet in mercy God to strike forbeares Thee in his bosome he had rather cherish 2 Pet. 3.9 1 Sam. 15 26. Then in thy sins thou should'st for ever perish Goe then with speed thy time no longer spend In vanities thy heart in pieces rend Thy antick-apish fashions lay aside Let sackcloth serve thy nakednesse to hide Unfift thy selfe reforme returne repent With brinish teares thy bloudy crimes lament Repent in dust and ashes pride must fall And if not here it doubtlesse elsewhere shall Thy forces which thou trustest in will faile thee Wealth in the houre of death will not availe thee About things needlesse trouble not thy braine Thy study turne into a better straine Wrestle with God a let not thy courage faile By earnest suites thou maist at length prevaile Goe sue and sue againe take no deniall Matth 7.7.8 Marke 11.24 Thou maist obtaine upon a further triall To stand upon b deserts it is in vaine Then crie for mercy crie and crie amaine Mercy sweet Lord good Lord what shall I doe For Jesus Christ his sake some mercy show My sins are great thy mercies Lord are greater Though I be sinfull Lord I am thy creature On thy sweet mercy all my hope relies To thee my only rock I bend my eies Knock at H aven gates as if thou wouldst all break Till God to thee a word of comfort speake Possesse him with thy sad complaint and griefe Give him no rest untill thou findst reliefe And if it please him for to heale thy sore Lest worse things happen to thee sin no more Iohn 5 14. But stâ—y my mâ—se hast thou made known thine errant According to the tenure of thy warrant Hâ—st thou not skipt the sins which are her bane Fâ—e thou art out and must begin againe Yet let prudentia be thy tutor still And let charissa moderate thy quill Let not thy passion make thee too austere In passing sentence be not too severe Choler hath often made me fume and swell But I have curb'd it as a fiend of hell I would not blaze abroad anothers shame In hel-hatcht libells that should want a name I never did affect to scold or brawle As many men have done to purpose small Will loftie spirits be out-braved No Reason their stubborne wills must overthrow And how shall wit or reason there be found Where haire-brain'd choller does so much abound Yet on the other side I blame as much All such as tongue-tide are and chiefly such As are in place and have command to tell Our Iuda of her sins our Israel Esay 58.1 Of her transgressions these are sicke and weake In soule and minde I mean they cannot speake A plaine or perfect word or else for feare They should discountenance the upper sphere They with the dog-star will lye hid at noone And when they barke it will be at the moone You know my meaning well I cannot stay To make it plaine but in conclusion say Were not their words so eaven we should see That many men by odds would better be Here 's a Scyllâ— and Charybdis shall I shun The danger of the one and headlong run Upon the other No it were far better That in my horn-booke I knew not a letter I 'le b looke before I leap yea and before I le run upon such rocks I 'le keep on shore Then my best way as I suppose will be To have recourse unto my Geometry And to this brain-sick study bend my minde Betweene these two extreams a meane to finde Which if I doe I 'le take my rule and square And compasse too and then I need not care What malice can invent nor need I feare To view the Zenith of the upper sphere Some for my a paines perhaps may call me foole And say it were more fit I went to schoole To learne my Accidence then to relate The misdemeanours of so high a State I must confesse full loath I am to enter And yet my vow compells me for to venture Yet I will have my rule and compasse by me That if in malice any should belie me Such demonstration I may draw at large As ever shall an honest minde discharge Yea by this rule I 'le draw my lines so squarely And cypher out these evill times so fairely That in conclusion they shall answer make It 's very true it is but our mistake Thus having made my way I will begin To name and to anâ—tomize each sin Injustice and oppression shall be first Injustice and Oppression For these alone will make a land accurst We were of late to such disorders growne That what we had we scarce could call our owne Monopolists and new found tricks in store To make the Common-wealth both bare and poore But blessed be the Lord we are befriended Herein we see the matter well amended Our hearts are growne luke-warme yea and stone cold There 's scarce a man alive that dare be bold To speake the truth for feare he should offend His noble Patron Parish or deare friend Some with the Gergesites their hogs prefer Before their sweet Redeemer others are With Demas too too prone Christ to forsake And for their part this present world to take This hellish charret tearmed avarice Covetousnesse Runs swiftly on foure wheels of sin and vice Faint courage greedy-griping churlishnesse Contempt of God of death forgetfulnesse The horses drawing it are chiefly two Greedy to catch and loath for to forgoe The carter driving it desire to have The whip held in one hand is called save The reine i' th other stoppage and the road Wherein he drives is pleasing a smooth and broad The footmen running by are chiefly three Envie deceit and grosse hypocrisie The journies end is everlasting woe For to the pit of hell we headlong goe Unlesse the Lord of his preventing grace Block up our way and crosse us in our race What is the cause the childe does so desire To see the death of his indulgent fire That he can neither wait on Gods good pleasure Nor yet