choise of weapons for sundrie assaults and disposeth of them diuersly according to the strength or weaknesse of the partie he besiegeth which being as different in particular persons as Gods gifts are to them thou shalt doe well to thy abilitie to reforme or supply my defect therin If in manner of the verse or stile they be as I doubt not but they are to be amended much I do not greatly seeke the praise of a curious Architector neither without neglect of more necessary duties could I attaine to the required obseruances that way And therefore craue that thy discretion may excuse my intention and abilitie And thus I hartily recommend thee to the Almightie THE FIRST PART OF CHRISTIAN PASSIONS containing a hundreth Sonets of meditation humiliation and prayer PREFACE IT is not Lord the sound of many words The bowed knee or abstinence of man The filed phrase that eloquence affords Or Poets pen that heauens do pearce or can By heauie cheere of colour pale and wan By pined bodie of the Pharisay A mortall eye repentance oft doth scan Whose iudgement doth on outward shadows stay But thou ô God doest hearts intent bewray For from thy sight Lord nothing is conceald Thou formdst the frame fro out the verie clay To thee the thoughts of hearts are all reueald To thee therefore with hart and minde prostrate With teares I thus deplore my sinfull state SONET I. HOw should my soule Lord clad in earthly mold The prison where it readie is to pine Where vile affections captiue it do hold And threaten naught but ruine in the fine Vnto one thought of hope or helpe incline Or raise my eyes vnto the heauens bright How may it Lord take hold on mercies thine Or presse it selfe in presence of thy sight Or how canst thou therein at all delight If mercy be not spokesman in this case If merit of thy Sonne should not acquite The common guilt of Adams sinfull rase Which since by faith alone man may attaine Grant me first grace not faithlesse to ramaine SON II. FRo out the darknesse of this sea of feare Where I in whale remaine deuourd of sin With true remorse of former life I reare My heart to heauen in hope some helpe to win I do confesse my fault who did begin To flie from thee ô Lord and leaue vndone Thy seruice which of right should first haue bin Performd by which so many should be wonne To praise thy name but feare alas begunne To represent to me my iourny long The dangers of the world my life should runne Which made me to my soule to offer wrong But since by show of death thou caldst me backe Thy gracious helpe at need let me not lacke SON III. WIthin this arke where in my soule doth dwell My bodie floting on worldes troubled waue Which windes of fierce affections cause to swell And hardly can my power from sinking saue I crie to thee ô Lord and comfort craue Close vp this fountaine of stil flowing sin Let me by faith againe once footing haue On frutefull earth and holie life begin Lighten the burden so vncleane within Of brutish vices raging in my minde Let cleane affects the greater partie win And so increase that plentie I may finde Of sacrifices pleasing in thy sight Of faith and loue which are thy soules delight SON IIII. IN humble wise as fitteth best my state An abiect wretch deuoyd of all desert I here approch before thy mercy gate O Lord of life with broke and contrite hart I need not to reueale to thee my smart A lump of sin and shame I am I know Wounded so deepe with deadly poysned dart Of serpents sting which did from parents grow That now my humors so do ouerflow With foule affections of my feeble minde As presseth downe my eyes on earth so low As dares not search the heauens true helpe to finde Yet since thou hast made known to me my griefe Guide me by grace to fountaine of reliefe SONET V. VNto thy princely wedding Lord are bed Of euerie sort some guests to feast with thee One that a spouse but late before had wed One oxen bought one taken land to fee They from the banket therefore absent bee Regarding not thy messengers of grace In number of the like Lord hold not mee But let me haue I craue the offred place Yet ere that I appeare before thy face A wedding garment first I must put on My owne vnrighteous cloathing is too base And marchandise of merits now are gone Then since thou cal'st with faith do thou me cloth A lame blind begger Lord do thou not loth SON VI. IN pride of youth when as vnbridled lust Did force me forth my follies to bewray I challenged as patrimony iust Each vaine affection leading to decay And trusting to that treasure post away I wandred in the worlds alluring sight Not reason vertue shame or feare could stay My appetite from tasting each delite Till want and wearinesse began me bite And so perforce to father I retire To whom I prostrate kneele vnworthie wight To name of sonne not daring to aspire Receiue me yet sweet sauiour of thy grace Poore penitent into a seruants place SON VII Lame of my limmes and sencelesse of my state Neere fortie yeares Lord haue I groueling line Before Bethesda poole yet still too late To wash me in the fountaine I encline Whence health wold come when Angel giues the sine If any one to aide me readie were But helplesse thus I readie am to pine My selfe vnable duly vp to reare Vouchsafe thou then me to this bath to beare By the assistance of thy heauenly grace Let not the force of foule affects me feare To prease forth first when Christ appeares in place Who is the fountaine Angell and the man That bath that blisse that cure my senses can SON VIII THy thundring voice and Angell Lord of long Hath cald my soule from slumber where it lay The harmony of heauenly musickes song Hath made my wandring feete at last to stay Direct thou me also the readie way Vnto thy church that in thy holy place Thy word and law I may in heart obay And worship thee before thy peoples face Grant me I say such measure of thy grace That greedily by faith I swallow vp Thy booke of truth and so thy word imbrace That frutefully I taste saluations cup. Thou who doest rule the earth the sea and land In my defence with power and glory stand SON IX AMong thy sheepe ô Lord I seemd to feed By Sacraments receiu'd into thy stocke By preached word I watred was indeed And works with fleece did seeme inritch my stocke But at my doore true faith did neuer knocke Which should be shepheard of my soules defence But thiefe like fond affections reason mocke And by the window of my wilfull sence Do enter to my heart and steale from thence Each motion of amendment which doth rise And shepheardlesse of grace transported hence By Sathan
groueling is his resting place Then shall my soule with Debora imbrace In thankfull wise thy mercies I receiue And so pursue the fleshly Canaans race Till I the furie of the same bereaue And with my song thy seruants shall accord To yeeld due praise to thee the liuing Lord. SON LXXVI MY soule like silly Ioseph Lord was sold By fleshly brethren his vnkind alas To vanities the merchants which behold From far they saw to Egipt which do passe A seruant vnto Ismaels seed it was And sold from sin to death and so to hell Of humane frailtie Lord a looking glasse In which all foule affections long did dwell Yet lo alas when sin seekes most t' excell And haue my mind consent to traitrous lust With grace ô Lord that enemy repell And heare my praiers who in thee do trust Who though a space in bodies prison staies Yet Lord at length vouchsafe to heauen to raise SON XXVII SO blinde ô Lord haue my affections bin And so deceitfull hath bin Satans slight That to giue credit I did first begin To pride and lust as heauenly powers of might I offred all my sences with delight A sacrifice to feed those Idols vaine Of all the presents proffred day and night Nought vnconsumde I saw there did remaine Till that thy Prophets by thy word made plaine The falshood by the which I was deceiued How Satans kingdome made here of a gaine And wickednesse my hope and faith bereaued But now the sifted ashes of thy word Bewraies Bels Prists slaies dragon without sword SON LXXVIII A Wicked theefe that oft haue robd and slaine Thy graces of their frute my selfe of blisse Now on the crosse of conscience I remaine To die the death the which eternall is I see no way to quit my selfe of this Vnlesse thou Lord whose kingdome is aboue Remember me and cansell life amisse Out of thy memorie through Christ thy loue Who in my flesh with me like death did proue That guiltlesse he might guilties ransome bee Loue to my soule it was that did him moue The bands of death to bide to make vs free Blesse thou my tong increase thou faith in mee This night to be in paradise with thee SON LXXIX IN bondage long to Satan haue I bin A maker of the bricke of Babell towre By birth a thrall to grosse and filthie sin Whom lusts taskmasters doth attend ech houre Affection to the flesh doth cleane defloure The memorie and loue of promist lands The fiend euen Pharo seeketh to deuoure My soule and chaine me to his dreadfulll bands But Lord receiue me safe into thy hands Protect me from the rigor of his might Quench thou the force of lusts inflamed brands In my defence giue me true faith to fight Send Moyses Lord with powre of heauenly sword And Aaron to direct me by thy word SON LXXX A Moabit I was of cursed kinde Vnkinde vnto thy Church Lord and to thee Who sought by ayde of foolish Balaam blinde To captiuate the soule that should be free Incestuous frutes of that high climing tree Which doth subdue all reason and all grace A carnall kinsman by a neare degree Vnto the soule the which I haue in chase Whom I with lothsome sin sought to deface And bastardise with carnall fond affect Whose ofspring thou vnto the tenth mans race Didst once out of thy sanctuary reiect Yet now by faith made free of Iury land A suter here before thy throne do stand SON LXXXI LO how I groueling vnder burden lie Of sin of shame of feare Lord of thy sight My guilt so manifold dare not come nie Thy throne of mercy mirror of thy might With hidden and with ignorant sinnes I fight Dispairing and presumptuous faults also All fleshly frailtie on my backe doth light Originall and actuall with me go Against a streame of lusts my will would roe To gaine the shoare of grace the port of peace But flouds of foule affections ouerfloe And sinke I must I see now no release Vnlesse my Sauior deare this burden take And faith a ship of safetie for me make SON LXXXII FRom Iuda wandring Lord to Iericho From holie law of thine to carnall lust Whilst midst the prease of lewd affects I go I robbed am of rayment pure and iust And wounded lye Lord groueling in the dust Not any passer by can giue me aide In fleshly strength or friendship is no trust By highway seene to helpe me few haue staide But since my Sauior Christ on crosse hath paide A ransome rich to cure my bleeding sore By faith to craue the frutes I 'am not affraide In hope my health thereby for to restore Bind vp my wounds with balme leade me to rest Giue me such gifts of grace as like thee best SON LXXXIII THis slender Citie Lord of strength behold Wherein I dwell Bethulia my bower Of flesh whereto sin laies a battry bold And seeks with sword dearth my soules deuower Suppresse thou hellish Holofernes power Who prides himselfe in praie of children thine I haue no trust in mountaines wals nor tower For want of faithes true fountaine we shall pine Raise vp this female couragde heart of mine Strengthen my hand to reue this monsters hed Let me not tast deceiptfull follies wine Nor be polluted with worlds sinfull bed But constantly by faith fight in defence Of feeble flesh and driue thy enemies thence SON LXXXIIII NOt that my faith doth faint a whit is cause That I so instant am on thee to call O God of life but yeelding to thy lawes Before thy sight my soule these teares lets fall Which in thy bottle kept I know are all And quench the fury of thy burning ire Which sin enflamde and qualifie it shall The quarrell which hath set thy wrath on fire If feruently the childe due food desire Of father he will not giue him a stone If of the wicked iustice man require Importunely some iustice will be showne More righteous iudge and father thou to mee Art Lord indeed and far more kind wilt bee SON LXXXV THe many trials Lord that I haue found Since out of Egipt darknesse I am brought Might witnesse well how in thee still abound Powre mercy truth wherby thy workes are wrought But foule dispaire against my faith hath fought Amidst the wildernesse wherein I stay And daintier food my fond affections sought Then Manna which thou sentst me euerie day The desert Zyn doth fountaine pure denay Of grace wherewith to quench my fainting ghost Eternall death expects my soule as pray And lust assaults me with a hideous host Stretch forth hād Lord smite thou my hart of stone With rod of true repentance griefe and mone SON LXIII THou hast ô Lord of mercy me enricht With flocks of fauour and of graces great Since I in Bethell first the pillar pitcht Of praises to thy name and mercies seat Yet fleshly Esawes foule affections threat A ruine to the frute faith forth should bring With pleasing humors him for to intreat
the fruit to tast Though birdes and Bees their nests and combs begin Though sheepe beare fleece Oxe the land haue trast In hope of profite which their masters wast Yet wise men grieue to spend in vaine their time For others sake the bush to beate or clime 22. For what hath man of all his trauell griefe of his heart wherin he hath trauelled vnder the sunne If man vncertaine be as sure he is This night if he the morrow day shall see If he do doubt his dayes cannot endure If he foresee his bed his graue may bee And yet of world haue care vnhappie hee I meane such care as doth his powers possesse And suffers not his soule some ioy expresse For what he leaueth him behind is lost What he enioyd that only was his owne What hath he gain'd by wealth that comfort cost If he not tast his fruits of trauell growne Possession best by vse of things is knowne Who doth not so but lost his trauels are A heauie burden bootlesse fetched farre verse 23 His dayes are few and spent in cares his nights in harts vnrest verse 24 If God yet grant to vse his wealth with ioy then is he blest 23. For all his daies are sorrowes his trauel grief his heart also taketh not rest in the night which also is vanitie He doth thereby but massaker himselfe And seeme vnkind to natures true intent Whose bodie feeds not on the view of pelfe But on the food the hands to mouth do lend Which freely to ech part doth portion send He well may thinke his wofull dayes too long And trauell grieuous thus requite with wrong If he the wished night ordain'd for rest Consume in carefull thoughts of greedie mind If he for others hoord his comforts best And to himselfe gainst kind do proue vnkind No blessednesse on earth then shall he find But like a bubble vanish soone away And in his life his vanitie bewray 24. There is no profit to man but that he eat and drinke and delight his soule with the profit of his labour I saw also this that it was of the hand of God For no true profit earth to earth can giue But whilst on earth man yet doth make his stay The frutes of earth to vse by which we liue And ech dayes care deferre vnto that day These Creatures plenteously enioy we may To needfull sustenance of bodies strength And to delight the mind waxt dull at length Man onely must in plentie plentie note Of Gods abundant blessing shewd therein And not forget him whilst they passe the throte And them abuse as instruments of sin But for his gifts with prayse to him begin With almes proceed the needy poore to feed And not repine though oft they stand in need verse 25 Who knowes the vse of plentie more then I yet this I find verse 26 God makes the iust know ioy the bad leaue welth for good behind 25. For who could eat and who could hast to outward things more then I. Of all that I do say I haue made proofe And therefore may the better thee aduise Which as I now set downe for thy behoofe So thereof make thy profit be thou wise He is a foole that counsell doth despise And I who counsell thee sure best could try Earths pleasures and the fruits that come thereby As being King I all things might commaund As being rich I ech thing might procure As being lou'd to please me all men fawnd As being feard I might my will make sure As being wise I could make choyse most pure If any earthlie thing might breed content Then may I say that God me part hath sent 26. Surely to a mā that is good in his sight God giueth wisdom and knowledg and ioy but to the sinner he giueth paine togather and to heap to giue to him that is good before God this is also vanitie and vexation of the spirit And for a full report of my conceit I briefly say as truth requires of mee That wisedome as a blessing doth awaight Vpon the godly who true knowledge see And perfect ioy alone in them can bee For God the author of all goodnesse is And with his feare associats endlesse blis But to the wicked he alotteth griefe In getting needfull things great wo and care In their possession little sweet reliefe In laying vp of wealth a life still bare Which for the godly they doe but prepare Rent gathrers for the good the wicked bee Vaine vexers of their soules themselues may see Chap. 3. verse 1 All purposes haue proper times all things fit seasons find verse 2 A time of birth and death to plant and supplant is assignd 1. To all things there is an appointed time and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen BVt for I see the wordly wise will say They haue iust cause to studie to attaine The hidden course which nature doth bewray In interchange of times which doth remaine Inrold in writ of many a learned braine I will with them awhile conferre and show To thee the depth of all the skill they know Most true it is I graunt that hidden are In knowledge of Philosophy indeede Such rules profound by learning fet so farre As in the mind doth admiration breed But yet that skill doth serue to little steed For God hath natures bounds prefixed so That from that course art cannot make them go 2. A time to be borne and a time to die a time to plant and a time to plucke vp that which is planted Begin we first where we begin and end With birth of man in mothers wombe conceiu'd Which fortie weekes expir'd needs forth must send And age compels to yeeld the breath receiu'd In both of which the wisest are deceiu'd The birth and death of diuerse diuersely Preuenting time of birth and time to dy And as of men so in increase of things The which the earth brings forth in growing kind Although we know the Moone fit seasons brings To planted things to prosper yet we find They oft miscarie and we chaunge our mind And be their fruits once ripe they gathered bee And stocke once rotten we stub vp the tree verse 3 A time to cure and kill there is to build and ouerthrow verse 4 To laugh and weepe a mournfull cheare and merry hart to show 3. A time to slay and a time to heale a time to break down and a time to build And though it be a thing vnnaturall And most repugnant to societie The life of man by hand of man to fall And to shed bloud wherein his life doth lie Yet iustice craues that male factors die Aswell as that the sicke should phisicke haue Or salues imployd the wounded corps to saue Yea though that cities first well founded were For safetie vnto men of ciuill sort Yet neuer Monarkes seat such fame did beare Or citie grow of much with great resort But time made cottages of small import Suruiue their greatnesse and
in delight Yet sweeter in the end we shall digest Deathes bitter pill which nature doth detest Yea though we in a sort offended wax With euils which we see so much abound Within our selues and for the good that lacks In vs and others which the good doth wound Yet this a cheerefull mendment will procure And rayse our hearts in sinne to fore secure 6. The hart of the wise is in the house of mourning but the heart of fooles is in the house of mirth The wise they will like heedfull watchmen keepe A curious Sentinell in all their wayes Least death and ruine should vpon them creepe And turne to mournfull night their merry dayes They do obserue the frailtie of their state And rather fawne on death then feare too late Whilst foolish worldlings surfet with the ioy Which they vnfitly plast in earths vaine sweet And are surprisd with euery small annoy So sore that it to beare they are not meet And vnder euery aduerse cause do sinke Whilst others hope and ioy at perils brinke verse 7 More sweet are wise rebukes then notes which flattering fooles do sing verse 8 As blase of thornes so vainely passe the pleasures they do bring 7. Better it is to heare the rebuke of a wise man then that a man should heare the song of fooles And for we hardly see our owne amisse And each in others eyes a mote can spy My best aduice to do thee good is this That to thy friends reproofe thou do apply Yea such a friend as knoweth good from ill And thy misdeeds in thee reproue that will For better are the blowes that friends do giue Then smoothed actions flatt'rers do bestow Those to amendment do the wiser driue By th' others fooles from ill to worse do grow There Syrens songs do make thee sleepe in sin These rougher words thy soule from ruine win 8. For like the noyse of the thornes vnder the pot so is the laughter of the foole this also is vanitie And what delight indeed can wise men take In foolish tattle of the lewder sort Like crackling bushes in the fire they make A blast and blase foorth straight in their disport An outward show of mirth which ends with smart And laugh with mouth that haue a heauie hart The wise in ioy and myrth are temperate They ground their mirth on greater cause of ioy They are not so raysd vp with good estate Or beaten downe with any'aduerse annoy But that they can beare either state aswell As time or chaunce can make them ebbe or swell verse 9 Sure wise men wax with wrongs nere mad to see brybs so preuaile verse 10 But th' end is al who patient stayes shal thriue best without faile 9. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad and the reward destroyeth the hart And yet it is I graunt a heauie thing And hardly is digested of the best To see how some the lawes to lust do wring And how thereby the weaker are opprest How wrong for right sometimes doth freely pas And no man will or dare say bad it was And to behold how bribes are busie still To blind the eyes that else would wisely see That Lay and Clergie great and small most will Giue take buy sell things that most holy bee Would make a man of sob'rest spright halfe mad And any good man be perplex'd and sad 10. The end of a thing is better then the beginning thereof the patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit But men that note Gods iudgemēts for these things And can as sure they ought his pleasure stay Shall see the plagues that sinne vpon them brings And shall according to the prouerbe say That that is onely good and doth excell Which doth begin and also endeth well And therefore will with patience long expect The issue which God hath decreed before And as he limits times his will t' effect So till that time be silent euermore The rather since their agony and griefe Might wo increase not yeeld one iot reliefe verse 11 Be thou therefore to anger slow it fooles doth best befit verse 12 Muse not why tunes are chang'd it doth import but want of wit 11. Be not thou of an hasty spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fooles Then be not thou with worlds peruerse euent Disquieted or moued vnto yre No though with malice men against thee bent With iust offence might kindle cholers fyre It is a passion that aboundant is In fooles and not reformes the thing amis If thou with reason be as be thou may Offended with the euils that abound Thou mayst reproue them sure I say not nay And hate the place whereas such sinnes are found For fooles they are and dog-like bite the stone That blame offence yet doer let alone 12. Say not thou why is it that the former daies were better then these for thou dost not enquire wisely of this thing But yet withall beware thou do not blame Thy God in gouernment of present age By calling him t' account why not the same Most hatefull vices which with vs do rage Did not in former times so much excell And we with them compare in doing well For it were folly and offensiue much To God and man and signe of hatefull pride In weale or woe we may at nothing grutch For through our sinnes those scourges vs betide And God that sends the ill can it amend Vpon his will our liking must depend verse 13 Wisedome with welth grees euer best of all things vnder sunne verse 14 They calme the mind yet quiet heart by wisedome best is wonne 13. Wisedome is good with an inheritance excellent to them that see the sunne Sure well is he that wisedome hath and grace To vse it alwayes well in weale and wo But who hath wealth withall in better case By farre I do confesse though few are so Few though there be yet some such may you find Though many more with worldly wealth are blind Wealth giueth meanes for exercise of good Wealth the temptations wants to many a sin By wealth mens faults are hid their foes withstood Wealth may performe such workes as fauour win Which wealth if by dissent not care we haue And wisedome both what can we farther craue 14. For man shall rest in the shadow of wisedome and in the shadow of siluer but the excellencie of the knowledge of wisedome giueth life to the possessors thereof This wisedome armed thus with worldly powers For pleasant shadow may compared bee Vnto an Arbour deckt with fragrant flowers Which sweetly from sunne beames protecteth thee From wind and raine that can thee well defend And sweet repast vnto thy bodie lend For wisedome teacheth thee thy wealth to vse Vnto the needfull ends they were ordaynd And as vnwise you may them well accuse That will reiect the goods may well be gaynd But wisedome wealth can get and spends it well And wisedome therefore chiefly doth excell verse 15 Behold
Gods works who can reforme his will then be content verse 16 In weale or wo both sent from God do serue the turne he ment 15. Behold the worke of God for who can make straight that which he hath made crooked In wisedome therefore set thy chiefe delight Come wealth come woe take all as God doth send Against the Lords decree it's vaine to fight He knowes thy need and giues what thou shalt spend More then he hath decreed thou shalt not haue Toyle while thou wilt and moyle vnto thy graue Canst thou reuoke the times the which are past Canst thou recount the dayes that are behind Canst thou pursew the chaffe that slyeth fast Canst thou proportion out the waight of wind Canst thou make straight the tree once crooked growne No nor thy state amend but God alone 16. In the day of wealth be of good comfort and in the day of affliction cosider God also hath made this coÌ„trary to that to the intent that man shold find nothing after him Then with thy state content thy quiet mind If wealth abound with ioy then vse the same If lesse thy store yet thinke not God vnkind And to thy portion do thy compasse frame In all estates a chearefull heart doth well What God intends for thee thou canst not tell God vseth like as wise Phisitians do By want sometimes to purge our humors ill And after plentie giues to strengthen vs to The worke whereto imploy our powers he will By proofe of contraries to teach vs how To vse those gifts as he doth best allow verse 17 In my short life the iust I saw decay and wicked thriue verse 18 Muse not hereof too much least it thee into dumps do driue 17. I haue seene all things in the dayes of my vanitie there is a iust man that peâ—â—â—heth in his iustice and there is a wicked man that coÌ„tinueth long in his malice As for such new incounters as befall To thee in crossing of thy quiet life Assure thy selfe they are not new at all But in my dayes and long before were rife Euen full of vanities and care I found My life as well as thy life to abound I saw both wise and honest men full oft Insnared by the wicked and destroyd Their counsels and their actions mockt and scoft Their innocencies cause they were annoyd The force the folly rapine and the wrong The wicked vsd protect their liues full long 18. â—e not thou iust ouermuch neither make thy selfe ouer wise wherfore shouldest thou be desolate What was the cause hereof thou maist inquire Sure first the hate the ill to good do show Then Gods decree whose iustice did require Their hidden sins a publike shame should know Some ouerweening wits do foolish proue And cause of these mishaps do fondly moue For excellence procureth enuy much And wise mens small offences haynous seeme And busie braines such tickle points may touch As vndiscreet you may their iudgement deeme Be thou not too precise nor ouer wise But with a modest meane thy gifts disguise verse 19 Be not too curious things to know least God correct thy pryde verse 20 Yet learne things fit and fearing God no ill shall thee betyde 19. Be not thou wicked ouermuch neither be thou foolish wherefore shouldest thou perish not in thy time Yet do not thou extenuate so thy skill That thereby into scandall thou do fall The very wicked so contemne thee will And good and bad will so condemne thee all None is so vile that vice he will commend Although his deeds to little better tend Ne do thou folly any whit affect For that doth ruine all that it doth vse Who will the foole or vndescreet protect Or trust to him or vse him may he chuse Well may men laugh at him and make disport But neuer trust in cause that doth import 20. It is good that thou lay hold on this but yet withdraw not thy hand from that for lie that feareth God shal come forth of them all In measure is we say a merry meane Twixt two extremes doth sacred vertue dwell Who will vnto true heauenly wisedome leane Must fly defect and all excesse expell With serpents wisedome must his iudgement see With Turtles humble mind yet clothed bee The loftie thought presumption doth instruct The abiect mind dispaire doth soone perswade From wings of Lucifer this quill is pluckt To hatefull serpents den that leades the trade But he whom heauenly wisedome doth inspire From both those snares in safetie shall retire verse 21 The wise by wisedome safer liue then Princes in their holds verse 22 Yet none so perfect liues their deed no sinne at all vnfolds 21. Wisedome shal strengthen the â—ise man more then ten mightie Princes that are in the citie For wisedome is indeed a heauenly gift Insusde to guide vs in earths pilgrimage Blest is his choice who therewith not vplift Doth peace procure and worldly cares asswage Who trusteth in the comfort of her ayd In no affliction need to be affrayd She stronger is and much of greater might Then any Princes power that euer was Yea Princes ten combind gainst her to fight In force and prowesse shall her no way pas The strongest bulwarks that they can erect Doth art by wisedome soone to earth deiect 22. Surely there is no man 〈◊〉 in the earth that doth good and â—â—nneth not This wisedome makes thee haue a secret peace Twixt God and thee which if thou once attaine To feede the same his grace will neuer ceace And that content for euer will remaine As for content the world afford thee can It s nothing worth for vaine is euery man Let this therefore be grounded in thy mind That man and all his workes vnperfect are That on the earth one man thou shalt not find That from true righteousnesse not strayeth farre Whose peruerse deeds do oftentimes bewray The wicked thoughts that in his bosome stay verse 23 Heare not all words of wrong lest thou thy seruaÌ„ts slaÌ„ders heare verse 24 Thou know'st thy self hast don the like though it did not appeare 23. Giue not thine heart also to all the words that men speake least thou doe heare thy seruant cursing thee How much then lesse shouldst thou be moued much By words of any one that thee offend Yea though euen very neere thy fame they touch And to thy great disgrace they seeme to tend Let passe like wind the blast of slanderous tong And thinke the best sometimes euen so are wrong Yea though thou oft mightst heare yet do not heare Or if thou do seeme as thou diddest not It s better farre both deafe and dumbe t' appeare Then listening ouermuch it were thy lot To heare thy seruant or some other speake The thing that being heard thy hart would breake 24. For oftentimes also thine hart knoweth that thou likewise hast cursed others Thou mayst remember what thy selfe hast done In like case vnto others absent oft And what dislike therefore thou mightst haue wonne
I feare it be to soule a dangerous thing Shield me Lord vnder thy protecting wing Of mercy which may saue from Satans rage My heart and voyce shall still thy prayses sing If thou the malice of my foes asswage In Sychem shall my heart an alter reare The mightie God to loue to serue to feare SON LXXXVII THe talent which thou pleasedst Lord to giue To me thy seruant that I should bestow Whilst in thy seruice on the earth I liue My diligent increase thereof to show I haue abused Lord too long I know And feare thy comming to be nigh at hand I see for breach of dutie what I owe And of thy iudgments do in terror stand Thy grace hath left me in a forreine land Where vnexpert of vertue I do straie I shall be throwne to Satans thralfull band Voyd of thy heauenly ioy and blisse for aye Vnlesse thou helpe for thou doest vse to giue Grace vnto grace and faith from faithlesse driue SON LXXXVIII SInce that it pleaseth thee thy selfe to show A iust reuenger Lord of Heath'nish sin And bring the pride of bold Philistines low Who thee defame when holy Arke they win Now that to fetch it home I do begin And in the temple of my heart to place Grant so I may thy secrets see therein That plagues for my presumption do not chase It so from me as they that fled the face Of glorie thine which therein did appeare Let faith and loue draw home by trustie trace The constant cart whose carriage is so deare And let me order so this holie worke That dregs of sin not in my deeds may lurke SON LXXXIX IN famine great of grace and comfortlesse Thy seruant Lord doth in Samaria dwell For Lord fierce Aram doth with sin oppresse The citie where my soule to harbour fell I want the strength his armies to repell Of lust and of affections most vncleane My mind whose loue doth motherlike excell Her children thoughts of mendment sees so leane That forst by famine she can find no meane To feed them long her faith so poore is growne That natiue pitie now secluding cleane Her greedie nature doth deuour her owne Beleeue in time this siege Lord cause a feare Of thee this camp of cruell sin to reare SON XC ON sweet and sauorie bread of wholesome kinde Which in thy word thou offrest store to mee To feed vpon the flesh doth lothing finde And leaues to leane ô Lord alone on thee The leauen of the Pharisies will bee The surfet of my soule and death in fine Which coueting to tast forbidden tree To carnall rules and reasons doth incline So lauishly my lusts do tast the wine Which sowrest grapes of sin filles in my cup That lo my teeth now set on edge I pine Not able wholesome food to swallow vp Vnlesse thou mend my tast and hart doest frame To loue thy lawes and praise thy holy name SON XCI OVt of thy flocke ô Lord through my defect A silly sheepe my selfe behold am lost To seeke me forth in time do not neglect Since I so precious price to thee haue cost By many by-paths Lord my feete haue crost And cannot find the way vnto thy fold Through many stormes of deep despaire thus tost To craue thy aide at last I now am bold If thou of silly groat that count doest hold That thou doest search the house to find the same No doubt my soule to sin by nature sold May mercy find by calling on thy name The Saints in heauen conuertids gaine reioyce On earth thy praise is song in heart and voice SON XCII BEhold amidst worlds desert all alone Seduced by the frailtie of the sprite Accompany'd with fleshly comfort none My soule with sin compelled is to fight Where suddenly alas before my sight I Satan see me ready to assaile By two his seruants which are most of might Presumption and dispaire which seldome faile The best perfections of mans strength to quaile By pride or want of faith or couetise By lust or gluttony or fained vaile Of vertue which doth mamy sinnes disguise But chase him Lord away by written word Which is more sharpe then his two edged sword SON XCIII THe dreame which thou to Pharo didst reueale Thou in my selfe hast made me see in deed The state alas of mans weake common weale Whereas affections of all sorts do feed The frutefull soyle of grace some whiles did breed Full faire effects in truth of heauenly kinde But many barren thoughts alas succeed And threaten famine to a vertuous minde Store of such yeares as yet I feare behinde Which Lord will starue the comfort of my faith Vnlesse thy mercy and thy wisedome finde A store house to laie vp what scripture saith In hope of which thy goodnesse lo I liue Which of thy grace Lord do thou to me giue SON XCIIII THe seed which thou the husbandman hast sowde Within my soule ô Lord by Prophets hand Hath taken roote at last by deaw bestowd Form heauenly grace which fructifies my land But lo I saw the worlds deceipt to stand In readinesse to mingle tares therein Whilst sleeping me in vanities he fand He made my frutes to ouerflow with sin But ere thy haruest to approach begin Vouchsafe to weed these frailties so away That when thy corne is to be gathered in I may be cleane and in thy garner stay Burne Lord with chastisement my fleshly lust And clense my life by faith both pure and iust SON XCV WHat strength hath man wherin may he repose A power to stay him in a vertuous way To loue thy flocke thou Lord my soule hast chose Whom to obey my vowes and words did say But in my power alas there is no stay For light temptations made me cleane forget My dutie to my Lord and to denay Him who thus long I haue too lightly set But now my heart with teares my cheekes doth wet In sorrow of my so inconstant faith Repentance hath my sin before me set And conscience now my error duly way'th Grant that thy word crow thrise thrise to mee And warne me of my dutie vnto thee SON XCVI THe malice of this monster auncient foe Of man and of the Church which thou didst plant Euen Satan Herod-like about doth goe To make my frutes of faith to grow more scant Whilst yet with weaknesse feeble youth doth pant And wanteth grace to strengthen their estate The motions of the mind doth straight recant To see soules safetie which sin faine would hate The counsels of affections do debate And do conclude to murder vertues breed Lust pride and enuy open wide the gate To furious flesh that doth the wicked deed My soule their mother mourns ô Lord their end My future frutes of grace do thou defend SON XCVII SO foolish Lord haue my affections bin So carelesse of the blessing thou doest giue So prone my nature vnto euerie sin So thanklesse of thy grace by which I liue That violently thy loue away I driue
And sell the patrimony to ensue I carry water in an open siue And change for lentil pottage birth-right due Too late alas my folly I do rue Who worlds delight preferred haue so long Reiecting heauenly knowledge treasure true Vnto my soule imposing open wrong Yet not so late ô Lord I pardon craue But yet one blessing thou for me wilt haue SON XCVIII A Sinfull Syrian Lord my father was Exilde from Paradise by iust desart I wandred into Egipt there alas To finde in world some food to please my hart Where seruile bondage vnto sin and smart I suffered so long through Satans rage That heauenly aide I crau'd thence to depart Which only able was my griefe t' asswage From silly seruant and an abiect page Thou broughtst me forth to knowledge of thy truth The blessed land and showdst me on a stage A patterne how to guide my wandring youth Such frutes therfore as faithfull soile doth yeeld I offer here first crop of blessed field SON XCIX I See alas proud Satan hath too long Defrauded thee ô Lord of that is thine And loue of world hath drawne me vnto wrong Whose heart thy offrings to bestow repine My outward knees vnto thee do incline My tong doth promise present of my store I say these gracious gifts are none of mine But will them all thy Aulter laie before But vanities doth presse me euermore And want of faith to leaue some part behinde Although I see death readie at the dore My hollow heart and lewd deceipt to finde Grant that I may my soule my power my will Present ô Lord to serue thee onely still SON C. SInce thou by grace out of wilde Oliue stocke Hast pleasd me Lord within thy Church to plant And reckon me as of thy proper flocke Who else all pleasant frute by nature went Vouchsafe my thankfull frutes be not so scant As cause thee to reiect me backe againe Of former bountie Lord do not recant But let me in thy garden still remaine By mercy not by merit I attaine This blessing promised so long before Let not this gift of thine returne in vaine But let thy goodnesse multiply the more Make sweet the frutes which bitter are by kinde Increase thy grace in bodie and in minde CONCLVSION MOurne thou no more my soule thy plaint is heard The bill is canseld of the debt it owes The vaile is rent which thee before debard And Christ his righteousnesse on thee bestowes Thus comfort to the patient alwaies growes If they attend the time God hath assignde Our strength to beare our maker best he knowes And at a need is readie for to finde Our Sauiour is so mercifull and kinde Vnto our selues he will not leaue vs long He castes our faults through loue his back behinde And turnes our plaints into more pleasant song And when we are euen at the gates of hell His glorie mercie power doth most excell THE SECOND PART OF CHRISTIAN PASsions Containing a hundred Sonets of Comfort Ioy and thankesgiuing PREFACE SOme men do mourne for suddeine ioy they say And some likewise in midst of sorrow sing Such diuers frutes do passion often bring As reason cannot course of Nature stay And happie sure he is I not denay That both these motions hath from heart contrit When frailtie of his flesh appeares to sight And mercy calling him backe from decay Who can behold the flesh and spirit fight The doubtfull issue and danger of the thing The losse whereto our nature might vs fling And gaine which grace doth giue through Sauiors might And not delight To glorifie his name And yet lament his proper natiue shame SON I. AS through a mist or in a cloud a farre I see a glimse of heauenly grace to shine And to reuiue the fainting faith of mine And spirits which with darknesse shadowed are The fleshly fog of sin did iudgment barre Of proper vse of power of reason sound Which in first parents franckly did abound And better part of natures strength did marre But since my eyes of grace a sight haue found Of that eternall light which doth incline Fro out these fogs of feare I hope t' vntwine And force of fainting faith for to confound And on a ground More firme wil build my trust And that in Christ whose promises are iust SON II. CLeng'd are the cloudes and darknesse fled away And now in triumph doth my Sauiour ride Sin hell nor death dare not his sight abide The world nor Satan can his progresse stay This piercing light of truth shall so bewray Ech stratagem their practise doth deuise Against my soule that there shall not arise One cloud of care to darken this my day But that my thoughts like to the Pilate wise Shall looke about lest that my heart should slide And by this sunne my course so constant guide That all their slightes shall not my soule disguise Which now espies The malice they me owe Which lōg they clothd with shade of plesāt show SON III. WHen as my conscience layeth forth before My thoughts the sinnes which daily I commit I thinke my selfe an instrument vnfit To witnesse forth thy glory any more But when I see that sin was first the dore By which death entred and such hold did take That death did first our want apparant make And want first cause that man did ayd implore That praiers first thy mercies do awake That mercies do renue our dulled wit That ioyed heart should not vnthankfull sit And thanks to thee doth fleshly glory shake It straight doth slake The fear which bad me stay And bids me still proceed to praise and pray SON IIII. SInce to so holy vse I consecrate The silly talent Lord thou lentst to me That it a trumpe vnto thy praise might be And witnesse of their woe that thou doest hate Doe thou ô Lord forget the abiect state Of flesh and bloud base mettle of my frame And since that thou hast sanctified the same Vouchsafe thy grace my weaknesse may abate Thou that my former wandring will didst tame And me prepare in minde to honour thee Canst giue me gifts the which thereto agree How ere my proper power be weake and lame So shall thy name Be precious in my sight And in thy praise shall be my whole delight SON V. VVOuld God I were as readie to confesse And yeeld thee praise sweet Sauiour day by day As to craue my wants I am forward ay And feruently at need to thee to presse To beg of thee alone thou wilst no lesse Because thou onely able art to giue And with each needfull thing by which we liue Thou promisest our prayers thou wilt blesse But we with vse of them should not so stay And onely seeke to thee when need doth driue Whose blessings running through an open siue No praise for recompence vnto thee pay But when we pray We should thee laud also Our thankfull harts with bountie thine should go SON VI. I Haue begun ô Lord to run the
cause to blush full oft for shame To see how we neglect our neighbours need How slow to helpe where we might stand in steed How slight excuses we do vse to frame When yet our Sauiour seemeth to respect The silly Oxe which in the ditch doth lye Whose aide a stranger ought not to neglect If but by chance he saw it passing by But if our brother readie were to dye For very want necessities to feed We let him sterue and take of him no need Yea though he craue we sticke not to deny As though it vs suffisd to beare the name Of Christians yet in life deny the same SON XLVI NOt onely doth the Lord repute as good The deedes which he in vs himselfe hath wrought Yea though our wils gainst him in thē haue fought And he perforce by grace our powers withstood But if we euill do by stubborne will And seeke indeed no good at all thereby But euen our lewd affections to fulfill So that all grace in vs do seeme to dye Yet euen in them this good we shall espy If we his children be whom Christ hath bought That he permits vs not to fall for nought But that our frailtie and our wits we try And so more earnestly vnto him pray And find that pretious fruit a Christian may SON XLVII VVE had not need in idlenesse to spend The dayes both few and euill which we haue The reason powre strēgth helth which God vs gaue To some good end no doubt he did vs lend Full many businesses shall we find Enuironing our life on euery side Which if they were retayned still in mind In watch and trauell they should cause vs bide The worldly cares of all men well are tride The daunger of the soule I seeke to saue A world of lusts attend vs to the graue And Sathan lyes in waite to leade vs wide From heauen wherto true wisedome wils vs bend Thinke then if man haue need watch to the end SON XLVIII SInce it hath pleasd the Lord to send such store Of blessings to the bodie that it may In peace and plentie spend one ioyfull day Which many want and it long'd for before I not repin'd that it the same should vse But feard the frailty of the flesh alas Which made my soule for safest way to chuse With Iob in feare and care my time to pas For sacrifice my soule there offered was Thy holy spirit the Priest my will did slay His zeale inflam'd the thoughts which prostrate lay And quencht thy wrath with teares like fluent glas So that though Sathan readie was at dore Me to accuse and try I feare no more SON XLIX VVHat miracle so great hath euer bin So farre from reasons or from natures bounds What thing Gods glory and his prayse resounds More then his mercie in forgiuing sinne If things contrary to their natiue kind To ioyne accord producing strange effects Do admiration breed in euery mind What thing so much Gods glory then detects As this to see how daily he protects And blesseth vs in whom all vice abounds How he doth hide our faults which so him wounds Supplies the want which proper powre neglects Then since distrust his miracles keepe backe Let vs be sure that we true faith not lacke SON L. AS those whose skill with colours life-like draw The portraitures of men with shadowes rare Yet shapes deformed they ne will nor dare To shew to others as themselues them saw So when I make suruay by rule of truth Of all my actions and my soules estate I am asham'd to see the scapes of youth And feare to looke on that I lou'd of late And as I do my selfe euen for them hate So feare I others could no more me spare If I should shew my selfe naked and bare Who with these fowle affects held no debate Yet since they are but breaches of the law The Gospell will me shrowd from Sathans paw SON LI. AMong the many trauels of the iust The last which holy Iob alas sustaind I thinke his soule and bodie most it paind And like thereto vs likewise martyr must When we vpon vs feele Gods heauy curse For sinne from which no one of vs is free That comforters should seeke to make vs worse And friends like foes should our tormenters bee To hud-blind vs when most we need to see By colouring sinne which ought to be explaind Or amplifying errors which are faind To make our soules and bodies disagree All these he felt by friends he most should trust To hell by pride or by dispaire to thrust SON LII SLow is our God indeed and very slo To wrath and that the wicked dearly find His children sooner feele correction kind And so repent whilst sinfull forward go Slow though he be yet sure his iudgements are They are deferd they are not cleane forgot He tries our natures letting raines so farre Lose to our wils till we regard him not But when we furiously to hell do trot He stayes our steps and wils doth gently bind Whiles he the reprobates the more doth blind Till they through sinne do fall to Sathans lot By Gods correcting hand and patience so The one to sinne inclines the other fro SON LIII VVHen I consider of the holy band Of loue and mercie with the Iewes was made The heauenly and earthly blessings which did lade Their soules and bodies whilst in grace they stand When I examine cause of this their change And note in soule and bodie wofull fall How exiles comfortlesse the earth they range Depriu'd of knowledge glory hope and all When I as cause hereof to mind do call Their stubborne faithlesse and ingratefull trade With which the Prophets did them oft vpbrayd And causes were of wrath from heauen not small Me thinkes I see like iudgement neare at hand For trespasse like to punish this our land SON LIIII O That we could be rauished awhile Fro out these fleshly fogs and seas of sin Which grosse affections daily drench vs in And do the tast of perfect sense beguile That so whilst selfe-loue slept true loue might show That pride might so put on an humble mind That patience might in steed of rankor grow And naked truth from craft might freedome find That vertue had some harbor safe assignd And reason had his scope and did begin Of these fowle siends a victorie to win And them in bondage to the soule to bind Then should we see how farre they do exile Our perfect blisse whilst thus they vs defile SON LV. LIke master like the seruants proue say we We therefore are of like of Sathans traine His auncient lesson which did parents staine We learne as yet and lie as fast as he False are his rules himselfe an old deceiuer Vntrue he is vntruth he first did teach God being truth nought can so soone disseuer And no one sin to more offence doth reach Sathan himselfe can not Gods lawes appeach To be vniust nor say we iust remaine But by new
Thou sufferedst patiently thy parents rod Because thou knewst his hatred could not last Though he thee punisht doing thing forbod And wilt not thou much more yeeld vnto God Obedience who thy good doth still intend Whose fatherly protection doth defend Thee from his wrath when sinne had made thee od The father to thy soule he is in fine His wrath asswag'd his loue doth soone incline SON LXXVIII TRue is it sure and none will it denay That faith inableth man to be more fit For heauenly knowledge then a humane wit To which hid secrets God will not bewray But what is faith and how it may be knowne How best attaynd in that most men mistake In iudgement of the same would care be showne And of true faith from false this difference make If worldly strength and wisedome man forsake If he by humble prayers seeke for it If of Gods promises he doubt no whit In Christ but for his strength that rocke he take It builded is on ground which still shall stay From fleshly bondage free at latter day SON LXXIX VVHat high presumption is there growne of late In abiect shrubs of Sathans darnell seed That bramble-like sinne thus aspires indeed To top the Cedar that his pride doth hate I graunt the fault in suffering him so long In humble shape to creepe and clime so hie Sinne poyson-like with age becomes more strong And Crokadell-like doth slay with teares in eie But since therefore no other shift I spy I like and will my loftie top abate My prostate soule may so restraine the state Of his increasing powre whereby that I In building of Gods house may serue some steed And sinne confounded lie like lothsome weed SON LXXX VVHo sees in common view of humaine kind The exild captiue-state of sinfull man Sold vnto death which only ransome can Appease the wrath for fall of parents blind May if he be of faithfull number proue A greater comfort then he can expresse To see himselfe whose sinnes these plagues do moue Freed from th' eternall death whilst nerethelesse The wicked reprobate who not confesse Their fall nor feele the fauours Christians wan Headlong proceed in path first parents ran And to the double death themselues addresse But happier he ten thousand times shall find His weakest state then their great gifts of mind SON LXXXI VVho giues may take we ought not to repine Both wealth and ease yea life also by right God giueth all all things are in his might And he can send and will good end in fine Why should we then grudge any thing to beare That he doth send or nigardly bestow Our liues or goods since to that vse they were Giuen vs as nature teacheth vs to know The great increase of fruite the same doth show Which from one graine produced is in sight Which as thing cast away appeares to light Till he by blessing his doe make it grow Which should our hearts to faith in him incline And not distrusting seeke for farther signe SON LXXXII OVr blinded natures that cannot foresee Th' effect of nature or what may succeed Of actions ours this error forth doth breed That we th' euent by chance suppose to bee To vs they may in deed by hap befall As things beyond our skill or powre to stay But as Gods works chance can we not them call Or fortunes deed or hap as we vse say God doth foresee and guide each thing the way It shall proceede and he doth giue the speed That doth insue and present are indeed Things past and future as they stand or stray Him as true cause of all things wee agree To be and from all chance or fortune free SON LXXXIII IT is a thing we lightly do neglect And yet a thing me thinkes we most should feare As which within our conscience still doth beare A witnesse of our guilt and foule infect When we by fame do find our spotted name The greatest plague a man on earth may find The hardest witnesse of our worthy shame And sorest censurer of deed or mind Yet so selfe-loue doth iudgement often blind Or ignorance our natiue reason bleare That what is said or thought by whom or where We little care but let it passe as wind Though prouerbe truely say by fames affect Gods iudgement lightly doth a truth detect SON LXXXIIII IF common fame be lightly likely found And fame for ill be such vnhappinesse Then this me thinkes a man must needs confesse That ill report from persons good doth wound If by report much more if poore opprest If innocents if they to God complaine If vengeance they do call to haue redrest The griefes and agonies they do sustaine If God as so he hath hath witnest plaine That he will heare their cries whom men oppresse And will his care of them herein expresse That their complaints and cryes turne not in vaine What yron age is this that such a sound Of cryes against oppression doth abound SON LXXXV MY younger thoughts do wish me to withstand The graue aduise which grace with loue doth lend Their rash decrees to tyranny do bend These wish me wisely note the cause in hand The safe possession of a crowne in peace By abstinence a while and patience vsd Sinnes power to shew the others vrge ne cease To say that pleasures should not be refusd The worser part my soule had almost chusd And for the pleasures which an houre doth send And to eternall bondage after tend I bin by law and reason both accusd But since thy goodnesse Lord gaue blessed land Keepe in thy lawes my fleshly subiects band SON LXXXVI ALas how watchfull and how diligent We are to further euery fond desire How slow againe to thing God doth require And how against the haire good motions went Full many more solicitors we find To satisfie each trifle flesh doth craue Then to the things good conscience would vs bind And which as duties God in lawe vs gaue The wit will memorie we readie haue To blow the bellowes of affections fire The soule may drenched perish in the mire Of fleshly thoughts ere any seeke to saue Or spare one minute which is fondly spent To succour it though it to good were bent SON LXXXVII WE haue bene babes babes yet by nature we Vnskilfull ignorant of heauenly law And babe-like should be then in feare and awe To God by whom create and rulde we be Weake food best fits weake stomacks as is sayd And charitie would wish true weaknesse beare Like strength to all Gods wisedome hath denayd But by long sucking t' were fit we stronger weare Nothing to beare away though much we heare To speake of faith which forth no fruites can draw To feed with greedinesse the bodies maw And yet no spirituall strength to let appeare Is signe the soule is dead in thee or mee For liuing trees by kindly fruit we see SON LXXXVIII NOt euery action which to happie end A man doth bring is token as I find Of goodnesse
in the doer though our mind And common sense some reason so pretend The deed which meriteth for vertue prayse Must be premeditate in will before Indeuour'd lawfully and which bewrayes No priuate obiect or respect we bore And God himselfe things iudgeth euer more Not by effects as men of wisedome blind But by intentions faithfull honest kind Of such as doing them his aide implore He issue doth to actions different send As he to greater good euer ill will bend SON XCIX IF God should measure vs as we deserue For each offence requiting equally His iustice we with horror should espie From which excuse to shield vs could not serue But iustice his by holy bound restraind Of mercie which doth waighour weake estate A proper counterpoise for vs hath gaind Whilst iustis wrath Christs mercy doth abate His Sonne our Sauiour doth set ope a gate To safetie by the pardon he did bye With bloud most innocent lest we should die Guilty of sin which iustice needs must hate Thus we by faith cannot be sayd to swarue Our faults are his of merits his we carue SON XC IT is a custome that deserueth blame And ouer common with vs now adayes That euery man his fault on other layes And some excuse for euery euill frame And rather then we will the burden beare We lay on God whose prouidence rules all The cause of what our wicked natures were Producers of with wilfull bitter gall Thus from one sin to other we do fall And haires herein our nature vs bewrayes Of parent first who his offence denaies And rather God wife serpent guilty call Then to confesse his proper free will lame And by repentance praise Gods holy name SON XCI HOw can he be the author held of ill Who goodnesse is it selfe and onely true To whom alone perfection still is due And all the world with goodly workes doth fill It is not God it is our selues alas That doth produce these foule affects of sin Our sickly nature first infected was And lacking tast of truth delights therein Our deeds in vs how fowle so'ere they haue bin What good soeuer of them doth insue That part is Gods our corrupt nature drue The worser part and flesh death snares did spin And euen our deeds the which our soules do kill Are good to God and worke his glorie still SON XCII DOth any man desire his life to mend And that of sin he might a lothing finde Let him but on his actions looke behinde Forepast and see where to they most did bend Let him on others looke with equall view And note deformitie of lothfull sin Let reason not affections tell him true The brickle state himselfe to fore was in As doctrine that to penitence doth win And true repentance one of honest mind When he in other sees affects so blind As he in reason thinks could not haue bin Such as him selfe ashameth to defend And to be guiltlese off he would pretend SON XCIII I Haue desir'd and held as chiefe delight To lead my life where mirth did alwaies dwell From soule so sorrow thinking to repell In feast and sport so past I day and night But if as oft there did a dismall chance Befall whereby I found some cause of griefe I was amaz'd dispair'd and as in trance No comfort found or meanes to giue reliefe My former ioyes prouoked sorrow chiefe I loathd the thoughts before did please so well My meditations then of death befell And of worlds pleasures which were vaine chiefe Which made me chaÌ„ge my former humor quight For teares cares sorrows still to be in sight SON XCIIII SInce we are found if we our selues do know To be a barren ground and good for nought Vnlesse by husbandrie we will be brought To aptnesse for some good whereon to growe Since preachers are the husbandmen ordaind And preaching of the Prophets is the seed By whose indeuors onely frute is gaind Of holy life the which our faith doth feed Me thiâ—kes it should a greater aptnesse breed In tennants to this soule which Christ hath bought To haue it so manurde and daily wrought As it might grow to betterd state indeed And yeeld some crop of goodnesse which might show The thankfull hearts which we to God do owe. SON XCV WHen I behold the trauell and the payne Which wicked men in euill actions bide What hazards they assay to goe aside When with more ease they vertue might attaine How theeues and murtherers such boldnesse vse Such watchfull painefull meanes their wills to win As euen religious men do oft refuse To tast of like though they would faine begin I finde too true that we are sold to sin And that the bodie doth the spirit guide That reason yeelds to sense and sense doth hide Lust in his liking which doth forward slide From ill to worse and neuer doth refraine Sin which may sin nor paine which paine may gain SON XCI SInce nothing is more certaine then to dye Nor more vncertaine then the time and howre Which how to know is not in Phisickes powre Yet nature teacheth it to be but nie For that death stealeth on vs like a thiefe And nothing liuing is exempt therefro His malice to preuent is wisedome chiefe That vnprouided he not take vs so As that on sodaine he appeare a foe And vs compulsiuely he do deuowre That God by him in wrath doe seme to lowre And that to death not life we seeme to goe Soe let vs liue that death we dare defie Since heauens eternall life we gaine thereby SON XCVII GReat are the graces God in man doth show All tending chiefly to soules proper gaine That by some meanes at length he might attaine To higher thoughts from earthly base and low Yet since no benefits we do receaue Can so assure vs of his loue indeed That loue of world and earth they can bereaue And make our minds on heauenly ioy to feed Much lesse a new desire in vs can breed To win the heauens by losse of life so vaine This common way by death he made remaine Ineuitable to all humane seed By force those heauenly ioyes to make vs know Which after death in lasting life shall grow SON XCVIII MIght Elizeus wish allow'd be And prayer blest which Salomon did make And canst thou then thy trauell vndertake For worthier prize then they haue showne to thee Sure heauenly wisedome earthly wisedome teacheth Such wisedome findeth grace with God and man Who seeks these first God plenteously him reacheth All other earthly gifts he wisht or can That will I seeke that will I studie than No plenty shall my thirst therafter slake With Elizeus will I alwayes wake And watch the Prophets wayes and manner whan My Sauiour doth ascend that I may see His glory â—and he his grace redouble'in mee SON XCIX LOng do the wicked runne a lawlesse race Vncrost and vncontrolled in their will Their appetites at pleasure they do fill And thinke themselues to be in happie
wrath to bide SON CVIII Against defection VVHen I ô Lord vnto my mind do call The fearefull records of the Patriarkes best In whom great gifts of grace did seeme to rest And yet to foule and fearefull sinnes did fall I do deplore the frailty of vs all And feare defection euen in those are blest And since I am the least O Lord alas Of many that in word professe thy name And I some feeling tast haue of the same Which doth not forward to perfection pas It makes me see as in a looking glasse The feeble strength of this my present frame Which clogd with sin is lame And wold look back To hell from which I fly if grace should lack SON CIX Not to trust in flesh WHat trust may I ô Lord on flesh repose Whose mould is earth whose substance is but dust His thoughts vncleane his actions all vniust As is the stocke of parents whence it growes Whome fraud vntruth pride lust distrust inclose By which by nature rul'd wee are and must I know the feeble trust I may expect And safety which on such a frame is found Where weake foundation is the sand vnsound Which may â—â—t byde the brunt of stormie day When as temptations shall their powre display Or yet afflictions vs enuiron round Vpon a surer ground Faith must me build And Christ my sauiour so my soule may shield SON CX Praye for humilitie SInce thou ô Lord and Sauiour doest confesse Thy selfe a true Phiâ—ition vnto those Who with humilitie their griefes disclose And vnto thee for ayd by prayers presse Vouchsafe thou so my heart to thee addresse That on thy helpe alone my faith repose Vouchsafe my sight vnlose Make me to see The naked show of natures powre and shame Let me behold my workes weake lewd and lame And let my heart with sorrow pierced be And pressed downe procure such mone in me As may in fine repentance truely frame That humbly so thy name I may adore And faithfully in fine thy helpe implore SON CXI For Comfort in affliction LEaue me not Lord most humbly I thee craue In this distresse whereto my sinsme bring VVhich headlong vnto hell my soule would fling And make me thinke there were no powre could â—aue My wretched state from deaths eternall graue Which poysoned is by Satans deadly sting But teach thou me to sing O Lord thy praise Amids thy saints which see thy mercies still With ioy and comfort do my courage fill Once Lord my soule which yet in terror staies Make me to bend vnto thy will my waies And frame my powers vnto thy holy will The powre of Satan kill And so increase My soule with comfort of thy lasting peace SON CXII Iâ— prosperity not to forsake God THe more ô Lord I see before my face The daily blessings which thow doest bestow On me vnworthie wretch who well do know How farre affections vile in me haue place The more I see iust cause to call for grace Lest for abuse of them thou vengance sâ—ow For then most soone we grow For to forget The giuer when the giftes we once haue gaind Ingratitude our natures so hath staind Thy greatest blessing we most lightly set So far we are from paying praise for debt VVe do forget the nurse vs fed and wainde As Israell not refraind Thee most t' offend VVhen most thou them didst feed comfort send SON CXIII Mans Sorrow for sin I Must commend the thing the world doth hate And like the thing that flesh and bloud detest The cares and griefes by which I was opprest Which made me see and know my wretched state Wisdome is dearely bought but not too late Who tasts true frute of care knowes cumfort best Make me then Lord disgest each bitter pill Which for correction of my sin is sent Purge thou thereby my drosse make me repent Each lewd affect offensiue to thy will A new and better nature Lord in still Which to thy seruice alwaies may be bent With sorrow often rent My hardoned heart And let repentance purchase cure of smart SON CXIIII For true feare FEare is a frailtie knowne to humane kind Which witnesseth a guilt where it doth dwell Since Adams fall his ofspring knew it well And euery man in conscience doth it find It takes possession in atroubled mind And if grace want dispaire driues downe to hell Yet these thy praises tell O Lord they shall Who danted for their frailties do require Grace to resist their lustes and doe aspire For strength of true perfection for to call And haue a feare of sin though neare so small For loue of right as well as shunning ire Kindle their loue with fire Sprinkle it with feare That incense of obedient smoke it reare SON CXV Sorow for coldnesse of compassion I Feele ô Lord and sorrow for the same The slender feeling and compassion small The which I haue of neighbours case at all Which to assist their states my heart should frame Who with my lips professe a Christian name But stop my eares when they for help do call So easily we fall And do forgett The lesson which our Maister Christ vs gaue Who vs with mourners to lament would haue And on our brothers good chiefe care should set But selfe-loue and cold charitie doth let No frute of faith proceed though neighbour craue Yet thou didst freely saue Me wretch cleane lost Whose life the blud of thy deare Sonne hath cost SON CXVI For Patience WHen I ô Lord in troubles sore opprest My heauie state with carefull thoughts do way Which hope of happie issue doth denay Aâ—d frailtie of the flesh can scarse digest I onely find here in at length some rest When on thy mercy promised I stay And when from day to day I see with shame My new offences which do trespasse thee And note how long thy iudgements spared me Which iustly might burst forth in vengeance flame Ye when my Sauiours sufferings show the same Which ought a rule to his elect to be I craue that I might see Like fruites of grace So that impatience hold in me no place SON CXVII For continuance of Gods word THe greatest plague that I see cause to feare To such as I who haue so carelesse bin By reading and by preaching for to win True knowledg which our harts to thee might reare Is lest thy Prophets sound should so forbeare To preach thy word that we should dwell in sin And wallowing therein We should delight In ignorance the headlong path to hell And wickedly in carnall tents to dwell And so surcease with sinne or lust to fight Grant therfore Lord thy sword may alwaies smight My soule till sinne it from me cleane expell Let Prophets alwaies tell To vs thy will And keepe vs vnder thy obedience still SON CXVIII For grace to bring forth fruits ALthough ô Lord I do as truth confesse No powre in humane art that can thee please That all polluted are with first disease Of sinne originall
fine Where all thy treasures safely I may see And happie hee Bestows his loue so well Whose hope is payd with pleasures that excell SON XXXIX LOue then I will and loue thee Lord alone For fellowship in loue there may not bee Loue for thy loue ô Lord shall be thy â—ee For other recompence thou crauest none My vowes and deeds they shall be alwaies one All dedicated to adorne thy name My heart my soule my strength shall do the same Thy loue shall be my faiths true corner stone The loue of thee shall my affections frame To follow that may pleasing be to thee My eyes no beautie but in thee shall see And thy regard my wandring will shall tame Yea I will blame And scorne each other thing Saue what shall me vnto thy fauour bring SON XL. FAine would I praise thee Lord with such a zeale And feruencie as might my loue expresse Faine would my loue yeeld vnto thee no lesse Due praise then thou didst loue to me reueale But wanting power thereto I yet appeale To that thy goodnesse which thee first did moue In fragill flesh of mine the strength to proue Whose weaknes thou by heaueÌ„ly powre didst heale Mans wit in words comes short in this behoue To recompence nay onely to confesse The many waies thou doest our bodies blesse Much more our soules which freely thou didst loue Thy trustie doue Thy holy spright of grace Makes yet our weaknesse stand before thy face SON XLI O Perfect Sunne whereof this shadow is A slender light though it some beautie show On whom thy influence thou doest bestow Whose constant course still shines in endlesse blisse To scan thy glorie wit of man doth misse How far thy mercies beames abroad extend Tong cannot speake nor wit can comprehend And humane frailtie is bewrayd in this The fire ayre water earth they wholly bend The host of heauen and creatures belowe To pay their dutie vnto thee they owe Which didst their being and their vertue send And I intend With them in what I may To witnesse forth thy laud and praise for aye SON XLII WHat present should I bring of worthie prise To witnesse well the loue to thee I owe I nothing haue but what thou didst bestow Ne likest thou the toyes of mans deuise I would not spare my powre in any wise No treasure seemes to me for thee too deare The pleasures of the world the which are here Too base they are how ere wit them disguise To yeeld thee faith it doth the best appeare But mine is very weake alas I know To yeeld thee praise doth make a decent show But to thy merit neither doth come neare With garment cleare Yet clothd of righteous son My selfe to offer vnto thee I run SON XLIII WHo so beholds the works ô Lord of thine The stretched heaueÌ„s the seat where thou doest dwel The earth thy footstoole which dares not rebell Which all vnto thy will do still incline The Sunne and Moone by day and night which shine The changing flouds the firme and frutefull land The Planets which do firme for euer stand All which gainst thy behest dare not repine The host of Angels in thy heauenly band Th' infernall fiends with Lucifar which fell The fish the foule the beast agreeing well And all obedient to thy heauenly hand May vnderstand Thy glorie loue and powre Without whose help maÌ„ could not liue an howre SON XLIIII AS doth the Moone by daily change of hew By growing or decreasing beautie show The influence the greater lights bestow Whose absence or whose presence her renue So must all flesh confesse and thinke most true The faith or feare they haue for to proceed From heauenly grace which heaueÌ„ly gifts doth feed Without whose face blind darknesse doth insue Mans proper powre is so obâ—curde indeed With shades which rise froÌ„ earthly thoughts below That nothing but blinde ignorance would grow Vnlesse this sunne did shining comfort breed Which serues in steed Of fire vnto the same Fro whence this light of faith receiues his flame SON XLV IF Saba Queene a iourney tooke in hand From South to North wise Salomon to heare If humane wisedome was to her so deare That she did visit thus his holy land Then do I muse why men do idle stand In pride of youth when wit and meanes abound Their tender braines to feed with wisedome sound Far passing that this Queene for trauell found This error is the scarre of Adams wound Who sought his knowledge not in fountain cleare To whom forbidden skill did best appeare Neglecting graces him inclosing round But on the sound And written word I build Not Salomon such Oracles could yeeld SON XLVI HOw fond a thing it is which men do vse To beat their braines and so torment their hart In compassing the thing which breeds their smart And do not know what is the thing they chuse They childishly the name of loue abuse And would define the nature of the same By passions which belong to hatreds name Wherein to pine with pleasure they do chuse Who euer saw that figs on thorne-tree came Or thistels roses beare by any art With pain with grief with shame with losse impart Their passions which they for their loue do frame With iudgment lame Loue is a heauenly thing Where being plast it perfect loue doth bring SON XLVII LEt earthly things in earth their loue repose For flesh and bloud on faith they cannot feed It is a frute indeed of heauenly seed Which who disgesteth well life cannot lose The soule fro out of other matter growes And vnto other matter turnes againe Immortally to liue in ioy or paine As grace to sundry vses it hath chose Then is it time my thoughts at length to waine From laying vp my treasure for my need Where mothes and canker do so common breed As in the world whose wealth is meerely vaine If I attaine But faith layd vp in store In Christ my Sauious I desire no more SON XLVIII FYe fainting faith disswade me not so much From following of my louely heauenly choyce To thinke on whom I cannot but reioyce Whose name or memorie my heart doth touch What trauell ere befall I will not grutch Through fire and water I will him pursue Whose sight my fainting soule doth straight renue His loue and mercy both to me are such If I should dye for him it were but due By him I liue and follow will his voyce Regarding lightly fame or common noyse Which threaten paine and trauell to insue There are but few That passe the narrow way But crowne of honor doth their trauell pay SON XLIX I Find my heart is bent for to amend And follow thee forsaking wicked way From wickednesse my foâ—tsteps for to stay And to thy will my works henceforth to bend But yet the cause which makes me this intend I finde is rather feare then loue of right Yet free-will offrings do thee more delight And to such works thou doest thy
blessing send It is not ill to set before my sight Thy heauie plagues for sin from day to day But I had rather forth thy fauours lay And for their loue in quarrell thine to fight Which if I might By feruent zeale attaine Then should I hope the victorie to gaine SON L. NO sooner loue intirely me possest But see how iealousie doth me assaile She seekes with deepe distrust my faith to quaile And to remoue from conscience quiet guest She telleth me my Lord doth sin detest And that my deeds they too vnworthie are That from his fauour they will me debarre Whose loue is fixed only on the best Feare had begun to worke in me so farre That to amaze my minde it could not faile Till to my loue my state I did bewaile Who shining sweetly like the morning starre Did stay their iarre And bid my soule to rest In Christ by whom I surely shall be blest SON LI. HE is vnworthie to receiue a gift From any man that him mistrusts before I will not ought of thee Lord doubt therefore Although no reason can my hope vp lift I know in deed it is slye Satans drift To laie before me this my vile estate Which being sinfull thou of force must hate And I reiected be without all shift But when I with my selfe thy works debate Which haue examples of thy mercies store His reasons are of force with me no more Because that faith sets open wide the gate To me of late Which leades to treasure thine Where in thy sonne thou doest in mercy shine SON LII FAine would I follow thee through sea and land My louely Sauiour whom farre off I see Zeale makes my mind with speed to hast to thee But natiue weaknesse makes me doubtfull stand If to my ayde thou gau'st not forth thy hand And by thy word incourdgdst me to row I should so shun afflictions which do flow That feare should bend my faith like feeble wand But by thy offred grace now strong I grow And through the troubles of the world will be Bold to proceed and faith shall succour me To witnesse forth the thankfulnesse Iowe Thou doest bestow On me both power will And with them both I will thee honour still SON LIII AS do the starres amidst the firmament With borrowed light beare record vnto thee O Lord of might in which we men do see The image of thy power to them but lent So when our weake indeuors Lord are bent To publish forth thy praises which excell These silly sparkes of light which in vs dwell Do shew thy grace which vs this motion sent Although therefore no speech or tong can tell How infinite thy glorie ought to bee Which passeth humane sence by high degree As wisest men to grant they do compell Yet thou lik'st well We show herein our will Which I haue vowd vnto thy seruice still SON LIIII CAll me ô Lord for lo I do attend To follow thee where so thou doest direct I know thou wilt not my intent reiect Who gladly would proceed where so thou send I doubtfull stand which way my course to bend Because I finde such ignorance of skill To follow forth according to my will A frutefull course the which I did intend As thou with forward zeale my minde didst fill So shew me Lord whereto I am select And I shall carefully the same effect And feruently thereto go forward still Depend I will Vpon occasion fit That faithfully I may accomplish it SON LV. LIke silly babes such must thy seruants bee In innocencie and obedience still Vnto thy holy lawes ô Lord and will From wrath pride malice lust and enuy free With Serpents eyes of wisedome must they see And stop their eares which Sathan would deceaue With charmes of pleasure which a scar do leaue And onely lend obedient eare to thee Yet with simplicitie of doue receaue The yoke of law whose rule they must fulfill And suffer patiently the word to kill The force of sin which would soules health bereaue Such thou wilt heaue And hold in heauēly arme And with protecting hand defend from harme SON LVI WHo so could like to Steu'n behold and see The throne triumphant where our Sauior sits In Maiestie aloft as best him fits A Iudge and Sauiour to his Saints to be Coëquall with his father in degree Possessor of the place for vs prepard Who readie stands our weake works to reward And from the fury of the world to free He were but base if ought he did regard This transitorie honour which so flits Which to attaine so much doth tyre our wits And yet so niggardly to man is shard And afterward Doth leaue a sting behinde Of care of conscience and of griefe of minde SON LVII VVHo seeketh not with all his powre and might To eternize vnto himselfe his state That chance or time may not his blisse rebate Or death it selfe may not dissolue it quight Thus some therefore for honour fiercely fight And some for wealth do trauell far and nigh Some worldly wisedome with great studie buy To make them famous seeme in vaine worlds sight Which is the readiest way they do espye To keep their name from death which so they hate Yea all suppose posteritie the gate T'immortalize this flesh whose floure must dye But all go wry wealth honor wit haue end And children passe faith onely life doth lend SON LVIII VVHat wealth may be to this alone comparde To be co-heire with Christ of fathers loue To haue our earthly thoughts so raysd aboue That world and worldly things we not regard To see by faith a kingdome rich preparde For vs which shall eternally remaine Made free from worldly cares and troubles vaine Which is for children his a due reward Who can discouragde be with earthly paine Or tedious combats which the flesh doth proue Since care of vs our Partner Christ did moue To share our griefes his ioy for vs to gaine Which thoughts should waine Our wils frō base desire And vs incourage higher to aspire SON LIX IF Paradise were such a pleasant soyle Where all things flourisht first and prosper daye Wherein who liued neuer could decaye Till sin by Satans slight gaue man the foyle Which blessings afterward did cleane recoyle And left man naked in reproach and shame To dust to turne againe from whence he came On baren earth to liue with sweat and toyle Then is our state much better then that same Our Paradise a place of blisse to staye Our Sauiour Abrams bosome doth displaye Wherein our soules shall rest most free from blame Where he our name Hath writ in booke of life To be exempt from feare of care or strife SON LX. VVHat is felicitie whereof men wright Which to attaine our studies still are bent VVhich to procure such time paine is spent By endlesse trauell therein day and night Sure if it be nought else but firme delight And that delight consist in peace of minde Then here on earth