it will freely tell thee When death comes what it is that shal befall thee For though thy conscience now securely sleep ' Gainst th'day of death it will thee waking keep Then be not thou like to the Libertine Who guls himself with saying All is mine Come eat and drink and now let 's merry be When morrow comes then we shall surely die But yet when death doth to him come indeed Then this mans fear a deep despair doth breed And he to death as that King Ahab did Unto Elias thinking he was hid Hast found me out O fearful than O than Comes death most dreadful to the dying man But thou my soul thou know'st tâ—'assured way To make this death thy only happiest day If that thy porters be not lulâ—'d asleep Whilst they these outer gates of thine should keep And suffer thieves at them to enter in who 'll steal thy good and leave behind thy sin Then watch and pray and do thou waking keep And fast and pray and so prevent thou sleep And then let death come whenas God shal please Can do no hurt but do to thee great ease For then shalt thou from earthly labours rest And live with whom thou shalt be ever blest Live there my soul and then thou needst not care Come life come death to thee both equal are The fool would fain he might do that at last Which the wise-man thinks fit be done at first For that thinks time is ever in his will But this doth know that time is going still Seeing if man sleep this time it doth not rest But still keeps pace and flieth on full fast For though that all men are ordain'd to die Yet none know when or where 't is they must lie Man stands in need prepare for death and will not But death wil com to this man when he would not And such may well be likened to a beast Who 's feeding fat like this man at a feast Till th'slaughter-axe give him his fatal blow And then his stubborn heart begins to bow Yet struggles hard this death-stroke to resist But now too late he mourns out had I wist For all of life we very careful are But for this death we not at all prepare So many come this death-stroke to abide Before they do themselves for death provide And then are they to go to learn to die When death appeareth palpably in th' eye Then willingly doe thou perform that part Which needs thou must tho 't be against thy heart And thou my soul do thou in thy youth-dayes Remember death for so the Wise-man sayes Before that those thy ill dayes come along For then thou 'lt sing another sorrowful song When age and sickness both of them appear Thou hast no power good councel then to hear But heart and mind are both so hurried hence With age and sickness they are void of sense Is this a time then to prepare for death When 't is a burthen heavy to have breath When Doctor physick for thee doth prescribe And Lawyer he is going with his bribe And Parish-Parson for thy soul doth pray And friends neighbours round about thee stay And wife and children sadly weeping are Content of death to take from thee a share If so they might to ease thee of thy pain Which all the earth unable is to gain But thou art left unto thy self alone To make an answer for thy sins each one When powerful death hath entred on thy eyes And into all parts of the body pryes And stayes the organ of the nimble tongue Lest it might utter ought may tend to wrong And by chill cold doth fall upon the feet And takes from them their blood and nat'ral heat And so ascends to every other part And then at last it seizeth on the heart Who now with sobs and sighs somes out its breath Which by and by is staid by powerful death And at his entrance on this flesh and bone Gives Conscience leave to lord it all alone Who nere till now had audience of a word By help of death is made a puissant Lord And then that heart was stony-hard before Is now made soft lamenting more and more But nere till death had struck him with his dart Gave any way for Conscience play his part Who hath recorded all what heart hath done And lays them ope that it may see the sum And cast it up before the day of doom Which grant good God it may to me be Come Being hard at hand as plainly doth appear When heart and hands and feet are all in fear Who nere till now did ever think of death That he would come to fetch away its breath For who by flesh was highly monarchised By Conscience now is basely vassalised And so doth yield to what the conscience saith That till death came he had not any faith For health and wealth so pufft it up with pride Save only pleasure it minded nought beside And now intreats to have a little time With full resolve for to amend its crime But Conscience saith whom now it doth believe That death is sent it of its life bereave And so no hope of pardon to be got But like its life so death fals to its lot Which conscience tels it then it is dejected And doth confess it justly is rejected Without all hope of any pardon sending For that this life is now at point of ending Then this proud heart with terror conscience pricks And it to hell with horror down he kicks And tels him plainly that the poorest swain Whom in his pride with scorn he did disdain Being naked begging at this proud hearts dore In Abrahams bosom him shall sit before And in requital of this hard proud heart Was loth to yield to Lazarus any part Of his vast store wherewith he did abound Is now by Lazar trodden under ground And lets it see whom it did scorn before He would be glad he might beg at his dore But conscience tels him he is now debaâ—'d ' Cause pride in wealth did poverty not regard So this proud heart who poverty held in scorn Doth beg of death a while to be forborn But conscience tels him 't is not in deaths power For that he cannot spare him now one houre Because his time is limited by God Whom he nere knew so did not fear his rod Which now he feels by conscience information That he must hence into some other nation Where soul must suffer for the bodies sin And horrid life which it hath lived in Without so much as any care for th' soul But all for th' self although in substance moul Which then by conscience is in heart confessed And better life if time is now professed When time is past to it a period's put And ' gainst this soul the gates of heaven are shut So then in lieu of hope comes in despaire And tels it now it must for hell prepare Because it did not think of this in time So soul must
And Maker-like thou sinner might have stai'd If thou thy maker had'st in heart obey'd But willingly thou wretch didst lose that grace And so became a miserable sinful race Of runagates from ought that tends to good But that thy Saviour shed his precious blood To bring thee back to that happy state again If thou had'st grace being there in it remain Praise him praise him and for thy self do pray That thou in him may'st ever live and stay And on his passion daily ruminate To work in thee of horrid sin a hate And keep in heart for what cause he was sent To call poor sinners that they may repent For without that be sure thou hast no part Nor any portion in thy Saviours smart But thou thy self dost him still crucifie Whom thou oughtst rather even to glorifie Repent betime if thou hast any grace Or else in heaven expect to have no place For no unclean thing can ascend on hy Where Angels sit and sing continually The Praises due to that heavenly holy one Who made all creatures by his word alone And is desirous for to have them all To come to him and doth them often call Then go with speed thou wretch and do not stay For great 's the danger of one hours delay And if thou shalt thy Saviour now deny He 'll not be heard when thou dost to him cry Then thou beware of being drawn away By him that seeks thy ruine and decay And doth delude thee by some slie deceit Enticing thee with his sweet sinful baite To overthrow thy soul and body there Where nought appears but onely horrid fear Of ugly feinds whose mouthes like lions roare And with their teeth do rend and eke devour All such as come within their hellish reach Then learn by others thee thy self to teach Of sinful life and death to stand in fear Lest soul and body both these hell-hounds tear And torture them in that most fearful place Where all must live do not partake of grace Then fast and pray and fast and pray againe That thou with Christ in heaven maist aie remain And do repent thee of thy sinful crime And be thou sure thou do 't whiles thou hast time For time 's not tyed no not to th' best mans leasure Therefore this day do thou give ore thy pleasure And strive to please thy heavenly God and King And to him alwayes his due praises sing And give him thanks that he hath spared thee Till thou hast time thy sinful life to see And blame thy self for thy hard stony heart Since that thy God hath plaid a loving part In often calling and recalling thee To search thy heart and secret sins to see For though thy conscience hourly thee accuse Yet to repent thou sinner do'st refuse So that death's due for this thy great neglect But that thy God doth lovingly thee respect And though thy sins do justly death deserve Yet still thy life this good God doth preserve And stead of death he heapes on thee blessings By sparing thee and eke long-sufferings To try if thou'lt thy sinful life forsake And to this good God thee thy self betake Who poureth out his blessings on thee still To try if he by gifts may win thy will To follow him O do thou follow then And follow fast withouten all delay This thy good God and from him do not stay With all thy heart and that unfeignedly And free from that vile sin hypocrisie Lest sleeping conscience justly thee accuse That thou thy self do'st thee thy self abuse By seeming other then indeed thou art But God above seeth th' secrets of thy heart Though man believe thou art the very same Which thou dost seem as if free from all blame Or blot of sin but what to them appeares In outward show or to their fleshly ears Report doth bring but sinner be thou sure Thy Saviour cannot this vile sin endure Thus to be mock't with that the outward part Which differs far from the inward sinful heart For he desires to have thy heart alone Then give him that or else thou givest him none For soul and body are ordain'd to go At th' end together whether they will or no To th' great accompt and therefore do thou see Thou daily use to obey the Deitie And be not thou with this wicked world beguiled For then a sinner thou art sure be stiled But have a care that thou do daily use Of daily sins thy self for to accuse And keep a strict account of thy weak state And then by that thou wilt discern thy fate Which must be hell or else that heavenly bliss Fie flie from that and care to cleave to this Where be assur'd thy Saviour thou shalt see Who hath endur'd the torments due to thee To suffer death as Christ himself hath done For all of them that to him freely come Then freely go and that without delay To him that putteth no man off with nay But willingly with love embraceth all Who on the name of Jesus onely call Then call and call and do thou call againe That thou in him may'st evermore remaine And then fear not but thou shalt with him finde Eternal joyes yea far beyond thy minde For be assur'd no earthly creature can Express the real happiness of that man That cometh there and therefore do thou strive At that great happiness that thou mayest arrive Where Saints and Angels sing continually To him that lives and shall eternally O let both heart and tongue and all agree To sing his praise so lovingly dyed for thee Let all the earth the worthy praises sing Of Christ our Saviour our heavenly king And join themselves in prais w th one accord To sing the praises of the heavenly Lord On whom th' arch-angels daily do attend And shall for aye e'n world without all end And all of them do all times sing To God our Saviour our heavenly king O mount my soule and strive to apprehend These heavenly joys which never shal have end And set thy song to that glorious Angels Who joys enjoy beyond all harts desire quire Even that the presence of our Saviour sweet The very Essence of all joy compleat Sweet Jesus please my soul may there reside And in thy Passion faithfully confide And thereby draw from hence this terren part As onely guided by a fleshly heart Subjects it self unto the inferiour power Who doth not cease torment it ev'ry houre With sundry passions it cannot resist But willingly complyes to what he list For to command untill he so shall please My Saviour sweet to grant to me some ease Of this tentation wherewith wretched I Have still been govern'd from my infancy Then come sweet Jesu and that presently Or else Lord Jesu I shall surely dye In this my sin except good God thou wilt With thy dear blood wash of my sinful guilt And take from me this wicked Legion out Of my poor heart and cause be put to rout All the tentations
rest there can be The cause I fear thou hast at all no faith Since faith is such as our sweet Saviour saith T is able make the greatest mountain move Except thou canst procure it from above Sweet Jesus help this want of faith in me Is so apparent unto every eye As each observer may discover well That by my actions I intend for hell Since my faith is not like to Peters tho He saw his Master yet did not him know Nor when he seem'd in sea a little sink He well discern'd it and of help did think Nor when he durst not on the deep sea go Untill his Master did command him so Or when as he his Master did forswear Because his heart was troubled then with fear Nor when his Master he did disobay In sleeping then when his Master bid him pray For tho he did not know him at first sight He heard his voice and apprehended right And when in Sea he did a little sink He had hope rais'd him to the waters brink And when he durst not on the deep Sea go He had faith to think that he might well do so And tho his Master he did thrice deny He did it through the flesh infirmity And when for praying he did fall a sleep It was because his Saviour did him keep O wretched beast look in thy breast thou'lt see That thine to his is infidelitie Confesse a truth dost thou thy Saviour know I fear thy heart within thee will say no Perchance thou 'lt say thou could if should him see O shamelesse man then there 's no faith in thee Since thou didst see him nail'd upon the cross For to refine thee from thy sinfull drosse May be thou'lt say that thou did not him hear T is true indeed or else thou wouldst forbear To peirce his side with every severall sin Which like to darts thou freely throws at him O wretch O wretch hast thou a heart to think If thou like Peter in the Sea should sink That thou hadst faith to raise thee up again Thy conscience tels thee thou shalt there remain And deeper far then that the deepest Sea Where seeming faith wil stand for no good plea Then have a face and faith for to confesse Thy sins are such as well deserve no lesse And then there 's hope thou hast some faith in Be pleased good God vouchsafe this faith to me Speak conscience speak durst t' on deep Sea go I fear thy heart will tell thee truly no But thou wilt say thy Saviour did not call Then hast t'not seen him nail'd on crosse at all For if thou didst thou might both hear and see Him search his arms and loudly calling he Yea thee by name If thou wilt but confesse Thy sins are such as well deserve no lesse Say so my heart and thereof do repent And then thou 'lt see that Christ for thee was sent Now speak a truth hast thou not Christ forsworn Or canst thou say that he for thee was born I fear that truth will in thee justifie Thou dost thy Saviour every houre deny For tho he call and call and call again Yet doth thy heart even still in sin remain And tho sometimes thou dost behold his blood Thou canst not say it doth thee any good For thou at his loud cry forbears to come Sweet Jesus grant that word may be my doom Speak on thou cōscience hast thou Christ obeyd Thou 'lt say thou hast him oftentimes denayd And slept in sin when Christ was not the keeper Peter's was great but thy sin much the greater His Saviour then was praying hard for him And now for thee yet thou 'lt not leave thy sin Tho Peter's fault were much against his mind Yet thou to Satan art in heart so kind As thou wilt follow him tho that Christ say no Blessed Jesus free me from this word of Go. And now do thine with Peter's faith compare Thou 'lt say thy self that they much diffring are And so much differ will thy conscience say As white from blak or this word yea from nay For if thou couldst do th'least what Peter did Then might thou say faith in thy hart was hid But tho thou say that thou hast faith in thee Yet I fear none nor thou thy self dost't see For that Christ saith t is gift of God above And them that have it mountains can remove Which is well known thou art not able do Then cry for help of him who can do so For want of faith is cause of all thy sin Then break thy heart that faith may enter in For broken hearts are they will win the crown Then break thy heart beat presumtion down For this presumption causeth many a sin In hope of time for to repent them of in Beware of Satan such he often useth And with such shifts fond man he oft abuseth Then fly this fiend and fear to come him nye For he is subtill and in carriage sly And doth delight in ranging th' earth about Then hide thee from him lest he find thee out And do thou strive to mount thy self aloft And make thy prayers to thy Saviour oft That he will thee and thy poor soul safe keep Both when th' rt waking and when thou dost sleep For except he please vouchsafe to set the scout Thou art not able keep the enemie out Then please good God to me some angel send VVhom thou thinkst good to my safeguard commend He that did father Abrahams servant guide When he went forth a wife for to provide For 's master Isaack or did Lot preserve From Sodoms plague which it did so deserve Or he that open'd Peter th' iron gate When surely death was doom'd to be his fate Or one of them our Saviour said did keep These little ones as his beloved sheep Or whom thou please to my safeguard command For to preserve me out of Satans hand Sweet Jesus keep me keep me Lord this day From all tentation I thee humbly pray For Satans rage encreaseth every where Because the gen'rall Judgement draweth near Or else that honest angel Raphael Whose company holp that yong Tobias well But doubtlesse Tobies heart was firmly bent For to obey that strict commandement His father gave him long before his death which was that he while there was in him breath Should alwayes set the Lord before his eyes And that his will should ever sin despise And he shall aye observe the Lords commands And duly labour with his fleshly hands And true and just in all his doings prove For such are they whom God doth onely love Then to their actions he will surely send A prosperous and a good successefull end And have a care thou freely alms do give For so must they that do intend to live Enjoy where is their blessed Saviour For none come there that do not pity th' poor Seeing alms is esteemed a goodly gift Before th' most high to them that use to give 't From filthy whoredome do thou safely
my God beholdeth me Shall I fear more that brings a mortal shame Then that which doth bring me eternal blame Doth th' eye of man deter me from my sin And th' eye of God have no power me within Have I discern'd this weakness in my mind And cannot see 't is Sathan makes me blind Examine conscience see what it now saith For it well knows thou hast not any faith Not yet dost think that there is any good Although he beat thee with his heavy rod Yet thou perchance wilt say thou dost believe But that even then the serpent did bereave The thought of heaven out of thy faint weak heart And would not suffer conscience play his part Who knoweth well that though thy tongue say so Thy stony heart within thee will say no For it doth use and love with God dissemble Or els no doubt w th fear 't would shake tremble Seeing neither hope of heaven nor fear of hell Can win this heart as conscience can thee tell O hypocrite leave off with God dissembling And pray him please to smite this heart with trembling This stony heart who thinks God doth not see Because even then he 's not in heart with thee But when thou comes unto thy God again And he so please with thee a while remain Thy tongue will then confess thou hast offended And for thy sin most justly reprehended But conscience knows thy heart is broken nought But still the same and aye doth yield to ought The Serpent offers to the fickle mind Rejecting Christ thy God and Saviour kind So as thy tongue may seem to praise his name Yet is thy heart even still the very same Involv'd in sin and therein takes delight Although thy conscience tell thee 't is not right And then perchance thou wilt presume that he Although thou sin yet still will pardon thee And so thou spends this time of grace in sin As if for sinning death had never been But think not so but think thy Saviour stands Before thy face two tables in his hands Wherein are writ our duty there commanded And its observance now by him demanded Canst thou reply thou sin'd in hope of grace Fie sin not so let such hope have no place Within thy heart but then think death is come With thy desert O fearful fatal doom Consider wretch and think what this may be Thou 'lt find it prove a fatal doom to thee When neither hils nor mountains can thee hide But still before that just Judge thou must bide Till thou do hear this sentence there pronounced That for thy sin thou art of God renounced Canst thou now sin and then not think of this Thou must be cast from out eternal bliss Where 's then that hope wherein thou hast presumed When death is come and all thy dayes consumed And then no hope of any longer stay But doom'd by death to Satan for a pray Canst thou now sin and not lay this to heart O lay 't betime lest soul and body part O sinful soul take notice of thy sin Lest death do come before thou dost begin O now begin and that without delay Lest death arrest thee'fore to morrow day When soul must suffer for the bodies sin And careless life which it hath lived in Without so much as any one dayes accompt To what a height thy sins that day will mount Begin this day and so go on to th' end And by that course thou 'lt see how life doth mend Neglect not this but use it constantly Lest thou be taken unprovided dy Be watchful then and alwayes be provided ' Gainst soul and body come to be divided Provide for this can no way be eschewed And let this course by all meanes be ensewed And so in time there may be hope of gaine Or else expect in heaven to have no place Strive for that place and strive and strive again For without Christ thy labour 's all in vaine And fast and pray upon thy bended knees To him who thee and all thy actions sees And ne'r forget thou canst not void his sight Who doth discerne thy heart in darkest night And now my soul do thou observe with care What over-weenings in thy judgement are If thou didst know it be an others fact Couldst thou approve on 't for a lawful act Wouldst thou allow that in thy onely son Which thou thy self hast now but newly done Art not ashamed that thou shouldst do a thing Which were not lawful though done by a King Can'st thou espie thy brothers mote unknown Yet canst not see the beam is in thy own VVilt thou be mindful of anothers ill Yet careless how thou bringst thy self to hell VVere eyes given thee to look into another And thy own sins in thy own brest to smother Can'st thou have feeling of thy friends offence And canst not see thy self is void of sense Can'st thou see faults within thy brother shine Yet canst not think that he againe seeth thine VVilt thou allow thy senses alwayes rome And ne'er attend to ought that 's done at home VVere senses sent to shew thy brothers faile VVithout respect what tends to thine availe A wise man may make use of others ill And by their faults observe his own to kill VVilt thou it be foul if 't be anothers fact And yet be faire if it be but thy own act Is there such difference in a brothers blood VVhat 's ill in th' one is in the other good If any such it is of their own making And not of judgement but of meer mistaking Art thou resolved to dye as thou dost live And canst expect that God will thee forgive But though thy sins be to this world unknown Assure thy self that hell will have its own And though thy Saviour still do suffer thee In thy own sins which he makes known to thee By his holy Spirit who daily doth attend Upon thy heart to see if thou wilt mend Yet do not think he 'll do as he hath done In often calling that thou'lt to him come But rather think that he hath given thee over Unto thy self without hope to recover So as thou'lt see that thy sad and weak estate As Judas-like become be reprobate O woe 's my heart neer ' yet could harbour wo Though often threatned with this word of Go Thou cursed cursed into th' hell of fire Where thou must burn without hope to retire O cry O cry cry to thy Saviour sweet And never cease till he shall please to meet Thy humble heart and grant it some remorse Which daily's grown each day be worse worse Sweet Jesus come good Lord I humbly pray And drive that Satan far from me away For he hath drawn me from my God and King Who 's worthy praise I am ever bound to sing Sweet Jesus hear me hear me Lord I pray And hear me so as I may ever stay And never more so fall as I have done But aye expect this blessed word of Come But I
more Me overcome as he hath done before This my weak heart who 's faint hath no power Within it self no not for one half hour It self to keep except it so shall please My Saviour sweet this great tentation cease For thou O Lord and only thou alone Must either help or other I have none And therefore now I humbly to thee pray Thou wilt vouchsafe with me good Lord to stay And safe me keep from all tentation Of that most subtle wicked Legion Who winds himself into my very heart And will not thence by me be drawn depart Except thou please good Lord to cast him out And let him range this terrene world about And nere attempt to set on me again But cause me still good God in thee remain That I O Lord may ever in thee live And heart and mind unto thee freely give That with good conscience I may safely say Thou'â—t in my heart and there dost live and stay ' Cause in my thoughts I doe it surely find That thou art firmly seated in my mind And will not suffer idle worldly toyes For to deprive me of those heavenly joyes But that in them I may put my delight And banish all whatsoere that are not right So as no pleasure shall be able move My heart from thee my Saviour God above But that in thee I may repose my rest In whom alone I shall be only blest So I from thee do not again now fall But on the name of my sweet Saviour call When Satan doth my weak faint heart delude And on my weakness doth himself intrude Whereby he seeks to draw me still away From thee my Saviour and my only stay By some deceitful bait which he hath set To overtake me in that woful net Wherein are taken every one of those Who in that Fiend do any trust repose For who him trust them surely he deceives And of all goodness he them quite bereaves Then trust him not for if that so thou dost Assure thy self thy soul is utterly lost For there was never any gain'd by him Who doth endeavour invite all to sin Whatsoere he seems in show for to pretend Be sure to find a horrid death in th' end For all his projects are but crafty wiles Whereby poor sinners he of good beguiles And doth not suffer them to see their sin Till they be taken in his hellish gin And if by chance poor man it hap to spy Then he will have some other readily Whereby he may entrap this silly man Who of himself no good at all he can So as he is not able senses use But their right end he utterly doth abuse And here my soul do thou observe with care How by good use all parts assistant are With help to bring thee to that happy place Where all shall live who are endow'd with grace And in their journey care to keep the path Which leads to life or else they gain the wrath Of that great God whose wondrous works are such As in this pilgrimage our journey may help much If we but mark and to the Spirit give ear When God himself doth in each part appear And every minute doth some warning give Which may direct us how on earth to live So as with care we attend unto his call Who takes no pleasure in the sinners fall Although in them he will be glorified Because his name we have not magnified Have I receiv'd my senses all in vain So as their use affords to me no gain But loss of life and my sweet Saviour Who doth not cease to call me every hour O now O now begin to look at home And see thy senses how they all do come Without respect of him who hath them sent Or th' end for which they were unto thee lent And do not quench the Spirit of God in thee Lest thou be blind when dost desire to see O then use eyes and use them to that end For which Jehovah did them to thee send For wheresoere thou turn'st this eye of thine The work of God most plain in it doth shine If to the heavens thou seest his glory there Who for thy sins was pleas'd on earth appear If to the earth each herb a wonder is And by that wonder help thy soul to bliss Look in thy heart and there thou mayst behold How Satan's black although he shine like gold Then see thy soul the chiefest of thy rest How it desires to be whereâ—t may be blest O further that desire with every sense Who shall for it receive good recompence Observe how God bestowed on thee a Taste And in that part of th'body it hath plac'd So as there 's nothing into th'corps can go But it gives warning whether 't be so or no. Then use this taste unto its own right end Thou 'lt see that God did it unto thee send Not for to taste that Evahs bitter apple Lest thou want strength with Satan for to grapple But 't was to taste the things for th'body food Lest ought may enter there which is not good O then do thou of good have only care And all things ill of them be thou aware Lest that thy soul may lose its spiritual health Which is more worth then all thy worldly wealth O be thou curious of thy bodies taste Lest pleasing sins may make thy soul to waste Liâ—e as the body with it's poison'd pils Tho gold without within they 're stuff'd with ils Another Sentinel hath Jehovah sent Lest thou should smel somthing thou might repent Thou 'lt stop thy nose when 't feels a scent is ill Then stay each member and restrain thy will Which are delighted with each pleasing smell But have a care such scent not towards hell All finest flowers have not the sweetest smell Scent thou then such as to thy soul scents well Let that scent only please thy inward mind Although thy corps esteem it most unkind For soul and bodies scent have several sense This loveth sin but that loves penitence O then prefer that which thy soul doth scent Lest that in th' end thy corps have cause repent Use that restriction with this Sentinel That it scent nothing but that doth scent well Unto thy soul let it thy scent approve Who hates all ill and what is good doth love Another sense hath this great God thee sent To feel thy sins and of them to repent Thou well canst feel a small stroke of thy skin Yet wilt not feel the Spirit how quench'd within Canst thou feel hurts if in thy bodies members But thy souls hurt thou l't not be drawn remember Consider well how God hath plac'd this sense In th' outward part of th' inward for defence Thou wilt prevent the falling of a tree But th'greatest sin thou thinkst cannot hurt thee Canst thou be careful of thy bodies food And have no feeling of thy soul its good Canst thou feel prickles in thy tender skin And cannot feel thy soul is prickt within Dost thou not
thy decay O wo's my heart will not observe that end For which thy God did time unto thee lend Thou art careful know by th' clock what 's time of day Yet careless how thou setst this time away O wo's my heart thinks time well spent in toyes And cannot relish ought tends heavenly joyes O wo's my heart will spend thy time in play Which conscience knows thou'lt rue another day O wo's my heart is ever apt to ill Though soul and body both of them it kill O wo's my heart that conscience can me tell How I ' gainst conscience often did rebel O wo's my heart shall conscience me accuse My conscience knoweth my Saviour I refuse Must my own conscience make my sins accompt It knoweth that they do many millions mount O wretched heart thy conscience can now say That thou thy conscience never wouldst obey O wretched heart conscience blames thee for all Thou wouldst not hear though God himself did cal O wretched heart thy conscience doth now show How all thy life thou didst to Baal bow O wretched heart that is bewitched so With that which brings both soul and body wo. O wretched heart so taken with that 's ill As to that 's good thou 'lt not restraine thy will O wretched heart thus to be drawn away With that which onely tends to thy decay O wretched heart that hast been hardned so As 't never stood in fear of this word Go. O wretched heart 't is thee and thee alone Who beareth blame for senses every each one For they say plainly they were bound to obey To what the heart said they did ne'er say nay Thy ey seeth nothing but what th' heart approves Yet oftner ill then any good it loves The hands feel nothing but what th' heart commands And sometimes that which th' law of God withstands The ears are deaf unless the heart give way But to that 's ill they seldome do say nay The palat's pleased with nought if th' heart say no Yet oftentimes with that brings th' body wo. The nose is stopt except the heart comply But what doth please it seldome doth deny The will mongst these doth seem to carry a stroke Yet heart at pleasure can the will revoke All other members of the corps give way Unto the heart and it they all obey So as the heart guides all by its own will And is the root of all the bodies ill O wretched wretched wretched heart to see That all what 's ill proceeds alone from thee Which conscience knows and will at large relate What thy sins are and what shall be thy fate And then thou 'lt see that Apple Adam eat Did prove to him and his a poisoned meat For thy desires are for the most part such As do partake of Adams sin in much And are indeed even so insatiate As reason is not able moderate Say 't were in thee for to obtaine thy will 'T is to be thought 't would have less good then ill If thou mightst do whatsoere thou dost desire Canst think 't would free thee from th' infernal fire Hast thou not been even often overtaken Desiring things though Christ thereby forsaken Have thy desires at best been ever such As they were free from wicked sinful touch Let conscience say what thy desires have been 'T is but too true they 'll be condemn'd for sin Thou cursed heart wilt ne're be able see how subtle Satan hath deluded thee Shall th' Serpent dwell within thy hollow heart And wilt thou ne're admit him to depart Thou canst not chuse but know that he is there And yet thou wilt not will him to forbear It seemes thou dost approve on 's company well Although thou know'st it doth conduce to hell Or else would'st thou refuse to harbour him Who doth indeavour invite all to sin O wicked heart wilt ne're amend thy course But still continue each day worse and worse Lay but thy hand upon thy hollow heart And feel if heaven or hell have better part But it doth use and love for to dissemble And hazard all before 't will turn or tremble And yet confess it follows needful things But hear thy Saviour who is king of Kings And he will tell thy double fleshly heart That Mary she hath chose the better part Then take this better and forsake that worse Lest thou incur that fearful doleful curse Of Go thou cursed Go receive thy hire A just reward even hell eternal fire O turn O turn O turn thou wicked heart Or ne're expect in Christ have any part Now hear thy Saviour hear him he doth call Thou 'lt be but so as Agrippa said to Paul Thou hast almost turn'd me O do thou turn Except thou mean in hell for ever burn Though 't be but little yet it may in time By helpe of Christ wash off thy sinful crime Pray for his help laid down his life for thee For he desires that thou maist live not dye Sweet Jesus further my desire of turning That it may free me from this fearful burning Examine th' conscience it will not dissemble But tell the truth if thy hard heart do tremble Be often rubbing it to keep 't from sleep At death be sure it will thee waking keep Guide all thy actions by thy conscience square And it will help thy way to heaven prepare O sweep thy house and let thy Saviour come 'T is he alone must free thee from that doome Of Go thou cursed into fiery hell And there do thou with Satan ever dwell In that dark fire which Dives knoweth is hot Although nor soul nor body there do rot But still continue fuel without wasting And so shall be without end everlasting O horrid horrid wilt thou not return But still resolve in that black fire to burn Will nothing fear thee from this future wo As if thy heart did love this word of Go Art yet the same which thou hast ever been Will nothing fright thee from beloved sin Canst thou conceive 't will equalize thy paine From whence be sure shalt n'ere return againe Bewaile thy case and now observe cock-crow And call to minde how Peter he did so When he heard cock he went out streight to weep I hear him crow yet keep my bed and sleep When he heard cock he went out at first crow I hear him often yet will not do so Peters denials they were onely three But mine if counted more then millions be He saw his sin and then he did refraine it I see my sin but yet I still retain it He lov'd his Master and did follow him nigh But I lov'd sin and from my Saviour flie He heard the cock and then he saw his sin But though I see it I still retain 't within Peter was sent that he to me might preach Yet have his words no power my heart to reach His words and life are both I see even such I know they are but not respect them much He heard the cock and then
do seem to serve their God in show Their works set forth that God they do not know So now full time to turn our joyful singing Into a tune of sorrow sadly weeping O weep O weep let all this Isle now weep VVhen few or none are set the Lord to seek Though a world of people daily do encrease Yet Gods true service daily doth decrease VVhen many sins are smooth'd with seeming show Of godly actions all the world doth know For now dissembling most of men do use Whereby Gods honour they do much abuse So many think that they are free from sin When God doth know they are filthy foul within And such do show Christ came not them to call Seeing he was sent solely for sinners all O blessed Lord I do confess my sin Ope thou the gate that I may enter in For through thee onely and through thee alone I must have entrance or I must have none Now help Lord help good Lord help me with speed VVithout thy help sweet Saviour I am dead For with the world good God I am gone astray From thee my help my comfort and my stay Since conscience saith that heaven hath justly left me Also it may that hell hath justly gain'd me And so conclude there 's no injustice done Though God refuse accept me for his son How do I use to make a formal lye Not thinking how did Ananias dye And yet 't is held to be a slight offence Although for such Sapphira carried hence But now we are come to such a woful time As lying's thought of some to be no crime Because t is guilded with another name And yet in substance 't is the very same VVe call 't dissembling when we lying use And yet dissembling doth the truth abuse So th' nature is not altered with the name For this and that are both the very same And now 't is grown to such a common sin As if for lying death had never been Seeing he that knows not how a lye to give He knows not how in this vile world to live So as it seemes who wants the art of lying He wants the art in this vile world of living But though this art may help a livelihood here Assure thy self it will not help thee there Where nought but truth can come to ' th' Saviours ear 'Fore whom no shadows substance will appear He seeth the secrets of each hollow heart And will not swerye from truth in any part Then love this truth and loath this art of lying Least thou repent it when thou art a dying For then thou 'lt see no difference will appear When either of these come to thy Saviours ear Presume not then 't is lawful to dissemble Lest flesh blood too late will shake tremble For though thy Saviour prove to thee so kinde As let thee live to see if thou wilt minde To amend the fault so long by thee been used Though conscience tell thee God's therein abused Conceive thy heart is hardned in its sin And will not hear thy conscience speak within Who tells thee plainly that thou hast offended And oftentimes for it been reprehended Yet thou dost still run on in thy old course And in thy sin grow each day worse and worse But lay to heart how Ananias dyed And how thy self ere long must come be tryed Before a Judge admits of no dissembling But best of men will fall with fear and trembling Retain this fear and from it ne'er depart For this in time may mollifie thy heart Or if it do not think then 't is hardned so As 't may expect this fatall word of Go VVithout so much as any warning given But for thy sin thou art depriv'd of heaven For be assur'd when Ananias dyed He had no time to think he might be tryed But struck to death before he answer made For this just Judge will not be disobayed And though his mercy greatly doth abound Yet Ananias he was struck to ground When he had parted with a fair estate Intending it to help the poor mans fate So as it seems to th' poor his charity 's such In our esteem as might have helpt him much Yet here observe that man can do no good How great soere though 't be his livlihood Which may withstand the justice of this God If he resolve to beat us with his rod For when thou hast done all the good thou can Thou maist conclude thy self a sinful man Then help Lord help good Lord help me with speed Without thy help sweet Saviour I am dead For nought in me but hearty penitence Can gaine me pardon for my great offence Sweet Jesus teach my heart to fear and tremble And ne'er forget Sapphira did dissemble And for that sin did suffer suddaine death Let me retaine this thought whiles I have breath And teach me Lord for all my sins to weep And from tentation good Lord do me keep For my weak minde forgetful is of good But what is ill of me is ne'er withstood For it O Lord I freely do embrace So as I see in me 't is want of grace Supply this want in me good Lord I pray That in thy service I may every stay But sin is so ingrafted in my heart As it is loth from least of sin depart But rather smooth it with some seeming shew Although 't be sin apparently we know So as it seemes we are apt to foster ill But what is good nor with good heart nor will Sweet Jesus help this frailty is in me And heal me Lord of this infirmitie For my weak flesh to ill saith seldome No Sweet Jesus free me from this word of Go And grant me strength for to restraine my will That henceforth I be ne'er o'recome with ill But aye be lifting up my heart to thee And to thy name sing praise continually And with my tears wash off the guilt of sin Which my hard heart hath hereto lived in And henceforth weep in heart without dissembling To work salvation with my fear and trembling And teach my eys good God that they may weep And my weak flesh from sin it self to keep O weep O weep let all this Isle now weep If it expect from God's just judgement keep Let Britain weep whose brackish sea doth round it Lest God in justice in that sea do drown it Take notice now of his most heavy hand In justice stretched o're this woful land O weep O weep begin to weep in time Lest seas of tears will not wash off thy crime O weep O weep that all the world may see How God in mercy hath deliver'd thee O weep O weep to wash away thy guilt Hangs o're this Isle for blood is therein spilt VVhich like to rivers on the land do run Lord stay it now for Jesus sake thy Son That we may all with joyful noise accord To sing the praises of the heavenly Lord For that his mercy great on us now shown When our desert is to the
sometimes with too much cost Provided what was pleasing to thee most For to content thy dainty appetite I do much fear herein thou didst not right Hast thou forborn at all to drink thy fill Or didst not thou even drink so long until Thy stomack did desire to have no more If pleasing wine there were but any store Especially when the drink did prove be such Wherein thy pallat was but pleased much Nay hast not thou thereby been sometimes made So very drunk that thou would'st not be said Then was 't not sin in taking of this drink Yes sure there was and so I know dost think Hast thou forborne sometimes to eat thy meat Whenas thy stomack did desire to eat And hadst it ready then within thy power Didst thou forbear to eat for fourty hour And if thou didst then say now for what end Didst thou so fast was it from heart to send Thy prayers up unto thy God on high Who for his service onely did make thee And was it thus thy fleshly lust to tame Which needs would force thy body be to blame The tempter he did move thy Saviour much Yet Satans self thy Saviour could not touch For he would not believe the Serpents wiles Since it is trust which most of men beguiles Then fast and pray and do thou put thy trust In God alone for he is onely just And fear this feind and him forsake and flie And trust him not for he is too too slye But have an aiming alwayes at thy end And in thy way expect to meet this feind For he at all times well prepared is For to advise thee do what is amiss And therein he doth take his most delight And will perswade thee that thou art in right Hast thou been us'd to lye upon the ground I fear there will but a very few such be found Nay hast not thou delighted often lye On th' softest bed thou couldest well come by And say hast thou forborn thy bed at all That on thy Saviour thou for grace mightst call Nay hast not rather much more loved sleep Then that thou shouldst from rest thy body keep Nay hast not thou committed horrid sin And without pardon on thy bed down lyen Nay hast not thou even often faln asleep Without entreating God would please thee keep Nay hast thou thought how thou thy life hast led That day before thou wentst unto thy bed Didst thou cast up that day its sin's accompt Or to such custome art thou daily wont Didst thou give thanks to God for blessings sent Of sins committed didst thou thee repent Nay rather didst not thou omit them both Because leave sleeping thou wast very loath Nay hast not thou sometimes thy sleep forsaken To commit sin whenas thou wast awaken Nay hast not thou forsaken thy sweet sleep That thou thy self in pleasing sin mightst keep Nay hast not thou spent many a life-long night To follow that which was thou know'st not right Nay hast not thou delighted more in night Yea often better then thou didst in light Examine truly th' cause of this thy love If so it were to serve thy God above Or rather was 't not to avoid his sight Who thou didst dream unable see in night O wretched beast canst thou conceive it so Then be assured that God thou dost not know But 't cannot be that thou art of that minde But that the devil hath made all of thee blinde For fear thou shouldst thy sensual sin now see Which thine own conscience knows a shame to be For never man on earth so brutish born But brutish sin if in his sight did scorn And therefore such as work of darkness nam'd Because if seen that man would be asham'd O shameless man that 's blinde and cannot see How subtle Satan hath deluded thee To act a sin in darkness of the night As though thou wert then out Jehovah's sight Yet though thy sin were such and ended were Thy conscience tells thee that thy God 's not there Yet saw thy sin and also punish't will Except thou dost repent thee of that ill O then for shame repent thee of that fact Wherewith thou blusht to have been seen in th' act For though that mortals have no power to see Without the light comes from the Deitie Yet God himself who Maker was of light Did likewise make for th' good of man the night But not to hide our sin it was he made it Although the Devil by cunning so abuse it For he delights himself in darkness much And so do all of them are sinners such Whereby their conscience doth them plainly tell They darkness love and therefore shall have hell O horrid horrid fearful horrid minde Which canst not see that thou art even stone-blinde But thou wilt say that thou didst so much know But that even then thou didst forget it though O wretch O wretch that canst so soon forget That thou hast any soul within thee yet And that thy Saviour suffer'd death for thee If thou dost fear and from this Satan flie But thou dost yield to follow this feind still And love him dearly with good heart and will Yet thinkst that God himself cannot thee see Because he 's secret in thy heart with thee Which keepeth close within thy brazen brest Where none can come but them whom thou lik'st best Yet outwardly it plainly doth appear Whom inwardly thou lov'st and harbourst there For the very secrets of thy heart are shown By the outward actions which are too wel known For to proceed thy conscience can thee tell Not from above but even from lowest hell For 'twixt these two thou canst not finde a mean But thou must either go to hell or heaven Then blame thy self if that thou dost amiss To make thy choice of that and forsake this Hath ever man been born so blinde as he Which can and may and yet oft will not see For such are all of them are so behaved Whose sin to Satan hath their bodies slaved For they are well said slaves to death and sin Who faithful servants to the Devil have been O horrid horrid what more horrid still To think of this which is the end of ill Can it be possible mans Reason should forget 'Fore all his actions th' end thereof to set But if a man be able see yet 's blinde No marvaile then if he forget in 's minde For that proceeds out of his wilfulness But this out of defect forgetfulness And both these weapons doth the Serpent use And many more besides this man to abuse And no great need for that this man alone Even of himself to sin is ever prone And doth in 's pleasure take so much delight As what is wrong he will it shall be right Yet cannot he from such vain thoughts be brought Cause blind to good yet willing see what 's nought O wretched man to be of such a feature And yet o'recome by such a wicked nature And then thou 'lt say that
know that when thy soul is gone Thy body then hath feeling in it none Examine conscience whether's greatest care For this thy body or thy soul is there I fear thou feel'st this of thy body more Then dost thy soul though smitten nere so sore O sensless man have feeling of thy sin Or else thou'lt feel that God is not within Another member hath Jehovah given Using all helps to bring this man to heaven On either side of th' head hath set an Ear That either side the Spirit of God may hear Then hear this Spirit which loudly crieth on thee Lest thou too late mayst cry Good Lord help me Thou knowst that God hath promised all to hear That call on him then do not thou forbear But call in time lest it may prove too late When death hath deem'd deep hell to be thy fate Doth not God send a tinkling in thy ears To make thee think 't is th'passing bell thou hears O do not stop thy ears from this sweet bell For it may help to stop thy way to hell Say hast not heard thy sins oft-times reproved And notwithstanding thou thy sins hast loved Remember Adam he heard Evahs voyce And left his seed by it no cause rejoyce Then stop thy ears against the Syrens song For sweetest singers often lead to wrong But ope them wide unto thy Saviours cry And then fear not he 'll not thy suit deny But then must thou leave off thy pleasing sin Or else be sure thy sâ—ul is lost within But there is nothing that is in mans power Without the help of his good Saviour Then to him to him to him freely go And be not thou put off from him with no But fall down flat upon thy bended knees And nere rise up till such time he shall please To call thee thence and shew to thee the way Wherein with safety thou mayst walk and stay But 'fore thou art able to accomplish this Which is no doubt a perfect heavenly bliss Thou must repent thee of thy former sin And horrid life which thou hast lived in And that being done from th' bottom of thy heart With resolution nere from him depart Nor be orecome as hereto thou hast bin With willing mind to commit any sin Assure thy self he will thy prayers hear And to thy soul he will himself appear And yield thee comfort from the heavens above Even from thy Saviour who is God of love Then mayst thou think that there is hope of rest In him by whom thou shalt be ever blest For only by him and by him alone Thou must have rest or rest there will be none Then since thou knowst where rest is to be had Be not dismayd in any sort with dread But let him always be to thee a guide And stand resolv'd thou never from him slide But have a care to keep him in thy mind And then be sure that thou shalt ever find That saving health thou didst in heart desire If thou doe it with heart and soul require Without all fear of any opposition Of that most hellish and most wicked Legion For if thy blessed Saviour be but there Assure thy self be will not come thee neare But if that Christ shall once but turn his back Then look about thee have care be not slack For if thou be then thou shalt surely find That he will quickly enter on thy mind And if by cunning he get in a foot Thou art not able get his body out But he 'll have all and then he there will dwell Untill he draw thee down with him to hell Then he thou carefull of thy inward mind To fixe it always on thy Saviour kind And then fear not but well assured be He 'll keep it during all eternity For now I find what I have so long sought That th' only cause of my unruly thought Is want of constant setling them on thee On whom they alwayes solely ought to be Since I now know that never sin was seen Which to this wicked thought did not prevene For first 't is hatched in my barren brain Before in heart it can come to remain And thence it spreads it self to every part Because that all the whole man should feel smart For doubtless know that every several sence Shall suffer deeply without penitence For every part of pain participate Of weal or woe of love or else of hate Then keep a good guard of thy outward thought Lest ought may enter in it whâ—ch is nought For there will Satans battry first begin To bring thy body into deadly sin Then look thy guard be watchful good strong That it may always walk with thee along To give thee warning of thy enemy That thou mayst ay be ready from him sly For few that strive do obtain victory And to some strong force do thou thee betake Ev'n him alone who dy'd for thy sins sake And will safe keep thee unto thy lives end But then must thou thy life on earth amend Else little hope that he will keep thee free From this deceitfull watchfull enemy Then give thy heart unto thy God alone For he 'l have that or else he will have none Nay give him all ev'n all whats'ere thou hast For what he wants be sure thou dost but wast And more then so for that which he hath not Shall surely fall to Satans only lot Seeing he is watchfull ever ready prest To thrust himself into thy bony breast If that thy Saviour be not biding there And therefore see that thou my soul do nere Depart from out Christs blessed company For if thou dost assure thy self to dy Since Satan he is always at the dore To enter there if that thy Saviour Be out of th' way and therefore have a care That Satan nere have power to enter there For if he do then sure thou art but gone Seeing Christ will all or else he will have none Then giv 't him giv 't him give thy Saviour all And never lin but to him heart'ly call That he will please this all of thine accept Which he alone with his right hand hath kept Out Satans power who hath so long led thee Untill this time from thy very infancy So now full time from this foul Fiend to flie Or else nere look to live but look to die For death 's the best that he is able give To any of them who in their sins do live So if thou purpose now to prevent death It must be done whilst thou on earth hast breath For when thy life upon this earth is done Then doth that dreadfull day of judgment come And 't is decreed that all must undergo Their latest doom which is or Come or Go And that pronounc'd thou mayst of this be sure Or weal or wo shall then for ay endure And after that decree is done and past There is no hope it can be ere reverst Then pray that this may be thy finall doom Bless'd of the Lord do thou unto