like the spouse when she her deare doth greet Opening vnto him in a loue-sicke feare To see his deaw'd head and his dropping heare From whose faire hands mirh falls vpon the bar So sweet sounds mercy such her sauours are Kinde spouse to ope the doore of thy owne hart In darkesome night to let in Christ thy loue But blessed mercy acts a better part Opening to men the gates of heauen aboue Through which who enters kings for euer proue Kinde spouse kinde Christ that to his spouse doth go And most blest mercy that sau'ft sinners so King Hezekiab turn'd him to the wall And wept full sore when he heard death drewe neere And mourning so he did for mercy call Vnto whose daies thou addedst fifteene yeare Lord now againe let the like grace appeare And vnto me that dying am to sin Adde a new life to laud and praise thee in For in the pit ther 's none doth giue thee praise None thanke thee there nor speake good of thy name They onely curse and ban and cry alwaies Woe to those sins wherewith they wrought their shame And brought their soules into that burning flame From whence sweet Lord for aye deliuer mee That mong'st thy saints I may sing praise to thee Eliah being hungry he did pray And lo both Rauens and Angels brought him food Daniell when in the Lions den he lay He praide and lo those cruell creatures stood Like lambes by him and would not sucke his blood But rather sought by dalliance to delight him Then with grim lookes sharpe teeth or clawes to fright him As was Eliah I am hungry Lord My soule is almost staru'd for want of food Oh send me succour by thy sacred word And for thy mercies sake be thou so good And beat downe sin that monsterous man of blood Which would into the clawes of Sathan throw mee From whom sweet Lord a safe deliuerance show mee Good Sydrach Mysach and Abednego When they into the fierie Ouen were throwne Thy praid to thee and thou preseru'dst them so As on the earth the like was neuer knowne For not a haire or garment they did owne Was either burnt or scorched in the flame Such was thy might and mercy in the same They to the golden Idol would not kneele Because they lou'd and onely honor'd thee But I am worthy hells hot fire to feele Cause I haue yeelded to all euills that bee Yet mightie Lord be not aueng'd on mee Nor let my sinnes induce thee vnto Ire But for Christs sake defend me from that fire When Ionas in the belly of the whale And in the mid'st of the maine Ocean To thee did from that depth of danger call Miserie makes men full of true deuotion For mercy Lord for mercy made he motion And gracious thou which hast all grace in store Did'st make that whale to set himselfe on shoare Like Ionas I haue often gone astray And troad those pathes wherewith thou art displeased The world the flesh and Sathan shew'd the way Ah woe is me they all at once haue ceazed Vpon my sicke soule which is sore diseased And with sins poyson so much putrifide That nought can cure it but Christ crucifide Of whose deare blood sweet Lord let me partake And then though sin which long hath raign'd in mee Labour to throw me downe into the lake Whereas the diuell that dreadfull whale shall bee Gaping to get me yet I shall goe free For spight of all powre sin and Sathan haue One drop thereof my sinfull soule will saue I 'le now put on the Armour of my God The helmet of saluation I 'le take My feet shall be with preparation shod Of righteousnes I will my brest-plate make Sword of the spirit which mak'st sin to shake I le gird thee on and most couragiously Vse thee against my spirituall enemie Thou many-headed-monsterous Hydra sin That canst not be by mortall man subdu'd Vnles Gods spirit do vs aid therein For why thy strength is sundry wales renew'd And to thy power ther 's such supplies accru'd That if Gods mercy were not great vnto vs Thou wouldst for euer vtterly vndo vs. Oh thou more cruell then was murthering Caine That slew his brother Abell in the field For whom thou killest them thou kill'st againe And plai'st the tyrant ouer them that yeeld Labouring and laughing to see hell fire filde With soules and bodies of those sillie wretches Which thou dost conquer with thy cunning fetches Thou that dost vse those that yeeld to thee so And them likewise whom thou dost ouercome Making no difference twixt friend and foe But bring'st them all to vndergoe one doome And putst them all into one tortering roome Who would not hare thee with his hart and soule And vse all meanes thy mallice to controule Who would not shunne thee more then anie snake Who vould not flie from thee with all his might To eschue thee whoo 'd anie paines forsake Who would not pray to God both day and night That his good spirit would aide vs in the fight Against so foule a monster as thou art Which seek'st the soules of all men to subuart And thou deceitfull and bewitching world Thou most false-harted flattering Crokadile About whose bosome there is nothing hurlde But that which doth our purest parts defile Euen vaine delights which Sathan doth compile And on thy face the mart of all delusion Doth set to worke our shame and sadde confusion Thou common couz'ner of thy kindest friends That Iudas-like doest with a kisse betray For vnto whom thy fauours most extends Hee is the man whose soule thou seek'st to slay With heaps of gold thou hinder'st graces way And with a faire showe of soone-fading pleasure Thou doest depriue men of heauens peerlesse Treasure Thou tempting whore which doest intice to sinne With faigned smiles and with thy flattering lookes Thou painted Idole putrifide within Though with sweet hunnie thou doest bayte thy hookes Most blest are they that keepe out of thy crookes And vse thee so as if they vs'de thee not Least by thy meanes damnation be their lot And thou fraile flesh fraught with infirmities Though thou art subiect to a sort of woes Yet to thy selfe thou coyn'st calamities And on thy soule sadde burthens do'st impose By filthie lusts from foule-desire that flowes By which alas both bodie soule and all For euermore thou to the Diuell mak'st thrall Who like a roaring Lyon runs about Subtillie seeking whom hee may deuoure And of saluation would make all men doubt By telling them euen in their liues last houre Vnles Faith stifly then withstand his power That GOD is so iust and so bent gainst sinne Prayer and repentance can no pardon winne Heare heauen and earth and all yee powers in both Heare mee I say and helpe mee instantly For to subdue this Serpent olde that go'th Vpon his bellie creeping cunningly And eates the dust of our iniquitie Which is to him more pleasant food by farre Then all the dainties that on earth there
more worthie and more worth then golde Then gold of Ophyr or the Onix stone Thou whom the Lord delighteth to behold Thou that like to Eliahs fierie Throne Conuey'st to heauen Thou blest and powerfull one Plead thou my cause and oh my sute nere cease Vntill from GOD thou getst me full release Of all my sinnes and of the punishment Which for the same I ought to vndergoe And for m' assurance and my soules content Oh get me thou his Seale of grace to show That for what 's past I doe him nothing owe But loue and thanks which till my dying day My hart and soule shall neuer cease to pay As from the hand Diomedes did wound A dulcid humor daintilie distilled So from the heart where sinne did once abound Prickt by Repentance wherewith sinne is killed Sweet motions issue by Gods grace instilled Which like as Arons oyntment did descend Vnto each member straight-wayes do extend Teaching the tongue what words it ought to vse Teaching the eies what things they ought to viewe Teaching the eares what sounds they should refuse Teaching the hands what things they should eschewe Teaching the feete the perfit pathes and true That leade to life Thus like a King the hart Doth rule direct and order euery part Blessed are those that walke not sinners way Nor take delight to sit in scorners chaire But cursed I not once but euerie day Vnto those odious places did repaire For oh to me they seem'd exceeding faire Gainefull and good But now I see right well Hee that retires not shall arriue in hell Didst thou not loue vs Lord exceedinglie Thou wouldest not haue giuen thy lawes vnto vs Nor bid thy Prophets in our eares to crie What mightie fauours thou didst meane to doe vs Much lesse haue sent thy blessed Sonne to wooe vs. Which breake thy lawes thy Prophets doe mis vse And Christ thy Sonne each day and houre abuse Yet doth hee pray for vs his enemies And at thy right hand Intercession make That thou wouldst pardon our iniquities Euen for his death and painfull Passions sake Oh blest be hee that did such pittie take On sinfull soules that hee himselfe would giue To die for vs that wee with him might liue Great was that loue great was that mercie Lord And farre more great then euer man expected Vntill thy selfe did blaze that blessed word That though thou hadst mankinde for sinne reiected Yet thou in mercie hadst a meanes selected Whereby againe we should restored bee And be adopted sonnes and heires to thee Mine eyes haue seene that sweete saluation Though fully yet I haue not him imbraced But now that Christ that consolation Shall in my heart for euermore be placed That so my sinnes like cloudes by Phoebus chased May vanish hence And I with Simeon say Lord now in peace let mee depart away Thou that art more then most delitious Thou that for sweetnes doest all sweets exceed Thou whom the Angells hold most precious Thou vpon whom the soules of men doe feed Thou that most pure and perfit art indeed Thou word of Truth by which all things were made Thou which shalt stand when heauen and earth shall fade Be thou to mee a Lanthorne and a Light Be thou my Rocke and Castle of defence Be thou my sword against foule sinne to fight That I may put the diuell from his pretence And by thy power expell him quite from hence That so my selfe poore Byrd insnarde may say The Net is broke and I escap'd away Ti 's mercy Lord for which I thus implore thee Ti 's onely mercy that I humbly craue Because thy lawe saith if I come before thee Except thy goodnes which no end can haue Send mercy forth my sin-sicke soule to saue I shall by iustice be condemned to die A liuing death that lasts eternally Like to a mastlesse shippe vpon the Sea Tost too and fro by force of forward windes That euery houre lookes to be cast away Yet lo at length she happie harbour findes Such is my soule when sin so beats and blindes So toyles and turmoyles that hell seemes to haue her Yet faith steps forth and saith Gods grace will saue her And by that grace I boldned am to beg And in submissiue manner Lord to pray thee Thy grace may breake that Cockatrices egge Which serpent breeding sin that would betray mee Hath in my pathes on purpose laid to slay mee If I come neer 't as by defect of nature I cannot shun that soule-consuming creature Vnles thy grace which all-sufficient is Vouchsafe to lead me in the waies of truth Which hitherto haue alwaies gone amis Led by my folly and fantasticke youth Of which repentance onely now ensuthe For that 's the fruit of 't if we looke into it And happie's he that hath the grace to do it For looke how spices when th' are pounded small Doe in our nostrills smell more excellent Then those that neuer broken were at all Euen so a sinner when his heart is rent With the remembrance of his life fore-spent His prayers are more pleasing vnto God Then their 's that ne're were beaten with his rod. For whom he loueth them he doth correct And thereby brings them to obey his will But as for them whom he doth not respect He lets them follow their owne fancie still And headlong runne into all kinde of ill As I did Lord till thou did'st ope mine eyes And let my soule see her infirmities Great is thy goodnes I must needs confesse To giue me grace that grace-lesse euer was To see and waile my sin and wickednes Which blessed deed hadst thou not brought to passe My soule and body both of them alas Should haue bin damned in the pit of hell Which by thy grace now hope in heauen to dwell For now I le breake off sin by righteousnes I l'e o'recome lust by vsing chastitie By abstinence I 'le punish greedines And foule intemperance by sobrietie Euict iniustice by integritie Euill affections and vngodly motions I 'le purge by prayer and hearts pure deuotions I 'le banish plasphemie by blessed words By patience I my anger will o'rethrowe Boundlesse desire by what content affords Base Auarice by bountie I 'le bring lowe By zeale I will hypocrisie o'reflowe Fraude and deceit good dealing shall expell And where vice did there now shall vertue dwell By following truth my errors I 'le subdue By deeds of mercy I 'le kill crueltie I 'le plant sweet pittie where oppression grewe I 'le put out pride and place humilitie By doing right I 'le beat downe iniurie Distrust by confidence harted by loue And thus by good I will my euills remoue Each night with Dauid I will wash my bed With trickly teares distilling from mine eyes Each day with Daniell by Gods spirit led I 'le kneele and pray in spight of enemies Both day and night with Iob in humble wise My soule shall fast that teares fasts prayers may Appease Gods wrath and wash my sins away I
'le mourne in sack cloath like the Nineuites Vpon my head I 'le dust and ashes strowe Like Iosuah the cursed Cananites I meane those sins that seeke my ouerthrowe I 'le beat downe kill and make to coutch full lowe That soule and body may in safetie stand And peaceably possesse the promis'd Land As from the eater Sampson said came meat And from the strong one sweetnes did proceed Euen so from sin which vulter-like doth eat This hunnie-suckle happily doth breed Euen godly sorrow whereon I do feeed That I may purge out with this earbe of grace Those filthy things that would my soule deface Vnder sins burthen I doe lie and grone For I am wearie of my wickednes Therefore oh Lord to thee I make my mone Oh heare me thou and helpe me in distresse And let not sinne nor Sathans subtilnes Subuert my soule nor bring her vnto shame Because she hopes and trusteth in thy name With the proud Pharisie should I excuse My guiltie conscience say my selfe were iust I should my sauiour and my soule abuse And tread the merits of Christs death in dust Whereby alone both I and all men must Be iustifi'd and purged from our sin Vpon repentance or else die therein Which were most fearefull who dare venture on it What wretch is that would vnrepentant die My heart doth tremble for to thinke vpon it Oh mortall man confesse thy miserie And eke repent thee and that speedily For he that hides his sin within his brest He is the man whom God doth most detest And wherein is it wee offend not all What man is that which doth not doe amisse Nay more what member but to sinne doth fall The hart to that the head and hand to this Thus euery part with sinne defiled is I know 't too well and needes I must expresse it For t' would confound mee should I not confesse it Mine eares haue sinn'd by hearing prophane things Mine eyes haue sinn'd by viewing vanitie My tongue hath sinn'd by telling of leazings My heart hath sinn'd by thinking wickedly My hands haue sinn'd by dooing iniurie Wherefore to free my soule from future feares I 'le punish all hands hart tongue eyes and eares Mine eyes for sinne shall weepe continuallie Mine eares attend to nothing but thy word My tongue shall speake Truth and that magnifie My hart shall aye to all good things accord My hands shall labour for to please the Lord. And thus those parts wherewith I did offend Shall each of them their seuerall faults amend Because thou Lord amendment dost require Of euery man as well as to repent Amendment is the thing thou doest desire And without that thou wilt not be content But still wee stand in dread of punishment Wherefore I am resolued by thy grace Both to repent and to amend apace Repentance and amendment are two twinnes Somewhat resembling Esau and his brother Repentance first with shame sets forth our sinnes Vpon whose heele hangs the more happie other I meane amendment which all faults doth smother The first of these God little doth regard Without the last and that hee will reward Wherefore I 'le imitate Zacheus now And straight restore what I haue leaudly got Yea foure for one I freely will allow The rest I doe vnto the poore allot For golde and siluer now I loue you not Cause you are Cankers that corrupt the hart Kill men with care and bring their soules to smart With th'vnrighteous Mammon I 'le make friends That when my day to be dissolu'd doth come Their prayers to whom my bountie here extends May me receiue into Eternall roome Thrice blessed Treasure that doth there intombe Your owners soules but oh more blessed they That saue themselues by casting you away I le giue Earths fruits that I may heauenly haue I will forgiue that I may be forgiuen I will not turne away from them that craue But giue to sixe and also vnto seauen Knowing full well I shall be pay'd in heauen With great aduantage Christ himselfe doth say 't And hee that speaks it will most surely pay 't As the sweet sauours of the male Palme tree The female quickens and doth fruitfull make By breathing on it so Lord grace in thee Freely extended for thy mercies sake All backwardnes and barrennesse will take From mee in whom sinne yet too closely lurks And make mee fresh and fruitfull in good works For Faith without works is like to that tree That cursed Figge-tree which when Christ did spie Flourish with leaues hee there look't fruit should bee And went vnto it but when hee drewe nie And found none there hee curs'd it by and by Therefore of Faith t' is vaine to make a showe Vnles good works vpon that tree doth growe Then Faith spread forth and euer fruitfull bee Hope keepe thy holde distrust and feare defie Loue be thou strong let nothing conquer thee Zeale be thou feruent flee hypocrisie And mongst the rest most blessed Charitie Doe thy indeuour and be slacke in nought And you shall see my soules desire wrought Thus dooing well I shall haue good reward But dooing ill sinne lyeth at my dore And from thy presence I shall be debar'd Wherefore sweete Lord oh set thy feare before My wandring eyes and oh for euermore Doe thou my wayes so order and direct That shunning euill I may good things effect Thy promise is and thereon I relie What time so ere a sinner doth repent From thy remembrance his iniquitie Thou wilt blot out and hee shall not be shent For ought is past if truly he lament And from the bottome of his heart intend To leaue all leaudnes and his life amend With which intention now oh Lord come I Hartilie sorie for my former sin Beleeuing in thy promise steadfastly That for what 's past I shall thy pardon win And therewithall get grace for to begin A better life directed by thy spirit Which none but thy deere seruants doe inherit And this new life resolued on by mee As to begin so likewise to perseuer I craue thy ayde Lord let thy spirit bee My guarde my guide and my directer euer And oh let nothing in this vaine world seuer My hart from thee but let it be inclinde For euermore according to thy minde Poore Lazer I Lord at thy mercies gate Wil lie and begge vntill the houre I die And not a word but mercie will relate Mercie shall be my song continuallie For mercie mercie will I euer crie Vntill thy mercie like the Sunnes bright rayes On sinfull mee her sacred beames displayes Christ Iesus bids me aske and I shall haue He bids me seeke and saith that I shall finde He bids me knocke and though I haue bin slaue To beastly sin yet saith he thou art kinde And wilt set ope according to my minde Then now behold as Christ doth counsell mee I aske seeke knocke for mercy Lord to thee Amphions harpe did nere sound halfe so sweet As would the voyce of mercy in mine eare Which
are Sweet Bread of life oh let me eat of thee That I may neuer hunger any more Water of life that canst not prized bee Which Christ the Way the Truth the heauenly dore Is Fountaine of oh thee I long for sore As Dauid did for that true Type of thee Euen Bethlem's water fetcht by Worthies three But sillie soule ah whome haue I to send Vnto that Rocke that Spring that holie Well Onely true Faith which will to heauen ascend In spight of all th' angrie powers of hell Then Faith goe thou beat downe my foes pell-mell And fetch mee drinke from that most blessed Riuer Whereby from death I may my soule deliuer Riuer said I true through the world it runnes Rocke did I tearme it true t' is strong and hard Yet it yeelds comfort to all Adams sonnes Which of Gods grace are not by sinne debar'd Vnto a Spring it may be well compar'de A Riuer Rocke a Spring a most pure Well Is CHRIST our Lord with whom I long to dwell Behold Lord I that hitherto haue bin Onely addicted vnto vanitie And day by day haue heaped sinne on sinne And as t' wer water drunke iniquitie With greedinesse behold I say euen I Am now become a conuertite in hart Which earst did play none but th'vngodlies part For like th' ill seruant which within the ground Did hide the Talent that hee should haue vsed And to his Maislers profite made redound Euen so haue I O Lord thy gifts abused And many times most blessed meanes refused For to put forth thy Talent lent to mee So as it might returne with gaine to thee Nay worse then so Lord I haue wasted much Of what I must confesse I haue receiued For which remorce my conscience now doth tutch And grieues me sore that I haue so deceiued My Lord and Maister and my selfe depriued Of manie good things I might haue enioyed If what thou gau'st mee had bin well imployed Yet am I bolde most humbly to desire Thou would'st not marke what I haue done amisse Nor yet correct mee when thou art in Ire Or in displeasure punish that or this For why thy wrath like burning Aetna is None can abide it therefore doe not show it Nor yet let any that repent them know it But let thy mercie which is farre more sweet Then Hibla's honie or Himettus deawe Daine with thy Iustice in the way to meet And let her to repentant sinners shewe Of which I feare mee there are oh too fewe That though thy Iustice be seuere to all Mercie shall saue them that for mercie call For as on black-lead Diamonds shewe most bright Rich pearles most rare when on base things they lie And starres shine clearest in the darksome night Euen so sweet mercie issuing from on hie When it vouchsafes to light on such as I. Doth then shew clearest rarest and most worth And most of all doth set thy glorie forth Dauid did mercy craue and nothing more In all his troubles and aduersities Cause mercy paies sins debt and cleares the score Leauing no signe of our iniquities To feare our soules or to offend our eyes Wherefore with him I will for mercy craue That of my sins I may remission haue Mercy 's the summe and substance of my sute Mercy 's the marke at which I aime by prayer Mercy 's soules Manna heauens sacred fruit Mercy 's the Idea of th' onely faire Mercy 's God 's seat his hie and holy chaire Mercy 's the Loadstone that to life doth drawe Mercy 's the Gospell that fulfills the lawe Mercy 's the obiect of the Angels loue Mercy 's the Arke doth in sins deluge saue Mercy 's the martirs Oliue-bringing doue Mercy 's the meanes that men saluation haue Mercy 's the most good that a man can craue Mercy 's the salue that cures sins vgly sores Mercy 's the porter of heauens precious dores Mercy mou'd Christ to come and die for man Mercy moues man to deeds of Charitie Mercy may saue me sinfull Publican Mercy the Saints pray for continually Mercy doth pardon mans iniquitie Mercy 's most royall bred and horne in heauen Mercy 's God 's gift the best that e're was giuen Oh thou more sweeter then the sweetest honie Thou odoriferous and most excellent Whom kings must beg but cannot buy with money Thou admirable rich and Orient Ambassador from the Almightie sent To publish peace and Ioy and loue to all Which doe repent and to amendment fall Euen peace of conscience oh happie newes Ioy of the holy Ghost oh blessed saying The loue of God which graciously accrues All three sweet comforts of Gods owne conuaying Into mans heart the priuate place of praying Through thy hand mercie which each moment brings To sinfull man such sweet and sacred things Oh let my soule which thirsteth after thee Euen as the heart doth for the water brooke Drinke of thy sweets and so refreshed bee That I no longer may feare deaths fell looke Nor yet th'opening of my conscience booke But free'd from both may say couragiously Death wher 's thy sting hell wher 's thy victorie Remember not my foule offences Lord Nor the offences of my fathers old But to my prayer graciously accord And let thy mercies which are manifold Into thy fauour oh most happie hold Bring my poore soule and there establish it Amongst thy saints whose Ioyes are infinit With that sweet-sounding simball of thy praise Organ of excellence in Israel That euery day did sing delitious laies In praise of thee that onely dost excell Whose words and works did please thee wonderous well With him oh Lord this one thing I require And with my soule most humbly doe desire That I may dwell within thy Tabernacle In which thy selfe art present euermore Because it is thy Angells receptakle Full fraught with pleasure yea and plentie store Oh there had I Lord rather keepe a dore Then in the tents of thee vngodly sort My dwelling haue in pompe and princely port Ierusalem peace be within thy walls And in thy pallaces let plentie bee For blest is he whom thy sweet soueraigne calls And doth confirme free denizen in thee Where such ioyes are as th' eye did neuersee Th' eare ne're heard nor can mans heart conceiue it Most blest and happie they that shall receiue it Oh thou that art of that great citie King Thou life thou light and glory of the same Thou in whose honour quires of Angells sing Thou that art great and excellent in fame Thou onely good one holy is thy name Though I bee sinfull yet sweet Lord in pittie Make my soule free of that most sacred cittie As thou art holy heare my prayer Lord As thou art good and gracious pittie mee As thou art true and faithfull of thy word Forgiue my sins though infinite they bee And let me liue to laud and honour thee To whom be giuen all glory power and praise Euen to the end of neuer-ending daies FINIS Homer