of friends goods or the like which come Indeed from God as sent to call vs home To him and teach vs thence that all beside Himselfe are vanitie and cannot bide Long time with vs. Yet here they also faile Those that lye sole on them for they are fraile Themselues and cannot be a remedy To any one but him that doth apply Them rightly to his griefes as mediums sent From God or else they are a punishment If made as gods as mostly now they be By such as place their sole felicitie In them for so they doe not heale but kill Although they giue vs not a sense of ill Alas they soothe our senses fast asleepe And then as enemies they slyly creepe Vpon the soule which if it stoope so low As homage them they quickly ouerthrow And make it wholly slaue to them and this Is quite indeed to reaue it of the blisse Which earst it had in God and that 's as bad As take away the essence that it had Which gone its beeing else is nought but ill And misery And is not this to kill Alas it is Nay shall I speake more free To be so ill is worse then not to bee Thus wheresoe'r I go or turne mine eie Within these nether vales of vanitie I feele no more of comfort or of hope Then Protestants in Pardons from the Pope They 're meere delusions all or worse they 'd keepe My fainting soule in a perswasiue sleepe That I am well and so I should not fly Vnto the Mercies of eternitie The soueraigne salue of soules from whence alone I must haue solace or I must haue none But here behold when I had throwly seen The miserable state my soule was in By nature and had read with wearied eies The tedious booke of all the vanities Which here I saw on earth for all that I Could see alas was nought but vanity And when I 'd seene that I was quite bereft Of all my good and there was nothing left In me but miserie for lo I saw My horrid doome was past and by the Law I needs must die the death and this within I saw engrauen in my soule by sinne And when I 'd also cast mine eyes about To see those wofull helpes that lay without Satan and faithlesse vanity and these As Iobs vnhappy wife would giue me ease By killing me for all their remedie Was this To curse my God despaire and die I say when I had seene what here I saw I gan repent my frozen heart gan thaw Into a flood of brinish teares that I Had doted earst so much on vanitie For here alas my terrors still increase My sore runnes more and more and will not cease Or day or night My soule is troubled so 'T will not be comforted and I in wo Am hurried in and out so sore opprest With killing griefes and feares I cannot rest I looke within and dye without I see There 's nothing left alas to comfort me But sad despaire Thus wheresoe'r I go From God I wander further still in wo. But courage here my fainting soule for now I bid defiance to the world and vow To prosecute with an eternall 〈◊〉 This miserable All which I of late Esteem'd so much and Satan here farewell And farewell all that leade the wayes to Hell For now alas vnto my griefe I see VVhat miserable comforters yee bee Physicians of no value as those friends Of patient Iob or rather Hellish fiends To vex distressed 〈◊〉 Lo here I fly From offâ—…ll and in my misery I run vnto my God for onely He That out of nothing hast created me Can now againe giue life vnto my smile And make it white as snow though e'r so soule Besides he 's mercifull and well I know Hee lookes vpon the troubled soule below Himselfe hath said it and he cannot lie Although his habitation be on hie He 's present with the humble to enlyue Their deadned soules and sweetly to reuiue The truly contrite heart or were not be Thus gracious as he cannot chuse but be Yet wheresoe'r I go besides I 'm sure Of nought but death for they are all impure Meere vanitie not good but bad as sin Saue as they haue dependency on him VVhat may I doubt of then Suppose I go And he denies his fauour as I know He cannot doe for where he daines to giue His Grace to come he giues the Grace to liue Yet howsoe'r I 'm sure I cannot bee VVorse then I am for here alas I see I am in Hell already and vnlesse He helpe me out there 's nought but glooâ—… Sad thoughts ne'r dying deaths and all that dwell VVithin the limits of a perfect Hell VVill hence be my companions and will be As hellish furies all to torture me Then welcome here ye sweet melodious sounds Of that reuiuing Trumpet whose rebounds VVithin the turning Labâ—inth of mine eares Did earstly so affright my soule with 〈◊〉 And wake'd me from that drowzie sleepe wherein I slumbred earst vpon the bed of sin And welcome here thou sweet celestiall Sprite Thou very God thou euerliuing Light That thus hast quickned me and with thy beames Hast daz'led both mine eyes to weeping streames Of penitentiall teares and made me see My miserable state and now to thee I humbly come againe to be my aide In these my high disputes that when I 'ue said I may finde mercy and my tongue and pen May sing thy mercies to the sonnes of men Thus humbly I appeale vnto thy Throne Of euerlasting Grace from whence alone I seeke for sauing solace and implore For mercy for there is enough in store And here as Esther when she entred in To th'awfull presence of the Persian King On hazzard of her life euen so doe â— Appeale my God and if I die I die O thou great Maker of this goodly frame And all therein at whose dread glorious Name The deuils tremble by whose Word alone This All had beeing and without had none And thou that hast thy seat of Maiestie Beyond the reach of any mortall eie Within the Heau'n of Heau'ns and as a King Of Kings dost sit in glory where each thing Is subiect to thy book and all those traines Of Heau'ns blest Citizens with highest straines Doe warble forth thy prayses and adore That Three-Vnited-Holy which tofore Hath been and is and shall hereafter be From this time forward to eternitie Lo here a wretch that 's summond to appeare Before thy seat of Iudgement there to cleare Himselfe within thy fight if that a soule In rags of humane flesh may dare controle As 't were thy high discourse and shew that hee Hath reason good whence to dispute with Thee See here he comes but lo my dazled eie No sooner saw thy glimmering puritie As shining through a cloud but there I gan To see the spots of miserable man As men by opposites more plainely see
shades may bid adue While his sweet rayes come vsh'ring in the day Or run as Iohn before to make the way And here great Lord come raise mee vp so high According to thy word that now mine eie May soare vp to thy Mercy-seate and there As Heau'ns pure eyes fixt in a holier Spheare Bee freed from all corruptions taint while I Go bathe my soule in that sweet Theorie Of thine eternall loue and when I see Those high prerogatiues I haue by thee How thou hast made mee free from death from sin From hell and all those miseries wherein I now lye plung'd and those whereto I tend As of my selfe and lesse thy Grace descend And quickly come and take mee vp alas I needs must fall and when it comes to passe That thy sweet Comforter shall come and tell To my sad soule againe that all is well VVith mee and when I feele thy quickning Sprite That harbenger and pledge of true delight Beare witnesse vnto mine that I am made Free man of Grace whereof I 'ue but a shade Whiles here on earth but shall hereafter haue The very substance much as I can craue Or shall know how to wish as earst to me Thou didst declare in that sweet mysterie Of thy great loue then shall my tongue and pen Be wholly votaries to thee and then My sad Vrania whose now weeping eies Are quite worne out with plainings teares and cries When she but apprehends those gladsome raies Shall metamorphose all her notes to praise And I myselfe with all I haue will be As one that 's wholly consecrate to thee Who am alone redeem'd by thee Oh then Here come my God here quickly come agen And take me vp here let me sweetly heare Those heau'nly tunes againe which did while-ere Giue such reuiuals to my soule that I Was almost past my Sea of miserie Ne'r to be plung'd in it againe if thou Hadst not so suddenly with-drawne the brow Of that sweet Sun-shine of thy Grace whereby I 'gan to see the blessed libertie Of those who are the sonnes of God But come Great Maker now and what thou hast begun In me thy creature perfit vp that so When after-ages shall both see and know How kindly thou hast dealt with me they may Appeale to thee in like extremes and pray To thee alone for helpe seeing that I Dauids poore man did humbly call and crie To thee and was deliuer'd for if he Were heard they 'le say then doubtlesse so shall we What wilt thou more This is the time and place As earst I said thou seest I want thy Grace So much poore soule as scarce I 'm able call To thee for Grace and if thou 'lt let me fall Alas I 'm ready to consent altho It be my thraldome to eternall woe Ne'r thence to be redeem'd againe nay more Alas I cannot chuse but fall so poore And weake a wretch am I that faine if I Might haue my will 〈◊〉 decreed to die I 'd seeke out opportunities wherein I would enact sâ—me higâ—â—vnhallowed sin That might exclude not quite from thee alas Such are the deeds my selfe would being to passe And none but such and then how canst thou haue A fitter opportunitie to saue Then now thou hast in me Was euer man Brought neerer yet to hell then now I am That want but one vnhappie step Oh no There 's none can fall to greater deepes of woe Vnlesse he fall to hell it selfe for I Am the next step so full of miserie As quite ore-come with it or one whose sense Is dull'd with its exceeding violence That so I cannot feele my selfe vnlesse It be like him that 's in a drowzinesse Or some vnhappie Lethargie whereby He dully feeles but knowes not how to crie Or plaine himselfe or call for helpe and sure This dangerous sicknesse is beyond the cure Of humans best preseruatiues which can At most but reach vnto the outward man To ease or comfort that awhile but when Those heauie pangs oppresse the soule O then All these are vaine for what were it if I Should liue in body whiles in soule I die Alas this were the life of death when that Which is my bodies life is dead But what What doe I meane Why is my troubled sprite Distracted thus Can griefe be infinite Which rises from that inward sight of sin Whereby we waile that wofull â—ase wherein We see our selues by nature and whereby We learne betimes to climbe so humbly hie As wholly to forsake our selues and cast Our hopes alone on thee who onely hast The treasures of eternall life Sure no This is that happie path by which we goe Into the way of sauing 〈◊〉 and this Is that sweet mâ—lium to our future bliâ— Through which indeed we must before we may Approach those 〈◊〉 of eternall day Here then deare God here will I humbly waite With lowly confidence in this my straite A straite more great then Dauids was when hee Did earst betake himselfe alone to thee Because thy mercies were so great and here Because thy mercies also are full neere In mid'st of humanes greatest deepes that hence We might obserue 't is thy Omnipotence And Goodnesse onely that relieues when wee Are ready to despaire because we see Nought else but death within our selues and how There 's nought beside can doe vs good that thou May'st be made all in all because I say Thou art so good here will I humbly stay Vntill thy mercies raise me vp euen here Confounded in my plaints without a teare To tell my further griefes to verifie That sorrow in extremes is alwaies drie Here will I lay me downe here will I stay Alas because I haue no more to say For lo I 'm dead in sinne and griefe Oh then Here let thy goodnesse shew it selfe my Pen And Muse can speake no more till thou descend And teach them more needs must I make an end And thus in deepes of this my silent griefe I humbly waite for answer of reliefe Here laying downe my selfe much like a man That 's carelesse growne I sleepingly began To drowzie out my dayes not caring how I plai'd the Prodigall with time for now Said I Sure I can doe no more mine eies Are wearied with my teares my sighes and cries Haue quite ore-whelm'd my feeble soule and I Am plunged in so deepe a miserie That now I know not what to doe alas For who am I My pilgrim-daies doe passe Away as shades and still the more I haue Of life the more I doe approach my graue All this I see aye me and more then this That very cloud that hinders all my blisse My sinnes doe still increase on me yâ—â— they Will haue no interruptions though my day Be clouded ere so much they will not cease To vex my soule nor let me liue in peace Alas and these distract me quite while I Haue not
To iudge of them so it went now with me For when I 'd seene thy wondrous Light and then Reflecting on the miseries of men I was confounded straight as earst was he Who when hee 'd seene thy glorious Maiestie Cry'd out I am vndone for here alas I saw with griefe the miserable masse Of mans corruptions all his righteousnesse Was but as clouts of nought but filthinesse Or at the best it vanisheth away As morning-dew in brightest Sun-shine-day And here alas I gan with Iob to cry Lord I am vile and what shall I reply To thee thou Holy One I le lay my hand Vpon my mouth for who is able stand Within thy sight as iust or able say He merits ought for we are all as clay In Potters hands to thee and shall I dare To talke it with my Maker that canst teare Me into thousand pieces and consume With thy iust fury him that durst presume To come into thy fight and thinkes that hee Hath ought to iustifie himselfe with thee For there is none alas though ere so right That can be iustifide within thy sight We all haue sinn'd and by the Law we all Must die the death and be in lasting thrall To Hell and misery and should'st thou throw Vs head-long to that Lake from whence we know There 's no redemption yet we must confesse We haue the reward of our wickednesse And thou art iust But yet O Lord with thee There 's mercy to be found or shouldst thou bee Thus rigrous with vs all there would not one Be left to tell of thy saluation Then here behold a silly piece of clay My miserable selfe a castaway A man oh no a worme or what is worse Inheritor of nought but Adams curse Doom'd by the Law to die left in extremes By World and all things else which float as streames Of water ' way from me or as my friends That loue me for some secondary ends But leaue me in distresse doe humbly now Appeale thy Mercy-seat and here I vow With Iacob I le not leaue thee till I win Thy Blisse a pardon from my death and sin To thee alone I come for onely Hee That made the Law is able make me free And thou which at beginning didst create This corruptible lumpe in pure estate From out of nothing canst againe refine Its drossie sinnes away and make it shine As Heau'ns bright Eie or be as purest Snow Wherewith the tops of Salmon ouerflow And though alas s' vncleane a wretch as I Dares not to scale Heau'ns spotlesse canopy To pleade with thee lest when I should presume To touch thy Mount thou iustly mightst consume Me quite to nought yet let it not offend My Lord if that a humane worme ascend So high as in humilitie to creepe From vale of woe and from the fearefull deepe Wherein he is vnto thy mercy-gate And there lay ope his miserable state Before thy pittying eyes and if my griefe Afford me words wherewith to force reliefe From Mercies hands then poore Humanitie Shall brag that it hath won the victorie Of God himselfe and when our Humanes see What weapons best preuaile to conquer thee They 'le hence make vse of them and learne to flye Beyond the reach of base mortalitie By wings of humblenesse and waying well Th' vnhappy state wherein they needs must dwell As of themselues they 'll all appeale to Thee And all be thine or else they will not bee Thus then I will proceed my miseries Shall be my arguments and my replies In answ'ring shall be alwaies to confesse And grant those sequels of vnrighteousnesse Wherewith thou canst confute me and withall I le tell thee why I could not chuse but fall But pardon Lord what ere my passions speake For griefe will haue its vent or heart must breake First then O Lord I need it not to tell Thou know'st my miserable case so well I am a grieuous sinner and thereby Haue lost the gracious presence of thine Eye Which earst gaue life vnto my soule and now I 'ue lost my life alas I know not how I 'm left as reasonlesse for that great hight Which first gaue beeing to my Reasons sight Is gon away from mee and all that I Haue left is sense to feele my misery Far worse then brutest Animals for they Take pleasure by the sense and though they may Bee sometimes passiue yet at most their paine Is but a death yet such whereby they gaine This happy priuiledge which is to bee Ne'r subiect more to paine and miserie But I alas where-e'r I run or goe Am still the subiect of expreslesse woe No death can doe mee good although my life More bitter bee then can the cruell'st knife That rigâ—rous Fate affords yet when I thinke Vpon that cup of Trembling I must drinke After deaths greatest Tyranny vnlesse Thy mercies pitty mine vnhappinesse It giues new life vnto my griefes and I Am alwayes kild alas but cannot dye And is 't not reason then a man of griefe So low as I should go and seeke reliefe If any to be found and where alas Should sinners go but to the Throne of Grace Where mercy sits as Iudge And should not I In these extremes of sin and misery Appeale to thee my God from whom alone I must haue helpe or else I must haue none I must and will But here thou wilt obiect I went astray from thee and did neglect Thy high and hallowed Lawes committing still The euils of mine owne corrupted will And therefore thou mayst iustly cast away A worthlesse wretch who needs would disobey So Father-like a Master that did giue Me all I had or else I could not liue 'T is true great Lord I must confesse that I Haue brought my selfe to all this misery And thou mayst iustly cast me off but lo Had I not brought my selfe to all this wo By sinning thus what needed I to flye To thee for mercy in my misery When I had none for were I free from sin I then would iustle ' gainst the rig'rous din Of Iustice mouth and pleade with powr's diuine That Paradise by grant of God was mine With all its pertinents to haue and hold From this time forward till I were so old That times Arithmetick would faile to tell The number of my yeeres for all were well Had I not sin'd ah cursed humane pride If man had neuer sin'd hee 'd neuer dy'd Death ne'r had been if that it had not had It's being from a Parent all as bad As it I meane from sinne a thing so ill If we may call 't a thing that 's able kill So many things as shewes its monstrous birth Was not from him who made the Heauens and Earth With all therein for all that e'r he made Were perfect good But when that cursed shade Of humane pride came in to interpose 'Twixt God and vs there suddenly arose
that whereas I thought presently to apprehend it vpon the first onset without any further trouble I was cast downe suddenly by mine owne sinnes and infirmities euen to despaire of my selfe and there lay for a long time in a speakelesse misery till God of his free goodnesse at length restor'd me and brought me to the happy sight hereof by the sweee helpe and aydance of his Word and Spirit So that the readiest way to obtaine this happy assurance is to abandon all Papisticall presumings on selfe-abilities and to annihilate ourselues as t were by a faithfull humility that so wee may become the sonnes of God by that sole power of Christ Iesus and by a new Creation be transformed into his blessed likenesse till in his good time being found in him not hauing our owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith we shall at length appeare vnspotted before the presence of our God in the highest heauens and there enioy that eternall weight of glory which hee hath prepared for vs. Now if you make this good vse of it you shall doe well Fare yee well S. A. AVSTIN'S VRANIA OR THE HEAVENLY MVSE THE SECOND BOOKE The Contents FRom out despaire my VRAN ' beere Begins to put on better cheere Because my God did now againe Refresh my soule with his sweet straine Of promis'd Grace which shew'd to me My debt was paid and I made free Free man of Grace But lo when I Thought straight t' haue seene this mystery My sinnes step in and cloud my sight From whence began so sore a fight Betwixt my flesh and spirit that I VVas forc'd e'en to despaire and die Vntill my God of his free Grace Reuiues me with a sweeter face And leades me on by his good Sp'rit Vnto his VVord which gaue me light VVhereby I clearely saw at length Onely enabled with his strength That happy Mystery which he 〈◊〉 Began whil'ere reueale to me I meane his loue in Christ and there In humbled faith and holy feare My Muse began againe to sing My Sauiours Life and Passioning VVhich earst it did but touch this done At last she cheerefully begun To sing my thanks and ends her Layes VVith periods of eternall prayse NOt long my soule in this vnhappy case Had laine her downe gasping as 't were for Grace With lowly sighes but here she seem'd to yeeld Her weapons vp and to giue death the field For when she lookt vpon her selfe and saw How deadly she was wounded by the Law But there was no Physician might be found That had a Balsome for so great a wound She gan despaire and with extremest breath To giue a forced welcome vnto death Thus did she of her selfe and could it bee Mans nature might doe otherwise to see His doome already past for well I knew There 's no escape the Law must haue its due The breach whereof is death and now that I Haue broke the same alas I needs must die Must die But what is this Is 't but to leaue This vitall breath as brutish beasts and cleaue Vnto my former earth there to remaine Impassible of any feeling paine And so ne'r to be thought on more nor be The subiect of a future miserie Oh no but as if my vnhappy sin Had neuer broke the Law I 'd alwayes been Aliue in endlesse happinesse euen so Now I haue sin'd I must in endlesse woe Die a ne'r-dying death I 〈◊〉 which is To be depriu'd of that eterâ— blisse Which else I should haue had or so much worse To be so long the subiect of that curse Of tortures inexpressible And here The very thought did touch my soule so neere That more then thousand present deaths my heart Did seeme to taste of an eternall smart The wofull pledge of what I was to drinke When I should come to that vnhappy sinke Of mine vnhappinesse that Hell wherein I should drinke vp the furious drugs of sinne But here behold in this my worst extreme As earst I well remember in my Dreame When I was mostly glozing downe vpon My selfe and miseries and there was none That would or could relieue I meane within These nether vales of vanitie of Sin Of Hell of Death where euery thing that I Could well conceiue had possibility Of suffring for our faults hath residence For suffrance goes no further then the sense Suffrance in paine I meane vnlesse it be That paine of losse which our Diuinitie Alone makes mention of Now there was none That 's subiect to a painefull passion But what is here contain'd when hap'lesse I As of my selfe would needs despaire and die Behold I say that great Omnipotence Which first gaue being to my soule and since With quickning trumpets made me to awake From out the deepe of that Lethean Lake Wherein I lay for dead I meane when I Had thrall'd my selfe to all iniquity With great delight and willingnesse and he The sacred power that gaue me eyes to see My deepes of misery and in extremes Did earst refresh me with such pleasing beames From off his gracious countenance that I Did highly prize so great a misery For here at length he comes when there was none That would or could releeue but him alone And with the sweetest words that e'r were sung Not to be vtter'd by another tongue But his that authoriz'd them Thus he gan To comfort me O thou forsaken Man The worke that I my selfe haue made full deare To me thy God although thou would'st not heare My sweet â—nuites but with the Prodigall Wouldst needs be wandring till thou'dst lauisht all Thy Portion out and bought experience Of what thou art by miserable sense Of thine vnhappinesse Alas I see â—arre better then thy selfe canst tell to mee Thy many wants I see thy great extremes Thy teares of penitence thy earnest threanes And longings after me I see I say And now behold I can no longer stay From pitying thee my bowels yerne to show My mercies forth whereby to make thee know My wondrous loue to thee Come then Arise Distressed soule shake off thy miseries And all thy former heauy dumps for lo I here intend to terminate thy wo. Thy day of happinesse is come and I Will here reueale so sweet a remedy For these thy grieuances that soone as ere Thou shalt but see a glimpse of it thy feare Will vanish quite away and thou wilt be So rauisht straight with new felicitie That all thy senses will be dispossest Of thy first miseries and wholly blest With such expresselesse ioy that tongue or pen Though led by all the choicest Art of men With all their shaddowes cannot halfe expresse The substance of so great a happinesse Come then and solace here a while till I Haue rays'd thee vp vnto a pitch so high Where when thy speculations sweetly see The wondrous things that I haue done for thee Thou wilt so farre
forget thy present state As scarcely thinke on 't saue it be to hate Thy selfe the more and those inferiour toyes Which stroue so much to interrupt thy ioyes That in a sacred policie thereby Thou may'st be knit in a farre neerer tye To me thy God there alwaies to possesse The highest tide of changelesse happinesse And more behold when thy Vrania's eies Shall feed awhile on those sweet Theories Of mine abundant goodnesse and shall see How all thy happinesse depends on mee She will not chuse but consecrate her Layes To sing abroad the mirrors of my prayse On my beloued then for now behold My loue is growne so great I cannot hold It longer in 't will needs breake forth and show Its sweet effects and make thy soule to know How deare that sinner is to me that will Repent himselfe and leaue his former ill Surely he shall not dye but liue for I Haue spoken it that know not how to lye T is true indeed thou saidst thy selfe hast play'd The Prodigall and now thou seek'st for aide Of me Behold it is againe as true I am thy Father longing to renew My former loue with thee Lo how I run On Mercies feet to welcome thee my son Come in distressed Come My watchfull Eie Hath seene at full thy deepes of miserie And still with care attended thee when thou Didst little thinke on 't till this very now 'T was I indeed as earst thou didst confesse That made thee see this thine vnhappinesse And as a tender Mother to her sonne That seemes in kindnesse to perswade it come And aske of her some thing it wants which she Much longs to giue So did I deale with thee By mercies often sweet inuites to moue Thee humbly come and craue what out of loue I wholy meant to giue 'T was not in vaine I made thee feele the horrors of thy paine But as a happie medium to enforce Thy deadned soule the sooner to remorce Of thine owne deeper miseries and then To seeke about for remedy but when Thy wofull soule had seene that all but I Were fled from thee in this extremitie Then did I sweetly draw thee home to see The riches of the loue I bore to thee I tooke thee vp againe and did restore Thy lifelesse soule when thou hadst quite gi'n o're And yeelded vp to Satan sinne and all That were conspiratours to make thee thrall Vnto eternall death Alas mine Eie Did set full well thy poore humanitie How weake it was to any good how prone To any thing was ill as though alone It had been wholy bent to chuse the bad But leaue the goodnesse which at first it had Yea so it was indeed and sure it stood With reason when thou left'st the chiefest Good My Selfe I meane thy God from whom alone All haue their goodnesse but without haue none To turne aside from me and fondly take Some thing for good which thou thy selfe didst make Without my helpe scorning as 't were to be Beholding for thy goodnesse all to me For lo when thou hadst turn'd away thy sight From me who was alone thy Life and Light And all the good thou hadst thy blinded eies Could not but fall on contrarieties Take darkenesse stead of light and so approue The ill for good thus thy seduced loue When led to like by thy adult'rous will Brought forth thy death the cursed childe of ill Vnhappy match of thine Yet lo from hence I gather'd good by giuing thee a sense Of thine owne wants and making thee to see How weake thou wast and how thou couldâ—st not be Without my Grace and this did make thee come In humblenesse as earst the straying Son To me alone in deepes of miserie With Father I haue sin'd where soone as I Had seene thy teares and thy humilitie Behold how glad I was to pitie thee I ran to meet as 't were and re-embrace Thy soule with armes of euerlasting Grace All this I did for thee but these are small For lo the summe and very chiefe of all Is yet behind Thus farre I 'ue onely bin All mercy winking as it were at sin But lo as I am mercifull so I Am all as iust and thou must satisfie For sinne by death for this is also true My Iustice and the Law will haue its due But here alas I see this very thought Of death doth strike thee downe againe to nought Kills thee a thousand times with griefe to see How farre impossible it is for thee To suffer that one thought whereof alone Is able breake the hardnedst heart of stone That would but thinke on it for thus to die Is to despaire of all felicitie And be in endlesse tortures such as none Can tell but those that suffer them alone Alas vnhappy wretch this is thy lot Thy iust desert the fruit which thou hast got By leauing me But here againe arise Distressed soule and wipe thy tearie eies To apprehend more sweetly from aboue The mysterie of euerlasting loue The Sunne of comfort to thy soule that will Dispell away these gloomy clouds of ill And all thy former miseries and hence Will rauish thee with more abundant sense Of thine expreslesse happinesse for by The vtmost deepe of this thy miserie Thou shalt perceiue by happie opposite Another deepe how good how infinite My mercies are that made my Iustice-eie To pitie thee because thou shouldst not die I made it satisfie it selfe come downe From my eternall Throne throw off its Crowne Of glory which it had and humbly take Thy rags on it and further for thy sake To be imprison'd in thy house of clay Vntill at length it suffred death to pay That heauy debt of thine Thus thou art free From sinne from death from hell from miserie And all thy former ills and now art made Free-man of Grace whereof thou 'st but a shade Whiles here on earth but shalt hereafter haue The very substance much as thou canst craue Or shalt know how to wish and 't will not be An age before my mercy comes to thee And takes thee hence to make thee possident Of all the happinesse which here is meant Now comfort here thy soule and come and see Those wondrous things that I haue done for thee This spoke behold my sad attentiue sp'rite Now raised vp but then with wofull sight Of my deserts e'en tumbled downe to death Yet here againe reuiu'd with sweeter breath Drawne from this sacred Oracle which I Heard warbling forth that pleasing Mysterie Of euerlasting loue it faintly gan To vrge me thus to speake which I as man Thus faintly breathed out O sacred tongue That hast awak'd me with so sweet a song Come once againe I pray thee let me heare Some more of this that tickled so mine eare With sweet celestiall rapes O how mine eie Doth long to see this happie Mysterie Explained to the full What is 't I heare I 'm freed from
of this horrid deed Wherefore I now returne againe and come Vnto my Sauiours latest part the Summe And woe of all the rest that dreary seene Which now hee was to vndergoe I meane On this sad Scaffold of his latest crosse The first was paine of sense but this of 〈◊〉 That was his bodies paine but here againe His paine of soule which is the soule oâ— paâ—â—e For now behold not to enlarge my verse With each sad circumstance I here rehearse Only that one expreslesse plunge of all The great'st that euer was when hee did call At his extremest gaspe My God my God Why hast thou now forsaken mee What rod Was it that strook this wondrous blow Aye mee My blessed Christ what God forsaken Thee Thy selfe forsake thy selfe O thou my life How could this bâ—e Ne'r was there fatall knife Could cut this threed no Thus it came to passe Thy Sprite of loue hath told mee how it was Now was that wofull time at hand wherein Th'intolerable weight and curse of sin Which I and all the world had done were cast Vpon thy backe at once Now was that last And very vtmost deepe which thou while-ere Didst seeme in thy humanity to feare Now didst thou drinke of that accursed cup Which earst thou didst intreat thou mightst not sup Vnlesse it were thy Fathers will and here Behold it was his will and thou didst beare Those heauie brunts alone for vs from whence It was indeed thou hadst such feeling sense Of these thy miseries in vs that wee Might thereby feele our happinesse in thee Nay more thou now of wondrous loue hadst tooke Our sinnes on thee whence 't was thy God forsooke Or seem'd at least forsake thee thus and why 'T is sin indeed vndoes that happy tie Betwixt humanity and God for this Is that whiâ—h sep'rates vs from all our blisse I meane from God and this is it which made Him thus withdraw himselfe from thee or shade As 't were his present â—â—dance from thy sight And leaue thee to thy selfe prest with the weight Of sin and hell and of thy Fathers rage ' Gainst these our siâ—â—es since thou would'st so engage Thy selfe for vs and here thy soule was brought Downe to the lowâ—st plunge of woe where nought VVas left to comfort thee but thou meane while Being made as ' tweâ—e a desolate exâ—le From all true happinesse didst vndergo Such sad expreslesse pangs that none can know Their depth but thou that suffer'dst them nay sure That only paine of losse thou didst endure VVas more by farre in reference to thee Then hells most cruell torturings can bee In reference to vs. VVhat shall I say This was indeed a lamentable day For thy pure eies to see ne'r was there griefe Like vnto this of thine where all reliefe VVas held so long from thee and here indeed I found that true which I ere-while did reade Foretold of thee thy comlynesse was gone And forme or beauty there alas was none To make thee now desir'd Thou wast a man Of sorrow friend of griefe whence wee began To hide our faces ' way from thee or thou Didst hide as 't were from vs Thus didst thou bow Thy righteous back to heare our griefes while wee Like cruell Iewes went on in tort'ring thee By adding sin to sin Thus didst thou cry Aloud for vs and thus for vs didst die Didst die yea more didst rise againe that wee Might rise againe from sin and bee made free From all the pow'râ— of death and hell and then Being thus reuiu'd by thee to liue agen The happy life of Grace till thou shalt please To call vs gently hence and sweetly seize Vpon our soules to carrie vs vp on high To liue with thee through all eternitie The endlesse life of Glorie there where wee Shall sing of nothing else but praise to thee But O my God thou thou that hast been pleasd To ayde mee hitherto thou that hast easd My wearied soule at length in this sweet Ford The sacred Spring of thy all-sauing VVord Come here againe and as it pleas'd thee show Those mirrours of thy loue to mâ—e euen so Enable mee as thou hast said that I May sing thy mercies to posterity In a ne'r-dying verse whereof each word May speake my thankfulnesse and each afford Eternall matter of thy praise Nay more May here bee found a salue for euery sore To each good soule that euer felt the smart And terrors of a truly contrite heart Come then my sweet Vrania come againe And raise thy selfe here change thy dolefull straine Into some happier notes of ioy and here Come come my sprites I charge you all appeare In ioyous readinesse yea soule and all Giue your attendance to my instant call For now behold I speake Come come away To celebrate this high-made Holy-day Of reconcilement with my God First then O thou sole Guider of my tongue and pen And all my thoughts and all my Acts whiles they Are good Lo here I humbly come to pay My tributarie thanks that thou hast brought Me hitherto the place which earst I sought And here hast rais'd my soule againe to see Those wondrous things which thou hast done for me When I was past recouerie if thou Hadst not been timely mercifull and now Redeem'd me by thy loue as thou hast done Though by the death of 〈◊〉 owne onely Sonne Thine owne beloued Sonne but O my life Life of my soule I say whence is the strife I feele in me if this be so that I Am subiect yet to Satans tyrannie And cannot praise thee as I would for lo My sinnes step still betweene and 〈◊〉 so I cannot raise my drowâ—ie eies to see As here I ought thy wondrous 〈◊〉 to mee But O my God! here is the reason sure Of this my miserie thine eies so pure Will not vouchsafe to loo◠〈◊〉 I meane In smiling sort because I am not 〈◊〉 But thou conceal'st thy coâ—nce ' cause I Haue broke indeed thy Lawes most â—ankelesly Both in my thoughts and 〈◊〉 and yet alas I am not truly penitent but pâ—sse My time in senslesnesse as 't were and 〈◊〉 Burst forth in teares to wash away the blot Of this my great ingratitude aye mee All this is true my God for thou dost see My secret paths and yet behold thine eyes Do also see my griping miseries How oft indeed I grieue and sigh and groane Because I am become so dead a stone And cannot weep as faine I would but here O thou my Lord why should I further feare At these mine owne deficiencies behold My Sauiour burnd in loue though I am cold His wounds did weepe to wash away my sin Though I am dull O cast thine eyes on him Or looke on mee but as in Him that when Thou seest me thou mayst finde mee clear'd and then Thou canst not bee displeas'd with mee for hee Hath made a full supply of all
They'd knowledge once of ill they neuer had The least desire to know what was not bad As Adam on the contrary to know Who knew alone the good what was not so They 'ue found a stranger Art to know for still They learne new diff'rences twixt ill and ill And iust as Adams heart was set on fire To know his Noueltie so they desire To know these ills which earst they neuer knew And seeme by sinning to make euil new Old ills are out of date they highly scorne To weare the threed-bare euils which were worne By their Progenitors they 'd haue it knowne The euils that they were are all their owne And they haue found new fashions out to fit The various Genius of each wicked wit That seeks for Nouelties they 're so compleat In ill they cannot sin without conceit T were base they thinke to act a common sin Vnlesse they shut some twenty more therein By their Re-Acts and so when they haue don 't To send it out againe with Comments on 't The dullest braine that neuer yet had wit To do least good shall scorne but hee 'l commit An ill as well as any of them all That studied sinning since old Adams fall Hee 'l show you ills which neuer yet were knowne And without lying sweare they are his owne Thus cursed Man doth do his best to fill The wofull measures of his Fathers ill Sin ouerflowes already yet in spite They faine would haue their Actions infinite Would time permit O had they eyes to see The dismall Issues of their miserie Here Adam could instruct them but alas Their hearts are stones their browes rebellious brasse They will not turne aside t is vaine to speake They scorne to how before they needs must breake They 're alwaies digging deeper to inuent Some new-found malice ' gainst th' Omnipotent They 're alwayes eating the forbidden tree And yet with Adam will not learne to see Their wretchednesse but thinke that all is well Till they are falling headlong into Hell From whence there 's no returne but they must be The Subiects of Eternall miserie And here alas I 'd scarsly drawne mine eye From sadly gazing on this Tragedy But with reflection I began to looke Within the secret volumes of the booke Of this mine owne estate where soone as I Had lookt I read a Map of misery Described by my faults for lo within I saw enwrapt a little world of sin First I began with weeping eye to see From whence I did deriue my Pedigree And when I 'd seen that I was Adams son I thought vpon the deedes that I had don To see my Reference to him and there I saw indeed that I was Adams heire Heire of his ills and of his miserie Which he bequeathd to his Posteritie When first hee fell away for since that Time Wee all had equall portions in his Crime And t was his will confirmed by his Deed To multiplie his sin as well as Seed I saw alas how I had gon astray In Adams path and learnd to disobey Without a School-master I saw my will Inclinable to nothing else but ill Sometimes I saw there did a holy fire Insinuate my soule and my desire Was throughly rauisht with a loue of good But suddenly there comes a freezing flood Of fleshy thoughts which quickly ouercame Th' aspiring Motions of that sacred flame My courage slackt my forward-seeming zeale Hath hanging wings a drowzinesse 'gins steale Ore all my thoughts and seemes to dispossesse My soule of that new glympse of happinesse And here no sooner were mine eyes bereft Of those sweet Sun-shines by the cloudy theft Of imbred dulnes but me thinkes I see Another good more pleasing vnto mee Then earst the former was which doth affect My sense so much that straight my Intellect Is carried quite away I know not how To do my passions homage and allow With willing blindednesse to giue consent In doing what my reason neuer meant And thus alas my poore Intelligence Which earst was high commaunder of the sense Is now disscepterd quite and led away As thrall to passion forced to obey Where once it did command and must approue For good what ere the senses please to loue Thus miserable wretch I run along Still aiming at the right but hit the wrong My senses are corrupted heart and all Haue drawne infection from my Fathers fall And as that happie Steward skild to thriue Did adde vnto his Talents other fiue To show his frugalnesse so may I write But in a case alas quite opposite Hee did increase his good but hâ—plesse I Haue added to my sin and misery A rhousand talents more then Adam left To mee and yet I added none by theft For they were all mine owne I must confesse The bitter fruits of mine vnrighteousnesse I thought it not inough to haue from him The Originary habit of my sin But needs I would bee sinning too to adde Some Actuals to th' Originals I had And here I wrought so well that I could say My labours had preuented much the day For e'r the Noon-tide of my life was come I could haue truely said my Taske was done I wanted not an ill to adde to it To make it greater though I might commit Some more perchance the like to multiply The wofull actions of my Tragedy Thus in vnhappy thriftines I grow From ill to ill from misery to wo But here 's my hell alas I cannot see Before I 'm forst to feele my miserie I run along with senslesse drowsines Th' alluring maze of sin and wickednes Which seemes as t were a Paradise to mee Still offering fruite of that forbidden Tree Full pleasing to mine Eyes so good a meate In show I cannot choose but take and eate But when alas I 'ue swallowed downe the pill My Conscience 'gins to tell mee I am ill Then not before it wakes mee from my sleepe And giues me eyes to see but not to weepe At mine vnhappinesse what greater griefe To see ones wounds not able beg reliefe To haue a sore disease not feele the smart Are premisses of Death the stony heart That sees his ill yet doth not melt within Portends it's frozen in the dregs of sin Euen such my wofull case alas while I Go wandring on this maze of vanitie I run into a thousand ills with ease There 's nothing seemes to hinder or disease My goings on in these but all is well Till I am come e'en to the gates of Hell For when I 'ue sinn'd mee thinkes a lumpe of Lead Lyes heauy on mee I am throughly dead And cannot feele my selfe I cannoâ— feele Whether my heart be made of flesh or steele And yet againe me thinks I faine would weepe To moane my selfe but then I am asleepe My griefe is such it will not let mee see That I am sicke till dead in miserie A secret dulnesse doth possesse my braine I needs would stirre my selfe but all in vaine My life of Grace
drowzinesse the Hell wherein They liue that place their paradise in sinne This would haue kept thee in so sweet an aw Of me thou wouldst not dare to breake my Law Thy loue would be so great and thy delight VVould onely be to walke my wayes aright Sometimes in pity-thou wouldst send thine eye Abroad to those distressed soules that lye In deepes of discontents that thou mightst be A fellow-partner in their miserie To weepe with them that weepe and to compart VVith euery one that hath a broken heart And this indeed would prooue so good a pill In purging out the reliques of thine ill That nothing could annoy thee for thine eie VVould scorne to looke so low as vâ—â—itie VVhose Basliske-sight infects the heart and kills The very soule with thousand poys'nous ills But as those windowes that admit the light Into the roomes of former drowzie night Such would thy seers be an op'ned place To giue admittance to the Sonne of Grace VVhose sacred beames would quickly dispossesse That great Ill-willer to thy happinesse The Prince of darkenesse and withall expell Those drowzie clouds which made thy house a hell To intertaine him in and when thy sight Had but a glimpse of that eternall Light Thy soule with Eli throwing downe the cloake Of cloggy flesh which alwaies striues to choake Thy better thoughts would quickly soare on high To that faire City of eternitie VVhere I haue speciall residence and there VVhen thou hadst gaz'd awhile that cloudy care Of earth and earthly things would steale away As fearing much to interrupt the day Which I IEHOVAH gaue thee and thine eie Would still be reading true Diuinitie To thy aspiring soule vntill it came To be indeed Professor of my Name In those celestiall Schooles there to possesse My Mansions of eternall happinesse Thus wretched soule hadst thou but vs'd aright Those windowes which I gaue to be a light Vnto thy Intellect thou hadst not bin So fearefully inclouded thus in sinne But thou alas as carelesse of my will As he that seru'd his Master best in ill Mad'st hauocke of my fauours took'st those eies And spent'st them both away on vanities To cherish vp thy flesh and to maintaine Those bastard issues of thy wanton braine Nor didst thou care for eyes vnlesse to see Which were the pleasingst paths of vanitie VVherein to walke that when thou'dst had thy fill Of this and that and of the other ill To looke about for new and thus thine eie Did alwaies glut thee with varietie Of new-found euill obiects till at last Thy sight was gone for thou hadst made such waste Of it in ill that now it could not see To doe thee good in deepes of miserie And as thine eye so hast thou spent away Thy other senses all are gone astray From doing what I would and what I 'de not I 'm sure thy Lethargie hath not forgot To doe with speciall care as if thine ill Had been of purpose to oppose my will VVhich gaue thee leaue to will yet this not all Thy malice is not done thou hast a gall To vomit out within the totall man Within and out doth doe the best it can To warre against my will within I see That all thy faculties corrupted bee Thine vnderstanding guided by thine eie Doth iudge of nothing good but vanitie According to the sense thus vnderneath A seeming-sweet thou eat'st the gall of death I see thy thoughts all euill from thy youth Conceiuing nought but Issues of thy Ruth Those Twins of sinne and death and when within Thou hast conceiu'd that vgly Monster sinne I see without thy members all attend As ready Midwiues striuing who shall send It forth into the world or who shall be The second parents of thy bastardie I seeke thy heart but finde congealed blood Or in its roome ought else that is not good A piece of deadned flesh a senselesse stone Or all I finde is this that thou hast none I looke within alas but this I finde There is no goodnesse durst approach thy minde All is so full of ill without I see There 's true alleageance to impietie From top to toe from sole of foot to head I looke alas but all thy all is dead Thus wretched man thou 'st lauish't all away In vanitie ne'r thinking of that day Wherein thy Master I should come and see How well those Talents which I gaue to thee Had been bestow'd But now behold I come In iustice to exact what thou hast done With these my goods Where are thy Eares and Eyes With all those other parts and faculties That lye without the Senses and the rest And where are those within which were the best Thy hallowed heart and memory And where Are now the vertues of that liuing ayre Which first I did inspire thee with whereby Thou hadst resemblance of the Deitie In holinesse Alas poore soule I see Where all these are and need not aske of thee I know thy waies full well my watchfull eie Doth still pursue thy steps and doth descrie Thy secret'st paths the veyles of darkest night Can neuer hide thy actions from my sight For day and night are both alike to me Although perhaps I seem'd to winke at thee As though I saw thee not but I indeed Tooke notice of thy diligence and speed In following after vanity and saw The little care thou had'st to keep my law That neuer toucht thy heart of all the rest For thou hadst sold away thy Interest Of willing what was good that now thy will Might bee a free-man in the wayes of ill Thus Miser art thou fallen off from mee By eating fruit of that forbidden tree Which Satan did entice thee to and now Thou 'st left mee once I see thou car'st not how Thy dayes are spent but with thy fathers curse Thou' rt adding still to former euils worse As though indeede true happinesse had bin Within these vales of misery of sin I 'm quite forgot of thee thy thanklesse sense Is growne so stupid that it feeles not whence It had it selfe Thy gracelesse memory Hath stuft thy Inne so full of vanity I cannot haue a Stable-roome wherein My Residence might worke away thy sin But Satan's now thy chiefest guest I see And he alone is all in all with thee Goodnesse is banisht thou hast bid farewell To me and it O couldst thou see the hell Wherein thou art then am I sure thine eie Would fall a weeping straight thy miserie Would make thee turne another leafe and looke Within the sacred Records of my Booke VVhere thou would'st quickly learne to see thy losse And then in haste returne by weeping-crosse To me thy God and Maker and vnlesse I pitty thee thou dyest in distresse For lo the reck'ning day is come and now Yeeld there thy Talents vp and tell me how I haue been glorifide by them and thee As was thy duty But alas I see Thou now art speechlesse all is spent
Already from aboue such sweet inspires Of quickning mercy kindling my desires With glad assurances of Grace that I Would not lay downe and change my misery For all the worlds best happinesse that can Be coueted by any carnall man To glut his greedy senses with for his Must haue its end but mine eternall is I meane my happinesse in that I see The sweet opposer of my miserie Is now at hand But here I must retire My wearied Muse awhile till my desire Obtaine its happy complement and I Behold my solace with a clearer eie Yet ere I rest deare Father lo I come To tell in briefe this is â—he totall summe Of these my weake disputes and this is all That I can answer thee as Prodigall Here I haue acted out my part and now Great Maker lo it doth remaine that thou Enter the Theater lest haplesse I By leauing't thus should leaue a Tragedy Imperfect to beholders eyes which might Strike them with sorrow more then with delight Come then and perfit it that all may see There 's nothing hath perfection but from thee Lo I remaine the Prodigall be thou The louing Father see with pity how I am beset with miseries and see What great necessitie I haue of thee That haue not ought without thee see agen How earnestly I thirst for thee and then Looke backe vpon thy promises whereby Thou' rt bound to vs that are in misery Thus Father pity me thy sonne and then With lasting fauour take me home agen Into thy armes of mercy where when I Am knit againe by that eternall tie Of thy redeeming loue my tongue and pen Shall be continuall trumpeters to men To tell thy mercies and what thou hast done For him that was so prodigall a sonne O quickly then deare Father quickly hie To him that is so full of misery Now is the time behold my tedious plaint Hath tyred out my soule and she 'gins faint In these her deepe extremes my teares and groanes Enforce a silence to her weeping Tones These are her latest words Come mercy flye And take me vp Come quickly or I dye Thus ouercome with griefe my dolefull Muse Kept silence with my soule for euery sluce My weepers had brast forth in teares to stop The passage of my plaints and ouer-top My sighes from flying vp aloft till 〈◊〉 Had grieu'd so much that all within â—as dry My braine had lost its moisture to indite Some dreary song my pen might weepe to write To giue continuance to my griefes and heere Because I saw that Mercy was so neere I did resolue to rest my selfe and stay Vntill my soule had seene a happier day Proclaimed from aboue I meane wherein She shall be ransomed from death and sin And all her present miseries till when Come rest with me my wearied Muse and Pen For here I vow you shall not speake againe Till Mercy raise you to a sweeter straine The end of the first Booke AVSTINS VRANIA OR THE HEAVENLY MVSE The second Booke Wherein is set forth the great mystery of Mans Redemption by Christ Iesus and the free-will and merits of Papists being experimentally confuted the true and only meanes whereby we are to obtaine saluation is plainely declared to the great comfort of all those that either are or desire to be true Christians By S.A. B. of Arts of Ex. Colledge in Oxford 2. COR. 1.3 4. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherwith we our selues are comforted of God PSAL. 66.16 Come and heare all yee that feare God and I will declare what he hath done for my soule PSAL. 89.1 I will sing the mercies of the Lord for euer with my mouth will I make knowne thy faithfulnesse to all generations LONDON Printed by F.K. for Robert Allot and Henry Seile 1629. TO THAT HONORABLE GENTLEMAN Mr. IOHN ROBARTS Sonne to my Lord Robarts Baron of Truro in Cornwall the accomplishment of all true happinesse both in Grace and Glory c. Noble Sir I Haue here emboldned my selfe to intreate you also since you came hither so seasonably to be the second God-father of these my lowly conceptions and my hopes are that you will bee the easier wonne hereto because you haue so good a Compartner as my great Fauourer your diuine Tutor Neither is this all but I had many other most vrgent incitements to forward these my lawfull presumings first in that it was my happines to be your Countryman whence I thought it no meane disparagement both to my selfe and Country especially to your Honour that our Cornwalls Muses should not finde a Patron within their owne limits Secondly your happy growth in all vertuous perfections within these late yeeres as my selfe also amongst others haue seriously obseru'd to the great comfort of my soule with your extraordinary zeale and primarie deuotions to all diuine exercises hath been inough to inuite if not enforce mee to the humble presentment of these my desires and vtmost seruices to forward you If my Muse had here play'd the wanton I should haue thought her too toyish and altogether vnworthy your more serious and iudicious aspect but shee has been somewhat affected with those passions that were sometimes yours shee hath been bath'd in the teares of a deare mothers death but especially she hath desir'd to bee in all things heauenly and to please you euen in diuine contemplations and therefore cannot despaire of your good patronage I will no longer stand in commenting either on your vertues or mine owne endeauourings only I shall intreate you to know that there is none more sincerely desires your perfection in goodnesse then my selfe though haply you may haue many far better furtherers and in confirmation of this I haue heere humbly presented you this deare though poore conception of mine who like a weeping infant new brought into the world beseeches you with teares for its Patronage which if you but please to blesse it with and so make it liue famous in the world by being yours you shall not faile of his continuing prayers and thankfulnesse who desires to be euer Your true seruant in the Lord Iesus Samuel Austin From my Study in Exeter Colledge in Oxford this 11. of Aprill 1628. AN ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READERS ON my second Booke Good Readers IF I here come farre short of mine owne aymes and your expectations I shall intreate you to make this vse of it the apprehension of that great Mystery of saluation which I here treate of is a matter of far greater difficulty then at first I took it for yea sure it is an Art so hard and of so heauenly a nature that flesh and blood can neuer attaine the knowledge of it but it must be reuealed vnto vs from our Father which is in Heauen Whence it came to passe
goes not well With me I 'm sure and how-soe'r if I May speake the truth for sure I dare not lye Before my God to them thinke what they will That all is well when nothing is not ill Because they haue a faire flesh-pleasing calme Whiles thus they run to vanitie for Balme To cure their wounds yet let them know how e'r They dreame themselues the farthest off from feare Because they doe not feele the same that they Are in the gall of woe and though they may Seeme senslesse for a while yet lo the day That dolefull day will come when they shall say We haue no pleasure in 't when they that keepe The house shall tremble when the strong men creepe And bow themselues the grinders cease and when Those Seers of the vanities of men That looke out at the windowes lose their light And when the doores are shut because 't is night And when the grinding-sound is low and all The Maides of musicke take their lowest fall And when there 's nothing left but trembling feares And all desire shall faile and when the teares Of mourners flow about the streets ' cause they Are going then to their long home the way Of all mankind for that eternall One Shall bring each worke before his Iudgement Throne Bee 't good or bad and there will doome the ill Downe to the vales of lasting death but will Receiue the good into his holy place Where they shall alwaies see him face to face And when as earst I said these dayes of woe Are come Oh then they will begin to know All 's not so well as thought with them altho The flesh did slyly seeme perswade them so I meane when drearie daies of sicknesse come Or death to call them to their latest home For these will come O then they will begin To feele so many armies hid within Of fearefull sinnes beset their sleepie soules So suddenly that they 'le haue nought but howles And sad despairing cries to be their fence ' Gainst these resistlesse enemies and sense Will then be quicke to feele but all too late What earst alas they did not feele to hate Their cursed peace with flesh and vanitie Which is indeed a mortall enmitie With God himselfe for sure the flesh and he Are enemies and they can ne'r agree So then to be at peace with flesh is this To be a meerely wicked one which is Not to haue peace at all for such haue none There is no peace vnto the wicked one So saies my God Thus may they learne and see What t is to bee at peace if not with thee Alas 't is death But to returne againe From whence I straid Since all these helpes are vaine For I am troubled still so sore that I Can haue no rest while clouded from thine eie Good God what shall I doe where shall I goe To be deliuer'd of this child of woe This heauy burden of my sin whereby My soule is prest so low shee cannot flye To thee her God there to behold and see Those wondrous things which thou hast done for mee Alas why dost thou leaue mee then and why Dost thou so long in anger hide thine Eye Thus to prorogue my griefes Shall humane sense Dare striue it out with thy Omnipotence On selfe presumes as though it could withstand Thy mightinesse or wrest from out thy hand Thy mercies by constraint when with one breath Thou canst consume vs euery one to death Oh no my God such lawlesse thoughts as these May not come neere my heart then would it please Thy goodnesse pitty mee at length for why Thou know'st full well I cannot choose but die Vnlesse thou come and pitty mee Oh then Delay mee not my God but come agen O quickly come reuiue mee with thy Grace And with those beames those issues of thy face The ioy of thy sweet countenance which when My soule is fully blest withall Oh then I le craue no more saue only this thereby Still to enioy that blessed Theorie Of thine eternall loue to mee in him Whom earst thou didst reueale that so my sin Might bee abolisht quite and I may bee Knit in inseparable Tyes to thee O meet me here my God this is the place The time the opportunitie for Grace Fitter thou canst not haue then this for lo I 'm wearied out and can no further go For want of Grace My soule is quiâ—â— bereft Of all her strength and here alas I 'm left As one for-lorne that neither can relieue Himselfe nor call to any else to giue Him some Reliefe for sure I 'm growne so cold And senslesse of my griefes that now behold I cannot draw one teare from out my head To plaine my selfe alas I am so dead So dead in sin I meane for want of Grace To quicken mee that so mine eies and face Might flow with teares springing from liuely sense Of what I am true teares of penitence And euery word I speake might tell my woes By weeping all along the way it goes O this were well were it so well with mee That I could bee so good as I would bee Thus penitent I meane vntill mine eies Had throughly wept away my miseries And sins at once and there were none behind As enuious clouds to interrupt and blind My heau'n-bâ—â—t soule when faine shee 'd vp and see Those wondrous things which thou hast done for mee Alas but 't is not so my God there lyes That massie lumpe of my infirmities Betwixt my soule and thee which alwaies presse Mee downe so low that I must needs confesse Mine owne vnhappy wants whose bleared eie Can neuer reach this sacred Mysterie Of thine eternall loue although it bee No lesse then lifes eternall losse to mee In that I cannot reach the same and Blisse Againe as endlesse if I could doe this Yet all is one my poore humanitie Alas is too too weake and cannot fly It selfe to thee to apprehend that Light For man could neuer saue himselfe by sight Without thy Grace which only purifies And takes ' way those ill humours from our eyes That hinder blessed sights and in their steed Inspires vs with those that are eyes indeed Those eyes of faith I meane which only may Approach that treasure of eternall day Thy holy hill there to behold and see The Riches of that Glory hid with thee From all eternity the depth the hight Which none can comprehend without the light Of thy all-seeing Sprite that mystery Of euerlasting loue which now mine eie Doth long so much to see and till I see Alas there 's nothing that can comfort mee Oh then my God here let thy Grace descend Here let it come and put a happy end To this my tedious night of griefe and here Let that sweet Sunne of Righteousnesse appeare Which earst gan shine in such maiestick hue That all these gloomy
the power to make resistancie VVhen they oppose but as a captiue slaue Am forc'd to yeeld at euery thing they 'le haue Because my Lord is farre away whose Grace Alone should shield me from this great disgrace And I meane-while O most vnhappy man That euer knew those deepes wherein I am Am brought to doubtings of my God for he Is not said I or surely if he be How can he yet containe himselfe that knowes The wondrous deepes of these my sinnes and woes And yet doth let me still alone till I Am quite ore-whelm'd and past recouerie Alas he dealt not so while-ere with those His Saints of old but sweetly would disclose Himselfe to them especially when they VVere in extremes and did but come and pray VVith humbled hearts for his reliefe as I Haue often read in that sweet Historie VVhich registers his workes that holy Booke Which he preserues for all to ouer-looke VVith serious meditation which I say He still preserues till Doomes approaching day By a resistlesse prouidence And then If they were heard so soone who were but men As we may see in Dauid Hezekiah And all the rest of sacred Prophecie I speake not them as Kings for sure with him VVe're men alike concluded all in sin VVhat should I say I say who am a man As they though not a King who also ran Vnto my God in these my deepes and there VVith many a weary sigh groane and teare Haue often beg'd of him for Grace that I Might sweetly see that blessed mystery Of those who are his happied sonnes and yet Am still deny'd and can no further get Doe what I can Alas what should I say Or thinke or doe VVhat steads it mee to pray And neuer haue the thing I aske alas My strength said I is not the strength of brasse Thus to endure without reliefe but I The true Portraite of mans Infirmity Am readie heere to faint to sinke to cease My fruitlesse sute and hence to liue at peace I meane with flesh ne'r more to toyle for this VVhich is so hard to get so high a blisse That I can ne'r attaine vnto 't I see The way 's too straite for selfe-humanitie To thrust its feet into or if it can 'T is too-too hard to keepe as it began It hath so many rubs so many Rocks So many slippry falls and hindring blocks That 't would discourage any one to thinke That hee should goe nay come vnto the brinke Sometimes of Heau'n and thinking all is well Yet straight bee tumbled downe againe to Hell All this I 'ue knowne O most vnhappy I To bee experienc'd thus in misery And can I chuse but faint who is 't descryes The feeble props of mans infirmities Who is 't I say that would but rightly looke Into the bloared volumes of mans booke His secret thoughts I meane and there ore-see The heart in its corrupt Anatomie But straight hee 'd say conscious as I that I Must faint indeed of meere necessitie But here perhaps some happier soule will say Go go fond wretch first cast thy sins away And then thou shalt bee quickly heard for sure Thou' rt frozen in thy dregs a man impure That wallowest still in sin or else ne'r doubt thou 'dst long ere this been heard and holpen out For these are they that hinder thee yea these Doe sep'rate thee from God and doe displease His pure-ill-hating eyes so much that hee Hath hid himselfe so long away from thee Not that hee cannot saue or heare but ' cause Thou still runn'st on in trespassing his Lawes By thy continuing euill thoughts and by Thy following acts full of iniquity For hee hath knowne and searched thee altho The world indeed be blinde and cannot so And hence it is Hee will not heare but will For certaine leaue thee till thou leaue thine ill To this said I Alas I must confesse T is true indeed my sins and wickednesse Are wondrous great aye mee they still increase And I in them which hinders all the peace Of my vnhappy soule Alas they 're such I am asham'd yea quite asham'd so much As but to name them to the world for feare I should offend those happier Saints that heare Of my enormities alas my heart Is sicke euen to the death with them that part Which should be purely kept is ouer-growne With thousand ills full of corruption And these doe oft burst forth to acts as bad As they themselues which makes mee almost mad And quite distracted as it were that I Haue not within my selfe ability Whereby I might resist or ouer-come Those traitrous foes to my Saluation And this is it alas that makes mee cry Whith Paul in deepes of sin and misery Wretch that I am who shall deliuer mee From this vnhappy masse of death Sure hee That is omnipotent 't is hee alone My God and Sauior besides there 's none O then let mee bee here excus'd if I Who feele my selfe thus in captiuitie Vnto the law of sin powre forth my pray'r Vnto my God for why should I despaire By reason of my sinnes Sure these are they That chiefly doe occasion mee to pray To bee deliuer'd from them for if I Should ne'r bee heard whiles in iniquity Why surely I should ne'r bee heard if hee Do not in mercy take 't away from mee For in my selfe I haue nor pow'r nor will At any time to shake away mine ill I meane without his Grace infus'd O then Why is 't I am not heard O Lord or when Shall I bee heard Why dost thou linger mee That knowâ—st so well my great infirmitie And to what deepes I 'm like to fall if thou Preuent mee not with sauing Grace O now Come quickly therefore quickly come I pray And raise mee vp Let none bee able say That euer any sought to thee for ayd In his extremes and that he was delay'd So long of helpe till all distractedly Hee was enforc't thus to despaire and dye Or sure if so if miserable men Should bee thus dealt withall by thee O then How is 't they should acknowledge thee and I Alas how could I other but deny Thy Deity with them for surely wee Cannot conceiue of God vnlesse it bee As one that is most mercifull and one That knowes and sees our griefes and can alone Relieue vs in those great extremes Nay more That can and will for as I said before Hee is as truly mercifull as hee Is truly God and then how can it bee That I should either not despaire or thou Not quickly come and helpe for surely now Now is the very time I say wherein Because I am so deepely plungâ—d in sin And misery so deepe alas that I Am almost ready to despaire and dye It doth behooue thee come and helpe nay sure And rather too because I 'm so impure And sinfull as thou seest Alas my sin May not thus
onely fount but here I could not but admire with holy feare That such a gracious light should shine yet man Would turne away his eies and rather ran To follow shades of vanity which bee Indeed but a meere wearinesse and flee Away as soone as ouer-tooke wherein Lyes nothing hid but misery and sin The Parents of eternall death But here Sending my thoughts from Luke to Iohn lo there I quickly found the reason out this Light Did shine indeed but mans all-darkned sight Had not the pow'r to comprehend what here VVas offer'd him till hee himselfe appeare I meane this Light and giue it him for hee Must not bee borne of flesh or bloud but bee New borne of God and drawne as 't were by him To see and come to Christ 'T is not within Mans owne ability Oh no I see It is my God workes all this all in mee Thus hauing found his happy birth I meane Happy to vs spectators of this scene Though not to him that acted it I now 'Gin trace his holy life for here I vow If hee but please to giue me aid and breath I 'le follow him a long euen to the death And thus returning back to Matthew Marke And Luke thence to my John somewhat more darke Though being full of light I here did see The Prologue was begun in miserie As earst I 'ue said the Acts that went betweene VVere not lesse grieuous who had hee but seene His conflicts in the wildernesse when hee Was tempted of that grandest enemie To him and vs who is 't againe that saw Those wordy-warres hee had about the Law With th' enuious Scribes and Pharises when they Laid all their wicked plots how to betray His innocence to death but hee would bleed In heart to thinke on such a horrid deed For hee good Man did neuer harme nay sure Hee was so farre from this so godly pure That hee was good to all his very foes Had neuer better friend then him yea'uen those That sought to take away his life yet he Was patient still But would you farther see His wondrous works of mercie how hee heales The sick the blinde the lame to some reueales His pow'r by raising them from death to some By casting diuels forth yet when all 's done Much like the thanklesse Gadarens they faine Would haue him leaue their coasts 't was not their gaine They thought to lose their swinish sins No no They 'le rather part by far with Christ then so Thus did hee wander vp and downe good man Hauing not where to lay his head and can Wee tearelesse yet stand looking on Sure no Or if there be a stone that can doe so My bowels yearne I must confesse when I But thinke on this nay more my griefe-worne eye Doth either ouerflow or longs to bee Made Jer'mies weeping Well when I but see My Sauiour thus hee comes vnto his owne But they receiue him not nay worse are growne Offended with him Thus hee goes about Meeting with still increasing-griefes throughout The course of all his life yet in this case Hee ceases not his worke but shewes his Grace To many a sad and sinfull soule for hee Was Phisick vnto all that did but see Themselues were sick and needed him but those That stood on their owne righteousnesse his foes The Scribes and Pharises who thought indeed Much like the Papists now they had no need Of Christs all-sauing helpe but did presume To fly to Heau'n with that deceitfull plume Of their owne works hee iustly leaues to bee Condemn'd in this their gracelesnesse to see The fruits of their owne froward pride when they Will go to Heau'n yet scorning Christ the way But to leaue them I here returne againe Vnto my Christ whom I haue seene in paine Thus farre to trauell with the load which hee Did take on him only to set vs free Now for his vsuall meat this was indeed To do his Fathers will to go with speed And finish what hee came about not fed With fulnesse or variety of bread As wee vnhappy lumpes but was with Paul In fastings oft in wearinesse in all Which might expresse his misery so far ' Yond all the Sonnes of Adam as they are Inferiour in integritie to him Who neuer harbourd the least thought of sin Which well might adde vnto his griefes yet hee Was patient still O hearers come and see Wirh rented hearts here is a wofull scene Continued on thus thus did he demeane Himselfe in euery Act and thus was hee That perfect patterne of humilitie But O my soule these are the acts betweene And sad enough but O there lies vnseene The very woe of all the rest his death And passion this that takes away my breath With too fast running doubled sighes that I Shall ne'r bee able speake sufficiently As I desire or as I ought beside I 'm dull'd with former griefes my fount is dryde I haue not teares enough to spend whereby I might re-act this wofull Tragedy In wotds that nothing else but weepe yet here I must supply something of what while're At first I neuer thought to speake when I Began this worke for there in breuitie I scarcely spake saue of his death but now My soule hath vndergone a larger vow Being led by that all-ruling Sprite which here I must performe And thus with wonted feare I enter'd on the Epilogue where I 'Gan first obserue that wondrous Agonie My Sauiour in the Garden had when hee Did pray so earnestly Lord if it be Thy sacred will then let this fearefull cup Yet passe away and I not drinke it vp This fearefull cup Good God what hideous draught Was this at which thou that wast so well taught In bearing miseries didst yet intreate A scape from it Sure sure that feare was great That made thy soule to shrinke who couldst beare more Then all the world besides O then wherefore Did'st thou yet feare my Lord Alas thy Sprite Thus answers me 'T was at th' amazing sight Of mine and euery sinners sinnes which now Were laid vpon thy back because that thou Would'st vndergo so much for vs to bee A Sacrifice for these our sinnes that wee Might bee disburdend quite of them and so Bee freed from that accursed weight of woe Which follow'd them so great so infinite That neither tongue can speake nor pen can write And yet thy loue was growne so strong that thou Didst beare them all for vs. Hence was it now Thy present plunges were so great and hence It was thou felt'st such terrors in the sense Of thy humanitie that made thee call Thy Deitie to helpe hence was the fall Of those great drops of blood which thou didst sweat In this thy fearefull Agonie and yet Do I aske why thou didst intreat Aye mee Some little glimpse of this
to thee In my behalfe What shall I say hee bore My sins and griefes as well thou know'st yea more Hee hath fulfill'd thy Law for me and thou Thy selfe wouldst haue him so yea sure and now Thou 'st also led mee by thy Sprite to him In these my deepes of misery and sin To salue and solace vp my soule and I Appeale to thee vnder no other tye Or name but his that being found alone Hauing his righteousnesse and not mine owne For I alas haue none I thus might bee Made perfect in thy sighs and so might see And know my selfe linkt in thy loue whereby I 'm bound to thee in this eternall tye Of praise and thankfulnesse Here then my Lord Come take me to thy selfe here let thy VVord Speake comfort to my soule that I may bee From hence accounted thine here take from mee All that is mine my sinnes I meane and hence Compose mee for thy seâ—e Refine my sense With all mine inward faculties that I May bee made wholy thine Let not mine eye So much as look on what I loue vnlesse It please thee sanctifie the same and blesse Its sight and vse to mee for good and let Mee here intreate thee teach mee to forget My fathers house this earth I meane that so My soule may hence with that faire daughter go Vnto the King my Christ and there may bee Presented glorious all within to thee Roab'd only with his Righteousnesse and thou May'st greatly cast thy loue on mee for now Behold I haue giu'n o're my selfe to be Thy worshipper alone who art to mee My only Lord. Here will I set my heart As Dauid earst to act its thankfull part Of prayses to the King here shall my pen Become his tongue here will I show to men The wondrous Riches of thy loue which thou Hast showne to mee Come then my friends for now I will begin Come yee that feare the Lord Come all I say attend to euery word Which I shall speake here will I show to you Such things as may deserue the choycest view What God hath done for my poore soule when I Was in distresse first please you cast an eye But back on these my many griefes which bee Set dully forth in this sad mappe by mee And you shall finde if you haue eyes to looke That can refraine from drowning my poore booke With interrupting teares whiles you peruse The heauie plunges of my sorry Muse There shall you finde I say what deeps of griefe My soule was in there shall you finde in briefe The fearefull'st plunges and extremest smart That euer did beset so weake a heart O're-whelming mee at once there is the paine My soule endur'd which stroue so long in vaine To be redeem'd from sin the heauiest loade That euer yet poore wretched man abode There may you see the feares despaires and all The sad euents that euer could befall A perfect sinfull wretch oppressing mee So sore on euery side that you may bee Made tremble but to thinke vpon 't for I VVas sure me thought past all recouerie Yea sure I was in mans conceit my soule VVas pris'ner fast to death writ in the roule Of hells accursed bookes and could not stirre One foot so much vnlesse it were to erre Into some greater deepe of sinne whereby I needs must fall to greater miserie This was my case deare friends wherein I lay Bereft of helpe full many a tedious day So that I knew not what to doe nor where I might betake my selfe all that was here Within this earth I meane did seeme to me But as some friends of mine which faine would be Accounted so but in my deepes of griefe They were so farre from sending me reliefe That at my greatest need my hopes prou'd vaine Thus did they helpe to adde vnto my paine And thus alas I still continued on From bad to worse till I was so o're-gone VVith my increasing killing sinnes that I Had lost all sense of mine owne miserie VVhich show'd indeed I was quite dead in sin Such was the fearefull case my soule was in But here behold now you haue seene a briefe Or shaddow of my former tedious griefe And wofull deepes that I was in I say Behold when all things else were fled away And would not could not comfort me euen then O here was loue surpassing that of men My God alone tooke hold on me when I VVas in my greatest deepe of miserie Enslau'd to sinne polluted in my blood A loathsome lumpe of any thing but good And there he sweetly rayâ—'d me vp and said Vnto me â—iue lo I will be thine aide For all things else are vaine e'en I alone I will redeeme thee for besides there 's none That can redeeme I will because I will Of my free Grace for thy deserts are ill As all the rest thy kinreds are which came From sinfull Adams loynes for mine owne Name And goodnesse sake I will that hence thou be A vessell wholly consecrate to me In holinesse Thus did he leade me on As I haue showne his sacred Word along Till from Mount Sinai he had brought me vp To Sions hill where he gaue me the cup Of his saluation freely and mine eie Began to see that happie Mysterie Of his abundant loue in Christ which he Did sweetly there begin lay ope to me Lay ope indeed for 't was a treasurie Of loue beyond conceit the time when I Was in my deepest plunge prest downe by sin Euen to despaire the time when I was in The very Iawes of Hell euen then I say When there was left for me none other way Then did my gracious God in kindnesse come And take me vp then did he send his Sonne His owne beloued Sonne downe from on high And rather then hee 'd suffer me to lye In those eternall bonds of death to be Still thrall'd to Hells expreslesse miserie Whereto my selfe had brought my selfe euen he His onely Sonne would needs come downe to be My Ransomer his loue was growne so great Hee 'd rather leaue his wonte glorious seat Of Maiestie then see me thus yea more Hee 'd be my suretie too for sure he bore My sinnes and griefes he vnder-went the paine Of death and hell for me nought could restraine His forward wings of speakelesse loue but he Would straight vn-God himselfe as 't were and be Made man like vs he would descend from high Where 's earst he sate in his felicitie And glorie inexpressible that he Might take on him our poore humanitie The ragges of our accursed flesh wherein He might in person answer for the sin That we had done he would become our Gage To vndergoe his fathers heauie rage And wrath so iustly due to vs that wee From out the hell of this our low degree Might bee raisd vp so high from death from sin And all those deepes of misery
wherein Wee earst lay fast implung'd as to bee made His happy Images to haue a shade Of his Diuinitie as 't were and bee Made like to him in holinesse that wee Might bee made Citizens of Grace and hence Might leade a life beyond the Spheare of sense That happy life of faith I meane in him Till hee e're long come end these dayes of sin And take vs wholy to himselfe where we Shall liue with him through all eternitie In neuer ending speakelesse ioyes which hee Hath merited for vs. Thus may you see What God hath done for my poore soule when I Was in distresse thus did hee magnifie Himselfe in this weake man of mine which hee Hath so redeem'd to bee his owne to bee Made only blest by being so But here O thou my God why wouldst thou yet appeare So rig'rous to thine only Son that hee Should bee accurst thus with our miserie To blesse vs with his happinesse Alas Thou surely could'st haue brought thy will to passe By any other easier meanes and then If needs thou'dst bee so good to vs poore men By sauing vs aliue why didst thou yet Thus leaue thy Son as seeming to forget Thy loue to him and show it vs Why sure With thee 't was small still to haue kept vs pure And n'er haue suffer'd vs to fall if thou Would'st endeare thy selfe to vs as now Thou show'st thou hadst decreed to doe and hee Thy Christ I meane might stil haue staid with thee In his owne speakelesse happinesse and not Haue spilt his precious blood to wash this spot Of sin from our defiled soules Oh no My reason erres thy loue was more then so Thou would'st not buy vs thus for nought though wee VVere thine before indeed as dues to thee That had'st created vs of nought but here Thou needs would'st haue thy wondrous loue appeare By making vs to see our selues what wee VVere of our selues without depends on Thee To wit meere slaues to sin and death and then To buy vs with a price so high that men Cannot conceiue its speake lesse worth so deare As thine owne only Son Hence did appeare The wondrous riches of thy loue which thou Indeed didst show to mee and them that now Are thine alone by Grace What shall I say Here 's loue indeed beyond Compare the day Of my short life would surely faile if I Should striue but to expresse it worthily As it deserues VVhat then VVhy surely now I le onwards in my thanks here will I vow And pay vnto my God But what haue I Poore soule to pay Sure I will thankfully Take Dauids cup here will I on and call Vpon his name here will I sacre all That e'r I haue vnto his praise and now O thou my Lord bee present with my vow And sweetly ayde thy seruant on till hee Performe at full what e'r hee vowes to thee First then my God here doe I hence commend My selfe into thine hands here I â—urrend That right thou iustly hast in mee by Grace And nature both here come and take thy place Within this temple of thine owne I meane This man of mine Come thou â—â—d make it cleane By thy alone pure-purging Sprite and hence Vouchafe to make continuall Residence Vnder this lowly roofe of my poore heart Whereof thy selfe art Lord that chiefest part And roome of all my clayey house wherein Thou' rt also wont to take delight if sin That cursed foe of mine come not before And keep thee out by lying at the doore But O my God hence let it not bee said That thy Omnipotence should bee afraid At such a nothing as it were that it Should keepe thee out and as a Tyrant fit Vsurping proudly on thy right Oh no Bee thou thy selfe my God Come here and shoâ— Thy all-commanding power and let not sin Dare make a start so much to enter in And domineere on what is thiâ—â— for I Am wholy thine Come come and magnifie Thy selfe in my infirmities that hence Led as it were by thy Omnipotence I may bee alwayes doing good nay more And alwayes take delight therein for sure That only giues mee true delight when I Am doing so in sweet dependency On thee my God the chiefest good O come And banish throughly as thou hast begun Away from mee those my most dangerous foes Which earst o'rewhelm'd mee with so many woes All my despairing thoughts I meane and all My thoughts of vanity which did enthrall My soule while ere so fast to hell that I Was brought into such deepes of misery I knew not what long time to doe Come come Euen for the Passion of thine only Son And free me from these tyrannies Nay hence Let mee be ty'd to any paine of sense Rather then this of losse of losse I say Of thy sweet countenance O let the day Of that alone shine still on mee and then Come all the gloomy frownes of mortall men Come all the stormy pow'rs of Death of Hell Come any thing in thee I shall bee well In thee alone I shall bee well in thee Knit fast I meane in Christ by that sweet tye Of thine abundant loue through him for hee Hath broke the bonds of hell and set mee free Hee hath redeem'd my life from death that I Should hence enioy the glorious libertie Of those that are thy happyed sonnes and hence Walke on alone in thy Omnipotence Still prosp'ring in thy waies which is to be Raysd vp to heau'n whiles yet on earth to mee The very chiefest happinesse that I VVould here desire O let mee liue and dye VVithin these links of thy sweet loue for here My hopes are firme with Paul no faithlesse feare Can breake this chaine by which I 'm tyde for I Am thine in Christ there 's no calâ—mity Nor life nor death things present nor to come Nor height nor depth nor ought that may be done Can sep'rate mee from thee in Christ And now VVhat yet remaines here will I pay my vow Of thankfulnesse to thee my God yea'uen here Led onwards in thy strength I le sweetly steere My leaking boate along till it hath brought My wearied muse vnto the shore shee sought VVith so oft doubled teares and sighes But here O you my friends you all I meane that feare The Lord with me pray ioyne your helping hand That wee the sooner may obtaine the Land Come then I say wee all that are combin'd To God in Christ hence let vs bee refin'd From all our former vanities from hence Let vs shake off those menstruous clouts of sense VVhich earst wee were polluted with and now Bee cloath'd anew with Christ hence let vs vow Our selues as holy to the Lord that wee May still grow vp in faiâ—hs sweet vnitie Till wee bee perfect men in Christ Come come Let others doe they know not what go on Still reu'ling
Sauiour with these very eyes euen I Together with that blessed company Of glorious Saints where our immortall Layes Shall neuer cease to celebrate thy praise Meane while my Muse here take thy long'd for rest On this sweet shore here liue amongst the blest In euer happie Sympathies and be Celestiall like thy selfe Here cease with me Thy wonted tearie straines and let thine eyes Be solace'd still in holy Theories And contemplations of thy God till he Shall raise thee vp beyond mortalitie To ioyne with his celestiall Quire and sing Eternall Halleluiahs vnto Him And to the Lambe for euermore Till when Cease not to pray Lord Iesus come Amen FINIS * 2. Cor. 12.9 * Neh. 4.7 8. * Neh. 1.8 * Ephes 1.17 18. * Mr. Dr. Pâ—id a Iob. 15.16 b Infected I say because wicked men account goodnesse as grieuous a plague to them as the godly doe wickednesse and therefore as carefully to be shunned for feare it should disturbe their former course of cursed merriment and put them to the paines of blessed repentance whereby they might liue anew vnto God and be saued c Mat. 24.31 1. Cor. 15.52 d Mat. 25.41 e That is the esteeme or respects of meere carnall men f vid. Sydneys last Sonnet at the end of his Arcadia g The ill humour which preferre◠〈◊〉 before goodnesse in 〈◊〉 vpon any â—ly respect◠〈…〉 h Preachers diuinest Professors i Chiefe Gouernours in Church and Common-wealth who can do most in this case * Christs passioÌ„ more fully describ'd in my second Booke * An allusion to the sorrow for the death of our late K. of blessed memory K. Iames. * Luke 1.10 * Esai 40.2 * Iere. 9.1 * Luk. 22.37 * Act. 2.23 * Mat. 27.45 Luke 23.44 45. 〈◊〉 generall Eclipse or darknesse at our Sauiours Passion * Mat. 27.51 * Rom. 8.19 * Psal 22.3.3 4. sing * Math. 27.46 Marke 15 34. * Mat. 29.50 Ioh. 19.30 * Luke 24.5 * 1. Kings â— 27 2. Chr. 2.6 * Ioh. 19.41 42. * Luke â—4 6 * Rom. 4.10 11. * Reu. 6.1 * Exod. 33 â—â— c. * Psal 16.10 * Reu. 22.1 * Luke 7.38 47. seÌ„ Mary Magdalen * 1. Ch. 29.14 * Reue. 5.11 12. * Exod. 3.11 * Esai 6.5 * Gen. 6.5 * 1. Sam. â— 4â— c. * 1. Sam. 16.11 12. Psal 78.70 71. * Ier. 9.1 c. GOD describ'd according to mans apprehension of Him Negatiuely * Deu. 10.14 Iob 41.11 Psal 24.1 c. * Gen. 1. châ— * Ioh. 5.39 * 1. Cor. 13 12. 1. Iob. 3.2 * 1. Cor. 13 12. 1. Iob. 3.2 * Gen. 1.1 c. * Vers 28. * Which was that the World was made of a pre-existent Maâ—ter or Chaos as Ouid or that it was Eternal as Aristotle c. * Psal 33.9 * Quicquod erat Deus illud erat c. Lermaeus in his Translation of Barta's Weeke * Psal 104.9 * or Eaâ—e in the Text Gen. 2.17 * Gen. 3 last * sc first Integrity * A Theater of all Mankind after Adams Fall describ'd in their seueral conditions * Psal 2.2 1. Swearers Blasphemers Curseâ—s 2. Honour abused 3. Vsury bribery and the like obliquities 4. Pride especially odious to God and Man * Esai 2.12 13 17. 5. Prodigality in whoring hunting drinking eating carding dicing * Mat. 26.47 * How far the men of these corrupt times exceed Adam in their sinnes * Psal 12. â—â— * Esay 47.4 * The examination of my selfe * Mat. 25.16 * Gen. 3.6 * My relapse * Sâ— in the mirth of the world * My Vocation or Calling from God after my fall and captiuitie to fame * Gen. 1.27 Eccles 7.29 a Ps 22.9 10. b Ps 32.8 9. c 2. Chron. 33.12 d Psal 3.5 4.9 e An apt â—imile a Reuel 21.8 b Mark 9.44 c Exo. 34.6 7. d Exo 33.19 Rom. 9.15 e Iob. 38.3 f Iob 38.3 g Gods expostulacion Iob 38.4 6 c. h Psal 103.7 When and how all things were created i Gen. 1.31 k To distinguish it from intuitiue reason because we say that God and the Angels are also reasonable but it is Ratione intuitiuâ— not discursiuâ as Diuines say l Oâ— homini sublime dedit â—oelumque tutâ— iussit c. Ouid. Metaâ— m Gen. 2.7 n Gen. 1.3 Gods free goodnesse notable in preferring vs before other creatures f Gen. 1.28 g Mat. 25.14 c. A fit Simile h Luk. 12.45 46. i Gal 6.10 k Mat. 25.30 41. The eyes right vse l Rom. 12.15 m Ioh. 14.2 n Luk 12.15 The eyes how corrupted All the senses of man corrupted The corruption of the inward faculties o Gen. 6.5 The whole man corrupted p Esay 1.6 q Gen. 1.26 r Psal 139.11 12. Å¿ Luke 2.7 t Matth â—5 30 41. Or presence Psal 16.12 Mat. 25.30 〈◊〉 â— 4 5. Gods first free restâ—â—ration of man z Iob 38.3 a A fit Simile from a dreame which I had in the Town of Totnes in Dâ—â—on 1623. b Vsury much vsed in Totnes c My dreame begins d Ioel 2.20 e Mat. 24.29 f The voyce I heard in my thoughts g 2. Cor. 12.2 h Reuel 20.12 13. i Esay 6.5 k An allusion to Christs Transfiguration l Luk. 9.32 33. The vse to be made of this dreame m Reuel 3.6 20.12 n Phil. 4.3 o Psal 139.1 2 c. p Gen. 37.30 q Eccles. 1.2 r Gen. 2.17 Ro. 7.1 â— Å¿ Ro. 6.23 t Iob 2.9 u Psal 77.1 2. x Psal 38.3 y Iob 16.2 z Iob 13.4 a Psal 51.7 b Ps 116 5. c Ps 38.6 d Esay 9â— 15. 66.2 e 2. Sam. 24.14 f 〈◊〉 4.16 g Or if I perish I perish in Text. My appeale to God h Deut. 10.14 i Esay â— 3 Reuel 4.8 k Esay 6.5 l Esay 64.6 m Hos 64. n Iob 40 4. o Psal 143.2 Ro. 3.20 p Esai 45.9 Ier. 18 6. Ro. 9.10 q Iob 9 2 3. r Psal 53.1 3. Ro. 3.23 Å¿ Ps 22.6 t Gen. 32.26 u Psal 67.14 x Exod. 16.12 Hebr. 12.20 Obiection from God against man y Sinnes of omission and commission y Sinnes of omission and commission Mans best answer Sinne the Parent of death z Iam. 1.15 a Gen. 1.31 b Gen. 3.5 〈◊〉 the worke of man c Man works contrary to God for his workes went all good as Gen. 1.31 * Simile Man without especiall dependence on God could not chuse but sinne in which sense also Adam may be said at first necessarily to haue fallen e Rom. 7.12 f The Regeneraâ—e mans voyce approued also by the experience of S. Paul g Ro 7.15 19 h Paul voyce being Regenerate i Rom. 7.18 Fit Similies What man is in his relation to God k My deare deceased Mother l Wisd 9.15 m Psal 143.7 n Iob 10.21 o Mat. 2â— 30 p Esay 66.24 Mark 9.44 q Ps 91.9 10 r Ps 77.10 A fit simile Å¿ As in moralitie t 2. Chro. 33.22 u