stings I le lay about the Ruther of my minde To keep a safer loofe and thirle the winde What rapt coelestiall forceth my desire To be dissolv'd my soule may mount aboue To see these joyes that blesse that glorious hyre Which Saints enjoy lifes ever-springing love My hope resumes I might as happy rest In pleasures there as they are happy blest Now I returne good God turne thou to me As Travellers who have been long abroad Are forc'd by love their soile and friends to see No rest till then their hearts the way have trode So I 'me estrangd my Countrie is above Heaven is the place thou Lord my light my love Great is the glory of thy glorious face Enstall'd with Angels Saints and Martyres gone Set fore the Throne with legions of each race Singing applauses to that blessed One The Lambe of Love our Advocate thy Sonne Who by his death wrought our Salvation Fixe fast my thoughts to the tree of thy crosse Draw all the forces of my soule to Thee Lift up my heart let me renounce the drosse And dregs of ill let me aspire on hie And walke 'twixt feare and love in all my deeds As thou 'twixt justice and mercy proceeds Thy vertues are for us sufficient great Like as the Sunne it shines the World all where Yet ev'ry man enjoyeth so much heat As if it shinde to him in proper share So are thy graces infinite and we Enjoy the fruits of their felicitie But what our lives are short so are our dayes Except in troubles miseries alace Our continuance certaine in uncertaine wayes No time of death is knowne to us nor place Gods will is so to have us still prepard And set on watch lest that our steps be snard Each minutes life steps forward to sterne death And ev'ry act robs some part of our life Like him who sailes in ships and action hath In toylesome paines yet forward flees his strife We can not twice returne in Natures state 'Cause time runs post and can make no retreat My Sunne of life hath his Meridian past And plungd I am in th' after-noone of age The night of Nature fastens on me fast And death waits closse to pull me from this stage But Lord thou wilt not leave my soule in grave Let ly the Corps they 'le once conjunction have Now having sung of deep remorse and teares Lord save me from these weeping teares of Hell Which grief declares and ever-gnashing feares For losse of joy and sense of horrours fell Who would not here a few spent teares disclose Shall there be waile in floods of bitter woes As sea-bred fishes never saltnesse wed But still their bodies stay both sweet and fresh So grant my soule that 's with corruption cled May live as pure not medling with the flesh But sinne begins first in the sillie soule And ends into the body base and soule What shall I say when mans rot in disease And ulserd sore the Phisitian draws neare To give him pills and potions worke his ease And lets him blood he may his health endure Much more Christs bloud can purge and cleanse the soule Of all uncleannesse pardon what is foule Then to great Jove the mighty King of kings I le prostrate fall on my low bended knees To beg for mercy mercy comfort brings And joy of sprit works peace from gushing eyes So Lord of Lords sweet Christ what I would have Is knowne and showne I call I cry I crave Now by these words whom seek you and confession By thy breath made the Sergeants backward fall By that care rouzd thine slumbring in digression By thy pangs in Gethsemane one and all By that power and patience fore Anne exprest By that prophecie of Cajaphas the Priest By that deep agony of bloud and sweat By these sore scourgings spittings on thy face By these rough nailes piercd thy hands and feet By all these mockings done thee for disgrace By that sharpe speare which smote thy tender heart By that Viniger thou drunk and gall of smart By that crowne of thornes thrust on thy bare head By these blood sprinklings downe thy face that fell By that heavy Crosse on thy shoulders spread By thy descending downe in earths dark Cell By that great power of thy great resurrection By thine ascension O profound election By thy five bleeding wounds I thee implore And by the vertue of thy death and passion By that purple Roabe forc'd in scorne thou wore By all these taunts these Ruffians spent for fashion Nay by that superscription wrote for news Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews By thy nativitie and incarnation Yea by these words Mother behold thy Sonne And Sonne Behold there thy consolation Go live and live in peace live both as one Nay by this moode for heavie was thy load Why thus forsakst thou me my God my God By thy baptisme fasting humiliation By all thy miracles and wonders done By these teares thou shed and transfiguration On Tabor seene As thou art Christ Gods sonne Save shield and shelter my designes my wayes For my souls health and thine eternall praise Nay by and for and from thy selfe I beg For pittie grace and pardon free remission Of all my sinnes O cleanse me the least dreg That lurkes within my Temple thy possession Let all be cleane Lo there 's the totall summe My soule implores come now Lord Jesus come Great King of ages Monarch of all times Thou first and last is was and ever blest Redeemer unredeemd Purger of crymes Thou Light of lights thou Mans sole-soveraigne rest Encrease in me thy Sprit infuse thy grace Confirme my heart show forth thy loving face Sweeter than hony or the hony Combe Life light and love all goodnesse peace and grace Sonne of Mercy that in blest Maries wombe Incarnate was left Heaven thy Mansion place Where now thou art and art all where Come see My heart my help my health depend on Thee In Thee I rest Lord sanctifie my hope In Thee I trust Lord fortifie my faith In Thee I grow Lord fructifie my scope In Thee I walk Lord rectifie my path In Thee I stay in Thee I live and die In Thee I move in Thee above I flie Lord grant thy grace may make these TEARES so blest And blesse them all shall them peruse for blis That godly griefe may in their blessings rest Remorsefull soules whose teares implore for this LORD pittie me LORD pardon my TRANSGRESSION Lord cleanse my HEART Lord blesse thou this CONFESSION FINIS Applicâ— on anâ— vocatiâ— â—mble 〈◊〉 The Creators greâ— love towards 〈◊〉 his creatures â—rists 〈◊〉 love Love co quers hâ— ven 〈◊〉 conâ—ions distinâ—ion twixt â—orldly â—d godly â—ares The repugnancâ— of ill and good â—ntrary 〈◊〉 Thewo is a map of evils â—hrists â—res over â—rusalem We shâ— not desâ— but hoâ— for meâ— Impeneâ— trable counsel the â—orks of â—ation 〈◊〉 of manâ— â—ds â—orks â—evv his â—odhead â—ns inâ—mities Mans beauty summers blossome â—elf-love â—ules the â—orld Sinne and the causes of sin Mans life awarfare Deceitful greed Jonah disâ—ered â—ul conâ—ed Gods omnipotency Repugnant comparisons The â—eaknesse â—nd â—hanges of â—ur nature An objection between man and beast The pang of Hell Prayer and meditation two heavenly exercises The effects of prayer Christs wounds our healtâ— The instabilitie 〈◊〉 man Wicked men delite to make the simple sinne Moments pleasures eternall paine Will overcomes reason Sighes anâ— teares are holy sacri fiâ—es The godly â—ometime all and â—e recalld Joshua's gratefulnâ— to Rachaâ— Jesus at Jericho saved Zacheus â—acelesse â—quence â—rd obduâ—nce Worldly wisedome â—nd pride 〈◊〉 Saikles erâ—vie retorâ— reply Wormes are sepulchrall mates Man headlong falls The lake Maronaâ— fathers Jordan Godly teares saving grace â—obs patiâ—ce and â—nstancy Love the Lord for his loves sake Gods loâ— our life The breâ—itie of life Corruption corrupteth all things The povver anâ— varieties 〈◊〉 corruptioâ— The vicissitude of fortune Noah first set vines and first was drunk with it Lots drunkennesse begot incest The shame full effects of drunkennesse Beasts and Philosophers condemne excesse No perfection in humane knowledge Great defects in greatest Saints Daniels dainties poore mens plenâ—es â—ges â—e better â—en bad â—ristians In prayer use few words and many teaâ— Christs silence and patience Davids teares wet his couch God accepts the will for the deed Christ is our Physician The insolencie of youth Delay in repentance is dangerous Youth and age are disagreeing Continencie by Pagans commended A brief tract of bitter repentance Peters confession Peter reprehending himself Peters tears consummated in peace The blessed fruits of godly tears Mortalitie is miserable Mans a pilgrime here Our heavenly Jerusalem Sions tears Sions beauty Sions crosses Sinfull â—ust suddain darknesse Plenty of mercy â—hrists â—ssion â—r salvaâ—on Magdalenâ— teares Christ reveals himself to Mary Magdalen Fire hath two properties Ther'si no flying from Gods presence God â—aves the heart Greed breeds enâ— A contempt of riches The immortall substance of the soul The misery and shortnesse of life Frailtie and falling follow man The varieties of vanitie â—gratefull â—ildren to â—ed paâ—ts Elemental changes The present miseries of Christendome The craftinesse aâ— cruelty of Rome Compariâ—ons of â—reedome â—om sin The Jewish tears on Babilons banks Correction begets awe Short and evil are our dayes Athens made the mother and miâ—our of miseries The inconstancie of worldly pride Ambitious Xerxes bewailing the brevitie of life This lifâ— is loaden with croâ—ses the flatâ—ry of â—ourts Sions prosperities prayed fâ— The Sun â—ines on â—e good â—d bad Our day nor time can never returne â—rist is â—r Phyâ—ian The sufferings and passion of Christ
excrements we know And breath stinke worse than beasts of any race Nay sweetest things that ever time made faire They loathsome grow unlesse the use be rare The soule except'd when I consider all Gods workes and Creatures Man is onely worst The rest sublunary succumbent fall Mans â—ly blest or else for ever curst All things as servile serve for mediate ends Save Man whose wage on joy or woe depends Lord what am I within this house of clay But brickle trash compos'd of slime and dust A rotten fabrick subject to decay Which harbours nought but crums of wretched lust And if a guest of one good thought entreates me I barre it out to lodge the ill that hates me Impietie and custome scale my Fort To rule my minde like to their blinde desire Will head-strong helpes corruption keeps the Port The hands and feet set eye and tongue on fire Then Eloquence breaks forth a subtile foe To trap the object working me the woe Why cause affection begets opinion Opinion rules the World in ev'ry minde Then sense submits that pleasure should be Minion To base conceit absurdly grosse and blinde Thus fond opinion self loves halting daughter Betrayes my scope commits me to sinnes slaughter Then judgement falls and fails and reason flees To shelter Wisedome in some solid breast They leave me both left loaden with disease Whilst frailty fastens sorrow on my creest Delite contracts despite despyte disdaine Thus threefold chaind their furies forge my paine My best companion is my deadly foe Sin is my Consort and would seeme my friend Yea walks with me where e're my footsteps goe And will not leave me till my journeys end The more I flee the faster it cleaves to me And makes corruption labour to undoe me There six degrees of sinne in man I finde Conception first and then consent doth follow The thirds desire that turns his judgement blinde The fourth is practise ragged rent and hollow The fift is flinty keeps fast obduration And last the sixt lulls him in reprobration Mans owne corruption is the seed of sinne And custome is the pudle of corruption Swift head-strong habit traitour-like creeps in And blows sinnes bellowes to make more inruption Nay the worlds example sinnes strong secourse Makes both the object and the subject worse How many foes hath man within without him Within lurks concupiscence vertues foe Without the world which waits and hangs about him Both ghostly and humane to worke his woe Last comes the conscience judge-set to accuse him And verdict given then terrour would confuse him Thus man is ev'ry way tost to and fro Like Tunneise balls when banded still rebound All things have action Nature rules it so The secret sprite of life these motions bound Their being honours God who gave them being But Man fals back from him gave reason seeing And yet to quench these fires remorse creeps in And brings contrition with confession crying Faith flees before pleads pardon for our sin Then ragged rottennesse fals down a dying For repentance and remission of sinnes Are two inseparable sister twinnes Most have no tears for sinne but tears of strife To plead malicious pleyes and waste their meanes On Lawyers tongues that love their envious life And what like partie loose the Cormant gleanes Their cause and charges lost O spightfull pride They spend at last the stock they had beside Like to the Mouse and frogge which did contend Which of them should enjoy the marish ground The Kyte as Judge discuss'd this cause in end And took them both from what they could not bound So Proctors seaze on Clyants lands and walls And raise themselves in their contentious falls They 're like to Aesops dogge who had a bone When through a flood he swim'd fast in his head Where spying his shade he lets it fall anone To catch the other lost them both indeed So spitefull men and greedy well it s knowne In seeking others state they loose their owne Thrice blest is he who knowes and flyes like men Since greed begets oppression or debate And though Deceivers play Politicks then To make their wrongs a right to raise their state Yet forth it comes no subtiltie can close it For time and truth will certainly disclose it They thinke to hide their faults by craft and plots To blynde Gods eyes as they inveigle man O strange what villany their soule besots That dare 'gainst truth the traitour play and than Deceive themselves by a deceitfull way Which tends to death and make them Satans prey Then there is nought but once will come to light No sinne so close but God will it discover No policie can blinde Almighties sight Nor fault so hid that he will once passe over Unlesse repentance draw his mercy downe Thy darkest deeds shall be disclos'd eftsoone Behold Jonah from Joppa when he fled And would not stay to do the Lords direction Clos'd in a ship and hid yea nothing dread Yet found he was and swallowed for correction And Paul for Damas bound to persecute His Saints was stroke yet sav'd his drifts refute Looke to Cains murder how it was clear'd And Davids blood-shed with adultrie mixt Remarke the bush whence Adams voice appear'd And Israels thoughts when they their Maker vext Then he who made thine eyes and gave them sight Can he not see who gave thy seeing light It 's not with God as men Gods ev'ry where In Heaven and earth Gods presence filleth all In Hell below his Justice ruleth there All things must to his omniscience fall Man knows but as he sees and in a part But God doth search the reynes and try the heart How swinishly alas have I then liv'd Nay who can say that I have liv'd at all Whilst buried else in sleep in sloth or griev'd With fals-forgd cares conglutinating thrall To tempt my loving and most patient God I have contemn'd his mercy mock'd his rod There 's nought so smooth and plaine as calme-set seas And nought more rough when rag'd by stormy winde The lead is cold as yce or Winter freize But when been firde its scolding hote we finde Theirne is blunt till toold and edge be put And then most sharpe to stobbe to shave or cut So patient God is loath and slow to wrath His patience is as great as great his love Long suffring he deferres to threaten death Till our grosse sinnes his just drawn-judgements move And then his anger stirr'd it burnes like fire Consuming man and sinners in his ire Next pause I on the momentany sight Of mans short life that like a shadow flees Much like the swiftnesse of a Faulcones flight Or like a bird glydes by our glancing eyes Then marvell I how man can harbour pride Or wherein should his vanitie confyde To day he 's stout to morrow laid in grave His lookes alive are plumd like variant feathers Been throwne in dust he turnes to earth a slave And as he breaths
fabrick Angels singing musick To lure our soules to take coelestiall physick â—hen come stress'd thou who loaden is and weary â—nd here refresh thy fatigating soule â—ake haste and come and now no longer tarry â—est others barre Thee from Bethesdaes Poole When grace would touch thy sprite thy heart is troubled But be not slow lest losse on losse be doubled â—onsider Lord these times wherein we live â—d harken to thy chosen deare Elect â—t Israel joy and thine enemies grieve â—o time good God their sacrifice neglect But heare and help them guard them round about With heavenly hosts and thine Angelick rout Looke downe on thy stress'd Sion and her teares And bottle up her woes within the Urne Of thy remembrance Grievous grow her feares By Wolves in Lambskins topsolturvie turne Most fearfull seeme these whirlewindes of time Bred from the base seditious dregs of slime Such wound her sides but can not dimme her light The blood of Saints is her espousall seed When darkest stormes would theat to bring downe night Thy Spouse triumphs in Christ her soveraigne head No winde so high nor wave so great but grace Can calme sterne blasts when thou seest time and place When Man is snard by sinne and seemes as lost Then God drawes neare and makes his Sprite prepare The soule for grace So when forlorne or crost Christs Church appeares that even her Saints despaire Then comfort comes the Lord will not exile her Nor let the spight and craft of men defile her Pure like the gold is she and christall cleare White as the snow and sweeter than the hony Thy virgine Spouse most neare to Thee and deare Is farre more precious than ten Worlds of money The silver-fornace tryde is not so fine Nor halfe so sweet tasts Rethimosean wine Lord looke upon her crosses and relieve Her troubled Saints for Thee and for thy Sonne She springs through briers and mongst sharpe thorns doth livâ— Like to the Rose in midst of thistles wonne Her bloudy foes confound protect her Saints Erect maintaine their zeale Lord heare their plaints Faire is thy sister sweet thy Spousall love Her sent is bundled Myrrhe fixt on her breasts She 's thine cled with thy power thine harmelesse Dove For in the Garden of thy grace she feasts Come clasp her in thine armes come gracious Lord And shew thy Virgin Queene misericord Red shines the blush of Sions fragrant flowres Greene spring her boughs like Liban Cedars tall Swift flee her wings to court her Paramours Knowne to her friends but never knowne to all Whose purple Roabes are pure and finer farre Then Tyrians wore ere they were sackt by warre Like the Apple in midst of Forrest trees Thy Welbeloveds so 'mongst sonnes of Men The fairest 'mongst Women with radiant eyes Would succour have to save her from the Den Of darknesse black Lift up thy face and see The spices and ripe fruit of her fig-tree Whose breasts are like two twinnes 'mongst Lillies fed Her rosie cheeks more brighter than the Sunne One marke she beares that in the soule is bred Another badge lasts till our glasse be runne The thirds a sparke that mounts to Heaven above The light of Saints the love of endlesse Love Her richest garment truth and righteousnesse And that 's broudred with mercy grace and peace â—aithfull in all and patient in distresse Constant to stand unchangeable of pace And yet her beauty Heavens no fairer fixe Than mens tradition would the same ecclipse She 's Catholick now not ty'd to a place As Jewrie land where God was onely knowne Christs Church points forth the Universe for grace Came with th' Evangel peace to Pagans showne The Gentiles then were call'd as well as Jews For mercy came with Jesus Gospell news And yet there many darknesse love than light For sinne craves silence and umbragious places The cloud 's their covert and their friend the night The day their foe their Darling obscure faces Thus blinde inveigling vice turnes darknesse darke For jet-black sin can dim their foggy warke Too many darknesse love so sinne provides That blinded eyes must follow blinde tradition Blinde are they bred but blinder far their guides Who maske poore Ignorants with superstition Whose Church maintaines false miracles and treason Blood murther incest powder plots and poyson Besides this Church idolatrous and drunk With indulgence and pardons Policies At Limbus forgd Absurd for gaine and sunk In Purgatories avarice and lyes There other orient Churches erre and fall From Gospell truth they know it not at all The Aethiopian Abbasins the Moore Aegyptian Gopties Chelfanes Georgians Greeks Nostrans Syriacks Jacobines what more Grosse Armenians th' Amaronite that seeks Talp-drawne ignorance all of which do swerve Tradition is the mistresse whom they serve I could dive here in their distract'd conceit And blinde surmises sowne these parts abroad But I suspend yet here 's a dangerous state To cast opinions on the face of God Their Patriarchs like themselves do play the foole That will not square Religion with Christs rule O! if I could with Jeremie lament The worlds great errours and my fallings too And with grievd Ninivie in time repent Lest with my slippings justice me undo Thrice happy were I in this resolution Ere death enhaunce my life bring dissolution Yet soule despaire not God is mercifull Long suffring patient full of kinde compassion His love to Man is passing plentifull Whose grace and mercy flow on our confession For if one teare for sinne fall from our eyes He 's pleas'd to pardon our infirmities How gracious then is God how rich I say Is Christs redemption fraught with saving bloud If we have faith in him if we can pray And lift our eyes fixt on the holy Rude And then to suffer in our zeale those pangs Our Saviour thold in this our welfare hangs My merit is thy mercy that 's the end Although good works they are the way to heaven Yet not the cause why I may there ascend That in thy love remaines makes mine oddes eaven For if thou hadst not dyed what had I beene And if not risen what had my soule seene Thou wilt not gracious God break the bruisde reed Nor quench the smoaking flaxe for said thou hast That if our sinnes were dy'd in scarlet red Thou'le make them white as snow to let us taste Of grace and gladnesse 'Cause the broken heart Thou'le not reject contrition would convert Lord thou ordaind that death no flesh should shunne Cause why it was the doome and curse of sinne And so the punishment of thy deare Sonne Which for our sakes thy judgements cast him in That as the Divell prevailed by a Tree So by a Tree his power should vanquish'd be Then let the sight of thy transgressions rude Draw drops of teares from thine inunding eyes Since they did draw so many drops of bloud From thy Redeemers wounds thy soule to ease And looke what David said in faith and feare His sinnes were heavier
the crummes of lust he gathers But would he muse on long eternitie He would forsake himself and learne to die To learne to die that he may learne to live For in this course his happinesse consists Die to himself that grace may vice survive In mortifying sinne his blesse subsists Come life come death thus dying so he 's blest And doubtlesse shall in peace of conscience rest O Jesu who redeemd us being dead Whence could thy love so farre to us extend We had no merit thou of us no need And yet thy grace our weaknesse doth defend For as Man first to be like God condemn'd us So God turnd man that God should not contemne us Farre better is a life unfortunate In end with honour that yeelds up the breath Than honourable life and wealthy state With shame to perish and untimely death I rather wish to be a sheepherd borne Then live a Prince and at my death forlorne Come answer me who would be undertaker Whether its best to be a man or beast The beast dissolves and not offends his Maker Nor makes no count save to some carnall feast But godlesse Man in grieving God is worse Throwne downe to Hell and with that fall his curse Who rightly weighs the variable kindes Of Mortals all in either death or life Shall see their bubling breath tost with sharpe windes Of stagring doubts ingorgd with timerous strife Their conscience and their living disagreeing In will or worke most vanquish'd are in dying Nay soule and body at that dreadfull day Shall be conjoynd and hurld downe to hell This wretch thus damn'd in tortring flames shall stay Chaind in that howling Radamanthan Cell The beast he fals and turnes to nought we see But Man adjudgd his worme shall never die As for the vertuous Saint his happinesse Begins at death which end all worldly noyes He swarmes in pleasures rich in blessednesse Death makes the passage to his heavenly joyes He feares no stop nor stay his faith instructs him The way though strait his good Angel conducts him And wouldst thou learne whilst here t' attaine that way Be humble first and then religious set Place Heaven before Thee make faith thereon to stay And then let zeale and love fast setling get To grip Christs wounds then feare then praise then pray Let earnest prayers thy best devotion swey For prayer is the souls great sacrifice Which speaks to God and meditation Is Gods speech to the soule an exercise Conjoynd together two revolv'd in one The one invelopes the other and speaks Reciprocall Both our salvation seeks Which two like Hypocrates twinnes are bred Who liv'd fed slept joyd wept and dyed together So can they not be separate indeed Though fasting doe prepare their journey hither This outward action like t'a potion scoures The other sprituall are divinely ours Like to a paire of Turtles truely set Whereof the one by death been slaughter'd gone The other mournes for loosing of her Mate And languishing doth die No life alone So meditation gives matter to the minde And without prayer nothing shall we finde For both bring reconcilement and acceptance And makes thee to thy father a loving sonne So by his Sonne a brother of acquaintance And by the Sprite a Temple squard and done Last in the court of Heaven thou art made free A fellow with th' Angelick hierarchie O joy of joyes O happy endlesse blesse Who can expresse that glory there reveal'd The eye the minde nor tongue can dascon this Since ravish'd Paul amaz'd hath it conceal'd Then labour silly soule this marke to aime Which seen and got how great is thy good name But ah I stagger in the myres of sin And daily sinks in pudles of defects The more I flee the more I swallow in The stinking marish of absurd effects The very boggy quagmyres of vice I plunge them all unvaluing weight or price The price alas is great and I must pay it Unlesse Christs wounds break open plead for pitie O pledge divine thy merits will defray it Thou art my surety O prevent my dittie Evert the sentence least I lye in Jayle Stand to thy mercy Lord be thou my bayle To square the lives of godly men with mine How farre my selfe fled from my self I finde Thrice wretchd am I to thinke me one of thine In whom corruption rules the inward minde It 's more then strange I should expect for good Whilst still I trample on my Saviours blood There is no sense in this that I should slay My silly soule to crosse my crost desire Can head-strong passions mine accounts defray When my just Judge my reckning shall require Nay spare thy spurres poore wretch and call to minde A self-soule Murdrer can no mercy finde That sinne which I hate worst I follow most Yet faine would sift the evil of deceit Loe with repugnants how my breast is tost Here lyes my safety there the snaring bait Sinne like a Fowler with a whistle takes me And that good which I would it then forsakes me O! love and love it self Father of love And God of mercy mercy is thy Name O King of pitie all my faults remove Farre from before Thee coverthou my shame That here me to accuse they never come Nor hence to damne me at the day of doome Ah! wicked men they triumph in excesse To tempt thy patience O long suffring God! They glory to cast downe the fatherlesse And on the Widows back they lay their rod They lose themselves and so would lose their brother With them thy honour in their pride to smother Unwise is he and thrice unhappy too Who ill commits that good thereon may follow He 's like the Crocodile that loves to wooe The gray Nyle Rat and eftsoone doth it swallow Which when enclos'd it cuts his wombe seeks breath And with its freedome workes the others death So haplesse man in hurtfull wayes of sinne His hopelesse heart he suffocats with lust Till custome bring sterne obduration in And then he turnes a Reprobate injust The doore of grace is shut his soule wants faith Then sinne leaves him squard for eternall death They gallop on in dark-drawne pathes of Hell The glen is hollow but the way is broad In two extreames the least they quite repell To shunne a fardell they receive a load The yoake of Christ is light but ah they swallow The weight of sinne which all their labours follow I crosse my crossing armes on my crost breast And musing lurks to looke on humane state How wretch'd it is how carelesse how deprest To ev'ry snare makes man unfortunate That haplesse he for one small moments pleasure Dare hazard ah his souls eternall treasure The will 'twixt reason and sensualtie plac'd Is apt to be apply'd to either side But first and firmest Will by sense is trac'd Which is of youth and childish age the guide For seldome reason can once conquer will Cause sense presents for good a
his reward nor go alone The Sprite of grace shall second him and love Shall fill his soule his faith shall mount above Then forward go so runne you may obtaine Great is the prise hold out the journeys end Keep course and runne thou'le get a glorious gaine He who endures shall onely there ascend Rise eare when young and runne betimes then do it Who gets the start and holds shall first come to it The journeys long the path is strait and thornes Ly in the way to prick thee on both sides Sinne like a Traitour hourely thee subbornes To misse the marke and blinde thee with crosse guides Yet constant runne runne on and be not sory So runne thou mayst obtaine a crowne of glory We see for a light prise a man will runne His utmost speed and often loose his paines That Caledonian hunter never wonne By strife of foote a hare was all his gaines But he who runs this course shall earne a treasure The butte of Heaven must be his marke and measure Then blest is he keeps dyet for this race And fits his soule to take coelestiall physick Faith is the compound and the potion grace Christ the Physician mercy our soules musick Then pardon seeks our suite last love crownes all And raignes with glory rivalls in one saule For this prepare thy selfe since our short dayes Are but a blast and yet our longest time Is scarce a thought Looke what experience sayes That space 'twixt wombe and Tombe O falling slyme Is but a point then see and not suspend A happy life must have an happy end Our day of death excells our day of birth And better wer 't with mourning folks to live Than like to fooles that in the house of mirth Would passe their time and would that time survive Relenting cryes all times more needfull growes Than laughing feasts blest are all godly woes How vaine are frolick youths to spend their prime In wantonnesse and slouth lust galling joyes They quite forget the substance of base slime Till rotten age ramverse their masked toyes And then diseases hang about their bones To plague their flesh with sores their hearts with groanes The concupiscence of youths sqink-laid eye Which lust begets and inflamation brangles â—s but the bait invelops luxurie To follow practice custome still entangles The eye supports the thought the thought desire And then corruption sets delight on fire Yet youth remember in thy dayes of youth Thy sole Creator remember thou must die â—est that these dayes may come when helplesse ruth â—hall say No pleasure in them thou canst see Remember in thy youth O youth remember Thy Christ and Maker thou maist be his member â—hall youth take pleasure in vaine wantonnesse And with his fleshly lusts go serve the Divell Then when growne old in midst of rottennesse Would turne to God and shunne his former evill This can not be when thou canst sinne no more Thou wouldst serve God whom thou didst hate before â—are thou example take of the good thief Nay Christ was once for all but sacrifiz'd This can not ground thy faith nor lend relief That one Thiefs mercy thine is paterniz'd Can thou repent at will choose time and place Nay that falls short its God who gives the grace â—s any sure when death shall call him hence Nothing more certaine more uncertaine too Time place and how concernes Gods providence Then arme thy selfe take heed what thou shouldst do Bridle thy youth amend thy life repent Such fruit is pleasant from thy spring-tyde sent The morne is cooler than the sun-scorch'd day The tender juice more sweeter then old sap The flowry grasse more fresh than withred hay The floorish fairer than the Tronke we trap So dayes of youth more sav'rie are to God Than crooked age all crooked wayes have trode Would thou live well and live to live for aye Beginne at God obey his word and law Love feare and serve him make him all thy stay Honour thy Parents of the Judge stand awe And neighbour love conserve But ah this age Can show none such but rot with lust and rage The fin-flowne Dolphin after flying fish Nev'r swim'd so swift as youth hunt after lust They dip presumption in a poysond dish And fearlesse tumble in a fearfull gust They wrestle not to wrest but strives with strife To humour pleasures in their head-strong life It s incident to youth to mock old age And usuall too for age to jeere at youth The one he dotes the other playes the page A fondling foxd with wantonnesse and slouth Yet age is best because experience schooles him And youth is worst 'cause vice and pleasure fooles him Then 'twixt them both the golden meane is best Neither too young nor doting dayes are good Yet happy both if faithfully they rest With confidence fixt on their Saviours bloud For it can purge the old of what is past And cleanse the young post after sinne so fast Both Timothie and Titus othersmoe Of rarest worth though young their youth-head chaind In cords of temperance made vertue grow In fortitude by which they glory gaind Nay Alexander in the prime of youth Was wondrous chast till strangers taught him slouth The Persian manners spoild him But behold What good Aurelius said the Romane King If I were sure that lust were not controld Nor punishd by the gods above which ring Yet for the fact it selfe I will disprove it Cause why its filthy base and who can love it Would God! that younglings and the fry of nature Could so resolve and play the Pagans part Yea old and young and ev'ry humane Creature In this were blest to take these words to heart Then modestie should live Religion flourish And good example one another nourish A noble youth been askd whether he went Reply'd he to the house of teares did go To mourne with Mourners that he might lament And learne to weep when he did older groe If hethnicks can show Christians such instruction Our blind-set eyes had need of their conduction Who sowe in teares shall surely reape in joy For godly griefe shall blessednesse inherit They who thus mourne and thus their soules imploy Are firmely shelterd under Jesus merit Who shall transchange their griefe in glorious gladnesse True happinesse expells all sorrowing sadnesse Blest were these teares were spent neare Cajaphs house By Peter griev'd for imbecillitie Brought downe so low he was nought could arrouze His hope for pardon of infirmitie Yard-closde alone he weept and wofull hee With dolefull cryes thus spoke on flexed knee Have I would he have said deny'd my Lord With triple oathes before the Cocke crew twice Which he foretold ah feare my faith had smord His looks accusd me I had done it thrice Was it not I who vowd with him to die And now forsworne I from my Master flee Was I not Cephas lately thought a Rock And now the tongue of a base serving maide Hath made me shrinke and
here Be thou my Pilot safely loofe and steere Conduct me straight to thy Coelestiall Port That in the Sabboth of eternall rest My soule may reigne And with the Angels court Thy face with joyes that cannot be exprest Where all content in fulnesse of rich pleasures Shall them attend in overjoying measures Who here within this Domicile of dust And boggy baggage of a stinking lump Would stay to eat the excrements of lust And feed on filthinesse that rotten stump Nay none but Abjects holy Ones rejoyce To be dissolvd make happynesse their choice But some heart-sunke in worldly greed and cares Would build their Paradise in this base life And by extreames involve them selves in snares Hating the truth in falshood spend their strife And what envy can not accomplish they Will make extortion all their hatred swey Can thou forgivenesse crave for thy misdeeds And will not first forgive anothers wrongs How can thou pray or thinke thy prayer speeds When in thy heart thou malice keeps and long To be revengde This is no Christian life To pray and praise when sunke in spite and strife Away with envy malice pride and hate Let not the Sunne go downe upon thy wrath Live to the Lord and live in holy state Love one another there 's the marke of faith Live and live holy whom thou serves regard He 'le come and come in haste with thy reward Then be not Spider-like that doth exhaust It selfe in workes of little use and time Nor like the Indians rude absurd devast That will give gold for glasse rich gemmes for slime And precious stones for toyes and trifling things Which strangers bring knives whistles beeds brasse rings All smell of greed though not of perfect wit Then hang not downe thy head for lack of trash Let Craesus be thy Lydian Mappe he 'le fit Thy greedy humours with a falling dash All which are shades of floating vanities Mans onely constant in unconstancies Shall rich Saturnia with her cramming gold Deceive my heart and move my minde to swell Or with false lookes vaine hopes to me unfold To snare my thoughts which vertue may expell A figge for worldly baits a tush for greed For being poore I me rich in having need And why 'cause povertie that is so light As being weigh'd in ballance with the winde Doth hang aloft Then can not seeme no weight Nor dare to sit as sad on my free minde Say if it should it were some fainting thought Would me deject for povertie is nought Then all my riches is content I see A stock more sure than Wealth can Worldlings lend Poore was I borne and as poore must I die Unlesse good luck a chest to death extend Get I a sheet to wrappe up my dead bones I 'me richer far than gold or precious stones Seven foot of ground and three foot deep I crave The passing bell to sound mine obsequie Gold lands and rents the living world I leave Else if I smart by streames by flouds or sea Then shall some fishes belly be my grave No winding sheet my Corps shall need to have But stay what passion thus diverts my minde Dust shall to dust and earth to earth returne If I can here true peace of conscience finde What losse what trash what crosse can make me mourne For when laid low and having lost this frame My soule shall mount to Heaven from whence it came The soule it is of heavenly substance fram'd Breathd in at mans nostrils by his Maker A sprit invisible Gods image nam'd With whom of Essence infinite partaker Will mem'rie knowledge faculties divine Are my soules socialls reasondo confyne Will is to rule and knowledge to conceave And memorie a locall power assumes Knowledge as chief makes understanding crave A league with love whose worke true blesse resumes Lo there 's the fruit of this coelestiall mould Which never here shall rot nor hence grow old Then teach me Lord to count my slyding dayes That I to wisedome may my heart apply So shall thy statutes guyde my slipprie wayes And circumspection all my actions try Who knew his date of life and might attaine it Would learne to live well else he would disdaine it We 're apt to note the lives of other men But not our owne selfe-love our sense divides Like two ships under saile and one course ken Both sailers think each other swifter glides Than their owne ship So we can check and show The lives of others and our owne misknow Our haires growne gray our desires then grow greene And after earthly things we hunt amaine We love this world so well as oft it s seene That we are dead with grief ere death hath slaine Us with destruction Age would faine be young To nurse the serpent that his soule hath stung Man lives like him who fell into a pit Yet caught a grippe by a branch'd tree and hung Above his head a hony Combe did sit Whence his deep appetite delight had wrung Below two gnawing wormes razing its roote The treefals downe and greed devourd the fruit The pit our grave the Tree this mortall life This hony combe vaine pleasures of the world Two gnawing wormes the speedy thiftu'ous strife Of night and day wherein our dayes are hurld Timeclouds our light the glasse is runne we fall Downe to the dust where death triumphs o're all Then darknesse covers Man he mouldring rots Earth gluts him in her wombe away he goes His better part resumes one of two lots No shade nor sepulchre can it enclose It either mounts above or falls beneath There is no midst can stop or stay its path Each course is violent faith conquers Heaven By force and wrestling in the way of light VVhich strait is and few enter Most are driven Downe to the gulfe of ever-sorrowing night That way is broad where numbers numberlesse Fall in earths Cell plungd in cursd wofullnesse Such as the life's so frequently the death The Divels deceit prolongs us in delay Then wouldst thou flee that pestilence set faith Against temptation Runne the happy way That leads to life Make thy confession cleare And beg for peace then mercy will draw neare Yet ah how fraile am I how weak how wretchd That even my conscience trembles at my cace Alas poore sleeping soule how art thou stretchd In drousie dulnesse void of good and grace Pluck up thy selfe condole confesse convert And strive to stand although thy steps divert The Compasse stands not solide to the Pole Though with the Loadstone any point is touchd But hath some variation we controle To the East or West as hourely is avouchd So none of our best deeds though touchd with grace Points God amaine deflection marres our pace Which made Saint Paul ingenuously confesse That by himselfe he nothing knew nor could Be thereby justify'd 'cause his digresse Was judg'd by God the Loadstone true that would Point forth each point and yet forget forgive The least the maine the guilt for