regard This transitorie honour which so flits Which to attaine so much doth tyre our wits And yet so niggardly to man is shard And afterward Doth leaue a sting behinde Of care of conscience and of griefe of minde SON LVII WHo seeketh not with all his power and might To eternize vnto himselfe his states That chance or time may not his blisse rebate Or death it selfe may not dissolue it quight Thus some therefore for honour fiercely fight And some for wealth do trauell far and nigh Some worldly wisedome with great studie buy To make them famous in this vaine worlds sight Which is the readiest way they do espye To keep their name from death which so they hate Yea all suppose posteritie the gate T'immortalize this flesh whose floure must dye But all go wry wealth honor wit haue end And children passe faith only life doth lend SON LVIII WHat wealth may be to this alone comparde To be co-heire with Christ of fathers loue To haue 〈◊〉 â—arthly thoughts so raysd aboue That world and worldly things we not regard To see by faith a kingdome rich preparde For vs which shall eternally remaine Aye free from worldly cares and troubles vaine Which is for children his a due reward Who can discouragde be with earthly paine Or tedious combats which the flesh doth proue Since care of vs our Partner Christ did moue To share our griefes his ioy to vs to gaine Which thoughts should waine Our wils froÌ„ base desire And vs incourage higher to aspire SON LIX IF Paradise were such a pleasant soyle Where all things flourished and prospered aye Wherein who liued neuer could decaye Till sin by Satans slight gaue man the foyle Which blessings afterward did cleane recoyle And left man naked in reproach and shame To dust to turne againe from whence he came On barren earth to liue with sweat and toyle Then is our state much better then that fame Our Paradise a place of blisse to staye Our Sauiour Abrams bosome doth displaye Wherein our soules shall rest free from all blame Where he our name Hath writ in booke of life To be exempt from feare of care or strife SON LX. WHat is felicitie whereof men wright Which to attaine our studies still are beat Which to procure such time and paine is spent By endlesse trauell therein day and night Sure if it be nought else but firme delight And that delight consist in peace of minde Then here on earth this treasure none shall finde Whose pleasures quickly vanish out of sight The earth doth chaunge as seas do rise with tyde And stormes insue the calme before that went This happinesse but for a time is lent And payd oft times with penance more vnkinde By fortune blinde Tâ—ue blisse consists herein To loue the Lord and to abandon sin SON LXI HOw many priuiledges great and rare Do we enioy that do thy name professe Euen many more by far I do confesse Then we obserue or how to vse be ware To giue thy onely sonne thou didst not spare Vs to redeeme from deaths eternall wound The sting of hell and sin he did confound And way to heauen for vs he did prepare Yea so his mercies do to vs abound That all the worldly creatures more and lesse Yea heauenly Angels do themselues addresse To serue mans needfull vse are readie found He doth propound In Christ all these to man And hauing him no want annoy vs can SON LXII BY many gifts ô Lord thou doest declare Thy mercies vnto man whom thou wilt saue The vse of all the which in Christ we haue By hand of faith that precious blessing rare That doth his righteousnesse for vs prepare Our stubbornnesse with his obedience hide His patience doth our grosse impatience guide His temperance with our intemperance share His continence our frailtie lets not slide For changing nature ours his strength it gaue Our pride it hides and hopes with faithlesse waue And shades our hart with loue which stil shal bide Thus euery tide It readie is at hand For our defence a buckler for to stand SON LXIII HOw should the quiet mind in peace and rest Possessed of the thing it most desirde A thing so precious none durst haue aspirde To gaine vnlesse the giuer had him blest How may she mourne how may she be opprest Who hath the bridegrome alwaies in her sight Who in her loue doth take so great delight As by his bountie hourely is exprest The dolefull darknesse fitteth blinded night The shining Sunne hath cloudes of care retirde O heauenly heare my heart it hath aspirde Since in thy sonne I saw thy fauour bright The which did fight As champion strong for mee From cloudes of darknesse and from sin to free SON LXIIII. WHo so of perfect temperature is framde Must needs delight in heauenly harmony His sences so shall be renude thereby As sauage beasts by Orpheus harpe were tamde Yong Dauids harpe Sauls furious spirit shamde And Dolfins did Aryons musicke beare Such sympathie in all things doth appeare That neuer musicke was by wisedome blamde But he that could conceiue with iudgement cleare The sweet records that heauenly motions cry Their constant course that neuer swarues awry But by discords whose concords after cheate Would hold so deare The mouer of the same That loue of him should base affections tame SON LXV GReat is thy power and more then we conceiue Thy glorie more then can discerned bee Mans greatest gift is yet that he may see Or know that vertue thine doth his bereaue His dazeling eyes each shadow doth deceiue His iudgement builded on inconstant ground His strength but weaknesse in it selfe is found His glorie greater glorie must receiue From thee in whom all glorie doth abound What maiestie dare man compare with thee To whom all creatures bow obedient knee Whose contemplations thou doest cleane confound Vpon this ground True blisse wisdome stand To know our wisedome floweth from thy hand SON LXVI AS but vaine hope it is for man to trust To thing not promised or not in power Of speaker to performe at pointed hower Which is the case of flesh and bloud vniust So call that hope no wise man can or must Which is performance of expected thing When as possession doth assurance bring Of thing whereafter we tofore did lust The Saints in heauen in ioyfull rest do sing Whom hope nor feare do raise or yet deuower But men on earth haue hope a resting tower To shield them from despightfull Satans sting Faith is the wing Makes me to hope ascend And truth in Christ shall make my hope haue end SON LXVII GReat are the gifts ô Lord thou doest bestow On sinfull man by thy abounding grace Who when they want doest neuer hide thy face But still a patron of thy bountie show Which makes vs both thy power and mercy know And so with shame and sorrow to repent Our thanklesse natures so vnkindly bent So slacke to pay the praises which we owe.
heauen to reare Touch thou my eies with faith wash me with grace In Sylo po◠〈◊〉 thy word which I embrace SON XXXIX HOw drunken are my humors all alasse With wine of vanitie and sensuall lust Which from one sin do to an other passe And after euill daily more do thurst Of force my faults for shame confesse I must My lauish vsage of thy graces sent My soules consent to action so vniust As death of Prophets teaching to repent Like Herod I about the matter went To please the follies of my flesh delight Incest'ous I to sin so much was bent That offred mercie pleased not my sight But Lord prepare my heart to see my sin That sorrow may away to mends begin SON XL. THough with thy Saints ô Lord I choise haue made To spend my daies in praising of thy name And in the studie of thy word to wade To feed my faith with portion of the same Yet can I not my choice so rightly frame Amidst the spatious fieldes where truth doth grow But whilst to gather healthfull hearbe I came A bitter bud I found of fearfull show Which threateth me with death and ouerthrow Vnto my soule which hungerly doth feed On sin the weed which Satan did bestow By poisoned tast thereof to pine in deed But Christ thy sonne by faith me helth shall bring Discharge the law and bruse this deadly sting SON XLI ACcording to the promise of thy word To giue the victorie ô Lord to those That fight thy battels with a faithfull sword Against the world flesh diuell and thy soes So seeke I Lord proud Ierico t'inclose Incouragde by thy graces from aboue My shoes of soule affects I pray thee lose Before on holy earth my path I moue Thy powerfull hand by praier let me proue Which daily seuen times I to thee direct Shake thou the walles of sin for my behoue And in this skirmish do thou me protect The frutes of flesh pride lust and error all So shall be wract sin shall not raise a wall SON XLII AMidst the graues of death these many a yeare My soule possessed with all sorts of sin Hath liu'd and held that frutefull place so deare That from the same no counsell could me win To beat my selfe my follies neuer lin No reason can with chaines binde so my will But to vnlose my lusts I do begin With helpe of furious feend who aides me still But since thy sonne appeareth me vntill I craue I may no more tormented bee Lest that my soule eternally he kill But from the force of Satan make me free These brutish sinnes in swine more fit to dwell Drowne in repentant seas of teares which swell SON XLIII IN deadly sleepe ô Lord sin hath me cast Wherein secure I lye and so remaine Raise me ô Lord out of this dreame at last And let me sight and light of heauen attaine The heauie humors which my iudgement staine And dazell so the reason of my minde Grant that they may their proper vse attaine And comfort in thy grace and promise finde All fleshly wisedome of it selfe is blinde Till thou by knowledge cleare their wandring sight Out of the snare of sin flesh cannot winde Vnlesse by faith they see thy sonne so bright Him let me still both see and eke admire And thee in him ô Lord I thee desire SON XLIIII MY wicked flesh ô Lord with sin full fraight Whose eye doth lust for euerie earthly thing By couetiâ—e allurde hath bit the baight That me to Satans seruitude will bring By violence I vertues right would wring Out of possession of the soule so weake Like vineyard which the wicked Acab king Possest by tyrants power which lawes do breake Let Prophets thine Lord to my soule so speake That in repentant sackcloth I may mone The murther of thy grace which I did wreake Whilst to my natiue strengh I trust alone And let my Sauiour so prolong my daies That henceforth I may turne from sinfull waies SON XLV IF thou vouchsafst Lord of thy goodnesse rare To sanctifie with holie presence thine The Cana marriage where thou doest not spare First miracle of water turnd to wine Then be thou present at this wedding mine Which twixt thy church and me by faith is ment To see the want in me thy eyes encline Whose wine of grace by wanton youth is spent But being toucht with view thereof repent And craue that water of earthes healthles well May issue forth from heart with sorrow rent And turnd to wine may so with grace excell That all that see and tast this change in me May grant this worke of thee alone to be SON XLVI SInce it hath pleased thee ô Lord to send Now in my barren age of hope and grace Repentant childe from ruine to defend My name and soule to liue before thy face Thy blessings I do thankfully embrace And in thy feare will frame his tender yeare The worldes regard in me shall haue no place If once thy word and will my heart do heare And when thou calst we both will then appeare Before thy Aulter in Moriath land To offer vp thy gift my sonne so deare Obedient childe to faithfull fathers hand Which sacrifice not worthie gift for thee With Christ my Sauior sufferings quit let bee SON XLVII OF euerie creature vncleane to fore Whereof thy holie people might not tast Thou didst present o Lord to Peter store Which were from heauen in sheet before him plast Which he at first refusde with mind most chast Not touching things polluted or defilde But afterward thy counsell he embrast And saw himselfe had bene before beguilde To thinke all sinners were for aye exilde From presence of thy mercies which abound Whom oft thou doest receiue as father milde If faith in Christ thy sonne in them be found By praiers faith by faith thy grace doth grow Cornelius blessing Lord on me bestow SON XLVIII HOw hard it is ô Lord for man to frame His minde corrupt to be preparde for thee With tongue vncleane to praise thy holie name With fleshly eies thy glorie for to see Homeward I bring thy blessings vnto me And make my soule their dwelling place to rest But so forgetfull of thy lawes we be That this my action Lord I see not blest Pride and contempt the waies haue so opprest That danger is the carriage ouerthrow Grant that thy grace to staie it may be prest That so my soule thy sauing health maâ—â—now Por to my flesh vnsanctified to trust Were aie to hasten death by iudgeâ—â—â—â— iust SON XLIX MY traitrous heart which long time hath rebeld Against thy spirit which should feed me still A secret counsell in it selfe hath held To contrarie thy knowne reuealed will Whose mutinie my sences so do fill With deeds repining to thy holie law That raging pride and lust lead me to ill Forgetting tokens of thy wrath they saw As Dathan and Abyram had no awe Of Moyses and of Aron thine elect But sought away
threaten famine to a vertuous minde Store of such yeares alas I feare behinde Which Lord will starue the comfort of my faith Vnlesse thy mercy and thy wisedome finde A store house to laie vp what scripture faith In hope of which thy goodnesse lo I liue Which of thy grace Lord do thou to me giue SON XCIIII THe seed which thou the husbandman hast sowde Within my soule ô Lord by Prophets hand Hath taken roote at last by deaw bestowde From heauenly grace which fructifies my land But lo I saw the worlds deceipt to stand In readinesse to mingle tares therein Whilst sleeping me in vanities he sand He made my frutes to ouerflow with sin But ere thy haruest to approach begin Vouchsafe to weed these frailties so away That when thy corne is to be gathered in I may be cleane and in thy garner stay Burne Lord with chastisement my fleshly lust And clense my life by faith both pure and iust SON XCV WHat strength hath man wherin may he repose A power to stay him in a vertuous way To loue thy flocke thou Lord my soule hast chose Whom to obey my vowes and words did say But in my power alas there is no stay For light temptations made me cleane forget My dutie to my Lord and to denay Him who thus long I haue too lightly set But now my heart with teares my cheekes doth wet In sorrow of my so inconstant faith Repentance hath my sin before me set And conscience now my error duly way'th Grant that thy word crow thrise thrise to mee And warne me of my dutie vnto thee SON XCVI THe malice of this monster auncient foe Of man and of the church which thou didst plant Euen Satan Herod-like about doth goe To make my frutes of faith to grow more scant Whilst yet with weaknesse feeble youth doth pant And wanteth grace to strengthen their estate The motions of the mind doth straight recant To see soules safetie which sin faine would hate The counsels of affections do debate And do conclude to murder vertues breed Lust pride and enuy open wide the gate To furious flesh that doth the wicked deed My soule their mother mourns ô Lord their end My future frutes of grace do thou defend SON XCVII SO foolish Lord haue my affections bin So carelesse of the blessing thou doest giue So proue my nature vnto euerie sin So thanklesse of thy grace by which I liue That violently thy loue away I driue And sell the patrimony to ensue I carry water in an open siue And change for lentil pottage birthright due Too late alas my folly I do rue Who worlds delight preferred haue so long Reiecting heauenly knowledge treasure true Vnto my soule imposing open wrong Yet not so late ô Lord I pardon craue But yet one blessing thou for me wilt haue SON XCVIII A Sinfull Syrian Lord my father was Exilde from Paradise by iust desert I wandred into Egipt there alas To finde in world some food to please my heart Where seruill bondage vnto sin and smart I suffered so long through Satans rage That heauenly aide I crau'd thence to depart Which only able was my griefe t'asswage From silly seruant and an abiect page Thou broughtst me forth to knowledge of thy truth The blessed land and showdst me on a stage A patterne how to guide my wandring youth Such frutes therfore as faithful soile doth yeeld I offer here first crop of blessed field SON XCIX I See alas proud Satan hath too long Defrauded thee ô Lord of that is thine And loue of world hath drawne me vnto wrong Whose heart thy offâ—ings to bestow repine My outward knees vnto thee do incline My tong doth promise present of my store I say these gratious gifts are none of mine But will them all thy Aulter laie before But vanities doth presse me euermore And want of faith to leaue some part behinde Although I see death readie at the dore My hollow heart and leaud deceipt to finde Grant that I may my soule my power my will Present ô Lord to serue thee only still SON C. SInce thou by grace out of wilde Oliue stocke Hast pleasd me Lord within thy church to plant And recken me as of thy proper flocke Who else all pleasant frute by nature want Vouchsafe my thankfull frutes be not so scant As cause thee to reiect me backe againe Of former bountie Lord do not recant But let me in thy garden still remaine By mercy not by merit I attaine This blessing promised so long before Let not this gift of thine returne in vaine But let thy goodnesse multiply the more Make sweet the frutes which bitter are by kinde Increase thy grace in bodie and in minde CONCLVSION MOurne thou no more my soule thy plaint is hard The bill is canseld of the debt it owes The vaile is rent which thee before debard And Christ his righteousnesse on thee bestowes Thus comfort to the patient alwaies growes If they attend the time God hath assignde Our strength to beare our maker best he knowes And at a need is readie for to finde Our Sauiour is so mercifull and kinde Vnto our selues he will not leaue vs long He castes our faults through loue his back behinde And turnes our plaints into more pleasant song And when we are euen at the gates of hell His glorie mercie power doth most excell THE SECOND part of Christian passions Containing a hundred Sonets of comfort ioy and thankesgiuing PREFACE SOme men do mourne for suddeine ioy they say And some likewise in midst of sorrow sing Such diuers frutes do passion often bring As reason cannot course of Nature stay And happie sure he is I not denay That both these motions hath from heart contrite When frailtie of his flesh appeares to sight And mercy calling him backe from decay Who can behold the flesh and spirit fight The doubtfull issue and danger of the thing The losse whereto our nature might vs fling And gaine which grace doth giue through Sauiors might And not delight To glorifie his name And yet lament to see his natiue shame SONET I. AS through a mist or in a cloud a farre I see a glimse of heauenly grace to shine And to reuiue the fainting faith of mine And spirits which with darknesse shadowed are The fleshly fog of sin did iudgement barre Of proper vse of power of reason sound Which in first patents franckly did abound And better part of natures strength did marre But since my eyes of grace a sight haue found Of that eternall light which doth incline Fro out these fogs of feare I hope t'vntwine And force of fainting faith for to confound And on a ground More sinne wil build my trust And that in Christ whose promises are iust SON II. CLeng'd are the cloudes and darknesse fled away And now in triumph doth my sauiour ride Sin hell nor death dare not his fight abide The world nor Satan can his progresse stay This
But when I do consider thou hast sent Thy sonne himselfe for to supply our place Whose patience did the death on crosse imbrace Those to acquite who did with faith assent All speeches spent Seeme then to me in vaine And only I admyring do remaine SON LXVIII I Haue bene blind and yet I thought I saw And now I see yet feare that I am blind No blindnesse like to that is of the mind Which doth the soule to deadly danger draw My carelesse steps did stumble at a straw And yet supposd my walke had bene so ware That to haue err'd had bene a matter rare When euery thought did violate thy law But since to search my selfe I do prepare So darke of sight my soule and sence I find That if thy Christ my loue were not more kind Eternall death I see should be my share But now I dare In spight of wicked foe A better course with constant courage goe SON LXIX WHy should he faint or thinke his burden great That hath a partner to support the same Why coward-like should he his honor shame That hath a champion readie at intreat Who can and doth death and confusion threat To all impediments which stop our way On whom repose our trust we boldly may He being iudge and plast in mercies seat He sees our thoughts and knows what we would say He doth our mouthes to fit petitions frame He hides our errors if our faith be lame And he himselfe doth also for vs pray We need but stay And trust to his good will And we are sure he will our want fulfill SON LXX ALthough the world do seek to stop my way By many stumbling blocks of feare and doubt And bid me seeke a farther way about And on the staffe of carnall strength to stay Though sin though hell though death do me denay That any power shall bridle their intent But would compell me walke as worldlings went The hedlong path of pleasure to decay Yet will I not this purpose mine repent So long as faith will be my souldier stout To ouerthrow this fearfull thronging rout Whom to subdue this grace was to me sent Ne shall be spent In vaine this paine of mine Hope against hope shall win the field in fine SON LXXI IT were vnfit a concubine to keepe Or that her children should possession haue Among the frutes which lawfull wedding gaue By vertuous spowse which in the soule doth sleepe And yet behold how shamefully do creepe Into possession of my power and will These thoughts and works which motions are to ill And trench themselues in fleshly fortresse deepe Whose base societie will with vices fill The holy brood which grace would spotlesse saue In such a doubt my yong affections waue That they consent I should them foster still But that would spill More vertuous heritage Therefore exilde these be though hell do rage SON LXXII SOmetimes my nature seemeth to repine To see the pleasure and the plenteous store The wicked do enioy for euermore Abounding in their corne their oyle and wine But when I see my weaknesse so encline To the abuse of portion I possesse My heart with ioy full often doth confesse Thy loue doth much in earthly scarstie shine These thing are good and bad as thou doest blesse Which I dare not directly craue therefore Such danger followes them euen at the dore That plentie lightly doth the soule oppresse And as I guesse Contentednesse doth grow In gratefull mind though state be neare so low SON LXXIII IF he vnworthie be the sweet to tast That shuns the sower as we in prouerbe say To honor pleasure profit in the way Great perill paine and cost so often plast If as vnworthie health he be disgrast That will refuse a bitter purge to take When he doth know it wiâ—l his feauer slake So do temptations proue the mind more chast If we with courage do the combat make And to the end immoueable do stay The more that Satan doth his spight display The more the pride and power of him we shake And he will quake And sin shall haue a fall And faith in Christ shall triumph ouer all SON LXXIIII TO shun the rocks of dangers which appeare Amidst the troubled waues of worldly life Which in each company are alwaies rife Which with soules perill most men buy full deare I feare almost to keep my course so neare The conuersation of such tickle tides And thinke him blest that banished abides In desert where of sin he may not heare But when I note where so a man him hides That still affections breed an inward strife That nature beares about the bloudie knife And to the death the proper soule it guides That fancie slides Away and I prepare In combats of the world to fight my share SON LXXV WEre it not straunge that members of the same One liuing bodie and one parents childe Should by the other daily be defilde And of vnseemly thing should haue no shame And yet we which of Christ do beare the name And children of his father vs do call At discord with this parent daily fall And Christ our eldest brother do defame It seemeth well we be but bastards all Though stock be true we be but Oliues wilde Who thinks vs better he is but beguilde Our frutes are bitter and increase but small And who so shall Examine well his works Shall see that gall in purest thoughts there lurks SON LXXVI IT is no light or curious conceipt O Lord thou knowest that maketh me to straine My feeble powers which blindfold did remaine Vpon thy seruice now at length to waight But only shame to see mans nature fraight So full of pregnant speech to litle vse Or rather oftentimes to thy abuse Whilst to deceiue they laie a golden baight And do not rather thinke it fit to chuse By praises thine true praise themselues to gaine And leaue those fond inuentions which do staine Their name and cause them better works refuse Which doth abuse The gifts thou doest bestow And oftentimes thy high contempt do show SON LXXVII FOr common matter common speech may serue But for this theame both wit and words do want For he that heauen and earth and all did plant The frutes of all he iustly doth deserue No maruell then though oft my pen do swarue In middle of the matter I intend Since oft so high my thoughts seeke to ascend As want of wisedome makes my will to starue But thou ô Lord who clouen tongs didst send Vnto thy seruants when their skills were scant And such a zeale vnto thy praise that brant As made them fearelesse speake and neuer bend Vnto the end One iot from thy behest Shall guide my stile as fits thy glory best SON LXXVIII HOw happily my riches haue I found Which I no sooner sought but it is wonne Which to attaine my will had scarce begunne But I did finde it readie to abound The silly faith I had was setled sound In Christ although
I no more offending health insue Thy vertue Lord which bidding me be cleane To yeeld me health of soule is readie meane SON LXI NOw that I see ô Lord my open shame Conuict of sin and voyd of clothing pure Which couer might my soule which naked came Of grace and me from storme of world assure I do mistrust my selfe long to endure The heate and cold which feare and frailtie bring And clothing of my owne workes to procure I finde in deed to be a frutelesse thing To hide my selfe vnder thy mercies wing I therefore hasten now in hope of grace Grant I beseech the world no more me wring Out of thy handes but let me see thy face With faith and comfort clothed by thy hand And Christ thy sonne in my defence to stand SON LXII WHilst that the chosen chieftaines of thy word Do bend their power by preaching to subdue The fleshly Canaan and put sin to sword And giue the soule to be possest a new With righteous Israel vnto whom of due Those earthly blessings rather do pertaine They send two spies my secret thoughts to vew The law and Gospell which discouer plaine My fainting force in feare for to remaine Where yet repentant Rahab readie is To lodge them safe whilst Satan seekes in vaine To slaie these messengers of heauenly blis I craue therefore sweet Sauiour for a sine Faith bearing frutes as pledge of safetie mine SON LXIII HOw oft ô Lord with more then tender care Hast thou by Prophets cald me to repent How great thy loue by sonne which didst not spare To staie me backe from hell whereto I went Who to that end from heauen to earth was sent Whose graces daily preached offred peace And sought to stop my course to ruine bent And me from guilt of death for to release Like as the henne whose voice doth neuer cease To clocke her chickens close vnder her wings When furious soules on silly pray do prease And would deuour alas the helplesse things O Lord thy care I feele and loue of me That thrall to Satan wouldst not haue me be SON LXIIII. WHilst with the wholesome food of heauenly truth The Manna which thy written word doth giue Thou soughts ô Lord to feed my wandring youth That it in plenteous peace by grace might liue By lust to Satan sought my soule to giue To breake obedient bandes vnto thy law Which my offences I protest do grieue My helplesse heart the which delight did draw The memory of Egypts store I saw Of vanities which carnall senses feed And wisht at length to fill againe my maw With dishes such as to destruction lead Thou in thy wrath with quailes didst cloy me so That plagu'd with sin my error now I know SON LXV SInce thou hast raysd my poore abiected spright From threshing floore where captiue I did stand And callest me thy battels for to fight Gainst sin the Madianite which wasts thy land Giue me a token by thy mightie hand O Lord whereby my faith may be assurde And be to me a pledge of former band That victorie by me shall be procurde Let heauenly dew by praier be allurde To moysten this my freewill fleece of wooll Then dry the dregs thereof to sin inurde Whose heauy waight makes grace and vertue dull And offring mine of praiers to thy name Accâ—â—t and with a holy zeale inflame SON LXVI WHilst that in wealth and ease I did possesse The Empire of thy many blessings sent I tooke in hand poore vertue to suppresse And pride with lust my powers they wholly bent To conquere reason which thy grace had lent And quite forgetting worlds late floud for sin To build a tower of trust wherein I spent The strength of flesh bloud high heauen to win As though in natures strength the force had bin To shield themselues from floud or heauenly fire But now confusion iust my soule is in Makes labouring flesh from folly such retire And craues alone within thy church to dwell Whose wals of faith truth may death expell SON LXVII THe Temple Lord of this my bodie base Where thou vouchsafdst to place my soule to dwell And promisest to make thy chosen place Whence sacrifice of praises thou wouldst smell Behold against thy lawes doth now rebell By worldly vanities thereto allurde Where couetise and pride their packe doth sell. At such a price as flesh and sin affoord But since ô Lord thy promise hath assurde My soule that thou art alwaies prest to heare The plaints of penitents which hath procurde Thy sonne himselfe in temple this t'appeare Whip forth fling down this worldly wicked pack Fro out my soule repell thou satan back SON LXVIII WIthin thy house this bodie base of mine It pleased thee ô Lord my soule to plant A steward of the gifts the which were thine And nature fild with measure nothing scant Of bodie or of mind no blessings want And fortunes fauours sharde with me no lesse In such proportion Lord I needs must grant As thou doest giue when thou doest vse to blesse But wantonly I wasted I confesse Thy treasure put into my hands of trust And now alas though late I seeke redresse Wise steward like to liue when dye I must I cast my count by Christ my debt to paie And frutes of faith from hell my soule shall staie SON LXIX NOw that it pleaseth thee Lord of thy grace To plucke me forth of sinfull Sodoms lake Where I haue dwelt alas this life long space Since I of holie Abram leaue did take Vouchsafe I pray thee for thy mercies sake To graunt thy church be refuge for my life The Zoar where I may my dwelling make Safe from reuenging Angels bloudie knife And though the frailtie of Lots lingering wife Lookt back with loue on sinfull worlds delight Which common weaknesse to all flesh is rife Yet keepe me constant by thy heauenly might And let me not grow drunke with blessings thine To procreate sin on lustfull daughters mine SON LXX WHilst in this worldly wildernesse about For want of faith I backe am forst to go Affraid of sinnes which Giant-like are stout And soule affections which like cruell foe Of Esawes race their might and power bestow To stop my passage to the promist land I gin to saint and to repine also Against the power of thy most mightie hand For which the Serpent Satan now doth stand In readinesse my silly soule to sting And close me vp in deaths eternall band Vnlesse to me thy mercie succour bring That brasen Serpent Christ nayld on the tree Whose sight by faith alone is cure to mee SON LXXI WHat am I else Lord but a sinfull wretch In sin and in iniquitie begot In conscience guiltie of the common breach Of euerie law that may my honor spot Thy blessing giu'n me I regarded not Thy threatned iugdements I did not esteeme My vowes to thee I wholly haue forgot My sinnes no sinnes to hardned heart do seeme Like to my selfe I
piercing light of truth shall so bewray Ech stratagem their practise doth deuise Against my soule that there shall not arise One cloud of care to darken this my day But that my thoughts like to the Pilate wise Shall looke about lest that my heart should slide And by this sonne my course so constant guide That all their slightes shall not my soule disguise Which now espies The malice they me owe Which loÌ„g they clothd with shade of plesaÌ„t show SON III. WHen as my conscience layeth forth before My thoughts the sinnes which daily I commit I thinke my selfe an instrument vnfit To witnesse forth thy glory any more But when I see that sin was first the dore By which death entred and such hold did take That death did first our want apparant make And want first cause that man did ayd implore That praiers first thy mercies do awake That mercies do renue our dulled wit That ioyed heart should not vnthankfull sit And thanks to thee doth fleshly glory shake It straight doth slake The fear which bad me stay And bids me still proceed to praise and pray SON IIII. SInce to so holy vse I consecrate The silly talent Lord thou lentst to me That it a trumpe vnto thy praise might be And witnesse of their woe that thou doest hate Thou wilt ô Lord forget the abiect state Of flesh and bloud base mettle of my frame And since that thou hast sanctified the same Thou wilt giue grace my weaknesse to abate Thou that my former wandring will doest tame And me prepare in minde to honour thee Canst giue me gifts the which thereto agree How ere my proper power be weake and lame So shall thy name Be precious in my sight And in thy praise shall be my whole delight SON V. WOuld God I were as readie to confesse And yeeld thee praise sweet Sauiour day by day As for to craue my wants I'am forward ay And seruently at need I do thee presse To beg of thee alone thou wilt no lesse Because thou onely able art to giue And with each needfull thing by which we liue Thou promisest our prayers for to blesse But we with vse of them should not so stay And onely seeke to thee when need doth driue Whose blessings running through an open siue No praise for recompence vnto thee pay But when we pray We should thee laud also Our thankful harts with bountie thine should go SON VI. I Haue begun ô Lord to run the race Where flesh and bloud against the world must fight On heauenly kingdome gazing with my fight Where is appointed scope of resting place Wingd with the will of zeale of heauenly grace I do indeuor alwayes to proceed In constant course vnto the arke indeed Where in thy mercies I behold thy face A seruent faith it doth my courage feed And make my heauie limbs become more light When in thy sonne I see thy glorie bright The pledge vnto my soule that hope shall speed This blessed seed Thou hast Lord sowne in me And all the frutes shal to thee offred be SON VII WHere shall I finde fit words or proper phrase Wherewith to witnesse all the loue I owe Whose gratefull minde in thankfulnesse doth grow And to the world thy worthinesse would blase Vnfrutefully the greater sort do gase Vpon thy workes and blessings they receiue And carelesly thy honor they bereaue And suffer chance or wit thy same to rase Whilst vnacknowledged thy loue they leaue Forgetting all the gifts thou doest bestow Whose blinded nature so doth ouerflow That most vnkind to thee themselues they show But since I know By grace thy blessing great My pen thy praises alwaies shall repeat SON VIII THe more I seeke to dedicate my power In celebrating of thy honour great Whose throne is fixed in thy mercies seat The more my dutie groweth euerie hower Some times with Eagles sight aloft I tower And seeme to see the glorie of thy sonne But ere my willing wings haue scarse begunne To mount they drop with clog of heauie shower Vpon the hill of truth I footing wonne By faith which laboureth with feruent heat Of worthie praises thine for to intreat But ere I haue begune my worke is donne So farre I runne In seeking to begin I cannot write such maze my muse is in SON IX AS fareth with the man the which hath bin In perill but of late to haue bene drownd Though afterward he do recouer grownd Knowes not at first the safetie he is in So when I thinke vpon the flouds of sin Wherein I was neare drenched ouerhed What time all hope of comfort cleane was fled And I into despaire to sinke begin My fainting faith with feare euen well nigh dead My minde amazed it doth so confound That though thy mercies freely do abound In port of peace I am not free from dred But being led Fro out the perils sight I shall enioy more pleasure and delight SON X. SInce thou ô Lord hast giuen to me at last The victorie against the deadly foe Who like a lyon roaring still doth goe My soule poote Lot my kinsman deare to wast Since grace at length his pride hath now defast And by the hand off iâ—h he is subdude And that my strength by thee is so renude That his affections almost are displast Since thy high Priest with present me pursude Of bread and wine the which he did bestow And with the same the blessing gaue also Whence life whence libertie whence peace insâ—de I haue indude As proper vnto thee Thy church with tithe of faith thou gau'st to mee SON XI IF he to whom his Lord did but remit A silly debt was thankfull to him found And that the more the sinnes forgiuen abound The more he loues that pardond is of it Then sure it seemes it were good reason fit That I whose soule was sold to death and hell Whose sinnes in multitude did so excell With idle braine should not ingratefull sit But as thy flowing fauours daily swell So should my voice thy praises euer sound And since thou hast powrde oyle into my wound I should not spare thy mercies forth to tell And so as well as thou shalt giue me grace I will thee laud each season time and place SON XII NOw that I haue some safetie Lord attaind Fro out the laberinth wherein I was Since grace as guide therein to me did passe And loue was line with me my issue gaind Since that my wandring steps faith hath refraind And that thy word was Sybils braunch to mee Through hell and death away to let me see To Elizian fields where blisse for aye remaind I must not Lord so much vnthankfull bee To breake the vowes which once I made alas But I will show thy mercies in a glas That by thy words men may acknowledge thee The onely hee Hath any power to saue And raisd my soule fro out the verie graue SON XIII I Shame to see how large my promise are How slow
my heart doth bleed To see that bountie of a God so kinde And note the dulnesse of my nature blinde That should forget the Lord who me doth feed When I was almost lost he me did finde When I forgat him cleane on me he thought When I was sold to sin then he me bought When I was wounded he my sores did binde Yea when I pinde He gaue me plenteous store Which gifts I will record for euermore SON XC WHy should I faint or feare or doubt at all How fierce so euer fleshly combat show Since I so sure a succour readie know To shield me safe what euer do befall If he haue such regard of sparrows small As none of them till God appoint do dye If to our haires which fall he haue an eye That none of them vnnumbred perish shall Why should I thinke him deaffe when I do crye As though he had no care of vs below As though he would not needfull things bestow Although our patience he delight to trye Who can denye But floures that grow in field In glorie staine the beautie pride doth yeeld SON XCI HOw do Gods blessings to his Saints abound Whose gifts of grace although they be but small At first yet more and more increase they shall As seed well watred in a frutefull ground The proofe whereof I sinfull wretch haue found Whose faith nigh famished he now hath fed From heauen with great increase of fish and bread Which strengthen dying soule with comfort sound His word for table he did open spred His seruants for to feed me he did call Their dole so free I find more fragments fall Then in my basket sences home haue led Yet he hath bed To such more to bestow As greatest store of former treasor show SON XCII I Know not Lord how to discharge aright The dutie that for graces great I owe No need thou hast of me at all I know Yet in thy seruice shall be my delight To publish forth thy praises day and night To serue thy Saints with gifts I shall possesse Thy wondrous works by all meanes to confesse I will imploy my substance wit and might The remnant of my life shall well expresse That dead to sin in Christ to life I grew Which shall to world my mind regenerate show Although that I cannot sin cleane suppresse And will adresse My thoughts to thee alone Because on earth true ioy or blisse is none SON XCIII IF I did hope by pen to patterne out The many merits of thy Maiestie Which of thy mercies we do daily trie An endlesse matter I should go about But I alas my strength so much do doubt That nothing lesse then such a thought I haue To point forth others to a thought I craue Whose confidence in skill is much more stout Yet dare I say that nature neuer gaue The power to flesh and bloud to looke so hye Nor gifts of grace full few there are apply To giue him laude aright that did them saue How to behaue My selfe herein I learne And wish my will might others likewise warne SON XCIIII WHat tong or pen can show it selfe vnkinde Vnto a father full of mercy so Who freely doth such benefits bestow And of your case hath such a carefull minde Before we were a way he forth did finde Whereby to purchase vs in heauen a place When natiue strength our glory should deface A remedie therefore his loue assignde He giues vs knowledge of the same by grace Which offered is to them the which will go Vnto the word where sauing health doth grow And saith through which our Sauiour we imbrace And being base By birth and thrall to hell He vs adopts in childrens roome to dwell SON XCV WHy should this worldly care haue now such power To quēch the comfort which the soule shall find In this our God who is to vs so kind The memorie of which should feare deuower If faith were watred well with heauenly shower Of grace and knowledge of our happie state It would the force of all assaults abate And be a bulwarke strong at trials hower If we the world and flesh did truly hate And made his will a law vnto our minde If doubt of power or will did not vs blinde Which to distrust sets open wide the gate Then would this rate Of worldly care be lesse And he our faith with fauour more would blesse SON XCVI HOw loth this flesh of mine remaineth still To part from sin his old companion deare Of death or of a change he would not heare But would imbrace him aye with his good will The verie thought of death his thought doth kill The verie feare thereof his sorrow brings So sweet the pleasures seeme of earthly things That nought else can our fond affections kill But who is wise fro out the snare he wrings Before perforce death doth approach him neare That abstinence no vertue doth appeare When want of power subdues affections stings But who so flings From them when they pursue To him pure name of vertue indeed is due SON XCVII WHo so would liue of force he first must dye Death is the doore which leadeth vnto life Life which shall be deuoyd of change and strife Whose comfort shall our teares of sorrow drye The way is straight the which man must go by If to the heauens he purpose to ascend His grosse corruption must to graue descend And dead the power of sin therein must lye If he to be regenerate intend First must he mortifie the motions rise Of lust which kill the soule with cruell knife And eke his ruine presently pretend For God will send A happie change indeed As haruest paies with plentie plow mans seed SON XCVIII WHen I with griefe sometimes to mind do call The wofull losse that sin to man hath brought And want which to all creatures it hath wrought By Satans slight and Adams fearfull fall I finde no comfort in worlds vse at all But wish to be dissolu'd with Christ to dwell From whom all blessings flow and do excell In thought whereof my comfort is not small Yea I do grow by thinking hereof well Into a doubt if that in truth I ought More sorrow parents fall which death hath brought Or ioy the life through Christ to me befell Yet truth to tell I finde the change so good Our state is better now then when we stood SON XCIX IF I can speake and like a coward crake If I can tell the thing the which is best If I in muster seeme to battell prest And yet shrinke backe when I should triall make If I indeuour others to awake Fro out the deadly slumber they are in And yet my selfe cannot reuolt from sin But in the pride thereof do pleasure take By all my trauell I no game shall win Although my paine might proue to others blest But as the Symball sound doth to the rest I might haps mourne when others mirth begin The feast but thin Would be vnto