all my buildings thou do'st know my hearts Desire is onely t' entertaine those things That my saluation and thy honor brings Furnish me so with faith that my grand-foe Attempting to effect my ouer-thowe May faile and fall and vanish giue me that Faith that set Noah vpon mount Arrarat That which remou'd Henoch from of the earth And without death a gaue caelestiall birth I doe but wish that sword to vanquish sinne Which Dauid brought gainst th' vgly Philistime When woes be set me round and sinne and death Then let my faith aduance me from beneath To thy abiding City'mongst the iust Lord of thy mercy change my faith to trust Faith doth confesse Christ but trust doth perswade The spotlesse offerings that my Iesus made Were mine and for my sinne and soules reliefe This I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe Another thing I craue is patience to Accept contentedly and vndergo Afflictions that may happen grant to mee Such store of patience in all misery That my deserts may cause report to spread Iobs dearest daughter liues though he be dead Teach me to welcome sorrow ' mongst the rest Of other passions that possesse my brest Make patience power the greatest that I may Passe the worlds nights to heauens glorious day Next furnish me with strength make me of might To maintaine combate in thy Gospells right And to my strength adde valour for these too Being diuided can no seruice doo To merit thankes or prayse the foes intent Preuaileth when my valour 's impotent And when my strength wants valour I am like To loose the field because I dare not strike Therefore I sue for both th' are fit'st for mee Because I but desire them t'honor thee Then make a sword of both to cut off strife Venter thou it and I will venter life And yet I venter nothing for I know I haue nothing but what thou didst bestow And as thy owne command it thine I rest ' The best of seruants can but do her best Yet gracious Lord direct me how to make Euen for thy passion and compassion sake My prayers more compleat because I haue Great neede of many things and cannot craue So as I may obtaine except the most Powerfull assistance of the holy Ghost Helpe to preferre my sacrifice if thou Will some more pacience vnto me allow To temper all my passions in such measure That neither sorrowes nor deluding pleasure Possesse me with excesse then I shall doo Thee soueraigne honor and me subiect too To make thy Bride victorious I do pray With reuerence loue and feare that I still may Inioy that pacience which can bring me past The blew-red vaile with victory at last Into thy holiest holy here beneath Afflictions miseries cares feares doome and death Fills all my dayes so full of discontent That till I see that ladder thou once sent Vnto my Father Iacob set for mee T' ascend I looke for noe felicity My Lord by all the gracious promises Of thine betweene the first of Genesis And the Omega of thy sacred booke And by the paines that my Messias tooke By his vnualeu'd merrits and by all He sayd or did from 's birth t' his funerall Free me from all my sinnes and now remoue The clouds of sinne and vengeance from aboue That my voyce may come to thy sacred eares And fetch my pardon from these cares and feares Lord quit me out of hand and let me see The glorious state of immortalitie I 'm weary of these nether-lands and would Come see my dowery that with purest gold Thou hast so richly wall'd and pau'd so faire With Berill Topaz and such stones as are Most fit in forme and beauty I intreate That as thou hast prouided me a seate In Syon thy most holy heauenly hill Thou'll place me in 't O let it be thy will To helpe me home in hast that now I may Change my blacke night for thy bright endlesse day FINIS AN EPISTLE OR A Legacy for the vse of the Right Reverend Father in God IOHN Lord Bishop of the Isles of Man c. By Augustine Taylor Preacher and Minister of the Lord our God at Hawarden LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE RIGHT REuerent Father in God Iohn by the Diuine Prouidence Lord Bishop of the Isles of Man Rector of Hawarden c. MY Lord you know a heauenly muse should bee Esteemed as men prize eternitie I know your brest containes a muse diuine And therefore will not vnder-value mine Of all that liue I dare a fauour claime But those whose all shall perish with their name Right Reuerend Phillips Phillip the great King Of Macedon did cause a child to bring Quotidian warning thus for him to scan Phillip remember thou art but a man A fairer title I deliuer can Phillis consider you are Lord of Man Both men and man approues it in that I le You haue sate graciously a happy while Vnto mans makers glory and your prayse Among'st most reuerent Bishops all your dayes Shall be accounted happy many aime At profitable Lordships and for gaine Are Lords of more but baser mettle farre As farre as doth the Sunne exceede a Starre Men should beleeue it because God hath sayd Man doth exceede all workes that e're God made Stay man the soyle no man the soule is blest I grant that truth and then it needs must rest Y' are Lord of both others but of the soyle Their couetous carefulnesse and temp'rall toyle Affirme no lesse whereas your Lordship may With much content with Princely Dauid say The place wherein my lot to me befell Is passing faire and like me wondrous well You might haue bathed in a greater fountaine But a small Dyamond's worth a mighty mountaine Some lesser things are priz'd the great'st aboue The quality not quantity breeds loue Happy was man to haue the man of God Find out her port he hath remou'd the rod Of wrath and fury out of all her coasts And how to call vpon the Lord of Hoasts In her owne language he hath taught her know Such benefits good Bishops doe bestow Vpon their flocke Now babes and sucklings can And doe extoll the Lord of Heauen and man Pitty't had beene you should haue left the I le For your preferment better many smile Then one and it is better that one loose Then many I haue knowne your Lordship choose To preferre generall before speciall good Your pious learned care 't is vnderstood Hath truely newly setled all the land And taught the ignorant to vnderstand The holy word of God and 't is thought fit You honor God your King and selfe by it In seeing that establisht yo 'aue begune Ioy in it Lord you haue more honor woone By making th' ignorant intelligent Of God and men then euer shall be spent My friends the cause I prayse this Lord 's to mee As neare and deare as Paul to Tymothie What erst was ruin'd by the great neglect Of 's predicessors he doth re-erect In sumptuous stately
me disburse My loue and seruice in this measure take it My worke 's Diume and my free will doth make it A perfect offering t' helpe gamst death and doombe Regard this frame for 't will out-last your toombe Willing and ready to do your Honor the best seruice that is in the power of Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT The Bride is call'd from all the Iles To come and scape her woe And heares the curses and the smiles Belongs to come and goe IF my affection would thereto consent I would be silent th' art so lewdly bent And shewes so little reuerence to my word That iustice tels me silence will afford Me more content and her it will appeare That I still speake to her that scornes to heare But yet be not too deaffe least vengeance cloud Descend vpon thee and then speake so loud It change thy deafenesse into death then heare And if thou canst not loue it 's good to feare Now thy creation and election done My onely care is to procure thee come Euen as a wiseman doth that wants a wife Seeke vp and downe where beauties are most rife And after seeking finds and finding loues And louing bids her home and daily moues Till she be mou'd to come then suite doth cease And they together liue in loue and peace So I did seeke thee first and found thee then And lik'd and lou'd thee woundrous well and when All this was done I did intreate thee home And vs'd the meekest meanes to cause thee come Solemnely I haue bidden thee do not stay Arise my loue my faire one come thy way Remember who inuites thee he that brings Honor to beggars and contempt to Kings Vnto thine enemies and the heathen foe A wofull portion fals a cursed goe In mercy and loue I come and send to thee With mildnesse meekenesse and much clemencie I call thee friendly in these dayes of peace I prethee arme thy selfe these calmes will cease And stormes will follow thou shouldst vnderstand Pleasure and sorrow still goes hand in hand The Sunne will leaue thee and runne out of sight Warre chaseth peace as darknesse chaseth light The time shall come that man and beast shall mourne Mountaines shall tumble and the seas shall burne The morning shall looke red as if it woo'd Tell vs the euening should be dyed in blood The moone shall view thee with a searlet face Dabl'd in clouds and stumbling in her pace The glistering starres shall cease and perish all For some shall be put out and some shall fall The Sunne in sable shall come sadly forth A greater plague them from the bitter north God did e're send shall from each coast appeare Farre worse then Egypt when the plagues were there These lower-lands shall looke each blast shall bring Shot or else powder towards the ruining Of new built Babel's for it must be knowne Bethel's her owners Babel's but her owne She sits aboue now thou knowes if thou know her But all her pompe shall end none shall sit lower A time shall come come loue before it come Each harpe shall silent be each Dauid dumbe Both Heauen and earth together shall conspire To send out vengeance lapt in balles of fire And they shall bust and vtter from within Death and destruction due rewards for sin Millions of dayes thy God for mercy made And in those dayes my care is to perswade And worke my loues returne before it be Too late to saue thy selfe and honor me One day I haue appointed for to bring All kindreds of the earth t' a reckoning The Monarch and the King the Prince and Peere The Stats-man and the Trads-man shall be there All sorts and sects I 'le call and bring as farre As shines the arcticke and th'antarcticke starre Not one shall faile to come at my command Whether they dy'd vpon the sea or land Yea euery one shall that one day appeare And ' mongst those all not one shall want one haire Then I my selfe will come in th' eyes of man As like a Lyon as I was a Lambe With more attendants glorious and bright Then Heauen shewes starres in a cleare freezing night Then Michaels trumpet shall command the dead To rise and come and leaue their drowsie bed T' appeare before a righteous Iudge for then Then he shall fit to Iudge that can condemne And iustifie th' outward and th' inward man According to deserts I will and can But these two parts in men do not agree Therefore they wrong themselues and iniure me But I will come and I will haue regard To all that euer lou'd me my reward I will bring with me and it is most true I will bestow on all estates their due Vnlike to earthly Princes voyd of measure They deale their bounties onely for their pleasure And turnes deserts a begging But looke to 't Peasants now ride and Princes go on foot This order I will alter and I 'le giue All good things vnto all that purely liue Consider thou must meete a Iudge that brings Life to wise Beggars death to foolish Kings Come and thy time to come to please me spend O come before the dayes of mercy end For in the dayes of warre there 's peace for them That loues my Syon my Ierusalem Prouide thy lampe and oyle for it may be I 'le come at mid-night for to call on thee It may be at the first or second cocke Or in the morning or at noone or not Vntill the euening when I will not tell It 's not for want of loue I loue thee well And I conceale this from thee in regard Thou may expect me still and be prepar'd For come I will and when I will and how And sudainely and gloriously looke thou T' attend my comming in thy beauty stand And I will leade thee home with my right hand And bring thee in but shut without the gate All those that lamplesse come and come too late I haue collected thee from many parts From Europe Asia and the wild Desarrs Of Sun-burnt Affricke from the plaines and woods From fields and vallies from the seas as floods From north and easterne coasts from east and west From th'hauen of troubles to the hauen of rest I haue call'd long for my loue th' art in debt Come for it's late O come and welcome yet For feare thou be benighted hast and runne I do beseech thee I command thee come Either for feare or loue I hope to see Thee seeke in season for my companie Regard who cals thy Lord then do not stay A faithfull louer doth dislike delay FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride vpon her Preseruation A Diuine legacy belonging to the Honorable Sr. Henry Salusbury and his Noble Lady Written By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE HONORABLE Sr. HENRY SALVSBVRY Knight and Barronet c. And his Noble Lady ELIZABETH Sister to the Right Honorable the Lord Vaughan c. Truely Honorable IF your great
bounties toward 〈◊〉 may be quit With loue and seruice I haue some such coyne Impresse thus with you names make vse of it It doth the soules of Saints together ioyne And Syons preseruation doth expresse And treats of nought but blisse and happinesse Prophane adulterous plots I do detest I ayme to please the soule and not the soyle To call and summon euery Holy ghest To the Lambs nuptialls is my pleasant toyle My Patrons glory my pen onely seekes And moues no blushes in most modest cheekes Right noble Henry I do know your brest Containes a spirit that is not cantain'd In ordinary limits Honor's best Approu'd and honor'd and her worth explain'd Being cloth'd with robes of purity most fit Lined with mercy valour grace and wit Y' are Lord of these I flatter not I know you And your good parts I honor and admire For all your loue and fauours more I owe you And what I do not do I do desire I could do for your good But I note still Imperfect acts may rise from perfect will And best deseruing Lady you haue beene The Patronesse of my yet infant pen If these more mature workes you do esteeme And countenance I 'le vrge both times and men To keepe your name aliue free from the dead So long as English shall be spoke or read My pen my sacred muse and sweetest breath Shall honor Henry and Elizabeth God guide protect direct and loue you still And send you good vntill I wish you ill Your Honors in all holy duty and Humaine loue Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT Thelpe Isr'els faults some good men striues But cannot make amends Iustice and truth her fall contriues Then mercy makes them friends HEare more my choice and thou shal more conceiue Go not for her I loue I would not leaue Why should we part no no it must not be And if we euer do it's long of thee No fault of mine thou ought'st to vnderstand I mildly do intreate that may command But rigour fits not Princes hatefull thing Base cruelty did ne're become a King Milde patience potency hath euer lou'd The Monarch would not Momus will be mou'd Meeke clemency with Princes euer rides Dauid's at Musicke diuellish Doeg chides So some may do and may vndoe and doth Some things at once are done and vndone both Compassion should in greatnesse beare great sway Mercy in Kings shines like the Sunne in day My mercy thou hast found It hath found thee And brought more blessings then dim eyes can see Or hearts of men conceiue not thy creation Choosing collection troublesome vocation Was all the charges I for thee disburst Thy limmes were soundest but thou trauel'd worst And left my wayes to wander in thy owne Thy heathen neighbours that haue scarcely knowne Thy beauties by report much wonder still To see so faire a creature do so ill When I saw thus thou had thy selfe forgot And other nations that I loued not Reioyce in th'disgrace I knew some paine Must be perform'd to wash thee white againe So foule was thy complection some did see That the whole peece of blacke impurity Was all Imploy'd to make thy coast sad Iob Desires to wash thy spotted sinnefull rob In his snow-water and he brings it in But 't was not that could send away thy sin So Iob mistaken his indeauours rest He 's worthy thankes good man he did his best But could not make thee better Aaron then The first and chiefe of earthly holy men Puts on his rich attire and meanes to bring A sacrifice vnto his Lord and King Prouides his alter and with reuerent feare Calues goates and pigeons he doth offer there And to make an attonement for thy good My priest and alter were both di'd in blood Actions that in some measure did perswade But there was other off'rings to be made Of better value and of greater price Good Dauid friendly brought his sacrifice And that was Isop water and with that His meaning was to wash away thy spot He did his best but 's best did not remooue Yuy sinne but onely manifest his loue Aaron and Iob and Dauid lou'd thee well Yet notwithstanding they did partly dwell At the vaine-labour their workes went to wracke They washt the Moore and he was still more blacke Angels descend and moues Bethesdas lake And yet the long-sicke man no shift could make To make his sorrowes cease these are but toyes Or rather types of price of better ioyes A faire oblation must amend these foule A spotlesse blood must make a spotlesse soule No other offering can disolue offence But luke warme-blood of harmeles Innocence When man had sinn'd and sinne had wrought the fall Of Adam Heuah and their seede and all Borne betweene the worlds birth and funerall God granted a Commission to these two Iustice and Truth and these should say and do And in the high Court on this high Commission These two were set and making inquisition How man that was so good became so ill And finding that he fell by his owne will Affirm'd no punishment could be too much For 's voluntary trespasse and begins To whip man willingly for willing sinnes And by decree in that high Court consents That wilfull faults with wofull punishments Shall be rewarded Is the law so sore For tasting but one apple mongst such store The smallest faults done willingly are great Sinnes done at vnawares shall pardon get Sinnes worthy pardon mournes and knowes no mirth And but begins conception after birth Sinnes worthy death are those that mourning scorne Those that are first conceiu'd and after borne When Truth and Iustice doom'd thy death for sinne Mercy came sorrowfull and sadly in Her body trembl'd and her head hung downe Vpon her backe she wore a long white gowne Her hands were lifted vp her eyes were weeping Her woes were waking and her ioyes were sleeping Her knees were bended begging thy offence They would iudge hers and with such reuerence She spoke in thy behalfe with such respect That as I liue a Tyrant would haue wept She had a palme but bore it very low And carelesly because she did not know How she should speede and humbly thus preferres Her plaint before the high Commissioners The iust Commissioners something mou'd to see So faire a Princesse beg so earnestly Another pardon sadly answer'd thus That one must die it is decreed by vs If thou canst make amends for Adams fall His faults we 'll bury at thy funerall And yet we cannot thus the man forgiue For if thou should die he cannot liue But this we 'll tollerate if thou can get A Prince to loose his life for subiects det Our God is pleas'd to Eden he shall come And thus the lost sonne may be welcome home Thinke with thy selfe speake with thy Prince and try Thy Prince must fall or man and men must dye Mercy being answer'd sate her downe and wept And being full of sorrow would haue kept Her selfe vnseene I see her stept in And
for her comfort I did thus begin Sweete Lady be not sorrowfull I am he Will pay the debt and end all misery Be not amaz'd the great Kings sonne am I A Prince that will not let his mercy die I 'le dye to giue thee life and thou shall rest Henceforth for euer in a Princes brest And this I 'le do to make an end of strife With my owne death I 'le purchase thee a life FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE LORD TO his Bride vpon her Redemption A Spirituall legacy for the Benifite of the Honorable Lady the Lady Gerreard Written By Augustine Taylor Preacher at Hawarden LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. ⧠TO THE NOBLE Lady Ellenor Lady Gerrard wife to the late Honorable Gilbert Lord Gerrard c. Honorable Lady VVHen sorrowes nights are ouer-past There followes ioyfull day Haplesse extreames can neuer last But styes and posts away To bring glad tidings in sad times I hold it wondrous fit And so doth all our best diuines And you may thinke of it I do present you with a gift Fit for a Princes hand Pray take it 't is the meanes to lift Soules to the holy land The full redemption of mankind I offer to your view A subiect to translate the mind From th' old man to the new I know you seeke Gods holy place And clothes you for his feast With pious loue purenesse and grace True zeale and all the rest Of those rich garments faire and meete For such a Princes Court And doubtlesse you shall one day see 't Though now my by report Imperfectly you are but told Yet quickly you shall see In Syons City wall'd with gold The Lambe in 's Maiestie Aduance your thoughts to heauenly things And you in the end shall soare Vnto that Court where's none but Kings Reioycing euer-more Your Honors deuoted in any Christian office Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT The promised Messias birth Conquers hell death and sinne And t' Eden backe with mickle mirth Brings Adam and his kinne IMmortall soule and my elected Queene Though hitherto thou hast most carelesse beene T' obserue my will yet now incline thy neart Or thou and I for euermore shall part See this epistle truely vnderstood Read it with teares for it is writ with blood A pretious price is found to pay thy det A sacrifice not ordinary to get For thou had but one God God but one sonne That sonne one life that life to death was done To bring old Adam backe to Edens blis And now learne what it cost to finish this I being promis'd came man did disdame me The world was proud and loft to entertaine me My earthly mother had so poore a kinne She was deni'd a lodging in the Inne When night and paine and teares and trauell tooke-her poore Mary was alone and all forsooke-her Sighing and seeking to find place for rest And at the last a stable was the best That could be spar'd this I had power to mend But I came rather like a lowly friend Then like a maister and so caus'd it try'd I came to shew my loue and not my pryde My pathes were plaine my cradle was a cratch I had no friends none shew'd such loue to watch For my arriuall the worlds loue was small Mary was mother mid-wife nurse and all No costly robes nor silkes nor cloth of gold Prouided was to keepe me from the cold Nothing but poore attyre and homely things Thus Princeps Regum terrae King of Kings Begun his Lambe-like raigne yea my pretence Was onely peace my armor innocence I did not many nights in safety nappe Vpon my louing mothers lowly lappe But warning came I must to Aegypt flee Herod was mou'd and making search for mee And I must runne or die for his intent's To wash his hands in blood of innocence The time wherein he did the infants slay Shall still be noted for a dismall day He aym'd at my fall but he fell we see And murther'd many to haue metwith mee But he mistooke himselfe and miss'd his ayme And I to Bothlem safe return'd againe In spite of Herod prophecies did ring That Dauids sonne was borne to be a King I did sustaine temptation for thy sake Much toyle and trauaile I did vndertake To make thy burthen light I dare presume To sweare betweene my cradle and my tombe I knew no perfect rest I had no bed Foxes had holes and birds were furnished With nests and lodgings but my head had none Mine was like Iacobs state when he left home And his old parents to procure his rest From angry Esau with his kin in th' east He was benighted in a strange land where He neither found friends nor companions there His pillow was a stone his bed was earth A naturall musitian made him mirth Surmis'd the Nightingall he could not get Wherein to wrape himselfe from nights could sweat His vncoth roome was all with greene be spred And rouing cloudes were curtaines to his bed His canopy was heauen where he might view Millions of Starres fixt in the blackest blew He went to bed as mildly as a lambe And slept as moderatly as a man And rose as earely as a Larke and fed With more content then e're he went to bed Then towards his vncles he doth post amaine To proue if Rachels loue he may obtaine And at the last his prentiships and paine Winnes his faire bride and he comes home againe With 's Lady in his hand his slockes before His seede about him and his Princely store Comes after with his seruants and thus hee With beauty riches health and dignitie Comes home attended I with Iacob may Compare my trauailes so that by the way I make some difference by the difference gather I left a fayrer home a better father To tread strange pathes where I was neuer knowne I sought for strangers loue and left my owne Iacob was neuer in such miscrie I was both worser cloth'd and lodg'd then he I went to fetch my bride from amongst those That dwelt farre further off and were my foes He payd but loue and seruice for his bride I payd my seruice loue and life beside He brought his home with riches and renowne With ioy and gladnesse vnto Sichem towne And for her mouing tents he hath her giuen Faire fixed temples stately types of Heauen His bed was on the earth mine was within He slept for sorrow but I slept for sinne I rose more earely to prepare thy way For I saw sun-rise before he saw day I 'll bring thee home adorn'd with better things The power and honor of all earthly kings And let their powers together lincked bee All cannot make one worthy t'waite on thee I spent my dayes in sorrow for thy good I sayl'd to th'Cradle in teares to th' graue in blood And more then this I was content to doo My middle time had mickle sorrowes too I liu'd releeuing poore healing and feeding I wipt those eyes that wept wounds that were bleeding I cur'd
fixed firme and sure And shall in blis and endlesse time indure And empty stayes thy leasure come in time These lights below will quickly cease to shine Seeke those aboue and seeking thou shall find The ioyes and glory that 's for thee assign'd Vntill thou come to shew thou meanes to come Apply thy hand and tongue and be not dumbe Send dayly sacrifice thou ought to learne Earth should send thankes to heauen for each good turne It 's all I looke for therefore let me see Some signes of loue ascend from thee to mee And I 'll expect thy comming make it knowne Th' art wholy now thy owners not thy owne Let thy succeeding carriage be so good That by thy acts it may be vnderstood Who is thy Lord and let there be exprest In thee those things that fits a Princesse best From th'hauen of sorrowes to the heauen of blisse Vnto my holy hill from thine abisse Mount with the wings of loue and thou shall bee Partaker of my throne and royalue Let all the gracelesle nations grudge and tell To their great griefe the daughter of Israell Hath marri'd a Prince that euer-more shall raigne Her health and life and honor to maintaine Be not in loue with earth nor earthly things Though for a time th' art troubled with the stings Of death and sinne and hell for thy offences Yet there 's a campe wherein is none but Princes And ioy and blis and peace and to that place I will translate thee from thy life of grace Vnto my life of glory thy protecter Will giue thy head a crowne thy hand a scepter Thy mouth a song to sing truthes excellence Thy backe a robe as white as innocence Thy soule both life and comfort thou shall see More perfect absolute felicity In one dayes length in heauen then if thou were To liue on earth a king ten thousand yeare Thou couldst obtaine and therefore in a word To manifest how Paradise is stor'd As things beyond thy knowledge I will leaue I must conceale since thou cannot conceiue That thou mayst fully know them hast and come Millions of blessings waites thy welcome home FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord expressing her Gratitude A Spirituall legacy bequeathed to the protection of the Right Honorable the Earle of Cumberland c. By Augustine Taylor Preacher and Minister in the Church of God LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes 1623. ⧠TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE FRANCIS CLIFFORD Ealre of Cumberland Lord CLIFFORD Westmerland and Vescy c. Most Noble REligion ioyn'd with valour lookes as well As a faire Diamond set in purest gold These man-like God-like parts in you excell And shall to after ages be inrold In leaues more lasting then the sheetes of brasse And in the fore-head of my diuine verse Your name with fame and honor forth shall passe Into all coasts of this faire vniuerse I do present to your inditious view The pistles 'twixt the Lambe and 's holy Bride A very proper present 't is for you That weares a sword to cause her deside Strike still in truths defence and you shall see Your euening crown'd with glorious victory Great Lord my natiue place neighbours your north Then since my soule inhubits in that soyle And since my muse bath wing and will flie forth She 'll tell you of more ioyes then life hath howres And lookes for welcome in your fairest towers Your floods and fords are faire your swans but few But if you please with gracious eyes to view My diuine verse and therein take content I 'll build your trophies betweene tweed and trent Your Honors truely obseruant Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT Glad Israels of-spring tunes her voyce Of gratitude to sing Accounts her selfe an vnfit choyce To Queene so great a King IF earthly kin may send t' a heauenly King Or if thy greatnesse will heare meanenesse sing Accept the sacrifice I now bestow My heart is high although my voyce be low And since thou vnderstands my thoughts before They be transform'd to breath and passe the doore Of my vnready lips my confidence Is that thou will maintaine my innocence And make my worke according to my will I know thy mercy and power continue still And since I share of both let it be seene Such qualities as doth become a Queene I doe not want and then the world so wide Shall blesse thee for thy bounties to thy Bride My gracious Lord I haue a great desire To sing thy prayses in the sacred quire And will vpon condition I may finde Thy heauenly graces vnto me assign'de In so great measure that I may approue My bounty and thy duty and my loue Tenne thousand thankes that it hath pleased thee With mercies eyes to view my miserie My griefe 's forgotten and my ioy growes full My crimson spots are chang'd to whitest wooll My soule 's content my brest can scarce containe My guilty garment that was dy'd in graine Past alteration is restor'd by thee From sinnefull red to perfect purity Thy day dissolu'd my night thy cares my feares Thy drops of blood hath stanch'd my drops of teares When I remember my estate at first Griefes bitternesse threatens my heart shall burst Feare keepes possession and that feares leads paine And paine brings death and thus I 'm partly slaine With thinking on my miseries After these Sad thoughts are past which I do pay as fees For my offences ioy comes in againe When I consider my king doth remaine A glorious conquerour of all my soes Now that I may my thankfulnesse disclose Assist me Lord and lend such grace to me As may preferre a sacrifice to thee Lapt in a sacred song that I 'm indu'd With the poores payment perfect gratitude Take this succeeding witnesse my good Lord For all thy blessings all I can afford Out of my borrow'd store is onely prayse It doth become the iust thy Prophet sayes Daily to render thankes vnto thy name I being iust through thee must do the same Or shew my selfe forgetfull I would bee As farre from that as I wish that from mee For my creation that it was thy will To shew thy loue and grace and power and skill In making nothing something and in that Placeing such beauty as is wonder'd at By heauen and earth and that of all this all Thou hast made me thy Princesse principall And to adorne my state made all thy store I giue thee thankes and I can giue no more For my election I do much reioyce Thou would vouchsafe to make so meane a choyce And was so mighty but each Dauid sings It fits th' Almighty to doe mighty things When out of Eden I forsaken fell Set in the open fields my shame to tell I grew in nature and in number great The earth was spacious yet had ne'er a seate Wherein the sonnes of Adam neuer sate Then since it pleased thee t' illuminate All nations and the best of all to choose To make thy one let that one neuer
iorney with great paine But with farre greater Honor came againe My Prince I know thy day disolu'd my night Thy heauy burthen made my burthen light Thy purple robe di'd red with my offence Bought me a coate as white as innocence Thy thorne's my crowne thy reeds my scepter and Thy death 's my life my faith doth vnderstand Thy blood 's the fountaine wash'd my soule from sin Thy wounds the gates to let me enter in And that wound in thy side doth this impart That thou intends to lodge me in thy heart And made thy passage ready the vailes rent Makes me despise th' earth for I 'm consident Thy cities gates wide open I behold And who'ill be pleas'd with leade that may haue gold My Lord I will not heauen is my home And I 'll not let thee goe before I come To share part of thy glory I am thine And my faith tels me that thy kingdome 's mine I know and do beleeue this and I trust My seat's made in the mansion of the iust And for that place I 'm bound in the meane time That I in all my actions may shew thine I 'm furnishing my selfe and I will ayme To weare my robes for th' honor of thy name I 'll first put on obedience and applie My selfe t' attend vpon thy Maiestie With dilligence and with religious feare Thy law I 'll study and thy world I 'll heare Stife-neck'd rebellion I will neuer know My power shall be bestow'd for to bestow Loues legacies on thee at thy command My inward heart and my externall hand Shall purpose and dispose and to thy throne I 'll offer both my owners and my owne Thy messengers and ministers I 'll giue Their honor and respect and striue to liue So carefully and free from all offence As one that ne're knew disobedience Although whilst my poore soule is lapt in flesh It 's cloth'd with sorrow and with sinfulnesse Yet with such holy feare I 'll spend my time Thou 'll please to say my sinnes are none of mine They shall be done s'vnwillingly my flesh I know well is betroth'd to guiltinesse But not by my consent I doe much ill And Lord thou knowest I do 't against my will Sinne dwelleth in me and muah'ill contriues T' effect much mischiefe and vnkindly striues To burthen me Lord how shall I 't preuent Since I am both guilty and innocent The flesh being mine the sinnes say so are they Yet since my will ne'er will'd to disobey Thy ordinances do thou plead my cause And if I perish vnder Moses lawes Let me appeale to my Messias grace And there find comfort I will seeke thy face But not presumptuously as Mary came Poore woman burthen'd both with sinne and shame Into the house where once thou sate to eate And well considering that her sinnes were greate Presum'd not to behold thy face but kept Behind thy backe and there kneel'd downe and wept And for a sinners sacrifice most meete Dropt pearle-like teares vpon thy pretious feete And gladly washt them and with her heads-haire Carefully wipes them dry to leaue them faire And with th' imbraces that best fits a friend And many louing kisses makes an end Euen so my gracious Lord I come to thee With many faults and much humilitie Knowing my blemish I 'm afraid of blame And being laden both with sinne and shame Willing to bide my face wash wipe and weepe Or any measures sinners ought to keepe Wishing with Mary my release to winne I craue my loue might couer all my sinne My Christ my loue is true and as it were Ioyned and mixed with a reuerent feare To make it perfect lend thy gracious skill To make my worke as proper as my will Vouchsafe to mend what is in me amisse It is both for thy honor and my blisse The old man 's crucifi'd and I 'm new borne I 'ue left my chaffe and I expect thy corne FINIS THE EPISTLE OF THE BRIDE TO her Lord containing her Petitions A Legacy spiritually composed for the gracious suruey of the Right Reuerend Father in God IOHN Lord Bishop of Chester c. By Augustine Taylor Preacher and Minister in the Church of God LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes. 1623. TO THE RIGHT REVERENT FATHER IN GOD IOHN by Diuine Prouidence Lord Bishop of Chester c. Most Worthy Lord IF for your gracious fauours vnto mee My loue and seruice can e're make amends Both are at your dispose and you shall see I 'll ranke your name amongst my noble friends And no dishonor to your Honor for I bring not th' offring of a monitor But of one that wonld be admonished At your dispose you are as'twere my head Learn'd Prince of Preachers whose celestiall voyce Contracts a King to willing audience Accep't these lines and I 'll maintaine my choyce Is the true Image of true excellence 'T is inward ioy to mee to see men note Me clothed in a shâ—ed of Chester scoate It is a robe of honor and maintain'd By Chesters Lord vnwronged and vnstain'd My gracious Lord mistake me not I do Present with reuerence and humility These to your Lordshâ—p they belong vnto Your Honor onely Not presumptuously I eternize your name but with regard And your free Patronage is my reward Bestow it then and for your share doth rest Both all my all and of my all the best Contracted to your Lordship with the bands of true affection Augustine Taylor THE ARGVMENT As harrowing after sowing fits So the Bride wraps her will In prayers and her plants commits Ther Lord in Syon hill LOrd be not angry that I stay so long I would I will not leaue thee if I wrong Thee or my selfe with troublesome attempts Since mercies lawes poore weakenesse still exempts From punishment for commonly we see Weaknesse acts none but her owne iniury Then since she punisheth her owne transgression To chastice her againe were meere oppression Pardon me Lord for I am forc'd to speake Channells o're charg'd with water needs must breake Into the neighbouring lands and cooles the plaines With the moyst land-blood of their too full vaines My heart 's the fountaine and my tong 's the brooke Wherein flowes all my passions Ouer-looke Her fruitlesse inundations I request Conceiue the baser but receiue the best They both proceede from loue and can loue cire I know she may but what man will preferre Complaints against vnfained loues offence None for 't would argue hate to innocence I know thy nature's gracious and Intreate Since thou art better pleas'd to blesse then beate Say not my sinnes are sinnes make good of ill Although they be my workes th' are not my will My God thou knowest it well and since I haue Promis'd thee some good seruice I must craue Thy fauours to performe it thou must breede Th' originall in me of will and deede For any good and first I humbly pray Increase my faith that the foundation may Vphold and honor all the vpper parts Of