of blood More testifie my loue thou know'st I could not Long haue I stroue to bring they soule to good And witnesse here this crimson sweat howe I O soule of man doe for thy whoredomes dye How often in my bosome did I sue To haue thee lodg'd how often did I call thee From strange imbracements from affections new Whose only surfeit did too soone inthrall thee And yet thou would'st not come till age bereftthee Then I must take thee when all els haue left thee When yeeres haue made thee all vnfit for action When lust hath suckt thy Marrow drye and those With whom thou hadst conspir'd in trothles faction Shall shun thy lewdnesse and deride thy woes To mee thou then wilt come and I must hide The knowne defects of thy declined prid Call but to minde what 't is to bee a whoore A whoore the worst of creatures trades her pleasures With all diseases liues till she be poore Sels all to buy damnation neuer measuresâ— Or shame or health but makes her bodies mart Her soules confusion such an one thou art And though perhaps temptation might perswade thee That euen the winter of thine age shall finde If thou repent mercie from him that made thee Bee not secure for thou shalt feele thy minde So farre deuided so currupâ—ly bent As then thou canst not if thou wouldst repent Redeeme the poore remainder of thy daies Deaden the life of thy lasciuious lust Take pittie on thy selfe forsake thy waies Of licorish bondage hate what is vniust Be trew to my desires when sin assaults And I le forget thy wrongs forgiue thy faults Did euer man speake thus was euer crcature In such a language courted when the heat Of wilfull madnesse wrought the soules defeature The God that should haue punisht doth intreat Hee in whose power it is to scourge the sinner With words of mildnesse doth assay to win her Reade in this morrall if it may be term'd so Christs loue the soules infection this is willing That wilfull and eschues to be confirm'd soâ— That from his loue she may behold distilling A sweat of blood as if his blood complaines To tell her of the horrors he sustaines Guilt reades a lecture of her foule misdeeds And bids her looke vpon this streame of red Layes to her view the speaking sweat that bleeds When she lyes gasping on her death full bed And then her conscience summon'd to the doome Of Iudgement hastes vnto her toombe When now O God she cries and haue Iliu'd Ah shall I liue no more Is grace and beautie Vanisht so soone of all respect depriu'd Must pompe and state renounce her wonted dutie Must my deuided soule contemn'd and lost Surrender vp my short appalled Ghâ—st Inconstant fate and wilt thou change thy course And leaue mee to the terrors of my dread Can gold prolong no life Must life by force Be shadowed with the ruines of the dead 'T is bad to die but oh I feele the curse Of my owne conscience doth accuse mee worse Oh had I twentie thousand mints of treasure Kingdoms to morgage worlds within my power I would giue all but for a litâ—le leasure A little little minute one small hower That I might sue for grace from grace cast downe But oh I see my anger God doth frowne Bee not O be not mou'd thou glorious sonne Time was when thou didst sue to mee I craue Thy bountie of thy bloodie sweat and runne With confident assurance to my graue Thou art my spouse I am thy bride â—steeme mee None but my Christ none did but he redeeme mee Heare I disclaime the follies of my will Heare I returne the sinnes my frailties gaue mee Heare I forsake my heart-inueigling ill Heare fly I to his oâ—lie blood did saue me Mercie O mercie I commend as euen My whordomes to the dust my soule to heauen Christ is appeas'd and where the soule is prest With sence of knowinge shee hath done amisse Asking for grace shee is with grace redrest Her case is pittied shee for giuen is But this so seldome hapneth and so rare Scant two such soules amongst amillion are Presumption leads the readie path to hell For whilst wee looke on mercie we forget The equallnes of Iustice and compell Our soules to runne into a greater debt That God is mercifull 't is true so must Our bouldnes eke remember hee is iust Ost hath bin seene a woman who hath lou'd Some constant friend who black mischance hath slain How looking on his wounds shee hath bin mou'd To rent her haire and faâ—allie complaine Cursing her birth and life refraining food Kissinge the silent murmur of his bloode Weeping vppon his bodie as if teares Could make the gaping windowes that let in Vngentell Death close vp and then inferres Wrech wreched villiane could not such lookes win Remorce in thy hard hart with manie words Which then against the butcher griefe affords Can this a woman doe And should the â—ule Behold her louer Christ slaine not lamenting Or should she entertaine a thought so foule As to gaze vpon his wounds without repenting Should wanton carnall loue so much deplore And shall not true religion doe much more A Soule which in the Gospell reads the Storie Of Christs most bloodie sweat and deadly wounds Cannot in rules of zeale but be most â—orie Whilst sorrow mingled with remorce confoundâ— Reason and sence that spectacle to pittie Whilst both sigh out this lamentable dittie And art thou dead and must mine eyes behold The Lord of glorie crucifi'd for mee And is he dead is his sweet bodie coldâ— Made earth with earth and doe I liue to â—â—e The great acquittance of my debt discharg'd Seal'd with his blood that I might be inlarg'd Vnhappie hand that gaue the fatall stroke Which wrought the subiect of my weeping eyes But most vnhappie mee who did prouoke With blushlesse sinnes the cause for which hee dies But I if it were possible would 〈◊〉 With kissing of his wounds fetch life againe Take heere â—he tribute of my mourning heart A poore weake widowed souls complaints remaining Fit earnest of my death desiring 〈◊〉 Smarting in death and dying in complaining As my offences did my Sauiour 〈◊〉 So with my sorrowes will I decâ—â—e his heaâ—â—e First I abiure all sin-contriuing thoughts Heere I renounce each sin-inuiting word Then eu'ry sin-effecting acte which dotes On flesh I will no more let Heauen record My fast indissoluble vowes I striue For Christ alone his votarie to liue His wounds shall be my cloyster heere immur'd I le sequester my solace from the liuing His drops of blood my beads with which secur'd I le score the prayers of my heart mis-giuing My waxen Taper whose cleere light applies Light to my blindnesse shall be his faire eyes My booke the Legend of his Storie Zeale The incense I will offer vp Contrition My penance the confession I reueale My guilt my Hope the comforts of
children and did good To euery one yet wicked men did striue To take away his life and shed his blood Whiles yet this blessed Iesus was aliue And on a time he was so much dismaid Hee sweated blood as he his prayers said But what is worse then this hard-hearted Iewes Did hang this good goodman vpon the crosse Nayling his feet and hands and did misuse This gentle soule whom they did fiercely tosse From post to pillar and would not be still'd Vntill they had this our Redeemer kill'd Heere now may bee the prettie childe will weepe And aske his parents why they vs'd him so To which they may reply that God did keepe His soule aliue though life he did forgoe For Christ my childe so dy'd then may they tell That euery one might be redeem'd from hell Much might be added more to spend the howers In better leasure then an anticke tale Teaching the sillie hearers how the powers Aboue reseru'd vs from the Deuils sale Whom had not Christ his blood regain'd the wrath Of life all vs lost sin had sold to death Come then sad Patron of this bloodie sweat And with thine euerlasting comforts cherish Vnfenced Faith which daily is beset With treasons which intice the soule to perish In the delicious Bath of Blood and Water Cleance leporous Soules and Hels dominion batter And here my God the glorious Sonne of peace I close the musicke of my weeping song And further to inlarge thy sorrowes cease Beseeching that thy Spirit may be strong To moue my heart and gently to commit to meditations all the lines I writ Let not the frailtie of my youth misled Be once remembred in the day of grace Let not the bloodie drops which thou hast bled Condemne me guiltie let thy wounds deface The wounds of mine infection now begin Throughly to wash mee from mine odious sin The howres and daies which I haue spent in vaine In fruitlesse studies and inuentiue pleasure Redeeme O Christ and call them backe againe Doe not in Iudgement mine offences measure But in thy mercies hide my faults protect My sighes let thy loue couer my defect Heere Sauiour of the world worke that I may Begin to liue anew and in this theame Of thy sad bloodie sweat learne out the way Of life indeed and wake mee from the dreame Wherein my Soule long slept and felt the terrour Of double two Apprentiships to errour And now my God if I discharged haue This imposition of thine heauenly taske Some token of thyâ—being pleas'd I craue Some certaine knowledge of thy will I aske For Heauen and Angels with my soule record Ino way haue traduc'd the written word No malice to detract from ruses of State No singuler conceit to purchace fame No pointing at some person neither hate To any priuare wrongs haue made mee name The Plurisies of sin but as thy Sweat All sins hath purg'd all sins I did repeat For which as first thy Spirit did inuite In holy raptures to aduance my minde From earthly slime of holy things to write So hauing written likewise let mee finde Of thy most precious priuiledge some token To grace the trueth of all that hath bin spoken Heere in the pensâ—ue solace of my Soule Me thought a soft coole winde did gently breath As if my spirit were now transported whole Vnto another life from carnal death When straight a shining light perfum'd the roome Out of which light a whispring voyce did come Rest there it said and toyle thee now no more Knit vp the period of thy trembling Stile And learne to liue not as thou didst before But in a smoother course and I the while Will teach thee how thou shalt attaine the place Where quiet soules doe end their happie race For since thou hast with such a modest care Although thy verse doe want the grace of words Limn'd out my wounds and told them as they are So liuely as thy simple skill affords I le take thy meaning in the better part And for thine offring will accept thy heart May bee some wandring eye that shall suruey This wonder of my Sweat in those thy numbers Will take a truce with time and shake away Fronâ—â—ff his Soule the lusts wherein it slumbers Then hast thou hid a multitude of sin If all thy paines one Soule from ruine win And blessedly hereafter shall succeed Thy studies and thy labours if thou shunne The path that thou hast â—rode and wilt take heed To vndoe the many follies thou hast done For if thou haue respect vnto my Lawes Before my Father I will plead thy cause But thou marke well these words A time shall be When Reason shall beate downe the force of might And Natures Sonnes shall wish for peace but see Th' effects of blood and feele the scourge of fight Now vnrespected and not felt but men Shall what they had vnprais'd remember then Happie the soule that sleepes in peace and thou Prouide against such daies watch fast and craue A dissolution and prepare thee how Thy conscience may be furnisht for thy graue Nor doe repute it for a fabling â—este Which sayes Good conscience is a daily feaste Feast on in that and henceforth be secure In strength of Faith let all thy cares be â—as'd By bathing in my Blood and fountaine pure Of this my Sweat and I in this am pleas'd Rest thou for loe the Angels in their rankes Waite my returne thy labour be thy thankes Vp flew the light and silence shew'd the voyce Retir'd to stilnesse which depriu'd my sence Of all the glory of that heauenly noyse Which with such sweet content departed thence Forthwith my Soule her wonted babit tooke And Heal'd vp my comforts in a booke FINIS Esay 53. 3. Mat. 4. 2. Luke 9. 58. Psal. 41. 9. Mat. 12. 24. Luke 22. 44 Acts. 2. 23. Iohn 1. 29. 36. Reue 5. 8. 9. 1. Zech 9. 9 Mat 2. 5. Mat. 11. 29. Mat. 12. 18. 19. 20. Mar. 6. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Luke 4. 22. to 31. Iohn 1. 41. Iohn 11. 33. 35. 38. Mar. 8. 12. Luke 19. 41 42. Lam. 1. 12 Mat. 27. 29. Esay 53. 2. Iohn 13. 1. Gal. 4. 5. Eph. 1. 10. Mat. 26. 37 Luk. 21. 37 Mat. 21. 1. et 24. 3. Iohn 18. 1. Mar. 14. 32. Luke 22. 4 Iohn 8. 59. Mat. 26. 28 Esay â—2 4. 7. Iohn 10. 18 Mat. 26. 39. Mar. 14. 36 Luke 22. 42 Phil. 2. 8. Heb. 2. 9. Luke 22. 43 Verse 44. ibid. Psal. 18. 23. 1. Pet. 2. 22. Esay 53. 9. Luke 8. 2. 3 Mat. 14. 19. Iohn 47. Mat. 11. 19. Luke 4. 21. Mar. 6. 6 .1 Iohn 3. 5. Mat. 8. 17. Heb. 9. 28. Leui. 17. 11. Heb. 19. 22 as hapned by Herod Mat 2. 8. Luke 3. 1. Acts. 12. 21 22. Iohn 18. 22. Psal. 82. 1. 6 Reu. 17. 2 Luke 23. 12. Acts. 23. 4. 5. Mat. 7. 15. Mat. 23. 2. Mat. 7. 3. Iohn 8. 44. Mat. 23. 13 Mar. 12. 40
true way to happines should bee Found out in bloud and bloud of his annointed Whose pure Vermilion red did fairely guild Sinn 's blacke as night for whoÌ„ this lambe was kild Meeke and vnfriended to the world he came Lowly sad patient in his humbled lookes The Mirror of humility so â—ame As if his forehead had bin sorrowes bookes Thus whiles the Iewes hopes with ambition wing'd Flew through yâ— earth their Sauiour cames vn-king'd Vn-king'd good man so far from any grace Of earthly maiâ—stie of Crownes of state As he was set much lower then the base Beneath the sight of pittie or of hate Yet this is that Messiah he who brings Life in his death makes men saints Saints as Kings What eye did euer see him laugh what eares Haue heard him speake the languages of pleasure But euery eye that saw him saw his Teares All Eares that heard him heard him speake in measure For still his wordes with griefe such measure kept His speech was sighes and as he spoke he wept No hand did lend on little Cloth to drye The riuers on his cheekes no thought bewail'd His solitary Cares but all past by Those vnrespected griefes his heart assail'd Himselfe he seem'd as if he meant to craue But of himselfe to beare him to his graue His precious head crown'd with a goodly fleece Of hayres more precious then are goulden threedes Appeares but as an Artist's Maister peece Scarce worth to view his lockes him ouer-spreads vntrim'd as if they ought that head no duety So much his dayly woes had chaung'd his beauty His face in which the Rose did with the lilly Striue curiousty for chaunge in little space Through many vntaught sighes appear'd so silly As t' was but like the ruins of a face Neuer was man so excellently nam'd For shape whom sadnesse had so soone vnfram'd And now the fulnesse of the time drew on When he should pay the ransome of his death To make oblation of his bloud alone Offring the last gaspe of a guiltlesse breath As if his onely arrant from the wombe Were but to run a race vnto his Tombe When with the small remainder of his stocke A remnant of the worldes vn-numbred son 's A little remnant a poore simple flocke This pastour with those sheepe together run's To sequester them and himselfe apart That he might offer vpp to God his heart Not far from the Holy Cittie stood The mount of Oliuet at whose steepe Base Ceadron the riuer with a gentle flood Made Musicke to the silence of that place Neere which was Gethsemane whereto say He often came and often vs'd to pray Retyr'd from out the clamours of the day Our Sauiour with his chosen thiâ—her came That with more leysure hee might freely pray Before the houre that must dissolue the frame Of his mortallity the curse and scourge He was to beare from sinners sinne to purge And feeling now th' approaching horrors neere Of God's inkindled wrath the time at hand Of coming vengeance trembling in his feare Which being man he knew not to commaund His soule was heauy to the death his heart Through wounded ere he felt his woundes to smart Burst with the burthen of tormenting anguish Wasted with bitter throbbes his hastning paine Did make his Manhood quake and sadly languish In agonyes so heauy to sustaine As but the Iewish malice was to heady New death 's were needlesse he was dead already In terrors buried quicke he stroue to hast To the prepared Sepulcher of shame Dreading the iudgment heauen had ouer past Vppon his humaine frailty hell to tame His flesh and God-head stâ—oue but he the while Meeke in his suffraunce did both weepe and smile His God-head smil'd to see his man-hood weepe Remembring what his Godhead had decreed His man-hood did a sure full reckoning keepe Of euery sorrow that could sorrow breed And faine he would as man from death be-los'd which on himselfe as God himselfe impos'd Father hee pray'd and lifted vp his eyes For in his eyes he had inthron'd his heart Father ah that those terrors might suffize Ah that this deadly banquet might depart In which without thy wrath I might not sup The health of sicke soules in a poys'ned Cup. And if it may be possible But Oh? Let not my prayers disanull thy will If thine eternall counsaile order so That I must thy seuere decree fulfill Father so it let bee though death hath wonne Gayne on my flesh yet O thy thy will be done Heere sincking downe for being fore opprest With all the worldes innumerable sinnes Assaulted in that conflict and distrest An Angell comforts him and he begins To shake of those his feares in which he stood Which from his passions drew a sweate of blood Deere eye what-soe're thou be that shall peruse The Lurthen of those lamentable lines An holy meditation may infuse A-mazement to thy soule by those faire signes Heere stay thy wandring gaze and faintly heare Ere thou read more thou mayst let fall a teare And thinke it not a labour all vn-meete To spend a sigh on this vnhappy view Wofull the subiect but the gaine is sweete By which all serue no more but raigne a new For euery teare of water thou canst shed The heart of Christ a teare of bloud hath bled Hee sweat not droppes of bloud for his owne cause For hee vnblemish't lambe was innocent Hee had obai'd no God hee broke no Lawes Hee harbourd no deceit no falshood meant Hee neuer wrong'd his freind by secret stealth Nor by oppression sought to purchase wealth His tongue for gaine was neuer heard to lye Or tu'nd to sweare or flatter curse or fawne Lust could not traine his heart or loue his eye No wanton baites of pleasure could impawne His chast desire to forfet to delight The lawelesse issues of a banefull night His meekenes thirsted notreuenge his minde Was neuer set on wrath no fruitlesse pride Trauail'd new fashions curiously to finde He onely car'd his naked wast to hide He neuer sought to be reputed braue So he had clothes yet clothes could scarcely haue Helou'd not sloath vnprofitable rest Which eates and feedes and onely feedes and eates Excesse of feeding he hath not profest To surfet in varietie of Meates His diet was not change or choyse his dish Some-times a Barly loafe sometimes a fish No Wines of mixture or new drinkes to drowne His soule he vsd he was as Nature made him A drinker but no drunkard to vncrowne His innocence no friendship should perswade him His voyce vn-fee'd spoke to a Nation dull And fed the sheepe but would not share the Wooll Hee did not stop his eares against the cryes Of harmelesse suters to doe iustice right Hee enui'd not the great nor did despise The broken hearted poore borne
defend vs As he fore-thinks the means that must coÌ„mend vs. When Christ prepar'd himselfe to die and beare The wrath of God that we in him might liue The time of his sowre passion drawing neare In which he was his life for vs to giue Retird alone his father to intreat His agonies brought forth a bloody sweat So when vpon the crosse he had indur'd The bitter pangs of hell and breathd the last Confounding death that had his death procur'd When all the tide of cruell griefes was past A souldier with a speare did pierce his side When blood with water gushing was espide Water and blood what could it else intend Or wher-unto so likened could it be But to the bloody sweat his soule did send Before his death opprest in agonie That as the first before his death diminisht Death of the soule this in his death that finisht He di'd indeed not as an actor dies To die to day and liue againe to morrow In shew to please the audience or disguise The idle habit of inforced sorrow The Crosse his stage was and he plaid the part Of one that for his friend did pawne his heart His heart he pawnd and yet not for his friend For who was friend to him or who did loue him But to his deadly foe he did extend His dearest blood to them that did reproue him For such as tooke his life from him he gaue Such life as by his life they could not haue Great miracle of loue redemptions wonder Where he that should be su'd to sues to those Who would not sue to him but still kept vnder That better part which he in mercy chose Rare president of value which discouers How loue is scant where plenty is of louers If we but looke into the little home The home of our owne selues we may espie How many pyrates still make haste to come To wrecke our soules whom whiles we do defie We entertaine and freely but vnsought Make marchandize of what we neuer bought The pearle and the treasures which the Lord Did witnesse were of an vnualued price Iesus did purchase of his owne accord To free vs from our death deseruing vice And left vs for an heritage the gaine Of life immortall euer to remaine Hels gaping wombe which euery minute sunke Millions of soules and would not be content With streams of blood which greedily it drunke But still cryde more his mercy did preuent For he shut vp the lawes and did acquit The rau'nous gorge of that deuouring pit The euer empty swallow of the graue And bottomlesse confusion of the deepe His blood hath made in vaine and this doth saue From dangers such as dangers dayly keepe Deaths sting it hath rebated and vn-edg'd Such soules as were in sorrowes bondage pledg'd What should a sinner doe or whither flie To hide him from his shame that euer wakes Poore man lesse then a man who cannot die Nor cannot liue so much his Care mistakes And still he drawes destruction with his breath As t' is all one to suffer life or death Sad thoughts like burning furies still pursue him And seeke his life who them aliue doth cherrish Fond thoughts whose inward eyes nosooner view him But kill that Maister who once dead they perish His thoughts do tell his conscience of his thrall His conscience makes him thinke that he must fall What shall he crie to mountaines to conceale him Or shall he beg the seas to ouer-drench him The mountaines are remou'd and cannot heale him The Seas are dry and they cannot entrench him But euer as he hopes the light to shun In groping for the night he findes the sunne A Sonne whose glory doth disclose abroade The secrets of his hearts and layes all open Lines out the sundry paths that he hath trode Vnfolds the seuerall treasons he hath spoken The inside of his bosome is apparant And he hath none excuse to pleade his warrant What can he now resolue but to retire Vnto the sweat of Christ and cleft in mind Humbled in meeke astonishment desire Comfort in this his bloody Bath to find Which bloody sweat when euery helpe doth faile To cure the soule that onely doth auaile Pure distillations are but vaine receits Curious to draine but comfortlesse in tast Compounded Cordials are vnwise deceits Whose vertue doth but with the present last Christs body is the Limbecke that must yeeld Distilled blood our soules from death to shield If pleasures honors money gifts promotion Phisicke restoratiues repasted diet Ease cost delights cold heate prophane deuotion Drinkes purges obseruation courtly quiet Or one or all the soules spots could expell Great Kings had neuer ran so fast to hell The Princes of the Sodomites the chiefes Of Aegypt Achab Eserod and the rest Had neuer felt the terrours of their griefes If art could haue a remedy exprest But therefore di'd they cause they know no good To purge them in the streame of Christ his blood The womans painting Iesabel the whore Of th' Israelitish monarch could not hide Her sins from God but as her selfe was poore In virtue so she dy'd in naked pride O had she feâ—ne Christs bloody sweat contâ—iâ—'d In his Eliahs griefe she might haue liâ—'d But they whom worldly pleasures wrap in woe Esteemd this sweat a fancie or a fable Which one day they will find was nothing so When to recall againe they are not able And their this blood which hath procurda crowne Shal be a flood not to refresh but drowne What is a man but dust made vp in forme Fraile weake corrupted keeping tiâ—e in motion A ship at sea â—re-turnd with euery storme Eates sleeps and dies vnsetled in deuotion In health vnbridled in his yeares a span A sading bloome and such a thing is man Mans beautie but a frame made vp in snow Immixt with waxe which melts with euery Sun Euen so experience teacheth men to know How soone this worke of frailtie is vndone A winters frost or summers parching heate Doth soone this pictures ornament defeate Yet as a cunning fire-worke lighted glowes Spits and with hissing wonders dares the skies Till being wasted downe it fal and showes No more his matter spent it weakely dies And vanisheth to aire and smoke so men In health are strong but dying vanish then Man as a cunning fire-worke in his power Dares God and heauen and kicks against the Lord Till all his force be spent then in an hower Abates decaies fals of his owne accord Being indeed as nothing in dcspaire Of doing ill fumes into smoke and aire But here is not the end of all his ilsâ— His greater soules vexation is behindâ— A death which both the soule and body kils To which the miserable are confind And then too late they wish to coâ—â—e the heate Of flames and brimstone in Christs bloody sweate If one condemnd for some notorious fact Labour his pardon and doth surely thinke His life is safe
Doth any loue to be in loue with beautie Come hither in those drops he shall behold Water and blood both in their proper dutie So liuely as Arts sâ—lfe would haue extold In curious figures shadowing delight Blood like to red and Water like to white Doth any couet time begâ—â—ing song Come hâ—ther heare is musicke in this sweate Words sung to God spoke with a zeale so strong As that it doth his bloody sweate beget This must inchant the senses and impart Not solace to the eare but to the heart Doth any wish for costly fare or diet Come hither banquet in his sacred passion Here 's comfort for the foule and perfect quiet Such food as Christ himselfe had in like fashion When talking with the woman at the well He eat what no man but himselfe could tell Doth any hope for Honor or promotion Come hither let him meditate on this And with the sacrifice of true deuotion Lift vp his voice to aske continuing blisse And to him shal be giuen with increase A crowne of glory a firme throane of peace Doth any take content in strength and might Come hither from this bloud recouer trust And hee shall put the Diuels force to flight Rebate the dartes of Hell and iudge th'â— must And beare the Crosse and conquer in like manner Safe Souldiers fighting vnder Christ his banner It is an honour in the eyes of men If when the King in person is in field Some forward spirit desperately then Assault his foe and force him for to yeeld For which attempt if such a one by right Vnder the standard royall be made Knight It is an honour and to times succeeding This banneret shall purchase lasting fame What honour is it then if one lie bleeding Vnder the wounds of Christ and in his name By Christian combat leuell in the dust The worlds aspiring sinnes deuoting lust Hee that doth ouercome himselfe and see His guerdon by the holy written word Is a faire man at armes more strong then hee Who plowes vp Kingdomes with his threatning sword For greater enemies incampe about Man 's owne weake heart then any are without Here lurkes adulteries fornication rapes Murthers false testimonies slaunders pride Treason backe-biting euill thoughts escapes Thefts foolishnes affections fondly eâ—'de Vncleannesse couetousnesse deceits and all Which brings the poore captiued foule in â—hrall Turne then thy weapons on thy selfe O man And fight against those enemies within thee Beat downe thy proper strength sincerely scan The horror of those foes that aime to win thee Put plates of righteousnes vpon thy brest And haue thy feet shod with the Gospels rest Gird on thy loines with veritie and take Saluations helmet to secure thy head Beare vp the shield of faith and hourely shake The spirits sword and on thy watchfull bed Keepe centinell when all thy powers retreat Then come and bath thee in his bloody sweat For as the Hart long hunted on the mountaines Breathlesse doth pant for life but all in vaine Vntill reuiued in the liuely fountaines He doth recouer strength and breath againe So we of breath of life are all depriu'd Til in his bloody sweat we be reuiu'd The curse on man from God when first he fell From the free comforts of possessed grace Was danger of a second death and hell Ecating his bread with sweate vpon his face Then all his sweate his sorrowes did decree him This bloody sweat should froÌ„ his sorrowes free him Sweat was ordaind to get vs bread which bread Achab the king did to Michaiah giue When to the prison causing to be led He did ordaine the prophet to relieue With bread which shewd his cruell iurisdiction In giuing bread but bread t was of Affliction In sweate we eate our bread such bread as Dauid A man of God and chosen to his heart Cride out he had when doubting to be saued He bore the weakenesse of the Churches smart Bread t was indeed so kneaded vp in feares As well he witnest t was the bread of teares In sweat we eate our bread such bread so scant As Esay promisd to the faithlesse Iewes Who being pierc't with famine steru'd with want Sought stranger gods and did the knowne refuse Such bread is our bread and be sweated so Bread of aduersitie and bread of woe As then the sweat in getting of our bread Did set before our eyes the curse we liue in So may this bloody sweat abandon dread In onely which we know we are forgiuen Then let vs in those sweates redeeme time past Feeling the first still haue in mind the last And still as often as our heart presents vs The memory of our vnhappy fall By sweating for that bread which discontents vs So often let vs call to mind withall This sweat of comfort that doth hourely bleed Our wofull soules with bread of lâ—fe to feed Let not the pleasures of vncertaine tast Beguile ourpâ—iates to deceiue our hearts Let not the momentarie hopes that wast Inuite to folly that too soone â—eparts But let vs looke on Christ the way and dore That all must tread as he hath gone before Peeter and Andrew Iames and Iohn whom first The Lord elected to be great on earth From men with men in ranâ—ke of men the worst The meanest in degree of baseft birth When they were clad Gods glory for to see The only wordes he vs'd were follow mee Mathew surnamed Leuy who to raise His estate to wealth and Houour sate and tooke Custome and tallage till his better dayes Approached when the time was he forsooke Vaine trust and was God's glory cald to see The only wordes Christ vs'd were follow mee The rich man that to iustifie himselfe By keeping whole the fire-condemning law Hee that was sad to leaue his worldly pelfe When the trew man to righteousnesse he saw To him then cald Gods glory for to see The onely wordes he vs'd were follow mee To him that would be iust but first had rather To bid his guestes at home farewell and he Who chose to lay into his graue his father Before he ment a Nazuarite to be When they should come Gods glory for to see The only wordes he vs'd were follow mee Phillip when yet redemption was not knowne To bee on earth found such a sauing fauour As that the Lord did chose him for his owne By calling him vnto the precious sauour Of life to life Gods glory for to see Yet all the wordes he vs'd were follow me Which follow me must not be vnderstood In fastes of Miracle or earthly pleasure Nor striuiug as he did in sweating blood To know no sin but to attaine the treasure Of neuer-fading ioyes of true saluation By holding worldly pompe in detestation For he who follows Christ must not respect Promotion money glory ease delight But pouerty reproofe and selfe-neglect Disgrace teares
in sorrow weepe A man that liues in pleasures as his dayes Increase the dayes past ouer seeme a dreame Stil newer ioy more hope of ioy bewrayes And as he liues he liues still in extreame He wakes to sleepe and sleeps in hope to wake So here is all the pleasure he can take Is this a life O what a life is this To couet age which being come is hated Whose end is death which death the vtmost is Of eu'ry lease that in the graue is dated They that enioy what their owne hearts can craue Craue onely time which brings them to the graue And here they die and dying once die all Die al as they vnworthily haue liu'd No part of them suruiues but feeles the thral Of life in death and death of life depriu'd Thus then the promise of al the worlds desire Beares life to die then dies in life to tire Weary vnrest and restlesse wearie woe That leads to pleasures in their birth abortiue How much more better were it to forgoe A life so grieuous and a death so sportiue And rest the griefes so numberlesse and great In the sweet slumber of his bloody sweat When Pharaohs heart was hardned and deny'd Freedome to Israel the Lord to scourge Pharaohs ambition and detested pride Which mercy could not win nor mildnesse vrge Commanded Aaron when he toucht the flood Th' Aegyptian waters all were turnd to blood Water was turnd to blood but in this sweat Here blood is turnd to water as the first Betoken'd plagues for sins the last doth treat Redemption from those sins who were accursâ— The first his wrath the lass doth shew his loue His iustice this did that his mercy proue By blood offences in the written law Vnto the law of grace were reconciled By blood offences must redemption draw From blood which blood the Gospel now is stiled The law the blood of Goats and buls desired The Gospel hath the blood of Christ required A surety for his friend that is arrested Kept close in prison bound in yron chaines Is hungry cold and weary sicke and wrested To change of inward griefes and outward paines Deserues from him for whom he asseast If not a full reward yet thanks at least So he who in the absence of his friend Whom malice hath vpbraided with abuse Doth vndertake his quarrell to defend Clearing the imputation with excuse Fights and is wounded being wounded dyes May iustly claime the tribute of his eyes Iesus the sonne of God was at our suâ—e A rested and imprison'd in the frame Of flesh was fetter'd and of no repute Tyr'd with his griefes the by-word of defame All this he was and did yet to relieue him Wee scarce can in our hearts finde thankes to giue him Hee vndertooke our quarrell with the Deuill When we were all vnable to resist And in that quarrell to discharge our euill Was wounded to the death yet wee persist Too obstinate in malice and forbeare Vpon his bleeding wounds to shed one teare Wee see vpon his furrow-drowned face The print of sorrowes stampe yet not regard him Wee see his honour leuel'd with disgrace Yet with our only thankes will not â—eward him 'T is bad to sin sin 't is to be vngratefull Sin is abhorr'd vnthankfulnesse is hatefull Goe then Remembrance tell that Queene of Reason Fayre bride to Christ the Souâ—e her louer comes Deckt in his wedding robes and courts the season With choyce of pleasures and with many sinnes Of sure deserts inuites this wandring Queene To be as true as he to her hath beene Ladie quoth hee thy fortunes haue not won My heart to loue thy beauty cannot force mee To wanton dotage what my care hath done No time shall alter no repoâ—ts diuorce mee For to my chaster flames thy zeale gaue fuell And I will guard thee if thou be not cruell No dower from thy treasuries I craue No wanton dilâ—â—ance in a bed of lust Thy purenesse is the portion I would haue Artlesse simpliciue and steedy trust And if thou proue but constant to implore Vertue with goodnesse I will aske no more Heerâ— vowes the soule virginiâ—v and sweares Shee will bee only his and meanes to doe it Vntill distracted in her fleshly feares She shrinkes from her first troth when she comes to it And like a strumpet false she heere â—â—â—swore That plighted promise she had made before Simplicitie was woo'd by youthfull Iust And would not yeeld young Iust did fee old sinne Old sin assaults simplicitie whose trust Thus to make lesse she trimly doth beginne Faire daughter â—â—â—â—en time will come when thou Shalt change thy hue and be as I am now Vnhealthie old forsaken and despis'd I lead a life who was adored then Beautie amidst the â—roppe is only priz'd Faire soules in youth are chieâ—ly lik'd of men But when my time did court me I for-went it And lost my daies and now I doe repent it Daughter wilt thou alone liue vnpossest Of youths best ornaments and natures ioyes Wilt thou deny to be a mother blest In pretty daughters and more pretty boyes O no had not our mothers tooke their lot Wee had bene yet vnborne and vnbegot Heauen hath oâ— dained thee to be sweet on earth Both loue and youth do-homage to thine eyes And wilt thou curbe thy selfe of pleasures mirth By vainely striuing how to be precise She that hath fairenesse were as good haue none If foolishly she keepe it all for one Yet you forsooth young mistresse in the folly Of standing on some pleasure threatning text Dreame of some great renowne in being holly Reade this and that and that and what is next I know not what and euer vainly plod In hope to marry with the Sonne of God No doubt come yet I le tell a safer way If you will needs to that ambition clime Do it at last buâ—spend thy youth in play Reuell enioy the freedome of the time And when y' are old vnfit for sport bereauen Of youth and ioyes then you may think on heauen Tush daughter God respects thee in thine age As well as in thy prime and he will beare With flesh and blood then seeke not to ingage Best of delight before delights do weare And thou to God maist be my words are truth As welcome in thine age as in thy youth Wonne is the soule with this or rather lost Sins sweet temptation hath vndon the zone Of Maiden chastitye the feeld is lost Lust hath preuailde and Christ is left a lone For now the soule resolues that sports vnfold Law to the young repentance fits the old Yet thus that kinde good God will not giue ouer But once againe by parley doth attempt To court this perâ—uâ—'d dame and like a louer Scorn'd of his Lady from all hope exempt Pittyes the shipwracke of her taiuted name And yet by Manage would recure her fame I know quoth Christ I louethee els I would not Haueâ—â—â—â—nd vnto thee in a Sea